Garmin GPS18PC causing the mouse pointer to act strange

**trillion** · 04-19-2005, 07:20 PM

I installed VisualGPS to test the output of the gps receiver (recvr), after 3 seconds of the gps recvr being attached to the serial port, the mouse pointer begins moving to seemingly random points on the desktop in a regular pattern ie: approx 0.5 seconds between pointer movements.

I had to change to COM port to be COM3 for VisualGPS to detect the gps without reporting 'com port is in use by another program etc'

Is there something Im missing with the gps init string? At the moment it is blank.

**studmonk3y** · 04-19-2005, 07:53 PM

this is a common problem with any serial gps modules. basically windows thinks its a serial mouse and that's why it acts crazy. go to device manager and disable the serial mouse

**Saab9-5** · 04-19-2005, 07:54 PM

Check out Serial GPS thinks it is a mouse.. for a solution. This is one of many you can find via a

of the forums.

**trillion** · 04-19-2005, 11:44 PM

Originally Posted by studmonk3y

this is a common problem with any serial gps modules. basically windows thinks its a serial mouse and that's why it acts crazy. go to device manager and disable the serial mouse

I tried disabling the serial mouse that was showing in Device Manager, then all that happened was an apparent smooth pickup of the gps unit by VisualGPS but no gps signal came through after 5-7 mins. I had the gps unit attached to the roof of the truck at the time.

**studmonk3y** · 04-20-2005, 02:12 AM

use hyperterminal to see if the gps is outputting nmea strings...
btw how are you powering it?

**trillion** · 04-20-2005, 05:59 PM

12v

**studmonk3y** · 04-20-2005, 06:17 PM

Originally Posted by trillion

12v

through the cig adapter?
just wanted to make sure you know that if you cut off the cig adapter you have to supply it 5v not 12...i learned that the hard way