[GEM for EarthMate] Gem - EarthMate USB

Instructions for the new EarthMate

In 2003 DeLorme introduced their new "EarthMate USB" GPS unit. Although the name is the same, the device is very different from the old EarthMate. I think they should have given it a new and different name. That would have avoided a lot of confusion.

Although the GPS device is a USB interfaced unit, it comes with drivers that allows third party software to see the device as if it were serially connected. What follows are some installation instructions (thanks to Mark Furr for figuring this out).

  1. Hook up the EarthMate to your USB Port.
  2. Install the EarthMate's software with the "Third Party Use" option.
  3. Go into the Control Panel -> System -> Hardware -> Device Manager
  4. Expand the HID option, and right click on the USB HID device and properties. If it claims to be an Earthmate Device, click OK, right click on the device again -> Update drivers.
  5. Click on Let me Choose (not automatic) -> Next -> Let me Specify -> Select All Applicable Drivers. Click on the DeLorme driver -> Next. It'll pop-up a window that the driver ain't Windows certified, don't worry, just continue.
  6. Click Finish.
  7. Go to Ports (COM & LPT) and expand it. You will see a DeLorme device with a port number. Let's assume it is COM4.
  8. Exit Contol Panel.
  9. Start Gem. Make sure the GPS Device is disconnected.
  10. Device -> Earthmate USB
  11. Options -> Settings COM
    • Port: COM4 (see before)
    • Baud Rate: 4800
    • Data Bits: 8
    • Parity: None
    • Stop Bits: 1
    • Flow: None or XON/XOF (should both work)
  12. GPS -> Connect and your EarthMate USB should work!!

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  Willem van Schaik, Calgary, February 2007     http://www.schaik.com/wwwillem.html