Free up my gpsr with a cheapie receiver for tracking

[+wingryder]

Right now I am using my Garmin 76s to feed my laptop for live tracking on mapsource topo maps. Works great but I have to unplug all day long as I leave the vehicle.

 

What is out there that I can leave connected to the laptop via serial or usb that will provide my real-time tracking position to the laptop.? I have seen some basic receivers of this type in the past but have not paid much attention to them. Or maybe even just a cheapo garmin that allows for computer connection.

 

thanks

 

wingryder

[+Jim W]

I would pick up a Garmin GPS 18 for the laptop

[+wingryder]

Took your advice and picked up a ebay special garmin 18 used.

Will report my likes and dislikes in near future.

 

thanks

 

wingryder

[+NightPilot]

I use an old Radio Shack Digitraveler. It took a slight modification, because the Digitraveler as sold requires voltage from the software to start it up, and I'm connecting it to a bluetooth adapter which won't do that. If you're using a laptop, then there is no problem. I can't really recommend spending money for a Digitraveler, but it was lying around taking up space before I decided to start using it again. It's certainly not the latest technology, but it's good enough for keeping me on the right road, through the bluetooth adapter to my Palm T3. With that, I get voice directions, auto rerouting, everything you get on the high-end Garmins costing many hundreds of dollars, for almost nothing.

[+wingryder]

I have not received the Garmin 18 yet but one concern. The Mapsource software I want to do real time tracking with seems to only like a serial connection for this. At least that is way I read it. It will do usb for uploads and downloads to the gpsr but I think it has to be serial for the real time tracking.

 

Hope I am wrong about this because it is the Garmin 18 usb model I have on the way. Maybe it will still work with a usb to serial adapter.

 

Or might have to download newer Mapsource version with their freebee nroute program. (last resort)

 

wingryder

[+hogrod]

version 6.5 of mapsource was the last version that had realtime tracking. garmin removed it and makes you use the free program Nroute(comes with gps18) for realtime tracking from mapsoure maps. you can use USB or a serial connection with nroute. Nroute offers voice prompts for turns and the maps shift colors to black at night so they aren't so blinding.

 

you can download Nroute now to check things out.

http://www.garmin.com/support/agree.jsp?id=575

[+wingryder]

Here are a couple of bumps in the road.

Laptop must have a dvd not just a cd..

Laptop must also run Windows 2000 or XP to use nRoute.

 

Mine does neither. My Garmin 18 is on the bay.

 

wingryder