GPSSppc v13a new beta

November 14, 2009 by robinlovelock

Hi Folks. Perhaps unwisely I chose Friday 13th November to upload the first beta version 13 of GPSSppc. 13 is an unlucky number in UK - for some people :-)

You will find details on www.gpss.co.uk/ppcbeta.htm

It is only GPSSPPC.EXE that has changed. There is one small change that may be of interest to everyone: very occasionally GPSSppc said "I am not receiving GPS data", followed almost immediately by the very enthusiastic, "I am receiving GPS data !". This should not happen, and so I changed the timeout to a few more seconds - hopefully that will fix it.

Most of the changes relate to the AutoPilot logic for robot boats. See www.gpss.co.uk/autop.htm Changes include doing things like more frequent voice reporting (over PMR radio) of the distance in metres to the next waypoint. Also, the electronic switch used to conserve power, is now switched off for a period which depends on the distance to the next waypoint. Anyone interested in more detail can contact me direct on the usual gpss@compuserve.com

New GPSS Baseline - September 2009

September 22, 2009 by robinlovelock

I've just uploaded the new baseline for GPSS/GPSSppc, which was last updated over a year ago. I hope I've updated all the required pages, starting with the front page of www.gpss.co.uk Enjoy :-)

Re: Need GPS for a narrow boat

September 22, 2009 by robinlovelock

Hi Brian. I suggest you start by getting a cheap GPS mouse for your laptop PC such as a BU353 - see the GPS advice page www.gpss.co.uk/wheregps.htm Then you can do steps 1 and 2 on the download page www.gpss.co.uk/download.htm which gives you free use of the software and free support from me. Best email me direct on gpss@compuserve.com rather than rely on when I check this Forum :-)

Re: GPSSppc v12i beta

July 27, 2009 by robinlovelock

Thanks Andy. I must remember to paste this posting into a direct email to you.
I don't have too much confidence in this Forum technically.
It's a pity it does not automatically forward postings to my email system.

I've just uploaded v12j, updated the usual pages including www.gpss.co.uk/ppcbeta.htm then I saw your posting. I must remember to move you up the PPCUSERS page, but will hold off a day or two since you may try v12j :-) It's now possible to use the keyboard to enter things like a destination lat/lon or a DF bearing line to be put on the map. I will also need to update the user guide page.

Thanks for the ideas - if someone would like to find the formulae,
for things like sun and/or moon azimuth, as a function of lat/lon, time and date,
I might add some stuff into GPSSppc. e.g. showing moon and sun on instrument panel,
and/or some of those things you suggest.

Robin
www.gpss.co.uk

GPSSppc v12i beta

July 23, 2009 by robinlovelock

I've just updated www.gpss.co.uk/ppcbeta.htm with this ....

help us test the very latest GPSSppc ...

Beta testers are welcome - please start with gpssppc.exe inside the baseline, before replacing it with the latest gpssppc.exe. The full Windows GPSS baseline includes v11 of the Pocket PC Baseline. We now have a beta version of GPSSppc v12 including supporting files below. It helps Robin if you test the very latest gpssppc.exe - it confirms that he has not introduced new bugs :-) Please make sure you have all files from the current GPSS Baseline v6.92 (GPSSA.EXE download) before you apply files from PPCBETA.EXE below. from Robin on 23rd July 2009: I have just uploaded the GPSSppc v12i in www.gpss.co.uk/ce/ppcbeta.exe
DO NOT RUN from your browser. SAVE into your GPSS folder. Exit your Net browser. PPCBETA.EXE self-extracts into GPSSPPC.EXE and supporting files needed, such as changes to online help, button icons, sounds, etc. v12i displays Direction Finding by drawing a line on the map at an absolute bearing entered on the keyboard as '090 followed by Enter. Minor changes were also made to the AutoPilot logic. v12h (from March) supported recording of speed trap locations into NEWTRAP.TXT, NEWTRAP.DAT and an NME file. See the recording and playback facilities in the user guide. Andy in Poland asked for this and has done most of the testing. Full Windows GPSS already supported this.

... etc, etc ...

Re: Centrafuse and other Car-PC skins

July 4, 2009 by robinlovelock

Sorry for this late reply: I should check this Forum more often, I normally check my emails on gpss@compuserve.com every day, or every few hours. You should start with step 1 then step 2 on our download page www.gpss.co.uk/download.htm That Libretto should be OK for this, if you have a suitable GPS Mouse such as a BU-353 - see www.gpss.co.uk/wheregps.htm You will then have the required information and technical support from me, for both GPSS on the Libretto and GPSSppc on a Pocket PC based platform - which might be more suitable anyway. Sorry that I won't go into more detail until you do those steps above.

Re: advice required on which gps receiver to buy

June 15, 2009 by robinlovelock

Sorry for this late reply Adam. I check my emails every few hours, but far less frequently check this Forum.

You don't say which country you are in, and this will effect the calculation of Northings and Eastings which are usually required relative to the appropriate map grid.

If you are looking for a handheld device, then a Pocket PC based GPS will run GPSSppc and therefore may give you what you need.

www.gpss.co.uk/gpssonce.htm

Sorry that you will need to do the step 1 then step 2 Quiz before I give you more advice than this.

Robin
www.gpss.co.uk

Re: Welcome to this Forum

May 27, 2009 by robinlovelock

Some important news pasted from the front page of www.gpss.co.uk ...

Robin & June were on holiday from 10th to 27th May. Emails were lost. Sorry but Robin still cannot access email due to Compuserve having shut down.
Please watch this space for change: we hope to resume emails again soon.
Business contacts may use post or 'phone on contact page.
 
I've been working on this today, including a one hour 'phone call to Compuserve support. I knew that Compuserve were planning to shut down late next month, but thought I'd have a few weeks to prepare for it and reorganize the email system for gpss@compuserve.com - DO NOT try to send emails here yet - they will get lost. It seems Compuserve changed their system on 17th May - while we were away on holiday, so now I am not able to use it. However, I am hopeful that I will have a work around, probably using my AOL account, within just a few days. I normally get a lot of emails, so I need to set up something which not only works but is suitably efficient on my time. Sorry for all this.

Robin
1445 UK time Wed 27 May 2009

Robin's email not available on gpss@compuserve.com

May 27, 2009 by robinlovelock

Some important news pasted from the front page of www.gpss.co.uk ...

Robin & June were on holiday from 10th to 27th May. Emails were lost. Sorry but Robin still cannot access email due to Compuserve having shut down.
Please watch this space for change: we hope to resume emails again soon.
Business contacts may use post or 'phone on contact page.
 
I've been working on this today, including a one hour 'phone call to Compuserve support. I knew that Compuserve were planning to shut down late next month, but thought I'd have a few weeks to prepare for it and reorganize the email system for gpss@compuserve.com - DO NOT try to send emails here yet - they will get lost. It seems Compuserve changed their system on 17th May - while we were away on holiday, so now I am not able to use it. However, I am hopeful that I will have a work around, probably using my AOL account, within just a few days. I normally get a lot of emails, so I need to set up something which not only works but is suitably efficient on my time. Sorry for all this.
Robin
1445 UK time Wed 27 May 2009

Re: GPSS on Microsoft Windows.

May 27, 2009 by robinlovelock

Sorry for delay - we were on holiday - only got back last night :-)

To answer your question: GPSS.EXE for full Windows should run on all versions since Windows 3.1 all those many yearts ago. This includes 98, 2000, XP and Vista. But the OS must be able to run a 16 bit application and recently we have had reports of 64 bit Vista not being able to run GPSS.EXE

Of course, GPSSPPC.EXE in the same GPSSA download is for Pocket PC based platforms running Windows Mobile.

Now some important news pasted from the front page of www.gpss.co.uk

Robin & June were on holiday from 10th to 27th May. Emails were lost. Sorry but Robin still cannot access email due to Compuserve having shut down.
Please watch this space for change: we hope to resume emails again soon.
Business contacts may use post or 'phone on contact page.
 
I've been working on this today, including a one hour 'phone call to Compuserve support. I knew that Compuserve were planning to shut down late next month, but thought I'd have a few weeks to prepare for it and reorganize the email system for gpss@compuserve.com - DO NOT try to send emails here yet - they will get lost. It seems Compuserve changed their system on 17th May - while we were away on holiday, so now I am not able to use it. However, I am hopeful that I will have a work around, probably using my AOL account, within just a few days. I normally get a lot of emails, so I need to set up something which not only works but is suitably efficient on my time. Sorry for all this.

Robin
1440 UK time Wed 27 May 2009

Re: gpss

April 12, 2009 by robinlovelock

Sorry for this late reply: always best to contact me direct on gpss@compuserve.com on the contact page of www.gpss.co.uk See the GPS advice page www.gpss.co.uk/wheregps.htm It all depends on what that Snoopy system outputs and how.

Re: Pocket PC troubleshooting

March 14, 2009 by robinlovelock

Hi Eiger. First I should say that the problem with this new forum is that it does not send us and email when there is a posting. But hopefully there is not too big a delay in this response. I would prefer direct emails, especially if people have already sent them to me - that way, next time I have a complete record of what was said last.

But to respond to your query ... that error message sounds like one from the Pocket PC (PPC). GPSSA.EXE should be run under full Windows (e.g. XP or Vista) after loading it into a suitable folder. Then the folder is activesynced to the PPC, or written to the SD card on the PPC. You then run GPSSPPC.EXE Sometimes there is an error message the first time the application is run, but tapping on OK is usually all that is needed. All this should be explained on www.gpss.co.uk/gpssonce.htm

Re: hobby and family stuff

March 6, 2009 by robinlovelock

I've just updated the "robot boat" page on www.gpss.co.uk/autop.htm and I'll see if I can paste in all the text, pictures and links below. It may not work, of course :-)

Home GPS Download Business Partners Contact Family AVL Links History AsOnTV

GPS Guided Trans-Atlantic Robot Boat

updated 1730 Friday 6th March 2009

Many Thanks to all staff at Bray Lake

On broadband ? Checkout the 14MB "Snoopy sails !" video - updated 6th March '09. For my business partners who visit these pages... do not worry: I spend little of my time on projects such as these, but I must confess to the occasional "dabble" at the weekend :-)

John's official Team-Joker website is www.Team-Joker.com. Simple rules for this Robot Boat race: destination west of 60W (Bahamas?). Wind power only; autonomous (GPS self guidance); must report position (GPS/Satcomms). More details of "The Microtransat Challenge" are here and typical sea conditions are here . Do not be confused by the picture of Snoopy sailing the bottle: that was from the GPS bottle project :-)

very latest news ...

Yes, we've updated the "Snoopy sails !" video and below you can see some of the new material. On Friday 27th February, we sailed the modified Snoopy Sloop 2 for the first time. This, our second boat, has undergone a major refit, with wider but hopefully faster hull and a wing sail. But silly Robin forgot to bring one of the radio control transmitters - but worse still, he still launched the boat - which then sailed randomly around Bray Lake, before hitting the island. Luckily a galliant young lady came to the rescue, and Snoopy survived to sail another day :-) We returned on Thursday 5th March - this time with all the equipment, and in a 10 knot breeze, the new Snoopy Sloop 2 seemed to perform well. Look at those first two frames below: it looks as if it can sail within 45 degrees of the wind, although lots of tests have yet to be done. Near the end you will see it sailing backwards, then the "floppy rudder" doing it's work to pull the boat round. On the next sail, maybe we will try the onboard wireless TV camera. - see our Red Kites page. Here on the left, you see Snoopy Sloop 2, with conventional sails, in November 2008. Below, under "recent thoughts" is our first boat, Snoopy Sloop (1) before it was "christened" below the surface of Bray Lake and then had extensive modifications such as a heavier keel and larger hull. On the right you see the wing sail being constructed. Snoopy Sloop 2 is of similar size as Snoopy Sloop 1, still less than 1.2 m in length and with a mast of less than 80cm high - so it can be easily transported in the back of an estate car. All the electronics are the same, including iPAQ computer, servo control electronics, and PMR radio for "talking" details to shore. Both boats have two radio control systems: one for "emergency use" that controls rudder and electric motor, and the "primary" one, to control a change-over switch, between the computer and radio control to operate the two servos: vane-rudder and sail winch. The main differences in Snoopy Sloop 2 are in a sleeker hull and the vane-rudder system which is now at the stern. This means a linkage is used to reverse the direction between vane and rudder. The "recovery" radio control steering is also mechanically linked into the same rudder, and all electronics is powered by a common 5v NiMHd battery supply. Solar panels are used to extend battery life a little. By late November '08 we have switched over to use of the new Snoopy Sloop 2 boat, with the original as our "backup" for spares. We are now into adjustments for things like improved tacking into wind, speed, and continue tests of the autopilot software. Oh yes - Snoopy now has a more prominent position for his role as "lookout" on the bow :-)

hot topics...

We are now thinking more seriously about what our first sea-going boats may look like. Robin is still at the stage of thinking about the basic design principles, building techniques and products to use. Ideally, he would like to see small sea-going boats made, of maybe no more than a metre or so long, yet able to sail almost anywhere* in the World in all weather conditions, for an unlimited time of many months or years. Cost is obviously also an important factor. Current "hot topics" include what sort of servo assemblies are capable of sailing a boat of the size expected: between 1 metre and, at most, 4 metre long. Smaller may not sail as fast, but less problems are expected on being allowed to sail in certain areas, and a smaller boat is obviously much easier to transport, launch and recover - eventually :-) The vane-rudder is the essential servo, but a wing-sail is also probable. It looks like SPOT could be our deep-ocean tracker, although we would expect to use GPS/GSM in addition, while within a few miles of the coast. We got the low cost (15 GBP) S125 1T 2BB J 360 degree servos from . We use these for both vane-rudder and wing sail. How to water proof a servo. See the u-tube video here. But we would expect to have an outer box and bigger sealed bearing. The SPOT satellite tracker is on www.findmespot.com and here but we will need to modify it. GPS/GSM trackers are on Robin's chase page. * almost anywhere: although probably not through ice-fields or polar regions in winter, with no light for solar panels. Maybe up and down some large rivers or canals, but not across land :-)

recent thoughts ...

June and I managed to meet some of the main players of this Trans-Atlantic race, at the lake in Austria, during our holiday. Thanks to the trip to Breitenbrunn, to see robot boats, we also saw Vienna and the "singing toilets" :-) The design that we are working on is much simpler than the more obvious solution that we first thought of back in May 2008. My GPS Software for the has been extended to include a simple autopilot function. Anyone is welcome to use it, although I am sure others will already have their own, much better, GPS based solutions. The picture on the left shows our fleet of toy boats that were used to test simple vane-rudder solutions. These tests on Bray Lake went well, and our later tests involve a radio controlled servo between vane and rudder. This can also be computer-controlled. On the upper right is Snoopy, standing on our 2 ft radio controlled test boat, recently baptized - see "baptism of Snoopy" below. The next picture shows the updated boat, with more hull volume (expanding foam) and heavier keel (4 kg of lead). Our latest thoughts are that an iPAQ computer, with GPS and servo controller, will be running software which will do the following:

• set the vane-rudder angle and sail, so the boat goes in the required direction, following a planned route.
• see in what direction the boat has moved, and re-adjust the settings.
• change the destination to the next waypoint on the route.
• the above is repeated regularly: maybe every few minutes, or even hours.
• all the settings are based on a lookup table with data based on trials.

effect of drift due to tide ...

If we were only thinking John's "Team Joker" boat sailing the Atlantic, we might get away without worrying about the effect of the tide. However, since John might begin with attempting to sail around the Isle of Wight, or crossing the Channel, ignoring the tide could result in our autopilot doing rather silly things. Imagine crossing the Channel from Dover to Calais with a nice steady wind blowing in a particular direction: to the east. Imagine what happens if the tide is also taking us south. Our simple autopilot logic would wrongly think this is due to the wind direction, blowing south-east, and would trim the boat to "fight the tide". It would be better to accept the drift and sail the boat directly towards its destination. The animated picture on the right is from one of our more detailed "GPS bottle" pages here. It shows the results of our modelling the path of several bottles due to the effect of wind and tide. Tides in the channel might be faster than our small boat could sail. There are several solutions to this problem including the obvious one that we thought of back in May: don't rely on just the GPS, but use other sensors such as weather vane and compass to measure the wind direction directly. But of course, more sensors give more opportunity for something to fail. Another solution would be to model the tides within the AutoPilot. The solution we are testing is simple: the AutoPilot does a regular test to measure the drift due to tide. This need only be done infrequently such as every 30 minutes - depending how rapidly the tide may be changing due to time and where the boat is. For the test, the boat is pointed directly into wind with the sail flapping (or "flogging"), and after this test, lasting perhaps only one minute, the drift is known, and used in later calculations of wind direction and vane-rudder settings.

baptism of Snoopy ...

Here are some piccys from our home video shot on 14th July, showing a very eventful "baptism" of Snoopy... Lots of small but important things were corrected on "Snoopy Sloop", our 2 ft test platform - including a heavier keel , better thrust angle of motors (for recovery), better sealing - including the hatch, and bouyancy bags - so next time it did not sink to the very bottom ! :-) Many Thanks to James, for borrowing a wet-suit and diving in to (eventually) find the boat deep on the lake bottom, and recover it. Strange as it may seem, after drying out, all the electronics, including two radios and servos, work perfectly. Later that night I was able to test the little electronics card from Klaus in Germany - and (of course) they worked first time - so now my GPS auto-pilot can control the vane-rudder servos (and any other servos such as main sheet). Of course, I made sure the boat was checked out better before our next launch - in June's swimming pool ;-)

information on the Pocket PC AutoPilot ...

Recent beta versions of GPSS for the Pocket PC include the AutoPilot function. you do not need the special electronics such as those seen here, to test the AutoPilot software. You would need to start by getting the software working with a GPS on something like an iPAQ, after looking at the Pocket PC page, and take advantage of free registration and support from Robin - including making sure you have the latest AutoPilot version. A few extra sound files are needed, downloaded from PPCAUTOP.EXE. The AutoPilot is switched on with the [AP] button on the "maintenance" page (under spanner button). You can also set the initial wind direction here. The AutoPilot runs every 60 seconds and updates the vane-rudder position, to steer towards the destination. It also adjusts the direction of the wind based on the boats actual movement. It also speaks all the information, for use during testing: either walking about on dry land with your GPS, or over a PMR radio when on the water and too far away for you to hear the computer speaking. Direction is in degrees, clockwise from north. "Attention... this is the robot boat autopilot for Snoopy..." (configurable with AUTOP1.WAV) "latitude 51.39699 degrees North, longitude 0.65993 degrees West" "changing destination to Georgetown, Saint Vincent" (waypoints defined in AUTOP.TXT) "The AutoPilot says the boat has moved a distance and direction of: 30 metres, 090" "The speed is 1.2 knots" "Wind direction is 90 degrees" (from west, blowing due east). "Destination 085" (direction needed towards destination) "AutoPilot calculated direction error is 5 degrees" (away from direction needed) "Vane-Rudder angle is 5 degrees" (new vane-rudder setting to correct course sailed) "wind is from the port side" For those like John intending to drive an actual vane-rudder servo, they will need to wire the output of the computer's RS232 serial port to an SSCII servo controller, via a protocol convertor such as that seen here from Klaus. This is a "hardware workaround" to the Microsoft OS not allowing more than 7 data bits to be sent to the SSCII - which needs 8 data bits (255 = start of message, 0 = servo number, 0..254 = servo position) GPSSppc sends 127, 0, 0..126 which is converted by the card supplied by Klaus. The AutoPilot now operates four servos, which some people may wish to use:

• servo 0: the vane-rudder servo and primary means of steering the boat.
• servo 1: "Press to Talk" button servo, for those using radios that need this.
• servo 2: the main sail servo, for those wishing to use it. e.g. swing boom or sail winch.
• servo 3: alternative main sail servo for wing sail.

Robin is grateful to Ian of Hightorque UK for his low cost S125 1T 2BB J 360 degree sail winch servos, now to be used for a better engineered vane-rudder system and experiments with things like a swing boom sail for increased speed.

configuration of the AutoPilot with AUTOP.TXT and WAV sounds ...

Sounds used by the AutoPilot can be replaced or augmented by recording WAV files. e.g. the message at the begining of a voice radio transmission can identify the boat. Intermediate destinations such waypoints can be recorded to give them a particular name. There are standard features in GPSSppc that can be switched on, such as giving the Expected Time of Arrival at the destination. The picture on the right shows a PMR radio, set to be voice-operated, giving ship-shore communications during trials. If a file with name AUTOP.TXT, similar to that below, is included in the GPSSppc folder, then the AutoPilot reads it for information such as changing the destination when reaching a new waypoint. This can be used to avoid the boat running aground on known islands, or making better use of the expected trade wind patterns. A typical AUTOP.TXT is as follows, the first line being a comment: AUTOP.TXT is used to configure the autopilot in GPSSppc. See www.gpss.co.uk/autop.htm 8 00.0000 000.0000,99999,13.2750 -61.1190,Georgetown St Vincent,STVINCEN.WAV, default destination
32.8000 -16.5000,60,33.7000 -18.4000,avoid Madeira,DESTINAT.WAV, avoid running aground
51.3970 -0.66000,0.01,51.3973 -0.6598,up the road,DESTINAT.WAV, test waypoint near Robin's home
51.3973 -0.6598,0.01,51.3970 -0.66000,Home,HOME.WAV, return back to Robin's home
51.5001 -0.6907,0.01,51.4990 -0.69200,Middle of Lake,MIDDLEOL.WAV,Bray Lake first waypoint
51.4990 -0.69200,0.01,51.5000 -0.6894,Clubhouse,CLUBHOUS.WAV,return to Bray Lake Clubhouse
51.5000 -0.69500,0.20,51.5000 -0.6894,Clubhouse,CLUBHOUS.WAV,protect from rest of lake
51.4975 -0.69000,0.20,51.5000 -0.6894,Clubhouse,CLUBHOUS.WAV,protect from rest of lake
45
275
1
0
Above lines are data. These lines document the file format.
8 - number of waypoints of route
waypoint lat/lon of circle, radius of circle in km, destination lat/lon, name, WAV file, comment
The smallest circle covering the position causes the destination to change.
So the default destination for the whole World in Georgetown in St Vincent.
Same mechanism is used to cause diversions to avoid running aground.
45 - how close can the boat sail into wind as degrees from directly into wind.
275 - full travel of the vane-rudder servo. Mid position is directly downwind.
1 - minutes between checks on GPS position and computer control of boat.
0 - minutes between a check on drift due to tide. 0 if none.

early thoughts and tests - from May 2008 ...

Hi Folks ! Here are a few of my early thoughts on this daft idea from John :-) John and I chatted about his transatlantic model boat project, and shortly after dropped an SSC03A servo controller in to me to test. I have, and it seems to be just what we need. My messy test setup is in the piccys below. First the simple concept for an autopilot that would steer a boat, or maybe an aircraft. The software would obviously do very different things. e.g. 'planes don't need to tack against the wind, but they do have other problems to solve ! These are the bits I think we need as a minimum:

• the model boat with the required sails, servos - standard radio control (r/c) ones may suffice.
• sufficient power for several weeks or months: re-chargable batteries and solar panels ?
• GPS-Satcomms able to regularly report position from the Atlantic. This is essential.
• a computer that can be programmed. Maybe an iPAQ, or a Pocket PC based GPS ?
• a means of the computer driving the servos: the SSC03A driven from an RS-232 line !
• a GPS providing position and velocity into the computer. e.g. on the same RS-232 line ?
• a flux gate compass providing real time heading. e.g. use a Garmin GPS-compass product ?
• a weather vane giving wind direction relative to boat heading - or a vane-controlled-rudder.
• Autopilot software for the computer - I may be able to help with that - or "know a man who can" :-)

"Keep it Simple Stupid" must obviously be our motto, although I suspect the design will become slightly more complicate as it solves the obvious problems of reliability, power, us knowing where it is, etc, etc, etc. e.g. some may ask "is the flux gate compass needed ?": unfortunately I think the answer is "yes" because the Autopilot will probably need reliable information on which way the boat is pointing - not easy from the GPS alone on a choppy sea. The good news is that such products already exist, and will provide the compass heading on the same signal line as the position, velocity, etc. Searching on google will find solutions, but for now I'm assuming something like the Garmin etrex summit, providing the usual $GPRMC NMEA sentences, but also one like this: $HCHDG,101.1,,,7.1,W*3C - the 101.1 is magnetic heading and the 7.1 is magnetic variation. I did a bit of soldering, and threw a first little test program called AUTOP together. The picture below shows the bits: the lead from the yellow Garmin etrex (on the left) comes in from the right and plugs, via the RS-232 Y- splitter, into the COM1 9-way D (male) socket on my old Laptop. It could have plugged in direct, but the splitter is needed to drive the SSC03A just below the etrex. From the etrex, the signal is on pin 2 and signal ground on pin 5. To the SSC03A, the signal is on pin 3. The SSC03A could also plug direct into the Laptop COM1. You also see four old r/c servos that I had to hand for tests. On the right you see my old HP iPAQ - maybe a suitable computer. My problem there is that I need a spare connector, like the one you see near it, to get at those RS232 pins on the iPAQ. However, I should be able to make use of more messy leads as a "temporary work-around" if and when I'm ready to try the iPAQ in a mobile test setup - maybe even on water :-) below that picture you will see another, of what appears on the PC screen from AUTOP.EXE Below you see what appears when you run AUTOP.EXE, which I put in the GPSS folder so it can use the same DLL as found in the GPSS Baseline on the download page. Clicking on [OPEN] will open the COM port and 4800 is the NMEA standard. Clicking on [SEND] will send these three bytes to the SSC03A which you will see described on www.pololu.com. I'm using the simple "Mini SSC II Mode" and this seems to work OK - even if GPS data is coming in. If you wire a GPS in to the same port, as I have, you will see GPS data coming in the box below. If you move one of the eight servo sliders, the approriate values are set up ready for [SEND]. The above is obviously only a simple test program. No point in doing more software if there is no suitable hardware to test it with. Now I think I need a flux gate compass combined with a GPS. Thanks for the iPAQ plugs Jose :-)

Re: GPSSppc on Windows CE

March 4, 2009 by robinlovelock

This sounds like excellent news Andy. First let me reassure you about email addresses: if you look at the list of GPSSppc testers on www.gpss.co.uk/ppcusers.htm, you will see that there are no email addresses: just a first name, town and country. Obviously, those who want more, such as a web site link, have them.

Great that from what you say, your use of DISPSIZE.TXT with the correct numbers (320, 216 ) solves the problem of the buttons hanging off the edge of the screen. I think you are the first to do this. Does what appears on the screen look OK now, and can you go through all the button menues, as on the user manual on www.gpss.co.uk/gpsspuse.htm ? Note that this includes the maintenance menu and the [<GPS] button.

Have you tried upgrading to GPSSppc v12g and adding two more lines to DISPSIZE.TXT ? Can your CE platform switch between Landscape and Portrait mode ? If it can, then the correct values mean that buttons should be repositioned correctly after you switch back and forward. I'm guessing that the numbers need to be 240, 296, 320, 216 - all on a new line, of course, as on www.gpss.co.uk/config.htm

Hopefully the only thing that then remains is to get GPSSppc to see the GPS.

The first thing to try is that [<GPS] button, as explained on where everyone starting testing of GPSSppc starts: www.gpss.co.uk/gpssonce.htm After tapping [<GPS] it goes through lots of combinations of speed and COM port number, until it finds the GPS. This process, the very first time, could take ten minutes or more. I suggest you try this next, with the product somewhere where it will get good GPS signals.

No point in messing with files not called up in the GPSSppc - specific documentation. e.g. NOCHKSUM.CFG is used by GPSS, not GPSSppc. If the [<GPS] tests don't work, try running GPSGate on your device. This could provide a work-around if you need it.

It's good that you are so close in the UK to me - if I remember what you mentioned - this means that, in addition to this Forum, and direct email to gpss@compuserve.com you are welcome to 'phone me on 01344 620775. Maybe we can also get together sometime, either here or near your place. I think there are probably a lot of geocaches in the New Forest. www.gpshobby.info :-)

Re: GPSSppc on Windows CE

March 4, 2009 by robinlovelock

Here is a reply from Andy, that he posted on the Multiply message board. It was a reply to an email reply to him, telling him about GPSSppc v12g uploaded onto www.gpss.co.uk/ppcbeta.htm which provided better support for testing of CE platforms using DISPSIZE.TXT. Here is Andy's posting below....

A quick update to your suggestions so far:

The 'Locations' button at the top drops down a list of stored locations. I've not seen if it only shows the first 8(?) but I've not yet seen it add a scroll bar (if one is supposed to appear).

I'm sorry I hadn't noticed the information regarding DISPSIZE.TXT before my first post. Using it, the application still starts up 'portrait' and truncated but as soon as I use the Maximize button fills the screen and positions the bottom icons perfectly now (320 and 216 being the magic numbers, if I recall correctly). I've not played much with the new 4-entry version because I've been having other troubles but an initial 4-entry setting to the file of 320,216,320,216 didn't seem to make much difference to the initial portrait and non-screen-filling start-up.

The sound volume increasing issue is strange and particularly annoying when testing during my lunch break when a volume set at one stop off silent suddenly is lost, the device speaking out at full volume thereafter. Replacing the first line of SOUNDS.CFG with 0 has not silenced the application. Neither has the creation of NOSOUND.CFG or using the in-program icons to attempt to switch off individual sound prompts - they show a red bar at the bottom when deactivated, don't they?

But lets only address one or two issues at a time.

Yesterdays fun all revolves around the GPS interface.

The GPS on my device is on COM7 and operates at either 38400 or 57600, depending on who you talk to. This is confirmed by manual settings in both the Speed display dashboard utility and TomTom software that I have successfully run on the device. I have set the fifth line of GPSS.CFG to be 'COM7' and set GPSS.COM to read (for example)
57600,N,8,1
5
30
100
5
GPSS steadfastly complains that it has no GPS data. Running any GPS-aware application prior to GPSS works, as does exiting GPSS before running them. I've also tried the alternate speed of 38400 in the file as well. Nada. Also, GPSS is truncating the file back to the first line only - which isn't the layout detailed in ...\CONFIG.HTM. I don't know if that's significant.

I have tried creating a NOCHKSUM.CFG file with no improvement.
I have then created a ADVCOMMS.TXT file with 3 lines with values 0, 0 and 50. Still no GPS.

Screen position and sounds when there shouldn't be are all issues that can possibly be addressed at a later time. If I can't get GPSS to identify and use the NMEA stream then the whole project's dead in the water. Can you help? Even if it means the writing of a noddy test application that scans COM ports 1-20 and allows the manual selection of speed, parity and stop bits whilst displaying any data received from that port. I can't do the same as I don't write for the compact framework.

Andy

No relevance to anything, but you might be amused to know my first GPS was a Magellan Meridian XL I bought in the mid-90's which failed due to (I believe) non Y2K compliance. I've only recently consigned it to the recycling tip.

question to the Help Forum

March 4, 2009 by robinlovelock

I've sent the posting below, on the Help Forum, FAQ page, where I eventually found a thread relating to tracking of topics. Hopefully there is some work-around or lefora will fix this restriction soon. If not, we have to keep visiting the Forum to see if there is something new. Perhaps they want us to do this - to see those blooming adverts :-)

Thanks HAL9000. I'll headline this on our front page. So, if I understand it correctly, unlike most other message board systems, such as MSN, Multiply, etc - Lefora does not have the means of directing an email to you when something changes on the message board ? If so, this is a major restriction. It looks like we may have to stick with Multiply. That's a pity because some of the other simple things about lefora were good.

Re: TESTS

March 4, 2009 by robinlovelock

Thanks CrowdedCranium. Yes, I'm hoping lefora will be better than Multiply. Only way to be sure is testing it. I've put in a new category to link back to the Multiply site, and so I can start changing the "Forum" links on www.gpss.co.uk to point to this lefora message board. I don't seem to get emails when postings are made, such as that from you, so I'll need to see why and maybe change my settings. I did not particularly like the way this was done in Multiply compared with MSN. Thanks again. Robin.

is on gpssforum.multiply.com

March 4, 2009 by robinlovelock

Visit http://gpssforum.multiply.com/ to see the old GPSS Forum that has all the old postings. This was on MSN then was moved automatically across to Multiply. Sorry that some of you will need to sign on again - this time to this lefora group which I feel may be better than Multiply. We obviously need to test it to be sure.

hobby and family stuff

March 3, 2009 by robinlovelock

Here are some links from our family page www.gpss.co.uk/family.htm

Robin, the Lovelock Family, & Sunninghill

For Robin's daft hobbies, see the Trans Atlantic Model page.
For recent news and pictures of the Lovelocks, please visit our 2008 News Page
For earlier years see 07, 06, 05, 04, 03, 02, 01, 00, Parachute Jumps , 99 , 98 and 97 pages.
Why put family pictures on a business web site ? - Robin's open approach to business
For pictures of Robin & June's Italian Holidays, including Sicily, visit the Holiday Page
For Robin's page about aerial filming of the Red Kite, click here
Checkout Robin and June's hot air balloon flight on 1st September 2007.
For more pictures and history of Sunninghill in Berkshire, UK please click here.
For Robin's UK Hospital campaign, see www.NHSCare.info
for Scott & Saskia's wedding page click here
Michelle asked for this link to be added for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance Charity
Michelle offers accomodation in Coventry near Warwick University : www.lovelockhomes.co.uk
Robin's friend Gary has maintained the Lovelock family cars for years. Gary's site is here.

GPSS on Microsoft Windows.

March 3, 2009 by robinlovelock

GPSS is the original full Windows product, first released in 1995, regularly updated, and available for free download from www.gpss.co.uk  GPSS has many facilities, including those for navigation - typically on a Laptop PC with a GPS Mouse plugged into it, and for remote tracking. e.g. tracking other objects such as vehicles, or even people. If you download GPSS you get two programs: GPSS.EXE - the full Windows version, and GPSSPPC.EXE - the Pocket PC version to run under Microsoft Windows Mobile. Both programs share the same files used for mapping, speech, etc.

This is from the front page of www.gpss.co.uk ...

See how to navigate with this GPS Software and a GPS . Then download GPSS and run it on your PC. It will give demonstrations of what it can do. Run it on a Laptop with a GPS, and this same GPS Software will work for real. Need a GPS ? click here for advice. Get free support, mapping for 163 countries and voice guidance in 12 languages. This includes free street level mapping for all the USA. Over 10,100 people who have tried GPSS with GPS are on the links pages. Those with a business interest in GPS should visit the business page.

Re: TESTS

March 3, 2009 by robinlovelock

this is a test: www.gpss.co.uk

GPSSppc on Windows CE

March 3, 2009 by robinlovelock

GPSSppc v12g beta

March 3, 2009 by robinlovelock

Welcome to this Forum

March 2, 2009 by robinlovelock

 Welcome to the GPSS message board, hosted on gpss.lefora.com. As many of you will know after visiting www.gpss.co.uk, my GPS Software has been available for over 15 years and is now used in over 160 countries. I still hope to provide free use and support for GPSS to those who follow steps 1 and 2 on my download page. However, I set up this MSN Group (now on Multiply) to allow all users to share their experiences and ideas among each other.
Please restrict yourself to the subject of GPSS and treat everyone with respect. I have set up the group with maximum freedom on how it is used, and I do not expect to spend time acting as a "policeman" :-)
You will see that I am very "open" with my profile, so do not be afraid to say who you are. Remaining anonomous can sometimes be a cover for bad behaviour. You will probably not want to release as much information about yourself as I have on my web site above, but I always like to see at least a full name and where you are - at least the country if not the town. But that is up to you, of course.
Please do not use this forum to try and contact me. If you do wish to contact me, please use the contact page of www.gpss.co.uk or simply post your message publicly on this message board, for everyone to see.
Best Wishes from Robin and the Lovelock family in Sunninghill, UK.

Re: TESTS

March 2, 2009 by robinlovelock

Here is an attempt to paste a picture, text and links from the front page of www.gpss.co.uk ...
See how to navigate with this GPS Software and a GPS . Then download GPSS and run it on your PC. It will give demonstrations of what it can do. Run it on a Laptop with a GPS, and this same GPS Software will work for real. Need a GPS ? click here for advice. Get free support, mapping for 163 countries and voice guidance in 12 languages. This includes free street level mapping for all the USA. Over 10,100 people who have tried GPSS with GPS are on the links pages. Those with a business interest in GPS should visit the business page.
It seems to work ! :-)