Palm TX, Garmin GPSmap76s and GPilotS

[+wardcameron]

I use my Garmin GPSmap76s for a great deal of mapping. In the past, I used my Palm IIIx and a free piece of software called GPilotS to store tracks and waypoint lists so I could map a trail, download the track and waypoints to my Palm and then clear the GPS to map a second trail. All could be later downloaded to the computer and plotted on OziExplorer - magic!

 

All of a sudden, the newer palms now connect via USB. Apparently with this new connection, they've lost the serial port capability of past units so I can't download from my gps to my palm. Has anyone managed to get their newer palm to connect to their gps? In the past I used the serial cable that came with the Garmin and then an adapter that connected that cable to the sync port on the palm. I'm dying without this.

 

Any help is appreciated.

[+JDandDD]

I use my Garmin GPSmap76s for a great deal of mapping. In the past, I used my Palm IIIx and a free piece of software called GPilotS to store tracks and waypoint lists so I could map a trail, download the track and waypoints to my Palm and then clear the GPS to map a second trail. All could be later downloaded to the computer and plotted on OziExplorer - magic!

 

All of a sudden, the newer palms now connect via USB. Apparently with this new connection, they've lost the serial port capability of past units so I can't download from my gps to my palm. Has anyone managed to get their newer palm to connect to their gps? In the past I used the serial cable that came with the Garmin and then an adapter that connected that cable to the sync port on the palm. I'm dying without this.

 

Any help is appreciated.

Well, if its a serial connection you want for a Palm TX, PN Technologies makes a TX to serial cable. Here's the URL:

PN Technologies Serial Cable

 

JD

Edited January 4, 2007 by JDandDD

[+wardcameron]

Thanks for your reply. I already have that cable. It's what gives me the connection between the garmin and my TX. The problem seems to be that the TX is not capable of transmitting using the serial protocols so whenever I connect them and try to download or upload between the garmin and the palm I get a message "No Response From the GPS". I've tried half a dozen different software programs and the result is always the same. It seems that since the newer palms don't need serial connections to sync, they've lost the ability to transmit via the serial protocols.

 

There must be a solution

[+NightPilot]

Newer Palms do have a serial port, in addition to the USB port. It's 2,2,2 ports in one! Are you sure your Garmin is set to Garmin protocol? Are you sure the cable is connected properly on both ends? It's usually something simple, but hard to diagnose from long distance.

[+wardcameron]

I purchased the PDCT5-M9-6 cable for my Palm some time ago. It arrived without a single word of documentation and so I did not realize the importance of the mini-CD that came with it. Apparently it has a small program that enables the serial capabilities to enable communicaiotn.

 

Is there a way to get a replacement? Or is the software downloadable? Once I have it, what do I do with it? Will it actually allow me to download waypoints and tracklogs between my Garmin GPS (GPSmap76s) and my Palm T/X (I prefer to use GPilotS software). All I ever get is the message “No response from GPS”.

 

I've sent this same message to the manufacturer but who knows, someone here may be able to email me the small file and directions.

 

thanks

Edited January 4, 2007 by wardcameron

[+wardcameron]

Thanks for your reply NightPilot. Have you managed to get this working for your palm/garmin combo? If so, which units?

 

I do have the Garmin set to Garmin protocol. I've tried three different garmin units (Garming III+, V and GPSmap76s), two palms (treo 650 and TX) and three software programs (GPilotS, Fugawi and PathAway4) all with exactly the same results.

 

I've used this system for some five years with all three garmins but older palms (II and IIIc) that still used serial sync.

 

According to the PNTechnologies website (the company that sells the adapter to connect the garmin serial cable to the TX, Treo, LifeDrive, etc).

 

"This is a full-power RS232 design which has electronics built right into the cable to accomplish RS232 conversion. This cable is compatible with most any serial GPS, cell phone, or data equipment, as it is True RS232. For this cable, you will need a program to turn on the POWER_OUT pin. This program will be provided in an Mini-CD with your cable. "

 

It's software that turns on the Serial capability.

 

I appreciate your help and if you have any suggestions I'll certainly give them a try.

[+NightPilot]

I've been using a Legend with my T3 for as long as I've had it. I haven't tried a TX or Treo, nor do I intend to. The TX can be problematic for all sorts of software, and there are lots of apps that just won't run on it. I would never buy one.

 

Did you install the program from the mini-CD? If not, then you need to do that. The PC-Mobile cable apparently has an external power connection, which provides the power without needing software, but I'm not certain about that. It's also less than half the price.

 

OK, I see you lost the CD. A definite Oops, to coin a euphemism. Without that CD, you may be out the $65. If PNTech won't replace it, buy the PC-Mobile cable. I've bought several items from them, and have always been very satisfied.

 

Have you tried any software other than GPilotS? Try Cetus and see if it works. It's freeware, and Cachemate will export the cache waypoints to it. Also try Cachemate, using the Garmin export plugin, and see if it can talk to the GPS.

Edited January 4, 2007 by NightPilot

[+wardcameron]

Thanks NightPilot. I've got it working now. PNTechnologies emailed me the file today and sure enough, once I ran it, it turned on the com port and I'm able to upload and download. I'm going to give Cachemate a try but it seems that Cetus is an abandoned program so there is not real need to try it.

 

In the past, I was mainly focused on trail research, so I wanted to save trackpoints and waypoints and I really wasn't concerned about anything else. Routes were for people in cars that never left the roadways.

 

Just the other day I discovered geocaching. It has been hanging around my peripheral vision for quite some time but I decided to take the plunge lately. I'm a left-brained guy who has been focused on books for the past few years - if I couldn't write about it I couldn't do it. OK, I'm still largely that way, but geocaching has given me an excuse to take a walk even within my own townsite - very cool.

 

Thanks again.

 

Ward

[+NightPilot]

Abandoned or not, Cetus is an excellent GPS program, better than many commercial programs I've tried. It's in flash rom on my T3.

[+wardcameron]

OK. I thought I had this solved. Installing the small software program did open the com port on my TX but only for download from the gps. I can't seem to upload from the palm TO the TX. Is this normal?

 

Do you have a good link for Cetus? I'll try anything but it's tough to find now.

[+NightPilot]

CetusGPS. The site was down for awhile, but it's back up now. Read the manual, but it's not that hard. This is the beta version, but it has been beta for well over a year, and has worked for me without problems. Also get the tracklog export addon, to export the tracklogs you make. Cetus will work with either NMEA or Garmin protocol, so you don't have to change it in your Garmin. You can put a Cetus waypoint database on your Palm with GPSBabel or Cachemate. Cachemate is the easiest if you have it. Just load the Cetus plugin from Smittyware, tap the Ex button in Cachemate, and you can export one cache or the entire database to Cetus.

 

What are you using to send waypoints from the TX to the Garmin? You have to use something. Cachemate will do it if you have the Garmin plugin, or Cetus will do it. It should transfer both ways with no problem.

[+wardcameron]

I've been using GPilotS for years. I've tested it with two gps units - the GPSMap76s and the Garmin V. Both allow me to download from the gps only. When I try to upload waypoints or tracklogs from the Palm to the GPS I get the message "No communication with gps".

 

I've downloaded Cetus and I'll give it a try a little later today.

Edited January 6, 2007 by wardcameron

[+wardcameron]

Interestingly. I just dusted off a very old Palm IIIx and the same software and the same gps works great.

 

I've also installed Cetus and I can upload and download waypoints, but only download tracks. I can't get any signal for the navigation features of cetus.

[+NightPilot]

All very strange. Palm did cut a lot of corners on the TX. It has a slower processor than my T3 by about 25%, and everything else is just cheap. I can only assume that your problems are with the TX, and I won't buy one just to check this kind of thing out. Palm is going to have to produce something a lot better before I upgrade (or downgrade, depending on your viewpoint).

 

If you're having problems with Cetus on the IIIx, it's likely in the setup. Make sure all the GPS preferences are set correctly. As I said earlier, I have it working very well with my T3 and Legend, as well as my Digitraveler.

[+wardcameron]

You don't like the TX, you should try the LifeDrive. I went through 5 LDs in less than a year. The first wouldn't charge correctly. The second had a wi-fi problem. The next three had hard disk crashes. I still have a brand new replacement sitting on my desk. The TX gave me all the features of the LD with (up to now) no problems whatsoever. A 4gb SD card replaced the hard disk and whammo - no moving parts to screw up.

 

When I mentioned Cetus it was on the TX. I've now installed it on the IIIx and again, I can upload and download to this program, but not navigate. As I understand it, I change it to Garmin mode to transfer and back to normal mode to navigate. I'm guessing that I need change the Garmin to nmea mode for live communication? Once I did this I was able to communicate (and after re-turning on the com port with the software fix).

 

I've now got Cetus working on the IIIx and the TX. Now that I've had a chance to play with it, It seems like a great program. Is there a way to keep dozens (or more) specific lists of waypoints on the palm? What about tracklogs? I write trail guides. I'd like to be able to essentially keep a palm based trail guide. If I want to head out on a particular route, I want the ability to upload the track AND the waypoints to my Garmin.

 

To me, the navigation options are a bonus although as I look to get more and more into geocaching I may find this more useful.

Edited January 7, 2007 by wardcameron

[+NightPilot]

Yes, Cetus will handle as many waypoint lists as you like. It doesn't use the SD card, so you're limited to what will fit in memory, but you can always use a file manager like FileProg, UniCMD, or FileZ to copy them from your card to memory. You can make waypoint files from a text file with GPSBabel, or export from Cachemate. I have several files on my Palm, including a list of wifi hotspots, restaurants, school zones, caches, and what have you. I did most of it just for the practice, since my main use for Cetus is recording tracks when I walk around. It will record your tracks, and you can hotsync them to your computer or copy to your SD card and use them how you want. There is a utility on the Cetus website that will convert the .pdb track files to text, to be manipulated however you want. For recording trails, etc, it should work well for you. I don't think it will send tracks to the Garmin (I haven't tried) but if not, GPSBabel will do that. If you record tracks in Cetus, you can convert them to text, save them, and send them to your Garmin via GPSBabel, or easier, USAPhotomaps. With this, you can view your tracks on aerial photos, topo maps, or satellite photos, as well as send and receive tracks, waypoints, and routes, to your Garmin. You can plan routes with the photos, send them to your GPS, and then walk them. This is very cool software, and it only costs what you're willing to pay; it's donationware. I sent Doug some money, and he sent me a file to disable the one nag screen when you close the program. If you're going to be mapping trails, get this program.

Edited January 7, 2007 by NightPilot