unable to connect ipaq 5550 with garmin etrex

[simonc]

Success at last!

I followed Ronald’s instructions to join my existing serial cables. It didn’t work at first. After trying unsuccessfully for quite a while I decided to install a different program (GlobalPoint GPS).

I'm not sure how much (if any) of this is relevant but here's what I did that led to the system working:

1 Connected the Sync cable to the pc's usb port
2 Installed GlobalPoint
3 Removed the ipaq from its cradle
4 Soft reset the ipaq
5 Unplugged the sync cable from the pc's usb port
6 Plugged the power cable into the ipaq’s cradle as the battery was running a bit low
7 Put the ipaq back into the cradle
8 Switched on the ipaq
9 Started up GlobalPoint (ActiveSync was running from before the soft-reset)

Almost immediately I got a screen full of the data Dave described in an earlier post.

Once I was certain that the system was up and running with the homemade cable I tested the SupplyNet cables - one worked and one didn’t. Now I can use the working SupplyNet cable any time with no problems (the other faulty cable has gone back to SupplyNet). I can also use any of the GPS programs that wouldn’t work before. I don’t know exactly what made the system work. Maybe something I did ‘activated the com port’ like Ronald mentioned he had heard...

It’s a wonderful thing to have moving map GPS on a pocket pc! I recommend it to anyone. I’ve put the system to work today today plotting transects to monitor bird populations for my ecological consulting business. It’s also great to have for navigation in the car or when hiking (I’ve already tested the system for both). If I didn’t already have the etrex I would have definitely gone with bluetooth. I guess it’s something to look forward to when I upgrade.

Thanks Dave and Ronald – you guys are awesome!!!

[Dave]

I'm glad we got you there in the end. I must admit a very strange way of getting it to work though!

We see you’re using an ad-blocker. We’re fine with that and won’t stop you visiting the site.
Have you considered making a donation towards website running costs?.
Or you could disable your ad-blocker for this site. We think you’ll find our adverts are not overbearing!