Hooking Your GPS to Comport

[BigDawg99]

I have a GPS Antenna which is being idle right now and i want to Connect it DIrectly to my PC to get my navigation Software working..Can someone help with how to connect the Comport wire to my GPS Antenna

I currently have a Comport running from my Furuno GP31 which is connected to my PC...I am having issues with Position has changed from ID GP to comport 1 and those messages keep coming..making my Navigation Software very Erratic..

I made a similar post on this site and no one replied..i am trying to make myself more understanding of my situation

[jackdale]

Are you using a GPS or a small GPS receiver?

Check out a utility called Xport XPort

That solved some com port problems I was having.

[hellosailor]

A GPS antenna is useless.

If you mean that you have a "hockey puck" type GPS, not just an antenna, that's something else again.

In that case, if it puts out NMEA 18x or RS-232, with a standard DB9 serial connection, you connect the RX line form the GPS to the TX line on the PC's com port. And the TX line from the GPS to the RX line on the PC's com port.

You'll need to document what wires come out of the GPS. On the DB-9 side, that's usually pins 2 and 3, and if you get them backwards, no harm, just reverse them again.

Both the GPS and the com port will need to be set to the same protocol (usually N-8-1) and speed (usually 4800bps?) as well.

If all that sounds like greek to you...Well yeah, it's like poker, a very simple game with simple rules.<G>

[BigDawg99]

i am using a GPS Receiver GPS-10A Serial Number is 1006100....i want to make that connect to my Pc to a 9 pin Serial Port...i know i need to connect the 2,3 and 5...Do i have to Power the GPS receiver the Red wire to the Power source or just connect these wires and ill have a connection...I am going right from the GPS Receiver to the PC....

[bewitched]

Typical instalation would be
Pin 2 for Rx
Pin 3 for Tx (no need to connect if you only want to receive gps data)
Pin 5 for signal ground

In addition to this you may (or may not) need to provide the gps antenna with power and earth (the normal + and - that all electrical products require.). With some gps antenna there is no need for this additional power supply as it is achieved through the Rx and signal ground wires.

It all depends on your antenna type. Sorry, but I don't know what type yours is, but it should be somewhere in the installation literature.

[Kapena]

Why not just buy a USB GPS receiver? They run around $20 on the web.
Froogle this
UniTraQ UD-731

There are many other makes and models. It will cost about the same as your serial connector and cable. Just put it in the usb port and go.

[hellosailor]

Bewitched, that is not an antenna.

You know the difference between a VHF radio and a radio antenna at the masthead? Calling this an antenna just ensures confusion.

There are in fact external antennas for GPS units. And they are just antennas, which cannot be connected to computers or displays and will not function with them alone. An external aka active GPS antenna typically just has one coaxial cable coming out of it, and it is powered via the same coaxial cable that connects it to the GPS it is made to work with.

And pin3 for TX may not be optional either--it may be necessary in order to use the computer to program the GPS, if this is a bare "hockey puck" type.

dawg, you will need to check the specs for your GPS to find out what voltage it needs and what wires to supply that on. Usually the power wires are separate from the data wires, i.e. there may be a red and black, or red and yellow, pair for power. If the GPS was meant for a mobile installation that may need 12 volts, but if it was designed for portable use, supplying more than 5 volts may burn it out. You'll need to get the specs from the maker.

[BigDawg99]

which wires are the RX and TX wires....i have mine hooked and its a Blue and White wire...just not sure which is which...Thanks for all your help guys..I really appreciate all your feedback....

[hellosailor]

"which wires are the RX and TX wires...."
Even if you have a manual, this is trial and error.

The problem is that TX/RX are relative terms, the wire that the GPS sees as "TX" output goes to the wire that the computer sees as "RX" input. So unless your manual is Real Damn Clear about which end of the wire or connection they are referencing...I've seen a lot of manuals that just got it wrong.

IT DOESN'T MATTER. Really. If you get them backwards, you won't see any GPS output but nothing will be hurt. Twist 'em to connect them, if it doesn't work swap 'em. Then make your connection after you know for sure that it is right.

[svcambria]

Originally Posted by BigDawg99

i am using a GPS Receiver GPS-10A Serial Number is 1006100....i want to make that connect to my Pc to a 9 pin Serial Port...i know i need to connect the 2,3 and 5...Do i have to Power the GPS receiver the Red wire to the Power source or just connect these wires and ill have a connection...I am going right from the GPS Receiver to the PC....

The wires you will be working with are for data transfer, not to power the GPS - and you have mentioned two different GPS units, a Furuno 31 and a "10A". The user manual should have a diagram or table with the types of "pin-outs" you can do with the GPS unit and a google of DB9 will show you which pin is which. In any event, if your computer was manufactured in the current century, it will not have a serial port so will also need to get a USB-to-DB9 converter. Then whatever chart program you have will have to sus out which port the GPS is on. After that, it should work... ;-)

Michael

[BigDawg99]

ok..thanks once again guys..going to go to the vessel tomorrow and start trying to mount this GPS receiver 10A...thanks once again...Really great site for any info i need...I am running the Nobeltec Version 7 for my vessel...i am using the BSB/KAP Charts..just to let you guys know...thanks once again...much appreciated..