Geocaching With A Intel Macbook

[+vds]

I recently purchased a MacBook (wow!) but have found only skeletal information regarding how to do paperless geocaching on one of the new Intel Macs using a GPS with only a serial cable (note that the new Macs have no serial port, only USB meaning it's a bit painful). Have it all working now, so I thought I'd document one way to do it.

 

To get the GPS working on the MacBook:

1. installed Parallels ($39 pre-release price)
   
2. installed a spare copy of XP Pro as a virtual machine in Parallels
   
3. updated the XP virtual machine like a normal PC (anti-virus, windows updates, etc)
   
4. installed GSAK under XP and got that working normally with no problems
   
5. bought a $25 usb-to-serial converter at Walmart (Iogear GUC232AWM)
   
6. did 'not' install the software that came with the usb converter, simply plugged it in and Windows autodetected and configured the driver
   
7. my Garmin eTrex Legend came up as com4 at 9600-8n1 which was fine, set GSAK preferences to match
   
8. voila !!!!! Can use GSAK to/from the GPSr in a virtualized Windows session just like on a normal PC
   

To get my PocketPC PDA working on the MacBook:

1. downloaded and installed ActiveSync from the MS web site
   
2. docked the Dell Axim X30 PDA to one of the USB ports
   
3. configured it to not synch anything at all (my work PC is where I do that)
   
4. no problem using ActiveSync to explore the PDA and drag'n'drop GPX files onto it for GPXSonar
   

 

I have not gotten the native MacOSX operating system to see the usb-to-serial converter nor any resulting serial ports. There are some words HERE on the web saying that if you download a more recent Mac driver from IOgear's web site that the device should work under the Mac OS too. Personally I'm not quite 'that' gutsy yet on a new os

 

I also didn't bother getting any of the native Mac apps to sync the PDA, I'll have to use XP Pro at work anyway so I just synch when I get into the office for insignificant (ie, non-geocaching) uses of the PDA.

 

Regardless, exciting to see it all come together. For those Mac cachers out there, Parallels looks like a darn fine product for those times when Windows is required due to the apps you're using.

[+TheCheatOSX]

Thanks for the info! I'm still hoping Garmin will fulfill it's promise to have ALL it's software Mac compatible by the end of the year. They just released a firmware patch for my Venture CX that allows mounting the microSD on the Desktop so it looks like things are looking good.

[+NinjaMonkey]

Just a heads up if anyone is wondering Keyspan USB-Serial adapters work fine on Intel Macs.

 

I'm using it on my new iMac with Mac Simple GPS. Add me to the list of people eagerly awaiting official Garmin support for uploading maps. I had to use an XP machine tonight for map uploading and it reminded me of how painful Windows is.

[+vds]

Update - I got the Iogear USB->Serial adaptor to work natively under OS/X with the eTrex Legend by installing the universal driver from http://sourceforge.net/projects/osx-pl2303/ and successfully uploaded all my GPSr waypoints to the Mac using GPSConnect 0.2 just to see it works.

 

In the geek-cool category, LoadMyTracks does a nice job of converting the GPX file into KML for Google Maps to fly through the caches on the satellite view. MacSimpleGPS works fine too so it's possible to go native Mac and be pretty much set :-)

Edited July 6, 2006 by vds

[+Lemon Fresh Dog]

Major update! I just downloaded the latest BETA of Parallels off their site -- the USB transfers perfectly with emulated WindowsXP Pro to a Garmin GPS. I use MapSource and GSAK - no problems at all!

 

If you have a registered copy of Parallels, it remains registered, so no worries on that either.

 

We can now carry one machine that does it all!