BT 308 green light disappeared

[gilbertw]

Just got my BT308 today and managed to get a fix using the GSPInformation tool. While the GSPInformation was running, I fired up TOM TOM II and changed the modem to SiRF 38400 and COM To COM8. Everything worked fine. However, after a few minutes, the green night disappeared (neither continuous non blinking green). BT308 just stopped sending any further signals. The BT connection was still there as the blue night was still doing the fast blinking. The battery was fine as I didn't see the red light. Any help would be much appreciated. Cheers. Gilbert

[Dave]

This is a known problem with the BT308 and Emtac Bluetooth receivers. Try going into TomTom Navigator and selecting NMEA 4800 and see if you can get it to connect.



I suspect you'll still have a dead GPS. If this is the case, what you need to do is unplug the charger from it, leave it on constantly for a couple of days to drain the main battery and backup battery (capacitor) and it will return to factory default.



It may be a little more than a few days (Mike had this problem), but once you then power it back up it will have done a factory reset and will be working again, but you do have to wait for the battery/capacitor to discharge first. I think the GlobalSat was more like 5 days.

[gilbertw]

Hi Dave,



Thank you very much for the reply. I turned the BT308 on again just now and got into TT2. The blue night is flashing quick but still no green light at all. To my surprise, I have a fix of 6 satellites and TT2 seems to be working fine. Has my BT308 got a blown green light?



Cheers, Gilbert

[gilbertw]

I reset the TT2 to NMEA 38400. The blinking green suddenly reappeared again!!! Everything is working now. BTW, I got the BT308 from eBay and was shipped to me from Singapore. It works fine but just half the UK price even after the import duty and taxes. Regards, Gilbert

[MikeB]

There is a bug in the firmware of the early BT308 receivers causing issues when sswitching from NMEA to SiRF and back again.



I wonder if these early receivers are the ones being sold on eBay. The good thing is that if you do suffer from these problems there is a solution, albeit that your GPS is non-functional for a few days.
_________________
Mike Barrett

[Stevie]

I've had a few hangs with my BT308 usually a rest of the Ipaq has done the trick. The last hang was with my green light on, could not get it to fix. I then used the supplied gps program that came with the BT308 and it worked. The it worked with TT2 again.



The supplied gps says use 38400 baud so is that Sirf mode? I suppose TT2 uses NMEA. Only time I ran the battery down was due on me leaving it switched on in error!



Mine was from a US ebay and came from the US Serial no 1000 makes me wonder if that's an earlier model.



Is there ay way to check the firmware or even update it?



Sorry for so many questions but if there are several BT308 users having issues the answers may benefit us all.

[gilbertw]

I didn't need to wait for the battery to run dry. Just reset the baud rate to NMEA38400 in TomTomII and all was well. The manual that came with BT308 suggested using Sirf38400 for TTII and that was the cause of the problem. As this guy on eBay is selling tons of BT308 from Sigapore, I suspect that his stock might be newer than those here in UK. Not to forget Signapore is only 2 hours flight from Taiwan where the units were made. This is what we called true market arbitrage. The after sales support is good as well. When I reported the problem to the seller, he got back to me within 4 hours.

[Stevie]

I've been using TTII with the Emtac Wireless GPS setting on COM8.



What settings are you using the NMEA 0183v2 38400??

[nath]

I use the BT308 (also from ebay) with an ipaq 1940 and tomtom nav2, latest version. I have found that when you you select NMEA it works fine – the green light flashes and you get satelite fixes. However on the navigator screen you constantly get the gps not available icon flashing at you – event though it works fine.



When you select SIRF bluetooth in tomtom the green light stops flashing but you do get satelite fixes and it work fine in tomtom – the gps not available icon does not show.



So I really do not know what you are supposed to select in tomtom – sirf or gps, is there a difference ?



It seems this is a common isue for most – anyone know what the exact setting should be with tomtom ?

[zariaman]

Hi I have been having the same problem. My BT308 was working fine, went to Boston from Toronto and back again using Routis. I had not used my GPS for a while untill last night when I purchased Microsoft Street and Trip 2005. I know this is a European forum and most of you use Tom Tom.

I started up my bt308 it connects with blue tooth but no green light and no info on the GPS information software. I was not aware of SiRF 38400 my software just uses NMEA and I did not make any changes to that.

I have understood that TT drivers can change from NMEA to SiRF and back again, but I have not done that. Is it possible that the BT308 changed to SiRF by itself or do you think I have a dead unit?

I have d/led TT driver 2.7 and I noticed the changes that can be done to the GPS unit. I was testing to see if I could get any type of signal from the GPS NMEA or SiRF. The TT software does not allow me to change settings, meaning I can change the drop down menu but when I click the box to have it check marked it does not work?

Should I just wait and let the unit reset itself?

Does anyone have any recommendations in finding out if this unit salvageable?

Thanks, Demetre
[i]

[zariaman]

I opened up the GPS unit and I found the problem. The main circuit board sonnets to the internal antenna with a wire and mount and the mount that the wine is connected to has come off the board. I bought it on ebay and can not return It, so lam taking it to an electronics. repair place to get it soldered.

Demetre

[DevilWAH]

Ok i have left mine turned on for over a week and still no green light when i turn it back on.


is there any other way to reset the 308??
i dont have TT2 only mobiel on my phone where i cant reset the device format.
and trying with the software that comes with the device dosn't seem to do any thing.

Any other ideas???

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