Emjaytoo
Well-Known Member
I want to get a USB GPS receiver so I can use my notepad as a chart plotter. Any suggestions?
Which USB GPS Receiver
- Thread starter Emjaytoo
- Start date
Wakatere
Well-Known Member
I use a Holux GPSlim236 in the car in conjunction with TomTom on the PDA - hang it from the 12v socket in the boot and connect by Bluetooth. Very happy with it. Has USB connection too - data and power. Removable battery is a standard mobile phone one if you need spares, but if you're using it on DC power you can remove the battery and it just starts up when the power comes on.
This is just a matchbox-sized GPS though - depends on PC or whatever for everything else - is that what you want?
This is just a matchbox-sized GPS though - depends on PC or whatever for everything else - is that what you want?
Searush
Well-Known Member
Cheapest you can get! Mine was £40 from local PC shop about a year ago, should be chaeper now I suppose. Uses USB for power supply & works well with 2 laptops & half a dozen different chart/ map/ routing progs.
Just do it!!!
Just do it!!!
heimdal
Well-Known Member
I use this one..
http://www.action-replay.co.uk/GPS/GPS_USB.shtml#top
it's about 50mm diameter and 20mm high. works well.
http://www.action-replay.co.uk/GPS/GPS_USB.shtml#top
it's about 50mm diameter and 20mm high. works well.
wotayottie
Well-Known Member
I'm sure I remember reading somewhere that there are only 2 different GPS integrated circuits made in the world, one is by Rockwell and the other I dont know. If correct that implies that the manufacturer of the usb gps sets does little more than makes the plastic box, attach the cable etc. In other words they are much the same - buy the cheapest.
Bit like trainers. But I might be wrong!
Bit like trainers. But I might be wrong!
alan
Well-Known Member
I use Haicom which uses a SIRF StarIII with 20 channels. Works well below decks.
Alan.
Alan.
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I am looking to make a similar investment and have seen this as the cheapest.
One thing I am not sure of is why the receivers benefit from having more than 12 channels as the satellites are geo-stationary and more than 12 can never be seen (other than in polar regions). Any opinions on this conundrum?
One thing I am not sure of is why the receivers benefit from having more than 12 channels as the satellites are geo-stationary and more than 12 can never be seen (other than in polar regions). Any opinions on this conundrum?
agreenacre
New Member
I got mine from dg-kit.com ( hong kong )via e bay
32 channel USB GPS mouse receiver MTK chipset 4 laptop
Works well below decks and in the house
32 channel USB GPS mouse receiver MTK chipset 4 laptop
Works well below decks and in the house
FAITIRA
Well-Known Member
Mine is an M.CMarine, works well inside the boat, €85 in France.
tudorsailor
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
I want to get a USB GPS receiver so I can use my notepad as a chart plotter. Any suggestions?
[/ QUOTE ]
I bought the most basic Garmin eTrex off eBay. This means I have a waterproof GPS that I could take with me if I needed to abandon ship. I use it linked to a PC with a special cable. I have it in the saloon and still get a satellite fix
How about ebay item
TudorDoc
I want to get a USB GPS receiver so I can use my notepad as a chart plotter. Any suggestions?
[/ QUOTE ]
I bought the most basic Garmin eTrex off eBay. This means I have a waterproof GPS that I could take with me if I needed to abandon ship. I use it linked to a PC with a special cable. I have it in the saloon and still get a satellite fix
How about ebay item
TudorDoc
alan
Well-Known Member
Well actually the satellites are not Geo, they are Leo and I think they are something like 7ooKm in altitude. The more channels you have then the more simultaneous receptions from different satellites you can get; this in turn means the receiver has more choice for the best receptions and which channels are used for the calculations; the more usable satellites the more "position circles" can be obtained and hence better accuracy.
If you look at a GPS receiver display you can see the number of satellites visible at any one time and also the quality of the signals (usually displayed as a bar chart); also you will see the satellite identities changing as they come up over the horizon are aquired by the receiver, go through zenith (or max altitiude) and then disappearing down over the horizon. If you notice you can see that the satellites that are in view are constantly changing.
As I said, I use Haicom and it works well for me even mounted below decks (GRP).
Alan.
If you look at a GPS receiver display you can see the number of satellites visible at any one time and also the quality of the signals (usually displayed as a bar chart); also you will see the satellite identities changing as they come up over the horizon are aquired by the receiver, go through zenith (or max altitiude) and then disappearing down over the horizon. If you notice you can see that the satellites that are in view are constantly changing.
As I said, I use Haicom and it works well for me even mounted below decks (GRP).
Alan.
