Thread: GoogleEarth GPSR Tracking

Ok, looks like your not getting a satilte signal lock. Make sure the GPSr has a clear view of the sky, nothing overhead, trees and buildings can be a bother. Leave the device on for a few more minutes. CommTest2 will not post any info if sat lock is not made. I'll look into that. Same thing goes for the log files with invalid dates. If, guessing here, three sats are locked then the Commtest2 should start reporting your position into GE.

I get a lock very fast in GPS Viewer. And on quite a few satellites actually.

But I will give it another go. I restarted my laptop to make sure the GPS Viewer doesn't hold any resources for the COM-port. I'll leave it on for 15 minutes or so. In GPS Viewer a lock is up within very few seconds.

On another note.. do you have any plans for turn-by-turn navigation instructions in this software? Or are there any limitations in Google Earth that prohibits this?

Still no luck, even after leaving it for 25 minutes. I have also tried to connect to the COM-port with HyperTerminal, but cannot connect to it. Seems to be some kind of problem there. Should work shouldn't it? The weirdest thing is that it works in GPS Viewer so easily..

EDIT:
Now I can read the data in HyperTerminal. However it is only garbled characters and things. I suspect this is a character-set/terminal-emulation issue, but I don't have that answer yet..

Originally Posted by Tourettes

But I will give it another go. I restarted my laptop to make sure the GPS Viewer doesn't hold any resources for the COM-port. I'll leave it on for 15 minutes or so. In GPS Viewer a lock is up within very few seconds.

Earlier you said you were reciveing data. Appearantly the GPSr is talking, like it should. Next release should give you a nmea log file, then we can see whats happening.

Originally Posted by Tourettes

On another note.. do you have any plans for turn-by-turn navigation instructions in this software? Or are there any limitations in Google Earth that prohibits this?

GE Direction results can be saved as kml files. Then loaded in commtest2 as a guide file. The results are like turnbyturn directions. But unlike most gpsr progams, rerouting doesnt exist. and and active inet connect is neccesary to create the route. This part of the program will most likely will not get any better. And i dont know anything about prohibition. If its a legal thing, I rather fight the system. Down with the repressors. heh, i think its fine the way it is.

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I got the HyperTerminal working now, and PM'ed you a sample of what the GPS is sending..

Would be nice if you could have a look at it! There might be some funny characters in the log from copying out of HyperTerminal..?

If you are getting garbled junk in hyperterminal from your GPS device, it's likely not sending in NMEA mode. GPS viewer would see it, AFAIK, because it can understand the NMEA and SIRF modes that the Holux device can be in. (Someone correct if I'm wrong on that.) NMEA data comes in is raw, comma-delimited text.

Also, I'm not sure about your device, but my Holux GPSlim 236 needs to be connected at 38400 baud to be read correctly.

Originally Posted by DylanBennett

Also, I'm not sure about your device, but my Holux GPSlim 236 needs to be connected at 38400 baud to be read correctly.

I think that may be it. The data recieved was scattered portions of what seemed to be incomplete data sentences. Many senteces where to short and others to long. Torr, please reset data speed. Should work. If yes, try reseting com port settings in control panel the restart commtest2. If that fails also I'll put in the controls on one of the setup settings pages.

I love progress.

As i said in my last message I've got it working now. My problem was that I was running at 9600 baud. When I changed it to 4800 everything fell into place. Atleast the output looked correct in the HyperTerminal. Might have been something happening to the NMEA-data when I copied it from HyperTerminal - via TextPad - to the html form here..

I've had a nights sleep now, and will try again with a clear head. I have run everything again, and it looks good in HyperTerminal again. I'll try and make sure nothing happens to the text before you see it..

DylanBennett:
When trying 38400 baud I receive nothing. Only 4800 seems to give me a correct representation of the data. Most other speeds give me nothing, and 9600, 2400 and lower give me weird stuff..

Glad to see its working now. While you were sleeping I was stuck implementing new routines specificly designed for handling the data when no data is being recieved. Ha, just kidding. I was doing that but was going to do that anyway. Fixed a few bugs also.

I hope the program works. I'm not sure if CommTest2 will require port speed settings or not with your GPSr. Depends on the OS. Its nothing to do though. Tell me if it does.