SeaClear and Google Earth

[ukauction]

I managed to get the maps recognized - problem is I cannot get the program to see my connected GPS - Garmin Colorado - which connects via a USB port - sems to be looking for COM1 etc... does anyone have any idea how I can get the USB port recognized?

[atzserv]

The way I got the usb gps to work with seaclear was to go to tools, properties, comm. Then you can select and change the comm port. I think by the time you get to 8 on a computer you have covered the possibilities. Each time I selected a different comm port I would exit out of seaclear and restart to be sure the changes took effect. Once you have the correct settings you will know because the box you see when you start seaclear now goes away.

Now if you know the number assigned to your usb port then just select it, but I am guessing that is an unknown, so trial and error will get you there.

Gary

[c130king]

I have spent a couple of hours this morning using SeaClear and my Garmin GPS. I have my GPS over here in England with me as it works as a Road GPS as well as a Maritime GPS...and I paid $300+ to buy the European road maps and a 512KB Data Card to store those maps on...works very nice.

Anyway, I was able to connect my laptop and GPS via Comm Port 3 (trial and error as discussed by Gary) using the USB to mini-USB cable that came with the GPS (normally used to transfer maps). I used the "NMEA Input Monitor" (Tools -- System -- NMEA Input Monitor) and I could see that SeaClear was taking positional input from my GPS. They were "talking" but the position of the boat on SeaClear was still in the default position. Couldn't figure out how to get SeaClear to recognize the GPS input as the position.

Also, could not figure out how to transfer route data from SeaClear to GPS or from GPS to SeaClear. But I did learn how to create a route on my GPS...not really difficult just never tried before. And I am pretty sure I will be able to link my GPS to my S1 Wheel Pilot Computer when I get it installed.

But it would be great if I could create a route on SeaClear and then transfer to my Garmin.

Cheers,
Jim

[opie]

I can't help you with the NMEA question, but as for your boat position, it will not automatically appear unless you check the "automatic" box at the bottom of the Seaclear choices. If not in automatic, your boat icon will start off initially off Africa at 0-0, 0-0 lat and lon.

[c130king]

I had automatic on with the boat at 00.00N/S and 000.00E/W.

But I could tell from the NMEA Input Monitor that it was recieving the GPS position...could read the lat/long in the string of data.

Jim

[opie]

excuse the dumb answer maybe, but do you have a chart loaded that includes your present location? If not, maybe Seaclear has no where to take you except leave you at 0 - 0

[opie]

What is a NMEA input monitor? Is that in Seaclear? Does the top of the Seaclear info bar have the current lat and lon of your gps position? Is Seaclear getting signal? Just trying to help....

[c130king]

I am not sure what NMEA INPUT MONITOR is supposed to be used for but it is a function on SeaClear. Click on TOOLS then SYSTEM then NMEA INPUT MONITOR which will open a window and show the NMEA sentences that are being fed into SeaClear from some GPS source. There is also a NMEA OUTPUT MONITOR to show what NMEA sentences are leaving SeaClear.

So I can see that SeaClear is getting a feed from my GPS via the USB cable. I can read the NMEA sentences and see that the current Lat/Long is being transferred from my GPS. But the Lat/Long does not show up on the info bar area. Not sure how to get SeaClear to turn that GPS feed into its position.

The user manual is not very much help in my opinion. I think it is going to take someone who knows how to do this to explain it to us all or one of us to figure this out.

Jim

ON EDIT: There is info that the system will only work with Serial connections...that may be the issue...but it is getting info from my GPS via USB so I don't know.