Cambridge GPS NAV Model 20 Recorder and a USB only Computer?

[KevinFinke]

Anybody out there use a Serial to USB adapter to transfer flights from
their Cambridge Model 20 GPS-NAV? Does it work? Any problems? Which
model adapter do you use?

I'm planning on upgrading my equipment, and I won't have a 9 pin
serial port on my new computer? I'd like to get rid of my old computer
and just have one.

-Kevin Finke
ASW 24 Prototype - N28KS

[Tim Newport-Peace[_2_]]

At 06:52 20 October 2008, KevinFinke wrote:
>Anybody out there use a Serial to USB adapter to transfer flights from
>their Cambridge Model 20 GPS-NAV? Does it work? Any problems? Which
>model adapter do you use?
>
>I'm planning on upgrading my equipment, and I won't have a 9 pin
>serial port on my new computer? I'd like to get rid of my old computer
>and just have one.
>
>-Kevin Finke
>ASW 24 Prototype - N28KS
>
I have used a Belkin F5U109 for this task.

But I believe a better option is to use a PCI serial card.
-


Tim Newport-Peace >
Skype: specialist_systems
http://www.spsys.demon.co.uk/icom.htm

[Chris Reed[_2_]]

I bought a very cheap no-name PCI card to download my EW model D logger
- works fine with no problems at all. As it provides a standard serial
port in hardware, I'd guess it would work with the Cambridge as well.

I'd considered a USB serial port, but numerous threads on RAS indicate
that the compatability of these with your particular laptop can be a
matter of luck. The Belkin seemed to be reported as most likely to work,
but it was 4 x the cost of my cheap PCI card so I thought I'd save the
money for launches.

Tim Newport-Peace wrote:
> At 06:52 20 October 2008, KevinFinke wrote:
>> Anybody out there use a Serial to USB adapter to transfer flights from
>> their Cambridge Model 20 GPS-NAV? Does it work? Any problems? Which
>> model adapter do you use?
>>
>> I'm planning on upgrading my equipment, and I won't have a 9 pin
>> serial port on my new computer? I'd like to get rid of my old computer
>> and just have one.
>>
>> -Kevin Finke
>> ASW 24 Prototype - N28KS
>>
> I have used a Belkin F5U109 for this task.
>
> But I believe a better option is to use a PCI serial card.
> -
>
>
> Tim Newport-Peace >
> Skype: specialist_systems
> http://www.spsys.demon.co.uk/icom.htm

[Martin Gregorie[_4_]]

On Sun, 19 Oct 2008 23:52:13 -0700, KevinFinke wrote:

> I'm planning on upgrading my equipment, and I won't have a 9 pin serial
> port on my new computer? I'd like to get rid of my old computer and just
> have one.
>
You don't say whether it will be a laptop or a desk machine. If its the
latter, don't forget that you can buy and install inexpensive serial
adapter cards.

As for USB-serial adapters, I've had a pfranc one for a while. Its
probably not the cheapest adapter but it 'just works'
http://www.pfranc.com/

Larry Berg, the guy behind pfranc, is a flying nut and proud owner of a
jet turbine powered amphibious ultralite. His site is a bit untidy but
fun. IMO its worth a look even if you don't buy anything.

BTW, to find his dealer list, click on Cables on the main page.

Bookmark the site: he sells Garmin GPS connectors and you just might need
one some day.


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |

[[email protected]]

On Oct 20, 2:52*am, KevinFinke > wrote:
> Anybody out there use a Serial to USB adapter to transfer flights from
> their Cambridge Model 20 GPS-NAV? Does it work? Any problems? Which
> model adapter do you use?
>
> I'm planning on upgrading my equipment, and I won't have a 9 pin
> serial port on my new computer? I'd like to get rid of my old computer
> and just have one.
>
> -Kevin Finke
> ASW 24 Prototype - N28KS

Solution depends as much on your OS and device driver software as
hardware. Keyspan USA-19HS (about $30) works well with various
windows OS flavors, including Vista. Their drivers seem to be a cut
above what you get with a $10 adapter. I have used this with
Cambridge GPS successfully.

I have seen other brands of adapters that worked with XP that simply
won't with Vista. Also have an adapter that worked under Vista, that
crashes (blue screen) with Vista SP1.

-T8

[jcarlyle]

I just went through the exercise of finding a "good" USB to serial
converter. Talking with Larry Berg at pfranc.com, I found that he no
longer sells a USB to serial converter. Apparently the manufacturer
didn't want to improve the drivers, which Larry determined to be the
source of most problems. I also discovered that the Belken adapter is
no longer sold, so unless you can find a used one it isn't an option
anymore.

Larry recommended USB to serial adapters that use the Prolific chip,
especially the PL2303 chip. Since I already have an adapter that uses
this chip (an Iomega GUC232A), I decided to buy an adapter that uses
the FTDI chip. I therefore got an EasySync ES-U-1001-R10, which uses
the FT232RQ chip.

It seems that most USB to serial adapters don't support Vista;
apparently the driver situation is not settled for Vista yet. If you
stick to Win98 SE through XP, though, good drivers are reportedly
available (but you might have to download them from the adapter
manufacturer's site to get the latest version).

For what it's worth, my Iomega GUC232A has worked with over 25 serial
devices manufactured by 5 different companies. I'm using a driver from
Prolific dated 11/12/2003, v2.0.0.9 under Win98 SE, and a driver from
ATEN dated 7/16/2003, v2.0.0.18 under XP Pro. a friend's Volkslogger
was the first RS232 device I'd seen that ever gave me trouble, and was
the reason that I bought the EasySync.

To the OP - I use the Iomega GUC232A under both Win98 SE and under XP
Pro to talk to my Cambridge Model 10 and Model 25 FDRs. The programs I
use are SeeYou and Cambridge Aero Explorer Plus. The DOS program data-
cam won't work with either USB to serial adapter, it only works with a
dedicated serial port.

-John

On Oct 20, 7:24 am, Martin Gregorie
> wrote:
> As for USB-serial adapters, I've had a pfranc one for a while. Its
> probably not the cheapest adapter but it 'just works'http://www.pfranc.com/

[Martin Gregorie[_4_]]

On Mon, 20 Oct 2008 08:32:44 -0700, jcarlyle wrote:

> I just went through the exercise of finding a "good" USB to serial
> converter. Talking with Larry Berg at pfranc.com, I found that he no
> longer sells a USB to serial converter. Apparently the manufacturer
> didn't want to improve the drivers, which Larry determined to be the
> source of most problems. I also discovered that the Belken adapter is no
> longer sold, so unless you can find a used one it isn't an option
> anymore.
>
Thanks for letting us know. I looked at Larry's website immediately
before posting to see whether he was still selling serial converters.
They are still listed on his site.

I must admit I've only used his converter under Linux, so the driver
issue is a complete mystery to me. In Linux the USB serial converter
driver is a kernel plugin. This points up the question: if Linux can
include automatically selected drivers that work with all the chips you
mention and a lot more besides (41 drivers in total for Fedora 9), why is
it so hard for M$ to do the same or for the converter manufacturers to
supply just one decent driver for each Windows version?


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |

[jcarlyle]

Hi, Martin,

> Thanks for letting us know. I looked at Larry's website immediately
> before posting to see whether he was still selling serial converters.
> They are still listed on his site.

Yes, they are still listed on Larry's web site. Since he did not list
a US dealer, though, I called him - and that's when I found out from
Larry himself that he doesn't sell them anymore.

> I must admit I've only used his converter under Linux, so the driver
> issue is a complete mystery to me. In Linux the USB serial converter
> driver is a kernel plugin. This points up the question: if Linux can
> include automatically selected drivers that work with all the chips you
> mention and a lot more besides (41 drivers in total for Fedora 9), why is
> it so hard for M$ to do the same or for the converter manufacturers to
> supply just one decent driver for each Windows version?

I'm pretty sure this is a religious question as regards M$! <grin> As
to why the converter manufacturer can't do as you suggest, Larry's
answer was that they didn't care enough about the customer to write a
decent driver. Since that violated his business sense, he quit selling
their product...

-John

[[email protected]]

Kevin,
I have the same Cambridge 20 with serial port. Any computer store
should have a serial/USB cord. The one I have works fine with an XP
desktop and Vista laptop. It was some generic brand for about $20.

Dean

[Tim Newport-Peace[_2_]]

At 06:08 21 October 2008, wrote:
>Kevin,
> I have the same Cambridge 20 with serial port. Any computer store
>should have a serial/USB cord. The one I have works fine with an XP
>desktop and Vista laptop. It was some generic brand for about $20.
>
Any computer store might have a Serial/USB cord, BUT not all cords will
work with Flight Recorders, Fact.

PC operating systems are another problem...

This why I say that the PCI serial card is a superior option.

--
Tim Newport-Peace &gt;
Skype: specialist_systems
http://www.spsys.demon.co.uk/icom.htm

[[email protected]]

Excuse this blatant plug for an instrument I manufacture.
Have a look at the FlarmNav. It will allow you to download your flight
log to a USB mem-stick from your Model 20 in-situ.
It also provides some basic nav functions and allows loading of a
turnpoint database. Soon we will be offering a wind vector function as
well.
http://www.rf-developments.com/shop/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=10

With the current exchange rate between Australia and USA it's a
steal!!

Cheers
Mark

[Martin Gregorie[_4_]]

On Mon, 20 Oct 2008 13:28:08 -0700, jcarlyle wrote:

> I'm pretty sure this is a religious question as regards M$!
>
Not particularly. Its more driven by curiosity about why their driver
interface specification isn't stable between OS versions. Judging by the
difficulty they had in coming up with API documentation to meet the
European court case and the poor quality of what was published, its
possible thew API wasn't documented and all their code design has been
done by word of mouth and uncommented header files.

> Larry's answer
> was that they didn't care enough about the customer to write a decent
> driver. Since that violated his business sense, he quit selling their
> product...
>
That fits with the impression I've got of the man. We need more like him,
especially in the finance industry.


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |

[Eric Greenwell]

KevinFinke wrote:
> Anybody out there use a Serial to USB adapter to transfer flights from
> their Cambridge Model 20 GPS-NAV? Does it work? Any problems? Which
> model adapter do you use?
>
> I'm planning on upgrading my equipment, and I won't have a 9 pin
> serial port on my new computer? I'd like to get rid of my old computer
> and just have one.

Perhaps using an old Ipaq that has a memory card would be good solution:
leave the Model 20 in the glider, transfer the flight to the memory card
in the Ipaq, then take the Ipaq or just the card home to the computer.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
* Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

* Updated! "Transponders in Sailplanes" http://tinyurl.com/y739x4
* New Jan '08 - sections on Mode S, TPAS, ADS-B, Flarm, more

* "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" at www.motorglider.org