GPS & Laptop??...

[HawgMan]

Have a ?, What do I need to have a gps system setup so I can hook up my lap top to plot were we are when out & about hunting coyotes in ND?

We have the National Geographic Recreational Software Topo 4.0 program installed.

There must be some kind of a usb gsp reciever type unit you need to have plugged in to the laptop to make the handshake compatible w/ the software. The program has the option 4 gps, I just don't know what I need to set it up!!??

THANK U !!

[waskawood]

I use a Holux GR-213 on my laptop. I think I paid about 50 dollars on a popular online auction site. It has a cord so you can plug it into your USB slot and place it on the dash of your car or boat for better reception.

[MN Mike]

If you currently have a GPS, there is a good chance you can hook that up to your laptop via a data cable and use it to input coordinates to the laptop.

Otherwise as Waska said, a cheaper USB GPS puck will do the trick.

Mike

[HawgMan]

I'm shopping around for a good gps unit as we speak. Think'n about the Garmin 500 or 550 cuz it has topo capabilities.

Really not sure what unit has the most bang 4 the buck, but would really like to see were we are at on the screen when we're meandering all the back roads (weather permitting) on our journeys.

[upnorth]

They make GPS modules that plug in to the laptop that should integrate with a GPS app running on the laptop. They used them at a power coop that I worked at for a while.

[MN Mike]

With the Nuvi 500's, I'm not sure you will be able to hook them up to a laptop and get the coordinates from the GPS itself, I don't think they have the NMEA output ( which is what feeds data to the laptop via USB or Serial cable ) on those but I am not 100% sure on that, I know just about all of the Garmin Handhelds do have the NMEA output but I'm not sure about the Nav units like the NUVI's.

FYI, the Nuvi 500 already has the Topo maps built in, the 550 does not.

There have been some really good deals out there lately on the GPSMap 60csx and the Oregon 450t, currently I'm dealing on a Colorado 400 ( discontinued model ) for my Dad to use for ice fishing this coming winter anyone of those will feed data to a laptop.

Mike