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Problems hooking up a Garmin Legend to my computer


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For the last five months connecting my Etrex Legend to my pc worked flawlessly. Plug the serial cable into the GPSR and away I go.

 

However, due to a "glitch" I had to erase my HD and re-install everything from scratch, including Windows 98. icon_frown.gif

 

Now, I can't get the computer to recognize when the Legend is connected to it.

 

I'm not doing anything differently, but I can't establish communications between the GPSR and the pc.

 

I had the garmin updater program try and auto-detect the GPSR but it couldn't find it on any port - the Device Manager reports that all three comm ports are working properly (Com 1, 2 & 4).

 

Anybody have any suggestions on what may be wrong? I'd appreciate any help.

 

icon_confused.gif

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Well sense no one else seems to be briming with ideas I'll tell you what Id try (Not a Techno geek at all)

The GPS is ON right ( I know but its always the 1st thing in all troubleshooting manuals)

 

ok I'd download Easy GPS ( its free) and see if that can find it

make sure the GPS interface is set to Garmin or NMEA

Whichever Easy says...i cant remember... and try that

 

"You've got to be very careful if you don't know where you're going, because you might not get there." Yogi Berra

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You can test your serial port with a communication program and a paper clip. HyperTerm is usually included with Windows 98.

 

Run the terminal program, select a comm port ("Direct" for Hyperterminal). And just take the default settings.

 

When you get to the terminal screen, type. Nothing should appear. Then put the paper clip between pins 2 and 3 on the DB9 connector for the comm port (transmit and receive). Now when you type, the characters should be echoed to the screen.

 

Once your serial port is confirmed working, you can test your data connection with the same program. Just select 4800,8,n,1 and 'no handshaking' for comm settings on the Communication Program. Set your GPSr to NMEA at 4800 baud. If the connection is good, the GPS should start spitting out messages every few seconds that you can see on the terminal screen.

 

If memory serves, the Legend has a sparkly translucent case. That plastic doesn't compression form as well. You might have to push a little hard on the Garmin end of the connector to make good contact as well.

 

Good Luck,

-jjf

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Thanks for all the helpful tips. After working on this particuar problem for 3 days I have discovered the solution - the comm port which I had been plugging into has died icon_biggrin.gificon_biggrin.gif

 

Switching the cable to a new serial port - which I had my camera cable plugged into - resulted in a resumption of successful downloads.

 

To all those that posted a reply, I say "Muchas Gracias, Amigos". icon_cool.gif

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