How to Test GPS?

[Creepin_D]

Well I bought a Microsoft Pharos GPS-500 to go along with marine software. I can not get the GPS to work with the software so now I need to figure out where my problem is. I need to know how to test the GPS. I was told to use hyper terminal to test it, and when I do all I get is a bunch of symbols always scrolling through the screen. I have no idea what I am looking at and is that what it suppose to look like ??

 

[ATF678]

What you should be seeing are called NMEA sentences. The front of every sentence should be a 3 letter code. There are many codes, but for example you might see GGA, GLL, GSA, etc.