Gps Receiver For Laptop

[yatpay]

Hi everyone. I'm in the market for a GPS receiver and I figured I'd ask about it here since you guys know what you're talking about.

 

I want a GPS receiver that can connect to a computer via USB and keep a log of my locations. I was hoping for something that could make entries as often as every 10 seconds, but even every couple of minutes would be good.

 

I don't really care about navigation, but that would be nice. I just want to be able to know exactly where I am in the world and have logs that I can use on something like Google Earth.

 

Also, if there's something that can do all this that is also handheld.. do they have receivers that can send text messages? I ask because I'd like to have my current location on my website, just because I thought it was neat.

 

Any help at all would be greatly appreciated. Either respond here or feel free to e-mail me at: yatpay@gmail.com

 

Thanks!

[+Night Stalker]

I have interfaced my regular geocaching GPS with my laptop using MS Streets and Trips. I think I had it set to update every few seconds. The problem with this setup was getting out of it. Since it was always updating the computer was always busy so I couldn't close the program. I eventually had to softboot to get out. I never played with it after that, but thought if I didn't have it broadcast the signal as often it would have worked a lot better.

[+Red90]

There are dozens of units out there.

 

One of the biggest bangs for the buck is the Garmin GPS18. It comes complete with maps for North America, http://www.garmin.com/products/gps18/ all for around $115 US.

 

There are nicer options such as wireless units and ones with better reception, but this work fine in a car and teh maps and routing are pretty good.

[+EScout]

Regarding OP:

Any GPsr will do the tracking that you describe. And you can take the tracks and put them onto Google Earth and other maps.

As far as real time sending your location to a web site, you can do this, but need to have a GPSr attached to your computer and have a program that will send it WIFI. You can find USB GPS devices that only work attached to your USB. AS an alternative, you might consider the Magellan Explorist 400, 500. 600 and XL. They will send data to your computer through USB and get power from USB, so can be run for long periods of time in your car.

As stand-alone units, these Explorists work well, and allow you to save unlimited Tracks to its internal memory/SD card. You can then easily save these tracks to your computer and convert them so that they can be seen on Google Earth.

[yatpay]

thanks a lot for the help guys!

[verdejt]

You could try MS Streets and trips with the GPS locator. This will connect to your laptop and has the ability to track your route. Also the GPS locator output generic NEMA so it will work with all mapping software. You can get Streets and Trips anywhere for a little over 100 bucks.

[ImpalaBob]

I have a Garmin Map 60C with City Select and free NRoute from Garmin on the laptop. I just hook the GPS to the laptop via USB and away we go. Voice prompts and real time tracking. ImpalaBob

[+ROOKIE49]

You could try MS Streets and trips with the GPS locator. This will connect to your laptop and has the ability to track your route. Also the GPS locator output generic NEMA so it will work with all mapping software. You can get Streets and Trips anywhere for a little over 100 bucks.

 

the microsft Streets and trip works great. watch the ads and you should be able to get it for 89 bucks at Compusa, Best Buy, Staples

[planewood]

Hi everyone. I'm in the market for a GPS receiver and I figured I'd ask about it here since you guys know what you're talking about.

 

I want a GPS receiver that can connect to a computer via USB and keep a log of my locations. I was hoping for something that could make entries as often as every 10 seconds, but even every couple of minutes would be good.

 

I don't really care about navigation, but that would be nice. I just want to be able to know exactly where I am in the world and have logs that I can use on something like Google Earth.

 

Also, if there's something that can do all this that is also handheld.. do they have receivers that can send text messages? I ask because I'd like to have my current location on my website, just because I thought it was neat.

 

Any help at all would be greatly appreciated. Either respond here or feel free to e-mail me at: yatpay@gmail.com

 

Thanks!

 

Get ya one of those Compact Flash GPS receivers. They are inserted into a Compact Flash slot. For $70-$80 you can get one with WAAS and Sirf II. They have them that will accept an external antenna, too.

 

Then you just have to get software for your laptop that will read the Compact Flash slot and continuously update your present location on the map. These GPSr's generally update once per second ( 1 cps).

[verdejt]

The GPS receiver that comes with MS Streets and Trips is a Pharos i360. It is a 12 channel receiver based on the SiRF StarIIe/LP chipset. This GPS works well with Delorme Street Atlas as well. I actually find the GPS more accurate with the DeLorme product than the MS product. The Delorme software gives you voice,high contrast display, and full satellite info. The MS software only gives you location (lat/long), altitude,speed,heading. There is no provision for high contrast display (I do travel frequently at night and this feature is great, and it makes seeing the map on my laptop easy.) Only 2006 version has voice. You can order just the Pharos GPS from their site for $99.00. No I don't work for any of the companies listed above,even though it sounds like I'm pushing Delorme. I am a field service engieer with Diebold Inc. and spend alot of time on the road due to the size of my territory.