[kwlug-disc] anyone have the software for a Handy GPS Handspring module?

[Richard Weait]

On Thu, 2009-01-29 at 12:25 -0500, Rick wrote:
> There is a $10 GPS module for the Handspring PDA on eBay
> but it doesn't come with the "UbiGo" software ... from
> a company that is now out-of-business.
> 
> Does anyone here have the UbiGo software ...
> or know if this Handy GPS module will work with
> other software ... maybe, if I'm lucky, OpenStreeMap?
> 
> So far, web-searching hasn't yielded anything useful.

I'll presume that you are running Linux on your Handspring since you
asked on this list.  

The receiver, the map data and the map viewing program should all
operate independently of each other as long as they are OpenStandards
based.  If you are stuck in a proprietary silo, well, oops.  

The Handy GPS protocol "Navicom ASCII Interface Protocol (default)"
suggests that alternate protocols are possible.  Ideally look for
NMEA0183, which is the native protocol of the data coming from the GPS
satellites.  Many of the receivers I've seen end up looking like a
serial device to the host system.  So once you have a serial device
connected and delivering NMEA0183 data to the OS, you are set to work
with the data.  

The canonical way to deal with incoming gps data is with gpsd.  gpsd
speaks many device specific dialects and may understand the native
Navicom protocol.  gpsd will also deliver the gps info to your
navigation software.  

Then you can use something like TangoGPS to either collect data tracks
for new maps or navigate using existing maps.  
 
http://www.tangogps.org/gps/cat/About 

http://wiki.openmoko.org/wiki/Neo_FreeRunner_GPS

The CF GPS receiver that I used decreased battery life drastically on a
handheld.