TomTom 5 very slow to lock on signal with Globalsat BC337

DeeInLondon · Occasional Visitor Joined: Mar 09, 2004 Posts: 23

I'm using a Toshiba E740 with a Globalsat BC337 Compact Flash GPS and version 5.0 of TomTom.

I find if I start TomTom it take a very long time to lock on to a signal, but once locked on it holds it pretty well. But that inital lock may take over 10 minutes.

But if I close down TomTom and run any other kind of program on my PDA that allows me to read data fromthe GPS I get a lock within seconds. I can then shut that down and restart TomTom and usually secure the lock very quickly then.

What's going on?

Is TomTom trying to start the GPS in WAAS mode?

I'm in NW London, England and only driving locally.

How can I adjust my PDA / GPS for the best possible signal / speed, etc in that part of the world, without adding an external antenna. I find once I have the lock in my car it stays, it's just getting that inital lock that takes so long with TomTom 5.0 - I have SirfDemo utility and PCMCIA adaptor for my Laptop, but need pointing to a details guide to using SirfDemo or a better more user friendly utility

lbendlin · Posted: Sat Dec 10, 2005 10:05 pm Post subject:

TomTom is known to be impatient when it can't get a fix quickly. It then attempts a cold boot which only makes things worse.

Allow your receiver to get a fix BEFORE you start TTN.
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DeeInLondon · Occasional Visitor Joined: Mar 09, 2004 Posts: 23

lbendlin · Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2005 5:30 am Post subject:

As far as I remember this was introduced with TTN5.100 . It is not limited to SiRF III chipsets. Quitre contrary, those tend to recover quicker. The ones suffering the most are older chipsets that already without TomTom's "help"have long TTFFs.

Mind you, other programs play no role whatsoever in this - all you need is to give the HARDWARE (the receiver) enough time for a fix. Any magical "solution" to "start this program first then start TomTom" are pure speculation and without any scientific merit.
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skc · Occasional Visitor Joined: Dec 18, 2005 Posts: 1

Hi, i had the same problem, i tried it on a friends pda with destinator PN and it finds a fix in seconds even indoors.

HammerTime69 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 12, 2006 Posts: 1

Hi

I am having the same sort of problems. I have a Dell x51v (latest A06 Rom upgrade) running Windows Mobile 2005 and trying to use Tom Tom 5 Navigator (latest v5.21) on it. Even though Tom Tom recognizes the fact that I have the BC337 installed in the Comm 4 port (CF) it just states all the time that there is "no GPS device" and does not appear to even try and connect to the satellites. I have been told that I am correct in selecting "other NMEA GPS". Is this right ? I have left it for over an hour to lock on and still nothing. I have tested the BC337 with the GPS info program that came with it and this shows it works as it locks on to a signal withing a minute or two. However even getting a lock via this program and then subsequently opening Tom Tom I still get the same response from Tom Tom. In Windows Mobile 2005 there are 3 things to set within the GPS option under "settings". Under the "Hardware" tab I have select the hardware port as Comm 4 for the GPS device. Under the "software" tab What do I set as the software comm port or do I chose "none" if I have the Tom Tom program installed on the PDA and the maps etc. on an SD Card? Dell's manual is very unhelpful, as is their technical support (no response so far !) in telling what comm port numbers are used and which is which on the PDA apart from Comm 4 of course. The last setting under "Access" tab is ticked already to "manage GPS automatically (recommended)". Is this correct ?
I have been getting conflicting information. So far I have heard that it's the fault of the Globalsat not being compatible with WM2005 then I hear it's the fault of Tom Tom not being compatible with WM2005. Some say it might even be the Dell itself. Can anybody clarify the situation for me based upon this hardware and software combination and hopefully pinpoint who is at fault here. If it's the Tom Tom would the rest work if I changed to Destinator or other GPS software (P.S. What is the recoomended best ?)

P.S. I also seem to get a lot of lock-ups using this PDA which I assume is down to WM2005. Can anybody help?

Any help would be gratefully appreciated. Sad

Maverickuk · Occasional Visitor Joined: Dec 26, 2005 Posts: 54

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