GPS drivers not on Globalsat website

[mcm]

See screen shot of no results for the BU 353s4 drivers even though their downloaded manual pointed me there.?

[pjShap]

https://www.globalsat.com.tw/style/f...&name_id=10593

[mcm]

Problem see screen shot

[mcm]

ok I fixed it....

Tks

[pjShap]

I opened the downloaded zip file using Windows 10 built-in zip extractor. I don't remember, but for some driver downloads I have to temporarily disable my firewall's anti-virus or other security screening.

[mcm]

OK another issue, help file shows the following. However am on land and cannot place the boat over my loc'n so cannot prove gps signal ? all is ok as per the instructions except cannot verify, so assume that it only works if you know exactly where you are ? and place the boat there, which is very odd indeed.

Troubleshooting
There is a small LED located on the BU-353. If the LED is off there is no power being received. Check the connection.

If the LED is solid it indicates the BU-353 is searching for a GPS signal. Try moving the GPS receiver to a clear location.

If the LED is flashing it indicates the BU-353 has a position fix and is transmitting data.

Try viewing the NMEA data stream in OpenCPN. Choose Options→Connections→Show NMEA Debug Window
Alternatively, a diagnostic program is included on the installation CD called GPSInfo.exe. Launch this program to install the diagnostic utility.
If it appears that the NMEA data stream is being received, the most likely issue is that OpenCPN is not centered over your location. Click AutoFollow to center the map at your GPS location

[pjShap]

The GPS puck is on the boat and I am not, so this is just my memory. I think only a single application can connect to the GPS device. Close everything and then open the GPSInfo app. It should either have instructions or be sort of obvious how to get it connected to the device. If it shows the correct location, the device is installed and working correctly. Then close GPSInfo and start OpenCPN. You can check the help files, but there must be a connection step to tell it to use the GPS device, which I think appears as a COM port. I think OpenCPN has a connect menu item, which is probably the right place to add the device.

[mcm]

More info, the driver installed ok com 4 came up set that into connections did a restart, made sure the blink was on and blinking, opened the debug window, zilch,,did a search across my c drive for the GPSInfo.exe file. .not there..
Kinda stumped

[pjShap]

The GPSInfo app is a separate download on the same page as the drivers, listed above.

[mcm]

The info app cannot see any com ports even though device mgr sees com4.

[mcm]

OK, downloaded a different gps locator and bingo there is the com port receiving data, so it appears that opencpn will only show gps data if the boat is where the puck is.
I suggest opencpn adds a "find ship" icon ? so that if one is searching various charts for future routes etc it can quickly take us back to ship loc'n.

Tks for the help

[nohal]

Originally Posted by mcm

I suggest opencpn adds a "find ship" icon ? so that if one is searching various charts for future routes etc it can quickly take us back to ship loc'n.

What happens when you click on that boat icon in the small toolbar in the bottom right corner of each chart canvas?
For me, the view is centered around the boat current location. So I would probably say the function you call for is implemented (And has been for ages).

[mcm]

From what I see, that turns blue when I activate the auto follow option, however that only appears to work if the the puck is located on an open chart within opencpn, does not verify that the debug window is receiving. Puck may have gone faulty or some other issue, better to fix before heading out.

[nohal]

I am afraid I lost you completely, this works even when there is no GPS connected at all, so maybe try to explain what it really is you expect to happen.

Just so be sure, are we both talking about this?

[mcm]

Hopefully I can clarify. After doing all the downloads of the gps receiver and various other helping screens I could not get the debug window to show data, I am on shore doing this new installation, I moved the boat to where I am located as close as I could get, still no debug window, turned on auto follow to try and bring the boats loc'n more closely to mine, still no data verification, so downloaded a different gps viewer and showed data almost instantly. So, does opencpn only allow gps ]data to show in the debug window if the vessel is on the marine chart in opencpn ?