Unable to Connect to Garmin eTrex Using Usb to Serial

[Ian Barton]

Binary package hint: gpsbabel

I am not sure exactly where this bug is located. Here is a summary of the problem:

I am trying to connect mu Garmin eTrex via a usb to serial connector and download tracks. The usb to serial uses a well known chip set and is corrected detected:

Oct 22 07:44:16 scamper kernel: [ 1068.953367] usb 5-1: pl2303 converter now attached to ttyUSB0
Oct 22 07:48:57 scamper kernel: [ 1350.542746] usb 5-1: USB disconnect, address 7
Oct 22 07:48:57 scamper kernel: [ 1350.543003] pl2303 ttyUSB0: pl2303 converter now disconnected from ttyUSB0
Oct 22 07:48:57 scamper kernel: [ 1350.543038] pl2303 5-1:1.0: device disconnected
Oct 22 07:49:31 scamper kernel: [ 1384.472677] usb 5-1: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 8
Oct 22 07:49:31 scamper kernel: [ 1384.633321] pl2303 5-1:1.0: pl2303 converter detected
Oct 22 07:49:31 scamper kernel: [ 1384.646366] usb 5-1: pl2303 converter now attached to ttyUSB0

Now I try to download the waypoints using gpsbabel:

sudo gpsbabel -i garmin -f /dev/ttyUSB0 -o gpx -F waypoints.gpx

This doesn't return any errors, but just hangs waiting for data until I hit ctlr-C. I have tried setting the interface on the Garmin to "Garmin" and "NMEA". I have also tried using gpsd, but still not managed to connect to the eTrex.. I have also tried connecting using gpsd with the same results.

Now if I try on the same computer running Maverick using Windows XP running under Virtual Box, I can connect to the eTrex. If I install Lucid on the computer, I can connect to the eTrex with no problem. I get similar results on another computer runing Maverick. So this seems to point to a problem with the usb to serial driver, or the kernel.

Ian.

[Ian Barton (ian-manor-farm)]

I don't think that this is a gpsbabel bug. Versions of gpsbabel that shipped with Lucid show the same bug. Unfortunately, syslog and messages don't provide any information. I suspect that it is either a bug in the usb to serial driver or the kernel. If anyone can tell me how I can provide more debug information, I'll happily do it.

Note changed package to linux-kernel-headers as there doesn't seem to be a pacakge I can find either for the kernel of kernel drivers.

[Rob Walker (rob-tenfoot)]

I've just run into the same issue since upgrading to maverick and I've got a
workaround - run the following command before gpsbabel:

  stty -F /dev/ttyUSB0 clocal

strace showed me that it was stuck in the open() call on /dev/ttyUSB0 and I
could reproduce the same behaviour with python, so it's not just a gpsbabel
issue - This hangs in the same way:

  python -c 'print open("/dev/ttyUSB0", "rw")'

googling around for "serial usb open hangs" gave me the following page:

http://forum.nginx.org/read.php?30,135400,135554

Taking the hint from Alan Cox about carrier detect, I disabled it with:

  stty -F /dev/ttyUSB0 clocal

And gpsbabel started working again! Should gpsbabel be setting this via
termios ?

I'm using a DIY cable, so have only got RX, TX and GND connected - I haven't
tied off DCD, DTR, RTS, CTS etc. Maybe something in the kernel got a bit
stricter about the defaults for flow control... (although I still see the
problem if I install the 2.6.32 kernel from lucid, so maybe its somewhere else)

[Ian Barton (ian-manor-farm)]

I can confirm that python can't open the port and that disabling carrier detect allows python to open the port. However, gpsbabel still has problems:

gpsbabel -w -i garmin -f /dev/ttyUSB0 -x track,start=20101120000001 -o gpx -F /home/ian/Private/Dropbox/gps_tracks/test_waypoints.gpx
[ERROR] GPS_Packet_Read: Timeout. No data received.
GARMIN:Can't init /dev/ttyUSB0

Error running gpsbabel: Process exited unsucessfully with code 1

[Ian Barton (ian-manor-farm)]

The latest round of updates seems to have fixed the problem. I can now download stuff from my eTrex.

[AnGus (ozsolarwind)]

Just upgraded to Ubuntu 11.04 and encountered the same problem, however,

  stty -F /dev/ttyUSB0 clocal

fixed it for me

[hannesvr (hannesvanroosbroeck)]

Using Ubuntu 11.04 (2.6.38-9-generic-pae) with Garmin Etrex H and serial to usb cable from kawamall.

  stty -F /dev/ttyUSB0 clocal

fixed it for me

[ppellet (ppellet)]

Using Ubuntu 11.10 with Garmin Etrex Legend and serial to usb cable.

     stty -F /dev/ttyUSB0 clocal

fixed it for me.

Now, I can use: GPSman v.6.4.1 and QGis v.1.4.0 'Enceladus'.