unable to connect ipaq 5550 with garmin etrex

simonc

Hi

Can anyone help me connect my ipaq 5550 and garmin etrex?

I purchased a cable specially for this purpose and while the packaging only mentions the etrex and the ipaq 3800, 3900 & 5400 series the supplier assured me it would do the trick. I've tried several of the latest and best known pocket pc GPS programs. I'm pretty sure I've got the GPS and ipaq settings correct: NMEA, 4800 baud, Com port 1, disabled any programs that might interfere with the com port, waited for a fix on the etrex - but still no data. I've tried hard-resetting the ipaq and only installing the GPS software. I even tried exchanging the cable but had no success with the new cable either.

Any suggestions will be much appreciated!

Thanks

Pc-Mobile · Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2003 2:03 pm Post subject:

Have you used a PPC/eTrex before?
If you have and you have done all the right thing and it still does not work, then I am inclined to think that cabling is the problem. Since you have changed cable without any difference so problem may be somewhere else.

External keyboard is quite often a problem with Ipaq as many do have them installed. But you said you did not install anything so this was not it.

Otherwise, try just a simple program first, like the GPS engine of Tom Tom.

Configure eTrex to output NMEA
If you use TomTom (you can download the GPS engine for free), configure software to use NMEA 4800 and com 1 (not sure whether 5550 is unusual but Tom Tom, or other software, can check the available com port)

5550 has both BT and WiFi and these could also pose configuration problem, though unlikely.

simonc · Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2003 9:18 am Post subject:

Spent another few hours trying to get the system running but still no success.

I've never used an ipaq with an etrex before. I don't think the cable is the problem because I've had the same problem with both cables. I've never used any external keyboard so that's not the problem. I don't think the software is to blame because I've tried several different programs including one that automatically checks all ports for a GPS data stream.

Wi-Fi or bluetooth might be to blame but other than leaving them switched off what else can I do?

Has anyone succeeded in connecting an ipaq 5550 with a garmin etrex?

Pc-Mobile · Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2003 11:06 am Post subject:

Most of the problems are incorrect configuration of software and/or GPS.
You never say what software you are using, how did you configure them, or what the error mesages are so no one can help you further.

Do not install several software, just install one at a time for fault finding purpose.
Many people are using 5500 and eTrex.

Both cables do not work does not mean that they are OK. Both can be faulty.

Finding a faulty is really simple sometimes. But it can be an art!

Dave · Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2003 1:49 pm Post subject:

Have you checked the eTrex to see if it's interface is set to export as NMEA ? Garmin's default to using the Garmin protocol, if it was working before, you may have defaulted back to a factory setup and this has reset the eTrex back to the Garmin protocol.

simonc · Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2003 3:47 pm Post subject:

Another late night of failing to get my two favourite gadgets talking to each other... I've definitely got the etrex set to NMEA 4800 baud and I check each time I test a configuration.

The Pocket PC programs I've tried are:

OziExplorer
GPSDash
GlobalPoint GPS
Vito SmartMap Lite
TomTom GPS engine

I've tested them with only one GPS program installed at any one time. The programs I've used have similar configuration pages and options (except for SmartMap which automatically checks each port). The settings I use are: NMEA, 4800 baud & com port 1.

The errors I get are:
OziExplorer - 'No data received from the GPS'
GlobalPoint GPS - 'invalid unavailable solution' (in the status bar)
SmartMap - 'Can't find GPS. Possibly this GPS receiver is not supported'

I don't get any errors in GPSDash or TomTom but I don't get any data either...

Pc-Mobile · Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2003 5:18 pm Post subject:

The error messges (or no error messages) showed that you have configured the software correctly and the com port is available.

When it does not receive data, it means either:
1. the cable is faulty.
2. the GPS configuration is incorrect.
3. the GPS is faulty.

So no 1 is the likeliest.
The cable may not be faulty, but it may be the wrong cable.

Pc-Mobile · Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2003 5:21 pm Post subject:

BTW, you must configure the software to use com 1, as previously stated.

Dave · Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2003 8:59 pm Post subject:

Ok, back to basics, download WinFast Navigator and install this to the Pocket PC.

When you open up WinFast, goto Port Settings, on the first tab, select NMEA 4800, COM1 and OK, and it should start connecting to the GPS, tap VIEW then DEVELOPMENT, and you should see an stream of NMEA commands coming through like $GPGSA, $GPGSV. If you're not getting that, then you have something blocking the serial port from receiving data, or a faulty cable. You did say you've tried several cables, so I'd doubt you'd find two faulty, in which case there's poss something installed.

Ronald, are you aware of any differences in the serial port on the 5550 ? I haven't heard of anything, AFAIK it's the same as the 38/39/54/22 series iPAQ's ?

Pc-Mobile · Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2003 9:39 am Post subject:

We have a 5450.
I do not know of any difference on 5550.
I did hear somewhere that PPC2003 needs to "activate the com port" which I did not know what it meant and that could well be one of the reasons behind it.

As he was able to configure com 1 so the com port is available.

Our 5450 works Ok so I assume it is the same on 5550. And I still stick to the conclusion of the 3 possibilities on my previous reply.

simonc · Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2003 10:46 am Post subject:

Still no success...

I hard reset the iPaq and installed WinFast Navigator only. Connected the iPaq and eTrex, switched on the etrex, soft reset the ipaq, and waited until I had a good fix on the etrex. I opened WinFast and clicked on tools>port settings.

At this point I got "Error! Couldn't find value!" I had to click "ok" 3 times before the error box went away. At that point I was able to set the program to NMEA, 4800 baud & Com Port 1. There were no tabs available on the Port Settings screen. Clicking OK took me back to the main window. In the status bar it said "Connect..." but no data appeared when I switched to the developmental view (or any of the views).

I noticed under Tools>Command a tab for NMEA. The default baudrate on this page is 9600 even after changing the port settings as above. I changed the baudrate to 4800 but still no data.

I tried the above with both cables. No other programs were running. I also tried tried the above with and without "receive incoming beams" and ActiveSync disabled (These are the only things I could think of that might interfere with the com ports). Wi-fi and bluetooth were switched off throughout the process.

The cables are both SupplyNet GPS/PDA Data Cable w/Auto Charger. The packaging has check boxes indicating the compatible PDA and GPS models. They both have a check in the box marked "iPaq H3800, H3900, H5400 Series" and another in the box labelled "eTrex, eMap". The cables fit the devices well and they appear well made. I am able to charge the ipaq using the supplied auto adapter. On the SupplyNet homepage this model of cable is advertised as being compatible with the iPaq 55xx Series.

I'm pretty sure the etrex is working and configured properly. I am able to connect it with my desktop PC and transfer data using a garmin cable.

Pc-Mobile · Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2003 1:11 pm Post subject:

Do you have the Ipaq and eTrex serial cables?
If you do not have another cable to try, I suggest you find another Ipaq (38/39xx or whatever) to try just to make sure that cable is not to be blamed.

Have you ever suspected that you have a faulty Ipaq?
That is also a possibility.

simonc · Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2003 1:04 pm Post subject:

Still no success...

I have a Garmin serial cable to link the etrex with my desktop pc. I can transfer waypoints & tracks. Whith the etrex connected to the pc I can successfully use a moving-map type program using garmin or nmea format (I did this by holding the etrex out the window). I guess this indicates that the fault is not in the etrex or its configuration.

On the ipaq side of things the cradle can be connected to the desktop pc using usb or serial. I had been using usb so today I checked whether I could sync with the desktop pc using serial instead. No problems there. I'm guessing this mean that the com port is working and should work with other serial cables.

After the above testing I'm pretty sure the etrex and ipaq are not faulty. That only leaves incorrect configuration, software problems, or the cables. I'm pretty sure I've got the configuration right and while I had problems with WinFast, at least one of the programs I've tried should have worked. That only leaves the cable... What are the odds - two faulty cables!?

Given the time and cost involved in returning the cables from New Zealand to the USA it would be good if I could confirm that the cables are faulty first. Not only do I have to pay shipping for the return of the goods but they don't refund the original shipping cost and SupplyNet deduct a further 20% off the refund if you return a cable that they decide is not faulty... (http://www.thesupplynet.com/returnpolicy.cfm).

Is it possible to connect the serial cable of the etrex with the serial cable of the ipaq's cradle? That way I could connect the etrex the ipaq in its cradle. It looks like all it would take is a gender changing adapter to join the two cables. Or is it not that simple?

Does anyone have any other ideas on how I can determine with a bit more certainty whether the cables are faulty???[/url]

Dave · Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2003 2:30 pm Post subject:

Ah, you spoke the magic word SupplyNet! Now that rings a bell. SupplyNet sent me for review a Garmin to iPAQ lead with a cigarette charger cable to run it all off the car battery. Problem was the lead overheated and started melting after an hours use. They claimed they sent the wrong one (a 24v) instead of 12v yet they didn't sell 24v on their website at the time, they said they would send me a replacement 12v for review, and one never turned up.

Oh hum..... Evil or Very Mad

I'd recommend Ronald here in this thread from PC-Mobile, his cables are spot on, and very rarely do you see a problem.

You could connect the PC lead from the eTrex to the serial cradle of the Pocket PC, but you'll need a null modem adapter, and possibly a gender bender.

Pc-Mobile · Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2003 3:18 pm Post subject:

So your eTrex has a PC cable and it is working.
You Ipaq has a serial cable and is working.
So your Ipaq and eTrex are OK.

Now get on to the testing.
You need a null modem adapter. For testing purpose you do not have to buy one.
Get 3 wires of suitable length and connect them to the 2 serial cables as follow: (stick them into the holes and make sure there are good contacts)

2>3
3>2
5>5

Configure the eTrex to output NMEA, set up to use indoors
Now run the software (com 1)

It should work. If it does not, check your configuration again.

If it works and your ready made cable does not (with same configurations), it just means the cable is faulty or incorrect.

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