X5 serial cable

txag2k · 03-23-04, 11:07 PM

Where can I buy a cheap one I could get in a hurry? I need it to connect to my Meridian Gold GPS. I currently have a Gomadic cable (Dell > serial connection) that does not work. It sill can connect my PDA to my cell phone or computer so I just figured that the Gomadic cable just will not work with my GPS. Any ideas? I am using a standard 9 pin null connector to connect the serial ends of the cables.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

JakeRich · 03-23-04, 11:25 PM

Did you try it without the Null connector, just straight through? Maybe the Gomadic is doing the null conversion for you. If not, www.pc-mobile.com make dedicated cables for X5 - Magellan connections. They are in Hong Kong, but the cables only took two weeks to get to me.

txag2k · 03-24-04, 12:30 AM

You may be right on with the null conversion taking place twice, I will look into trying to rig a way around it. If I can't get it to work then I will order a new cable from your link :)

Thanks!!
David

03-26-04, 09:05 AM

txag2k, were you ever able to get the gps running with the gomadic cable? I tried yesterday with no success and thought I'd check with you before investing the rest of the hair on my head in it.

txag2k · 03-26-04, 10:10 AM

nope :( I took the serial connector from an old PC that was laying around and ran (wire by wire) connections to the Gomadic's serial output but it still did not connect. I am going to RadioShack to see if there is something else that would work. This is the adapter I originally bought to connect my gomadic serial cable with my Meridian Gold serial cable:

http://www.radioshack.com/product.as...ct%5Fid=26-231

03-26-04, 10:30 AM

Yep, that's the item I bought along with the null modem. I don't know if they have to be connected any special way but at some point it might be easier (maybe even cheaper) to get a CF unit.

JakeRich · 03-26-04, 10:39 AM

When you say it doesn't work, what are the symptoms? The Dell port is particular about the sequence of steps. If you connect and it locks up the Dell, or makes it extremely slow, then you are communicating but the Axim thinks it is seeing communications from a PC for syncing and Activesync has fired up to talk to the non-existant PC. To avoid that, start your GPS software first, get it looking COM1 and then plug in the cable. If the cable is ok, and you get signals, this sequence should work.

txag2k · 03-26-04, 11:05 AM

Thanks Jake, I just read on a site that sold cables specifically for the X5 and Meridian that spoke about exact sequence of steps for connection. I am going to "fiddle" with it some more this evening.

bookie, I will let you know if I get it working.

thanks!