Delorme USB Cable

[+2cottons]

I have a Delorme PN/40 that will not transfer data from Geocaching.com. I have replaced the USB Data Exchange Cable once and now the second cable that is only about 6 months old will not work. It seems like the 8-pin end on the GPS receptacle does not work. I have tried it on my netbook and a desktop computer and neither work. The charging cable that is also 8-pin does work so I don't think it is the GPS that is having the problem. I think I should be able to transfer directly to the SD card but I don't know how to do that. Any ideas?

[+Team CowboyPapa]

Take the card out and put it in a card reader. Then do a regular WIndows copy.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Take the card out and put it in a card reader. Then do a regular WIndows copy.

Good suggestion here ↑↑↑

 

Regarding the 8-pin -- hold it eye level in good light, if even one of the pins is not at the same level as the others, can it. It cannot be fixed -- well... it can, but it is a sealed unit and it would require factory service. Cheaper just to replace it.

 

You might try to boondoggle Delorme a bit... if this is your second cable and this one puked in 6-mos or less, they may very well replace it free. Certainly worth a try. Just remember, they have the purchasing records, so.... be sure of your dates before you start pushing hard.

[+Capt. Bob]

 

...Regarding the 8-pin -- hold it eye level in good light, if even one of the pins is not at the same level as the others, can it. It cannot be fixed -- well... it can, but it is a sealed unit and it would require factory service. Cheaper just to replace it....

 

 

Before trashing the cable try a quick shot of WD40 and work the stuck pin to free it up. I was able to revive my cable that way.

 

Anther area where the cable can fail is at the strain relief going into the plug. I had a separate car charging cable that failed at this point due to constant use. I purchased a similar cable but put several wraps of rubber electrician's tape over the strain relief to beef it up. It's seen 18 months of heavy use and still going strong.

[+PeoriaBill]

Hello,

 

I've had a couple of cable failures. The strain relief attached to pin side failed and the cable wire broke. Next was at the same end, but this time the top pin surface separated from the connecting plug body. Discussed with Chip Noble, Delorme Mgr. and he promised to make the situation right. A couple of email reminders and a year later, no response. My only recourse wss to buy a third cable. Good luck with your efforts to obtain satisifaction from DeLorme. Peoria Bill

[+Jumpin' Jack Cache]

If DeLorme would use a more easily replaced cable (not proprietary), they'd get my business when I decided to buy again.

[skycomag]

i had the same problem with new my p-60.

you need to push the connnecter down real good to make a good contact.

some times i need to do it more than once.

i just tried it now an it took me 2 trys to down load directly to the p-60.

it looks like the pins are brass.my need to be scuff after using it after a while.

just tried again 2 time sync. 1st tried.

Edited September 16, 2012 by skycomag

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

i had the same problem with new my p-60.

you need to push the connnecter down real good to make a good contact.

some times i need to do it more than once.

i just tried it now an it took me 2 trys to down load directly to the p-60.

it looks like the pins are brass.my need to be scuff after using it after a while.

just tried again 2 time sync. 1st tried.

Ditto for us. It becomes progressively worse. That is when I had discovered that one pin did not stand as tall as the others. It is a miniscule difference and is barely noticeable.

 

Sooner or later, it will (probably) get to a point where it becomes unusable. No way to fix it, so I would go the route that Cap.Bob suggested. What the heck, it doesn't work -- therefore you cannot hurt it!

 

Jumpin' has a point, but we REALLY like our Delorme.

[+2cottons]

i had the same problem with new my p-60.

you need to push the connnecter down real good to make a good contact.

some times i need to do it more than once.

i just tried it now an it took me 2 trys to down load directly to the p-60.

it looks like the pins are brass.my need to be

scuff after using it after a while.

just tried again 2 time sync. 1st tried.

Ditto for us. It becomes progressively worse. That is when I had discovered that one pin did not stand as tall as the others. It is a miniscule difference and is barely noticeable.

 

Sooner or later, it will (probably) get to a point where it becomes unusable. No way to fix it, so I would go the route that Cap.Bob suggested. What the heck, it doesn't work -- therefore you cannot hurt it!

 

Jumpin' has a point, but we REALLY like our Delorme.

 

Yep this is exactly what has happened. It continued to work for a time by pushing it in really firmly (apparently to connect the pin that is shorter than the others), but it has now stopped completely. Guess I'll

try the first step of contact Deloreme and then I guess I'll just buy another one.

[+2cottons]

thanks for all of suggestions. I've tried most of them without success and will give the others a try. My Delorme is my only GPS so I guess I'll just keep replacing the cables. At least I know that others have experienced the same issues.

[+Capt. Bob]

The connection concept of Delorme is a sound concept. The contacts are less susceptible to accumulating dirt (verses a mini-UBS socket for instance) and if it does get dirty a pencil eraser does a nice job of cleaning the contacts. I only wish they had upped the pin size on the plug. They use a 0.030" diameter pin where a 0.042" or 0.050" diameter pin is available with increased pin pressure.

 

I added a pin-out of the Delorme connector to help check electrical continuity (check for pin or wire failure). If you are having re-charging issues it may be related to pins X1 & X5. If you are only having down loading issues check pins X6 & X7. Pins X2, X3, X4 are RS-232 related and Pin X8 is for a clock signal. I don't think they are being used in the newer PN models.

 

[+Team CowboyPapa]

If DeLorme would use a more easily replaced cable (not proprietary), they'd get my business when I decided to buy again.

 

Jumpin' has a point, ....

 

Consequently, I expect that he would never buy an iPad, iPhone or iAnygizmo.

Edited September 16, 2012 by Team CowboyPapa

[+Jumpin' Jack Cache]

If DeLorme would use a more easily replaced cable (not proprietary), they'd get my business when I decided to buy again.

 

Jumpin' has a point, ....

 

Consequently, I expect that he would never buy an iPad, iPhone or iAnygizmo.

Not so far

[Grasscatcher]

@ Jumpin Jack

 

If you're smart, you'll keep it that way. The "cable" would be the least of your worries. DeLorme carries "proprietary" to a new level of almost paranoia....just IMHO.

[+user13371]

If DeLorme would use a more easily replaced cable (not proprietary), they'd get my business when I decided to buy again.

Consequently, I expect that he would never buy an iPad, iPhone or iAnygizmo.

Shucks, I knew this would happen. Does the name Pavlov ring any bells?

 

Anytime someone says suggests proprietary connections are bad, Cowboy counters by saying Apple uses proprietary connections also. Which is to say that being properietary, by itself, is not necessarily a bad thing.

 

But the DeLorme cable problems are more basic: failure-prone, expensive, and single-sourced. The only good thing is they fail so often that DeLorme's tech support is really pretty nice at giving away replacements for free. That reduces customer expense but doesn't do much to eliminate downtime.

 

The smart buyer, if they're dedicated to DeLorme, will simply buy a spare or two to keep on hand.

 

The smart buyer, if they're not dedicated to DeLorme, will simply buy a different brand of GPS.

[+Team CowboyPapa]

If DeLorme would use a more easily replaced cable (not proprietary), they'd get my business when I decided to buy again.

Consequently, I expect that he would never buy an iPad, iPhone or iAnygizmo.

Shucks, I knew this would happen. Does the name Pavlov ring any bells?

I sure bask in my predictability. The acknowledgement of such is testament to the fact that I felt confident in the astuteness of my prior comment such that I restated it in contrast to having to retract it as if it had failed the test of time.

 

Anytime someone says suggests proprietary connections are bad, Cowboy counters by saying Apple uses proprietary connections also. Which is to say that being properietary, by itself, is not necessarily a bad thing.

Roger that, my practice is to ignore the characteristics of the included $5 cable and make selection of the multi-hundred dollar end item based on its characteristics.

For example, so far this year I have purchased two multi hundred dollar items with both classes of cables:

1. Samsung Galaxy II smartphone with a standard USB cable, and

2. Samsung Galaxy 10.1 tablet with a proprietary cable.

As you can see, the charactertics of the cable were of no consequence to me.

(Well, so much for my predictability in that regard. )

 

But the DeLorme cable problems are more basic: failure-prone, expensive, and single-sourced. The only good thing is they fail so often that DeLorme's tech support is really pretty nice at giving away replacements for free. That reduces customer expense but doesn't do much to eliminate downtime.

 

The smart buyer, if they're dedicated to DeLorme, will simply buy a spare or two to keep on hand.

 

The smart buyer, if they're not dedicated to DeLorme, will simply buy a different brand of GPS.

Allow me respond to this advice, of non-DeLorme unit, in this fashion. If one does decide that the cable reliability is more important than the durability of some handheld units of another make that use rubber seals to isolate the standard USB contacts in the body of the handheld, one may be subject to eventual wear and dislodgement of subject rubber seal.

Rubber Seal Durability:

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=290752&st=0&p=4977089&hl=rubber seal&fromsearch=1entry4977089

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=286545&st=0&p=4913236&hl=rubber seal&fromsearch=1entry4913236

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=286618&st=0&p=4912456&hl=rubber seal&fromsearch=1entry4912456

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=161271&st=0&p=4856684&hl=rubber seal&fromsearch=1entry4856684

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=186871&st=50&p=4752426&hl=rubber seal&fromsearch=1entry4752426

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=262498&st=0&p=4516279&hl=rubber seal&fromsearch=1entry4516279

 

Note that the eight pin, flush design on the back of a PN-XX GPSr, as shown above, does not require a wearable, rubber seal. Consequently, the mating cable cannot be non-proprietary.

Edited September 17, 2012 by Team CowboyPapa

[+dakboy]

If DeLorme would use a more easily replaced cable (not proprietary), they'd get my business when I decided to buy again.

 

Jumpin' has a point, ....

 

Consequently, I expect that he would never buy an iPad, iPhone or iAnygizmo.

You can walk into any Wal-Mart, Target, or even many large grocery stores & get a replacement iDevice cable. You can also get one for under $5 online from sites like Monoprice.com

 

Tell me, how many places can one get a DeLorme cable from?

[Grasscatcher]

Just for a slight comparison.....with Garmin cables.

 

I'm still using the first "serial" cable I ever got(years and years ago with a 12XL) and a second one has never been taken out of the package that it came in with my next unit. I use the first one when I hook up my 76CSx or 78S in an APRS setup.

 

Mini USB cables? Still using the first one I ever got with a unit and the two that came with my Oregon 550 and my 78S are still in their original plastic bags in the boxes in the closet.

 

Oh yeah, at least one, generally two, and sometimes all three units are used and downloaded EVERY DAY.....never had a cable failure yet....maybe tomorrow.............

 

DeLorme should do better on cables than they have. Users should NOT have to buy extras as insurance against PP quality. Just IMHO......

[+Team CowboyPapa]

If DeLorme would use a more easily replaced cable (not proprietary), they'd get my business when I decided to buy again.

Consequently, I expect that he would never buy an iPad, iPhone or iAnygizmo.

Shucks, I knew this would happen. Does the name Pavlov ring any bells?

 

Anytime someone says suggests proprietary connections are bad, Cowboy counters by saying Apple uses proprietary connections also. Which is to say that being properietary, by itself, is not necessarily a bad thing.

 

Wow, this is overwhelming, my foresight, actually. I just don't wear the mantle of false humility well, so I won't even try.

 

Now, I'm reading that a week from now their will be 5 million users with iPhone 5s in their hands after connected for charge with proprietary cables, no lees.

Sheesh, they want larger screens with retinal displays and it seems as they care not a whit about the $5 cable in the box with the $400 phone.

Moreover, if they are owners of the previous iPhones, they will not have a spare, back-up proprietary cable at hand...a tragedy in waiting.

[+user13371]

Stu I'm surprised you missed that the FIRST time you replied to my remark, maybe you're getting inattentive or just behind in the news

 

Yes, Apple put a new connector on new devices, different from what they used on older devices. In the first 24 hours available, Apple booked over two million pre-orders, and this "proprietary" new cable is already available from 3rd party vendors. The long-term service life, reliability of the new connectors remains to be seen though.

 

Which has no similarity or relevance to DeLorme's cable issues.

 

So, what would help the OP or any other unfortunate DeLorme user with a bad cable? Try addressing the problem instead of distracting from it. Some suggestions have all been made before, but here they are collected together in one place:

 

Be prepared. Expect the cable will fail someday. Think of it as an expendable/consumable item, like batteries. So when you buy your PN, buy an extra cable to have, just in case.

 

Be demanding. If/when your cable fails, or even seems a bit flakey, phone DeLorme technical support and describe the problem. Don't wait until you're out of warranty. They will very likely send you a replacement cable for free. But be sure to PHONE instead of email. DeLorme's support is great by phone, but they're not as responsive in email.

 

Be careful. There are two key failure points on this cable, but with careful handling you can minimize the problem.

 

Point one is the strain relief on the head where it attaches to the GPS. It's very, very important you don't twist or tug on the cable itself when putting it on or taking it off of the GPS. Instead, hold the GPS and press ONLY on the cable head itself, the big plastic part the has the connector pins on it. And if you're putting the GPS into a mount of some kind on your car or boat, make sure the cable doesn't get stretched, twisted, or kinked.

 

Point two is the cable head itself with its tiny little spring mounted pins. If you're off-roading be careful of dirt; if you're boating be careful of spray. The back of the GPS itself is sealed and secure - but the little pins take a lot of abuse. If the face of the cable head gets dirty, gently wipe it off. Some folks have suggested a drop of WD-40 across the face and some gently working of the pins with a fingertip might help, but I don't know if I'd do this as routine maintenance. Certainly couldn't hurt if you've already got a stuck pin though.

 

Anyone have additional suggestions?

Edited September 19, 2012 by user13371