Jump to content

Book: Hacking Gps By Kathie Kingsley-hughes


Recommended Posts

I searched the forum and was surprised I couldn't find a topic on this book, so I thought I would start one (forgive me if I overlooked an existing one)

 

If anyone has info on this book please shout out. I will receive my copy early this week. I will comment on its contents if anyone shows interest.

 

Michael

Las Vegas

 

Title: Hacking GPS

Author: Kathie Kingsley-Hughes

ISBN: 0764584243

 

Hacking GPS @ Amazon

Edited by ectoprocta
Link to comment

Well I've got it. If anyone has specific questions I will answer them.

 

My personal recommendation is to not purchase the book. Much of the stuff mentioned in the book is quite remedial. Detailed pitures of how to apply a stick-on screen protector...please.

 

The thing I found most interesting and useful (being very new to gps use) are the detailed discussions on handling data and maps. It also serves as a reference to basic tweaks for firmware. As someone mentioned in a previous thread, it is nothing you couldn't pull off the web in an evening with Google.

 

Hope that helps.

Edited by ectoprocta
Link to comment
Any schematic diagrams? Firmware hacks?

I looked at the index on the amazon site and it at least covers firmware hacks for the lawyer screen, but does not sound too detailed.

 

I am curious how the antenna section is? It talks about making your own for various units but how well written is it?

 

When I was reading the index for playing with waypoint data it mentioned G7toWin but never listed GPSBabel!? Not a great sign there.

Link to comment

I used to have the Legend displaying my name and address when it flashed up but it's been replaced.

 

Anyone got the URL of the site that used to provide a program to hack a Garmin Legend Lawyer screen?

 

I've Googled for the URL but can't locate it.

Link to comment
I used to have the Legend displaying my name and address when it flashed up but it's been replaced. 

 

Anyone got the URL of the site that used to provide a program to hack a Garmin Legend Lawyer screen?

 

I've Googled for the URL but can't locate it.

The Legend should have an "Owner Information" screen somewhere. It's been a long time since I parted with mine and got the 60C, so I can't remember the steps on how to edit it.

 

Wait a minute - I found it in another thread:

Goto the Main Menu page then select options. The only option should be "Owner Information".

 

The lawyer screen hack program is called MeMap. It was originally written for the eMap, but works well with the eTrex series units as well.

 

Ironically, eMaps with more recent firmware upgrades can no longer use it. Still, it works for the eTrex line.

 

CLICK HERE to view a relevant thread.

Edited by Neo_Geo
Link to comment
I used to have the Legend displaying my name and address when it flashed up but it's been replaced. 

 

Anyone got the URL of the site that used to provide a program to hack a Garmin Legend Lawyer screen?

 

I've Googled for the URL but can't locate it.

The Legend should have an "Owner Information" screen somewhere. It's been a long time since I parted with mine and got the 60C, so I can't remember the steps on how to edit it.

 

Wait a minute - I found it in another thread:

Goto the Main Menu page then select options. The only option should be "Owner Information".

 

The lawyer screen hack program is called MeMap. It was originally written for the eMap, but works well with the eTrex series units as well.

 

Ironically, eMaps with more recent firmware upgrades can no longer use it. Still, it works for the eTrex line.

 

CLICK HERE to view a relevant thread.

Thanks for that link Neo_Geo.

 

I've just managed to track down the program I used previously, its called

 

GPSWarn.

Link to comment
Anything about creating your own maps to upload into Garmin units?

 

Hi Neo_Geo-

 

Shameless self-promotion here, but it's appopriate to the thread, so I guess that's allowed.

 

My book, GPS Mapping - Make Your Own Maps, has a chapter on creating custom maps for your GPS and another on transferring them to your GPS. The latter has specific instructions for Garmin, Magellan and Lowrance units.

 

It should be available online by late May.

 

Rich Owings

 

MakeYourOwnMaps.com

 

"We were desert mystics, my friends and I, pouring over our maps as

others do their holy books." - Edward Abbey

Link to comment

My copy arrived. I've finished reading it. I won't say I'm bowled over for my personal use, but it's well worth the price of the lunch that it cost and I'm sure I'll refer to it again in the future.

 

As perspective, I was new to GPS about 3 1/2 years ago but I have a technical background. I've spent hundreds if not thousands of hours roaming around the web reading (and writing) various technical articles and discussion/Q&A forums on these things. When I was starting up, this book would have been a great kickstart for me.

 

ectoprocta is correct that many of the things mentioned here are google-able if you know what you're looking for or trying to answer a specific question. (Some of the very articles you may find in Google I happened to write or contribute to. :D ) If, instead, you'd rather spend a few hours shoring up a background in a number of GPS-related topics that are kind of diverse, this is a really decent way to cover a large amount of ground quickly. You do have to get past the overuse of the term "hacking" (sorry, but GOING geocaching isn't hacking it) and the somewhat clumsy duplication between the "hacking geocaching" chapter and the "gps games" chapter.

 

Most people will be likely to fast-foward through some chapters; there's no shame in that. If you really can't imagine yourself building your own Quad Helix antenna and don't CARE why the GPSes with QH are bigger than the ones without, move right along.

 

In fact, if you don't care much about how your GPS and related technologies work at all, you probably should fast-forward right over this book. But if you have a curiosity of such things, I'd consider it worthwhile.

 

To answer a question above, no it doesn't contain schematics for overclocking your Meridian or piggybacking memory chips onto your V and adding decoder lines on the chip select bus. It doesn't contain commented disassembly of the boot sectors in the flash. So if you're thinking "hacking" in the 1980's sense, this will be disappointing to you.

 

It does contain tips for making your own cables and power source and it has sources for little position encoder kits that you can build yourself to transmit and decode position over FRS/GMRS. That's about as close to a soldering iron (wave station) that you'll get here. There is some discussion about modifying firmware in somewhat trivial ways (editing constant strings, etc.) but certainly no assembly-level code editing.

 

In all, I don't regret the time I spent reading it and can easily imagine myself referring back to it in the future and using some of the ideas from this book.

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...