Subject: Re: DeLorme SA4.0 upgrade questions
From: Bob Winingham
Date: 11 Nov 1996 08:14:27 GMT
>Can anyone tell me it will import acsii data from a packet radio tnc?
It might if the SA4 parsing program will over look
the first part of the data and scan for $PGxxx
The following two lines came out of a TNC, You can see
the two NMEA RNC and GGA lines are the same as the Garmin NMEA output.
WIDE lines to follow:
KC5EJK-12*>RELAY>RELAY>APRS:$GPGGA,202522,3250.760,N,09646.185,W,1,03,2.9,153.0,M,-24.8,M,,*7D
KC5EJK-12*>RELAY>WIDE>APRS:$GPRMC,202521,A,3250.760,N,09646.185,W,002.5,101.1,101196,,*05
Bob
kc5ejk@onramp.net
Subject: Re: Help, Motorola OEM GPS boards
From: walkerj@emerald.crystal.com.au (John Walker)
Date: 11 Nov 1996 14:15:10 GMT
In article <55ssc1$8iq@wolfe.wimsey.com>, mfraser@giant.mindlink.bc.ca says...
>
>A box made by HIGHWAYMASTER came into my hands, inside it has a cellphone
>and some logic boards, and a Moto GPS board. This has an 8-pin header
>that presumably handles power and I/O [It also has an SMA or similar
>connector, but let's assume that goes to the antenna!]
>
>Anyone help me with pinout? The board has a 68331 processor on it
>[more than a little bit of processing power, no?] and the part number
>on the pcb appears to be 84D43796MO1, is about 2x3.5 inches, and
>the header is 10 PINS, not 8 as I said above....
>
>any help greatly appreciated
>
>/mark
You have one of the newer Oncore boards, probably the VP (very latest are
GT/UT). They are a particularly powerful 8 channel (early ones were 6, but
not made anymore) receiver working on Motorola binary (9600,8,N,1), NMEA
(4800,8,N,1), and LORAN emulation (1200,8,N,1) mode. All models feature
differential capability (Moto binary & RTCM SC-104 type 1 messages).
Get the Motorola GPS Control Program, Version 9.0 or later (5.3 only handled 6
channels).
49 Datums, 51 Moto bin commands, 8 NMEA, 4 LORAN
Oncore Users Guide, pn 68P41117U01 May 94 or later covers the VP, with all
tech details.
The antenna jack is an OSX (M/A COM), PCX (Phoenix) or MCX (Huber&Suhner;)
connector. 5V @ MAX 50mA available to active antenna.
The 10 pin header requires TTL and 5V. You may have a Li backup battery,
otherwise you need 2.5V - 5.25VDC for backup as well.
Pin out is 1 2
3 4
- -
9 10 where pin 1 has the square pad
Pin 1 Battery backup (No Lithium battery on board)
2 +5V pwr (225mA [1.1W] + antenna)
3 GND
4 N/A (Vpp)
5 N/A
6 ONE PPS (TTL) Option A
7 ONE PPS RTN
8 TTL-TXD
9 TTL-RXD
10 TTL-RTN
A MAX232 and a 5V regulator will get you going. Max ripple is 50mV.
More help? Try your local Moto Systems and After Markets person.
I make an interface in an aluminium case that emulates the Oncore XT, provides
12V (8 - 16V) input, RS-232 I/O and a BNC jack.
JDW S32, E116
Subject: US NGS CORS Newsletter (10 Nov 96)
From: dmulcar@ibm.net (Donald M. Mulcare)
Date: 11 Nov 1996 16:02:45 GMT
=======================================
CORS Electronic Newsletter
=======================================
Authors: Bill Strange, Neil Weston
National Geodetic Survey, NOS, NOAA
Silver Spring, MD 20910
E-mail: bstrange@ngs.noaa.gov
nweston@ngs.noaa.gov
Info: jimd@ngs.noaa.gov
don@ngs.noaa.gov
Phone: (301) 713-3222 ext. 135
Lab: (301) 713-3169 ext. 146
Fax: (301) 713-4175
Subject: Current CORS Data Holdings.
Date: Sun Nov 10 22:45:02 EST 1996
Week: 45
GPS Week: 0878
Range: Day 308 to Day 314
To Access: ftp cors.ngs.noaa.gov
login: anonymous
password: your complete e-mail address
Message:
The Continuously Operating Reference Station (CORS) GPS network
managed by the National Geodetic Survey (NGS), NOAA, is operating in
an experimental mode and will continue to do so until the network is
declared fully operational in 1996. Full CORS integrity monitoring
has not been implemented by NGS at this time. NGS will do its best to
ensure the reliability of this service in the interim but, because of
this status, users of the CORS data should be aware that NGS cannot
ensure:
1. That all current sites will be operational at all times or will be
kept as part of the final network configuration;
2. That all GPS data, positional information, utility software, or
ancillary information which has been posted is 100 percent correct
and without error; and
3. That any additional proposed sites that are added in the future
will remain operational or will be kept as part of the network.
=========================================================================
October 29
The Department of Transportation (DOT) has been designated by the
President to represent the Nation's civilian interests in the use
of the Global Positioning System (GPS). DOT has begun studies to
determine the interest in and feasibility of extending the U.S.
Coast Guard (USCG) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Differential
Global Positioning System (DGPS). James Arnold, of the Federal
Highway Administration (FHWA), is coordinating the studies and
will present the results to the DOT Position/Navigation
Committee.
Designed to support maritime safety and navigation on the
Nation's coasts and navigable waterways, the coastal portion of
DGPS is almost complete and the river portion is being expanded.
Like many technological developments, the project benefits more
than its original audience. Surveyors, the land transportation
industry, geo-scientists, and meteorologists, among others, are
taking advantage of the broadcast DGPS signals over inland areas,
or they are using GPS data captured by NOAA's National Geodetic
Survey from the DGPS receivers for the Continuously Operating
Reference Station (CORS) network to perform high accuracy
positioning.
In its initial phase, the DGPS network has received praise for
meeting deadlines, economy of installation, and benefit to the
Nation's maritime safety. However, because of its maritime
design, the DGPS network does not reach large areas of the
coterminous 48 states and Alaska. Federal agencies including
FHWA, USCG, NOAA, and the Federal Railway Administration have
received inquiries about possible expansion of the DGPS network.
In response to these requests, DOT tasked FWHA with making the
necessary studies. An initial estimate is that about 20
additional sites could complete coverage of the 48 states.
Mr. Arnold would significantly benefit from knowing the interests
of state, county, and municipal agencies, academia, and private
industry in the potential DGPS expansion and improvement of
safety in highway, railway, and other land based industries.
Mr. Arnold can be contacted at:
Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
703-285-2974 (voice)
703-285-2264 (fax)
jaarnold@intergate.dot.gov
=========================================================================
October 18
Station Richmond (rcm5) was permanently shut down on October
10, 1996 (day 284) and will no longer be included in the
weekly newsletter.
MON. DAY NUMBER
SITE_NAME NAME RECEIVER 308 309 310 311 312 313 314
================ ==== ============== === === === === === === ===
Amarillo TX aml5 Trimble SSE % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3 0
Annette_Isl AK ais1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *72 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
Aransas_Pass TX arp3 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
Arlington TX arl5 Trimble SSE % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3 0
Austin TX aus5 Trimble SSE % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3 0
Beaumont TX bea5 Trimble SSE D 2 % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3 0
Blythe CA blyt Ashtech Z_XII3 D 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
Brunswick ME bru1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
CpCanaveral FL ccv1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
CpHenlopen DE chl1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
CpHenry VA chr1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
CpHinchinbrook AK chi2 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
CpMendocino CA cme1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *69 *75 *75 *75
Charleston SC cha1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *72 *75 *75 *75 *75
Chatham MA cht1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
Cheboygan MI chb1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
Cold_Bay AK bay1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
CorpusChristi TX corc Trimble SSE % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3 0
Detroit MI det1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
Egmont_Key FL eky1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
El_Paso TX paso Trimble SSE % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3 0 0
English_Turn LA eng1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
Fairbanks AK fair Rogue 8000 % 3 % 3 % 2 % 3 % 2 % 3 % 3
FT_Macon NC fmc2 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
FT_Stevens OR fts1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
Gaithersburg MD gait Trimble SSE #72 #72 #72 #72 #72 #72 #72
Galveston TX gal1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
Goldstone CA gold Rogue SNR_8 % 3 % 3 % 2 % 3 0 % 3 % 3
Gustavus AK gus1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
Haskell OK hklo Trimble SSE & 4 & 4 & 3 & 3 & 3 % 2 0
Haviland KS hvlk Trimble SSI & 4 & 4 & 3 & 3 & 3 % 2 0
Hillsboro KS hbrk Trimble SSE & 4 & 4 & 3 & 3 & 3 % 2 0
Houston TX hous Trimble SSE % 3 D 2 % 3 % 3 D 2 % 3 0
KansasCity KS kan1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
Kenai AK ken1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
Kodiak AK kod1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
Kokole_PT HI kok1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
Lake_Houston TX lkhu Trimble SSE % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3
Lamont OK lmno Trimble SSE & 4 & 4 & 3 & 3 & 3 % 2 0
Lubbock TX lubb Trimble SSE % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3 0 0
McDonald TX mdo1 Rogue 8000 % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3
Miami FL mia1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *72 *75 *75 *75 *75
Milwaukee WI mil1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
Memphis TN mem2 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
Mobile_PT AL mob1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
Montauk_PT NY mnp1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
Montpelier VT vcap Trimble SSE #72 #72 #72 #72 #72 #72 #70
Neebish_Isl MI neb3 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
Neodesha KS ndsk Trimble SSI & 4 & 4 & 3 & 3 & 3 % 2 0
North_Liberty IA nlib Rogue 8000 % 3 % 3 % 2 % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3
Odessa TX ods5 Trimble SSE % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3 0 0
Pietown NM pie1 Rogue 8000 % 3 % 3 % 2 % 3 N 1 % 3 % 3
Pigeon_PT CA ppt1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *63 0 *75 *75 *75 *75
Platteville CO pltc Trimble SSE & 4 & 4 & 3 & 3 M 1 0 0
PT_Blunt CA pbl1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
PT_Loma CA plo3 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
Portsmouth NH por2 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
Purcell OK prco Trimble SSE & 4 & 4 & 3 & 3 & 3 % 2 0
Quincy CA quin Rogue 8000 % 3 % 3 % 2 % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3
Robinson_PT WA rpt1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
ST_Croix VI cro1 Rogue 8000 % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3
ST_Louis MO stl3 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
ST_Paul WI stp1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *72 *72 *75
Saginaw_Bay MI sag1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
Sallisaw OK sal1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
San_Antonio TX anto Trimble SSE % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3 0
Sandy_Hook NJ shk1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *72 *75 *75
Sturgeon_Bay WI stb1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
Table_Mt CO tmgo Rogue 8000 & 4 & 4 & 4 & 4 & 4 0 0
Upolo_PT HI upo1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *72 *63 *12 *75 *75 *75
Upper_Kewenaw MI kew1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
Vicksburg MS vic1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
Vici OK vcio Trimble SSE & 4 & 4 & 3 & 3 & 3 % 2 0
Westford MA wes2 Rogue 8000 % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3 % 3 0
Whidbey_Isl WA whd1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
Whitefish_PT MI whp1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *18 0
White_Sands NM wsmn Trimble SSE & 4 & 4 & 3 & 3 & 3 % 2 0
Wisconsin_PT WI wis1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
Youngstown NY you1 Ashtech Z_XII3 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75 *75
The letters/symbols refer to the types of files available for that particular
day.
H Observation (hourly)
# Observation (hourly), Navigation
$ Observation (hourly), Navigation, Meteorological
N Navigation
S Navigation, Meteorological
M Meteorological
D Observation (daily)
% Observation (daily), Navigation
& Observation (daily), Navigation, Meteorological
+ Observation (daily), Meteorological
B Observation (daily, hourly)
* Observation (daily, hourly), Navigation
A Observation (daily, hourly), Navigation, Meteorological
Y Observation (daily, hourly), Meteorological
|====================================================|
|== Donald M. Mulcare email:dmulcar@ibm.net ==|
|== NGS Advisor to Maryland 410.545.8963 (voice) ==|
|====visit the ngs home page at http://www.ngs.noaa.gov =====|
|====================================================|
Subject: A GIS is ready for everybody to test!
From: nac@zot.io.org (The International NAC Society)
Date: 11 Nov 1996 10:56:17 -0500
Dear Readers:
Last week, we posted the following ads which included a wrong web address.
The correct address is http://www.io.org/~nac/
Many people ask what the system requirements of the software are. Since
we use dynamic linking libraries all through the code, the software
requires little RAM and hard disk space. If the computer has:
Windows 95 or Windows NT
Larger than 4 MB RAM
Larger than 4 MB Hard disk space
the software will work properly on small map files (<1 MB).
Now the test version of the software is ready for everybody to test all
functions of the software. If you want it, I can email you the software
(2.4 MB)free of charge. If you want to get 3.5" floppy disk, please
include US$5 shipping and handling fee.ÿï Once you have tested the
software, please send us your comments and suggestions and report all the
problems. You cam also post them on the net.
By the way, the software can import text files of lists of longitude/latitude
or UTM or other coordinates and character strings with coordinates and angles.
If you have these kinds of maps and would like to sell them, please drop an
email to our account and we will include them on our web. If you have map
converters which can extract map entities from other GIS file formats and
create node lists and character string lists, we will be happy to
list them on our web too.
Have fun to play on NACGIS Version 2.0.
Xinhang Shen
NAC Geographic Products Inc.
===============================================================================
| |
| Great News! |
| |
| You can buy a US$999 GIS with only US$39 before Nov. 20, 1996! |
| |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Contents |
| |
| Introduction |
| Major features |
| Discount information |
| Order information |
===============================================================================
Introduction
NAC Geographic Products Inc. has developed a geographic information system
called NACGIS Version 2.0 for Windows 95 and Windows NT, which has
implemented the great invention: the Natural Area Coding System. Based on
the Natural Area Coding System, NACGIS has introduced a ten-character
Universal Geographic Identity for every geographic object in the world. No
matter what size it is. Every geographic object in the world from a
continent to a parking meter can be statistically uniquely identified by its
Universal Geographic Identity (UGID).
Major features:
1. Automatic assignment of UGID's to all geographic objects.
2. Automatic links between a graphic object in the map file and its
associated document in the document database. You can use both text
searching and mouse clicking on the graphic object to retrieve the
document for reading and editing.
3 Supports transparency which allows you draw transparent graphic objects
with all pictures underneath shown in a mixed color.
4. Graphics editor's features:
a) Drawing tools:
NACGIS Version 2.0 procides two sets of drawing tools:
i) Mouse direct drafting on the screen with your specified default
line color, line type, line thickness, brush color, brush
pattern, font type, font size, font color, layer number, etc.
ii) Graphic object set-up dialog boxes to create accurate pictures.
The dialog boxs allow you input exact coordinates for polyline
nodes and polygon vertices and layer number, text escapement
angle, layer number, specify whether it is a polyline or smooth
curve and a polygon or an area, whether it is transparent, and
set up pen, brush and font parameters. You can insert or delete
nodes or vertices at any location of a polyline or a polygon.
A polyline, polygon, simple picture or a group picture can be
converted to each other by simply clicking a botton on the dialog
boxes.
NACGIS Version 2.0 can draw polylines, curves, polygons, areas, simple
pictures (ractangle, circle, ellipse, regular polygons, stars, etc.),
text objects, bitmap objects and group pictures (from an art gallery
database).
b) Manipulation tools:
NACGIS Version 2.0 provides the following graphic objects manipulation
tools:
i) Mouse and arrow keys direct draging and resizing
ii) Manipulation dialog box which allows you move an graphic object or
a group of graphic objects a specified distance or to a specified
location, exactly stretch it in x- and/or y-directions, rotate it
a specified angle arround a specified pivot, and mirror it in x-
and/or y-directions with a specified symetric center.
iii) Alignment dialog box which allows you align a group of graphic
objects to the left, center, right, top, middle, bottom.
iv) Group objects tool which allows you to create group pictures (only
one set of a group picture's data will be stored in the memory
but can be shown in as many places as you want, which will greatly
simplify your drawing and save memory). Once the group picture is
created, you can also add it to the art gallery database of the
software for later use.
v) Delete, Erase All, Undo, Cut, Copy and Paste tools
vi) Grid generator which can automatically generate the appropriate
level of the NAC grids.
5. Map viewing tools
NACGIS Version 2.0 provides the following map viewing tools:
i) Theme layers dialog box allows you select the visible layers for
the current map. It can store 120 different theme layers.
ii) Zoom In and Zoom Out tools allows you zoom in as many time as you
want and zoom back to the origanal picture.
iii) Split panes of a winow, multiple windows of a document and
multiple windows of multiple documents. NACGIS Version 2.0 allows
you to view different parts of a map in different panes or
windows, view different scales in different panes, and
compare different maps in different windows.
iv) Display of the cursor's coordinates in Longitude/Latitude, UTM and
NAC simultaneously on the status bar of the frame window.
v) Coordinate systems
NACGIS Version 2.0 supports three types of coordinate systems:
Longitude/Latitude system, UTM system and user-defined system.
You can import a map file in one coordinate system and export it
in another system (Longitude/Latitude <=> UTM).
vi) Window setting
You can set the scroll window size, window background color, the
coordinates of the top left corner of the window and suitable
scale to create the best view for the map.
6. Document editor's features
NACGIS Version 2.0 also provides a powerful document editor which allows
you to read and edit the attached document of a graphic object. The
attached document is named by the UGID of a geographic object, which can
cantain text contents with all kinds of fonts, font styles, sizes and
colors, bitmaps, and all other objects created by OLE servers such as
Excel Charts and Worksheets.
7. Help file
NACGIS Version 2.0 provides a powerful help system which has the
following features:
i) Context help
Whenever you need help for a dialog or a menu command, you can get
the help topic immediately by pressing F1. You can also press the
button with an arrow and a question mark on the toolbar and the
move the cursor to the item about which you need help and
click the left button of the mouse to get the help topic.
ii) Tooltips
NACGIS Version 2.0 provides tooltips for all menu commands and
buttons. When you move the cursor to a toolbar button, you will
see a yellow box with simple help text beside the cursor and a
bit more detail help text on the status bar of the frame window.
iii) Topics, index and word search
NACGIS Version 2.0 allows you to search help content by topics,
index and simply a word.
8. Print, print preview and printer set-up
NACGIS Version 2.0 provides you all the useful features for print, print
preview and printer set-up. It allows you print black/while or color
map, and a large map into small pieces which can be connected together
to get a large map. You can also print any part of a map if you set the
window size, the coordinates of the top left corner of the window and the
appropriate scale of the map.
9. Support of file types
NACGIS Version 2.0 mainly support its own map document files with the
extension ".nac". However, it can import and export three types of text
files: lists of polyline nodes coordinates, lists of polygon vertices
coordinates and lists of text objects (text contents, insert point
coordinates and escapement angle). In the future vertions, we will add
dxf files. NAC Geographic Products Inc. also provides you various map
documents at good prices.
Discount information
NAC Geographic Products Inc. would like to offer you a special discounted
price for the license of using NACGIS Version 2.0. The standard price for
the license for a single person using NACGIS Version 2.0 in one computer is
US$999. If you are using the software at home for non-business purposes,
you can get 50% discount. Once you have bought one license of the software,
you will get a 80% discount for the license for a future version of the same
sfotware. There is a special discount price now. If you buy the license
before November 20, 1996, you need to pay only US$39 + US$5 shipping fee
( + 7% GST if in you are in Canada). After then, the price will rise
everyday (about US$5.3 a day) until it reaches US$999.
Ordering information
You can order the license by sending us the international money order
(or a check if you are in Canada) or tell us the information of the VISA
credit card (Credit card number, holder's name, expiration date and issuing
bank name). The price is determined by the date you send out your order.
If you use credit card, you can also order it through Email, fax or phone.
Please include the exact name, company, address, phone, fax, email for each
licesee because the name and address will be embedded into the software.
Our address is
NAC Geographic Products Inc.
509-50 Stephanie Street
Toronto, ON M5T 1B3
Canada
NAC: 8CHK Q87P
Phone and fax: (416) 979 9306
Email: nac@io.org
Web: http://www.io.org
If you are doing land planning, NACGIS will be your great assistant!
If you are working on transportation, NACGIS will be your first assistant!
If you are managing natural resources, NACGIS will provide you the convenience!
If you are working on environment protection, NACGIS will be your power tool!
If you are doing marketing, NACGIS will give you extra hands, eyes and ears!
If you are managing real estate, NACGIS will let you get rid of tedious work!
If you like fishing, NACGIS will help you record the best fishing spots!
If you are a bird watcher, NACGIS will tell you where birds live and
move!
Subject: Silva XL-1000/Navimap: external antenna 'hackable'??
From: w.j.markerink@a1.nl (Willem-Jan Markerink)
Date: 11 Nov 1996 16:29:36 GMT
Sorry for the repeat, but I did not get any useful answers yet....
Hasn't anyone hacked this unit then? Can't believe it!
Dear experts in homebrew contraptions,
I came across a Silva XL-1000 GPS unit, combined with the Yeoman Navimap
plotter (thanks to Janssen Buitensport for letting me test it for a week).
After struggling through the not so clear manual (I hope it is just the poor
translation (Dutch), but since Silva is Swedish(?), I might have to learn a
new language to get to the source), I somehow really like the system.
Actually, the Navimap system does better than expected, I thought you always
had to calibrate a chart with two given waypoints, but one waypoint (current
location, located on the map), a North/South alignment and map scale also do
the trick.
Yet my single largest problem with the GPS unit is that I can't find any
connector (nor mentioning in the manual) for an auxillary/external antenna.
My main use will be within a vehicle, and putting the unit against the window
doesn't do the trick.
Knowing from the past that several of you are happy homebrew engineers, with
no respect for any existing system limit, I wanted to find out whether any of
you has hacked the XL-1000 and attached an external antenna to it.
A general opinion on such a hack will also be largely appreciated.
If I can find the internal antenna wiring, does that mean I almost have the
solution? Or are electrical problems & incompatibilities very likely?
I know the antenna needs a separate energy supply, but the signal is pretty
much standardized, right?
Any chance of succeeding in upgrading the XL-1000 to a genuine vehicle GPS?
Many thanks in advance to all homebrew experts out here!
--
Bye,
_/ _/ _/_/_/_/_/ _/_/_/_/_/
_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/
_/ _/ illem _/ _/ an _/ _/ _/ arkerink
_/_/_/
The desire to understand
is sometimes far less intelligent than
the inability to understand
[note: 'a-one' & 'en-el'!]