Bluetooth adapter for Garmin/Magellan handhelds / serial GPS

Pc-Mobile

We wil be releasing this much desired accessory in January (and may be earlier).

Preliminary information:

http://pc-mobile.net/bta.htm
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Pc-Mobile
http://pc-mobile.net/gps.htm

DavidW · Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2004 7:01 pm Post subject:

The link to the manual unfortunately doesn't work.

What regulatory approvals will there be on the unit?

David

Pc-Mobile · Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2004 2:32 am Post subject:

The manual will not be rady until it is released.

A pre-qualifed BT module is used.
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Pc-Mobile
http://pc-mobile.net/gps.htm

DavidW · Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2004 4:20 pm Post subject:

It all sounds very good! I was simply asking the questions to try to clarify the offering; there have been problems with imported Bluetooth goods being seized by some European customs authorities. It would be a shame if any shipments of your long awaited module suffered the same fate.

Though I can't speak for the Team, I think this is a product that would be worthy of review when it is ready.

David

Pc-Mobile · Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2004 2:08 am Post subject:

Bluetooth, and particularly GPS for that matter, may be a sensitive object for many countries customs.

Does one have to include a BQB certificate with every shipment? I do not think this is practical. The customs would not know what to look for anyway.

To be honest, we have made it intentionally discreet, without any obvious marking and will declare as a battery holder, or something like that, rather than what it actually is, for customs declaration in SOME countries, just to avoid what you were talking about. This is what we have been doing with the GPS antennas and we have not experienced any problem.
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Pc-Mobile
http://pc-mobile.net/gps.htm

Pc-Mobile · Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2004 2:12 am Post subject:

BTW, the draft manual is uploaded.
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Pc-Mobile
http://pc-mobile.net/gps.htm

nej · Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2004 9:51 am Post subject:

A colleage of mine made one of these some time back, by using a normal Garmin-to-RS232 cable and then putting a bluetooth serial adaptor on the end (as we were given a few freebies).

This is much neater, and the price is very good to, at $40. Sounds like a great product.

Send one to the PocketGPS team so they can review it for us.

Talkingbollox · Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2004 11:24 am Post subject:

A question for Pc-Mobile, please:

Does this mean that any GPS with a DB9 serial connector is capable of using this bluetooth adapter?

Thanks

Pc-Mobile · Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2004 1:28 pm Post subject:

This is one in the faq:

Q: Can all GPS with a serial cable be used?
A: No, most will work, but not all. The GPS must output NMEA, have serial interface, AND can work on its own without connecting to other software/hardware. That covers over 90% of the GPS on the market. Some serial GPS needs other software/hardware to "wake up" the GPS to work (e.g. Delorme/RandMcNally/Digitraveler) so these GPS will not work with the bluetooth adapter.

Did that answer your question?
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Pc-Mobile
http://pc-mobile.net/gps.htm

Talkingbollox · Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2004 4:02 pm Post subject:

Pc-Mobile · Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2004 4:35 pm Post subject:

You need different cables to connect to the adapter for different GPS.
One of them is a DB9 male that connects to the serial cable (DB9 female) of a GPS.
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Pc-Mobile
http://pc-mobile.net/gps.htm

Dave · Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2004 8:17 pm Post subject:

..and as always, stay tuned for a review here! :D

Pc-Mobile · Posted: Sat Dec 25, 2004 9:36 am Post subject:

Merry Christmas

We have pushed forward the release date - today!

It is available for order/dispatch now.
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Pc-Mobile
http://pc-mobile.net/gps.htm

must_dash · Occasional Visitor Joined: Feb 20, 2005 Posts: 4

:D Ordered mine on Thursday and it arrived on Saturday. Mine is for a Garmin Geko 301 to connect to a laptop or Orange M2000.
Works a treat and cheaper than buying another GPS.

Pc-Mobile · Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2005 10:54 am Post subject:

The beauty of an adapter is not that it is cheaper than buying a BT GPS.
A standalone GPS + BT adapter cost certainly a lot more than a BT GPS.

A BT GPS lets you navigate in car and that is all.
If that is all you use a GPS for, a BT GPS is much cheaper and more appropriate.

A stanalone GPS is more useful as it can be used on its own. The performance is usally better.

The BT adapter is for someone who needs a standalone GPS as well as car navigation via BT, or who is already using one but has upgraded to a new PDA with BT.

Then of course if you have an old standalone GPS gathering dust this is a cheap way to upgrade to BT.
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Pc-Mobile
http://pc-mobile.net/gps.htm

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