Data Hacking

Chapter 7 — Making Connections
The most common device to which GPS users want to connect their device is a home PC. The
following list describes some of the reasons why you should make an effort to connect your
GPS receiver to a PC:
You can transfer data (for example, waypoints) much faster than entering it into the
device via the input systems offered by most GPS receivers. Figure 7-3 shows the
waypoint input screen for the Garmin eTrex.
Transferring data digitally to your GPS reduces the risk of errors and mistakes, especially
in transcribing coordinates.
Remember that it’s always a good idea to know how to enter data manually into your GPS
because you might need to do this while you’re out. Read the user manual and know how
to use your receiver.
With a connection between your GPS and PC, you can take data off your device and
analyze it on the PC. The most common way to do this is to download the track and
overlay it on a digital map.
Without a connection between the two devices, you won’t be able to update the software
on your GPS to the latest versions.
FIGURE 7-3: Waypoint input
screen on a Garmin eTrex
As you can see, there are many good reasons to take advantage of a GPS-PC connection. In
Chapter 2, we looked in detail at how to make cables for a variety of GPS devices. My advice to
you at this stage is if you don’t have a cable, make one. If you don’t want to make a cable, then
get one. Either way, the benefits of having such a cable will far outweigh the time it takes to make
one or the cost of purchasing one. If possible, and if you have more than one PC (a desktop and
a laptop, for example) or if you have more than one GPS, you should make or get more than
one cable. A good cable setup is as follows:
A plain data cable for the desktop PC
A combo data/power cable for laptop PC
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