Getting my serial GPS receiver to work with laptop

rottle · 02-08-2004

I have a "Skymap GPS Receiver" (It says ETAK on the back and Model No. ET-GPS20) , and an IBM Thinkpad T40 laptop.

The receiver has a serial and ps2 connectors coming out from it, and my laptop doesn't have either of those. Just parallel, usb and a few others.

My question is if i can connect the two. I was thinking of a Serial->USB converter, (kinda like http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProdu...duct_Id=91042, but i tend to hate belkin products), but then there is a ps2 connector too which i dont know what to do with. So anyway i can make the two work together?

Thanks

The Others · 02-08-2004

Is it possible to get a usb -> PS2 conveter?

The PS2 cable is possibly just for power, it might be possible to hack it to provide this juice from an alternate source.

Next time: Buy a GPS you can use

EVH-rocks · 02-08-2004

Try doing a search on this, I found this
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The included 12 channel parallel (ETAK brand) GPS receiver includes an antenna module with a 9 pin serial connector on a "Y" cable with a "mini-DIN" mouse plug connected by a five foot cable. The GPS module receives power from the mouse connector on a laptop. According to the documentation, a PCMCIA equipped GPS module is also available as was supplied with prior SkyMap products. T
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
at http://gpsinformation.net/main/skymap2k.htm

a lot of people on here seem to use the usb to serial leads made by belkin. check out eyecannons setup in which he uses one of these leads to connect to his garmin etrex.

It looks like the ps2 supplies power while the nmea data is squirted through the rs232 plug. Perhaps you may find more from a search in these forums.
best of luck

Paul

Eyecannon · 02-08-2004

I have that belkin and it works great

rottle · 02-08-2004

Quote:

Originally posted by Eyecannon
I have that belkin and it works great

yeah i actually got that belkin link from your page which i got from genmay

Eyecannon · 02-08-2004

Quote:

Originally posted by rottle
yeah i actually got that belkin link from your page which i got from genmay

o my

stugots · 02-12-2004

i have a garmin etrex with a 9pin connector. i had similar problem because my laptop only had a 25 pin connector and usb. after reading around, i found it was possible to make my own cable for the 25 pin. so i went and got the serial to usb converter instead.

it works very well.

ZipperSeven · 02-12-2004

25 pin parallel or serial?

I don't think there is a way to get NetStumbler to see a GPS hooked up to the parallel...why would you want to anyhow?

The Belkin seems to work just fine. I have the same aversion to Belkin products as rottle does but sometimes they are the least expensive and they carry at where I work which means I get the employee discount. And at least they are better than Kensington

krap.

EVH-rocks · 02-12-2004

How does the belkin assign a com port, I guess you get a driver with it, they seem reasonable enough on ebay, I will go for one when I get my etrex (birthday soon so willtreat myself hehe).

BTW the guy above with the etak skymap , I got a feeling it may be the same as the sony skymap which according to a web page I was reading , outputs its data in rockwell binary format eg..
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
DeLorme's Earthmate receiver sends its GPS output in the Rockwell Binary format, which is currently not compatible with Netstumbler. However, there are adaptors that will translate the format for you, such as the GST-1 by Byonics. Expect this to set you back by about $50. This also applies to the Sony SkyMap receiver

this page is very good
C:\WINDOWS\Desktop\New Folder\GPS Tracking for the Wardriver.htm

The Others · 02-12-2004

Quote:

Originally posted by EVH-rocks
this page is very good
C:\WINDOWS\Desktop\New Folder\GPS Tracking for the Wardriver.htm

We'll just have to believe you about that one

EVH-rocks · 02-12-2004

Darn it , was readin it offline hehe

http://www.agentgreen.org/projects/n...-tracking.html

and

http://www.agentgreen.org/projects/n...ler/index.html

I spend so much time lurkin that when i post I usually mess it up.
Guess most on here have visited the site anyway as its a reasonably well travelled one.

greetings others, belive you are another Brit. few kickin around on here. Even saw a guy with a wardriving site in Grimsby.

cheers...paul

Eyecannon · 02-12-2004

Quote:

Originally posted by EVH-rocks
How does the belkin assign a com port, I guess you get a driver with it, they seem reasonable enough on ebay, I will go for one when I get my etrex (birthday soon so willtreat myself hehe).

In windows you use the drivers it comes with, and in linux it uses the mct_u232.o module and it will assign it to /dev/something

EVH-rocks · 02-12-2004

cheers Eye -C got some good links off the hub on your page, the van was cool, was it the benson or the gibson! is eye cannon some sort of mayan, egyptian type thing or some sort of opthalmic device? cool name, theres like an eye of horus on your main page so was guessing it was somethiung to do with that......hey its you who put that on the back of the dollar bill.
Illuminati stumblers...what next.......cheers..paul

The Others · 02-12-2004

Quote:

Originally posted by EVH-rocks
spend so much time lurkin that when i post I usually mess it up.

Many of my posts end up being edited, a perfect post is impossible without the odd hack to it.

Another brit eh? yeah, I'd noticed that before, but forgot to mention it. Doh. There's a few of us around, should be more though...

I'm looking forward to a continuing UK debate,

EVH-rocks · 02-12-2004

yeah Ive seen those threads about 4 pages long where all the brits pop out the woodwork , and its like you,d have never known they were there.

02-08-2004	#1 (permalink)
rottle Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 2	Getting my serial GPS receiver to work with laptop I have a "Skymap GPS Receiver" (It says ETAK on the back and Model No. ET-GPS20) , and an IBM Thinkpad T40 laptop. The receiver has a serial and ps2 connectors coming out from it, and my laptop doesn't have either of those. Just parallel, usb and a few others. My question is if i can connect the two. I was thinking of a Serial->USB converter, (kinda like http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProdu...duct_Id=91042, but i tend to hate belkin products), but then there is a ps2 connector too which i dont know what to do with. So anyway i can make the two work together? Thanks

02-08-2004	#2 (permalink)
The Others PeaceDriver Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Dos Palabras, Mandoras Posts: 2,920	Is it possible to get a usb -> PS2 conveter? The PS2 cable is possibly just for power, it might be possible to hack it to provide this juice from an alternate source. Next time: Buy a GPS you can use __________________ all good ends all ?u=273

02-08-2004	#3 (permalink)
EVH-rocks Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: remote scottish highlands (after leaving therpalm trees of torquay in the english rivierra Brrr chilly man! Posts: 149	Try doing a search on this, I found this ----------------------------------------------------------------------- The included 12 channel parallel (ETAK brand) GPS receiver includes an antenna module with a 9 pin serial connector on a "Y" cable with a "mini-DIN" mouse plug connected by a five foot cable. The GPS module receives power from the mouse connector on a laptop. According to the documentation, a PCMCIA equipped GPS module is also available as was supplied with prior SkyMap products. T ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- at http://gpsinformation.net/main/skymap2k.htm a lot of people on here seem to use the usb to serial leads made by belkin. check out eyecannons setup in which he uses one of these leads to connect to his garmin etrex. It looks like the ps2 supplies power while the nmea data is squirted through the rs232 plug. Perhaps you may find more from a search in these forums. best of luck Paul __________________ 'We havent had that spirit here since 1969'

02-08-2004	#4 (permalink)
Eyecannon Ward River Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Santa Monix Posts: 679	I have that belkin and it works great __________________ No, officer, YOU are under arrest! http://eyecannon.com/wardrive.html

02-12-2004	#9 (permalink)
EVH-rocks Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: remote scottish highlands (after leaving therpalm trees of torquay in the english rivierra Brrr chilly man! Posts: 149	How does the belkin assign a com port, I guess you get a driver with it, they seem reasonable enough on ebay, I will go for one when I get my etrex (birthday soon so willtreat myself hehe). BTW the guy above with the etak skymap , I got a feeling it may be the same as the sony skymap which according to a web page I was reading , outputs its data in rockwell binary format eg.. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- DeLorme's Earthmate receiver sends its GPS output in the Rockwell Binary format, which is currently not compatible with Netstumbler. However, there are adaptors that will translate the format for you, such as the GST-1 by Byonics. Expect this to set you back by about $50. This also applies to the Sony SkyMap receiver this page is very good C:\WINDOWS\Desktop\New Folder\GPS Tracking for the Wardriver.htm __________________ 'We havent had that spirit here since 1969'

02-12-2004	#7 (permalink)
stugots Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 2	i have a garmin etrex with a 9pin connector. i had similar problem because my laptop only had a 25 pin connector and usb. after reading around, i found it was possible to make my own cable for the 25 pin. so i went and got the serial to usb converter instead. it works very well.

02-12-2004	#11 (permalink)
EVH-rocks Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: remote scottish highlands (after leaving therpalm trees of torquay in the english rivierra Brrr chilly man! Posts: 149	Darn it , was readin it offline hehe http://www.agentgreen.org/projects/n...-tracking.html and http://www.agentgreen.org/projects/n...ler/index.html I spend so much time lurkin that when i post I usually mess it up. Guess most on here have visited the site anyway as its a reasonably well travelled one. greetings others, belive you are another Brit. few kickin around on here. Even saw a guy with a wardriving site in Grimsby. cheers...paul __________________ 'We havent had that spirit here since 1969'

02-12-2004	#13 (permalink)
EVH-rocks Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: remote scottish highlands (after leaving therpalm trees of torquay in the english rivierra Brrr chilly man! Posts: 149	cheers Eye -C got some good links off the hub on your page, the van was cool, was it the benson or the gibson! is eye cannon some sort of mayan, egyptian type thing or some sort of opthalmic device? cool name, theres like an eye of horus on your main page so was guessing it was somethiung to do with that......hey its you who put that on the back of the dollar bill. Illuminati stumblers...what next.......cheers..paul __________________ 'We havent had that spirit here since 1969'

02-12-2004	#15 (permalink)
EVH-rocks Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: remote scottish highlands (after leaving therpalm trees of torquay in the english rivierra Brrr chilly man! Posts: 149	yeah Ive seen those threads about 4 pages long where all the brits pop out the woodwork , and its like you,d have never known they were there. __________________ 'We havent had that spirit here since 1969'

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