Last week I asked the list about any experiences with Capn Mosaic 7.3 and a
Delorme Earthmate USB GPS.
I have only received one private e-mail that included a fix I had already
attempted.
I still can't seem to get them to work and this below is the response from
Delorme support.
This arrangement would seem to be a very convenient (Laptop and matchbox size
USB GPS) but I can't seem to get it to work.
I think that I have read on the list about people using this GPS  (and maybe
the Delou) successfully with Capn Mosaic.

So please review the Delorme info below and if you have any ideas you can post
them or send me private e-mail.

P.S. The Capn works fine with my Garmin 76 and "Pfranc" serial to USB
converter (that was another struggle that was solved by the knowledge on this
list)

Regards,
D. Smith

David,

Thank you for contacting DeLorme Technical Support. Using the link you
provided, I downloaded and installed a demo version of the software to try
on my system here. With a working Earthmate, I am experiencing the same
behavior you describe. The software appears to initially pick up the
Earthmate, then cuts off after a brief time, even if the software indicates
the GPS has a fix. It appears to be related to how the Mosaic software
requests information. The Earthmate is essentially a passive GPS. It only
provides satellite information if it receives a "ping" from software. The
Mosaic software appears to be designed to passively receive information from
a GPS through an open port; it does not actively send signals to the GPS
requesting the information, except upon initial startup. To verify that this
is what's occurring, you can try to perform a hyperterminal test on the COM
port our USB to Serial drivers have set up in device manager. To do this,
please refer to the link below:

http://www.delorme.com/support/gps/gps0004.asp?D=309&Q=k&K=hyperterminal&P=&
C=

If you receive information with this test, you'll know that the port and the
earthmate are functioning properly, but that the software and the earthmate
must not be interfacing properly. I apologize for the inconvenience and if
you have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us again.

Regards,
Lindsey

DeLorme Publishing Co.
Two DeLorme Drive
Yarmouth, Maine 04096

DeLorme Website - ( http://www.delorme.com )
Support Website - ( http://www.delorme.com/support )

Technical Support - ( 207.846.8900 ) - ( tech@delorme.com )
Direct Product Sales - ( 800.561.5105 ) - ( sales@delorme.com )
Customer Service - ( 800.511.2459 ) - ( sales@delorme.com )

*Please include the original message when responding.

-----Original Message-----
From: david.smith@djg.ca [mailto:david.smith@djg.ca]
Sent: Friday, October 01, 2004 4:18 PM
To: tech@delorme.com
Subject: Earthmate USB support request

Customer question submitted on 10/1/2004 4:18:22 PM.

CUSTOMER INFORMATION:

Name:  David Smith
Email:  david.smith@djg.ca
Phone #:  5192502110
Product:  Earthmate USB
Operating System:  Windows XP
GPS Info:  earthmate
Comments:
I am trying to use your Earthmate GPS to provide position signals to a
Marine Navigation software package called Capn Mosaic ver 7.3
(www.thecapn.com). I think the trouble I am having is that the marine
software has no way to "turn on" the Earthmate GPS. I have installed all the
latest 3rd. party drivers off your site and have tried all of the things you
suggest in your help files.

The unit works fine with you streets software and also with your GPS Test
utility, but when I plug the earthmate in after the Capn has booted up all I
get out of the unit is 7 red LED flashes and then nothing else.

I have also tried to run the Earthmate with the Streets or GPS test
minimized and the Capn software opened, but I get an error message that
Com6 is already in use.

I also realize from you policies that you do not support 3rd party
software, but I have already tried to get some help from the Capn and they
could not offer any, and quite frankly were very critical of your product.

If it is something simple that I can modify to make this work I would much
appreciate it, as your product the nav software and a laptop would make a
very compact high power charting system.

Thank You

David A. Smith

Tuesday, October 5, 2004, 2:34:40 PM, Dave wrote:

DS> Last week I asked the list about any experiences with Capn Mosaic 7.3 and a
DS> Delorme Earthmate USB GPS.
DS>  I have only received one private e-mail that included a fix I had already
DS> attempted.
DS> I still can't seem to get them to work and this below is the response from
DS> Delorme support.
DS> This arrangement would seem to be a very convenient (Laptop and matchbox size
DS> USB GPS) but I can't seem to get it to work.
DS> I think that I have read on the list about people using this GPS  (and maybe
DS> the Delou) successfully with Capn Mosaic.

You might try asking about this in the news:sci.geo.satellite-nav newsgroup - all sorts of dedicated GPS users hang out there (although discussion is more land-oriented than marine)

--
Peter Bennett, VE7CEI    Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Lien Hwa 28 (AKA Polaris 30) "Sea Spray"
GPS and NMEA info: http://vancouver-webpages.com/peter
Vancouver Power Squadron: http://vancouver.powersquadron.ca

Dave, try this: Go to device manager and see what port number the Delorme
GPS is on.  Edit GPS.INI from the Voyager directory and put that number in
and save it.  For example:
[GPS]
Port=5
Baud=4800
Handshaking=0

This will force the CAPN to look at that port specifically when you click
"find GPS".

If this doesn't work, buy yourself a Deluo on EBAY (from Deluo) for $85 and
float-test the Delorme unit.

                                      Regards....

Phil Rosch
Old Harbor Consulting
M/V Curmudgeon MT-44TC
Currently moored in Combs Creek, Potomac River, MD

This is what makes this list Great..the info re DELUO was enlighting and
just what I wanted to know about

thanks Phil

Ted Brustowicz  MD(ret)
trbrustowicz@cox.net
"MOONSHINE", DeFever 43
Niceville, Florida