GPS - Re: How to test GPS signal quality, fix, record number of satellites

Author

Re: How to test GPS signal quality, fix, record number of satellites

DavidM

2007-09-26, 10:33 am

darius wrote, On 25/09/2007 22:50:
> Hi,
>
> I am looking for any working bluetooth scanner application
> to test signal quality of my bluetooth gps units
> and record data (number of satellites, signal level for each satellite
> + timestamp + geoposition)
> to let me make decision which one gps bt unit is best for my intended
> use.

Not sure about comparing BT signal strength, I've not seen any software
that can generate a quantitative strength value.
As for comparing GPS signal strength, accuracy and data logging you
could try http://www.visualgps.net/VisualGPS/default.htm, it does all
that and more.

I doubt PDAs would be able to connect more that 1 or 2 devices at a
time. PCs can connect multiple devices. If each BT device is attached to
the computer separately and assigned a different com port number it
should work OK. VisualGPS should run as multiple applications (although
I've not tried that), each version running on the PC would need to be
looking at a different com port.

David

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DavidM newsNO@_SPAMdjmorgan
.org.uk
www.djmorgan.org.uk

DavidM

2007-09-26, 12:33 pm

Darius wrote, On 26/09/2007 18:02:
> BlueSoleil bluetooth driver for XP Windows installs bluetooth dongle
> at port No. 7
> Setting VisualGPS for the same port hangs it on.
> Ok. Looking for virtual serial ports for my usb dongle I can't set a
> port number above 8 in VisualGPS setting's window.
> It hangs on on any port set.
> Have you ever succeeded to connect bluetooth gps unit to VisualGPS ?

I have got my Royaltek BT GPS to work with VirtualGPS, but remember now
that I had the same problem as you. Windows put my BT GPS in com30. The
work around that I used was to go into Windows device manager and find
the GPS device, there should be a com port selector. I changed it to
something that virtualGPS would like, probably 6. Windows bitches that
changing com ports can cause errors, but I had no problems. VirtualGPS
then worked OK. I've not had any system hangs with VirtualGPS in Windows
XP. I don't use any extra drivers, only Windows standard BT tools.

In case your BT GPS is sirf based, have you tried SiRFDemo?
http://www.sirf.com/free_demo.html it lets you play with all the
settings and look at the data streams.
"SiRFDemo
After installing on a Windows PC, SiRFDemo can be used to talk with
SiRF-based GPS receivers and: see satellites being tracked, monitor
their positions, and even measure signal strengths. If you're so
inclined, you can even log data and change receiver settings."

Don't enable static navigation like it did, it stopped all my software
from seeing the device, easy to change back once I recalled my mistake.
BT GPS devices always appear completely passive, but with this software
you can get right inside them and really mess stuff up :)

--
DavidM newsNO@_SPAMdjmorgan
.org.uk
www.djmorgan.org.uk

DavidM

2007-09-26, 10:33 pm

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* Darius wrote, On 26/09/2007 19:52:

> What I mean about scanning bluettooth devices like gps is Kismet
> wireless scanner and other hotspot scan options in WiFi enabled
> devices (laptop, PDA ..).
> What I get is signal level and a name of a hotspot to select.
> I would like to scan some bluetooth gps units to see which one works
> better, gets fix faster and satellite signal is stronger.
> The problem is successful pairing on both sides to be able to read
> nmea messages.
> Maby there is a software option to switch bluetooth gps unit into
> brodcasting mode to give up manual pairing.
> I have to know how to read mac address of gps unit in discovering mode
> first.

Hope you find something. All I've used is btCrawler for Microsoft
Smartphones, it lists the BT devices and their address value, don't know
if that's any help.

--
DavidM newsNO@SPAMdjmorgan.org.uk
www.djmorgan.org.uk

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