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Thank you Dennis,

I have been looking at your web document, and I just was not getting it… I’m a newbie to the Axim and to the Garmin Etrex GPS. But I go way back with RS232 serial.

I have the answer to all the newbie problems! Ok, well not all of them, but the problem with the Garmin Etrex and the Dell Axim.

It seems that not all Garmin GPS’s serial cables are created equal, you document was for the Garmin III+. This configuration with the null modem and the gender changers works great with the III+. A friend of mine has one and it was working in no time. The Garmin Etrex on the other hand… It seems that Garmin changed the wiring from normal RS232 to pins 2 & 3 already flipped. This would mean just toss the null modem into the junk drawer and just use the gender changer. Oh, no, no, no, this would be too easy.

Here is where things get weird, because no off the shelf converters are available. To limit the amount of gender changers, 9 to 25 pin converters, 25 to 9 pin converters and gender changers… You will need to make a custom 9 pin male to 9 Pin male connecter. This will also be “directional” in that the Etrex will always have to be in one side and the Axim in the other.

The Axim side will need a loop-back on pins 2 and 3 with jump to pin 3 on the Etrex side. Pin 5 on the Axim side will go to pin 5 on the Etrex side. That’s it. No other pins will need to be connected. (See image Etrex2Axim.jpg)

For all you other newbie’s out there just “trust and believe” this will work. I have spent weeks going nutz over this. And to all ya’ tech’s who are sitting there reading this going “Why is he doing that…” The Etrex just sends out a data stream, and it does not need any reply from the Axim nor does it give one to it. But the Axim needs to know that there is something connected to it to “Talk” to or it just sits there like a paper weight. Once the Axim sees something responding (itself), it will accept the data stream from the Etrex.

Dennis please uses this information on your web site. I don’t have one, and this will save others weeks of headaches!

Thanks
Bill