TT2 losing connection with EMTAC sleeve

llaz

Problem:

TT2 runs fine one day and then the next it stops communicating with my EMTAC sleeve. Looking at the status, the connection indicator seems to slow down, come to life intermittently and then hang completely.

On one journey I gave up trying to use it and switched it off. After some hours, got back in the car and tried it once more and it started working.

There does not appear to be any pattern as to when the problem occurs or when it starts working again.

Is anyone else having this type of problem or does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can resolve this issue?

Config:

iPAQ 3870 (IR disabled)

ROM version 2.2

EMTAC GPSJAQ (configured in TT as GPSJAQ, CoPilot iJacket_GPS)

TT 2.24 (361), GPS 2.06

Any help, suggestions or co-sufferers will be very welcome and appreciated.

Louis.

Dave

This sounds like one of two things. Either your Pocket PC processor is getting swamped and slowing down, or there's a problem with the sleeve. Unfortunately you can't run WinFast Navigator against the Emtac sleeve. If you had the Crux utils come with the sleeve, you could run this against it when it's running okay, and later when you start having a problem. To me it sounds more likely to be the GPS Receiver.

llaz

Thanks for your comments Dave.

I have run the Crux utility in both cases. When it is not working, Crux reports either incorrect board rate or port error. Various actions get it working again - restarting Crux, soft reset, removing and replacing the sleeve, etc.

If it is the sleeve, do you have any suggestions as to what I can do to have the problem resolved? Very difficult to reproduce (and therefore prove) and time between failaures very variable.

Many thanks for any further assistance.

Louis.

Dave

Hmmm, that doesn't sound good Louis! Strangely enough we've heard about 3 or 4 reports in the past month with issues with the Emtac/CoPilot Sleeve where suddenly GPS positioning seems to freeze, and I'm seriously wondering if there is a faulty batch now. When this happens, is the sleeve hot to touch ?

If it's failing to connect with Crux Util when it's having problems, but you can connect perfectly in normal conditions, then I would suggest contacting the retailer you purchased it from and telling them the problems you are having (how long ago did you purchase it ?).

I'd say it probably needs to be returned for a replacement, but it's dodgy ground, most retailers won't issue replacements unless they can find a fault with it, and intermittent faults are always a PITA! Talk to the retailer, they might be sympathetic and have had several returns already.

llaz

Thanks for your continued interest and support.

The sleeve is sometimes warm and sometimes quite cool - no particular pattern.

Purchased about 2 months ago.

I have also hard comments that it could be the iPAQ :-(

Really don't want to have to survive without if I can avoid it anyway (protracted exchanges suppliers) - although I have horrible feeling that you could well be correct in your assessement :-(

Louis.

llaz

An update. I noticed that the problem seems to occur when the lip at the top of the Emtac gets hot. So today was very warm - started operating fine and then started losing the signal and finally hung. Tried putting it out of the sunlight for a while and then tried again. Started working and then hung again after it got hot again.

I wonder whether the "batch" you refer to has lower heat tolerances than it should - perhaps even the heat of the iPAQ when charging is enough to disrupt the communication.

Will be talking to the retailer to see if it can be exchanged.

Louis.

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