CF-29 Verizon EVDO/OEM GPS

Okay.... I haven't been sleeping well lately for some reason... About every 3rd night... I get about 2 hours sleep. Last nights was one of those nights. I poked around with this issue today and it just started to me off... So I figured I would just post here and give up for the evening before I harm a Toughbook or kill someone.

I have Verizon EVDO/OEM GPS Sled out of an MK4.. Installed it all into an MK2... Verizon modem seems to work fine, just needs to be activated. The PS engine won't lock on a satellite and keeps spitting out the same code over and over....

$GPGGA,,,,,,0,00,,,,,,,*66
$GPVTG,,,,,,,,,A*3F
$GPGSA,A,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,*1E
$GPGSV,1,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,*79
$GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,A*5C
$GPGGA,,,,,,0,00,,,,,,,*66
$GPVTG,,,,,,,,,A*3F
$GPGSA,A,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,*1E
$GPGSV,1,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,*79
$GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,A*5C
$GPGGA,,,,,,0,00,,,,,,,*66
$GPVTG,,,,,,,,,A*3F
$GPGSA,A,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,*1E
$GPGSV,1,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,*79
$GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,A*5C
$GPGGA,,,,,,0,00,,,,,,,*66
$GPVTG,,,,,,,,,A*3F
$GPGSA,A,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,*1E
$GPGSV,1,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,*79
$GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,A*5C
$GPGGA,,,,,,0,00,,,,,,,*66
$GPVTG,,,,,,,,,A*3F
$GPGSA,A,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,*1E
$GPGSV,1,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,*79
$GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,A*5C
$GPGGA,,,,,,0,00,,,,,,,*66
$GPVTG,,,,,,,,,A*3F
$GPGSA,A,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,*1E
$GPGSV,1,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,*79
$GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,A*5C

I'm too tired to work on it or anything else tonight. I'm grilling chicken then going to bed early to TRY to get some sleep this time. I gave the board the once over... The antenna is securely connected... everything "looks" right.

I could swear I've seen something like this when the modem was grounded against the GPS engine... But I don't recall... Maybe sleep will help the situation!

 

It means u see no satellite and u have no fix. http://aprs.gids.nl/nmea/

 

That's what I figured... The GPS engine is working... Just not receiving data... But I was wondering if anyone had run across this particular issue and what they did to resolve it.

I'll be playing around with it later today.... I slept a little better last night.

 

Try to reset to factory default setting and start all over again. Thats the problem of an engine without battery back up. Everytime you pull out the engine, I mean the sled it lost its memry as you can see and imagine its power supply came from VA5 which is always "on" even the pc is off to maintain or not to lost its memory.


ohlip

 

Do you mean a cold start on the GPS ,so it starts from scratch looking for sats?

Alex

 

Well here's some more info. I have several OEM GPS kits around... So I figured... No sweat... I'll just swap the antenna and/or GPS engine!

NOPE!

It is NOT the same GPS engine. The regular, stand-alone GPS kit has a Sony GXB5005 unit. This is for use alone with NO WWAN modem install alongside.

The GPS engine that is installed along with the Verizon EVDO modem that I have is about half as big as the Sony unit. It is mounted on a much thinner PCB and it has no markings on it whatsoever. The antennas are not swappable either. (At least these aren't) The u.fl connector on the smaller GPS is mounted on the front and the antenna lead is about 3 times the length you actually need. (I assume to fit any application.) The Std. GPS engine has an antenna lead that is made to size/length and will not swap with the other one as the u.fl connector on the GXB5005 is toward the front.

The only thing I have not tried is to let it sit outside and soak up signal for 20 minutes. I let it go the other day for about 10-15 and nothing happened. I'll go stick it out there now and report back.

 

UPDATE:

This GPS (coupled with the Verizon EVDO WWAN) looks to be the same as the engine out of the CF-28! It certainly ACTS like it. I don't know how else to "document" this other than to say that FINALLY... After 20 minutes.... It finally got a lock with 3 satellites. I will try this again tomorrow morning and report back again. Obviously I cannot sell this one with that type of lousy performance.

Does anyone have the pinout of the CF-29 GPS engine? I think I do somewhere around here (In PDF format) but didn't know if anyone else has it handy.

I'm bummed. I thought I'd at least get the performance equaled to the regular stand-alone CF-29 GPS.

THIS is a GREAT reason why we modify our Toughbooks!!! If your life depended on THIS GPS... You'd be dead by now! Perhaps I'll list it on ebay. Nice modem anyway...

 

Rick -

Is this what you're looking for? (See post #40)

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=241494&page=4

Courtesy the NEW & IMPROVED CF-29 FAQ!

mnem
Yeah... that little bit OVER THERE...

 

Yup... I knew they were around somewhere.... I was looking for a PDF of the actual GPS engine... I could swear I have it somewhere... Not just the pinouts of the engine... But all 12 pins of the board it goes onto... Teo's give most.