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GPSy is a full-featured Global Positioning Systems (GPS) software package that connects a Macintosh computer to virtually any data-output capable GPS receiver unit on the market. GPSy (pronounced "gypsy") collects GPS system data, such as your current location coordinates, bearing, heading, speed, velocity made good, distance to go, current waypoint, GPS satellite data, and more, and displays it on the Mac's monitor. According to Global Mapping Systems' co-founder and "head of Software Development and Tea Serving" Karen Nakamura, "we have yet to see software that supports more GPS units; communications protocols; and map file formats."

GPSy connects your Macintosh to a broad range of Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers, Loran-C, DECCA, and OMEGA navigational units and displays your current coordinates, altitude, bearing, heading, speed over ground, velocity made good, distance to go, current waypoint, GPS satellite data, and more. GPSyTM can upload and download GPS system data (waypoints; routes; track; almanac) from a variety of GPS manufacturers including Ashtec, Garmin, Eagle, Lowrance, Magellan, Rockwell and Trimble. GPSy is also the only Macintosh program to support the new Internet DGPS-IP services, giving you meter accuracy in real-time through from free, online DGPS-IP servers.

Standard GPS tells you where you are. A Macintosh computer running GPSy Pro can show you where you are in considerable detail on a computer screen. GPSy Pro provides a real-time moving map display with navigation features as well as numerous "offline" waypoint and route planning utilities. When connected to Internet Map Servers (on land or via satellite), GPSyLinks allows you to instantly view your position with maps updated over the Internet.

Why Mac-only? Karen Nakamura says Global Mapping Systems currently has no plans to port GPSy to Windows. She notes that the number of technical support problems that occur on Windows machines is so large that even given the larger Windows market, since each hour of technical support costs over a $100 per hour for software companies, she would have to raise the mark-up on GPSy to break even. "We note that equivalent GPS software on the PC is considerably more expensive than GPSy," she observes.

"We're very happy being registered developers on the Macintosh platform," Karen affirms. "We are convinced that Macintosh users are more faithful customers and they are definitely less of a support nightmare."

GPSy Features:
• Precision Positional Information: GPSy presents positional information in Degrees:Minutes:Seconds (41:18'56"N), decimal degrees (eg. 41.315550N), Degree: Decimal Minutes (41:18.933N); Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM); Universal Polar System (UPS); Maidenhead Grid; U.S. Military Grid Reference System (MGRS); Australian Map Grid (AMG); British National Grid (BNG); Dutch Grid (RK); German Grid (GK); Irish Transverse Mercator; New Zealand Map Grid (NZMG); Swedish Grid; Swiss Grid; and ECEF X, Y, Z systems. You can choose a primary and secondary coordinate system and can select from a list of 127 geodetic datums for automatic translation.
• Automapping: GPSyLink connects GPSy to USGS topographic maps on CD-ROM; DeLorme's Street Atlas ® 3.0, 4.0 and 6.0 (CD-ROM of USA) as well as iPC's MapFan II (CD-ROM of Japan). GPSy also includes links to most popular online Internet Map Servers. You can set a continuous update (1, 3, 5, 10, 15, 30, 60 seconds) rate or single location. GPSyLinkTM can display your current waypoint using these map databases as well as your current bearing, heading, distance to go, and speed. This provides a sophisticated auto-mapping solution that rivals some of the more expensive ($3000~) built-in car GPS systems while also giving you the convenience of a hand-held GPS unit.
• GPSy clients have also made extensive use of MapBlast support. MapBlast.COM is an internet map server that also provides door-to-door routing. With GPSy, you can easily upload these map routes to your handheld GPS units, most of which cannot door-to-door route themselves. This is a perfect companion for planning road trips. Just upload your daily route each morning before you head out for the day.
• Compatible with any NMEA-0183, NMEA-0182, Rockwell NavCore V, Rockwell Zodiac Binary, Sony IPS, or Trimble (TSIP) compliant GPS/Loran-C/etc. navigational unit
• Unique AppleEvent polling of GPS latitude/longitude/speed/track/UTC-time using AppleScript and GPSyLink [NEW]
• Support for Rockwell NavCore V-based GPS units (DeLorme TrackNGo and Rockwell NavCard among others) as well as Rockwell Zodiac Binary Protocol (DeLorme Tripmate, among others)
• Computer-command control of programmable/bi-directional GPS units such as the Ashtec SCA-12/12S; DeLorme Tripmate; Starlink Differential GPS units; Garmin GPS 20/20SL/30/31/35/36; and remotely configured GPS units.
• Mac System Time Synchronization to GPS/atomic time
• Static Position Calculation / SA-cancellation
• Text-to-speech of locational and navigational information
• World-map locater
• SI/Metric and Imperial conversion
• GPS Satellite Data; extensive almanac data
• Available maritime data
• Realtime data logging and playback
• PowerPC Native "Fat" binaries
• Support for all CTB compliant serial ports, including PowerBook serials; USB-to-Serial Adaptors (Keyspan; etc.); PortShare; PortJuggler; and PC Card GPS units and serial devices.

GPSy supports Internet DGPS-IP data corrections from free DGPS-IP servers for meter-accurate real-time solutions. In addition, if the navigational unit is in a stable location, GPSyTM can calculate the average static position over time. This will cancel the cumulative effects of the government-induced Selective Availability (SA). You will need at least an hour of calculating the average in order to cancel out the effects. You can reach about a 10-meter (30 foot) static solution using this option or meter-accurate combined with DGPS-IP. The length of the data sample; sample size n; standard deviation; and the average dilution of precision (DOP) are also calculated, thus giving you an index into the sample accuracy.

GPSy Pro is an enhanced version of GPSy, designed for boaters and people who use large or complex map images and adds the following features to GPSy:
• BSB topographic and nautical chart format support for African, Canadian, European, German, French, German, Swedish, Swiss, and U.S. territorial waters (see GPSy Map Page).
• Internet DGPS Support -- uses the free internet DGPS servers to attain high-accuracy readings
• Great circle routing on navigation displays and precise local WMM-95 geomagnetic declination calculations
• Precise map calibration algorithm (10 coefficient polynomial) allows even skewed, distorted, or non-orthorectified maps to calibrate accurately
• Better track and waypoint overlay support, printing support, and memory handling than GPSy

GPSy Pro's Text-to-Speech feature uses the Macintosh's PlainTalk speech engine. Open up any navigational window and the computer can speak the current location, track, or heading to you.

GPSy Pro can synchronize a Macintosh's internal time/locale data to the highly accurate data provided by the GPS system. If the navigational unit is in a stable location, GPSy can calculate the average static position over time. This cancels the cumulative effects of GPS Selective Availability (SA). The GPS system is capable of much better performance than its nominal 100 metres to 300 metres accuracy -- 10 metre accuracy is possible -- but the US military's Selective Availability (SA) policy dictates that the accuracy of civilian GPS signals be intentionally reduced to 100 metres).

To create a $200-$400 GPS car navigation solution:
• Download And Purchase Gpsytm On-line.
• Obtain Digital Maps From Any Of Of Many Digital Map Vendors Or Use An Internet Mapping Server
• Purchase A Compatible Gps Unit. The Garmin Gps Iii+ (~$370), Ii+ ($250), And 12 ($175) Are all highly ranked on our GPS unit recommendations page. We have a list of GPS resellers and instructions on how to make your own Mac GPS data cable.

With GPSy and a Ricochet radio-internet modem strapped to your PowerBook, not only can you get real-time Internet DGPS-IP data corrections removing SA and giving a real-time <10 meter accuracy; view your location using multiple GPSyLinked Internet Map Servers; but you can also export your current location to a HTML web file. Using Personal Web Sharing, anyone can view your current location. Ideal for vehicle tracking or remote position monitoring.

Karen Nakamura, shown here with the late Meanie Nakamura, Global Mapping Systems' former honorary president and corporate mascot. is a veteran Macintosh and NeXTStep programmer with over 17 years experience, and a graduate of Cornell and Yale Universities. She was one of the first NeXTStep programmers when it was released in 1989. GPSy Pro was developed out of a fieldwork tool in her dissertation project analyzing deaf communities in the United States and Japan.

New in this version:

• Fixes for the Garmin eMap/eTrex, eTrex Summit, Magellan GPS 315/320, and USB serial adaptors.

System requirements:
• System 7.0 or higher
• Compatible GPS unit

GPSy is $50.00 demoware

For more information, visit:
http://www.gpsy.com/

Charles W. Moore

Cool Mac Gear