GPS based data acquisition?

[Jamon Camisso]

On 26/05/10 12:06 AM, phiscock-g851W1bGYuGnS0EtXVNi6w at public.gmane.org wrote:
> Folks -
>
> As part of an ongoing study of light pollution, I'd like to be able to
> automatically acquire data from a light meter and plot it on a map, while
> driving over a route.
>
> I have the light meter sorted out: it's a voltmeter equipped with a light
> sensor. The voltmeter can be queried from a PC host over a USB connection
> and provide an ASCII data string representing light level. The voltmeter
> appears to be a serial port periferal.
>
> I have a GPS receiver (the microsoft 'streets and trips hardware) that
> talks to its software via USB, and I suspect it looks like a serial port
> device. However, I can buy some other hardware if that simplifies the
> application.
>
> So what is needed is some sort of app that can be programmed to fire
> requests to a 'serial port device' and then simultaneously capture the
> data that comes back and the GPS coordinates.
>
> Anyone have suggestions where to start with this?

Really depends on the device. Take a look here for a python+bluetooth 
GPS scanner. Even if you're using USB, the GPS sentence parsing and 
conversion from degres/minutes/seconds to decimal is useful.

http://thor.atrc.utoronto.ca/repos/bul/scyp/wips/trunk/demo/gps_scan.py

The Holux M1000 is cheap and easy if you want a bluetooth version. I 
have an extra one too ;)

Jamon
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