help with a USB GPS device

[whiz115]

the device is the nd-105c from globalsat, it states an -165db sensitivity and it is able to receive signal
on several difficult occasions, but seems it is not so simple to operate it.

i tried it to various portable devices it has drivers for android (basically the driver is a usb to serial monitor,
"prolific PL2303" so many usb to serial terminals from Google store seems it can function with it) although the
GPS it is recognized, it does not work properly.

it is supposed to pass via terminal, NMEA data to the mapping program e.g google maps, so you can trace your location,
but with some effort it can only manages to find your coordinates and send out to the terminal the NMEA, but they
don't pass to the mapping program unless if WIFI is active!!

NMEA data example:

$ GPGGA, 150137.000,2650.9151, N, 07548.8805, E, 1,6,1.4 4,132.7, M, 35.4, M, * 5E

This is part of NMEA data on the position (not mine) "2650.9151, N 07548.8805, E"

ie:

26 degrees and 50.9151 minutes
75 degrees and 48.8805 minutes


a bit of math and you got useful data for google maps.

26 + 50.9151 / 60 = 26.848585

75 + 48.8805 / 60 = 75.814675


so putting those in google maps we can see that someone was in India.

OK !! but that's not a way to go.. i can't sit by myself to do real time math
so i can acquire my position.


somebody can help me with this issue? thanks.

 

[Dr_Doggy]

sound to me like your device is ok, what software are you using?

in MS streets and trips you need to go in to Tools\Gps Task Plane and click "configure" to attach program to your com port


(click no on activate wifi)

 

[whiz115]

hi, thanks for the reply, i'm using it on an android tablet with google maps, there are no settings fro com ports
on google maps or google earth.

 

[Dr_Doggy]

oya android, did you get that nema thing off web support?

according to this:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zy_0N6MyI0uSwZMPoEK5O8EmLZeHfERRlDIoiRw2bR0/edit?pli=1#

this should work:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...GwsMSwxLDIxMiwiZ29vZ29vLmFuZHJvaWQuYnRncHMiXQ

if you have confirmed that device actually works,
finding the good software that you like is the hard part, all you need is an "OFFLINE MAP"....

personally , i started getting data on my phone just for an app called WAZE
that has live traffic updates from other users, and can even tell you traffic velocities

 

[whiz115]

hi again..

the nd-105c it's not bluetooth dongle...it's usb!

 

[Dr_Doggy]

they state on the driver page that the driver is just a serial terminal, i wonder if that is true,

try another serial terminal:
**broken link removed**

if that works, then maybe we can find a "serial offline map", however the driver page is saying

you can download the SimpleTest APK source code from Prolific web-site, and then develop your own android application

 

[whiz115]

i already did that and while the NMEA data are available to the terminal...the mapping program is
not receiving any...so i guess there's a missing link between the mapping program and the usb2serial utility...

to me all this story is weird...first time i see such issues technical issues, with a device that should work
right out of the box by only installing the prolific usb2serial utility.

 

[Dr_Doggy]

yes, i have learned that hard way too, to always read fine print. as your disclaimer says that there is no software currently available, and also watch what they dont say.

but the problem is in the program, its not designed that way, try these, ; "usb gps":
the first one mentions your driver , but i dont like how it has no screenshots
the second one says you need to change some settings , in settings!

**broken link removed**

**broken link removed**


btw , how good is your code skills?

 

[whiz115]

ok i'll try these..

btw , how good is your code skills?

almost zero! but i'm good at putting together parts of code and build a program

 

[Dr_Doggy]

did you try those other apps suggested?

if you feel up to the challenge , you can get "eclipse" and the android sdk, code would probably be simple enough , i saw lots of code samples for maps, im sure a serial terminal object would be easy to do, but if you are to do this make sure you can by using a different serial terminal as in post 6.

btw, thats how i write my code too, and while i have been watching tutorials i wonder if all coders use cut and paste more than the keyboard!

 

[whiz115]

ok thank you for your help

btw, thats how i write my code too, and while i have been watching tutorials i wonder if all coders use cut and paste more than the keyboard!

weird...i thought i was one of the few doing that

 

[fezder]

almost zero! but i'm good at putting together parts of code and build a program

same here, suit some people better this way. it's like seeing something, and building around it. Sure, it can be ''cheating'' (at least someone said that to me, not in ETO however) but, at least it's not telling someone else to do it. And, it's hard to start coding from''empty table'' without any background, like me. I've only used discrete components, no coding whatsoever.....

 

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

fezder: Your programming language is "solder" as Steve Ciarcia from Circuit cellar said.

 

[fezder]

Haha, okay makes sense thought, i understand soldering more than coding....

 

[whiz115]

same here, suit some people better this way.

looks like we are many then...

concerning the issue with the device i forgot about it, its not
worth of any effort, it was adverised as an android compatible and
it should be functional out of the box, witout any fixes and work arounds

also i've notided from the NMEA data output that most of the times it
couldn't acquire any signal.

btw my "math" at the first post are incorrectly written
but the basic idea and the result is correct.