Earthmate GPS with WX Worx?

[Dave Lewison]

I apologize if this has been asked already...

Has anyone gotten the WX Worx system to work with the DeLorme USB Earthmate GPS unit? On the WX Worx site, it says that any NMEA GPS unit that uses a COM port can be used with the system. Even though it's not on a serial COM port, the DeLorme Earthmate operates on a virtual COM (COM 0, in my case), so I'm guessing it'll work, but I don't have a WX Worx system to try it on.

Also, if it does work, is there a way to share the unit between StreetAtlas and WX Worx? I read a couple posts on serial splitting software, but these seem to be for serial GPS units, and the Earthmate is on USB.

Thanks!

 

[Sheila_Ward]

I have the Earthmate USB GPS working with WxWorx and Street Atlas using Serial Splitter software. The trick is you have to install Delorme's COM port emulation driver for the Earthmate GPS. This driver can be found on their website, plus some good troubleshooting info.

Once you install it, it makes your USB GPS look like it's coming through a COM port. Then you just assign your software to that COM port.

You can then use software like Serial Splitter or GPS Gate to have multiple applications access the GPS data.

Keep in mind that once you install the COM port emulation driver, you will have to go into Street Atlas and change the GPS device from the USB to whatever COM port the GPS now shows it's on, otherwise the GPS functionality of SA will stop working.

Hope this helps!

 

[Amos Magliocco]

Tonight with help from Steve Miller I activated GPS Gate and can stream GPS data to both Wx-Worx and Street Atlas 2005. I use the Earthmate USB receiver.

I learned something that might come in handy for those installing this configuration with SA 2005. My GPS settings listed "GPS Earthmate" as the device, above the drag-down menu for com port and com port settings. It was necessary for me to change this to "Garmin NMEA W/Wpt" in order for GPS Gate to function.

The problem was that GPS Gate would work until Street Atlas came online, then the incompatible baud rate settings (or whatever) caused GPS Gate to shut down. SA2005 was causing the glitch with that device setting.

To summarize, my basic process was to download and install the Delorme Com Port Emulation drivers, then run them from the Device Manager which switched my Earthmate from a "Human Interface Device" to a USB Earthmate with a Com Port. Then I installed GPS Gate and set it to look for data on that new com port, and to rebroadcast that data on two "virtual ports." I adjusted both Street Atlas and Wx-Worx to look for GPS data on the new virtual ports (one for each, not both looking to the same port). With the settings configured properly, it is working well.

 

[David Drummond]

On the flip side, has anyone tried to use the Holux GPS that comes with WxWorx with Street Atlas?

 

[Kurt Hulst]

yeah david it works Great. I use both Delorme and Houlx with out a problem.

 

[Jay Press]

wx worx with street atlas

OK, so I can't get the virtual thing to work. When wx is running, it doesn't let me use the GPS in SA and vice versa. I have the gate software etc...

Another question, does SA actually work through MTN instead of it's mapping graphics? I bet not, but let me know how to do this if it does...


J

 

[Verne Carlson]

I tried and tried to get XPort2 (serial splitter) to work but I couldn't. I finally settled on using the Holux with wx-worx and my old garmin street pilot thru serial port 1 on Delorme. That works great for me, it's extra equipment to drag along but I like having the backup GPS. The Holux seems to have a hard time keeping locked on satellites, the Garmin is rock solid.

 

[David Drummond]

Originally posted by Verne Carlson
I tried and tried to get XPort2 (serial splitter) to work but I couldn't. I finally settled on using the Holux with wx-worx and my old garmin street pilot thru serial port 1 on Delorme. That works great for me, it's extra equipment to drag along but I like having the backup GPS. The Holux seems to have a hard time keeping locked on satellites, the Garmin is rock solid.

I wonder if there is something wrong with your Holux? Mine gets a lock and then is rock steady. The only time I had problems was when it was going through a non powered USB hub....don't think it was getting enough power. But when it's plugged directly in it's solid.