NAME
mtkbabel - Tool for managing GPS data loggers based on the MTK chip
SYNOPSIS
mtkbabel [-abcdEfhilmopRrstvw]
DESCRIPTION
mtkbabel is a command line program to operate GPS data loggers based on
the MediaTek MTK chip. It was tested on the i-Blue 747 and on the
Holux M-241, it should work also with other GPS devices based on the
same chip.
The main features are:
- Command line interface
- Save data log in GPX and raw binary format
- If required retrieve all the data, also the old one being overlapped
- Change logging criteria: time, distance, speed
- Change log format
- START/STOP logging
- Set OVERLAP or STOP method on memory full
- Erase the internal memory
USAGE
In order to use mtkbabel, please follow these instructions:
1. Attach the GPS data logger device to your computer via USB.
2. Now you have to switch the GPS device (at least the i-Blue 747) into
LOG or NAV mode, otherwise the device will not be powered on, and no
connection will be possible. Beware that in NAV mode the device goes
into sleep mode if not connected to any Bluetooth device.
3. In order to use mtkbabel you have to either be root (not
recommended) and/or you must have read/write permissions for the USB
device file, usually /dev/ttyUSB0. This device usually has permissions
’crw-rw---- 1 root dialout’, so you can either add your user to the
dialout group (in this example) by doing
$ adduser USERNAME dialout
or (not recommended) make the device world-readable/-writable by doing:
$ chmod 666 /dev/ttyUSB0
Another option is to write a udev rules file to change the owner and
permissions of /dev/ttyUSB0 according to your requirements.
4. You can now run mtkbabel. For example, if you want to download the
track log and the list of waypoints you captured on the device, run:
$ mtkbabel -s 115200 -l off -f foo -w -t
The default speed of 115200 baud should work in most cases and you can
omit it, for the Holux M-241 you must use 38400 instead. This will
turn off the autolog function, which is always turned on when you
switch on the device. The track log will be in the file foo_trk.gpx,
the waypoints in the file foo_wpt.gpx (both in GPX format). The file
foo.bin will contain the binary log file. Downloading the data from the
GPS device can take several minutes, depending on how much data has to
be transferred.
In order to delete all data from the GPS device, run:
$ mtkbabel -s 115200 -E
OPTIONS
-a Read all the log memory (overlapped data).
-b filename.bin
Do not read data from a GPS device, but rather read a previously
saved .bin file. Ignore -f option.
-c Create a GPX file with both tracks and waypoints.
-d debug_level
Debug level: 0..7.
-E Erase data log memory.
-f Base name for saved files (.bin and .gpx). If you, for example,
use -f gpslog, mtkbabel will create files which are called
gpslog.gpx, gpslog_trk.gpx, gpslog_wpt.gpx and gpslog.bin.
-h Show a help text and exit.
-i Ignore some error conditions and try to extract as much data as
possible from GPS.
-l {on|off}
Turn logging ON/OFF.
-m {stop|overlap}
Set STOP/OVERLAP recording method on memory full.
-o log_format
Enable or disable log fields (FIELD1,-FIELD2,...), available
fields: UTC, VALID, LATITUDE, LONGITUDE, HEIGHT, SPEED, HEADING,
DSTA, DAGE, PDOP, HDOP, VDOP, NSAT, SID, ELEVATION, AZIMUTH,
SNR, RCR, MILLISECOND, DISTANCE.
-p port
Communication port, default: /dev/ttyUSB0.
-R Recover from disabled log: erase data and reset recording
criteria.
-r time:distance:speed
Set logging criteria (zero to disable): every 1-999 seconds,
every 10-9999 meters, over 10-999 km/h.
-s speed
Serial port speed, default 115200 baud.
-t Create a GPX file with tracks.
-v Show version information and exit.
-w Create a GPX file with waypoints.
BUGS
Please report any bugs to Niccolo Rigacci <niccolo@rigacci.org>.
LICENCE
mtkbabel is covered by the GNU General Public License (GPL), version 2
or later.
AUTHORS
Niccolo Rigacci <niccolo@rigacci.org>
This manual page was written by Uwe Hermann <uwe@hermann-uwe.de>. It
is licensed under the terms of the GNU GPL (version 2 or later).
January 20, 2009