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How to stream your GPS data from your iPhone to your Windows based PC
Your iPhone has a GPS; your laptop does not. There is not a clean package for this, but it is pretty easy (and cheap $2) way to stream the NMEA (National Marine Electronics Association) GPS data from your phone to the PC.
I used three software packages to create a virtual GPS on my Windows 7 Dell duo. You only need two of them normally.
1. GPS 2 IP - Available on the Apple App Store for $1.99
2. Putty - A free telnet/terminal emulator OPTIONAL
3. HW VSP3 - A free virtual serial port redirector
You need to have a network running between the two devices. WiFi is the obvious and easiest solution. An ad-hoc network or running a hot-spot on your phone is fast and easy.
Run GPS2IP on your iOS device. Enable "Run in Background" mode, to prevent the
stream from breaking your comm port later.
This part is optional, but creates a more stable connection. Use it the first time at least.
Start Putty on the PC. Open a 'Raw' session to the iPhone using the IP and port listed on the GPS 2 IP screen. In the sample it is 192.168.1.109 port 11123. In a second you should see NMEA GPS messages scrolling. "$GPS.........." This will open the GPS 2 IP server; leave it running for a keep alive.
Now open HW Virtual Serial Port. Click "Login" and use the default password. Turn
NVT Enabled OFF in the settings panel. In the Virtual Serial Port panel enter the IP and port numbers from above, select the wanted com port number (COM5) and click "Create Com".
Finally your mapping software can connect to COM5 just like it was a generic serial GPS. I tested this with MS Streets and Trips; worked great.
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