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Fortuna Dual Mode Bluetooth GPS Xtrac mode problem

 
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CM4
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Joined: Nov 10, 2003
Posts: 20

PostPosted: Tue Nov 18, 2003 10:53 pm    Post subject: Fortuna Dual Mode Bluetooth GPS Xtrac mode problem Reply with quote

Hi,

I own an HP IPAQ h2210.

I just bought this GPS today! Smile

I am using it with the TomTom GPS Driver 2.08 which can be downloaded free from the web.

I have tried the GPS in standard mode and it seems to be working ok. In the TomTom GPS utility I used NMEA 0183v2 38400 and Bluetooth Serial Port COM8. It found it hard picking much up indoors but once I got outside it got a fix a few minutes after I started driving.

I am concerned that the "ClipOn-BTGPS" icon under Bluetooth Manager has a question mark next to it? Is this normal?

When I tried out Xtac mode however (after turning the GPS off to change mode) I cannot connect to the GPS. I keep getting this message:

"No Bluetooth serial ports could be found for device ClipOn-BTGPS"

I have tried a soft-reset of the iPAQ and tried a few other modes in addition to the standard NMEA 0183v2 38400 and COM8.

Not sure what to do now.Sad

The manual mentions something about selecting a SPP Slave(?) Didn't find that option. I am assuming that this something that has to be done in PPC2002 and not PPC2003?

Any help much appreciated.

Thanks Smile
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Dave
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Joined: Sep 10, 2003
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 19, 2003 7:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You should be connecting on exactly the same settings (COM 8/NMEA/38400). If it's not working but when you switch it back to ST mode, then it could be a problem with the model you have there.

SP Slave mode is what you will get it appear as under the BT Manager. Don't worry about the question mark. Providing you have bonded the GPS to the iPAQ and used the passkey of 0000 then it should work fine.

I'm not entirely sure what happens if you were to switch it from ST to XT whilst the GPS is on but Fortuna seem to try to make it clear not to do this, so I'm not sure if it breaks XT mode ? The only thing I'm wondering is if by accident you have switched it, or if someone has had it before you and tried it and returned it.


Last edited by Dave on Wed Nov 19, 2003 4:51 pm; edited 1 time in total
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simkna
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Joined: 24/01/2003 11:34:45
Posts: 101
Location: United Kingdom

PostPosted: Wed Nov 19, 2003 10:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm not sure how it' would be possible to switch modes without switching it off. When the power switch is in the on position, it covers the mode switch - you have to switch it off to get at the mode switch.

I have sent my clip-on back to Fortuna - XT mode worked fine, (strong signal sensitivity, but laggy), but couldn't get it into ST mode - regardless of mode switch position it was always in XT mode.

Don't know how long it'll take them to get it repaired and back to me - still using my old Holux CF for now.

Si.
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Dave
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 19, 2003 12:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

When you power off the Fortuna it looks like the switch is in ST mode, and when you power it on its looks like it's in XT mode.

That switch by the ST/XT doesn't actually do anything, it's hard wired to the power switch. What you have to do is to the right of this switch, there is a back panel with a fine pin hole. You have to push a pen into this and pull it to the right, if you remove your pen, you will see the pin hole has moved to the right. This gets you into XT mode, and you do the opposite to get you into ST mode.

The manual really isn't clear over this, and it took me a good while to work this out to switch this between ST and XT mode. This really is a bad move by Fortuna! Why put what looks to be a switch in place and not allow it to switch ?

I do agree though the little pin hole is covered up when you switch the receiver on, so there is no way of doing this when the receiver is off.
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simkna
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Joined: 24/01/2003 11:34:45
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Location: United Kingdom

PostPosted: Wed Nov 19, 2003 1:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The operation of the two switches seemed pretty straight forward and ingenous to me. The power switch covers the "pin " mode switch so you can't change modes while the power switch is on and covering it.

On mine, regardless of the position of the "pin " mode switch, it was stuck in XT mode. The central LED should change colour depending on what mode it is using - mine remained orange.

Si.
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Dave
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 19, 2003 2:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You have to look extremely careful at the middle LED. If you switch it on in ST mode, it looks red, and looks the same in XT mode. However in ST mode, if you watch the LED light up when you switch it on, you will see it go from what I suppose is an orange color to a fraction of a grade darker.

It's very difficult to be able to tell it's between red and orange on the one I have seen, but if you switch it on in XT mode, you don't see it flicker to grade darker. Very marginal and I think most people will miss this if they don't study it for a long time.
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simkna
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 19, 2003 4:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

As well as the LED not appearing to change, it behaved exactly as you would expect it to behave in XT mode with switch in either position.
i.e. quite laggy, position dancing around a fair bit, and superb signal sensitivity.

Si.
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CM4
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Joined: Nov 10, 2003
Posts: 20

PostPosted: Wed Nov 19, 2003 7:02 pm    Post subject: Sorted! Reply with quote

Thanks for the help everyone.

The problem has now been resolved. My copy of TomTom 2 finally arrived today (before I was using just the GPS driver) and it now works in Xtrac mode! Smile

When TomTom launched it went to bluetooth manager where I select the GPS, suddenly the Fortuna started flashing blue!

Not sure why that makes a difference, but its working now thankfully!

Xtrac mode does seem to be really good - lots of strong fixes, but Standard mode doesn't seem to be that good. However this is my first GPS unit so not sure how it compares to others.

Anybody else got any opinions on this unit? Dave?

Thanks again!
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queenb
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Joined: Oct 06, 2003
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 26, 2003 5:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've bought a Fortuna Clip on GPS. The manual was not very clear on how to switch between XT and ST modes and as a result, i had the same problems as other forum members. No problems with Bluetooth connection to my PC via TDK PC card, and an Ipaq 3970. However, I can't get a connection to an O2 XDA II running PocketPC 2003. I have been able to bond the two together, but i can't seem to get a serial connection. TomTOm GPS on the XDA suggests COm port 6 is the Bluetooth port. On the Ipaq, the Bluetooth serial port is 8. TomTOm automatically establishes the Bluetooth connection on starting the application. It works on the Ipaq, but not XDA. Tried all available com ports but still didn't work.
On a PC, you sometimes need to manually establish the connection in Bluetooth neighbourhood first before opening a GPS application. An annoying feature is that the unit will only bond to one device at a time. the minute you switch from using the rceiver from laptop to PDA, you need to enter the PIn code before using the unit.

Compared to my Garmin 12XL handheld receiver and Navman 3400 sleeve, the Fortuna is faster at picking up and holding onto a fix in ST mode. One of the toughest tests is to leave the GPS receiver
on the inside of the window of a moving train and see how long it takes to get a fix. The Navman and garmin can take as long as 20-25min. However, the Fortuna got a fix within a minute.
In XT mode, there is a marked delay in speed readouts, but you will get a 6 to 7 satellite fix as opposed to a 4 to 5 satellite fix in ST mode.
In vehicles with chromatic film windows, XT mode detected up to four satellites, but couldn't get a fix. In ST mode, it will only get one bar. Neither the Navman or Garmin could detect a satellite in the same conditions.
I also noticed that the altitude readings were consistently showing 140ft more height than my Garmin. As the london basin is quite low, i reckon the Fortuna is giving out the inaccurate reading.
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thebears
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Joined: Nov 04, 2003
Posts: 19
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 27, 2003 12:48 pm    Post subject: My Experiences of ClipON Reply with quote

Having read through the thread on the Fortuna Clip on I would like to add my comments as follows.

Yes I experienced the same problems with the ST/XT switch, as you mention the instructions do not cover this. However I can see the point of protecting the unit by only allowing it to be done when off, but how many people carry a pin with them whilst out and about!! Surely something better could have been incorporated into this.

I’m not sure how CM4’s comments regarding changing mode and not getting the gps blue tooth to work. Mine does work fine in both modes, but one observation is that sometimes you have to switch the GPS OFF and then ON again whilst selecting the BT manager, this has the effect of getting a connection straight away and the blue BT light flashes merrily away. So if you cant get a BT connection just try turning the unit off and on again.

I also had to enter 0000 under the slave section when recognising the hardware for the first timeand when I enter BT manager form PC2003 it does come up with ClipOn-BTGPS: SPP Slave. The good folk at global told me to pair the device from here first before opening TTN2 but not sure what difference this makes. The main problem I have found is BT manager starting at any time even if you just want to look at the map and not being able to turn it off, does anyone know anything about this?

As for signal strength and fixes, having only used for over a week in ST mode (in AudiA4 no posh windscreen) I get between 3 and 8 fixes averaging 6 most of the time. I have not yet tried XT on the move, but sat in the office with it on the desk at one point I was up to 11!! Turning on it usually fixes within 30 secs often quicker.

I’m still running GPSv2.06 how do I upgrade this? Do I have to remove the old version first, where is it stored and what are the benefits?

Overall still on the fence, I’ll wait for Dave’s full review first. However there is one on www.gpspassion.com

Exclamation
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DataMan
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Joined: Feb 15, 2004
Posts: 118
Location: USA

PostPosted: Mon Feb 16, 2004 2:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I bought mine from buyGPSnow.com

the managers name is Joe
well he seems pretty knowledgable and helped me a lot
sent me 4 new devices since I bough this device since Nov 2003

finally this week my 4th clip-on broke down for no good reason it just seats their with Red sat. light an d no signal... I go nutz
it use to get 7 sat last night now in the same position not even one...

I took out the battery and put it back in no luck so I'm doing a reaserch on Hia-com as Joe told me about it and I'm changing to the

HAiCOM Bluetooth Slipper™ GPS Receiver (HI-401BTs)

If Dave could help us with this it would be great. Since I belive he is very exprienced and trust worthy in these matters. his word counts a lot to me!

I hope he could compare the haicom new device to fortuna and tells us which one is more stable...
tel us what is the BEst gps bluetooth!

Joe Kee at www.buyGpsnow.com told me that he just got 1/50 th of the devices back since begining of the sales...

So I was guesing some thing is wrong w/ me
But I guess not since your are expriencing this problem too

well I like the Clip-on thingy since its crazy small and has seperate battery very good receiption (when it works) but I can not bear with furtona any more since they killed my fun when ever I really needed the GPS it did not work on me
I guess 4 not working devices in 4 months is not a good indicator of quality product...

I hope they improve

what I'm wondering is that Haicom and furtuna are both from taiwan so I don't know how much I could trust the haicom or any taiwan company !!

PLEASE share your knowledge and ideas on this

thanks

Dave please read my post and help if you could!
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Dave
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 16, 2004 9:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

See reply here.
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