GPS ----- OBSOLETE SECTION ---

Introduction

These GPS devices are currently in use. Two of them will be phased out before the 2010 field season.

Furuno GP-320B GPS, integrated in the Furuno Radar/Chart Plotter. The Radar/Chart Plotter can be configured to also output NMEA telegrams on rear RS-232 outputs.
Garmin GPS 18x USB
Garmin GPS35-HVS GPS, used for time and position stamping of Geode seismic data. To be phased out spring 2010.
GlobalSat mod. BU-353. To be phased out spring 2010.

GPS status report, dated June 15, 2010

Use of Garmin GPS 18x USB

We installed the Garmin SPANNER software. This program allows you to route output from the GPS
18x USB to several virtual COM ports.

By default, the 18x USB outputs these NMEA telegrams at 4800 bits/s:

$GPRMC,135412,A,6023.0691,N,00519.8087,E,000.2,329.5,140610,001.6,W*6D
$GPGGA,135412,6023.0691,N,00519.8087,E,1,04,3.2,,M,43.7,M,,*6A
$GPGSA,A,2,17,15,26,28,,,,,,,,,3.3,3.2,*10
$GPGSV,3,1,10,17,34,099,34,15,50,175,33,26,57,173,28,28,29,057,26*70
$GPGSV,3,2,10,09,62,264,00,11,10,036,00,12,12,216,00,18,31,267,00*7D
$GPGSV,3,3,10,22,27,306,00,27,75,253,00*7B

One problem remains, though. Before we address it, let's recap the suggested GPS setup,
which is a bit complicated due to the many programs that are dependant on GPS input:

PC #1: Charting & navdata/echosounder logger, placed to the right of driver:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
One GPS must be shared between two programs:
a) Global Mapper
b) Nav data % Echo Sounder logger
Neither of these program requires a particular setup of the different types of telegrams
transmitted.

PC #2: GUNCO and GEODE control, PC placed to the left of Workstation area
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
One GPS input must be shared between two programs:
a) GUNCO distance triggering program
b) GEODE recording of hydrophone/mini-streamer data
The GUNCO software does not require any particular setup of GPS.
The GEODE software, however, requires that only ONE NMEA telegram type is present, and it
must contain time/position data.

PC #3: Knudsen Chirp control, PC on the right-hand side of Workstation area
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
There's only one program on this laptop that needs GPS input.
I'm 99% sure that the Knudsen USB Sounder Suite control selected appropriate NMEA
telegrams from what was thrown at it.

The remaining 18x USB problem is that it seems impossible to configure the device to
output only a specified type of NMEA telegram. Download the configuration program:
SNSRXCFG software version 2.40 as of May 17, 2010 from:
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/store/downloadsDetails.jsp?id=4053&product=010-00321-31&cID=158&pID=27594
This only has consequences with regard to PC #2, so we must have a different solution
here.

The configuration program SNSRXCFG does not include the 18x USB as a valid choice (it
includes the 18x PC which has a normal serial port). But since the SPANNER program
transformed the USB device into a virtual COM port, we made an attempt - to no avail.

To conclude:
-----------

PC #1, charting + nav data/echo sounder logging:
Use 18x USB with SPANNER software.

PC #2, GUNCO + GEODE:
Use older Garmin serial GPS device ("mod. 35") that is already present
in H/C, as input for the GEODE software. Connect to COM1 (built-in) on
PC. It should already be configured only ONE type of NMEA telegram.
Use port-sharing software "Franson GPS" to also route this COM port
to other virtual ports, used as input for the GUNCO program.

PC #3, Knudsen USB Sounder Suite control:
Use 18x USB with SPANNER software.

Garmin GPS 18x USB

Manufacturer: Garmin
Vendors:
- Garmin webshop (USD 85)
- Amazon (USD 72)
GPS 18x Technical specifications (source is here.)
Software updates and downloads
GPS 18x USB update program
Waterproofing: Designed to withstand rugged operating conditions and are waterproof to IEC 60529 IPX7, immersion in 1 meter of water for 30 minutes.
There are several different versions of GPS 18x available:
- GPS 18x USB:
  interfaces to a computer with an available USB port. Drivers are available for use on Windows computers.
- GPS 18x PC:
  Interfaces to a serial port of a computer via a DB-9 connector and receives power through a 12-volt cigarette lighter adapter. The unit accepts TIA-232-F (RS-232) level inputs and transmits voltage levels that swing from zero V (ground) to 5 V TIA-232-F (RS-232) polarity. The GPS 18x PC can cause an issue with Windows operating systems if the DB9 connector is plugged into the computer before the navigation software is up and running. The Windows operating system may interpret the serial connector on the GPS 18x as a serial mouse. Please refer to Appendix D: GPS 18x PC/LVC/18x-5Hz & Window Serial Mouse Issue for complete details.
- GPS 18x LVC, GPS 18x LVC-5m, and GPS 18x-5Hz:
  These products interface to a serial port. The units accept TIA-232-F (RS-232) level inputs and transmit voltage levels that swing from ground to the positive supply voltage, TIA-232-F (RS-232) polarity. They also have reverse polarity protection. The cable contains wires for power, ground, receive, transmit, and measurement pulse output.

Garmin GPS35-HVS

Garmin GPS35

GPS35 Technical Specifications, Rev. E, dated March 2000. PDF file, 160 kB.
GPS35 configuration program gpscfg.exe. 155 kB. Power off/on the GPS to make new settings take effect.
Product is discontinued. We use it for time and position stamping of seismic data collected by the Geode. The GPS should be configured to output only one type of NMEA telegram; the GPS35 is easy to setup this way.

GlobalSat Mod. BU-353

It is not possible to select the NMEA telegrams that GlobalSat Mod. BU-353 transmits. This makes it unusable as time- and position stamping device for the GEODE seismograph, as this unit uses whatever telegram present at the time of triggering; the GEODE log file may contain NMEA telegrams that does not hold time- and position data at all. This model will therefore be phased out before 2010 field season.

GlobalSat mod. BU-353

Manufacturer: GlobalSat
Specifications
GPS Output Data: NMEA 0183 V2.2 Protocol. Supports these telegrams:
GGA, GSA, GSV, RMC, VTG, GLL (VTG and GLL are optional)
Supplier: ELFA, p/n: 14-000-49
This GPS used for mapping programs with real-time plotting of GPS positional data (e.g. GlobalMapper).
By default this GPS transmits a range of NMEA telegrams. There is a configuration program, but it's not possible to select a specific NMEA telegram type and have the GPS only send that one.
Docs, installation:
- USB GPS Receiver Installation Guide, dated 2007-08-08
- User Manual, dated 2005-09-07
Driver
- ~~BU-353 Driver for Windows 2000/XP, dated 2007-08-07~~
- Download drom Prolific PL-2303 Software and Drivers, latest version dated 2010/4/12, v1.2.10

SOFTWARE

Program to select specific NMEA telegram and log data at user specified intervals

New version available - combined Echo Sounder / GPS Track data logger. See Echo Sounder section.

We need to store time and positional information at regular intervals. This Python program will select the $GPRMC telegram from the BU-353 GPS and save data to file at user specified intervals. The $GPRMC telegram is most useful as it includes Date, Time and Latitude/Longitude. File name is generated automatically - e.g. GPS-data-2008-183-235959.txt, consisting of Year, Day of Year and time (PC time).

~~GPS-globalsat-bu353-logger.py~~
Program assumes the USB port is mapped as Keep('COM4'). Edit program - value is given as constant in beginning of program - if this is not the case. You can use terminal program TeraTerm to check which COM port the GPS is assigned to.
Program also assumes that a folder named c:\gps exists on the PC (can be improved to create this folder if it doesn't exists).
To use this program on a WinXP machine you need to:
- Install Python: http://www.python.org/
- Install "win32all" extensions for Python: http://starship.python.net/crew/mhammond/win32/Downloads.html - select version that matches Python version number
- Install PySerial: http://pyserial.wiki.sourceforge.net/pySerial
- You should change the WinXP PATH environment variable: Start -> Control Panel -> Advanced -> Environment Variables. Select PATH and add Python folder, e.g. c:\Python25.

GPS Config program (draft)

GPS-simulator.py

Program to share one GPS among several applications

Franson GpsGate