GPS/Nextel

Is anybody getting and processing GPS Data from Nextel devices? If so, I would really like to talk to you.

edbick@beavex.com

Thanks

This is a tease, as in, this courier company I'm contracting with uses Nextel i355's with it's 80ish drivers. We are using Actsoft's Comet Tracker app to do, at the moment, nothing but track drivers via GPS, and of course communicate voice. We are actively looking for different software, more for optimization concerns then tracking.

I'm just getting started and learning a bit more each day, but there's a long shot I can help. What specifically do you need to know?

This is a tease, as in, this courier company I'm contracting with uses Nextel i355's with it's 80ish drivers. We are using Actsoft's Comet Tracker app to do, at the moment, nothing but track drivers via GPS, and of course communicate voice. We are actively looking for different software, more for optimization concerns then tracking.

I'm just getting started and learning a bit more each day, but there's a long shot I can help. What specifically do you need to know?


Well, specifically, I would like to know how to pull the Lat/Lon from a GPS enabled Nextel device so that I can display the location on a map.

Hi,

Normally every GPS device dupports NMEA 0183 format (if not then dump it :) So you prrogram the thing (in your application) to get the string of your choice (depending your needs), for example RFC or GGA and VTG and then it is just parsing the string to get coordinates out of it and other things you need. Here is a link NMEA (http://www.kh-gps.de/nmea-faq.htm) (not completely correct I see, but there are plenty).

Hi,

Normally every GPS device dupports NMEA 0183 format (if not then dump it :) So you prrogram the thing (in your application) to get the string of your choice (depending your needs), for example RFC or GGA and VTG and then it is just parsing the string to get coordinates out of it and other things you need. Here is a link NMEA (http://www.kh-gps.de/nmea-faq.htm) (not completely correct I see, but there are plenty).


Wilfred,

That is most definately helpful information. I'm sure that the Nextel device conforms to one of those standards, so that is part of the equation for me.

How do I, from within my application, poll a specific Nextel unit and get that data is the rest of the equation for me, I believe.

Thanks,

Ed

Hi,

Normally you don't have to poll the GPS receiver. In most (if not all) cases it will give you every second several data strings on the serial port. If this is not the case then best is to check the programming manual of the device to see what you have to send to it to get the data you want. But as I say it is probably not needed.

To test you can check with hyperterminal. Comm speed is normally 4800,N,8,1 (NMEA standard) however there are some at 9600 baud also.

Hi,

Normally you don't have to poll the GPS receiver. In most (if not all) cases it will give you every second several data strings on the serial port. If this is not the case then best is to check the programming manual of the device to see what you have to send to it to get the data you want. But as I say it is probably not needed.

To test you can check with hyperterminal. Comm speed is normally 4800,N,8,1 (NMEA standard) however there are some at 9600 baud also.

Wilfried,

I don't think you are catching my meaning. I have a driver who is out driving around somewhere. I want to know where that driver is right now. Do you (or does anyone else) have any sample VB.Net or C#.Net code of how to "contact" that driver's Nextel phone, which is "out there - somewhere" and have it return the data in one of the expected formats.

Hi,

I don't understeand (English not my mother tongue), can you elaborate more or rephrase your question ?

Wilfried,

I think Ed has the idea to ping the phones from the server,
instead of the phones sending signals back to the server.

Mike

Hi,

Thanks Mike for clarifying (sometime I read too fast also) :)

Ed you I don't know the Nextel devices, but sure there must be a manual available that shows how to get information from it. If it is a phone then you can do a datacall to it using normal AT commands (using a modem or GSM device).

Hi,
look at RoadPoint (http://www.roadpoint.ro) they can use all kind of device.
or me they use AVTS device...
Bye