[gps-talkusers] Re: Earthmate USB cable

  • From: Chris G <chrisg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Fri, 02 Sep 2005 09:01:02 -0400

Hi I agree about the bluetooth.
I really like the fact that i can have the gps receiver in my backpack
and have it work for me much better then when it's on my shoulder.
I'm using the garmin gps 10, i really like the on off of the garmin.
i always know when i turn it on and off.
i also like the fact that i can put the receiver on the roof of a car
and have it work flawlessly for me.  try doing that with cables.
i had the receiver on the roof of a car and it was behind the driver,
and i was in the passengers seat, and everything worked great, even in a
heavy downpour.



On Fri, 2 Sep 2005 08:37:42 -0400
"Scott E Ford" <w8sef@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

SEF> Hello Everyone,
SEF>    I have to agree with Mike.  I have been using my Bluetooth earth
SEF> mate since March.  I have never had it encounter interference, in fact I
SEF> even have a wireless network in my home and nether one interfere with one
SEF> another.  When I mentioned that I had my blue logger say that it was not
SEF> connected was in a park.  I have only had that happen three different 
times.
SEF> I have worked around computers a long time.  When something that happens
SEF> only three times and lasts only seconds that is not an issue.  In fact I
SEF> actually think that I am getting more information as to how things are
SEF> working.  Now to address them damn wires on the BN.  I did a GPS weekend
SEF> last weekend. at camp "T".  Between batteries and cables  I thought pairing
SEF> with the PK was a cake walk.  I actually have more difficulty getting my
SEF> darn blue logger turned on or off.  Then I do pairing it. This is starting
SEF> to get long.  Later.
SEF> Scott
SEF>  
SEF> 
SEF> -----Original Message-----
SEF> From: gps-talkusers-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
SEF> [mailto:gps-talkusers-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Michael May
SEF> Sent: Friday, September 02, 2005 12:56 AM
SEF> To: gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
SEF> Subject: [gps-talkusers] Re: Earthmate USB cable
SEF> 
SEF> One of the reasons many companies stayed away from USB, not just HumanWare,
SEF> is the fact that different drivers have to be loaded that are specific to
SEF> each device. Since the PK or mPower cannot load the Earthmate software, one
SEF> has to bank on a generic driver working. 
SEF> There is no call for drivers for Bluetooth.
SEF> 
SEF> At the end of the day, I believe the benefits of the wireless Bluetooth
SEF> technology far outweigh the inconvenience and relative fragility of wires.
SEF> 
SEF> Mike
SEF> 
SEF> 
SEF> 
SEF> 
SEF> At 09:15 PM 9/1/2005, you wrote:
SEF> >Hello, Charles,
SEF> >Well, it is kind of discouraging to hear that.  I thought the ability 
SEF> >to supply power to small things was one of USB's attractive features.  
SEF> >And now, of course, the Bluetooth feature is showing its true worth in 
SEF> >many cases by being reluctant to work anywhere nearly as well as a 
SEF> >direct connection.  I guess that is what you get when you have too much 
SEF> >confidence in one new and unproven technology and try to re-invent the 
SEF> >wheel.  The whole thing is much too restrictive when you consider the 
SEF> >price.  It is gratifying that the M-Power has at one standard USB port, 
SEF> >which means to me that someone suddenly realized the error of his ways.  
SEF> >So, if the PK users want to revert back to the tried-and-true USB, they 
SEF> >are going to have to shell out another wheelborrow full of money for a 
SEF> >trade-in to the M-power.  Oh, well.  I don't suppose a retro-fit to the 
SEF> >PK would be possible?  I know that all this is not your fault.  There 
SEF> >was very little warning that Bluetooth would create problems in a 
SEF> >mobile and noisy environment.  Also, there was undoubtedly some concern 
SEF> >for the life of the PK battery.  If it has to run a GPS receiver, the 
SEF> >battery might be sucked dry in a lot less time, since it is known that 
SEF> >those GPS chip-sets are heavy drinkers of power.
SEF> >
SEF> >Dick Myers
SEF> >
SEF> >(8):[(8)
SEF> >
SEF> >
SEF> >From: Charles La Pierre <lapierre@xxxxxxxxx>
SEF> >Reply-To: gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
SEF> >To: gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
SEF> >Subject: [gps-talkusers] Re: Earthmate USB cable
SEF> >Date: Thu, 01 Sep 2005 19:26:49 -0700
SEF> >
SEF> >Hello everyone,
SEF> >
SEF> >I just want to clarify, a USB GPS receiver does not work with either 
SEF> >the mPower or the PK.  The PK's USB port is non-powered I.e. its a 
SEF> >slave only USB port.  The mPower has both master (I.e. powered) and 
SEF> >slave USB ports, but since I only received my mPower just before we 
SEF> >released the GPS product I could not get working the GPS receiver on 
SEF> >the master USB port on the mPower.  Maybe in a future release of the 
SEF> >GPS software will this be an option for the mPower, but since the pk's 
SEF> >USB port is not a master a USB solution on the PK is not possible.
SEF> >
SEF> >Our main goal on both the PK and on the mPower was to get bluetooth 
SEF> >working and have a wireless solution, so having a USB solution as well 
SEF> >was a lower priority.
SEF> >
SEF> >Charles.
SEF> >
SEF> >At 06:25 PM 9/1/2005, you wrote:
SEF> >
SEF> >>Hello, Mary Ellen,
SEF> >>I ordered my Earthmate from DeLorme, and it came packed with the USB
SEF> cable.
SEF> >>If your PK has a USB port, chances it is a standard port, the flat 
SEF> >>4-wire jack.  The Earthmate receiver end of the cable has the proper 
SEF> >>connector for fitting directly into the Earthmate GPS receiver without 
SEF> >>the need for the battery pack.
SEF> >>
SEF> >>Walk in sunshine
SEF> >>
SEF> >>Dick
SEF> >>(8):[(8)
SEF> >>
SEF> >>
SEF> >>From: " Mary Ellen Earls" <meearls@xxxxxxx>
SEF> >>Reply-To: gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
SEF> >>To: <gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
SEF> >>Subject: [gps-talkusers] Re: Multiple repeat, BT 338 fine
SEF> >>Date: Thu, 1 Sep 2005 17:41:20 -0700
SEF> >>
SEF> >>Yes that makes sense but as of right now, I know of no cable to fit 
SEF> >>the pk for the earthmate, otherwise I would use it.
SEF> >>Mary Ellen Earls
SEF> >>----- Original Message ----- From: "Richard Myers" 
SEF> >><dkmyers28@xxxxxxxxxxx>
SEF> >>To: <gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
SEF> >>Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2005 5:05 PM
SEF> >>Subject: [gps-talkusers] Re: Multiple repeat, BT 338 fine
SEF> >>
SEF> >>
SEF> >>>Hello, Mary Ellen,
SEF> >>>I guess it is easy for those wireless GPS receivers to get confused.  
SEF> >>>The satellite signals are just fine in most cases, but the Bluetooth 
SEF> >>>wireless connection may be getting a bit offset by automatic door 
SEF> >>>openers, radio-controlled signal lights, and police speed detectors, 
SEF> >>>all which use the same kinds of signals.  I use the USB cable on my 
SEF> >>>Earthmate, and have never had a problem with dropout.  I like the 
SEF> >>>Earthmate receiver.  Now, if only they could get their software 
SEF> >>>problems fixed........
SEF> >>>
SEF> >>>Walk in sunshine
SEF> >>>
SEF> >>>Dick Myers
SEF> >>>
SEF> >>>(8):[(8)
SEF> >>>
SEF> >>>
SEF> >>>From: " Mary Ellen Earls" <meearls@xxxxxxx>
SEF> >>>Reply-To: gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
SEF> >>>To: <gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
SEF> >>>Subject: [gps-talkusers] Re: Multiple repeat, BT 338 fine
SEF> >>>Date: Thu, 1 Sep 2005 09:15:46 -0700
SEF> >>>
SEF> >>>Mike, then maybe heaven forbid we need to look into going to a wired 
SEF> >>>receiver with the pk.
SEF> >>>I have noticed one thing and that is that it has been extremely 
SEF> >>>difficult to get the blue logger set up with the mpower.
SEF> >>>
SEF> >>>----- Original Message ----- From: "Michael May" 
SEF> >>><mikemay@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
SEF> >>>To: <gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
SEF> >>>Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2005 8:31 AM
SEF> >>>Subject: [gps-talkusers] Multiple repeat, BT 338 fine
SEF> >>>
SEF> >>>
SEF> >>>>Vicky,
SEF> >>>>
SEF> >>>>Weather should have little impact on GPS reception.
SEF> >>>>
SEF> >>>>I have been testing the BT339 and Holux and will soon also have a 
SEF> >>>>Fortuna Slim to test. For our UK friends who have tried that 
SEF> >>>>receiver, it runs at 38.4 baud so that is why it won't work with the 
SEF> >>>>BrailleNote PK. The standard for receivers is 4800 baud. We may add 
SEF> >>>>a 38.4 selection if it appears that more than this one receiver are 
SEF> >>>>going that route.
SEF> >>>>
SEF> >>>>One thing to check with these new receivers is their connectivity. I 
SEF> >>>>have experienced more drop outs than with the Blue Logger or Garmin 
SEF> >>>>receivers. By this I mean that the new receivers I am testing 
SEF> >>>>completely disconnect and the PK says Bluetooth not detected or 
SEF> >>>>sometimes they just flick to no detection for a second and then 
SEF> >>>>reconnect. You can always press G to see the receiver status and 
SEF> >>>>with these new receivers, I would do that frequently to test the 
SEF> >>>>connectivity.
SEF> >>>>
SEF> >>>>Mike
SEF> >>>>
SEF> >>>>At 05:50 AM 9/1/2005, you wrote:
SEF> >>>>>Hi All,
SEF> >>>>>
SEF> >>>>>Well, when I tried the BT 338 receiver this morning, it worked just 
SEF> >>>>>fine with the multiple repeat commands.  So, who knows.  Either I 
SEF> >>>>>was doing something wrong before, or the number of satellites and 
SEF> >>>>>weather conditions made the difference.  For, the last time I tried 
SEF> >>>>>with the BT 338 when it didn't work, I normally got 4 or 5 
SEF> >>>>>satellites and it was cloudy, while I got between 8 and 10 
SEF> >>>>>satellites today and it was sunny.
SEF> >>>>
SEF> >>>>
SEF> >>>
SEF> >>>
SEF> >>
SEF> >
SEF> >Charles M. La Pierre CTO
SEF> >Sendero Group, LLC
SEF> >
SEF> >Lat. 37 15' 25" N  Lon: 121 53' 04" W
SEF> >
SEF> >
SEF> 
SEF> 
SEF> Michael G. May
SEF> 
SEF> CEO Sendero Group
SEF> 
SEF> Developers and distributors of BrailleNote GPS Distributing BrailleNote,
SEF> VoiceNote, Miniguide, The Tissot Silen-T tactile watch, Talks cell phone
SEF> software and the ID Mate, bar code reader
SEF> 
SEF> MikeMay@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
SEF> http://www.SenderoGroup.com
SEF> 
SEF> (1-888-757-6810, Fax (530) 757-6830, Mobile (530) 304-0007 Sendero Group,
SEF> LLC
SEF> 1118 Maple Lane, Davis, CA 95616-1723, USA
SEF> 
SEF> Latitude, 38 33 9.239 North
SEF> Longitude, 121 45 40.145 West
SEF> 
SEF> 
SEF> 
SEF> 
SEF> 
SEF> 


-- 
Chris G <chrisg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
In just two days, tomorrow will be yesterday.


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