Home PageFacebookRSS News Feed
PocketGPS
Web
SatNav,GPS,Navigation
Pocket GPS World - SatNavs | GPS | Speed Cameras: Forums

Pocket GPS World :: View topic - BT GPS receiver
 Forum FAQForum FAQ   SearchSearch   UsergroupsUsergroups   ProfileProfile   Log in for private messagesLog in for private messages   Log inLog in 

BT GPS receiver

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Pocket GPS World Forum Index -> Beginners GPS Lounge
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
gamichea
Regular Visitor


Joined: Aug 13, 2005
Posts: 67
Location: Rutland, England

PostPosted: Sun Apr 26, 2015 9:19 pm    Post subject: BT GPS receiver Reply with quote

My preferred navigation device is my Nexus 7 tablet. The only shortcoming I am experiencing is loss of GPS signal in difficult situations such as mountainous regions where the road clings to the valley side or is in a narrow valley and frequent successive tunnels such as are found on certain Italian motorways. My Nexus 4 smartphone is better but not perfect.

I use them mounted on a Brodit proclip mounted in the centre of the dashboard between the air vents in portrait orientation.

I would like to try and improve matters by pairing the Nexus 7 with a separate BT GPS sited on top of the dash board. Any advice on suitable high performance receivers would be much appreciated.

TIA
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
washman
Regular Visitor


Joined: Mar 30, 2006
Posts: 75

PostPosted: Mon Apr 27, 2015 9:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi

Any GPS is only going to work if it has clear view of satellites . It will not work in tunnels or if mountain sides block its view of satellites.

Washman
_________________
TOMTOM XL IQ routes. UK & ROF I App 9.510.1234792.2 Map UK &RI V945.6174
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
gamichea
Regular Visitor


Joined: Aug 13, 2005
Posts: 67
Location: Rutland, England

PostPosted: Mon Apr 27, 2015 1:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

washman wrote:
Hi

Any GPS is only going to work if it has clear view of satellites . It will not work in tunnels or if mountain sides block its view of satellites.

Washman


Thanks Washman. I am well aware of that.

The fact remains some GPS receivers are more sensitive than others or can see more satellites which means that in restricted situations they have a better chance of maintaining a fix. If I place my devices side by side with a clear view of the sky here at home, both running the GPS Status app the 4 sees 21 sats. and fixes 8 the 7 sees 8 and fixes them all. So, as I have seen demonstrated in actual use the 4 is more sensitive and therefore always has a greater potential for maintaining a fix.

The issue with tunnels is around how quickly the receiver refixes on emergence from a tunnel before reaching the next and again the 4 does better.

What I seek is a BT GPS with very high sensitivity to maximise the choice of sats. available and sufficient processing power to minimise refix time.
_________________
Nexus 7 (2013) & Nexus 4/Sygic/CamerAlert
In Brodit passive mounts on Moveclip/Proclip
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
JockTamsonsBairn
Lifetime Member


Joined: Jan 10, 2004
Posts: 2777
Location: Bonnie Scotland (West Central)

PostPosted: Mon Apr 27, 2015 8:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That takes me back a few years!!

Google suggests that it's possible but I'm guessing that any of the models of BT GPS that the "old hands" used with our PDAs wouldn't be available any more, unless you can pick one up on a well known auction site. Despite what I said in 2006, I did get a Holux GPSlim 236. If you can find one of those, it has the advantage of using a Nokia phone battery (BL-5C from memory) which I imagine you would be able to find a replacement for.
_________________
Jock

TomTom Go 940 LIVE (9.510, Europe v915.5074 on SD & 8.371, WCE v875.3613 on board)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
gamichea
Regular Visitor


Joined: Aug 13, 2005
Posts: 67
Location: Rutland, England

PostPosted: Mon Apr 27, 2015 9:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Jock. Your post takes me back a few years because I used to use a GPSlim to drive TomTom on a Dell PDA which unfortunately went belly up on me. I had rather assumed that things would have marched on a bit and there ought to be a choice of higher performers available now, not least because there are more satellites up above now.

I'll dig it out, pair it up and see if the GPS Status app can assess its performance.
_________________
Nexus 7 (2013) & Nexus 4/Sygic/CamerAlert
In Brodit passive mounts on Moveclip/Proclip
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
JockTamsonsBairn
Lifetime Member


Joined: Jan 10, 2004
Posts: 2777
Location: Bonnie Scotland (West Central)

PostPosted: Mon Apr 27, 2015 11:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Definitely give it a go and see what type of results you get! When I looked earlier on, I saw 66 channel devices. From memory, the GPSlim is 20 channel, but it worked fine for me!
_________________
Jock

TomTom Go 940 LIVE (9.510, Europe v915.5074 on SD & 8.371, WCE v875.3613 on board)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
gamichea
Regular Visitor


Joined: Aug 13, 2005
Posts: 67
Location: Rutland, England

PostPosted: Fri May 01, 2015 5:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well Jock, no problem using the GPSlim. It required no more than the usual 0000 to pair with the Nexus 7. An app is needed to bypass the Android device onboard GPS and use of Mock Locations must be enabled in the Android developer options. I used an app called Bluetooth GPS, free from the Google Play Store. It seems to work a treat, subject to some on road testing.

Interestingly the GPSlim seems to be seeing/fixing marginally fewer satellites than the Nexus 7. I guess this may be because the GPS chips in phones & tablets seem to be A(ssisted)GPS devices which harvest data from WiFi and cellular signals to augment GPS data. Those sources fall by the wayside in remoter locations where the WAAS/EGNOS capabilty of the GPSlim may help.

Ultimately, I suspect improved GPS reception in the situations I described will largely boil down to how much better (if at all) the aerial in the GPSlim is at hanging onto and re establishing reception. I too have seen 66 channel devices on offer. I have also seen it argued that 20 is more than adequate to see all the satellites potentially available from any location and have few spare for listening out for satellites the GPS knows to be just out of view.

Thanks for your interest & help,

Mike
_________________
Nexus 7 (2013) & Nexus 4/Sygic/CamerAlert
In Brodit passive mounts on Moveclip/Proclip
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
gamichea
Regular Visitor


Joined: Aug 13, 2005
Posts: 67
Location: Rutland, England

PostPosted: Mon Oct 12, 2015 10:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thought I should round off this thread by posting this years experience in Europe. Using the GPSlim to supply GPS info to the Nexus 7 I had absolutely zero issues with loss of GPS signal. Our European jaunt in September included all the motorway tunnels along the A8 behind the French riviera and into Italy, around Genova and on until they finally petered out. We retraced that route as far as Genova on the return, before turning north. The following day we headed for the Mont Blanc tunnel up the Aosta valley with its dozens of tunnels, some of which are separated from their successor by what is a very short distance at autostrada speeds. The performance of the GPSlim was exemplary. Even after passing through the Mont Blanc Tunnel, easily the longest of the trip, it refixed without any intervention.

Whilst travelling in Tuscany I tried using the Nexus 7 on its own. It was fine until I passed through some inconsequential tunnels heading south towards Grossetto when it just lost GPS signal and gave up.

I use the Nexus 7 in portrait mode mounted on a Brodit Pro-clip in the centre of the dash beneath the windscreen. That said I have been unable to discover where on its perimeter the GPS aerial is situated. The GPSlim sits on a sticky pad on top of the dash, a few inches from the Nexus.

I'm now looking to buy a second GPSlim as backup should the one I have fail, along with some spare batteries.
_________________
Nexus 7 (2013) & Nexus 4/Sygic/CamerAlert
In Brodit passive mounts on Moveclip/Proclip
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message







Posted: Today    Post subject: Pocket GPS Advertising

Back to top
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Pocket GPS World Forum Index -> Beginners GPS Lounge All times are GMT + 1 Hour
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

Make a Donation



CamerAlert Database

Click here for the PocketGPSWorld.com Speed Camera Database

Download Speed Camera Database
22.034 (27 Mar 24)



WORLDWIDE SPEED CAMERA SPOTTERS WANTED!

Click here to submit camera positions to the PocketGPSWorld.com Speed Camera Database


12mth Subscriber memberships awarded every week for verified new camera reports!

Submit Speed Camera Locations Now


CamerAlert Apps



iOS QR Code






Android QR Code







© Terms & Privacy


GPS Shopping