Using a Garmin 62S?

[Canibul]

after our experiences with lightning frying our navigation setup, I bought two of the USB GPS engines to interface with OpenCPN, and also bought a new Garmin 62S handheld GPS. I am hoping to use the handheld with the dinghy, while ashore, etc. and also as a battery powered backup for the USB units.

I just now tried to interface the 62S to my laptop, and OpenCPN. I am having problems. I got to the menu on the Garmin, turned the NMEA on, and the Garmin proprietary comm stuff off. The problem is that whenever I hook up the USB cable from the handheld Garmin to the laptop port, it turns the Garmin off and I just get the little USB icon.

I'm hoping there is some way to hook up the NMEA while the Garmin is actually working. Any experience with this?

[Canibul]

so, nobody else has had any issues with the 62 series garmin hand helds.

tried to ask a question on the Garmin site, impossible. They don't take questions.

[noelex 77]

You need a free program from Garmin called "spanner". Works well for me, but I understand not with Windows 7.

[wdkester]

I see 3 possiblities for progress.
1. See if you can get it working in Garmin native mode.
2. Try to talk to a support person at Garmin. I think you may have to register the device and create a login.
3. I noticed in the manual, that to reset the device, remove and replace the batteries.

[Canibul]

Just my luck. My new ASUS laptop runs Windows 7. Which I hate, but am stuck with at the moment.

[JesperWe]

You could try asking at Garmin GPS Systems

[Canibul]

Originally Posted by JesperWe

You could try asking at Garmin GPS Systems

Thanks, I posted the question there. Hopefully someone will have an idea. Or Garmin will upgrade their Spanner software to support Windows 7.
But right now, the GPSmap 62s apparently does not meet spec. There isn't an NMEA output I can access and use with a new laptop.

[HappySeagull]

Cannibul,' like to help, but I read stuff like this .
"Spanner will not work with Garmin units that go into mass storage mode when it is connected to the computer"
this link is a 2009 page, but it might help a little
Will my Garmin GPS output NMEA data?

on the upside, there's this:
Garmin GPSmap 62s NEMA Serial Port « MikeW

[Canibul]

Well, thanks for that link. The GPS forum was no help, but at least it looks like there might be some workaround. This is the second Garmin product I have bought and then found out it didn't work as advertised. Whats another good GPS brand? I'm done with Garmin as a supplier.

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by HappySeagull

Cannibul,' like to help, but I read stuff like this .
"Spanner will not work with Garmin units that go into mass storage mode when it is connected to the computer"
this link is a 2009 page, but it might help a little
Will my Garmin GPS output NMEA data?

on the upside, there's this:
Garmin GPSmap 62s NEMA Serial Port « MikeW

When you download spanner the Garmin comes up with a new option to go into mass storage mode or into spanner. Clicking the spanner option the Garmin starts its gps feed.

All this is not much help if spanner won't load because of your operating system. It certainly works fine on XP. I have no experience of win7, but have heard it will not work. I find it hard to believe there is not a way around this.

[HappySeagull]

...yours is a cautionary tale, alright. Garmin nowadays is verrry hard to comprehend...it used to be wayy simple.

The OLD handheld Garmins, (and Magellans too) had serial port out...but you have to make a cable yourself or pay big$ for it.... Plus modern laptops will need the usb->db9 com port adapter doohickey.
I can see now why the old Garmin12xls are still popular on ebay, but their internal memory batteries will be failing so that's iffy. (although they can be replaced by a tinker).I have one and it's still useful away from the boat.

..another maybe-not-so-great idea for you is an old cellphone. SOME of these have a REAL gps as in N5 Nokias but there are more. Of course, They're only as rugged as,well,a cellphone! And- they can all ensnare you with more fiddly brain-twisting to get charts or non-OEM maps on them, just because you will hear it's possible...

[basile]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

....
All this is not much help if spanner won't load because of your operating system. It certainly works fine on XP. I have no experience of win7, but have heard it will not work. I find it hard to believe there is not a way around this.

no way to install and run it in "compatible mode" ?

[leslie]

On our gps62s go to main menu. go to setup. go to interface. Select spanner mode. Thats it. Now plug it in to pc running windows 7. do not go to Usb mode.

In opencpc version 3.2.2 go to settings, connections. create a new connection. uncheck all the boxes in top section of screen. Set priority to 1. baudrate 9600.

Had trouble for weeks and finally got mine working.