GARMIN USB GPS + ETX90-EC WITH #497 AUTOSTAR (VIA PC) Last updated: 11 November 2008

Subject:	Success!! Garmin USB GPS + ETX90-EC with #497 AutoStar (via PC)
Sent:	Tuesday, November 11, 2008 02:25:55
From:	Rowland Walsingham (webmail1@thewalsinghams.co.uk)
Thought I'd report my success in getting my Garmin eTrex Vista C USB GPS
working with my old ETX90 scope.

To do this I did the following:

	* Hooked up the ETX to a laptop via a Prolific USB/serial rs232
	converter and appropriate cable (widely available as a kit from eBay,
	e.g. item number 320236994996 on ebay.com).
	
	* Leave ETX off at this point.
	
	* Installed StarPatch and patched my version (43Eg) using
	"Patch43GC.spf" (no license as yet, so trial limitations apply).
	
	* Downloaded "Redirect.exe" from http://www.stargps.ca/downloads.htm
	
	* Downloaded and installed trial version of Franson GPSgate from
	http://franson.com/gpsgate/download.asp
	
	* As I run Vista 64, I followed the additional instructions here:
	http://franson.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8252
	
	* A little basic configuration using the Franson GPSgate wizard!
	
	* Start up redirect and select relevant com ports (I used virtual COM5
	for GPS and COM4 for ETX/AutoStar #497.
	
	* Hit the "Connect" button in redirect and watch the GPS output appear
	in the top half of the redirect window.
	
	* Power on the scope.
	
	* Watch as the USB GPS aquires a position.
	
	* As I am running trial version of StarGPS, coords etc are not saved -
	limitation of the trialware!
	
	* However, the coordinates and timezone are successfully and correctly
	shown on the AutoStar #497 handset for a few seconds before it tells you
	it's trialware and the coords etc will not be saved.

So, for anyone wanting to do this, there is a way.........Just needs a
laptop in the middle, but I use the laptop to run a stellarium telescope
server from anyhow, so it's a possibility, if I can stump up the cash
for the software licenses ;-)

ATB,

Rowland.

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