USB GPS

[sutton sailor]

I am planning to use a USB GPS with my note book which will be loaed with charts covering the UK. Is it just a case of installing the chart programme and pluging in the USB GPS, and then running the chart prog, will the GPS show your position on the chart. I have so far just used a dedicated chart plotter.

 

[Searush]

That depends on your laptop OS, your GPS & your chart prog, but these days the answer is usually just - yes. If you have any problems use NCT-Lite to check the GPS output stream, port & bitrate. Then you can set teh Lappy & s/w up to see the GPS. But with relatively modern stuff it should work fine just plugged in.

 

[TSB240]

USB Dongle or Active USB Antenna

I can plug either

This
http://www.emt.com.tw/webPage/produ...&product_id=22&series_name=Marine&series_id=6

Or This
http://www.maplin.co.uk/usb-gps-dongle-476503

Into my cheap notebook using Linux and open CPN

which gives World wide chart coverage available via CM93.

 

[MoodySabre]

I bought a BlueNext USB GPS and it was a PITA to configure and sometimes refuses to connect. A friend also found this model hard to configure but has more success than I do. I'm looking for an alternative.

 

[idpnd]

The most popular cheapo is probably the BU-353, you can find it on amazon.

Try opencpn to get it going.

 

[ianj99]

I am planning to use a USB GPS with my note book which will be loaed with charts covering the UK. Is it just a case of installing the chart programme and pluging in the USB GPS, and then running the chart prog, will the GPS show your position on the chart. I have so far just used a dedicated chart plotter.

I am using both Belfield Chartplotter (all UK ARCS (raster) charts included for about £70) and Polarview (UK AVCS (vector) charts included for £55 from the US) and both will of course show position and track.

I use Navmonpc to route nmea data to both programs simultaneously, although striclty speaking, it is overkill. However I prefer the detail on the raster charts (ARCS) + Belfield tidal info, and use the vector charts for a wider view.

Belfield can supply a usb dongle as well (£39.95) and an AIS receiver dongle.

Polarview's instrument display (Polarcom) is good, also customisable and resizeable.

Ian

 

[LadyInBed]

The most popular cheapo is probably the BU-353, you can find it on amazon.

I recently bought a BU-353. Installed driver that came with it, plugged it in, configured opencpn and I was away.

I installed it on a laptop running XP and a notebook running Vista - no problems with either.

 

[sutton sailor]

Thank you IANJ99. I have been checking out the belfield chartploter, and I am planning to go for it. They do a good deal if you buy the GPS with the chart plotter (£99. I especially like the idea of buying all parts from the same supplier, hopefully less chance of incompatibility issues. Also only £40 to upgrade the charts.

 

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

Thank you IANJ99. I have been checking out the belfield chartploter, and I am planning to go for it. They do a good deal if you buy the GPS with the chart plotter (£99. I especially like the idea of buying all parts from the same supplier, hopefully less chance of incompatibility issues. Also only £40 to upgrade the charts.

What type of charts do you have?. Where are you getting the GPS with chartplotter from? Let us know how you are getting on with the setting up; I am also planning to buy same equipment.

 

[ianj99]

Thank you IANJ99. I have been checking out the belfield chartploter, and I am planning to go for it. They do a good deal if you buy the GPS with the chart plotter (£99. I especially like the idea of buying all parts from the same supplier, hopefully less chance of incompatibility issues. Also only £40 to upgrade the charts.

It is excellent value and there's no excuse for anyone with a laptop or notebook on board not to have it as a back up plotter or for route planning.

Polarview has the added option of having a nmea output for driving an autopilot and now that it can be had with the entire HHO UK vector chart set, is also great value.

 

[ianj99]

What type of charts do you have?. Where are you getting the GPS with chartplotter from? Let us know how you are getting on with the setting up; I am also planning to buy same equipment.

You can get it direct from Belfield as a package.

http://chartsandtides.co.uk

The charts are the UKHO ARCS charts - all 800 of them on disc or memory stick, and being raster charts, means they are exact scans of the Admiralty paper charts.

Naturally the program automatically selects the correct chart as you zoom in or out.

ukho.gov.uk

 

[MoodySabre]

There's a test of the Belfield plotter and others too in Sailing Today current issue.

 

[stevensuf]

I went the open cpn and cm93 charts, since im a cheapskate, depending on your morals there are garmin atlantic ones kicking about as well, the first usb dongle i got crashed windows, the second one is better but sometimes not recognised by windows, getting a reliable gps usb dongle was the difficult part for me!

 

[NickRobinson]

Blue tooth?

Has any one tried a BT GPS?

My set up uses a BT USB dongle to talk to the GPS total cost less than £10. for both bits.

The GPS is rechargeable so it can be used remotely (eg higher up inside the cabin) but not really necessary. It runs for 12/24 hrs if not on charge.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-GLOBA...oftware_ET&hash=item5d326b7bbd#ht_3714wt_1059

(no connection, other ads available!)

Nick (Rivendell

 

[Playtime]

Has any one tried a BT GPS?

Yes - I use a GlobalSat BT 338 as a back-up and with my Dell PDA which runs MemoryMap with Maptech charts, in the cockpit for pilotage. BT works well, without the set-up problems that I have encountered (as have others here) with USB GPS.

The laptop runs down below taking it's primary feed from the fixed GPS (Garmin 128) and a NASA AIS engine. The laptop runs OpenCPN with CM93 and Maptech (Admiralty raster) charts. I use Maptech for route planning and real time nav and the vector charts (with detail turned down) for AIS display, which is particularly good on OpenCPN.

I'm also now using NavMonPC for instrument display, logging and multiplexing/virtual COM port provision, although the virtual ports are not really needed now as I no longer run Maptech, just OpenCPN.

 

[V1701]

Bluenext dongle here, works fine (once configured with the help of the forum ) with Samsung netbook, Open CPN/CM93. A great backup to the chartplotter...

 

[jakeroyd]

I have recently discovered 'Extgps'
http://www.symbian-freeware.com/download-extgps.html
which allows your Symbian based gps , Bluetooth phone to send gps to your laptop
I have a Nokia E71 which works fine with this.
I paid , I think , about £4 for mine using the Nokia Apps store but I note you seem to get it free on the site I have posted here.

 

[ianj99]

I'm also now using NavMonPC for instrument display, logging and multiplexing/virtual COM port provision, although the virtual ports are not really needed now as I no longer run Maptech, just OpenCPN.

Navmon is good for its nmea handling but the instrument displays are less impressive, not customiseable nor resizeable, not that this is a complaint since its a free download!

You might like Polarnavy's Polarview instruments. You can customise them fully and also re size the window, and have it ontop of Belfield.
You can choose an anlogue or digital display for most parameters.

I

 

[sutton sailor]

Opencpn

Opencpn looks very attractive. Does any one know if it is updated and how frequently.

 

[LadyInBed]

Opencpn looks very attractive. Does any one know if it is updated and how frequently.

Do the sums:

Name	Modified
	 	
2.5.0	2011-07-26
2.3.1	2010-12-31
2.3.0	2010-12-18
2.1.0	2010-06-26
1.3.6	2010-01-07
1.3.4	2009-10-01
1.3.2	2009-07-11
1.3.0	2009-05-09
1.2.8	2008-12-25
1.2.6	2008-08-31
1.2.4	2008-04-20
1.2.2	2008-01-02
1.2.0	2007-04-20