Interface trouble with Garmin Etrex Summit to GPS TrackMaker.

Hi to all,
am new to this.............
I've bought an Etrex Summit with version 3.51 firmware. I'm
experimenting with various programs for down/uploading tracks, routes,
waypoints etc plus editing and merging with maps. I've had varying
degrees of success and am enjoying learning about this. So far I've
not parted with any $'s for software and 'GPS TrackMaker' proudy boast
being the most fully-featured freebie on the market.
I like the look of GPS TrackMaker but am unable to get my Summit to
interface properly with this program. I'm sure it's not hardware
related as I get COM1 to pass info to and from the Summit in Gartrip
and MapSource without any troubles.
I've scanned various forums and found suggestions that V3.51 firmware
had trouble interfacing to some other software and it required either
modification to the serial cable (I'm a TV repairman, so I should be
competant at such a mod - assuming someone tells me what needs doing)
OR a firmware 'downgrade' to V2.5 (Garmin says any such action will
void the warranty and it seems a backward step overall).
Please can anyone enlighten me...................

Rob wrote:

You can find some other third party software to try here:

http://gpsinformation.net/#3rdparty

My personal preference is GPS Utility. Not a free ware but a darn good
piece of software.


If you back up from that last link to http://gpsinformation.net/ you
might find some helpful info on your interface issues. I'm not familiar
with them.

Jack

Rob wrote:

The serial cable for Garmin receivers is basically two data wires
and ground (no hardware flow control). The computer won't send
unless the hardware "says it's okay to send" which may mean
that an input such as CTS (clear to send) needs to be set true.
This is usually done with jumpers in the cable. If other
programs can communicate with the Summit then the cable is
not the problem. G7toWin is free. See if it will work with your
Summit.

Different Garmin receivers use different structures
in the data transfer protocol. For instance, some receivers
transfer waypoints in a D101 structure, some with D102,
some with D103, etc. If GPS Trackmaker thinks the
Summit uses D105 when it really uses D109 (I'm making
the numbers up so don't assume D109 is correct) then
they won't communicate.

--
Dan
(email change 2001 to 2004)
(www.gpsmap.net)