USB GPS for Memory Map

The key problem is whether or not you can use an external aerial. I've seen instructions for a cradle for a hand-held which reradiates a signal for an external aerial, but being able to plug in is far better.

The laptop connection can also cost more than the actual receiver. Some kit has a connector you can easily make up from parts. Others have a proprietary connector.

I have a Garmin hand-held with both these problems, but I bought a combined serial/power lead at the time. I'm not sure that the descendant models even use the same connector.

Depends there are a few lemons out there but most are fine to be honest, post a few links and I can tell you which ones I'd recommend :)

Just a thought. Autoroute 2007 comes as a kit with a USB GPS thingy for about 20 quid more than the version without. Or get in touch & I'll post you a spare one I've got sitting round doing nowt. I believe with the driver supplied, it comes up as a standard serial one, but ICBW. I'll check next time the laptop's in the same count(r)y as the dongle.

I'm sure i've had my mio (pda with built in gps) plugged in and found it works as a gps with memorymap (when it is running on the laptop).

You can then copy the section of map onto the pda and use it without the laptop too :)

I use a bluetooth external receiver with my phone, which works a treat. Ordered it on a thursday from hongkong (ebay) and it arrived on the monday morning.

This is the item number: 200127395375

That may have been the case a few years ago but not any more. Current receivers do not need external antenna in the vast majority of situations.

USB GPS need no additional connectors, indeed even serial GPS don't need any additional connectors?

For PDA's, Bluetooth is the solution these days.

Are you sure? I don't think that is possible (PDA/GPS supplying position data to a PC) without additional software such as GPSGate?

The serial GPS I have needs a power connector, unlike USB, RS232 doesn't supply significant amounts of welly. It doesn't need much power, it can draw it from the keyboard socket of a PC for example. This was a pre-USB GPS.

I'm pretty sure. I had all the mio drivers installed and im assuming it put in a gps driver that picked it up when it is properly linked with the USB cable. Not got round to installing the proper drivers on my new PC yet and they probably wont work with vista anyhow... might try it again later.

2.5W isn't a great deal of welly on USB (500mA @ 5v). Admittedly you couldn't get that from RS232 (100mA @ 24v) but you can draw power from the control lines of an RS232 port. The snag is you have to make sure you set up the relevant port pins to the correct levels in the software that is controlling the serial port.

It's still half an amp, trying to get that out of an RS232 line driver which isn't really designed for it isn't a good prospect for a company building a commercial product as they'd end up having to replace some computers as there will be a proportion of their customer base whos serial ports get popped.

I've got a radio clock that's driven from the serial port control lines, so I know it can be done, it's just not a good idea especially if you are trying to sell to a wide market of varied machines. Not that they have RS232 serial ports these days anyhow, so this is yesterday's problem ;-)

Except to get 2.5W from RS232 you only need to draw just over 100mA as you have 24v available. 100mA is still beyound the spec of RS232 though. B-)

Yeah, PITA not having a simple interface available. Won't be long before the only IO is USB. B-(

I've had no joy on a mio168 even with gpsgate for PDA to PC GPS... it just won't recognise it.

I know Tom is on a later Mio though.

GPSgate on the PDA mind is a cracking tool though I do feel I should have had to use GPSgate in the first place.

Lee D