Holux 270 GPS Receiver issues....

[c000159]

Hi,

This is my first posting. Looks like a great site. I've searched and cannot find an answer to my problem. I recently purchased a Holux 270 Ultra GPS receiver for my Axim X5. It initially worked, but now it's not. I've run the GPS viewer program and it finds the GPS OK and in the setup screen with the GPS open, there is data or communication streaming in the lower screen. But when I go to the GPS status screen, it will not lock onto any satellites. It will show some red satellites on the earth, but that's it. I've let it set for probably 20 minutes in the open with a clear view of the sky and it still doesn't work. I've also tried Streets and Trips and that doesn't work either. The thing is that was working. I installed a Bluetooth Card after using the GPS but have since did a hard reset to see if that would fix the problem and it hasn't. Anyone have any suggestions?

Thank you!

[Drifter]

Hi.

If you did a true hard reset on the x5, then you would loose the driver for the BT card so it would no longer work.

I suggest that you do carry out a hard reset. Remove all cards then either remove the 2 batteries for approx 30 mins or press and hold power, scroll in, contacts and reset. Holer for 5 secs, release power and reset but hold scroll and contacts for approx 15 secs longer before releasing. This will put you x5 back to as supplied condition.

Are you on ROM A05 ? ( start>settings>system>Information). If noy you may wish to upgrade, search either this forum or Ebay for upgrade files.

Next download and install the CF timing upgrade from Dell.com.

After that install the driver for the BT card and only after that, install the driver for your BT card ( make sure you choose the correct one for your operating system Rom A00 to A04 = PPC2002, A05 = PPC2003)

After this everything should work. Remember when installing nav software, it pays to keep the Baud rate down at 4800 if you have a choice.

Hope this sorts you out

[borchdt]

I have seen the "cf timing upgrade" listed several times as a necessary improvement. I have a axim x5 400mhz windows 2003 upgrade. I have tried to find the timing upgrade on dell.com with no luck. Does anyone have a link, or other recommendation. I too, want to get the holux gps for the x5. Thanks.

[Drifter]

Hi.

This is the link http://support.dell.com/support/down...&fileid=110097

[borchdt]

Thank you very much. I am looking at holux 271 cf card. also looking at an ambicom since it has external anntena. i know you recommended bluetooth for x50, but can i do that on x5?

[Drifter]

Yes, you can do that also with an x5, but that does mean buying a BT card.

Personally, I would recommend either a CF GPS card or wired receiver for an x5 as this does tend to work out cheaper

[c000159]

My Axim is at ROM A05. I installed the Dell Timing Update and it still doesn't work. The Bluetooth Card is something different; it has nothing to do with the GPS card. There aren't any drivers for the GPS card, are there? At lease according to Holux's website, there didn't appear to be. I'm going to try a hard reset again and load just the nexessary software to see if I can get it to work. I'll post my results.

Thanks for all your help!

[Drifter]

Sorry c000159, I assumed that the GPS receiver was Bluetooth, that being why you added a BT card.

I've used one of these myself briefly with TomTom 5 and if I remember it is something strange like you have to inform the x5 that it is a serial connection.

Holux normaly supply a very small CD that contains a file which reports itself as a utility file, but actually installs a simple GPS viewer to your PDA. You can use this to test and find out what comm port the receiver works best on and then install it in the GPS software. Again from memory, I had to install this in TomTom 5 as a wired GPS receiver for it to work, took me a while to figure that out. The key is that when the light comes on on Holux, it is connected correctly, and when it flashes slowly, you know you have a fix.

[c000159]

Well, I got it working last night, but just for a short time. I did another hard reset and then loaded just the GPS viewer and Pocket Streets and Trips. I started the GPS viewer and hit the "cold start" button quite a few times. After a few minutes, I knew something was going on because the date at the top started changing from 2097/02/02. I didn't realize it was gatting that info from the satellites. Anyway, after a few more minutes, it got a fix. So I stopped the GPS Viewer, and opened Streets and Trips. It connected and found 3 satellites and was working fine. I did nothing else to the PDA and today, I've tried numerous times and it would not lock onto a satellite. It works intermittently. I don't know what the issue is. I'm tempted to purchase a PCMCIA CF adapter and hook it up to my laptop and see what happens. This is very frustrating. I can't find anywhere on the software to confiure it as a serial connection, at least with Streets and Trips. You can only choose the COM port.

[Drifter]

Hi. I'm not familiar with Streets and Trips so I cannot advise you on how to select the settings, perhaps someone else can.

I assume that when you say it is intermittant, you mean that the GPS viewer ( Holux generic) is always working, but that in Street and Trips it is irratic.

I've experienced this once and returned 2 faulty CF GPS receivers before I found out it was my fauly (?).

In your GPS software, you must be able to select the receiver type. Try different types. My similar problem was when using an early globalsat CF card. If I installed the correct receiver, I had problems as you described, but when I selected a different receiver (I think Rikaline or standard NMEA, I cannot remember), it worked perfectly.

The short delay to get a fix on a cold start is normal as the unit needs to triangulate. Once done, the internal battery will keep rough data and allow a quicker fix if you are roughly in the same place.