Bluetooth GPS vs EM408

What device will use more power? I am thinking about putting the em408 into my cf-29 and developing a connector board between the em408 and the cn18 connector. But I was thinking about it and when the TB is on the GPS is on right?

If you are not even using the GPS it will be using power with no way to shut it off.

With a em408 or a bluetooth which would use more power? I mean when on and using it. Would the bluetooth card use more power or would the em408?


-James

 

I was thinking about making a small connector board between the em408 and the cn18 connector and using the wwan switch and lights to control the em408. So if i am not using the GPS i can hit the power button and shut down the em408 to save power.

On the other hand a bluetooth gps reciever is just simple to use.
I just dont know what to do


-James

 

Zippy,
I have no experience with blue tooth gps, but I have a lot with USB. I have been plugging USGlobalsat USB units into toughbooks for quite a while. I have watched the development of the internal GPS's on this forum for quite a while with great interest. Would I bother with one, most definitely not. The SirfIII USB GPS for about $35 performs only slightly, very slightly, less well than my multi-thousand dollar CSI Vector PRO. I use this rig a lot for real work where accuracy is critical. The internal GPS may work very well, but I'm not sure that a directional antenna will work as well in the wheel house of a tugboat through 2 or 3 radio transmitters and their signals plus a couple of high powered radars and 3/8" minimum of solid steel plate as they do in a car. I'll stick with a nice omnidirectional antenna stuck on the roof with a magnet and a nice clear view of the sky. I have to carry a power brick around as well as a bunch of other stuff, so it's no chore to carry the ounce or so of GPS. I use a 10' USB extension cable and have never noticed any problems with signal strength. I have never tried a bluetooth version for the same interference issues cited above, and because I don't need another battery to go dead just when I really need to know EXACTLY where I am within 5 or 6 feet! I certainly don't see myself walking around with a Toughbook open and running watching where I'm going on the GPS. Any where I'm using the GPS, I have a place to stick the GPS puck.
My $0.02.
Cap

 

I think the what you said right there is the main difference between a $35 unit, and a $3500 GPS.

The RF section on the consumer GPSes aren't built to withstand the pounding of multiple strong RF sources near it. It probably swamps the receiver and desenses it, not much to notice on the user end due to error correction and mapping GPSes correcting for such errors. But for critical work, YEAH.

 

canuckcam,
The big dollar gps unit is 28"l 8"w 12"h, and I would never think of asking it to work without a clear view of the sky. It's got 2 complete DGPS units in it as it needs to show the exact location of the barge, and the exact orientation of the barge, ie. heading, even when the barge is not moving. My points were;
1. The USGlobalSat BU353 is a remarkable unit for the price. It never ceases to amaze the professional surveyors and such who see it work for the first time.
2. While I am very impressed with the mini Manhattan Project that went on here when the boys got the internal gps working, I, personally, don't see the point. The Toughbook is too big to use as a portable gps unless it is in a vehicle or something. That said, it really is no chore to use the usb gps as opposed to the internal gps, and you can move it from computer to computer in seconds. I have never had the opportunity to try one, internal gps, but when I am using my computer to take a load of mud to the dump, I am not sure I could rely on any gps to function in the wheel house of the tug without an external antenna. This also holds for Bluetooth.
The question was, internal or Bluetooth. For my purposes the answer is neither. I guess I would have to have spent another $4-500 for my new CF-30 to have the internal gps and I can't, for me, see it. I had gps up and running with accuracy adequate for any but the most critical applications about 20 minutes after I first booted my new computer. That gps was back in my Jeep the next morning, but can come back to the new computer in a couple of minutes.
As I say, all of this is just my opinion, based on my needs, but I do use gps for critical work on a almost daily basis, in addition to route finding and off road navigation out West. I just find the usb gps best suits my needs, and it is really cheap!
Cap

 

Cap,

It seems that the current trends are to include built-in gps in everything
Cell phones are just one example.

The pricing is very reasonable now, and with the current SiRFstarIII chipset, the placement of the units antenna, in relation to the sky , not as critical as it was a few years ago.

The yachts that I run have $3500 + Satellite compass setups.
But I mainly use the usb gps receiver hooked to the laptop.
I also have a Bluetooth gps.

I am not familiar with the gps receiver that you are using on the tug, but
I tested a gps position system out 3 years ago for a wholesaler in Canada.
It consisted of 2 portable gps head units placed on the bow and stern of the boat, transferring data through wi-fi 802.11 to a software program on a Panasonic cf-72 which I sold them.
It was accurate to with in a few feet .
It was being marketed to marine pilots , and was priced at about $10,000.

I’m certain that within the next few months I will be installing a built-in gps in either my cf-18 or cf-19.

Still trying to figure out the easiest way to do it .


Alex

 

Alex,
I use a CSI Vector Pro unit. It runs around $5500. We use it to position the dredge within less than 1 meter. The manual for the gps runs over 250 pages. I believe they are used on big ships. We need to know our position this accurately so we know where we're digging. We also have a sub-meter Trimble on the boom tip so we know where the bucket is. The crane operator can see where the bucket is at all times so he doesn't need to feel around to see where he has already dug. He has a remote video display in the crane so he sees what I see. As you already know, there has to be more than one gps in the mix so you can see the actual location of the dredge, including bearing, when the dredge is stationary. Surprisingly enough, we can run all this crap and a bunch more, remote tide gauges etc. on a CF-27 with no problem. On the tug I use whatever laptop I've got with me, running Offshore Navigator which I have loaded on all my laptops, and a USB GPS. I'm sure that there are other usb gps's out there but I found USGlobalSat first and they have never let me down. The US Army Corps of Engineer dump inspectors were leery of this arrangement initially, but they have accepted this system for accurate dumping of contaminated dredge spoils.
Cap

 

The way I thought about it was, I'd rather have an internal GPS that works pretty good than to carry an external GPS that works really good. However, I would much rather have a USB GPS than a wireless bluetooth GPS, for both lag purposes and the whole battery replacement thing that you need to do on a bluetooth unit. They are also twice the size.

Capt., The reason I went with USGlobalSat stuff is because they offer the best bang for the buck, and I think most people feel the same way. I would gladly try out another GPS unit if I thought it would work well. (My brother has a Magellan that he uses for work, and it is fantastic, but it won't interface with the laptop, nor can you see a map of somewhere that you currently aren't at).

My honest opinion though, is the BU353 is the only GPS unit that I've gotten to succeed in an airplane (My internal GPS didn't, and the Magellan didn't). I had 6 satellites with it too! Quite a bit of badass for having just the window as my view radius. My MR-350P is very good quality too, but it is always hard mounted in a car (bulkhead connector, very nice having pre-drilled holes in my ex cop cars to throw it in )

So, long story short, I'm not saying don't try a bluetooth module, by all means try it out, we all might be suprised, but I'm not sold on them being the best option yet. I'm still on the hunt for the best USB module I can find, and once I get some cash again I'll test some out.

 

Modly,
Good to hear from you. I love flying across the country with the Toughbook on the tray table and the BU353 puck stuck under the window shade. I can fire up Topo and know what I'm looking at out the window. Next month when Mrs. Dogfish and I head out west I'll have 10+ hours of battery time, which will be good because Jet Blue doesn't have power outlets on their planes. The best thing about the BU353 is I don't really care if there is something better out there, it's as good as I'll ever need a vehicle gps to be, and I can buy them for less than $40 any time! If you haven't tried it I highly suggest a free download called Visual GPS. It gives you much more info than WinFast, and has a neat window which lets you see how much your position accuracy is wandering, and plots HDOP on a state plane grid. It also has a logging function which you can use to record your track.
Cap

 

Link to the VisualGPS.

http://www.visualgps.net/VisualGPS/default.htm

 

VisualGPS works pretty decent...
Thanks for that Suggestion Capt

Thanks for the link Stiffnecked

I use my EM408 internal of course. But I built a box for my Sarantel Heli antenna
so I can use it remotely connected by 6' wire as I didnt have the heart to cut into my lid yet.. I sometimes have to use my TB in confined areas (metal enclosed)..works a treat.

 

One potential answer to the GPS USB vs. Bluetooth question: Both!

The i.Trek M7 supports both USB and Bluetooth connections, allowing you to use whatever works better for any given situation.

 

rcx,
Some of the statements I made in this thread are, as Nixon's White House was so fond of saying, no longer operative. I now have a CF-18 in which a EM408 will soon reside. Its usable as a portable GPS due to its size and tablet function.
As for the USGlobalSat USB puck I see no reason to change, its more accurate than the tagging on most commercial digital maps and charts, good enough for me. The accuracy claimed for the unit you posted is not all that impressive, my BU-353 often shows a HDOP of less than 3 meters. Remember, do you really need to know your location in your car or boat closer than 9 feet?
CAP