--- name: "gpstrans" section: "1" platform: "linux" package: "gpstrans" version: "0.41-11" release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)" platforms: ["linux"] url: "https://new.carta.tech/gpstrans" --- # gpstrans(1) communicate with Garmin GPS receiver ## NAME gpstrans - communicate with Garmin GPS receiver ## SYNOPOSIS **gpstrans** \[ *options* \] \[ *file* \] ## DESCRIPTION **gpstrans** allows the user with a Garmin GPS receiver to upload and download waypoints, routes, almanacs (satellite orbital elements) and trackroutes. If *file* is not supplied, data will be read from stdin (**-u***x* switch) or written to stdout (**-d***x* switch). ## OPTIONS - **-p***port* set serial I/O device - **-s** set datum, format, offset, and device interactively, and save them in *$HOME/.gpstrans*. - **-i** identify connected GPS - **-o** turn off GPS device - **-t** get time from GPS - **-ts** get time from GPS and set system time on host - **-d***x* download data indicated by *x*: **r**=route, **t**=track, **w**=waypoint, **a**=almanac - **-m** With **-dt**, downloads track data in the format which can be displayed by Mayko mXmap(1). With **-dr** or **-ur**, downloads or uploads route data in a format compatible with Mayko mXmap. - **-u***x* upload data indicated by *x*: **r**=route, **t**=track, **w**=waypoint, **a**=almanac - **-v** print program version. - **--verbose** Increase verbosity. - **--debug** Add debug printouts. - **--help** Print help text. ## CONNECTION For a DB-25 connector, you may need to connect pin 4, 5 and 6, 8, 20 together. This sets handshake signals so that your workstation can use the serial port to communicate with the GPS. ``` 1 ### ##### o o o # # # o # o o o o o o o o o o o # o o o o o ``` Connect the Garmin cable as follows: ``` 2 3 7 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o Pin 2 goes to DATA IN (White) Pin 3 goes to DATA OUT (Brown) Pin 7 goes to GROUND (Black) ``` If it doesn't work in this way, try exchanging pins 2 and 3 at the connector. The circular connector on a Garmin GPS II receiver can be wired to a DB-9 connector as follows: ``` _____ _____,-----, 3 / \ 4 | | | | o o | | | |_____ | < <- groove -> |=====| |----,| | o o | | | | || 2 \ _____ / 1 |_____| | || `-----' || || views are looking || into connector || at each end of cable || || || 5 3 2 ________ || o o o o o | \___________|| o o o o |_________,------------' DB-9 pin 2 goes to circular connector pin 2 DB-9 pin 3 goes to circular connector pin 4 DB-9 pin 5 goes to circular connector pin 3 other pins are not connected (Note: the pin numbers for the circular connector are arbitrary, and may not match the `official' numbers.) ``` If your plug is more recent than the one above (ex: etrex) then you need DB-9 or DB-25 to be connected to your Garmin GPS like this: \_\_\_\_\_,-----,\ POWER(+) \| \| \|\ groove --\> \|=====\| \|\_\_\_\_\_\ DATA IN \| \| \|----,\|\ DATA OUT \| \| \| \|\|\ GROUND(-) \|\_\_\_\_\_\| \| \|\|\ \`-----' \|\|\ \|\|\ \|\|\ \|\|\ \|\|\ \|\|\ \|\|\ \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ \|\|\ \| \\\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\|\|\ \|\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_,------------' DB-25 : 2 3 7\ o o o o o o o o o o o o o\ o o o o o o o o o o o o Pin 2 goes to DATA IN (White)\ Pin 3 goes to DATA OUT (Brown)\ Pin 7 goes to GROUND (Black) DB-9: 5 3 2 \ o o o o o \ o o o o pin 2 goes to DATA IN (White)\ pin 3 goes to DATA OUT (Brown)\ pin 5 goes to GROUND (Black)\ other pins are not connected For testing, you might try setting the GPS to NMEA-Output and using a terminal emulator program like Kermit. The GPS will send a data record every 2 seconds. As long as you don't see any data on your computer, **gpstrans** won't work. After finishing the test, be sure to set your GPS receiver to GRMN/GRMN. ## ENVIRONMENT - **GPSDEV** Serial I/O device (overrides contents of *$HOME/.gpstrans*, and is overridden by **-p** switch). ## FILES - *$HOME/.gpstrans* Has user preferences for datum, format, offset, and serial I/O device (see **-s** switch, above). ## AUTHOR GPStrans is Copyright 1995 by Carsten Tschach \. The datum translation routines are based on the program MacGPS from John F. Waers \. Mayko mXmap output format by Matthias Kattanek \. German Grid by Andreas Lange \. etrex support by Joao Seabra CT2GNL - \. Other Garmin formats added by Jim Van Zandt \. ## SEE ALSO **mxmap**(1), **GPSMan**