This is true even when it is directly connected to the serial port, rather than to a USB adapter. With older Garmin GPS units, under all three platforms GPSBabel will sometimes have trouble connecting. $ sudo gpsbabel -D9 -i garmin -f /udev/ttyUSB0 -o gpx -F foobar.gpx $ sudo gpsbabel -D9 -i garmin -f /dev/ttyUSB0 -o gpx -F foobar.gpx You should then be able to connect with GPSBabel.īoth of these commands worked in fetching waypoints from a Garmin GPS: It should display "PL-2303 converter detected" and create the device node /udev/ttyUSB0. Connect the serial-to-USB adapter while watching the system log in /var/log/messages. The BAFO-810 uses the Prolific PL230 driver. Configuring and Using the Serial-to-USB Adapter Under Linux To fetch waypoints from a Garmin GPS using the serial-to-USB adapter under Windows:Ĭ:> gpsbabel -D9 -i garmin -f com3 -o gpx -F waypoint.gpxĥ.6.3. Under Windows, the serial-to-USB adapter maps the USB to a regular COM port: com3 in our example. GPSBabel works the same way across the three platforms, with the exception of the operating-system-dependent way that you refer to serial ports. You should then start seeing NMEA sentences. Create a new connection using com3, and set the speed to 4800 bits per second.
Once it is finished, you can also test the GPS connection under Windows by setting your GPS to NMEA mode, and then starting HyperTerminal (Start images/ent/U2192.GIF border=0> Accessories images/ent/U2192.GIF border=0> Communications images/ent/U2192.GIF border=0> HyperTerminal). Give the wizard the location of the file that you downloaded and follow the instructions. The "Add New Hardware" wizard will likely see the new device. Unzip it and then connect the serial-to-USB adapter. Configuring and Using the Serial-to-USB Adapter Under Windowsĭownload the latest driver for your version of Windows from the BAFO driver's page (). This includes the debugging flag -D9, so we will get lots of extra information to help confirm that the transfer is operating correctly.ĥ.6.2. In this case, it is -f /dev/cu.usbserial0: sudo gpsbabel -D9 -i garmin -f /dev/cu.usbserial0 -o gpx -F foo.gpx The device or file is specified with the -f parameter.
Here is how to read GPS waypoints from a Garmin GPS using GPSBabel on a Mac. You want to use the cu.usbserial0 device. You can check that this created the device in a Terminal window:Ĭrw-rw-rw- 1 root wheel 8, 1 24 Sep 11:24 /dev/cu.modemĬrw-rw-rw- 1 root wheel 8, 3 24 Sep 11:28 /dev/cu.usbserial0 This should create the serial-to-USB device.
Decompress the file and install it by double-clicking on ProlificUSBSerial105.pkg. Configuring and Using the Serial-to-USB Adapter Under OS Xĭownload the latest driver from the BAFO driver's page (). You need to install the proper driver software and then determine the name that your operating system gives to that port or device.ĥ.6.1. However, the same general principles will apply to other devices.
The following instructions refer to the BAFO BF-810. They also provide the custom Gamin connectors, which allow you to build your own data cables. They have drivers for Windows, OS X, and Linux. You can read about the good and the bad things about their adapters at. How can you resist people who have this question on their FAQ?Ī: YES - like maybe a million or more to one!
Another option is to visit our friends at.
BAFO has drivers for Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux. Not all serial-to-USB converters properly implement the whole RS232 specification.Įven with this complexity, we can find devices that work. Basically the serial-to-USB converter includes a small computer (well, a microcontroller) that translates USB to RS232 and back. We can get a serial-to-USB converter that will allow us to use our GPS with Windows, Linux, and Mac USB ports.Ĭonverting USB to serial turns out to be complex, due to the way that USB devices work. How are you going to transfer your tracklogs and waypoints? It is true that more GPS units are arriving with Bluetooth and USB interfaces, but most still use the old RS232 serial interface. Your GPS receiver has a serial port, but your computer has a USB port.
The march of progress brings much, but where's my serial port?