Re: TI-H: GPS with TI
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Re: TI-H: GPS with TI
Actually, I've been thinking about this interesting idea for a while. I
own a Garmin GPS III (a nice little device, I must add), and apparently
most GPS units use a standard serial interface which can be configured
to different baud settings (including 9600 bps). Garmin has their own
set of proprietary commands (which are a standard all of their own,
defining the "Garmin" protocol), but there is also the NMEA protocol.
Plugging my GPS into my computer and loading up a terminal program at
4800 bps, I captured the following two cycle bursts (each lasting about
a second and a half) from the GPS in NMEA mode.
$GPRMC,021823,A,3421.308,N,11836.264,W,000.0,332.0,210199,013.9,E*67
$GPRMB,A,0.00,R,,SCRMNT,3833.062,N,12127.891,W,287.0,332.1,,V*07
$GPGGA,021823,3421.308,N,11836.264,W,1,10,2.0,-12.8,M,-31.5,M,,*67
$GPGSA,A,3,04,05,06,07,08,09,10,16,24,30,,,3.7,2.0,3.0*35
$GPGSV,3,1,10,04,38,043,45,05,72,319,50,06,15,276,39,07,08,077,36*7C
$GPGSV,3,2,10,08,42,261,46,09,34,215,45,10,26,144,43,16,04,036,00*7C
$GPGSV,3,3,10,24,83,060,51,30,28,314,44,,,,,,,,*78
$PGRME,15.0,M,22.5,M,15.0,M*1B
$GPGLL,3421.308,N,11836.264,W,021824,A*37
$PGRMZ,-42,f,3*00
$PGRMM,WGS 84*06
$GPBOD,332.1,T,318.2,M,SCRMNT,*59
$GPRTE,1,1,c,,SCRMNT*0E
$GPWPL,3833.062,N,12127.891,W,SCRMNT*44
$GPRMC,021825,A,3421.308,N,11836.264,W,000.0,332.0,210199,013.9,E*61
$GPRMB,A,0.00,R,,SCRMNT,3833.062,N,12127.891,W,287.0,332.1,,V*07
$GPGGA,021825,3421.308,N,11836.264,W,1,10,2.0,-12.8,M,-31.5,M,,*61
$GPGSA,A,3,04,05,06,07,08,09,10,16,24,30,,,3.7,2.0,3.0*35
$GPGSV,3,1,10,04,38,043,45,05,72,319,50,06,15,276,39,07,08,077,35*7F
$GPGSV,3,2,10,08,42,261,46,09,34,215,45,10,26,144,43,16,04,036,00*7C
$GPGSV,3,3,10,24,83,060,51,30,28,314,44,,,,,,,,*78
$PGRME,15.0,M,22.5,M,15.0,M*1B
$GPGLL,3421.308,N,11836.264,W,021826,A*35
$PGRMZ,-42,f,3*00
$PGRMM,WGS 84*06
$GPBOD,332.1,T,318.2,M,SCRMNT,*59
$GPRTE,1,1,c,,SCRMNT*0E
$GPWPL,3833.062,N,12127.891,W,SCRMNT*44
(I fired up the simulator mode and set a course from a random location
in Los Angeles to Sacramento. I include it in this message only to
spark an interest; obviously, one wishing to truly use this protocol
would have to either obtain his-/herown GPS unit or obtain a trustworthy
copy of some specs. Additionally, I have no idea how this code will be
handled by various e-mail servers.)
Now, what on earth could TIs do with GPS units? Well, I've been
thinking. It's common to hook up GPS units to laptops and track one's
progress over a computerized map (with a computer, you could have as
detailed of a map as you wanted and had space for). Wouldn't it be
interesting to be able to similarly track one's progress on a TI? The
TI could have a wealth of functions, such as backing up waypoints
(locations on a map), managing track log files (digital bread crumbs),
downloading/uploading other info, etc. Personally, I use a TI-89, and
I'd love to see such options available, though I don't have the
programming experience to undertake such a project. Granted, the
processing power and storing potential of any GPS unit is bound to be
quite higher than that of any TI, but it might be interesting to benefit
from an extra processor and/or storage location.
Whew! That's my two (hundred) cents worth. Hope it was interesting and
worthwhile. :-)
Anyone have any thoughts?
- Mike