ohiohmmwv
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What is an appropriate match for the hand held gps units for the hmmwv? Hoping someone can list exact models.
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correct GPS for HMMWV ?
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Most of the military GPSs would be accurate. The HMMWVs service life has spanned the service life of nearly all handheld military GPSs. The most common variants are the AN/PSN-11 Precision Lightweight GPS receiver (PLGR) or the AN/PSN-13/A Defense Advanced GPS Receiver (DAGR). The Magellen 1000-M, Trimble SLGR, and PLGR II were out there but weren't fielded in number even close to the PLGR and DAGR.
It really comes down to what other communications or electronics gear you have installed. Or what time period you're looking to recreate. There are significant overlaps in many systems but if you're trying to be as modern as possible go for the PSN-13A.
It really comes down to what other communications or electronics gear you have installed. Or what time period you're looking to recreate. There are significant overlaps in many systems but if you're trying to be as modern as possible go for the PSN-13A.
ohiohmmwv
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Thanks sigo. Were they simply just handhelds or did they plug into the radios at any point?
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They plugged into the radios for the BFT systems. Murphy's surplus has DAGRs for 400$ or so.
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In non-FBCB2/BFT equipped trucks they could be mounted as a stand alone handheld only connected to the vehicle for power. If a GPS was in a vehicle mount it would usually have an external mounted as well.
papakb
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The Trimble SLGR (PSN-10) was used with the VRC-83s to provide 1 PPS Have Quick timing signals. This is the unit I always liked in my HMMWV because of the way it looks. I've got a PSN-11 and don't like it at all. Difficult to read and not very user friendly. The DAGRs are much nicer. The old Magellans were a POS.
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As stated above, the majority of them were PSN-11's (PLGRs) or PSN-13 or 13A (DAGRs) There is no physical difference between the PSN-13 and the 13A. For some reason DAGRs seem to be all over ebay and Murphys has them. My HMMWV is the Army has the PLGR and external antenna mounted up to the FBCB2 back in the late 90's.
ohiohmmwv
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Great info thanks. Are any considered sensitive that I should stay away from if I saw them for sale on ebay?
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Murphys surplus ones you can be assured are legit. On Ebay, who knows.....
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I don't worry when I buy from Murphy, but there is certainly plenty of stolen DoD gear on ebay.
Wile E. Coyote
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Murphy's price on DAGR is better than anything that's ever changed hands on Ebay (I keep track) and they look to be in better shape. There are tons and tons of power cables, antennas and mounts for them out there right now too on Ebay - especially Austin Aviation who list bucketloads weekly. PM-GPS used to go on and on about DAGR "will never be offered for sale to the public", but DIA and other alphabet agencies have stopped hassling Ebay vendors of DAGR and PLGR entirely, and now there's four-five a week on there.
As others have already mentioned, there's considerable overlap between AN/PSN-11 PLGR and AN/PSN-13 DAGR installations, as fielding was done on a priority basis, and lots of weapons platforms which used GPS were left with PLGR for ages after just about everyone else had DAGR. As someone else mentioned too, AN/PSN-10 SLGR and even civilian variants of it called the Trimpack were used, especially for Desert Storm (they also used the Magellan NAV1000M and the Trimble Scout.) There were even AN/PSN-8 and AN/PSN-9s around c.1991, but the Army never had that many of those to begin with, hence the quick purchase of all the other types for the Gulf. In my own experience, AN/PSN-8 will still get a fix; AN/PSN-10 and friends will too (but the date will be wrong thanks to Y2K) - and the NAV1000 family seems to never get a fix, probably also due to the Y2K issue (or I just have a number of bad ones.) There was also the Rockwell Trooper 1991-92, but I've yet to see any pictures of them actually in use in a military context outside of Janes.
A company called 3D Marketing also has a lockable mount for the DAGR which comes in two styles: a cylinder-lock type, and a type that uses the same standard American 5200 series padlocks used to secure SINCGARS and EPLRS and bits of FBCB2. Unfortunately they've recently doubled the price since I first saw it at Shot Show.
PLGR, SLGR and DAGR are also really fun if you have a computer, as you can hook up your laptop serial port to the military GPS, and the GPS will transmit NMEA 0183 data to the laptop, which can be utilized by Google Earth and various other mapping programs to show your location and/or map your progress as you drive. I had mine rigged up to a surplus Panasonic Toughbook and later to a touchscreen computer I made up on a HMMWV FBCB2 rack to simulate FBCB2. Looked pretty cool.
As others have already mentioned, there's considerable overlap between AN/PSN-11 PLGR and AN/PSN-13 DAGR installations, as fielding was done on a priority basis, and lots of weapons platforms which used GPS were left with PLGR for ages after just about everyone else had DAGR. As someone else mentioned too, AN/PSN-10 SLGR and even civilian variants of it called the Trimpack were used, especially for Desert Storm (they also used the Magellan NAV1000M and the Trimble Scout.) There were even AN/PSN-8 and AN/PSN-9s around c.1991, but the Army never had that many of those to begin with, hence the quick purchase of all the other types for the Gulf. In my own experience, AN/PSN-8 will still get a fix; AN/PSN-10 and friends will too (but the date will be wrong thanks to Y2K) - and the NAV1000 family seems to never get a fix, probably also due to the Y2K issue (or I just have a number of bad ones.) There was also the Rockwell Trooper 1991-92, but I've yet to see any pictures of them actually in use in a military context outside of Janes.
A company called 3D Marketing also has a lockable mount for the DAGR which comes in two styles: a cylinder-lock type, and a type that uses the same standard American 5200 series padlocks used to secure SINCGARS and EPLRS and bits of FBCB2. Unfortunately they've recently doubled the price since I first saw it at Shot Show.
PLGR, SLGR and DAGR are also really fun if you have a computer, as you can hook up your laptop serial port to the military GPS, and the GPS will transmit NMEA 0183 data to the laptop, which can be utilized by Google Earth and various other mapping programs to show your location and/or map your progress as you drive. I had mine rigged up to a surplus Panasonic Toughbook and later to a touchscreen computer I made up on a HMMWV FBCB2 rack to simulate FBCB2. Looked pretty cool.
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That was my DAGR lockable mount you saw at SHOT a few years back..... No kidding.
I still have it, and I sold a lot of those for 3D.
I still have it, and I sold a lot of those for 3D.
Wile E. Coyote
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Hahaha...that's hilarious! Wonder why 3D has jacked the price up so much? Someone start making 5200 series padlocks out of pure silver or something? Yikes.
ohiohmmwv
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Was the trimble transpak used in the hmmwv as well? They look very similar.
ohiohmmwv
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I mean look similar to the trimpak.
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I've read and heard that quite a few Trimpaks were purchased for use in the first gulf war because there weren't enough SLGRs available. That was before my time in the Army so I don't have first-hand knowledge, but I'll say Trimpaks are correct. Brooke at PRC-68 has a good write up. PRC-68.com
ohiohmmwv
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Thanks sigo. I'm reading through that page now. I have my eye on a transpak so now I'm researching if that one was ever used too.
Wile E. Coyote
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They did use the Trimpack, along with an assortment of others. Mike Murphy had the ex-military Trimpacks (still does, I think.)...I don't know if the Transpak was used. There are SLGRs on Ebay frequently. Might be worth a look. Like right now 
Search 'military gps'. Might even find one with the hard-to-get vehicle mount.
Search 'military gps'. Might even find one with the hard-to-get vehicle mount.papakb
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The difference between the Trimpack and the Transpack was that only the Trimpack had P code capability otherwise they were pretty much the same GPS. The most obvious difference physically was the lack of the second 5 pin connector on the side of the GPS. Once they disabled the P code dithering of timing signals almost any GPS will give relatively accurate positions, usually within 10 meters or less.