Google Earth + Holux Slim 236 GPS dongle

[DBA Forum (B) - Kevin Wade]

A good while ago I could get GE to work with my Holux GPS dongle by using a bridging program. However that was some 5 years ago and I can't find it now.

So can anyone suggest a way of getting the Holux and GE talking?

Using Win 8.1 BTW

Kevin

[DBA Forum (B) - Charles Fitzhardinge]

Hi Kevin
I am not familiar with the "Holux" GPS dongle, but have used a range of cheap GPS "dongle" aerials with Google Earth (with which I have navigated continuously since 2009..

I currently use a freebie, "Earth Bridge" which can be downloaded from www.mboffin.com/earthbridge/.
I cannot get any joy from the developer, who I rather think has lost interest.
Nevertheless the program works well, albeit with a small bug - no matter what selection you make, your speed is displayed is quantitatively in knots (even though you may have selected km/h or mph - the unit you select is shown but the numerical value is unchanged. I find I get quite good at multiplying by 1.8 in my head to convert to km/h - simply double the knots then subtract 10% - near enough for our purposes.

There are a couple of other programs, eg Tallon (about $20 Canadian (strangely with a similar bug - only shows speed in mph) or GPS4GE which ships with the program Cache4GE - bug free but expensive.

Charles Fitzhardinge
De Vrouwe Anna Maria

[DBA Forum (B) - Colin Stone]

Kevin,

I tried AIS Despatcher but it doesn't output to a virtual comm port for software.
Otherwise I use Franson GPSgate which is pay ware. But good and simple.

Colin Stone
KEI


Sent via BlackBerry® BIS

[DBA Forum (B) - Kevin Wade]

Thanks Charles. Earthbridge was the one. All up and running now.

The Holux is a Bluetooth device. Was quite expensive in its day. Still working perfectly 7 years on. So probably worked out cheaper than buying several cheap ones over the years.

Kevin

On 9 Sep 2014 16:21, 'DBA Forum (B) - Charles Fitzhardinge' <dbabarges-pvYRptiajiAdnm+***@public.gmane.org> wrote:

Hi Kevin

I am not familiar with the 'Holux' GPS dongle, but have used a range of cheap GPS 'dongle' aerials with Google Earth  (with which I have navigated continuously since 2009..



I currently use a freebie, 'Earth Bridge' which can be downloaded from www.mboffin.com/earthbridge/.

I cannot get any joy from the developer, who I rather think has lost interest.

Nevertheless the program works well, albeit with a small bug - no matter what selection you make, your speed is displayed is quantitatively in knots (even though you may have selected  km/h or mph - the unit you select is shown but the numerical value is unchanged. I find I get quite good at multiplying by 1.8 in my head to convert to km/h - simply double the knots then subtract 10% - near enough for our purposes.



There are a couple of other programs, eg Tallon (about $20 Canadian (strangely with a similar bug - only shows speed in mph) or GPS4GE which ships with the program Cache4GE - bug free but expensive.



Charles Fitzhardinge

De Vrouwe Anna Maria

[DBA Forum (B) - Charles Fitzhardinge]

Hi Colin
Bit puzzled by your comment re AISDispatcher. This program works excellently for me, displaying surrounding shipping on Google Earth.

I am first puzzled that you have raised AISDispatcher in relation to connecting what I take to be a GPS aerial/dongle, as in the originating post from Kevin.

I am second puzzled that you cannot get AISDispatcher to put your AIS information onto GE.
My laptop, like most now, has only USB ports, whilst my AIS receiver uotputs via serial. I therefore use a simple (and cheap) Serial to USB adapter. This shows up as, eg, Com11.

You must, of course NOT try to use the GPS you use for the AIS receiver for tracking your position on GE - the instructions for my receiver are explicit that it requires a dedicated GPS. A separate GPS for positioning and tracking (as I think Kevin is referring to) is cheap and readily available. In fact on my simple setup I can see my own position but cannot keep this automatically centre-screen as you need when tracking your position.

Charles Fitzhardinge
De Vrouwe Anna Maria