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Re: "standard" protocol for handheld GPSs
Yes, virtually all of them use a marine protocol called NMEA 0183.  
(Stands for National Marine Electronics Association.)  There are a couple 
of different formats, and it was originally designed for marine 
autopilots, plotters, etc.  The data stream is a series of pure ASCII 
"sentences" each consisting of an identifying header telling the 
receiving equipment what the content of the sentence is going to be, 
followed by numerical data.  (I.e., "this next sentence is going to be 
deviation from track, 0.03 nm" etc.)
Any good marine electronics shop should have a listing of the NMEA protocols.
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