FYI,, after almost 3 months, I finally got my activation code for
gringo!!
It turns out that their gringo project is a back burner project,, way
back!!!
I did find out that they now have a secretary assigned to help, but she
only works a couple of days a week,,, sooo, I don't know if 3
months is now a normal delay or not????

I also found out that gringo only downloads raw data from garmin units
that have a true RS232 output! It won't work with units that have
only a USB output!!! My GPS60 has both!

Gringo doesn't work with the new X series units even if you have an
RS232 connection!!!
At least not yet,,, the university now has a new GPS60CSX,,, so
someone may be inspired to spend some free time to see if they can get
it to work,,, but don't hold your breath!!!!!

The post processing software uses regular RINEX files from any source,
but it's operation is tied to the gringo software,,, sooo , you have
to install the processing software in the same folder as the gringo
software, and it only works at the level of the gringo activation,,,,
demo for the free gringo demo mode,,, pseudorange only for
pseudorange activation, and full pseudorange plus carrier phase
processing for the full activation,,, the later two have different
prices, check their web site!!

My GPS 60 did not work at first,,, I had to add a line to the .INI
file!!
the added line is: ForceFormat=x where x = 0 to 3 or 4
the x identifies which flavor of GPS to run,,, 12, 12xl, etrex,
etc.
not all units have been added to the list, so when gringo doesn't
recognize the unit, it defaults to the original flavor,,,, so if it
doesn't recognize your unit, you can modify the .INI file and try each
entry from 0 to 3 or 4 (they couldn't remember how many flavors they
had it set up for)!!
My GPS 60 works with ForceFormat=2

Unless you have an idea of what is involved with post processing, you
might want to read the USER GUIDE to see what your getting yourself
into, before you lay out any money!!!!! With todays units with WAAS,
getting down to less than 10 feet, there may not be a point, for your
level of interest??????? I'm just a GPS nut!!!! It is not going
to improve your hiking, unless you want to carry a computer,, and even
then, you can't get the final reference files you need to post process
for about two weeks,, ha!!!!
Stephen
PSN Station #55

You really don't have to wait 2 weeks for the precise ephemerides. The
quick ephemerides are good enough over short baselines.

If you want to try some Beta software, I have a simple carrier phase
postprocesser on my home page. We're still working out the kinks, but
with good data it seems to give reasonable positions. Of the Garmin
units, it only talks to the gps18usb, but it will accept RINEX from the
gar2rnx converter that is floating around the web.

There are two command line programs. One to acquire data. The other to
process it. The support and level of documentation are on par with the
price, so you pretty much have to know what you're doing.

- John Morris
www.precision-gps.org

On 21 Mar 2006 15:12:28 -0800, "SKM-PSN#55" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>FYI,, after almost 3 months, I finally got my activation code for
>gringo!!
>It turns out that their gringo project is a back burner project,, way
>back!!!
>I did find out that they now have a secretary assigned to help, but she
>only works a couple of days a week,,, sooo, I don't know if 3
>months is now a normal delay or not????
>
>I also found out that gringo only downloads raw data from garmin units
>that have a true RS232 output! It won't work with units that have
>only a USB output!!! My GPS60 has both!
>
>Gringo doesn't work with the new X series units even if you have an
>RS232 connection!!!
>At least not yet,,, the university now has a new GPS60CSX,,, so
>someone may be inspired to spend some free time to see if they can get
>it to work,,, but don't hold your breath!!!!!
>
>The post processing software uses regular RINEX files from any source,
>but it's operation is tied to the gringo software,,, sooo , you have
>to install the processing software in the same folder as the gringo
>software, and it only works at the level of the gringo activation,,,,
>demo for the free gringo demo mode,,, pseudorange only for
>pseudorange activation, and full pseudorange plus carrier phase
>processing for the full activation,,, the later two have different
>prices, check their web site!!
>
>My GPS 60 did not work at first,,, I had to add a line to the .INI
>file!!
>the added line is: ForceFormat=x where x = 0 to 3 or 4
>the x identifies which flavor of GPS to run,,, 12, 12xl, etrex,
>etc.
>not all units have been added to the list, so when gringo doesn't
>recognize the unit, it defaults to the original flavor,,,, so if it
>doesn't recognize your unit, you can modify the .INI file and try each
>entry from 0 to 3 or 4 (they couldn't remember how many flavors they
>had it set up for)!!
>My GPS 60 works with ForceFormat=2
>
>Unless you have an idea of what is involved with post processing, you
>might want to read the USER GUIDE to see what your getting yourself
>into, before you lay out any money!!!!! With todays units with WAAS,
>getting down to less than 10 feet, there may not be a point, for your
>level of interest??????? I'm just a GPS nut!!!! It is not going
>to improve your hiking, unless you want to carry a computer,, and even
>then, you can't get the final reference files you need to post process
>for about two weeks,, ha!!!!
> Stephen
> PSN Station #55

For this subject; read what I did with my Garmin GPS12.
http://www.xs4all.nl/~atarist/geo/gps_accuracy.htm
in 2002.
I also tried to see if there was any difference between use of the broadcast
ephemeris or the definitive one. With the accuracy I had, that made no
difference.
Nowadays the difference between the broadcast and the definitive emphemeris is
much less then years ago, I have the feeling. I cannot substantiate this.
Someone?

Piet

John wrote:
> You really don't have to wait 2 weeks for the precise ephemerides. The
> quick ephemerides are good enough over short baselines.
>
>

This is true,,, the last time I compared the ulta fast, fast and
final data, it was only a few centimeters!!!

I emailed the author of gar2rnx about his async program (raw data
download) to encourage him to add, adjusting the baud rate, to his
program (wish I knew something about programming)!!! It bombs out
with 50 errors after about 5 to 10 minutes with my etrex venture GPS,,
(I haven' heard from him and I haven't tried async with my GPS 60)!!!
But, that is the magic of gringo,, I can increase the baud rate to
as high as 115,200!!! With gringo, the errors stop, on my GPS 60
at around 19,000 baud, so I normally run it at around 28,000 to
36,000 baud, no sense pushing the envelope!

Thanks, I'll check out your link!!
Stephen
PSN Station #55