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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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GPS-PDA Combos?

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John G-
Admiral

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793 Posts

Initially Posted - 12/31/2002 : 16:02:08

I should have asked this before Xmas but….
Has anyone explored a GPS-Palm Pilot (or other PDA’s) interface like the Navman or Magellan? Both look good but come with Street maps. Can they be used for our sailing routes? Are there other products out there?
JG 

[url="http://www.peregrinefund.org/"]<img src="http://www.peregrinefund.org/images/intro_mid_image.GIF" border=0>[/url]
 John G- "PEREGRINE" C25-#4762 FK

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azexploder
1st Mate

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USA
78 Posts

Response Posted - 12/31/2002 : 19:51:13

I have a Navman for my Palm iiixe. The palm was stollen out of my truck, but before then, I used it on hunting, hiking, and general 4x4 trips in the woods, along with race course duty. It was great combined with a topo mapping program. The Streets and trips was good for navigation around town.
Best parts were speed, VMG, Distance to waypoint, and bearing. Also seeing yourself on the lake as you moved was neet.
I am plying eBay for another iiixe, but nothing so far.
THey are cheap for the III, but way too much for the current models.

Regards
Mike

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osmepneo
Past Commodore

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1420 Posts

Response Posted - 01/01/2003 : 06:21:45

John,

I bought a Garmin Legend in the fall and waiting for the end of Christmas for their Roads and Recreation program. (Some of Christmas was delayed because of my wife's mother death.) Regardless, Garmin GPS's come with a computer interface. I plan to use it with my laptop. Haven't used it yet, but I'd assume then that there would be a way of tying the program to a palm

Don Peet
c25, 1665, osmepneo, sr/wk
The Great Sacandaga Lake, NY

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aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 01/01/2003 : 09:35:18

John,

I believe Compaq also makes a PDA designed to accept mapping programs. I don't recall the model though. Your favorite Compac dealer should be able to tell you.

Al
GALLIVANT #5801

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Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2984 Posts

Response Posted - 01/01/2003 : 10:59:29

Check out OziExplorer....

I have used the PC charting version for many years now and like it a lot. It appears that to use a palm version, some things need done on the full PC version first like calibrating a chart.

It also appears that the software only works on some versions of PDA's and those are listed.

http://www.oziexplorer.com/

<img src="http://www.cox-internet.com/arlynstewart/images/helming.jpg" border=0>
Arlyn C-250 W/B #224
R&R N/E Texas and Great Lakes

[url="http://www.cox-internet.com/arlynstewart/"]Arlyn's C250 Mods n Cruisin Stories[/url]

Edited by - arlyn stewart on 01/01/2003 11:00:24

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Walt
1st Mate

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USA
37 Posts

Response Posted - 01/01/2003 : 23:33:01

I have a Garmin II that I have used for years. It has 12v and computer serial input, also has external ant input. They are very inexpensive now. The gps III would be a better unit though. My eyes don't work as well as they used to so I use the Garmin connected to a laptop. Much easier screen to read. I also use MaxSea software and Maptech software. They are both exellent programs. The Maxsea will read anykind of charts and you can also d/l free maps ( S57 format )from NOAA, although the program is pricy. Another thing to consider is the new WAAS features of the newer units. They boast an accuracy of 3 meters, much better than the old ones. As soon as the weather clears, I am going to interface the auto pilot and the wind speed indicator with the gps. Hope it all works out am working on the interfacing at present. Good luck on finding the right gps.

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 01/01/2003 : 23:56:53

Walt,

I can't exactly remember, but when I interfaced my Garmin GPS with my Raymarine ST1000plus autopilot last year, there was something peculiar about the wiring between the two units that wasn't in the instructions for either unit. I believe I had to run one of the NMEA In/Out(can't remember which one?) data wires from the autopilot to battery ground instead of back to the GPS unit. Just a heads up.

Don Lucier, 'North Star'
C25 SR/FK
On the hard, 200ft from Lake Erie

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Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2984 Posts

Response Posted - 01/02/2003 : 17:12:19

Walt, your nose is tracking the right scent...but in the wrong direction. The negative data wire of the auotpilot needs made to the same ground point as the gps ground wire, not at the same ground point as the auotpilot.

<img src="http://www.cox-internet.com/arlynstewart/images/helming.jpg" border=0>
Arlyn C-250 W/B #224
R&R N/E Texas and Great Lakes

[url="http://www.cox-internet.com/arlynstewart/"]Arlyn's C250 Mods n Cruisin Stories[/url]

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Walt
1st Mate

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USA
37 Posts

Response Posted - 01/02/2003 : 19:42:29

I am using a model N183-41 NMEA multiplexer from Noland Engineering. It has 4 inputs and a talker port with the rs232 output to a serial port. It appears that most all NMEA units doesn't provide a REAL NMEA input/output signal, almost no NMEA unit is able to handle true xmit/rcv capabilities of the true NMEA protocol. They just transmit, and then you have the priority protocol that each unit has built in. Best way is to have all units, compass, wind speed, GPS, Autopilot, and so forth from the same manufacture to achieve the same results with out using NMEA at all. You would just use the protocol that the device's already posses, and need no multiplexer at all. NMEA prococal is practically dead at this time and in the future. So anyway, on the multiplexer instead of hooking up pins 2 and 3 for xmit/rcv to the multiplexer, you only hook up Xmit to multiplexer, the other so called receive lead goes to the multiplexer 12v ground.
Have everything in my computer room now. Will hook it all up tomorrow. I have gone round and round with the engineers to figure all of this out. The autopilot and wind speed indicator is new, right out of the box. Wind speed is a NavMan, and autopilot is Raytheon, Gps is Garmin. All have there own and different priority protocols for there own use but since thet are all differant manufactures I can't use them, so I will use NMEA... Will install in boat when it is all figured out and working correctly in the shop. You can also use a serial port combo board 4-8 ports but then the programs won't work correctly. Maxsea requires all inputs simultaneously through one serial port, which the multiplexer will do. Than will give you true wind, apparent wind, true speed through the water and much more.

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jsummerfield
1st Mate

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USA
96 Posts

Response Posted - 01/15/2003 : 19:04:59

Garmen is coming out with a new PDA. Check this link for information. GPS.http://www.garmin.com/products/iQue3600/

John

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John G-
Admiral

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793 Posts

Response Posted - 01/15/2003 : 19:36:59

John,
It’s about time that the GPS manufacturers got into the PDA game. It’s pricey but I hope it spawns a bunch of competitors. It’s seems oriented to the landlubber driver do you think it can take charts?
Are any of the other GPS manufacturers going to follow suit?
Thanks.
 

[url="http://www.peregrinefund.org/"]<img src="http://www.peregrinefund.org/images/intro_mid_image.GIF" border=0>[/url]
 John G- "PEREGRINE" C25-#4762 FK

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osmepneo
Past Commodore

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USA
1420 Posts

Response Posted - 01/16/2003 : 07:31:08

John, Garmin interfaces with your computer through one of there Mapsource proagrams and there "charts" position navigation aides. So I'd guess you could down load to pda the same information that you can transfer between your computer and gps.

Knee jerk reaction to your question but it makes sense to me.

Don Peet
c25, 1665, osmepneo, sr/wk
The Great Sacandaga Lake, NY

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