PMB-688 GPS Rx

PJAllen

Is there more information available regarding the PMB-688 GPS receiver?·
The PDF at the Parallax store doesn't tell much (like how/whether the sentences are selectable and so on.)

Timmoore

You need the sirfIII manual, theres one for nmea and one for sirf binary protocol. I dont remember where I got mine from probably sirf website. Some things you can only do with the binary protocol. For selecting sentences you use $PSRF103.

PJAllen

OK.· Thanks, Timmoore, for your Reply.

I·tracked down·a PDF on the SiRF commands (protocols, whatever) somewhere else.· So, to config it (RMC, 1/sec), I'll use the PC and STGold (my serial comms terminal of choice) and a MAX232, because·the·GPS is·"TTL True".

I bought a Rikaline a few years ago, it came with·its own·terminal program to set all that up.

There's not a lot to go on here.· [noparse][[/noparse]Maybe somebody'll bust me up for over-looking a link all along.]

PJAllen

Nearly 2 months have passed, better late than never.
Got to the bottom of this.
All I need is $GPRMC.
I rigged up a MAX-232-type interface between my PC serial port and the PMB-688. From there I verified the PMB output by getting the scoop on its output sentences with STGold. Going forward, I was able to use the SiRF app that came with my Rikaline to configure the PMB, too. It's going great, sitting here on my desk, getting an "A" (GPS valid.)

Post Edit -- The PMB output is TTL True (Idle = HI); the MAX232 inverts with Idle = "-12V" on DE-9's pin 2; perfect.
PPE -- I bought the external antenna, but I haven't used it yet. !! "A" = valid, "V" = invalid and I get "...,A,..." every time. PMB has a brilliant red LED, bravo.
And my position isn't wobbly like my Rikaline's (or so it would seem...)

I'm impressed with the device, I think.