[aprssig] GPS Display of D700 stations

[Henk de Groot]

Hello,

Curt Mills wrote:
> Someone came up to me at the NWAPRS summer gathering yesterday and
> had one of these units.  There was no option on the screen for
> setting it to NMEA IN/OUT mode.  Just NMEA OUT.

There are 2 versions yellow eTrex, the original for the US (also sold in
europe in the beginning since I have one) and one multi-language version
for Europe.

The first has older hardware "Bravo 6" (press "page" and "up" and switch
it on while keeping the buttons pressed). That one has less memory and
Garmin stopped updates at version 2.14.

The newer one had newer hardware (you guessed it...) and more memory,
allowing for more features. One of them is NMEA-input, but also some
fishing stuff. This software is available at Garmins site as "eTrex-euro".
I have a strong suspicion that the hardware and software is 100%
identical to the "eTrex camo".

There is no way to run eTrex-euro/eTrex camo software on the Bravo 6
hardware, not compatible and not enough memory.

Beware also when you update the eTrex software, the newer software
outputs positions with more digits, the older TH-D7's could not
cope with that. Downgrade is possible, but you need the software...

I asked garmin (a few years ago) for NMEA-in for the Bravo 6 eTrex,
the reply was:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message-Id: <200106281638.LAA02347 at dresden.garmin.com>
From: "Broad, Tony" <Tony.Broad at garmin.com>
To: "'henk.de.groot at hetnet.nl'" <henk.de.groot at hetnet.nl>
Subject: RE: Technical Support Form - Product: eTrex
Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2001 10:47:05 -0500

Hi Henk,

Sorry, the standard eTrex does not have sufficient code space to have 
these features added - although our engineers are working on it and may 
find some way of doing this in the future.

Comments about the track lines have been noted by our engineers, but I do 
not know if they intend to change this setting.

The NMEA input was part of the update for the eTrex European.

Regards,

Tony Broad
Service/Support and MIS Manager
Garmin (Europe) Ltd
http://www.garmin.com
http://www.garmin.com/support/

-----Original Message-----
From: henk.de.groot at hetnet.nl [mailto:henk.de.groot at hetnet.nl]
Sent: 28 June 2001 10:01
Subject: Technical Support Form - Product: eTrex


Question #:             60931
Route to:               techsupp.europe at garmin.com
Visited FAQs:
Contact Information:
First Name:             Henk
Middle Initial
Last Name:              de Groot
Address:                Schopenhauerstraat 10
City, State, Zip:       Apeldoorn, NL, 7323MC
Country:                Netherlands
Phone:                  +31 53 4505400
E-mail:                 henk.de.groot at hetnet.nl
GARMIN Product:         eTrex
Serial Number:
Software Version:       2.10
Problem:

     Hello Garmin,

     3 quick questions, not found in the FAQ:

     1) On the update page I see the european model, sw 2.05 has
        the following feature:
        "Added Hunt / Fish outlook page and Sun / Moon outlook page"
        Will this be added to the US version too? (my unit has the US
        version). If not, is there any way to convery my US version
        (eTrex - Bravo 6) to a european version?
     2) Will there be a version with 1 pixel-thick track lines?
     3) If the eTrex could accept $GPWPL input when NMEA is used whould
        be realy great!

     I hope you can answer my questions,

     Kind regards,
     Henk.

     P.S. I think the eTrex is fantastic, I use it with APRS on HAM-radio.
     It works great (but you already knew this I guess...) .