Convert a Serial GPS to Bluetooth

Receiver

The receiver is first step in setting up a wireless GPS->Computer communication system. The receiver belongs on the computer end. Many new laptop computers have Bluetooth receivers built-in, and older ones can be retrofitted with USB dongles or PCMCIA cards. For a laptop, especially if you intend on using it in-vehicle I recommend the PCMCIA Card style, as they fit inside the computer with only a small plastic piece protruding out the side which is unlikely to break off.

You can get these cards on eBay:

Transmitter

The second step is the transmitter. The transmitter connects to your GPS computer cable and is either a 9-pin serial or a USB connection depending the type that you have. We have a serial system, so this article is focussed on that. The transmitter needs two things: 1) the ability to receive data from your GPS, and 2) power.

The data portion is sent through a standard RS232 Serial to Bluetooth converter which plugs into your GPS cable. There are a number of these on the market - our favourite is the Brainbox model shown in the picture. You likely need to get a male connection as the existing cable from your GPS will be a female.

Power is supplied from a secondary source. Most converters have a separate 5V - 12V power input, and some come configured so that pin 9 of the serial plug can send power as well (these are usually on female models). If you have an inverter installed in your vehicle then it's as easy as plugging the supplied AC-DC transformer from the inverter into the power input. If you want to get a little more elegant then you can wire up a 12V lead from the car accessory circuit and splice it in to the 9-pin connector. Make sure that pin 9 supports power!

Once you've plugged it all in, the rest becomes a configuration problem. Configuring the unit is done through software on the computer (the supplier should have a good software package that comes with their converter). Settings are things like baud rate, parity, and stop bits (most GPS's run at 4800 bps, no parity, and 1 stop bit), but read up on your GPS manual for that information. Other models have security functions, power options, and more.

The Garmin Solution

Semsons & Co. have developed a few solutions for some of the Garmin GPS models. One is a cable where one end plugs directly into the cable port of your GPS and the other plugs into a 12 V car cigarette lighter. The end that plugs into the lighter socket doubles as a power source and transmitter. Dale DePriest does a review of this solution here. We haven't found any out-of-box any solutions for other GPS manufacturers - leave a comment below if you know of any.

Subscribe

Has this article been of interest to you? There's more to come, so in the mean time stay tuned in and subscribe to this website - subscribe by email or subscribe by RSS. And if you have something else to add, you can write it in the comments below.

Related Articles

1. Download the Garmin GPS 35 TracPak ManualDo you have the discontinued Garmin GPS 35 TracPak GPS, and you need the manual? OverlandResource.com has a free copy available for download....
2. Laptop and GPS Combination versus a Handheld GPSSome people need to know whether a small handheld GPS unit is sufficient, or if they need a full blown laptop computer with a GPS....
3. GPS and Digital Mapping for TravelThere are basically three options when it comes to digital mapping while on the road. From simplest to most complex they are a handheld GPS...
4. Expedition Travel Laptops for Under $1000Yesterday freegeographytools.com (a great resource if you're interested in mapping, GPS, and GIS applications - they offer a lot of insights and opinions on various...
5. Calibrating Maps in OziExplorerThis article describes how to calibrate a scanned paper map into OziExplorer mapping and GPS software. Watch the video how-to and read the extra details...
6. Calibrating South America ITMB Maps for OziExplorerInternational Travel Maps have some of the best paper maps available for expedition and adventure travel. Based out of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, these guys...