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Joined: 06/06/2003 10:17:21 Posts: 57 Location: United Kingdom
Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 6:02 pm Post subject:
Hi All,
I just thought I'd chip in my 10p's worth on this:
I completed the flash upgrade, but not without a few problems. Initially, I couldn't get it to work. The thread on the GPSpassion forum was very helpful on this. Eventually, after taking on points about switching off the serial port connection, re-installing the software if you get an error, and using a NEW floppy, then finally I got the "Pass" message. In all it took a good few hours to get the correct configuration. For me, the key event seemed to be using a new floppy. For the first couple of hours, I just put the flash file on an old floppy. The first time I tried it with a new floppy (unused) then it worked. Though that may just be a coincidence - I don't know. But as I say, the www.gpspassion.com forum was very informative on the whole process (no disrespect to this marvellous website intended).
So, having finally done it (I'm not a programmer or anything, just a normal bod user), then I got to try it.
Interesting, very interesting... in short it works much better than before (in XT mode that is). This is what I've noted so far:
1. It locks much, much quicker. Like REALLY quick. Sometimes, my old Emtac would lock quicker than the Clip-On, but not any more. The fortuna is now always first to lock.
2. Any lag whilst driving (TomTom) is now so small as to be neglible. Previously, I found the lag to be unacceptable - now it is no problem at all.
3. It locks to more satellites. Where previously I might get a 5 satellite lock (in the office say), I now get an 7-8-9 satellite lock. Very good.
4. In really, really marginal difficult reception conditions it will maintain a lock - but the position will start to get a little inaccurate. For example, last night I put it in my glove box and got a nine satellite fix. I drove around in this state and everything worked fine. Then I headed for a local road with a mile of very heavy tree lining on both sides. The road is almost like a tree tunnel. At this point, it started to get my position a little wrong - it knew roughly where I was, but was sometimes putting me on an adjacent road. So, it was jumping around a bit. On the same road, it can't hold a lock in ST mode. However, during all of this it was still reporting a 5 satellite lock. So, I've concluded from this that when you're in really difficult conditions, it will still report a five satellite lock - but you lose a bit of accuracy. As soon as conditions improve, then all goes back to normal. Whilst not perfect, this is still a big improvement on before. Previously, when in difficult conditions, I could get no lock at all - e.g. starting a journey from the middle of a big city.
So, overall I'm very impressed and will be leaving it in XT mode for driving from now on. (I may drop back to ST mode for Pin Distance - i.e. better accuracy).
Well done Fortuna for such a superb product, and for supporting its customers with this free upgrade. Absolutely top banana (even if the flashing process requires a bit of playing around with).
Joined: May 10, 2004 Posts: 402 Location: South Sweden
Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2004 4:43 pm Post subject:
how can I reset my clipon so I get my original ST and XT mode back= I fluffed up and flashed in ST mode after alot of flashing in Xt mode. Just did'y work !!! _________________ Ipaq 2210 (rom 1.10)
Fortuna Clip-On
CF: Kingston Elite Pro 512 MB
CF: Lexar 256 MB
Poporta Alu-Case
Now, even though my unit pairs fine with my PC, I cannot see any data with any of the diagnostics and the Link To Fortuna GPS button does not light up and the output log says "Target not responding" if I try to flash with the .bat file manually.
Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2004 9:13 pm Post subject: XT V2 observed performance - not so great under trees
Thought I'd add my views on this also as a reasonably experienced GPS and Fortuna user (I think !).
Overall, it's a great piece of kit and I have few complaints and most of its quirks have been pointed out elsewhere in this forum. It's always easy to find fault in an otherwise amazing capability.
I have succeeded in upgrading to Xtrack V2 (got the trick from the GPSPassion site - make sure that the BT comms link to the Fortuna has been switched off before flashing - in fact, once the Com Port had been confirmed as Com 5 I re-booted my PC and didn't restart the comms until the 'Link to' step in the application itself. Took about an hour and a half up to that point !
However, I would support Lost Cause in his comments earlier that whilst the sensitivity appears better (more satellites reported as locked) I found that the actual performance at low speed became unacceptable when the unit no longer had a clear view of the sky.
This would go along with Forest Ranger's comments on GPSPassion that indicated he could be quite some way off course (I have seen up to 50m easily in just my first trials) despite an appraently good lock.
Using OziExplorer CE I noticed the following - under tree cover, whilst walking, the speed was often reported as zero despite moving at 3 or 4 miles per hour. The speed would occasionally jump up to 5 or 6 mph in an effort to catch up but overall accuracy was poor (XT V1 whilst suffering from lag did, I found, work quite well in terms of accuracy and I never observed this sort of blatant 'stop' behaviour and, if anything, it drifted in circles too much).
My summary is that Fortuna have appear to have marginally improved the XT performance for car use (though I have also now observed TT2 jump between roads - something which never happend on ST mode) but at the detriment of slow speed use such as hiking. Unfortunately, my main use for the Clip-On in XT mode is hiking and I'm afraid I feel that V2 may be a retrograde step in that regard. If you require better sensitivity (and not just a report of more satellites locked) for hiking in the woods, etc. I would be tempted stay with V1.
That said, I'll keep running with XT V2 (no choice really !) and TT2 in the car and see how it gets on in a few built up areas - does getting an apparently better satellite fix and quick re-locking outweight losing lock and slow re-acqusition?
Has anyone tried two units side by side ? (without exploring why you might have two units side by side - is that really sad !!!)
I see that someone acquired ST firmware from Fortuna. Does anyone have XT V1 ? I may well prefer to go back to it for my hiking use?
Dave.
H4150 IPAQ
TT2
OziExplorer CE
Fortuna Clip-On XT V2
Well guys, I thought I would share my XT upgrade experience for the Clip on.
Downloaded the instructions and installation files from Fortuna FTP site yesterday. Followed the instructions to the letter and it worked like a dream!!!
Powered it up after 5 min break and hey presto back into operation, no problems. Flash upgrade sucess confirmed by virtue that GPS led flashes green (instead of orange) when fix established in XT mode.
The only difficuly I had was the BT connection with my IPAQ 5550 which kept dropping out. This was fixed by deleteing the pairing and re-establishing it again.
On the road it does seem quicker than before with little or no lag, SAT fixes anything between 8-11, largely unaffected under heavy treelined road.
A sucessful and painless ugrade.
One thing missing from the various reports citing upgrade problems is the type of BT equipment used for the upgrade. I personally used my Dell D800 laptop with integrated bluetooth running XP Pro (SP1 with all patches).
Joined: Dec 20, 2003 Posts: 23 Location: Cheshire, UK
Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 9:29 pm Post subject: Clip-on XT V2 upgrade seems fine so far
Thank you everyone for making it clear that a floppy is necessary for the upgrade process. After reading the comments I decided to do it their way first (a new experience 8-} ) and it all worked. For those concerned about specific hardware and software, I used a TDK dongle with TDK's BT software version 1.2 on Win 2K SP4.
So far I have not used V2 for hiking but certainly while the Fortuna is sitting on my window sill with a fairly restricted sky, it generates a far smaller "dead spider" around my location - perhaps 50m radius where on V1 it could be over 500m. This is using Memory-Map on a 1:50,000 OS map at maximum zoom.
Joined: Dec 05, 2003 Posts: 3 Location: Mansfield UK
Posted: Fri Aug 27, 2004 2:35 pm Post subject: Problems Flashing XTrac 2.0.2
Wisely or not I have tried to update my Fortuna Clipon GPS to XTrac 2.0.2 - I followed the advice outlined in ClipOnSync.pdf to the letter and used the files from ClipOnSyncBT.zip - First time I tried things seemed to go OK but then returned the 'Fail' notice.
At the 2nd attempt the 'Link to Fortuna GPS' button was greyed out which resulted in the 'Failed, Target not responding' error.
I have tried to reset the firmware by shorting the pins under the battery contacts (second hole in from each end) - this I tried which enabled the 'Link to Fortuna GPS' again. Whilst flashing however a 'Fail' error was returned.
Now after numerous attempts It seems that the unit will not work in XT mode - The 'Link to Fortuna GPS' button is greyed out again when trying to reflash. The device connects via Bluetooth but seems not to transfer any information.
Have I made the unit permanently inoperative in XT mode or can this be rectified!
Any help would be very much appreciated !!
I am using WinXP with a Belkin BT dongle - the firmware file I am using is FortunaXtracV202.s stored on a floppy disk.
Joined: Aug 10, 2004 Posts: 25 Location: Manchester
Posted: Sat Aug 28, 2004 9:45 am Post subject:
HI,
I just received my Fortuna etc this week. tried it out in the car in XT mode yesterday , on 30 mph roads absolutley no lag (placed in my glove box) so I assume its already V2 (green light when fixed?).
To clarify the no lag I would say there is a 5-10m diff sometimes but I put that down to GPS accuracy and I also feel its acceptable for either walking/driving - willing to be convinced another way !
Not tried walking or biking (I have a copy of OS Memory Map) thing is (and I am new to this) but it makes no sense that there should be a much larger lag when walking to when driving. There must be a technical reason as it just doesn't make sense.
To me the only difference is the speed you're travelling andmay be the overhead cover - again note mine was in my glovebox yesterday.
However I willl bow to those who have tried it out.
Anyway I will try it out at some point and see what happens.
Overall very happy but I supose time will tell. _________________ TomTom 720 GO
IPAQ 2210
TTN3
Memory Map
Fortuna Clip-ON
Lexar 256MB CF Card
Arkon Mount
Joined: Sep 02, 2004 Posts: 6 Location: Michigan, USA
Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2004 9:49 pm Post subject:
Can someone tell me if I'm doing this right? I already had I bad flash so I am trying to use the paperclip method.
1. Turn off GPS
2. Remove Battery
3. Connect paperclip like so
0000000
| |
------
4. Plug in DC power (orange power light comes on)
5. Turn on GPS (all lights turn off)
This method will not allow me to connect through bluetooth. Also, when I don't use the paper clip method, my "Link to Fortuna GPS" button stays greyed out. Anyone have any ideas?
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