+JiMo Posted July 4, 2004 Share Posted July 4, 2004 I know that this has come up before; however a search has not resolved my problem. I have a Magellan SporTrak Map, MapSend Streets, new to me laptop with no serial port, running win XP, and a serial-to-USB adaptor. I've installed all software from the disc and I still cannot get streets to recognize my GPS. When I plug in the cable everything seems right. Any help anyone can offer is appreciated. Quote Link to comment
+geosync Posted July 4, 2004 Share Posted July 4, 2004 I went through this for over a year with my Mag platinum and just yesterday figured it out. Go to Control Panel, then System. Then click on Hardware, then device manager. Next, click on modems. When you see your modem listed, click on it. This opens another window and you next click on Advance. Then you will see 'Advance Port Settings' Click on that and you will see a box showing a com port which is the one used by your modem. If you click on the com port box, you may also notice other com ports that show 'busy' when in fact they are not busy. If you click on each one then say okay, it will come up with a warning about using a com port that is busy. I just ignored the warning and then did every com port the same way. (when I was done, no port showed busy) Lastly, I left the default com port to something other than the one originally assigned to the modem. (my modem was assigned to com 3) I did not reboot but simply went back and opened my GPS software program and wa-la, I had a connection. This may not work in your case but it may be worth a try. I did go back and put the modem on the original com port before shutting off my computer. I have this fear of rebooting after making changes like that. I may get brave someday and try leaving the settings changed but for now, I make the change each time I use my software. Quote Link to comment
+JiMo Posted July 4, 2004 Author Share Posted July 4, 2004 Geosync, While I very much do appreciate the input , I'm still having problems. I have since this morning installed MS S&T 01, configured the GPS and all is well able to track location without any difficulty. YES NMEA is turned off (I even tried to leave it on) when trying MapSend, GSAK, & Easy GPS. I'm just out of my league here, why does it work with one program & not another? Maybe I'll have to keep the old laptop around just to be able to use my GPS. Quote Link to comment
+NightPilot Posted July 4, 2004 Share Posted July 4, 2004 JiMo, if you have one of the other programs running, after communicating with the GPS, then try to use another program to communicate with it, you will be unable to do so. The first program still has the com port captured, and the next program won't be able to open it. Try closing Mapsend, GSAK, and EasyGPS before you try to use S&T to talk to the GPS. Another problem may be that S&T is looking for a different com port on another IRQ than what is in use. Try having S&T look for another com port, such as 1, 2, or whatever it's not looking for now. I don't have S&T, nor do I plan to, so I can't tell you how to do this. Quote Link to comment
+Seamus Posted July 4, 2004 Share Posted July 4, 2004 If you have a PDA, the hotsync software can hook the logical COM port as well. Shutting down the synchronization software completely will sometimes free it up and allow you to communicate with the GPSr. Just a thought... Quote Link to comment
geomike Posted July 5, 2004 Share Posted July 5, 2004 If none of the above work, try booting into safe mode (hold the f8 key on bootup), and then go into the device manager and remove all the com ports. Reboot, and Windows will re-detect all the ports and reconfigure them, and that might be enough to fix your problem. The other thing is not all usb to serial adaptors are created equal. If you picked up one that says "works with brand X pda", it might not work with the GPSr. (This shouldn't be the problem if you bought the port replicator that the manufacturer of the laptop offers as an overpriced extra). Something like a Cables to Go Serial-USB adaptor, which claims full rs-232 compliance should work fine. Quote Link to comment
+JiMo Posted July 7, 2004 Author Share Posted July 7, 2004 Hey all, thanks for the input I've been out of town for a couple of days, unable to cache On the flight from He!! Got home around 03:30, back to work at 06:30. I'll have to give these suggestions a try, I sure hope one of them will work. Thanks all for the input Quote Link to comment
vagabond Posted July 8, 2004 Share Posted July 8, 2004 (edited) Easygps has NEMA off, Mapsend has Nema on, MSN streets and trips has Nema on, your going to have to check and see which ones want it off or on. Hope this helps Edited July 8, 2004 by vagabond Quote Link to comment
+JiMo Posted July 8, 2004 Author Share Posted July 8, 2004 Well I'm about to give up I've tried just about every setting that I dare try, along with the above-mentioned tips, still nothing with EasyGPS, or MapSend Streets. MS S&T works great no problems with that. But with the other 2 programs not responding it kind of defeats the purpose. Quote Link to comment
+JeepCachr Posted July 8, 2004 Share Posted July 8, 2004 Streets and trips requires Nema to be on, the other 2 programs would require it to be off(I think). Can you tell what com port your USB-Serial adapter is using? If you can't you might want to try a different adapter. Quote Link to comment
+JiMo Posted July 8, 2004 Author Share Posted July 8, 2004 Can you tell what com port your USB-Serial adapter is using? Nearest I can tell is COM port 4. If you can't you might want to try a different adapter. Something like a Cables to Go Serial-USB adaptor, which claims full rs-232 compliance should work fine. This what I have. Mapsend cannot open any other ports 1, 2, or3. I've had both NMEA on & off, interesting with it turned on & performing a TEST on com port 4 with Mapsend, Mapsend will exit, (it has never done this on my desktop, simply a critical stop.) GSAK only gives me the option for COM 3, 4, & 13, none of them work. Quote Link to comment
vagabond Posted July 8, 2004 Share Posted July 8, 2004 I have Mapsend topo it should be about the same, on th map screen go to options click gps settings, try clicking on auto detect, remember nema on and baude rate 4800 if its finding streets and trips it should find mapsend. Just make sure everything for the gps is on the same com port Mines set on 4 Quote Link to comment
+JiMo Posted July 8, 2004 Author Share Posted July 8, 2004 try clicking on auto detect, remember nema on and baude rate 4800 if its finding streets and trips it should find mapsend. Just make sure everything for the gps is on the same com port Mines set on 4 Believe me I've already done this. Still not working. Quote Link to comment
vagabond Posted July 8, 2004 Share Posted July 8, 2004 have you tried uninstalling and reinstalling your drivers for your usb to serial port adapter Quote Link to comment
2oldfarts (the rockhounders) Posted July 8, 2004 Share Posted July 8, 2004 If you have disabled 'Hot Sync' for the pda go to the device manager, then Ports, then The name of your 'USB to Serial' device. Right click on the device name, Select properties, then port settings tab, then advanced. At the bottom left of the window is the box to set the 'com port' number. I use #3 since it is less frequently used by our system. You can also change the baud rate from this screen to match your GPSr and other programs. Just set them all the same. We are limited to 19,200 by one of the programs we use (older software). Just be sure everything is the same speed. Also on Mapsend Topo NEMA is off. Good luck, John Quote Link to comment
vagabond Posted July 9, 2004 Share Posted July 9, 2004 Also on Mapsend Topo NEMA is off. Good luck, John yes nema is off, sorry about saying it was on Quote Link to comment
+JiMo Posted July 9, 2004 Author Share Posted July 9, 2004 News flash I was just showing a co-worker how he can use M$ S&T with his GPS unit. When I happened to notice that it is using COM 13. OK OK OK, so I thought that it was using #4. If you have disabled 'Hot Sync' for the pda go to the device manager, then Ports, then The name of your 'USB to Serial' device. Right click on the device name, Select properties, then port settings tab, then advanced. At the bottom left of the window is the box to set the 'com port' number. I use #3 since it is less frequently used by our system. HS disabled. I use IR to HS the PDA. Device manager shows the adaptor as being on COM port 4 though. I've changed it to ports 1-4, still nothing. S&T continues to work after resetting the COM port every time. I'm LOST The only things showing up under Ports (COM &LPT) is Printer port (LPT 1), no printer used on this right now. When I go into the advanced it shows that 13 is still being used. I'm really lost. Quote Link to comment
2oldfarts (the rockhounders) Posted July 9, 2004 Share Posted July 9, 2004 After you change the com port number be sure to hit the "apply" button then the "OK" button. XP is funky sometimes about not using the apply button. Make sure all the devices are set to the same port number as well as baud rate. Good luck, John Quote Link to comment
2oldfarts (the rockhounders) Posted July 9, 2004 Share Posted July 9, 2004 (edited) Check the device manager under the USB listing for the 'USB to Serial' device. It may show up there as a USB device. John edit for spelling Edited July 9, 2004 by 2oldfarts (the rockhounders) Quote Link to comment
+JiMo Posted July 11, 2004 Author Share Posted July 11, 2004 Thnkyou All for the input, I've somehow managed to get everything working. I'm not sure what really happened, but here is what ended up happening. I switched the printer port to LPT 2, and now everything works great. If I would have known this earlier I could have saved some $$ and kept using the laptop with M$98. Shhhhhhh don't tell the Mrs. It was time for a new one anyway. Thanks again. Quote Link to comment
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