GPSd is required by several Open Source programs that deal with GPS receivers: navit, viking, gpsdrive, GMapCatcher ... only to name a few.

Unfortunately, the GPSd website states: "No, we don't support Windows — get a better operating system." ; However, with an installed cygwin you can run GPSd under Windows.

Installation

Installing GPSd on Windows is now very simple:

• Just download and run the latest installer

Starting GPSd

• Stop ALL programs using the GPS receiver.
  
• Launch "GPSd for Windows"
  
  • you should have a shortcut in your desktop.
    
  • or launch it directly "C:\cygwin\gpsd4win.bat"
    
• If the Windows-Firewall now issues a warning, click the "Don't block" button.
  
• After some initial text on the console, nothing happens - that's ok!

Hints / Troubleshooting

http://code.google.com/p/gpsd-4-win/source/browse/trunk/binary/batch/gpsd4win.bat'>gpsd4win.bat should auto-detect the COM port, if your GPS device is not detected you can set it manually!

• If you get an error "Could not find cygwin1.dll", then your probably not running in: c:\cygwin\bin
  
• All gpsd console programs are closed by pressing Crtl-C in the corresponding console window.
  
• Running the GPS receiver for the first time, it may take a few minutes before the receiver has a satellite fix.
  
• In case your GPS gets confused, e.g. if you had run both gpsd and another software using the GPS, try to unplug and replug the GPS.
  
• If you plug your GPS into a different USB port, it might get a new COM port number!
  
• Bluetooth may use very high COM port numbers (COM40 !) that won't work with gpsd (or cygwin?) - try to set a lower COM port number in your Bluetooth software

This project was inspired from:
http://home.arcor.de/ulf.lamping/gpsd/gpsd.html'>http://home.arcor.de/ulf.lamping/gpsd/gpsd.html