Buy OUR wireless GPS receiver specially for SeaClear, £24.50
At Last, VisitMyHarbour have their own branded GPS receiver designed for easy setting up with SeaClear.
SeaClear, the free navigation program used in our licensed UK chart package "Charts for SeaClear", is capable of using any GPS set that can output an NMEA stream to a laptop's USB or serial port. In the last few months our help team have dealt with customers wanting to connect up just about every brand and flavour of GPS ever made... on just about every Windows operating system ever invented !
Finally, we've decided to start selling our own GPS receivers. The criteria was that they should be reliable, sensitive and easy to set up with SeaClear, AND any variety of Windows operating system.
What we've come up with is slightly unusual, but highly effective... and works in practice.
Buy this now for £24.50 plus £1.95 P&P, orders sent the same day, 1st class post:
This unit is branded "VisitMyHarbour", but is almost identical to the GlobalSat BT359, spec below:
The GlobalSat BT-359 contains the latest SiRFIII Low Power Chipset for high sensitivity. It communicates with the Windows laptop (running SeaClear) via Bluetooth Serial Port Profile.
• SiRF Star III high performance and low power consumption chipset
• Communication with Host platform Via Bluetooth Serial Port Profile
• Bluetooth Version 2.0.
• Built-in ceramic patch antenna.
• High sensitivity GPS receiver provides faster acquisition times and improves accuracy in low signal strength conditions.
• Battery life up to 11 hours of operation time, in continuous mode.
• Supports power saving mode (powers down after 10 minutes of inactivity). Disabled in our version.
• Supported by WAAS and EGNOS Satellite-Based Augmentation Systems for more accurate corrected position reports.
• Physical dimensions: 82.0 mm x 41.0 mm x 13.4 mm.
What's in the pack ? 1 SiRF Star GPS receiver, with it's own battery. 1 USB charging only lead. 1 tiny Bluetooth USB device for plugging into your laptop. Full printed instruction for setting up and connecting to SeaClear. EVERYTHING YOU NEED IS INCLUDED.
We've decided to go for a "Wireless" connection between the GPS and the laptop. The nominal range is 10m, which allows you to position the GPS near to the chart table, but in a place where it can get a good signal. It will enable you to use SeaClear in the cockpit without trailing wires, as the laptop will communicate with the GPS. In practice this all seems to work well. The GPS can be plugged into a USB charging socket or the laptop, just to charge it up. It uses little power.
The general idea is to turn the GPS on when you come aboard, and off when you leave the boat. Therefore at all times it's locked on and ready to roll. Your laptop and SeaClear can be turned on as required and immediately have an accurate position, cockpit, chart table, or elsewhere on the boat.
So, we have a device about the size of a small mobile phone, with a nice "heft" to it (it's weight is it's internal rechargeable battery) It has 3 LEDs for: GPS signal and lock on, Bluetooth, and Charging. It comes with a USB cable for charging it up only. There is no hardwire connection to your laptop, the lead is to charge it's internal (11 hours use) battery only. You can charge via your laptop, or in any USB power supply (eg as used for charging mobile phones).
It also comes with a tiny Bluetooth Nano Dongle, smaller than a thumbnail. This is plugged into a spare USB port in your laptop, it's tiny dimensions mean it doesn't get in the way. (If your laptop already has a Bluetooth radio, you won't need to use this)
Setting the whole package up is really easy, and, as always, we are here to help on 01983 567866 if required. The steps are:
You'll be relieved to know steps 3-12 shouldn't need doing again on that particular laptop. Normal use sequence is as follows:
Once on you boat, you'll need to experiment with positioning the GPS so you can get a good Bluetooth connection in all the locations you're going to be using SeaClear around the boat. The GPS needs to be kept dry, easy to get at for turning on and off, and bear in mind it will need charging via it's USB lead, either to the laptop, or a USB phone type charger running from your 12V circuit. For cockpit work with SeaClear and laptop, it's easy enough to slip the GPS into a pocket if need be.
We like the versatility of this system, and the lack of wires. Also there are less COM port issues, once allocated to the GPS, the Bluetooth COM port numbers remain stable. Hardwired USB GPS units can sometimes switch COM ports, as COM port numbers are generated dynamically depending on what else is plugged in at the time.
Stop scratching your head, and BUY THIS GPS NOW. You will find the step by step instructions easy to follow, and we guarantee it will work with our "Charts for SeaClear". We offer the usual 30 day "No Quibble" money back guarantee plus phone backup if you get stuck setting it up.
Buy this now for £24.50 plus £1.95 P&P, orders sent the same day, 1st class post:
Finally, we've decided to start selling our own GPS receivers. The criteria was that they should be reliable, sensitive and easy to set up with SeaClear, AND any variety of Windows operating system.
What we've come up with is slightly unusual, but highly effective... and works in practice.
Buy this now for £24.50 plus £1.95 P&P, orders sent the same day, 1st class post:
This unit is branded "VisitMyHarbour", but is almost identical to the GlobalSat BT359, spec below:
The GlobalSat BT-359 contains the latest SiRFIII Low Power Chipset for high sensitivity. It communicates with the Windows laptop (running SeaClear) via Bluetooth Serial Port Profile.
• SiRF Star III high performance and low power consumption chipset
• Communication with Host platform Via Bluetooth Serial Port Profile
• Bluetooth Version 2.0.
• Built-in ceramic patch antenna.
• High sensitivity GPS receiver provides faster acquisition times and improves accuracy in low signal strength conditions.
• Battery life up to 11 hours of operation time, in continuous mode.
• Supports power saving mode (powers down after 10 minutes of inactivity). Disabled in our version.
• Supported by WAAS and EGNOS Satellite-Based Augmentation Systems for more accurate corrected position reports.
• Physical dimensions: 82.0 mm x 41.0 mm x 13.4 mm.
What's in the pack ? 1 SiRF Star GPS receiver, with it's own battery. 1 USB charging only lead. 1 tiny Bluetooth USB device for plugging into your laptop. Full printed instruction for setting up and connecting to SeaClear. EVERYTHING YOU NEED IS INCLUDED.
We've decided to go for a "Wireless" connection between the GPS and the laptop. The nominal range is 10m, which allows you to position the GPS near to the chart table, but in a place where it can get a good signal. It will enable you to use SeaClear in the cockpit without trailing wires, as the laptop will communicate with the GPS. In practice this all seems to work well. The GPS can be plugged into a USB charging socket or the laptop, just to charge it up. It uses little power.
The general idea is to turn the GPS on when you come aboard, and off when you leave the boat. Therefore at all times it's locked on and ready to roll. Your laptop and SeaClear can be turned on as required and immediately have an accurate position, cockpit, chart table, or elsewhere on the boat.
So, we have a device about the size of a small mobile phone, with a nice "heft" to it (it's weight is it's internal rechargeable battery) It has 3 LEDs for: GPS signal and lock on, Bluetooth, and Charging. It comes with a USB cable for charging it up only. There is no hardwire connection to your laptop, the lead is to charge it's internal (11 hours use) battery only. You can charge via your laptop, or in any USB power supply (eg as used for charging mobile phones).
Our version of this unit is preset to remain ON and not switch itself off 10 mins after it looses a Bluetooth connection (ie. you laptop is turned off). This is so it will always be ready with position locked on when required, it uses very little power. You can always manually turn it off if required.
It also comes with a tiny Bluetooth Nano Dongle, smaller than a thumbnail. This is plugged into a spare USB port in your laptop, it's tiny dimensions mean it doesn't get in the way. (If your laptop already has a Bluetooth radio, you won't need to use this)
Setting the whole package up is really easy, and, as always, we are here to help on 01983 567866 if required. The steps are:
- Charge up the GPS device by plugging into a USB power supply with it's cable. Can take a few hours. Unplug cable.
- Turn ON the GPS power button, and for a faster fix place it by a window. Steady Green light comes on, flashing Blue light is Bluetooth. When Green light starts flashing, it's got a position. Now move the GPS unit fairly close to your laptop.
- Plug the Nano dongle (Bluetooth) into your USB port on the laptop.
- Windows automatically sets it all up (XP, VISTA, and WINDOWS 7)
- Find and single click the Bluetooth icon in your taskbar, choose "Add a Bluetooth Device" Help wizzard window opens.
- Make sure the GPS has flashing Green and Blue lights, tick box "My device is set up and ready to be found" Click Next
- Windows will find the GPS set ("BT*******")
- Highlight it and click Next
- Check box "Choose my own passkey", put 0000 (4 Zeros) in the box
- Windows will connect to the GPS, an then give you a window telling you that it's assigned 2 COM ports to the GPS, one incoming and one OUTGOING (this is the one we want, make a note of it, in our case it's 8). With Windows 7 it may only give you one COM port number.
- Now fire up your INSTALLED version of SeaClear, go TOOLS >>> PROPERTIES >>> COMM, and enter the COM port number in the box, and set BPS (Baud rate) to 38,400.
- Providing the Green light is flashing on the GPS you should now have a position in SeaClear.
You'll be relieved to know steps 3-12 shouldn't need doing again on that particular laptop. Normal use sequence is as follows:
- Turn on GPS, charge if needed,(will work while charging)
- Make sure the GPS is close(ish) to the laptop, with green & blue lights flashing.
- Turn on laptop, (with Nano Bluetooth Dongle plugged in)
- Start your INSTALLED version of SeaClear
- You should have a position in SeaClear
Once on you boat, you'll need to experiment with positioning the GPS so you can get a good Bluetooth connection in all the locations you're going to be using SeaClear around the boat. The GPS needs to be kept dry, easy to get at for turning on and off, and bear in mind it will need charging via it's USB lead, either to the laptop, or a USB phone type charger running from your 12V circuit. For cockpit work with SeaClear and laptop, it's easy enough to slip the GPS into a pocket if need be.
We like the versatility of this system, and the lack of wires. Also there are less COM port issues, once allocated to the GPS, the Bluetooth COM port numbers remain stable. Hardwired USB GPS units can sometimes switch COM ports, as COM port numbers are generated dynamically depending on what else is plugged in at the time.
Stop scratching your head, and BUY THIS GPS NOW. You will find the step by step instructions easy to follow, and we guarantee it will work with our "Charts for SeaClear". We offer the usual 30 day "No Quibble" money back guarantee plus phone backup if you get stuck setting it up.
Buy this now for £24.50 plus £1.95 P&P, orders sent the same day, 1st class post:
Article Info
Author:
VisitMyHarbour
Category:
SeaClear FREE Windows navigation software
Added:
27/09/2011
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