Troubleshooting
GPS Connections
Below are some tips if you having problems getting a fix from the GPS.
1. Make sure preferences has the correct settings
"Fake GPS" and "Debugging" should both be off. Make sure the "GPS COM Port" is “7” for the internal GPS in an iPAQ and “5” for a BlueTooth GPS. The server will not effect the GPS but should be set to "Monsoon" for testing and "Squall" for real data uploads.
2. Close Conflicting Programs
Windows Mobile tends to leave programs running in the background even when you think you have closed the program. This can lead to the GPS being used by another program that is “hidden”. You can check which programs are running and Stop them by going to Start -> Settings, click on the system tab, open “Memory”, click on the “Running Programs” tab, click on the program you want to stop and click “Stop”. The “Activate” button will switch you to a program that is running.
3. Perform a Soft Reset
Sometimes the GPS will just not connect until you perform a “Soft Reset”. To perform a “Soft Reset” press the stylus into the hole to the left of the connector on the back and toward the bottom of the iPAQ. A Soft Reset will stop all programs but will not delete programs, files, or user settings. Perform a “Hard Reset” by holding down the power button in the top right on the front of the unit and press the stylus into the reset hole on the back of the iPAQ until the screen goes blank. A Hard Reset will remove all programs, files, and settings to put the unit back into a state as if you had just received it from the vender.
4. Use SocGPSViewer to check the GPS
This free program will show you the output from the GPS, how well it can see each satellite, and a coordinate when a fix is obtained.
1. Download the correct version of the software for you device from: http://www.looket.com/eng/download/dw_bluetooth.php.
2. Open the zip folder and double click on “Install.exe”. If this is unsuccessful you will want to:
- Copy the “SocGPSViewer.CAB” file from the zip folder to your desktop
- Copy the “SocGPSViewer.CAB” file to a folder on your PDA
- Tap in the “SocGPSViewer.CAB” file on your PDA
- Delete all copies of the “SocGPSViewer.CAB” file from your computer and PDA
To use ScoGPSViewer:
- Go to Start->Programs and tap on SocGPSViewer
- Tap on “GPS” in the lower left of the screen and select “Connect Setting…”.
- For the iPAQ internal the Port should be set to “COM7:” and the BaudRate is 57,600.
- Press “OK”
- At this point you may receive a “COM Port Error”. This error does not seem to mean the GPS is not working.
- Click on the “View” button and select “GPS Data View”. You should see a set of lines all starting with dollar signs (“$”). This is the raw data from the GPS. If the window is empty the GPS is not working properly. Check the serial port and baud settings for your GPS.
- Click on the “VIew” button and select “Satellite View”. You should see bars indicating the level of signal from each satellite at the top of the screen and the position of the satellites in the middle. When a fix is made some of the satellites will turn green showing you which ones were used to get the fix. If this does not happen, try moving around to get a better view of the sky.
ActiveSync
Sometimes you may experience problems getting your PDA to sync with a desktop computer.
1. Make sure the PDA is properly connected through a cable or seated in a cradle. Try reconnecting the PDA.
2. Open ActiveSync and select "Connection Settings" from the "File" menu. Make sure the connection settings match how your PDA is connected. Check the manufacturers instructions if you have questions. The HP iPAQs should be connected through a USB cable and so the "Allow USB Connections" checkbox should be checked.
3. Make sure you only have 1 PDA connected. ActiveSync will connect with the first PDA it sees and will ignore the rest.
4. Reboot your computer and attach the PDA as soon as the computer is done rebooting
5. Try a different cable, different PDA, and even a different computer. It is possible that the connectors in the PDA, cable, or the computer are at fault.
Battery Life
1. The 6515s iPAQs do not have flash RAM. This means when they run out of battery life they lose all programs, settings, and files as if a hard reset has occurred. The 6945 iPAQs have flash RAM so they can run out of power and will maintain your programs and data.
Web Site Connections
Sometimes you may have problems downloading forms from the web site or upload data. You may receive an error message on the PDA such as "Cannot Find Server". When this or a similar message appears, take the following action based on how you connected your PDA to the Web Site.
1. A cradle or cable: make sure your PDA is syncing with Active Sync when you connect it to your computer. Try unconnecting and connecting again. Make sure your PDA's batteries are fully charged. Consult your manufactures web site for more information.
2. WiFi: If you are able to get a network connection there will be two 'Connectivity' arrows in the top of your PDAs screen. If you do not have a network connection a different icon will appear. Click on this icon to fix your network settings or make sure you are within distance of a WiFi network.
Lock Ups
When using the GPS you may find that GODMSurveyor appears to "Lock Up" or "Hang". This typically happens when an error dialog from the GPS appears 'behind' the GODMSurveyor application. To remedy the situation, select 'Programs' from the 'Start' menu and click on 'GODMSurveyor'. This should display the error message.