downloading a gps20 without a serial port

Am running windows XP. Did load the software which came with it.

Actually I can do that for the GPS 20I have a 1550 with flash. However
my real problem is loading my Zander SR 940 which has only the serial
port for communication.

It's a bottom of the line Gateway laptop w/XP home. The converter is
Manhattan.The installer sets to Com 4 Have not tried playing with
parity etc. or working in DOS environment.

Do you have active sync installed on the machine this can stuff it up.

Try run it its own profile on the machine.

Make sure no other programs installed that use com ports like active sync.

Ted, we can try something with the information you've given. First,
we'll make sure the ports are OK, then change the adapter to a lower
one. Then, we'll try doing a download under a DOS window using
Data-cam. I'll use the abbreviation LC for single left click, DLC for
double left click, and RC for right click.

1. Check ports - from the desktop, RC My Computer, LC Properties, LC
Hardware, LC Device Manager. Examine the tree, make sure that there are
NO red exclamation points or yellow triangles! Report back if you see
these! Then LC the + sign on Ports. Write down everything you see with
a COM in its name.

2. Change ports - You said that the installer put your adapter at Com
4. See if Com 1 or Com 2 is available. If not, we can take the least
needed device that is on Com 1 or Com 2 and temporarily move it. To do
this, as an example for Com 2, RC the Com 2 entry under Ports, LC
Properties, LC Port Settings, LC Advanced, use the list box under Com
Port to select an UNUSED port, LC OK, LC OK again. Now repeat this last
sentence for the adapter, moving it to the now vacant Com 2. You can
reverse this all later, but write down what you are doing!!

3. Make Cambridge test folder - DLC My Computer, LC Folders under
Explorer Bar, LC the icon for C: drive. RC somewhere in the right pane,
LC Folder under New, type in Cam and hit Enter. Leave this window open,
we'll be using it again!

4. Get Data-cam program - LC Start, LC For Files and Folders under
Search, LC All Files and Folders, type in data-* and hit Enter. If it
finds Data-cam.exe, great! Write down the information in the In Folder
column. If it doesn't find it, you'll have to download it from he
http://www.fai.org/gliding/freeware Once it downloads, repeat the
first sentence in this step to find out where it was placed. Now, go
back to the open Windows Explorer window used in step 3. In the left
pane, do a series of LC until you have finally clicked out the
information in the In Folder column during the Find. You should now see
Data-cam in the right pane. RC data-cam and while holding the click,
drag the outline into the left pane until the Cam folder is colored
blue, and release the click. Now LC Copy Here.

5. Run Data-cam - LC Start, LC Run, type in Command and hit Enter. Type
in cd \cam Enter, and you should see C:\cam in the window. Do a Dir
Enter and you should see Data-cam.exe listed in the right column. If
not, you need to review the steps above and fix something! If you do,
plug the end of the adapter into the Cambridge 20, and turn on the
Cambridge. Type data-cam -p2 Enter, and the download should start.
Note: the 2 in the last command depends on where you moved the adapter
in step 2. If it was Com 1, then you'd type data-cam -p1 Enter. Purists
like Mal will note that for Com 1 you could actually have just typed
data-cam Enter! ;-)

If all is well, you'll get a download from the Cambridge. If not,
you'll get an error message. If you do, tell us what it says. Also,
repeat step 1 and be sure that the adapter is actually at the Com port
number you used in step 5, and that no yellow trianges or red
exclamation points have shown up. If so, fix the Com number problem, or
report back the error.

Assuming the download under the DOS window works, try downloading with
your Windows software. There will be some means in the program to
change the Com port to the number that your adapater was set to in step
2. If you got a download under the DOS window, you'll get a download
under Windows!

Hope this helps, and that it gets you a download!

-John

Ted, I just re-read your first message carefully. I may be guilty of
jumping to a misconception! First, try downloading with Data-cam.exe
that I detailed above. If it works, then do this:

Get Cambridge Aero Explorer running. When the window opens, LC Tools,
LC Options, LC General. Use the down arrow on the Recorder Com Port box
to select the proper com port for the adapter (1 or 2 if you changed
the Com port as described in the DOS Window downloading post, 4 if you
didn't). LC OK.

Now connect the adapter to the Cambridge 20 and turn it on. In CAE, LC
Recorder, LC Connect, and report back what happens. Hopefully things
will work!

-John

Thanks John and all others who gave me a great!! education on serial
ports. I found a simple fix for the GPS 20. See You connection wizard
finds it and I can up and download using See You. My glider is in
Florida so I have'nt tried talking to my Zander SR 940 yet. Will get
down there next week and give that a try. Thanks again to all for the
superb suggestions.

Ted