GPS antenna recommendation for laptop

flabeachcomber

I would like to know what GPS antenna people are using to interface with their laptop computers and navigation software.

Need something to be compatable with my charting program (Chartview) which requires NMEA 0183 protocol.

If you can, would appreciate make, model, and where you purchased.
Thanks!!!

Pete
22' C-Dory

Captains Cat · Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2005 6:55 pm Post subject:

Pete, most GPSs come with some sort of an antenna, either built in or external. I'd go with the GPS manufacturers recommendation if it doesn't come with an antenna.

Charlie

Sneaks · Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2005 6:55 pm Post subject:

Just about any hand held GPS built in the last five years will interface with NMEA 183, Pete. You'll likely have to buy a separate cable that connects between the laptop and the GPS, but they're cheap.

I have an old Magellan Meridian that works great with my laptop. It was on sale at OUTPOST.COM for $85. and though it does not have super accurate WAAS capability, it somehow manages to get within a second of arc in both LAT and LONG when compared to my fancy WAAS GPS.

You need the whole GPS though, not just an antenna. Most handhelds have them built in.

Pat Anderson

It is true as mentioned that if you can get a serial cable for your handheld GPS (Garmin sells one for the GPSMAP76 for the purpose of downloading BlueChart charts, waypoints and routes to the handheld GPS unit) any handheld will probably do...a more attractive choice albeit a little more expensive is to get a USB GPS "puck," which is a complete GPS reciever in a very small package with a USB cable. Typically they have a suction cup to mount the puck to the inside of a windshield, and a USB connector for the laptop. Many of the current crop of laptops don't even HAVE a serial port anymore, so the USB is the only practical choice. Maptech sells one for $149. A better buy, as gljjr pointed out in another thread, is to get the MS Streets and Trips package which retails for $129 - you get a USB GPS puck AND the MS Streets and Trips software, which is very cool on its own...trip planning and real time tracking of your auto on the road! With the puck attached, you can type in a place to find, and it automatically shows you a route to the destination.

C-WEED · Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2005 10:48 pm Post subject:

Pat, I just bought a GPSMAP76 for a back-up. I was wondering if yours receives ok on the dash of the CD without an external antenna? My boat is under a big metal carport, so I can't check until I pull the boat out... I just made two different trips to the doctor over 100 miles away on the (most direct) backroads. I was very impressed with the auto-routing. Great device.

Captains Cat · Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2005 8:50 am Post subject:

Pete, Delorme makes a great little GPS, only an inch x 2 x less than an inch. I've got one, have used it in the truck but not in the boat (yet). It's powered through the USB port in the laptop and with the Delorme Street Atlas software only costs $130. Check it out.

http://www.delorme.com/earthmate/configlaptop_info.asp

Charlie

Mr. Fisherman · Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2005 8:54 am Post subject:

Here is a sweet deal on a USB GPS and Microsofts streets and Trips 2005 bundled together for 99.99.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0002DODZ8/qid=1112964185/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1_etk-software/104-8777385-3431960?v=glance&s=software&n=229534

Mr. Fisherman · Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2005 8:57 am Post subject:

Pat Anderson · Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2005 9:18 am Post subject:

Yes, the GPSMAP76 works great inside a C-Dory without an external antenna. I got one of those little mounts and had it right next to the Garmin 188C, and actually the GPSMAP76 would acquire the satellites faster.

C-WEED · Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2005 11:01 am Post subject:

Thanks Guys! Thumbs Up

Glad to hear it. The GPSMAP76 is light years ahead of my now discontinued Garmin 185 with the "no longer available" mini chart chips that came with the boat. Cry

A five year old antique. Nothing like owning a piece of history... Now that I finally bought the GPSM76 Garmin will release a new model. Just watch!

gljjr · Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2005 5:03 pm Post subject:

Just as a side note on the MS product that Mr Fisherman posted above. If you want to connect the GPS Puck to other devices you can buy different adapters for it from Pharos at http://mstreets.pharosgps.com/. I've had pretty good service from the puck in my car but my laptop battery is so bad that it will occasionally lose the connection over the usb port. This wouldn't happen if I had a good laptop instead of a 5 year old dinasour that work lets me use cuz no one else wants it.

I've also found a nice looking antenna by http://www.deluo.com that looks like it would work really well mounted on the top of the boat. It is the "Deluo Marine GPS Smart-Antenna" and is for a serial port connection. I've noticed that ordering this over EBay is actually less expensive than getting it on their website though so check your prices. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=84077&item=5765850775&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

Mr. Fisherman · Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2005 8:24 pm Post subject:

You can get an inverter for your car so you can plug in your laptop. Radio shack has them starting out at $39.99.

This one is just right for my laptop...

http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F009%5F001%5F008%5F000&product%5Fid=22%2D144

Mr. Fisherman · Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2005 8:46 pm Post subject:

For an even better source of Inverters and great Q&A information check here...

http://www.donrowe.com/inverters/inverters.html?source=overture1

gljjr · Posted: Sat Apr 09, 2005 1:48 am Post subject:

I've actually got an inverter very similar to the one that Radio Shack sells for the laptop. I picked it up at West Marine a few months ago. Unfortunatly since the battery on the laptop is so bad I have to set it to hibernate way too easily. That means that anytime I use it on the boat I have to turn the feature off. Most of the time I forget and when I get the machine out of hibernation I have to reaquire a connection to the gps's usb port. Most times that means that I have to dink around for a while to get it to work correctly.

Eventually I plan on having a full blown computer on the boat (When I finally get the CDory). Then I won't have this issue as the computer will be made specifically for the use of a GPS. It'll also have many other capabilities but that will be its primary use. And no, it won't be a laptop. It'll be a full blown computer based on a mini-itx motherboard and will be running as large a touchscreen monitor as I can afford that will still fit on the dash. I will also probably be using Coastal Explorer for the plotting software.