Hey guys, I'm having trouble connecting a Bluetooth GPS receiver

[Guest cerberez]

I got a globalsat BT-359 for really cheap the other day, but I can't get it to connect.

I go to set it up just like I do with my (perfectly-functioning) stereo bluetooth headphones.

I hit "add new gps device" and it detects the receiver perfectly.

Then I enter the passcode and it says "your pocket pc has connected with BT-GPS-3726FE," but when I look at the list of bluetooth devices, the gps receiver is listed as disconnected.

I've already gone into the registry and enabled external GPS settings. Do I have to enter some COM ports? I don't know how to do that.

Can you help?

Thanks!

[Guest necosino]

I'm pretty sure it will only connect when in use. Try opening a program that uses the GPS, and set it to use your external receiver and see if it doesn't connect then.

(Otherwise it would always be connected, and would use a lot of power)

[Guest cerberez]

I'm pretty sure it will only connect when in use. Try opening a program that uses the GPS, and set it to use your external receiver and see if it doesn't connect then.

(Otherwise it would always be connected, and would use a lot of power)

Hmmm. . . none of my GPS programs (google maps, bing, and gczii) seem to have an option for external receiver.

[Guest necosino]

You just have to set it to the COM and Baud that you set up in External GPS settings, I think..

[Guest cerberez]

You just have to set it to the COM and Baud that you set up in External GPS settings, I think..

no luck with that. . .

still, thanks!

[Guest necosino]

Try this out?

[Guest cerberez]

Try this out?

that looks perfect, I don't know how I missed it when I was doing my search. Problem is, I can't find "add new outgoing port" under bluetooth settings. I don't know why :)

[Guest cerberez]

that looks perfect, I don't know how I missed it when I was doing my search. Problem is, I can't find "add new outgoing port" under bluetooth settings. I don't know why :)

also, what good is gps if you can only use it when you have a wifi connection?

thanks so much for sticking with this stupid problem.

[Guest necosino]

That post is kinda old. When Google Maps first came out, it could only connect via Wifi. That has been corrected though :)

I'm confused now.. Go to Wireless Manager - Bluetooth options 0 COM Ports.. It says "After pairing a device, to set up a COM port tap New Outgoing Port."

Maybe you need to repair the receiver, and make sure it is under "Connected" before you can?

Edited October 9, 2009 by necosino

[Guest cerberez]

That post is kinda old. When Google Maps first came out, it could only connect via Wifi. That has been corrected though :)

I'm confused now.. Go to Wireless Manager - Bluetooth options 0 COM Ports.. It says "After pairing a device, to set up a COM port tap New Outgoing Port."

Maybe you need to repair the receiver, and make sure it is under "Connected" before you can?

yeah, what I'm saying is that I go to bluetooth-com ports and it even says "After pairing a device, to set up a COM port tap New Outgoing Port," but there's no option to add an outgoing port

even though I get a message saying "pocketpc has connected with bt-gps," it only ever shows up on the disconnected list.

i'm starting to fear that the unit is just broken.

[Guest necosino]

Probably not broken, just may be incompatible :)

[Guest cerberez]

yeah, what I'm saying is that I go to bluetooth-com ports and it even says "After pairing a device, to set up a COM port tap New Outgoing Port," but there's no option to add an outgoing port

even though I get a message saying "pocketpc has connected with bt-gps," it only ever shows up on the disconnected list.

i'm starting to fear that the unit is just broken.

an incoming port does appear automatically when I connect the device.

[Guest necosino]

Maybe that's the port you have to set the program to use then?

[Guest cerberez]

Maybe that's the port you have to set the program to use then?

Well now it's connected! After a few hard resets, the option to create a new outgoing port suddenly appeared, and from there it worked easily.

Now I have a new problem: precision is *abysmal*! It swiftly locked onto more satellites than I ever saw from my internal gps on a beautiful day, and today is ridiculously cloudy in CT. But a problem remains: I've left it in the same spot for 10 minutes now, and it's position for me hasn't stopped moving. It hops around within a ~40 foot circle centered on my actual position. +/- 20 feet is pretty good, i guess, but the movement thing is not what I expected. I'll check again on a sunny day.

Thanks so much, neocosino!

[Guest necosino]

No problem, glad we got it straightened out! Kinda odd about the accuracy thing though.. What program are you using to see your position? Maybe it's a normal GPS thing, but programs take the average location, or maybe it's designed to work better while moving? idk, I'm just glad it's working now! :)

[Guest cerberez]

No problem, glad we got it straightened out! Kinda odd about the accuracy thing though.. What program are you using to see your position? Maybe it's a normal GPS thing, but programs take the average location, or maybe it's designed to work better while moving? idk, I'm just glad it's working now! :)

I'm just looking at it through google maps (and the same thing happens on GcZII)! Maybe the don't average position for external gps? that seems odd, though...

[Guest necosino]

Have you tried driving around with it?

[Guest cerberez]

Have you tried driving around with it?

I don't have a car. . . but it definitely does get smoother while I'm walking at a good, steady clip. It just bugs me when I'm standing still and my position is jumping back and forth!