adding chartplotting capability to a Garmin GPS128

The friendliest place on the web for anyone who enjoys boating.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Oceania

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2015
Messages
76
Location
Canada
Vessel Make
1986 Oceania 35 Sundeck
I have a perfectly good Garmin 128 working well with my autopilot. We use a Samsung phone and Navionics to give us the mapping. I would like to hook up my old Compaq laptop to the 128 as a chartplotter. How would I do it? Should I do it? Thanks guys.:banghead:
 
Why do you need to hook up the laptop to the GPS? Why not get a $30 USB GPS and just plug it into the laptop? You then have two GPS's and no hassle... Run OpenCPN, Navionics, or something else on the laptop
 
Panhandler, is it that easy? Great idea but won't I have to also install software that can translate the GPS signals and put them on the maps? I am a novice! What would be the total purchases involved to get this running? Thanks.
 
Oceania, yes it's that easy. Buy a $30 puck GPS antenna and plug it into your USB Port. Download the free OpenCPN software and you have full charting capability.
 
That's what I have done for the last 4 trips to/from Fl. Laptop, OpenCPN, GPS puck and 300 watt navstation inverter to keep the laptop running.

I will say having a real chartplotter backup is nice as every once and awhile, OpenCPN will crash....it's a problem with my laptop and shutting off the COMM port I believe....so unless a IT wiz...backup is recommended but it can be almost any cheapo plotting system...
 
Panhandler, is it that easy? Great idea but won't I have to also install software that can translate the GPS signals and put them on the maps? I am a novice! What would be the total purchases involved to get this running? Thanks.


Yes, as Dimer2 said. Just buy a USB GPS puck with good reviews off amazon. Install the drivers and plug it in. Download and install OpenCPN. OpenCPN has good documentation so just study it a little and you should have no problems. Depending on the speed of your laptop, loading charts may be slow.
 
And for another $200 you can add an AIS receiver. Just plug it into another USB port. You gotta love OpenCPN! :smitten:
 
Check out OpenPlotter for a complete system, including AIS, that you can do yourself as well. Very cheap.
 
Thanks for all the help guys! I'll check this out and let you know what I set up this spring.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom