Franson GpsGate Software

When using your GPS receiver with a portable computer, most systems only allow one application to use the GPS data. But the ability to run several applications at the same time is the key to modern computing. As more applications are becoming position-aware, GPS sharing will become a necessity.

Franson GpsGate overcomes this limitation, and makes GPS users more productive by allowing data from one GPS to be shared between many applications running on a laptop or handheld computer.

Some features include:

• Share one GPS between several applications;


• Garmin USB to NMEA conversion;


• More stable GPS connection; and


• GPS simulation and logging.

GpsGate can simulate a GPS traveling between a set of user-defined waypoints. This is great for indoor demonstrations and development. Data from the GPS can at any time be stored to a log file in NMEA format. A log file can later be played back as if the data came from a real GPS.

GpsGate supports NMEA and Garmin USB as input and creates virtual serial ports for each GPS-enabled application. The virtual serial port supports NMEA. GpsGate automatically reconnects to the GPS if it turned off and on or when a Bluetooth GPS temporarily gets out of reach.

GpsGate can be configured and accessed from an application without user interaction. The current status of the GPS -- like connection status and GPS fix status -- can be monitored in the task bar. From here all GpsGate functions can be accessed.

GpsGate costs around $30. For more information or to download a 14-day trial, visit the Franson GpsGate Web site.