[Xastir] Newbee question re: Garmin Rino / Cygwin / Xastir and SAR

[Jim Tolbert]

I apologize in advance for the dumb questions and know that this is 
probably covered somewhere, but I have been unable to find it.  Could 
some one give me directions to a recipe, or give me a recipe, to get 
this working?

 From a laptop at a ground search incident command, I would like to 
track, and plot the tracks of, up to 20 GPS units on ground searchers.  
It seems from what I have read that the Garmin Rino units with Xastir & 
GPSman will do this. 

I have downloaded Cygwin & Xastir and can successfully run Xastir on my 
Windows XP laptop.  I am NOT a programmer and have done this only by 
following a recipe in the help files.

We have very spotty cellular telephone coverage in our corner of the 
woods and the law enforcement radio infrastructure is dated and 
overloaded.  Therefore, I thought that Garmin Rinos within 5 miles of 
the search incident command would be a workable alternative.

    * Can anyone point me to a recipe for what to do next?  Exactly what
      hooks how to what, what settings are used in what, how do I make
      it all work.

    * Can anyone confirm that this will work?  I think some money is
      available to purchase the Rinos, but I have to be sure it is going
      to work.

    * Does the model of Garmin Rino figure into the distance that the
      searchers could be from the receiver / Laptop?  Are Rino 110 okay
      for the searchers?  Should a different unit be used at the laptop?

    * I am concerned about a single county in Wisconsin.   What is the
      suggestion for the best source for a topo map of the county to use
      with this project?

    * There are not many funds and I think I can have but one trip to
      the well.  What all should be considered? Must have, should have,
      nice to have, Lexus version.


Thanks is advance for any comments and directions.

-- 
Jim Tolbert
EMT-B
Webster, WI USA

RiverRidge at CenturyTel.net