Garmin GPS 45/40/38 Frequently Asked Questions ============================================== V 1.082 Aug 30, 1996 Compiled by Lane A. Holdcroft Garmin 45/40/38 FAQ Copyright 1995, 1996 by Lane A. Holdcroft. Original contributors retain their copyright for all of their contributions. I am still reviewing the many suggestions and postings that I have received for inclusion in future versions. This document is not in any way endorsed by Garmin International. I am not affiliated with Garmin or any of their retailers. This FAQ is targeted primarily at the GPS 45, GPS 40, and GPS 38. The GPS 50, 65, and 75 have many internal similarities (and some software compatibility) to the GPS 45/40/38. There is also a table at the end of the FAQ with most Garmin products listed. The GPS 38 (released late Feb 1996), is very similar to the GPS 40. However, it has improved software, no external antenna connector, no beeper, no video tape, and a lower price. See the new section "GPS 38 reports". The GPS 45XL is a GPS 45 with the GPS 38 software enhancements released in mid July 1996. The GPS 90 and the recently introduced 89 are very similar to the GPS 45 but have very different software and more non-volatile memory for their aero navigation database. The GPS 89 has a much smaller navigation database. The GPS 120 (released late 1995) has almost identical software to the GPS 45 but a mobile mount, external antenna and a much larger display. The GPS 130 is Garmin's new 12 channel mobile mount GPS unit. It is the first 12 channel unit not intended for remote use (it includes a display). It has a case similar to the GPS 120. It started shipping in the Spring of 1996. The GPSMAP 175 is Garmin's new 12 channel handheld just announced in July 1996. It should also be very popular with hikers due to its excellent reception in trees. It is due to ship in late September 1996. | The GPS 195 is the aviation model of the GPSMAP 175. TABLE OF CONTENTS: ================== 0.00 ABOUT THIS FAQ: -General FAQ info? -Attribution? -FAQ revision history? -Future features? -Suggestions for improvement? 1.00 GENERAL FEATURES: -What are some key features of the Garmin GPS 45/40/38? -What are the disadvantages of the GPS 45/40/38? -Comparison chart for the GPS 38/40/45/45XL/89/90 family? | -What are the differences between the GPS 45 and GPS 40? -What is the accuracy of the GPS 45/40/38/90/89? -What is the Garmin GBR 21 Differential Beacon Receiver? -Are there any other differential receivers available? -How can I improve the accuracy of a GPS unit with averaging? -How accurate is velocity measurement on the GPS 45/40/38/90/89? | -How accurate is the clock on the GPS 45/40/38/90/89? -What is the MOB function? -What is a waypoint? -Which map datum do I use? | -How does the GPS calculate the local magnetic variation? | -Why can't I get my first fix? | 2.00 SPECIFICATIONS/REPORTS: -GPS 45/40 specifications? -GPS 45/40 reports/description? -GPS 45 XL? -GPS 38 reports? -GPS 90 press release/specs? -GPS 89 info? | -GPS 120 description? | -GPS 130 description? | -GPS 135 description? | -GPSMAP 175 description? | -GPS 20/25/30/31/35 (remote only models)? -GPS 30/31 description? 3.00 FIRMWARE (INTERNAL SOFTWARE): -90 knot speed limit? -GPS 45/40 firmware versions? -GPS 38/45XL firmware versions? | -What are the undocumented modes for the GPS 45/40/38/90/89? -What are some undocumented modes for the GPS 75? | -Why is internal temperature available? -VMG error? | -What are the GPS 45/40 data NMEA 0183 V2.0 sentences | 4.00 BATTERY/POWER: -How is power selected between the internal batteries and the external supply? -What voltages do the fuel gauge correspond to? -Current consumption of a GPS 45 at different external supply input voltages? -How does BatterySave mode work? -Rechargeable batteries? -Other battery/external power options? -How long is memory conserved without batteries? -Does the serial I/O consume much more power when it is enabled? 5.00 SERIAL/POWER INTERFACE: -External serial/power connector alternatives? -How do I interface the GPS 45/40/38 to an IBM-PC compatible computer? -How do I interface the GPS 45/40/38 to a Macintosh? 6.00 APPLICATION SOFTWARE: -What Macintosh software is available for Garmin GPS units? -What MS-DOS/Win software is available specifically for Garmin GPS units? -What MS-DOS/Win software is available that communicates using NMEA 183 format? -Other MS-DOS software? -GPS ftp/www sites? -Digital maps with lat/lon? 7.00 ANTENNAS: -What is the GPS 40/38 internal antenna? -How is the GPS 45/90/89 antenna internally constructed? -How well does the internal antenna work inside a car? -What are the remote antenna options? -GPS 45 antenna extension cables? -Can I make my own external antenna? -What is the loss for different coaxial cables? -What is the GPS 40 antenna connector? 8.00 MISCELLANEOUS: -GPS mounting options? -Waterproofness? -Cases? -Garmin 45/40/38 wish list? -Can I use my GPS unit in a plane? -Performance in trees? -Internal electrical hardware? -Why is the firmware not in a socket? -Can I receive GPS signals through my house? -For how long will a particular track interval interval collect data? 9.00 GARMIN PRODUCTS: -Garmin GPS models? -Garmin accessories? -Where can I purchase a unit? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS: ====================== 0.00 ABOUT THIS FAQ: --------------- -General FAQ info? The Usenet newsgroup "sci.geo.satellite-nav" has a high proportion of questions dealing with the very popular Garmin GPS 45, GPS 40, and GPS 38. I hope this will answer most of them. Because of the large number of questions that are still posted to the newsgroup that have been answered in this FAQ, I usually post this every several weeks to the newsgroup "sci.geo.satellite-nav". The newsgroup was originally intended to be oriented more towards professionals in the GPS business rather than recreational users that are more inclined to use the GPS 45/40/38 because of their low prices. However, there is a lot of discussion about Garmin units. This FAQ is based on my experience with my GPS 45 and others' postings to the GPS newsgroup since the GPS 45 was first introduced about March 1994. I have a particular interest in the electrical aspects of these units. The latest version of this FAQ and some links to other sites can be found at my www or ftp sites (or Peter's site in the next section): http://www.eskimo.com/~klah/index.html or ftp://ftp.eskimo.com/u/k/klah/index.html or ftp to "ftp.eskimo.com", cd to "/u/k/klah" For more general information not specific to the Garmin units, read the general GPS FAQ maintained by Peter Bennett. He also has a new NMEA FAQ. They are both available on his ftp site which is the best single site on the web for low cost GPS's. I also send the latest version of this Garmin 45/40/38 FAQ there. ftp://sundae.triumf.ca/pub/peter/index.html http:://vancouver-webpages.com/peter/index.html ftp://ftp-i2.informatik.rwth-aachen.de/pub/arnd/GPS/peter/index.html | A fair amount of the information posted about the Garmin units in the GPS newsgroup is incorrect. I have spent a lot of time trying to make this document error free, but there is no guarantee to the accuracy of this information! Minor errors have been found in the past. When the term "GPS receiver" or "GPS unit" is used in this FAQ, this is meant to refer to the handheld unit that uses the Global Positioning System. Technically, the "receiver" is the radio portion of the handheld device only and the term "GPS" refers to the complete navigation system and not the unit itself. -Attribution? Garmin 45/40/38 FAQ Copyright 1995, 1996 by Lane A. Holdcroft. Original contributors retain their copyright for all of their contributions. You may copy this in its entirety, but not for monetary benefit. If a portion of this document is quoted, please give the original author credit. Thanks to the many people who have contributed to this document! I tried to give credit to the original author at the end of each contribution. If an answer does not have an attribution, I usually answered it based on my recollection of the consensus of previous postings and/or my personal experience (or the contributor did not want credit). If I felt clarification within another person's quoted material would be beneficial, my comments are contained within the brackets "[" and "]". -FAQ revision history? Ver Date Major changes --- ---- ------------- 1.00 Aug 4, 1995 Initial release 1.01 Aug 7, 1995 Minor corrections 1.02 Aug 20, 1995 Added detailed speed limit info Added GPS 90 info Added more detailed list of specs Added Garmin accessory list 1.03 Aug 22, 1995 Minor corrections 1.04 Aug 29, 1995 Added Garmin 45/40 wish list Added section head numbers Added GPS 45 external current consumption Added FAQ revision history 1.05 Sep 18, 1995 Added info about "Diag mode" Added info about Accuracy Added info about Garmin differential receivers Added "|" indicating major changes in line or paragraph Reordered several sections Split out application software into its own heading Many minor corrections 1.06 Oct 10, 1995 Added section on coax cable losses Added section on CD-ROM map programs Added section on houses blocking signals Added GPS 40 mode from a GPS 45 Added GPS 30 info Expanded ftp/www sites considerably Expanded Garmin DGPS info Split application software to Garmin & NMEA 183 Split out intro into a separate section Minor corrections 1.07 April 23, 1996 Added sections on GPS 38 & 120 Added info on BatterySave mode Added info on memory backup Added Eagle Accunav info (8.00, Performance in trees) Added other PC software section Added more info on Macintosh software Added improving the accuracy section Expanded Garmin GPS models section Reduced the Garmin software price Updated Garmin's address and phone numbers Updated several E-mail addresses 1.08 July 22, 1996 Added sections on GPS 45XL, 89, 130, 175 Added section on velocity & magnetic declination Added section on remote only units Added first fix info Added undocumented GPS 75 modes Added VMG error info Added NMEA 183 info 1.081 Aug 8, 1996 Fixed variation/declination nomenclature 1.082 Aug 30, 1996 Corrected serial port statement Fixed Eagle/Lowrance UTM info Updated APRS files location PLEASE DESTROY ALL PREVIOUS VERSIONS, ESPECIALLY BEFORE VERSION V1.06 because they had at least several errors. The "|" character is used to mark paragraphs or a line for significant changes in content from the previous version of the FAQ. -Future features? UTM advantages. -Suggestions for improvement? You can help improve this document by sending E-mail to me about errors or suggestions for improvement. It would be very useful if you could give your sources of information. Also, please include the version of the FAQ and the firmware version of your GPS 45/40/38. There is often conflicting information and your detailed references are valuable for resolving those discrepancies. I receive lots of feedback but it takes time to process and verify all of the information. Because of the large volume of E-mail I receive, I can not always answer individual questions not pertaining to the FAQ. However, I do consider all suggestions. I read the newsgroup very regularly but occasionally I do miss something Garmin related. Please send CONSTRUCTIVE suggestions to Lane A. Holdcroft (klah@eskimo.com) 1.00 GENERAL FEATURES: ----------------- -What are some key features of the Garmin GPS 45/40/38? Garmin GPS 45/40/38 specific: Relatively inexpensive (list < $500 US, discounted < $200 US for GPS 38). | Very feature rich. Battery life is over 10 hours w/ 4 AA alkaline batteries. Very compact size. Serial port allowing transfer of data to/from a PC/Mac. Neat 768 point track log feature which can be graphically displayed. Ability to download the above track log data to a PC/Mac. Easy to use due to a simple menu system. Water resistant. 64 x 100 pixel graphical display. Over 100 mapping datums used around the world. -What are the disadvantages of the GPS 45/40/38? 1) There is a firmware speed limit of 90 knots / 104 MPH. See "90 knot speed limit" question elsewhere in the FAQ for more details. The GPS 90/89 do NOT have this limitation. 2) The list prices on some options are more expensive than some competitors. For example, a replacement 45 antenna is $100 list and external power and/or data cables are between about $20 and $50. However, some dealers offer substantial discounts. 3) Because of the GPS 45/40/38/90/89's compact size, there is not sufficient space for number buttons. It has a 4 position rocking button to enter numbers and labels like the high score on a video game. This is not as fast as using a keypad. | 4) The display size is small. This is a very compact GPS unit. The character size is also very small on the GPS 45/40. However the the new GPS 38 uses a wider font to be more readable. If you have good corrected vision, it should not be a problem up close. If not, then the GPS 45/40 may not be a good choice for you. Presumably, the 45XL has the wider font of the GPS 38. 5) The GPS 45/40/38 (like all other single channel sequential receiver GPS units) are not able to track as well under heavy tree cover as parallel receiver designs. See "Performance in trees" section for details. -Comparison chart for the GPS 38/40/45/45XL/89/90 family? | Note that all of the following units have the same case and the circuit boards are identical but they have different parts installed: GPS 38 40 45 45XL 89 90 Use Marine Marine Marine Marine Aero Aero Antenna Intern Intern Extern Extern Extern Extern Ext Ant Conn. None MCX BNC BNC BNC BNC Max Ext V 8VDC 8VDC 40VDC 40VDC 40VDC 40VDC Beeper No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Video Tape No Yes No No No No Newer firmware Yes No No Yes - - Speed limit(kt) 90 90 90 90 999 999 Extra Nav Info No No No No Some All Yoke mount No No No No No Yes Ant. ext. cable No No No No Yes Yes ~Retail $ $300 $425 $500 $500 $600? $800? ~Discount $ $200 $270 $280 $300 $450 $650 (info is not guaranteed!) -What are the differences between the GPS 45 and GPS 40? 1) ANTENNA: The GPS 45 has an external quad-helix swivel antenna (about 3/4" x 3/4" x 3") whereas the 40/38 has compact "patch" antenna built into the main case. A GPS 40/38 looks like a GPS 45 without the swivel antenna. The GPS 45 uses a standard BNC connector for the antenna, whereas the GPS 40 has a "MCX" type connector for the optional external antenna and the GPS 38 has no external antenna connector. The GPS 45's external antenna hangs out the side of the instrument and could be broken if it were snagged or handled roughly ($100 replacement cost!). This is not a problem with the GPS 40/38. The GPS 45's BNC connector is preferable if you want to add an extension cable since BNC extensions are available from many more sources. This is an advantage because you can avoid the cost of an additional antenna if you want to temporarily mount it remotely from the GPS unit. The GPS 45's BNC connectors are more susceptible to corrosion from salt water and the 45's antenna could leak if it was not well sealed. Some antenna case seals break after extensive handling (I speak from experience). The GPS 45 can be held at different viewing angles as long as the antenna is swivelled vertically whereas the GPS 40/38 must be held at a specific angle for optimum reception. There is a lot of debate about the exact differences in antenna sensitivity, however the GPS 45 is apparently slightly more sensitive for satellites that are directly overhead. 2) The GPS 45 takes a much wider range of input voltages (up to 40 Volts). This is because the 45 has an internal switching power supply whereas the GPS 40/38 do not and the GPS 40/38 are only rated for 5 to 8 Volts for external power. Connecting the GPS 40/38 directly to a higher voltage supply would be potentially damaging. Therefore, the mobile power cigarette adapter is $20 more expensive for the GPS 40/38 (because it must include a regulator). Also, the GPS 40/38 has an additional center pin in the center of the power/data connector to prevent the use of the GPS 45 cigarette lighter cord which would probably damage the GPS 40/38 due to overvoltage. 3) The GPS 40 includes a video tape on its operation. 4) The GPS 40/38 has a dark gray case, whereas the GPS 45 has a white front case and a black rear case. 5) The GPS 40 is less expensive than the 45 (and the 38 is least expensive). -What is the accuracy of the GPS 45/40/38/90/89? Note that the error tolerance displayed on the GPS does not include errors due to SA and that all position accuracy specs for the GPS are based on 95% DDRMS and ASSUME EXCELLENT SATELLITE COVERAGE. This will not be the case if you are surrounded by buildings, hills, or trees! Horizontal accuracy: 100 meters Official accuracy (Selective Availability ON) <50 meters Actual current accuracy (Selective Availability ON) | 15 meters Theoretical accuracy (Selective Availability OFF) | 5 meters Differential accuracy (regardless of Selective Availability) | Vertical accuracy (altitude): Approximately 1.5 to 2 times worse than horizontal accuracy depending on the geometry of acquired satellites. In fact, you can get much better vertical accuracy with an altimeter (but it must be regularly adjusted to compensate for changes in barometric pressure). The errors in altitude due to SA are especially obvious when you are on the ocean! -What is the Garmin GBR 21 Differential Beacon Receiver? The US and Canadian governments are setting up Differential GPS (DGPS) stations to transmit correction signals. They are usually broadcast on existing marine beacon frequencies around 300 KHz. They are already operational in many areas along the coasts. In addition to compensating for errors in the position, these correction signals also undo the deliberate degradation of the accuracy (SA) by the U.S. Department of Defense. Look at the US Coast Guard's web site (under "ftp/www sites" in this FAQ) for locations and status of their differential stations. When connected to your Garmin GPS, the GBR 21 will increase its accuracy to under 10 meters when within receiving range of Differential Beacon stations on the coasts. This also makes your speed indications accurate to about 1/10 knot, which is great for sailboat racers. Works with DGPS-ready GPS 40, 45, 50, 65, 75, and GPSMAP 210/220 models. Coupler measures 1.6"D x 4.8"H and requires a 4' whip antenna. 30' RG-58 coax included. Receiver box measures 5.2"x3.6"x1.5". Draws 130 mA. One year parts and labor includes water damage. List $799 [West Marine Catalog] -Are there any other differential receivers available? Some other manufacturers' differential units that pick up the Coast Guard broadcasts can be used with a Garmin GPS unit but they can not automatically tune the frequency of the differential receiver as Garmin's can. I don't know how much of an advantage this is. There are probably some other differences also. I would appreciate a detailed review by an user of this option. There are services that transmit correction signals on FM broadcast band subcarriers which are not limited to the coasts but you must buy their differential receivers for several hundred dollars and pay a monthly charge. DCI (http://www.dgps.com) and Accupoint are most often mentioned. There are also companies that transmit correction signals via satellite and again you must buy their differential receiver and pay a monthly charge. -How can I improve the accuracy of a GPS unit with averaging? Because the Garmin 45/40/38/90/89 units do not save the individual satellites used and their timing information for each fix, you can not accurately postprocess the data. Another problem is that the displayed information is averaged using a temporal filter rather than being real-time. This averaging is detrimental when you are trying to post-process the data. Yet another possible problem is that if more than 4 satellites are used in the position calculation, the weighting formula for the satellites may not be known. Although the official accuracy of the GPS system for non-military users is 100 meters 95% of the time, in fact when you look at the data plots (such as available from MIT elsewhere in the FAQ), you can see that the accuracy is much better than 50 meters 95% of the time if you are stationary. One credible poster collected some data suggesting that when you are moving at about 60 MPH, the accuracy is closer to 70 meters (about twice the stationary error) 95% of the time with most common non-surveying GPS units. This can be improved much further by averaging. You can turn on the track log feature and select a timer interval, then leave the GPS on for a long time, and then look at the map screen and then just visually average the position. Of course this can be done more precisely by downloading the track log data and averaging it on a computer. [Lane Holdcroft] I have made some simple tests of SA errors and found that they seem to be random (and therefore, by definition, unpredictable) with a temporal autocorrelation function that drops to about 0.3 in 15 minutes. Thus, it is of very little advantage to take readings at intervals of less than 15 minutes. For readings separated by 15 minutes or longer, the error of the mean drops as the square root of n. (Robert S. Lawrence lawrence@alumni.cs.colorado.edu) Of course you can take readings more often over a shorter period of time but you just won't achieve as great accuracy. | The concept of averaging is based on the assumption that the errors (especially due to SA) are centered around zero. In fact the specification for SA does not require zero offset, but this is usually the case. It is felt by some in the newsgroup that that the maximum accuracy with extensive averaging is about +/- 10 meters while other feel that accuracy within a couple of meters is achievable. -How accurate is velocity measurement on the GPS 45/40/38/90/89? | With the Differential GPS option, velocity accuracy should be very good, otherwise it is generally poor. Because of Selective Availability, velocity at very low speeds is almost worthless. I have seen speeds up to about 3 knots when I was stationary and had good satellite reception. This error becomes smaller (on a percentage basis) as your speed increases. To get really accurate velocity without using Differential GPS, you usually need to have a very expensive (usually surveying grade) receiver with some very sophisticated software to monitor the phase of the military frequency. Therefore, virtually all handhelds that are less than $1500 are not very accurate for velocity without DGPS. Probably to prevent the wanderings of SA, the Garmin 45/40 (V2.41 at least) will display "0.0" (without the DGPS option at least) if the speed is less than: 1.0 knots 1.2 statute miles/hr 1.8 kilometers/hr Also, compass headings do not appear to update unless you are going at least twice the above listed speeds (presumably to keep the compass headings from being meaningless at such low speeds)! | -How accurate is the clock on the GPS 45/40/38/90/89? First of all, there is a clock IC in the unit to keep the approximate time. To get accurate time, you must be locked on several satellites. Internally the GPS unit knows the time more accurately than 1 uS, however the display and particularly the serial port are lower priority tasks and will not be updated immediately. We do not know the maximum error. When I have crudely compared the displayed time to the international time standards (received by shortwave radio), the difference usually seems to be well under one second (but there are no guarantees). | To get extremely accurate time much better than 1 uS, there are some GPS boards that have a very precise timing output. Garmin also has a less precise timing output on a few of their boards to about 1 uS. | -What is the MOB function? The "Man Over Board" function is a common feature for marine GPS units. If a person were to fall overboard, the skipper uses this function to immediately mark the current location and the GPS goes into a "Go To" mode where it directs the skipper back to the point where the button was pressed. It is not trivial to find a person at sea with strong winds and large waves. -What is a waypoint? A waypoint is a nautical term referring to a label used to mark a specific location. For a GPS unit, a waypoint can be any location you want to mark and label in memory for future reference. -Which map datum do I use? | A map datum is a mathematical model of the earth's shape and it specifies how the grid should be placed on it. The earth is not a true sphere, but an ellipsoid. The datum describes the radius and eccentricity as well as the offset of the grid. The Garmin units have over 100 mapping datums used throughout the world! The key thing is to use the same datum setting in your GPS as is used on your map or you could easily be off by hundreds of meters. Here are the most commonly used datums in the US: WGS84 WGS-84 is considered the most accurate simple datum. Most maps in the US will likely eventually be WGS84. Most CD-ROM maps use WGS-84. NAD83 is almost identical. NAD27 CONUS Used by most current U.S. Forest Service and USGS maps. The CON reportedly represents Continental US. There are many other NAD27 versions for North and Central America such as NAD27 CANADA -How does the GPS calculate the local magnetic variation? | The GPS unit has a formula and/or lookup table programmed into the firmware that predicts the magnetic variation for a particular location on the earth. Apparently mariners use the term variation and landlubbers use the term declination. | -Why can't I get my first fix? | The first fix occurs if the GPS unit has moved more than about 150 miles (which is usually the case when you first receive a new GPS unit). This is a very common problem which I should have addressed before but I didn't since it is mentioned in the manual. It is useful for technical reasons for the GPS unit to know approximately where to expect the satellites (ie. where the satellites are relative to the GPS unit) so that it can get a fix more quickly. Also, if the unit has not been used in a while (more than a couple of weeks), then the exact satellite orbital info may not be up to date. It can take a while for that data to be downloaded. Here is a very conservative approach to getting an initial fix: 1) Find a location with a VERY clear view of the sky not blocked by buildings, trees, etc. 2) Put the unit in Operation Normal, not BatterySave mode (just in case). 3) Preset your approximate location to really speed up the process. (I have heard that the new GPS 38 and GPS 45XL have added a quick start feature to the firmware to figure out your approximate location which provides some of this information). Of course the GPS can figure out where it is on its own, it just takes a lot longer. 4) Go to the satellite screen and watch the signal strength bars appear. (If you have a GPS 45/40, I would use diagnostic mode so you can see the hollow vs. solid bars. This is documented in the FAQ under the FIRMWARE section). 5) Allow lots of time for your unit to acquire a location. It could take a long time if you don't have a good view of the sky. I wouldn't totally give up on it until you have given it over an hour. If you do not have a clear view of the sky, or the satellites are not in optimum positions, or you the GPS unit needs to download the latest satellite orbit corrections, it would be helpful to have the extra time. 6) If you still don't have a fix after several hours and you really had a clear view of the sky, then your GPS receiver may be broken. In general when you are having trouble getting a fast fix (not the initial fix that we are discussing here), turning the unit off and then back on can really speed things up (as is mentioned in the manual). I use this trick all of the time. Also, it seems to take a lot longer to get a fix when you are moving fast as in a car or fast boat. 2.00 SPECIFICATIONS/REPORTS: ----------------------- -GPS 45/40 specifications? Here are the specs out of the manual: Physical Case: Waterproof, dry nitrogen-filled Size: 6.15"H x 2"W x 1.23"D (15.6 x 5.1 x [3.12] cm) Weight: 10 ounces [0.284 kg] w/ batteries. Temp Range: 5 to 158 degrees F [-15 to +70 degrees C] Performance Receiver: Differential-ready MultiTrac8 Acquisition Time: Approx 20 seconds (warm) Approx 2 minutes (cold) Approx 7.5 minutes (autolocate) Update rate: 1/sec, continuous Position Accuracy 5-10 meters (16-33 ft) with DGPS correction 15 meters (49 ft) RMS* *subject to accuracy degradation to 100m [95% of the time] under the DOD imposed Selective Availability Program (note: I average 150') Velocity Accuracy 0.1 knot RMS steady state [w/o SA, several knots error w/ SA] Dynamics: Performs to specs to 3g's Power Input: 4 AA batteries or 5-40 vDC Usage: .75 watts Battery life: 10 hours (normal mode) w/alk. batt. Up to 20 hours in battery saver mode Kai Schumann Schumann_Kai@Lilly.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -GPS 45/40 reports/description? Here are 2 good reviews that were posted to the newsgroup. One is from a 45 owner, the other from a 40 owner. Keep in mind that other than the antenna and input voltage range, both units are IDENTICAL and most comments apply to both. I have included their reviews pretty much in full because they do a very good job of covering the features of these units, and they both include lots of useful information which would be beneficial to someone who is contemplating buying a Garmin unit. >From: gscott@netcom.com (Gavin Scott) Date: Wed, 27 Apr 1994 04:46:39 GMT Today I received a new Garmin GPS 45 Here are my initial impressions, along with a list of features and specifications for the unit. I will follow up with more comments in a week or so after I have had a real chance to play with it for a while. I have no connection with Garmin or West Marine. I purchased the GPS 45 myself, for my own use. I have owned handheld GPS receivers going back to the original Magellan Nav-1000 (which has now been upgraded repeatedly and is a NAV5000 now). I have some experience with other GPS units including a Garmin GPS100 owned by a friend. The brand new (shipping for only a week or so) Garmin GPS 45 looks to be the hottest handheld around. It is a small (literally pocket sized) 10oz package, and yet sports a large graphic LCD display. For a picture, look in the current West Marine catalog (you can get one from them at 1-800-538-0775) or most other marine equipment dealer catalogs, or call Garmin at 1-800-800-1020 and ask them to fax you a data sheet. ------- GARMIN GPS 45 --------- PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: This sucker is small! It easily disappears into the front pockets of my Levis Dockers. The spec sheet lists the dimensions as 6.15 inches high, 2 inches wide, and 1.23 inches deep. Weight is an amazing 10 ounces (spec sheet, 4 AA batteries included), and my cheap postal scale weighs it in at 11 ounces (with batteries and case). At the top on the right side is a recessed BNC connector where the tiny built in flip-up antenna is attached. The antenna is of the same sort as the Magellan and Garmin units have used for some time, except for the size! The GPS 45 antenna measures 3 inches long by 0.775 inches square. The dimensions of the main unit given above do not include antenna, which makes the top of the unit about 3 inches wide overall. The most striking feature of the GPS 45 (after size) is the large LCD display which takes up the bottom half of the front of the unit. The display has a 'portrait' orientation, being much taller than it is wide. Above the display is a four way rocker switch surrounded by six other buttons. This layout allows the unit to be easily held in either hand with the thumb operating the buttons. The joystick like flat rubber rocker switch is used for all data entry. Alpha-numeric data is entered by cycling through the possible letters/numbers. To the left of the rocker 'cursor' button are (top to bottom) GOTO, Power/Backlight, and QUIT buttons. to the right are PAGE, MARK and ENTER. The top 1/4 of the front is blank except for a logo (picture of the earth with no text). The front part of the unit is white, and the back is black. Batteries (4 AA) are inserted into the bottom, beneath a seal opened with a quarter turn fold out doohickey. The batteries disappear into two tubes. I don't know where they have room for the electronics with all that space taken up inside by the batteries! A 4 pin (round DIN like) connector is on the back. The pins are described in the manual as Ground, Power in (5-40 VDC!), and DATA IN and DATA OUT. A rubber plug protects the connector when it is not in use. The whole unit is waterproof, and is actually filled with dry nitrogen and the waterproofness is covered by the one year warranty. ACCESSORIES INCLUDED: 4 AA [alkaline] batteries (installed). [A carrying case.] A reference manual (61 pages, dated February 1994). A quick reference card (which is too big to fit in the case, but printed on plastic waterproof paper). Warranty registration card. An offer to sell you a training video for $29.95 A wrist strap. The whole mess comes in a white cardboard box with pale Garmin logos on it that is about 11"x7"x3". SPECIFICATIONS: Temp range 5-158 degrees F (-15-70C). Acquisition times: 20 seconds (warm), 2 minutes (cold), 7.5 minutes (sky search). Update rate 1/second. Position accuracy 5-10M (with DGPS), 15M RMS (without SA), [100 Meter accuracy with 95% confidence (with SA on, as is the case now)] Dynamics: 3g's. Power usage .75 watts. Battery life 10 Hours normal, 20 hours battery saver mode. NMEA INTERFACE INFORMATION: NMEA 0180, 0182. 0183 version 1.5 (Approved sentences BWC, GLL, RMB, RMC, XTE, VTG, WPL; Proprietary sentences PGRMM (map datum), PGRMZ (altitude), PSLIB (DGPS beacon remote control)). 0183 version 2.0 (Approved sentences GCA, GLL, GSA, GSV, RMB, RMC, RTE, WPL; Proprietary sentences PGRME (estimated error), PGRMM (map datum), PGRMZ (altitude), PSLIB (DGPS beacon remote control). Plus Garmin's proprietary bi-directional format that allows upload/download of waypoints and other information with appropriate software. DGPS corrections are accepted from any RTCM-104 v2.0 format compatible beacon receiver, but use of Garmin's GBR 21 (discounted to $500) will allow tuning and control from the GPS 45 itself (using the proprietary NMEA data strings above). OPERATIONAL DESCRIPTION, FEATURES, PRELIMINARY EXPERIENCES: To turn it on, you press the power button down firmly. You are greeted with an animated spinning globe and in large letters "Welcome to the Garmin GPS 45" and it gives the firmware revision as "2.02". First displayed is the satellite status screen. This nifty display shows the position in the sky for each satellite, a bar graph of the signal strength of up to 8 stats at a time, a large battery power gauge bar, a backlight indicator (a very useful feature in daylight when you can't tell if the blue EL backlight is on or not), and a status message ("Acquiring" etc). Pressing the PAGE key cycles through the main displays which are as follows: POSITION PAGE: Shows a graphical compass display (like looking at a compass from eye level). Ground track and speed, Position in LAT/LON down to .001 minutes resolution, Altitude (including an accuracy +- value!), and the current time (Local time not GPS time) with 1 second resolution. MAP SCREEN This is way cool. You get a moving map display that will let you zoom from a 0.2 mile range up to 320 miles. You can also pan around, point to waypoints, create new waypoints by pointing etc. There is no provision for a map database, but the nine nearest waypoints can be displayed with their names, along with range circles, course, ground track, and other information, all configurable. You can have TRACK UP or NORTH UP as you like. CROSS TRACK (CDI) SCREEN: Shows bearing and distance to next waypoint, graphical XTE and distance to go, current time and ETE, Track and Speed, etc. MENU SCREEN: >From here you get to enter waypoints and routes and do all the setup stuff. There are about 16 screens of config data and stuff accessible. OTHER MISCELLANEOUS STUFF: Let's see, it is getting late so let me try and highlight the other unusual features. Of course all the stuff for creating routes and waypoints is there. You get 250 Alphanumeric waypoints (which you can add an annotation line of info to!), 20 reversible routes, Man Overboard mode (Press GOTO twice). I have only operated it outside enough to get an initial fix (sky search) and try out some basic stuff and the moving map. If you lose memory (almanac) data or move >300 miles you are forced to do a 7.5-15 minute sky search [unless you enter the new coordinates]. Once this is done, acquisitions are fast, multiple satellite tracking is quick, and overall the thing seems to work wonderfully. All the usual config options are there (Statute, Nautical, or Metric units, True, Auto magnetic, or Manual magnetic headings). There are 102 different map datums in the system (including some really off the wall stuff), but no option to enter your own (but yours is probably already in there). Positions can be displayed in DDDMM.MMM or DDMMSS.S format or UTM coordinates, or British, Irish, or Swiss GRID formats. CDI scale can be +-.25, 1.25 or 5 Miles or kilometers. You can choose to display CMG/VMG rather than track/speed. There is a simulator mode [which simulates strong satellite reception so you can practice operation of the unit indoors]. The differences between normal and battery saver mode are not described (other than to say that battery save mode saves 50% of the battery power and is "suitable for most applications". Velocity is allegedly limited to about [104] MPH, but there is no | mention in the manual about it. Well, that's all for now. There are a number of other minor features but this should give you an idea. Overall, this is one of the niftiest gadgets I have ever seen, and definitely the best handheld GPS I have seen yet! Gavin Scott - gscott@netcom.com -or- gavin@denkart.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >From: swest@as.arizona.edu (Steve West) Subject: Garmin GPS 40 features summary Date: 14 Sep 1994 15:59:26 GMT Here is a brief review of Garmin 40 features. I'm just a novice. Also, this is just a skim of the features. The unit provides all kinds of shortcut ways to do things. I have also missed several features in this review. The unit comes with a 60 page manual. It still has references to marine stuff, but for the most part, it provides general descriptions/instructions applicable to land or water use. ... STATUS AND POSITION PAGE: This page has a polar plot of satellites that are visible over your horizon. The display is "live" so the positions of the satellites change with time. They are represented by numbers. Below the polar plot is a space for 8 signal strength bar graphs. As a satellite is acquired, the number on the polar plot is changed from inverse to normal video, and a bar graph for the satellite strength is created. The bar graphs are shuffled as new satellites are acquired, or old ones move out of view, or the "lock" was lost. 3 satellites are required for lat/long and 4 to add altitude. It also estimates the horizontal accuracy of the result [based on the geometry of the acquired satellite locations]. It usually states an accuracy between 500 ft and 49 ft. Once the unit is set up for your location, it can usually acquire 5-7 satellites within a couple minutes after turn-on. It seems pretty insensitive to orientation. If it cannot maintain a lock on at least 3 satellites, it sends you an alarm saying poor GPS coverage. POSITION PAGE: The position page shows your current lat/long/altitude. There is a moving compass segment at the top that shows your current bearing if you are moving. It estimates your velocity too, and shows you the current time. NAVIGATION PAGE: This page shows an active course deviation indicator (CDI). It allows you to choose a waypoint target, and then you simply follow the roadway to your destination--this is really cool! It estimates your velocity and arrival time and a bunch of other things. It also provides a Man Overboard function (MOB). MAP PAGE: The map page plots a map of waypoints and your current course. You can zoom and pan the map. The waypoints are indicated with a square and the name you gave them as you input them. At any time, you can simply highlight a waypoint on the map and it will tell you the required bearing and distance to get to it. It does lots of other stuff too. MENU PAGE: This page allows selection of 11 menu systems: 1. Nearest waypoint list (shows 9 nearest waypoints). 2. Waypoint list (lists all waypoints and allows you to look at them in detail) 3. Waypoint (details of single waypoint) 4. routes (allows development of up to 20 routes with 30 waypoints each along with editing, copying, pasting etc. You can also specify preferences for waypoint summaries to show DTK, ETE, ETA, etc). 5. Distance and sun calculations (allows input of 2 waypoints for distance and bearing calculation and shows sunrise/sunset times at the destination waypoint). 6. Operation menu (allows selection of unit mode, time offset, LCD display contrast, backlight time, and tone/beep control). 7. Navigation setup (set up position display format, map datum format, CDI scale, units preference, magnetic headings). 8. Track and log setup (allows the unit to automatically make a log of your positions. You can set it up for time or distance intervals for auto data taking plus a bunch of other stuff). 9. Map setup. configure the map display with polar rings, show route or not, show names or not, select preference north up or track up etc, configure track log plotting). 10. I/O setup (configure I/O and differential GPS). 11. messages menu (whenever the unit sends you an alarm for one reason or another, it details the message here). MARKING WAYPOINTS: Marking waypoints is as easy as pressing the mark button. The current lat/long/time are stored. You can give the point a name and provide your own comments and put the point in a specific route number if desired. APPENDICES [from manual]: A. Glossary of terms B. Messages possible on message page. C. Longitudinal time offsets [in hours] D. Map Datums E. Maintenance and Specs. F. Electrical wiring and interfaces. G. Installation of optional mounting bracket and I/O connector. H. Index swest@as.arizona.edu (Steve West) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -GPS 45 XL? The GPS 45 XL is simply a GPS 45 with the improved GPS 38 firmware. This has been anticipated by most of us since the introduction of the GPS 38. The GPS 45 XL was announced by Garmin about July 1, 1996 and is shipping in mid July 1996. To see what additional software features were added, see the GPS 38 section below. Because the GPS 45 XL has more features than the existing GPS 45, the GPS 45 is currently being substantially discounted and will be phased out. -GPS 38 description? Also see the comparison chart at the beginning of the FAQ. The GPS 38 was released late Feb 1996. Here is a brief comparison between a GPS 38 and a GPS 40: GPS 38 Advantages: Better software About $60 cheaper Things the GPS 38 does NOT include that the 40 does: External antenna connector Internal beeper Video Tape If I didn't need the external antenna connector, I would definitely buy the GPS 38 over the GPS 40 (but then again, I want the 45's antenna and antenna connector). [Lane Holdcroft] Here is some info from Garmin's press release: The GPS 38 is similar to the GPS 40, but with the following improvements: A significantly lower price. "EZinit" for quick and easy first-time initialization. Users simply select their country, state or province for a fast, first position fix. "Backtrack" - an extension of the route feature that allows users to exactly re-trace their course based on their track log history, without having to manually create waypoints along the way. "Compass navigation" - a new page that graphically depicts a rotating compass dial. A large, directional arrow shows your bearing to your destination. "Re-designed moving map" - allows a larger presentation of information pertinent to the particular trip. "Four new grid formats" - German, Taiwan, Swedish, and Maidenhead grids. "New Fonts" for improved readability. [Each character is 4 pixels wide instead of 3.] "Re-settable trip odometer" "24 hour or 12 hour with a.m./p.m. time display" Here is some more info from Larry James: What is the size, weight, etc. of the new GARMIN GPS 38? The GPS 38 weighs 9 oz. It uses 4 AA batteries, which last up to 20 hours in battery saver mode. It uses the same "Multi-Track 8" GPS engine as the GPS 40 and GPS 45. It is physically quite similar to the GPS 40. Is the 90 [knot] speed limitation still there? Yes. What does the GPS 40 have that the GPS 38 does not? An MCX connector on the back to connect an active external antenna. What provision is there for computer connection? The GPS 38 is compatible with all the data cables, mounting brackets, DGPS receivers, and commercial software that work with the GPS 40. It is probably compatible with the net freeware also. James Associates will make sure MacGPS is compatible. You will have to check with the authors of free PC software for their policy. They will sell for about $200 US discounted. Here are some additional new features of the GPS 38: The satellite status page shows an empty signal-strength bar while ephemeris data is being collected for that satellite. Thus you know what satellites are actually being used in the position solution. [This is available on the GPS 40/45 by going into diagnostics mode explained elsewhere in the FAQ.] The GPS 38 is 1 oz lighter than the GPS 45 and the GPS 40. The GPS 38 uses a different type of LCD display, which, to my eyes anyway, is slightly easier to read in the dark with the backlight. [The GPS 38 display is blue instead of black.] We have checked out both MacGPS 0.4b8 and MacGPS Pro 1.4.3 with the GPS 38, and both work fine in all modes, no update is required. The GPS 38 does not include a video (unlike the GPS 40). [Larry James] Another poster's info: The Garmin 38 is very similar to the Garmin 40/45 with the following differences. What the Garmin 38 has that the Garmin 40 does not: Coordinated System: Maidenhead (used by HAMs with packet) Map Datums: 106 Full Screen Compass with Waypoint Pointer Instant Initialization by Country Trip Odometer Backtrack feature "STN" [LCD] type display AM/PM Time display 9 oz. weight guestimated street price of $189 What the Garmin 40 has that the Garmin 38 does not: Antenna connector Map Datums: 103 "FTN" [LCD] type display Internal Alarm beeper Carrying Case User Video 10 oz. weight street price of $269 (soon to be lower, my guess: $249). Paul James I got some data sheets from Garmin in the mail the other day, including the 38. Here's a summary ("same" means same as Garmin 45): * Size, weight, display size: same * Case: waterproof tested, ultrasonically welded, dry nitrogen-filled * Magenta LCD display with electroluminescent (EL) backlight * Resettable trip odometer * Coordinates: Lat/lon, UTM/UPS, plus 7 grids, including Maidenhead * Internal lithium memory backup battery * Antenna: internal * Power: 4AA or 5-8 VDC * Does not come with batteries or carrying case * Battery Life: <= 12 h (normal), <= 20 h (saver mode) * Waypoints, routes, datums: same * Operating System: same * Differential-ready (same) * Acquisition times, update rates, accuracy, interfaces: same ddm@onramp.net (Donn Mumma) Some dealers have just received units at the end of February 1996. See the Garmin dealers at the end of this document for contact info. -GPS 90 press release/specs? The GPS 90 comes with either a US or International (UK and Europe) database. If you buy it in the US, make sure you get the database you want. facts@cix.compulink.co.uk (John Mccurdy) Also, the Jeppesen database is updated regularly and the update cost is $125 for one time, $312/yr for quarterly updates, and $845/yr for 28-day cycle updates. If you let it expire, then you will receive a warning message on every powerup that the database is out of date but you may continue operation. The Garmin GPS 90 looks like the GPS 45 except that it has different firmware, a dark grey case (top and bottom), and a couple of buttons are relabeled. Internally it may have better shielding and more battery backed up memory. Of course it does not have the 90 knot speed limit and it has some other software features for aviation use such as a database of public airports and navigation aids. I found the following press release which was posted a while ago. Some additional info and specifications from a recent posting follows the press release. Start of press release: ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: GARMIN introduces GPS 90 Organization: GARMIN International Date: Tue, 4 Apr 1995 15:25:38 GMT Essentially, if you know the GARMIN product line, this is a 45 and a 95XL all rolled into one package. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 9, 1995 GARMIN Introduces Powerful GPS Receiver in Small Package The GPS 90, the world's smallest handheld GPS, is packed with all the features of its larger counterparts LENEXA, Kan. GARMIN International, aviation's leading GPS manufacturer, announces the introduction of the GPS 90, the world's smallest GPS handheld receiver. At only 10 ounces, and about the size of a remote control, the GPS 90 is full-featured, with moving map graphics, a large LCD display and an extensive Jeppesen database that includes all airports, runway diagrams and available navaids and SUAs, all at the pilot's fingertips. Significantly, battery life for the GPS 90 is approximately 15 hours on only four AA batteries, greatly exceeding that of any other GPS receiver to date. The ergonomic design of the GPS 90 truly is a breed apart from other models in the marketplace. Specifically, the GPS 90 is designed to fit comfortably in the pilot's palm for single-handed operation. Or, the unit mounts nicely in a universal yoke mount, which is an included accessory with purchase. The GPS 90's unique thumbkey rockerpad offers two scrolling speeds and quick, intuitive data entry. The GPS 90 will bring many pilots into the GPS fold for the first time, said Tim Casey, GARMIN's aviation marketing manager. Its size, simplistic software operation and amazing battery life make it the one piece of equipment every pilot's bag should make room for. The GPS 90 has a unique, rockerpad cursor control and only six function keys, enabling pilots to quickly access one of five main pages that are displayed on the EL backlit LCD screen. Those five pages are: satellite status, position, moving map, navigation and menu. The satellite status page shows which satellites the receiver is tracking, the strength of their signals, and also displays the battery power via a graphic fuel gauge. The position page indicates your track, speed, latitude, longitude, altitude and time-of-day. The moving map graphically plots your course as you mark waypoints and travel waypoint to waypoint. The map is capable of 12 range scales from 1/5th to 320 miles and will also zoom and pan the area you're navigating. Pilots may also view airports, VORs, NDBs, SUAs and other user-chosen information provided by the internal Jeppesen database. The navigation page indicates your bearing, distance, track and speed to an active waypoint. A course deviation indicator tells you when you're off course. The menu page offers pilots various setup and user-preference options, an E6-B menu, sunrise/sunset calculations and route and waypoint management features. GPS 90 users may also choose to operate the unit at home in the simulator mode to plan trips, customize user options and enter or modify waypoint and route information. The unit will store 250 user-defined waypoints and up to 20 reversible routes, with 30 waypoints each. Additionally, the case for the GPS 90 is ultra-sonically welded and dry-nitrogen filled. The GPS 90, along with the entire GARMIN product line, relies upon GARMIN's proprietary MultiTrac8 receiver technology, which tracks and uses signals from up to eight satellites simultaneously. The GPS 90 comes with a carrying case, user's manual and quick reference card, wrist strap, universal yoke mount bracket, suction cup antenna mount, power-data cable and a cigarette lighter adapter. Optional accessories available for purchase include a serial data cable and PC kit. The GPS 90 is currently available and lists at $799. GARMIN International designs, manufactures and markets GPS equipment for a variety of markets, including aviation, marine, military, survey, OEM and general recreation. For more information on the GPS 90 or any of GARMIN's other GPS receivers, contact GARMIN International [see new address at end of FAQ]. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [End of press release] Here is some info about the GPS 90 supplied by Roger Vermeir: Controls are the same, except for some key labels: 'GOTO' on the 45 is called 'GOTO NRST' on the 90 'MARK' on the 45 is called 'WPT' on the 90. Here are some specs of the 90: up to 250 user waypoints; up to 20 reversible routes (with up to 30 wpts each) acquisition: warm approx. 15 sec (I've had several in less than 8 sec, in good conditions) cold: approx. 2 min autolocate : approx. 7.5 min (but it may need up to 15 min, and if you are in a real 'Poor GPS coverage' area, it will start beeping and then auto shut-off) update rate 1/sec (cont) accuracy: position: 15 m (49 ft) RMS (100 m 2DRMS if DoD's SA is ON) velocity: 0.1 kts RMS steady state [several kts realistically because SA is ON] Dynamics: 999 kts velocity, 3 G's Interfaces: NMEA 180, 182, 183, unit-to-unit, PC, RTCM 104 v.2.0 (corrections) MAP datums : 105 size: 6.15 x 2 x 1.23 inches (15.6 x 5.1 x 3.1 cm) weight: 9 ounces (255 g) inclusive batteries display: 2.2 x 1.5 inches (5.6 x 3.8 cm) high contrast backlit LCD case: ultrasonically welded, dry nitrogen filled power: 4 AA batteries or 8...40 V DC 0.75 W max consumption Temp. range : 5 F to 158 F (-15 C to + 70 C ) Battery life: up to 15 hours (normal mode) or 20 hours (battery saver mode) Built-in rechargeable lithium battery saves almanac and waypoint data while you are changing batteries, BUT WILL ONLY SAVE DATA FOR A FEW MONTHS (according to the Garmin manual). Roger Vermeir (meirr@btmaa.bel.alcatel.be) -GPS 89 info? | The GPS 89 is a GPS 90 with a much less complete jeppeson database and fewer accessories. It does not include the yoke mount but it does include an antenna extension. It is available for as low as $420 when heavily discounted. | -GPS 120 description? The GPS 120 looks like it has GPS 45/40 software but it has a mobile mount (sort of like the GPS 65), a much larger display, no battery compartment, and it includes an external antenna. It looks like it was intended to be permanently mounted in the cockpit of a boat. The only differences I can see is that the GPS 120 has a Man Over Board button and an anchor alarm option in the menu. Power input: 10-40 VDC, 2 watts The specifications are virtually identical to those of the GPS 45. The GPS 120 sells for about $400 US discounted. -GPS 130 description? | The GPS 130 was Garmin's first 12 channel GPS unit with a display! The GPS 130 looks like the GPS 120. It has a mobile mount unit with no battery compartment. It has a much higher resolution display than the GPS 120 and it also has grayscale capability. It includes a map of the world but also uses optional very detailed map cartridges. Someone measured the current and said it was about 150mA at 12 VDC (without the antenna). -GPS 135 description? | Here is an announcement about another new unit: Garmin announces the availability of the GPSMAP 135 Sounder. It combines the PhaseTrack12 parallel channelGPS engine and an advanced sonar sounder with fish-finding capabilities. Larry James (http://www.csn.net/~lwjames) -GPSMAP 175 description? | The GPSMAP 175 is Garmin's long awaited 12 channel handheld unit. This should be the answer for people that need good performance in heavy tree cover. It was just officially announced in July 1996 and should be shipping in late August. It has a much higher resolution display than the GPS 45/40/38 family. Here is Larry's announcement for the newsgroup: GARMIN announces the GPSMAP 175, a big screen handheld with a 4-level gray scale LCD display and the PhaseTrack12 parallel-channel GPS engine. Takes G-chart cartridges for background maps. Larry James (http://www.csn.net/~lwjames) 250 waypoints 20 reversible routes, 30 points each > 100 map datums Well I couldn't wait, so I called Garmin Sales and Marketing to ask about this unit... Here's the info I got from Lee, GPSMAP 175 Introduced 7/10/96 Dimensions ........................ 7.6"x2.9"x2.1"[19.3x7.4x5.3cm] Weight ............................ 1.4 lbs [635g] Max power consumption ............. 1.5 Watts Display size ...................... 2.25"x3.38" [4.1" or 10.4cm diameter] Pixel count ....................... 160x240 Power needs ....................... 6 AA cells which can last up to 10 hours. Antenna ........................... Internal Patch Will accept 6-40 volts DC external power. Can accept optional active antenna. The person(Lee) I spoke with definitely referred to this receiver as a 12 channel receiver. This is all I asked about, as they were my main questions. I assume the software is much like the G38 with additional Charting capabilitys. I didn't ask but also assume it has Garmin's infamous 90 knot speed limit. [Unfortunately it does have the 90 knot limit -Editor] iggy@home.merit.edu (Glenn Wiltse) -GPS 20/25/30/31/35 (remote only models)? These units do not have displays. They are for remote use only! Here is a quick chart to separate the remote models: Model Channels board or TracPac ----- -------- ---------------- GPS 20 1/8 board GPS 25 12 board GPS 30 1/8 TracPac GPS 31* 1/8 TracPac GPS 35 12 TracPac * marine mount version of GPS 30 [Lane Holdcroft] UNIT P/N COMES WITH GPS20-000 MultiTrac8 sensor board only GPS20-101 GPS20 with GA28 marine ant. and 15' cable GPS20-020 GPS20 with GA27 mag mount ant. and 8' cable GPS20-099 GPS20 Eval Kit* GPS25-000 PhaseTrac12 sensor board only GPS25-010 GPS25 with GA28 GPS25-020 GPS25 with GA27 GPS25-099 GPS25 Eval Kit* GPS30-000 MultiTrac8 and ant. combo GPS30-099 GPS30 Eval Kit* GPS30-100 GPS30 PC Version with DB9 connector GPS31-000 same as above, but with threaded 1" marine ant. GPS35-000 PhaseTrac12 and ant. combo GPS35-099 GPS30 Eval Kit* GPS35-100 GPS35 PC version with DB9 connector * Eval Kits come with GPS engine, antenna with cables & connector, power/data cable with connector, NMEA monitor software & documentation. All Garmin engines come complete with DGPS input capability, PPS timing output and lithium 3V battery on board Further Info PhaseTrac12: 12 parallel channel, phase tracking accuracy in the world's smallest GPS footprint. MultiTrac8: Tracks and uses up to 8 satellites for accurate, reliable GPS data at an incredibly low 1 watt power consumption. With same footprint as PhaseTrac12 and a real time clock, PPS timing and nonvolotile memory right on the board. TracPac: A sure bet on Plug and Play GPS. Combines a GPS engine and antenna in an all weather, low profile housing that's a perfect fit for vehicle and PC applications. Just connect to 10 - 32 volts DC and your data interface, pick the mounting option you need and you're off. Available with choice of PhaseTrac12 or MultiTrac8 engine. Consumes very little power and feature DGPS capability. NMEA 0183 output. PhaseTrac12 MultiTrac8 Architecture 12 parallel channels Patented MultiTrac8 Time to first fix reacquistion < 2 sec < 2 sec warm 15 sec 20 sec cold 45 sec 2 min sky search < 5 min 15 min update rate 1 sec continuous 1 sec cont. Dynamics velocity 999 knots 999 knots acceleration 6 g 3 g jerk 60 m/s^3 20 m/s^3 Datums 102 predefined, 1 user defined Electrical input voltage 5.0V DC +- 5% regulated power consumption 1.1 Watts 0.8 watts (Track Pak's 10-30V DC) 1.4 watts 1.2 watts backup on board 3V lithium (10 year lifetime) sensitivity -166 dBW Timing 1pps 1pps Connectors antenna 50 ohm MCX female connector for active (5V DC @ 15ma) or passive antenna power/data single row, right angle 12 pin male Physical configuration 1 integrated board engine size 1.83"W X 2.75"L X 0.45"H weight 1.1 oz op temp -30 deg C - 80 deg C (remove Li battery for extended usage above 80 deg C) storage temp -40 deg C - 85 deg C Interfaces compatibility 2 RS-232 serial ports data rate User selectable baud rate 1200/2400(tx only)/4800/9600 format NMEA 0183 v.2.0, ASCII inputs initial position, date and time (not required), 2D/3D & earth datum command, RTCM-104 v.2.0 differential outputs position, velocity & time, receiver and satellite status, geometry and error estimates timing output timing output with +- 1 microsecond accuracy The TracPak is an integrated engine/antenna system 2.33"W X 3.80"L X 1.04"H 7.2 oz Connector 50-ohm MCX female 5V DC@15ma for active Operating Temp: -30C->85C Storage Temp: -40C->85C Data Rate 1200,2400,4800,9600 NMEA 0183 v. 2.0 The following info is for the GPS25 only! (The 20 will be real close but I have not cross checked the info) Connector: 1 - Tx2 (Not used) 2 - Rx2 RTCM input 3 - PPS 1us pulse at 1hz. Can drive a 50Ohm load 4 - Tx1 RS-232 compatible Output 5 - Rx1 RS-232 compatible Input (-25 < V <+25V) 6 - Reset supply at least 2.5 V to reset engine 7 - V_Aux External power for battery backup. 50uA. (4 < V < 33) 8 - Gnd 9 - NC 10 - 5V DC Regulated input. +5V +/-5%. 350mA maximum. Must be clean! 11 - NC 12 - NMEA NMEA compatable output (same data as on pin 4) Data Input: Almanac: $GPALM (GPS 25 only) almanac data Initalization: $PGRMI includes position, utc data and time Configuration: $PGRMC includes altitude, datum selection, baud rate Output Select: $PGRMO turns on specific output sentences. Data Input: Almanac: $GPALM (GPS 25 only) almanac data Inialization: $PGRMI includes position, utc data and time Configuration: $PGRMC includes altitude, datum selection, baud rate Output Select: $PGRMO turns on specific output sentences. Data Output: Time have leap seconds accounted for $GPALM: Almanac (GPS 25 only) $GPGGA: Position include time, position, quality, number of satellites used. Horz DOP, Alt, DGPS data age, diff station ID $GPGSA: DOP, active SVs Mode, 2D/3D, Satellites tracked, PDOP, HDOP, VDOP $GPGSV: Sats in View Sv #, elevation, azimuth, S/N $GPRMC: Basic info Time, Position, speed, course, date, magnetic variation. $GPVTG: trak, speed course, mag course, speed in knots, speed in kmh $LCGLL: Loran simulation position, time $LCVTG: Loran tracking simulation course, mag course, speed kts,speed kmh $PGRME: Error Horizontal Error, Vertical Error, Total Error $PGRMF: GPS Fix Week number, gps seconds, date, time, leap seconds, postion, speed (kmh), course, PDOP, Time DOP $PGRMT: Sensor Status Product version, test results( chksum, receiver, stored data, RTC, oscillator,data collection, board temp, board config data. $PGRMV: 3d speed east, north, up, all in m/s Map Datums: There are 104 of them (some are the same) plus one user selectable one if you have your own ideas of how round the earth is. On the $GPGGA NMEA output the message uses: latitude in ddmm.mmmm longitude in dddmm.mmmm On the $LCGLL (Loran position): latitude in ddmm.mm longitude in dddmm.mm [Garmin literature] There is a list server for a group of people buying the 12 channel remote only (no display) Garmin GPS boards at maiser@humec.ksu.edu under the name "GPS". There is also a group buy through TAPR for the MultiTrac 8 boards. TAPR is the Tucson Amateur Packet Radio group which is promoting packet use with APRS software listed in the web sites section of the FAQ. There is info at: http://www.tapr.org -GPS 30/31 description? [The GPS 31 is very similar but apparently has a marine antenna mount.] To those of you who asked what is the Garmin GPS 30: The GPS 30 looks like a PC mouse without buttons. Its dimensions are: 56.4 X 96.3 X 26.7 mm [2.23"W x 3.80"L x 1.04"H]. It has no buttons, no LCD, no battery compartment; just an eight wire cable. >From what I've read it works much like the GPS 40 without the human interface (just computer interface) It needs an external power source. It appears to have two wires for power (besides the ground): VIN - Unregulated 10-30VDC 200mA (maximum). Typical operating current is 110mA. VAUX - Optional External Backup Power Connection. This is an optional connection. Internal battery capacity is 180 mA hour. typical current requirement is 65uA @ 5VDC. If used, a 4VDC to 30 VDC power source is required. Luis Lamela (Lamela@lnec.pt) 3.00 FIRMWARE (INTERNAL SOFTWARE): ---------------------------- -90 knot speed limit? There is a firmware speed limit of 90 Knots (Nautical miles/hour), 104 statute MPH, and 167 km/h for the GPS 45/40/38/75. Most of the fields are replaced with dashes or underlines above the speed limit except for the compass and clock. There is no doubt that this is a firmware (software) imposed limit. Contrary to many reports on the internet, the limit is NOT 99 or 100 MPH and it is NOT 99 or 100 knots. Almost all other civilian GPS receivers have a maximum speed limit of about 1000 knots and a maximum altitude (of about 60000 ft) to discourage their use on InterContinental Ballistic Missiles as required by the US Department of Defense. This has created a lot of debate in the GPS newsgroup primarily because it is so poorly documented and is arbitrary. Reports indicate that it is now mentioned briefly in newer versions of the GPS 40 and 38 manuals. The problem is that most people were not forewarned. Obviously every potential customer does not have the time to read the manual before deciding to purchase the unit. I believe that potential customers should be prominently warned about the limitation in the first few pages of the manual and on the box of the instrument so that they can see the limitations before their purchase. I already knew about the limit from this newsgroup so at least I had prior knowledge. I noticed that some of the newer Garmin data sheets list the limit as "approximately 95 knots or 103 MPH" which a great improvement although they still don't have the exact number in knots correct. You would think they would know their own software imposed limits! Surprisingly, the limit is not listed on the GPSMAP 195 spec sheet but I am told it still exists. This 90 knot speed limit was apparently done to prevent these models from competing with the aviation models that are priced at several hundred dollars more. This is a common marketing technique called "market positioning" or "price positioning". An alternative way to look at it is that aviation unit purchases help to subsidize the costs of the GPS 45/40/38 models! Garmin's defense is that this was done to reduce their liability by preventing their use in aircraft. The other GPS manufacturers don't seem so concerned. The Magellan GPS 2000 is available for $200 and it doesn't have the limit! | Unfortunately, instead of the warning message "90 knot marketing speed limit exceeded", it states "Poor GPS Coverage" which is simply not true. | There are some aviation models called the Garmin GPS 90 and 89 that look like the GPS 45 except that they have different firmware, a black case, and a couple of buttons are relabeled so Garmin certainly has the capability of making them work above 90 knots. Internally they could have better shielding and the 90 at least has more battery backed up memory. Of course they do not have the 90 knot speed limit and they have some other software features for aviation use such as a database of public airports and navigation aids. See the Garmin GPS 90 and 89 section elsewhere in this FAQ. Because of the speed limit, some people have bought other manufacturers' GPS units instead. Hopefully this speed limit will be removed in a future firmware version. Thanks to John M. Lewis (70544.73@compuserve.com) for his well documented test with a laptop computer in a plane. His report is included below. The reports of 100 knot or 100 MPH limits were in error. Here is a report of the details by John Lewis: I took a GPS 45 into an aircraft, it worked OK up to and below 90.0 KTS. Above 90.0 nautical miles per hour it beeped with "Poor GPS Coverage" and did not display the track, speed, position, or altitude. The time and the "compass card" did display. The track map did not indicate the >90Kts points, nor did the track data download. Upon decreasing speed to 90.0 Kts, even if only for a second, the full display reappeared, with accurate position information. During the speed blackout, the sat status page indicated 8 satellites with nearly full signal strength bars. The GPS 45 was attached to an HP100LX palmtop for data recording. The following is an excerpt edited to pertinent RMC sentences: Garmin GPS 45 V2.32 NMEA V2 RMC sentences ID, UTC-GPS, LAT , LON , KNOTS,Track, Date $GPRMC,231109,A,3030.183,N,08819.149,W,087.2,284.8,140595,,*0E $GPRMC,231111,A,3030.203,N,08819.206,W,086.2,293.9,140595,,*02 $GPRMC,231113,A,3030.229,N,08819.257,W,089.3,300.4,140595,,*04 $GPRMC,231115,V,,,,,,,140595,,*38 $GPRMC,231117,V,,,,,,,140595,,*3A . . $GPRMC,231539,V,,,,,,,140595,,*32 $GPRMC,231541,V,,,,,,,140595,,*3D $GPRMC,231543,A,3032.451,N,08824.848,W,090.0,097.0,140595,,*06 $GPRMC,231545,V,,,,,,,140595,,*39 $GPRMC,231547,V,,,,,,,140595,,*3B . . $GPRMC,231643,V,,,,,,,140595,,*3C $GPRMC,231645,V,,,,,,,140595,,*3A $GPRMC,231648,A,3032.932,N,08824.232,W,086.7,277.8,140595,,*05 $GPRMC,231650,A,3032.915,N,08824.287,W,081.2,256.0,140595,,*0E Reconfiguring the 45 for display in Statute MPH, the display changed to dashes at speeds in excess of 104 MPH. When configured for Metric, the device becomes useless above 167 K/H. The ability to instantly relock and display correct data upon reducing speed to 90.0 Kts, as well as the ability to display correct heading via the compass card indicates a software induced blanking, not a hardware limitation. There may exist a hardware limitation at speeds in excess of 110 Kts, this test flight did not exceed 110 Kts IAS. John M Lewis <70544.73@compuserve.com> -GPS 45/40 firmware versions: These versions do not apply to any other Garmin products except the 40 & 45. The firmware is believed to be identical between the 2 products except that different model numbers are displayed on power up ("45" vs. "40"). Here are some versions and their differences that have been mentioned in the newsgroup. Most other differences are not known outside of Garmin. V2.02 4/94 Early release of GPS 45 ... V2.20 1994 ... V2.24 1994 ... V2.31 V2.32 Shipped for many months V2.40 5/95 New feature: Fuel Gauge gone when connected to external power V2.41 6/95 Some units have simulator random power down problem (minor)++ V2.42 7/95 Simulator random power down problem partially fixed V2.43 9/95 Simulator random power down problem fully fixed [V2.43 is still the current version 6/1996] The above dates are approximate within about 1 month. ++Simulator mode is a mode which simulates satellite signal acquisition, presumably when you are not outside and want to practice with the unit. You can still program the unit indoors (or wherever you are that you can't lock onto the satellites) using "normal mode" instead, however in normal mode the unit will automatically shut down after 15 minutes of not finding enough satellites (to conserve the batteries). If you want to update your firmware, you can have the unit serviced at Garmin's $149 flat rate fee for repairs. (I think the price may have gone up slightly.) It is not a trivial operation. See the section "Internal electrical hardware" for the details of what is required for the EPROM replacement. I have seen the simulator bug in V2.41 of the software. Some reports indicate that it does not affect all units with V2.41 firmware. If a unit has the bug, when you are in simulator mode after an apparently random amount of time (sometimes immediately), the unit turns itself off. You simply turn it back on or use normal mode and turn it back on every 15 minutes. This is not a serious problem. I have not heard of any serious bugs in past versions so it is very likely not worth upgrading. It is fortunate for us that Garmin is continually upgrading their firmware. Many companies don't. -GPS 38/45XL firmware versions: V3.03 2/96 Not a bad version | V3.04 4/96 (still current in June) -What are the undocumented modes for the GPS 45/40/38/90/89? Globe spin rate and direction: Go to the map display. Then press the OFF button for 1-2 seconds. The globe will still be on the screen and you can change the speed with the up/down buttons and the direction of rotation with the right/left buttons. Press any other button to return to normal mode. Test screen: Hold down ENTER while pressing on the POWER button. Invokes button test screen and displays labeled: SNR Signal to Noise Ratio? DRIFT of FREQ below FREQ apparently this is a 16 MHz internal clock TEMP degrees Celsius BATTERY voltage in hundredths of Volts EXTERNAL external power connector voltage in hundredths of Volts TIME Universal Coordinated Time without local offset Press LEFT or RIGHT arrows to adjust contrast. Press ENTER 2 times to get an all black screen, press ENTER again for cool exploding rectangles on the display. Press ENTER again to exit this mode. Hold down OFF button to exit test screen. Also turns beep on if you had it off! Full reset and memory clear: Hold down MARK while pressing on the POWER button (CLEARS MEMORY!!!). DO NOT TRY THIS UNLESS YOU ARE WILLING TO LOSE ALL SAVED INFO!!!!!!!!!! Waypoints, Track, Routes and more will all be gone. I would not do this unless my GPS unit was having serious problems (and then only as a last resort attempt to fix it before sending it in for repair)! It returns all settings to initial factory defaults. Diagnostics mode: To get into this mode, quickly after turning on the power (while the globe is still spinning), press all 4 arrows one at a time (in any order). 2 or 3 digit numbers are added to many screens. Reportedly they are the process stack depth. | The signal strength bars are initially hollow. They become solid apparently when some specific data has been downloaded from the satellite. The number in the bottom right of the satellite screen (usually something like 1.3 or 4.2), looks like an indication of the geometric degradation of [precision] (GDOP). It varies with the number and location of satellites being received, being lowest when a group of satellites scattered widely over the sky are present, and highest for a cluster of satellites, or when the received satellites are all in a straight line. It also seems to vary in step with the "accuracy" number normally displayed in the top right. Contributed by proach@cais2.cais.com (Peter Roach) The internal temperature in degrees Fahrenheit is added to the position screen to the right of the time. A "DIAG" option is added at the bottom of the menu screen. The following is displayed on the DIAG screen: Battery voltage in hundredths of volts. Elapsed time (can be zeroed by pressing ENTER). Screen can be paused by pressing MARK. Looks like there is a lot of internal software debugging info. GPS 40 mode [may only work with older firmware versions]: I just found an interesting feature of my GPS45 (v2.32). Pressing the center of the thumbwheel switch (engaging all four) upon powerup results in the welcome screen changing to "Welcome to the Garmin GPS 40", with the same software version mentioned as in the 45 announcement. [Editor was not able to duplicate w/ V2.41 firmware] Michael J. Klein (mjk@shore.net) -What are some undocumented modes for the GPS 75? | + switch on and press ENTER: display & receiver osc.-selftest + switch on and press the '0'-button: go to Auto- Locate-Mode + switch on and press CLR: completely destroy the RAM contents (clock, almanac, route, settings) Sebastian Birnbach (birnbacs@informatik.tu-muenchen.de) -Why is internal temperature available? In some electronic circuits, it is useful to measure the internal temperature so that it can be used to compensate for changes in components over temperature. As the unit warms up, this internal temperature will generally be warmer than the ambient (surrounding) temperature. The internal temperature measurement is not intended for use as a thermometer to measure the air temperature (although it would probably work well immediately after the unit is turned on before it warms up). I would speculate that the temperature is used to monitor the drift of the 16 MHz clock since apparently the frequency drift info is displayed on one of the diagnostic screens above. There are two different modes on the GPS 45/40/38 that allow you to read the internal temperature. One is in Fahrenheit, the other is in Celsius. See the previous "Diagnostics mode" and "Test screen" sections above for details. -VMG error? Garmin has apparently implemented the VMG (Velocity Made Good) differently than most other GPS manufacturers on the GPS 45 and GPS 75. It appears that it was fixed in the (newer versions at least) GPS 38 but I have seen conflicting reports which are probably due to variations in firmware versions. The 45 [and 75] VMG calculation shows you your speed along a course from your starting point to your destination. This gives you misleading (IMHO) readings. (It still gives you a positive VMG after you pass your destination and are getting further away from it.) The 38 displays a correct (IMHO) VMG from your current position to your destination and ignores your starting point. Randall P Devol (randyd@shell.portal.com) The 75 [and 45] only knows where you told it you wanted to go when. it assumes you want to go to the 'active' waypoint from the point where you were when you pressed the 'GOTO' button'. if you wish to change this starting position just press 'GOTO' again and select the desired waypoint to 'GOTO'. Now VMG will be the new speed made good to the waypoint from the current position. vic fraenckel -What are the GPS 45/40 data NMEA 0183 V2.0 sentences | Also see the NMEA FAQ on Peter Bennett's site listed elsewhere in the FAQ. FYI here is the NMEA 0183 v 2.0 actual live output of the GPS45: $GPRMC,064504,A,3410.983,N,11814.012,W,000.0,189.2,271294,013.9,E*6F $GPRMB,A,,,,,,,,,,,,V*71 $GPGGA,064504,3410.982,N,11814.012,W,1,05,2.6,315.6,M,31.5,M,,*5F $GPGSA,A,3,,04,,07,09,12,24,,,,,,4.6,2.6,3.8*30 $GPGSV,2,1,07,02,11,117,00,04,61,067,42,05,40,316,00,07,29,054,39*7E $GPGSV,2,2,07,09,56,262,45,12,82,217,43,24,59,181,44,,,,*4B $PGRME,59.3,M,72.0,M,93.3,M*1D $GPGLL,3410.982,N,11814.012,W,064505,A*31 $PGRMZ,1034,f,3*2D $PGRMM,WGS 84*06 $GPRTE,1,1,c*1B Here are what I consider useful sentences for all the data I want to log: $GPRMC,064504,A,3410.983,N,11814.012,W,000.0,189.2,271294,013.9,E*6F utc ok lat------- lon-------- knots | date-- mag var the OK is "A" not OK is "V" |____track made good $GPGGA,064504,3410.982,N,11814.012,W,1,05,2.6,315.6,M,31.5,M,,*5F utc lat------- lon--------ok#sat altitude geoidal HDOP separation the last two elements are age in seconds from last DGPS update and DGPS station ID the OK is 0 for no, 1 for GPS, and 2 for DGPS $GPGSA,A,3,,04,,07,09,12,24,,,,,,4.6,2.6,3.8*30 | || | |__VDOP Vertical Dilution of Precision | || | |______HDOP Horiz | || ||__________PDOP Position | ||_sats in view 12 max_| | |_________________________________1 no fix, 2 2D, 3 3D |___________________________________Automatic or Manual $PGRME,59.3,M,72.0,M,93.3,M*1D HPE--- VPE--- EPE--- Horiz, Vert, and Estimated Position error in meters $PGRMM,WGS 84*06 datum These repeat data but each offers some unique data as well. I intend to log from GPRMC: (NMEA) date/time lat/lon track/knots variation from GPGGA (NMEA) OK, #Sat, altitude, geoidal separation from GPGSA (NMEA) 2D/3D, PDOP, HDOP, and VDOP from PGRME (proprietary Garmin) HPE, VPE, EPE from PGRMM (proprietary Garmin) datum The others are: satellite views: $GPGSV,2,1,07,02,11,117,00,04,61,067,42,05,40,316,00,07,29,054,39*7E $GPGSV,2,2,07,09,56,262,45,12,82,217,43,24,59,181,44,,,,*4B | |_msg # | | | |_SNR 00-99dB null=not tracking |___tot # of msg's (1-3) | | |_____Satellite azimuth (true 000-360) | |________Satellite elevation (90 degrees max) |___________Satellite number $GPGLL,3410.982,N,11814.012,W,064505,A*31 lat------- lon-------- utc--- ok $PGRMZ,1034,f,3*2D (Garmin proprietary) alt ft|____2=user altitude, 3=GPS altitude $GPRTE,1,1,c*1B |__on ALL this is a checksum |___route ID and then followed by WAYPOINT IDs. |_____message number |_______total number of messages Richard L. Hess | 4.00 BATTERY/POWER: -------------- -How is power selected between the internal batteries and the external supply? This differs between the 40/38 and the 45. The 45 switches completely to the supply with the highest voltage. The 40/38 does a slower crossover from one supply to the other as the voltage of one exceeds the voltage of the other, and will draw part of its operating current from a current-limited external supply such as a solar panel, even if the current-limited supply cannot supply the total power needs of the GPS 40/38. The remaining current which the solar panel cannot supply is supplied by the internal batteries. Larry James (lwjames@csn.net) If neither is high enough, the unit will shut off to allow the memory to be maintained. -What voltages do the fuel gauge correspond to? I hooked up a GPS45 to a variable supply in the shop and found the following in testing the battery monitor display. DC supplied thru battery compartment [V2.32] Full reading ~5.65v 3/4 ~5.3v 1/2 ~5.00v 1/4 ~4.6v Empty ~4.25v low battery alarm, unit turns off Readings did not exactly repeat and there appeared to be some hysteresis, hence the tilde. Unit transitioned smoothly between external dc and internal batteries when external power was cycled (unit did not lose sat lock). davew@cruzio.com (David Wells) There are variations between units so the above info may not apply directly to your unit! For example, my unit shuts off between 3.7 and 4.0 V when powered by internal batteries. However, when externally powered, it only goes down to 6.25 V. Keep this in mind if you are using an external battery pack! | You can easily calibrate your own unit by going into diag mode or the test screen as explained under the FIRMWARE section and just compare the battery voltage with the fuel gauge at various battery levels. It is easy to see what your actual battery life is in hours and minutes by using the elapsed timer in the "Diag mode" and simply zeroing it when you change batteries. -Current consumption of a GPS 45 at different external supply input voltages? This is from a GPS 45 unit with V2.41 firmware and internal batteries removed: (There are manufacturing variations between units and this does NOT apply to a GPS 40/38) Normal Mode (as opposed to Battery Saver mode) Simulator Mode uses half as much current POWER POWER V in OFF ON ---- --- -- 6.25 V 1.0 mA unit turned itself off! 7 V 1.1 mA 144-166 mA 8 V 1.3 mA 120-138 mA 10 V 1.8 mA 80-100 mA GPS 45 only, GPS 40/38 might be damaged! 12 V 2.3 mA 68-84 mA GPS 45 only, GPS 40/38 might be damaged! 14 V 2.8 mA 62-78 mA GPS 45 only, GPS 40/38 might be damaged! 16 V 3.3 mA 62-76 mA GPS 45 only, GPS 40/38 might be damaged! 24 V 5.2 mA 64-80 mA GPS 45 only, GPS 40/38 might be damaged! 32 V 7.1 mA 64-80 mA GPS 45 only, GPS 40/38 might be damaged! >From this data, I conclude that you do not want your GPS 45 external supply to drop down below about 7 Volts. Also, there is no advantage to a supply with more than about 14 Volts as the extra voltage will just be converted to heat. Also (on the GPS 45 at least), there is a big difference between the battery input and the external power input circuitry. -How does BatterySave mode work? According to Garmin's Tech Support Department- These are a couple of the things the saver does: 1. Stops the unit from trying to re-lock if it loses the birds. 2. Cycles the receiver off and on periodically if you are motionless. (update time) Ralph Fowler (rwf@mindspring.com) Garmin technical support also claims that there is no disadvantage to Battery Saver mode but many people have observed that the ability to hold lock on satellites is poorer under weak signal conditions in Battery Saver mode. | Most people feel that the BatterySave mode offers only a modest battery life improvement in general use. If you have a strong signal, it probably does not hurt to leave it in Battery Saver mode. If you change modes, then the unit loses all satellites and must reacquire them (although it happens quickly). Also, as is mentioned in the manual, when you have trouble getting the receiver to lock on the satellites, if you turn the unit off and then on again it often performs much better. [Lane A. Holdcroft] The RF circuitry draws considerable power. In normal mode it is on continuously. In battery saver mode, after a lock is established and the necessary data downloaded from the required number of satellites, the RF circuitry is turned off for short periods, then back on. If the user's velocity vector is constant during the off period, then when it comes back on, the satellite signals will be right where the receiver expects them to be (in time). When the receiver verifies that, it can go back to sleep again for another short period, saving the batteries. If the signals are not where expected, if the velocity change is small, the receiver can quickly find them by searching either side of the expected time delay. Obviously no change in velocity can be detected while the RF circuitry is off. The conclusion is: If you are going at a nearly steady velocity under a clear sky, use battery saver mode. If you are under trees with marginal signals, or want the fastest possible response to velocity and direction change, use normal mode. Larry James (lwjames@csn.net) Here is yet another informed person's explanation: The battery saver mode cycles the receiver portion of the GPS on for one second and off for two (then repeats) to conserve power. The CPU portion of the GPS is on continuously and interpolates speed/position during the off cycle. If the GPS has a hard time keeping up with speed/heading changes (i.e. a "high dynamics" situation) then Battery Save will automatically be overridden in favor of Normal mode operation. It will revert back to Battery Save operation (again automatically) once speed/heading readings stabilize. | -Rechargeable Batteries? Renewals: Rayovac Renewal (tm) rechargeable alkaline batteries work very well in the GPS 45/40/38 units. They are only rated for about 25 recharges (compared with approximately 300-1000 recharges for NiCd batteries) but have a longer life per charge and a slower self discharge rate. Actually, the capacity decreases about 2% per full discharge/ recharge cycle. They also have about 20% less capacity than normal alkaline batteries. Also the fuel gauge reads more accurately than with NiCd's. The chargers are about $16 US and the 4 AA batteries cost about $7 US. Unlike NiCd batteries, Renewal batteries will last much longer if you charge them often. They are available at large discount stores such as Walmart, K-mart, & Target in the US. NiCd: Nickel Cadmium batteries are much cheaper long term than standard alkaline batteries or even Renewals if you use your unit a real lot. Unfortunately the battery life is about 5 hours per charge instead of 8 hours for Renewals or 10-12 hours for standard alkaline batteries (assuming that you are not in BatterySave mode). Unfortunately, the fuel gauge gives a less accurate state of charge for NiCd batteries because they have a more constant voltage over their discharge cycle instead of the gradually decreasing voltage of alkaline. You probably should carry a spare set of NiCd batteries with you because the fuel guage can drop off very quickly. I believe that Renewal rechargeable alkaline batteries are a better choice unless you use your GPS unit very, very often (like myself) and don't want the expense of replacing your renewal batteries about every 25 charges. I have used both types of batteries very successfully. Several people have reported that some batteries (particular some NiCd batteries) are slightly larger than normal alkalines and may fit tightly. They could be very difficult to get out if you force them in! It would be preferable to avoid larger diameter batteries. | Lithium Batteries (not rechargeable): | AA Lithium batteries are available and last MUCH longer than any other batteries of the same size. They are more expensive and are not usually rechargeable. | -Other battery/external power options? Of course an optional cord could be used if you have some other DC power available at the appropriate voltage such as in a car or boat. Do not forget the 1/4 A fuse! Some people have also hooked an optional power cord to an external battery pack that could supply power for days of use. Select your battery pack voltage carefully! Usually, you do not want most types of batteries to be discharged below 0.9 V /cell. See a previous section for info on current consumption at different voltages (for the GPS 45 only). Again, do not forget the 1/4 A fuse. For a GPS 40/38 (which has an input voltage of 5-8 V), 5 D-cell alkaline batteries would work out well (5 x 1.5V = 7.5V). For a GPS 40 with NiCd's, 5 or 6 cells should work. (6 cells would be too high a voltage with other types of batteries). -How long is memory conserved without batteries? I am told that older versions of the 40/45 used a capacitive circuit to maintain memory while the batteries were changed. As a rule of thumb, the batteries should not be left out for more than one hour. While in the field, if the batteries go kaput leave them in the unit. There's still more than enough juice to maintain the memory until fresh batteries can be installed. >From the Owner's Manual and Reference, GPS45 Personal Navigator, Software Version 2.20 or above, 1994, Garmin International, part number 190-00070-00 Rev. B, page 47, "Never store your GPS45 without batteries. A built in capacitor will save almanac and waypoint data while you are changing batteries, but will only save data for a period of time (a few hours). If you are storing the unit for the season, put in a fresh set of alkaline batteries to help prevent the loss of stored data." DUDLEY2@QUCDN.QueensU.CA Newer versions (since about mid/late 1995), have an internal rechargeable lithium battery than maintains the memory when batteries are temporarily removed. These batteries should last the life of the unit. I believe the GPS 90 has always had the lithium battery. -Does the serial I/O consume much more power when it is enabled? I have measured [the current consumption] with the 45, 50, and 75 and could see no change measuring down to +/- 1mA. So if it does it is negligible. Tom Miller (tmiller@umabnet.ab.umd.edu) I tested the GPS 40 and it too does the same. davew@cruzio.com 5.00 SERIAL/POWER INTERFACE: ----------------------- -External serial/power connector alternatives? Garmin uses a non-standard 4 pin (for GPS 45) round connector (a center pin is added for the GPS 40/38). I personally recommend buying the cable with the correct connector from Garmin. Garmin sells a data/power cable for the GPS 45 with the unusual connector and 4 wires for about $30 list. However, some dealers sell it for much less. One person reported that a Amphenol connector type T3109-001 will work if you modify it slightly. I can't find it in the Amphenol catalog. Perhaps it is only a partial part number. Reportedly it costs around $15! I personally feel that building your own cable is risky because of the possibility of mis-indexing the connector which could damage the unit. Also, there is a risk of intermittent operation due to the mismatch between the pin and socket size if you do not replace the sockets. I have experienced this. Some people have substituted a 5 or 8 socket DIN connector for the GPS 40/38 or a 4 or 7 socket DIN connector for the GPS 45. There are several socket arrangements for the DIN connectors (even with the same number of sockets!). You should plug any unused holes (epoxy works) and if you are using the DIN sockets (not as reliable), you should bend the contacts in to improve the reliability of the contact with the smaller pins of the GPS 45/40. You also should wrap the connector with tape and/or heat shrink tubing to bring it out to the correct diameter. If you do not do a good job on this last step, you risk damaging your unit due to mis-indexing the connector. Here is a much better design for a home built cable using Radio Shack parts that addresses the contact problems above: The connector for the Garmin GPS 45/40 has been the subject of a number of inquiries since I last posted my description of how to make one. It is easy and inexpensive. Here are instructions: 1. Remove sockets from RS-274-001 4-pin mike connector and drill out holes (1/8"). Drill 5/64" hole for center post (GPS 40). Wrap with (2 turns) tape (for snugger fit), and cut out tape at key. [heat shrink works well too] 2. Solder (or crimp) D-Sub socket-pins [RS-276-1538] on cable wires. Put plastic (heat-shrink works) tubing on socket-pins and insert them in connector holes. Fix them in place temporarily with pieces of plastic tubing pushed in from ends so as to press socket-pins outward (bolt- circle of GPS pins is larger than that of connector holes). 3. Insert connector into GPS body and push socket-pins down onto GPS pins. Apply epoxy resin (ca. 3 drops) to inner ends of socket- pins (too much could run too far down and ooze out end - the tubing that was pushed into the holes helps prevent this). 4. After epoxy is set, tighten cable clamp to cable, wire cable to computer/power interfaces, and enjoy. Rane L. Curl N8REG ranecurl@engin.umich.edu Larry Berg of Purple Computing (purple@cdsnet.net) has molded a bunch of Garmin 45/40/38 connectors at a very good price. It is nice of him to help out. See his site in the www/ftp sites section. There are at least several optional power cables available from Garmin. They are serial data only, power only, and both. You must supply the appropriate connectors for the computer end of the cable that has both power and data. There is even a Garmin to Garmin transfer cable so that you can upload the stored data from one unit to another. See the accessories list elsewhere in this FAQ. Several people have reported that if you buy the data cable, you can cut the insulation near the computer connector end and the red power wire is there although it is not connected to the computer connector of course. | See the next section for the pin out. -How do I interface the GPS 45/40/38 to an IBM-PC compatible computer? Garmin DB-25 DE-9 Function color* socket socket -------- ------ ----- ---- data in white 2 3 data out brown 3 2 ground black 7 5 power in red N/A N/A (for ext. power only, do not forget to add a 1/4 Amp fuse!) *Garmin 45 manual, Appendix F I strongly recommend using Garmin's wire colors (as also stated in the manual) to minimize confusion. Or for those that like diagrams: 25-pin -or- 9-pin female female brown>--------------->o3---------------o2 white<--------------->20 6A 75 .274 11.2 *best tradeoff between size, loss, & impedance? 59 75 .250 14 62 93 .250 9 71 93 .250 9 63 125 .415 6.5 Here is another chart from another source showing the maximum cable lengths. Note that the cable loss specs are different probably because there are minor variations in the coax type. Max cable length for a non-amplified antenna is about 8-9 feet using RG59 and 6 feet using RG58. Other cable types will differ. Here's a cable loss chart for a Garmin amplified antenna: CABLE TYPE MAXIMUM LENGTH RATING AT 1GHz RG211A/228A 217 ft 4.5 db/100' RG217/224/293/14 126 3.8 RG8/215/216 87 9 RG6/142 71 11 RG59 64 11.5 RG58 40 20 RG88 26 30 -What is the GPS 40 antenna connector? The Garmin GPS 40's antenna connector is called an MCX connector. One primary manufacturer of these connectors is: Huber & Suhner Inc. One Allen Martin Drive P.O. Box 400 Essex, VT 05451 One of the representatives (who sent me their 1" catalog of RF connectors) is: C.W. Swift & Associates, Inc. 15216 Burbank Blvd, Suite 300 Van Nuys, CA 91411 (818) 989-1133 (818) 989-4784 (Fax) (800) "MICROWAVE" -> 642-7692 Keith Huie I talked to C.W. Swift & Associates today and the Garmin GPS 40 antenna connector (MCX) has the part number 16MCX-50-2-5C/133 (this is the right-angle version [for RG-316 cable]). It costs $5.01 qty. 1 and they have a minimum order of $50. They will take orders less than $50 but will charge $5 for handling. Tim Tsai They also have cable assemblies with an MCX on one end and either F, BNC, or TNC on the other. Cable can be either RG-179 (75 ohm) or RG-316 (50 ohm). These cables are small diameter and not real low loss. I would suggest getting a 1 ft cable assy and then adding on a length of a much lower loss cable such as Times Microwave LM-240 or even LM-400 to go the rest of the distance. Jerry Lucha 8.00 MISCELLANEOUS: -------------- -GPS mounting options? Garmin sells a very nice swivel clamp bracket for $45 (list). It used to be included w/ the GPS unit but they lowered the price and removed it and a cable. There are other companies that make GPS mounts, ham radio mounts, and cellular phone mounts for less money but they are not as nice as Garmin's. Velcro (tm) adhesive strips (the generic name is "hook and loop" fasteners) work out well for use in many locations and are very inexpensive and are available at Radio Shack and some sewing supply stores. -Waterproofness: The GPS 45/40 is called "waterproof". It sounds like most units are, but many are not. More than a few people have reported leaks resulting in fogging in which the unit was submerged. This was often due to use in a kayak. | I got the same story from Garmin Technical Support as several other people. "We guarantee it to be waterproof [for one year] but don't recommend submerging it." | I would NOT submerge the units although they should be able to take splashed water. It was recently suggested to me by a dealer that when the units are held horizontal and splashed water collects on the face, it can result in leaks around the keypad. He suggests mounting the unit at an angle to shed water instead of mounting it horizontally. Garmin has been pretty good about supporting their one year warranty. After that, you are on your own! It is filled with nitrogen to prevent the screen from fogging due to condensation. The battery compartment is not waterproof (to allow venting for the batteries) and it would seem to be a good idea to dry out the compartment and batteries after exposure to water. If you don't want to take any chances and expect to submerge it, I would buy a marine radio waterproof plastic bag at well stocked marine supply stores. They usually have a huge Zip-Lock (tm) type seal which keeps the water out pretty well. You could also use an inexpensive "ziploc freezer bag" from your local grocery store. They are not as thick as the $20 bags but thicker than the sandwich bags. If you want to feel better taking your GPS near water, several companies make waterproof bags. One of the better ones is manufactured by Aquaman, aptly called the Aqua Pac. Call AccessorEase at 800-413-9009, they go for about $20. They make two sizes. One fits the GPS 95 and the Lowrance AccuNav and other big GPS receivers, they stock it as the BD43. For the smaller ones like the 45 etc., the BD 45 works like a champ. I don't know about everyone else, but I think it's pretty cheap insurance. tomzman@aol.com (TomZMan) If you were to open the case, you would break the ultrasonically welded seal and it would leak water. It is NOT resealable. It has been suggested that you should grease the GPS 45 antenna connector before exposing it to salt water to help prevent corrosion. I have heard reports of significant corrosion after the BNC connector was splashed with salt water. The GPS 45 antenna case seal between the two halves can break. | Some people have suggested that that the GPS 40 is a little more waterproof and corrosion proof because it doesn't have a BNC connector. This would be especially true for the GPS 38 since it does not have any external antenna connector. The Magellan DLX-5 and DLX-10 are very waterproof but are very large. Unfortunately their software is not nearly as nice as Garmin's. | -Cases? The case that now comes with the unit is strictly a carrying case and the unit is not operable with it because it does not have a clear window. West Marine has a blue (formerly yellow) neoprene rubber "floating" padded carrying case with a somewhat clear plastic window (for use of the buttons and display) and its name printed on it for $12. The West Marine part# is 253791. It does not keep water away from the GPS unit. It looks like it was designed for the GPS 40. The GPS 45 is a little tight around the antenna connector where the antenna hangs off so you have to careful how you swing the antenna. It is a good investment in my opinion. However, the display is not as easy to read through the flexible plastic window. -Garmin 45/40/38 wish list? Here is a list of suggestions for Garmin that people have suggested and which I think would have broad appeal in my order of priority: Remove the 90 knot speed limit. Add distance traveled function (not straight line distance between 2 points). Perhaps select end points by waypoints or on track log. This data is already in the track log. [this was included in the new GPS 38 and GPS 45XL] Save altitude to waypoints and track log. | Add a display mode in which the velocity and heading in degrees are in HUGE numbers for easier viewing from a distance. Add selectable stationary position averaging feature for more accuracy (such as offered by Trimble's "Acu-Lock"). | Add selectable longer averaging time for velocity. Currently it seems about 5 seconds? Velocity is currently of little value for sailboats due to SA. Allow editing for renaming of existing waypoints and creation of new waypoints. Usually the new name is similar to an existing name and it is frustrating to have to start from scratch instead of starting with the existing names. Use flash ROM so the unit's software could be easily upgraded through the serial port. Unfortunately it would be more expensive. Add "over and up" feature to automatically handle map interpolation (such as offered by Trimble). Adjustable proximity alarms would be handy. Remove the limitation of only showing the 9 closest waypoints on the track log map. This is very annoying and seems totally unnecessary! It would also be nice to have more than one page of "closest waypoints". Remove the limitation of only showing waypoints within a certain distance of the current location on the track log map. -Can I use my GPS unit in a plane? You must first have the pilot's permission. It is possible that the GPS unit could interfere with the navigation/communication systems. This does not usually happen, but it could. This is true for many electronics, especially if they involve a radio receiver (which is part of a GPS unit). It is against most airline policies to allow the use of most personal electronic devices during takeoff and landing (and some extend beyond that). I have not seen the specific FAA rules so am not sure if they have additional limitations. Of course, the GPS 45/40/38 will not work above 90 knots anyway so it would only be useful on slow planes or gliders. -Performance in trees? GPS reception is always difficult in thick trees for all GPS receivers. The attenuation depends on the density of the canopy, and how much moisture is in and on the leaves. If the canopy is too dense, you may have to find a clearing to get a fix. I have observed that the Garmin sequencing receivers perform well among trees that grow in very dry climates but perform poorly among trees that grow in wet climates. Several people have reported that the external antennas work better than the built in antennas when they are walking through trees. This probably is because your body is not shielding the signal and most external antennas are amplified. If you are walking, you could mount the external antenna to your hat or to a pipe coming out of a backpack. The GPS 45/40/38 do not perform quite as well as a few other units when surrounded by trees. This is because the GPS 45/40/38 is a single channel sequencing receiver that sequences between 8 satellites instead of having more continuous channels like some other units. Continuous receivers are able to track more marginal signals at once. However, they cost more, are larger, and do not have the battery life of a sequencing receiver such as the GPS 45/40/38. Garmin is about to start shipping the GPSMAP 175 which is a new 12 channel handheld instrument that should be excellent for use under heavy tree cover. It will be similar to the GPS 195 aviation unit which is internally somewhat similar to the GPS 130. | The portable Trimble products (3 parallel channels) and the Eagle Accunav Sport (5 parallel channels) are the most often mentioned examples of portable GPS units with parallel receivers. Trimble products are considered to be of very high quality but are more expensive than the Garmin 45/40/38 and not as feature rich (ie. no graphics). | The Eagle Accunav Sport is considered by many in the newsgroup the other good buy in inexpensive GPS units. It is available for as low as $350 discounted. It uses Rockwell's newer Micro Tracker/LP GPS engine. There is a review of the Eagle Accunav Sport on Peter Bennett's ftp/www site listed elsewhere in the FAQ. The Lowrance Global Nav Sport is very similar but somewhat more expensive. | The Eagle Accunav Sport and Lowrance Global Nav Sport have some advantages over the Garmin 45/40/38: It has a parallel receiver. It does not have the 90 knot speed limit of the Garmin marine units. It has a larger graphical display. It is not expensive for a parallel receiver at about $350 US discounted. However, there are some disadvantages to the Eagle/Lowrance "Nav Sport" The $350 - $400 "Nav" only has the datum WGS84. * | The $350 - $400 "Nav" does not have UTM coordinates. * | It is somewhat larger than the GPS 45/40/38. It has a very short battery life using its internal batteries (but would work fine with an external battery pack). You can NOT download the track log. | * These serious deficiencies are addressed in the Eagle AccuMAP Sport and the Lowrance Global MAP Sport (which cost over $600!). | -Internal electrical hardware? Tom Miller and Tim Hogard bravely took apart their GPS 45/40 units and they described the circuit board. Check out Tim Hogard's home page as listed in the ftp/www sites section elsewhere in the FAQ for more information. Here are some of the most interesting identified parts: Manuf. Part No # pins Function INTEL TS80L188EB13 80 CMOS 80188EB cpu ATMEL AT27LV020 32 3.3V 256k x 8 (2Mbit) EPROM DALLAS DS1202 8 serial time IC & small NVRAM MITS M5M5256CVP 28 32K x 8 SRAM PHILIPS SA626DK 20 FM IF amp,det,limtr,mixer,osc GARMIN ? custom IC #1 GARMIN ? custom IC #2? The Intel 80L188EB microcontroller is a derivative of the Intel 8088 microprocessor used in the original IBM-PC. Contrary to some initial reports, the firmware is not in flash memory. (Flash memory would be of interest because flash is re-programmable without removing the part from the board). The EPROM (which contains the firmware) is a "One Time Programmable" (really an EPROM without a window) surface mount unsocketed part. It must be removed for a firmware upgrade. The fact that the firmware is in EPROM, explains why it costs so much for a firmware upgrade (not that an upgrade is necessary). It would require breaking open the case, desoldering the surface mount EPROM, resoldering the new one, testing the unit, replacing the case, ultrasonically welding the case, filling the case with nitrogen and resealing it. -Why is the firmware not in a socket? There are several reasons why manufacturers generally are reluctant to use sockets: 1) Reliability. There is a much less reliable connection with sockets. 2) Cost. Sockets (other than for DIP IC's) are usually expensive. 3) Clearance. Sockets require more space above the circuit board. The advantages are that sockets make firmware upgrades and troubleshooting easier. -Can I receive GPS signals through my house? Sometimes you can receive a signal indoors. A metal roof, metal siding, or metal foil vapor barrier would block most of the signal. Of course, even if there isn't any metal blocking your signal, other construction materials such as wood or roofing materials will attenuate the signal to a lesser degree and entirely block it if there is enough between your antenna and the satellites. -For how long will a particular track interval interval collect data? I just got my new Garmin 45 last Friday and played with it over the weekend at my deer lease. I kept wondering where I should set the logging to so I put together the following table. It may help others. Garmin 40/45/38 Capabilities based on 768 Points Sample Rate Sec Min Hr Day 1 per sec 768 12.8 1 per 5 sec 3840 64 1.1 1 per 10 sec 7680 128 2.1 1 per 15 sec 11520 192 3.2 1 per 20 sec 15360 256 4.3 1 per 30 sec 23040 384 6.4 1 per 45 sec 34560 576 9.6 1 per min 46080 768 12.8 1 per 1.5 mn 69120 1152 19.2 1 per 2 min 92160 1536 25.6 1.1 1 per 2.5 min 115200 1920 32.0 1.3 1 per 3 min 138240 2304 38.4 1.6 1 per 5 min 230400 3840 64.0 2.7 1 per 10 min 460800 7680 128.0 5.3 1 per 15 min 691200 11520 192.0 8.0 1 per 20 min 921600 15360 256.0 10.7 1 per 30 min 1382400 23040 384.0 16.0 1 per hour 2764800 46080 768.0 32.0 MacBob1240@aol.com (Robert C. White) 9.00 GARMIN PRODUCTS: ---------------- -Garmin GPS models? WARNING: There could be some mistakes! List prices change often. Discounted prices can be variable and they only apply to some dealers in the US. OUTDOOR/MARINE PRODUCTS INTRO $US $US MODEL USE YEAR SPEED LIMIT DISC LIST ----- --- ---- ----------- ----- ----- GPS 38 marine, hiking handheld 1996 90 knots $195 $300 GPS 40 marine, hiking handheld 1994 90 knots $270 $425 GPS 45 marine, hiking handheld 1994 90 knots $280? $495 GPS 45XL (available late July 1996) 1996 90 knots $300 $495 GPS 50 marine, old, replaced by GPS 75 <1992 90 knots? NA NA GPS 65 marine mount, works like GPS 75 1992 90 knots $400 $665 GPS 75 marine, hiking handheld 1992? 90 knots $380 $825 GPS 80 military GPS 40 w/ 5-40V input 1995 ? $900 GPS 120 marine mount 45 w/ big display 1995 90 knots $380 $750? GPSMAP 130 marine mount 12 ch w/ map 1996 90 knots $700 $1090 GPSMAP 135 12 ch w/ sonar and map 1996 90? GPSMAP 175 marine/hiking 12 ch handheld 1996 90 knots $650 $1082 GPS100MRN handheld/portable 90 $1850 GBR21 DGPS beacon receiver n/a $500 $799 MAP 205 chartplotter, no GPS n/a $770 $1249 GPSMAP 210 chartplotter, B&W 90 $1000 $1655 GPSMAP 220 chartplotter, color 90 $1650 $2730 Notice that all of Garmin's marine units have an artificially low speed limit. This speed limit did not start with the Garmin 45 as some have suggested. AVIATION PRODUCTS $US MODEL USE SPEED LIMIT LIST GPS 55 aviation (discontinued?) 1992 695?knots? GPS 89 aviation, cheaper GPS 90 1996 999 knots $450 $599? | GPS 90 aviation, similar to GPS 45 1995 999 knots $650 $799? GPS 95 aviation (discontinued?) ? ~999 knots? | GPS 95XL aviation (aero ver of GPS 75) ? ~999 knots? $1495 GPS 100 STD handheld/portable 999 $1795 GPS 100 PRT handheld/portable w/ dbase 999 $2095 GPS 100 AVD handheld/portable w/ mnt rack 999 $2495 GPS 150 panel mount, VFR 999 $2995 GPS 155 panel mount, IFR, n-p approach 999 $4995 GPS 165 DZUS rail mount version of GPS 155 999 $6495 GPS 190 GPS w/ VHF transceiver 1996 ? ? GPS 195 aviation version of GPS 130 1996 ? ? GNC 250 panel mount GPS/COMM 999 $3250 OEM/BOARDS/SENSORS [These units do not have displays. They are for remote use only.] $US MODEL USE SPEED LIMIT LIST GPS 20 MultiTrac8 sensor board (eval kit), 999 kts $499 $150 in quantity w/o antenna, $240 in quantity w/antenna GPS 25 PhaseTrac12 (eval kit), 12 channel sensor board (eval kit), 999 kts $599 $225 in quantity w/o antenna, $315 in quantity w/antenna [this has a parallel receiver] GPS 30 Integrated antenna/sensor board 999 $340 $499 (eval kit), $240 in quantity GPS 31 Marine mount version of GPS 30 999 $355 GPS 35 12 channel version of GPS 30 999 $599 (eval kit), $315 in quantity GIS/SURVEY PRODUCTS $US MODEL USE SPEED LIMIT LIST GPS SRVY II portable w/ datalogging capabl. 999 $2995 -Garmin accessories? Here is a list of most Garmin accessories: List prices as of Feb 1995: [THESE PRICES ARE OLD AND SOME OPTIONS HAVE BEEN DISCONTINUED] GPS40 part number Item description list price GA27 Low Profile remote ant w/8ft [RG-174] $ 160.00 cable MCX connector & magnetic&suction mount 010-10061-00 Trunk lip mount GA 26/27 18.95 010-10062-00 Flange mount GA 26/27 18.95 011-00152-00 Suction cup mount GA 26/27 18.95 011-00153-00 Magnetic antenna mount GA 26/27 25.00 320-00048-00 8 ft extension cable GA 27 40.00 4015 GPS 40 carry case 35.00 4040 GPS 40/45 Cross load cable(unit to unit) 50.00 4041 GPS 40/45 PC Interface cable 30.00 4042 GPS40 data cable 25.00 4050 GPS 40 cigarette lighter adapter 50.00 4514 GPS 40/45 PC Software and cable kit 150.00 4518 GPS 40/45 mounting bracket 45.00 GPS 45 GA 26 low profile remote ant w/magnetic&suction cup with 8 ft cable BNC connector 160.00 320-0049-00 8 ft extension cable for GA 26 40.00 GA 28 low profile remote marine ant w/30 ft cable and BNC connector 160.00 010-10067-00 GA 28 flange mount kit 22.00 1011 Marine/RV remote ant w/30 ft cable BNC 160.00 1013 30 ft low-loss ant ext cable w/connectors 115.00 1028 Magnetic mount ant with 10 ft cable 160.00 4522 GPS 45 handheld/portable ant 100.00 GPS 45-000 GPS 45 w/ Portable antenna 495.00 | 5519 Remote antenna mount: suction cup/screw mount w/ 6ft cable BNC 40.00 4040 GPS 40/45 Crossload cable (unit to unit) 50.00 4041 GPS 40/45 PC interface cable 30.00 4514 GPS 40/45 PCX5 Software and cable kit 150.00 4515 GPS 45 carrying case 35.00 4518 GPS 45 mounting bracket 45.00 4520 GPS 45 power/data cable 30.00 4550 GPS 45 cigarette lighter adapter 25.00 Disclaimer: These prices may not be current list check around and see if deals exist Sid wa2fxb@ix.netcom.com ( a buyer not a dealer, stockholder and have no vested interest in Garmin) -Where can I purchase a unit? Garmin should be able to locate a local dealer. New address and phone numbers: Garmin International 1200 East 151 St. Olathe, Kansas 66062 Toll free: (800) 800-1020 Non Toll free: (913) 397-8200 Existing Fax: (913) 599-2103 New Fax: (913) 397-8282 Many marine supply stores carry the GPS 45, 40, and 38. Here are some most often mentioned sources for Garmin products: Bass Pro Shops 800-227-7776 or 417-863-2499 Boater's World 800-826-2628 or 206-575-1920? Cabellas 800-237-4444 or 308-234-5555 or 308-235-5555? | E&B Marine 800-533-5007 or 908-819-7400 West Marine 800-538-0775 or 408-728-2700 Larry James of James Associates 303-530-9014 new E-mail address: lwjames@csn.net [As well as being a Garmin dealer, Larry is very knowledgeable about Garmin units and often provides information to the GPS newsgroup.] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Repeating: I am not affiliated with Garmin or any of their retailers. This document is not in any way endorsed by Garmin International. I am only a satisfied customer. Lane A. Holdcroft klah@eskimo.com KE7UT