Well I bought a Microsoft Pharos GPS-500 to go along with marine software. I can not get the GPS to work with the software so now I need to figure out where my problem is. I need to know how to test the GPS. I was told to use hyper terminal to test it, and when I do all I get is a bunch of symbols always scrolling through the screen. I have no idea what I am looking at and is that what it suppose to look like ??
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How to Test GPS?
- Thread starter Creepin_D
- Start date
I bought MS streets and trips with the gps receiver, and it too wouldn't work until I googled my brains out to find a solution (from MS, imagine that).
Given that the drivers are installed...
Plug in the device before booting the (laptop in my case).
Place the receiver in sight of the sky.
Boot, then wait for the "usb device installed successfully" balloon. This may take up to 5 minutes or so the first time.
Start streets and trips, and it sees it and works fine, though the first time I had to configure in streets and trips by selecting the proper com port--use the same usb port each time too, or you'll have to configure again.
Streets and trips will work with the pharos device too, at least it is mentioned in the software. I'm not sure which one of the two I have.
Hope this helps. I used mine twice and then just bought a Garmin to navigate Chicago. Much less bulky when driving, and the screen is more convenient being on the dash.
Given that the drivers are installed...
Plug in the device before booting the (laptop in my case).
Place the receiver in sight of the sky.
Boot, then wait for the "usb device installed successfully" balloon. This may take up to 5 minutes or so the first time.
Start streets and trips, and it sees it and works fine, though the first time I had to configure in streets and trips by selecting the proper com port--use the same usb port each time too, or you'll have to configure again.
Streets and trips will work with the pharos device too, at least it is mentioned in the software. I'm not sure which one of the two I have.
Hope this helps. I used mine twice and then just bought a Garmin to navigate Chicago. Much less bulky when driving, and the screen is more convenient being on the dash.
- Thread Starter
- #3
What GPS did you use??
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2002
Your GPS should be outputing data in NMEA format at 4800 baud, 8N1.
So make sure you have hyperterminal set up for the correct COM port, 4800 baud, 8 bits, no parity, and 1 stop bit, and no flow control.
You should see sentences like the following:
$GPGGA,030501.001,4340.88001,N,07926.10109,W,1,12,12.7,156.6,M,-35.4,M,,*55
$GPGLL,4340.88001,N,07926.10109,W,030501.001,A*21
$GPRMC,030501.001,A,4340.88001,N,07926.10109,W,0.30,43.5,031010,0.0,E*7F
$GPVTG,43.5,T,43.5,M,0.30,N,0.56,K*4E
$GP is the talker, in this case the GPS.
GGA is GPS fix information.
GLL is Lat/Long.
RMC is Lat/Long/SOG/COG/Time.
VTG is SOG/COG.
The numbers are all data, the * at the end followed by two characters is the checksum.
After a while you can learn to read the basic "raw" nmea sentences.
Which marine software are you using?
So make sure you have hyperterminal set up for the correct COM port, 4800 baud, 8 bits, no parity, and 1 stop bit, and no flow control.
You should see sentences like the following:
$GPGGA,030501.001,4340.88001,N,07926.10109,W,1,12,12.7,156.6,M,-35.4,M,,*55
$GPGLL,4340.88001,N,07926.10109,W,030501.001,A*21
$GPRMC,030501.001,A,4340.88001,N,07926.10109,W,0.30,43.5,031010,0.0,E*7F
$GPVTG,43.5,T,43.5,M,0.30,N,0.56,K*4E
$GP is the talker, in this case the GPS.
GGA is GPS fix information.
GLL is Lat/Long.
RMC is Lat/Long/SOG/COG/Time.
VTG is SOG/COG.
The numbers are all data, the * at the end followed by two characters is the checksum.
After a while you can learn to read the basic "raw" nmea sentences.
Which marine software are you using?
