CF-30 GPS Options for internal unit?

OK

So having established that I somehow dreamed that I had a 30 with factory GPS but now do not.....can anyone tell me what the factory options are/were and if it is possible to retrofit one?

I can not seem to get a positive answer from reading posts here or from talking to Panasonic support.

Support seems to think that the 30 has a GPS module or chipset directly on the motherboard which would reduce the possibility that I could install one of those.

There is some debate here regarding the GPS on the sled like the former models both on tandem with WWAN cards and by itself.

Does anyone know from experience or will I be going where none has gone before?

I realize too that if I get something working inside but not in the sled area that the antenna may be a real issue unless I can liberate it from being encased in metal somehow.

Thanks
Ed

 

Ed,

I'll be able to answer all your questions here shortly. I have a bunch of CF-29 GPS units coming to me. I will check the pin-outs to see. Heck... I guess I could check the schematics and tell you.

YES... The GPS CAN BE RETROFITTED... Or you can mod your own in. I can get the pinout for you if you need it. The GPS is not on the sled but under the keyboard and the antenna is not on the sled under the palmrest but atop the LCD. (Where it belongs, really!)

How handy are you with small tools? Do you have a soldering iron and a 10X headset?

 

Interesting finds!

I service Video Projectors upside down hanging from the ceiling and inside folded rear projection units and there are no electronics so far that I have seen that I am scared to modify or repair.

I know those are fightin words too.

Do you mean a magnifying headset?
I am at the point sadly where I have a hard time seeing everything and finding a working balance between glasses or no glasses.

So does the GPS plug in somewhere under the KB?
Are the Antenna already in all units or it would also require adding one?

Thanks
Ed

 

Ed,

You can get a 10X headset at Harbor Freight for $9.99... Yes... The magnifying type. Doesn't matter about the eyesight (BELIEVE ME)... You just adjust it by holding it closer or further away...

Yeah... I think the GPS goes under the keyboard and attaches to the mobo by ribbon cable. The antenna is NOT already installed. Panny does that with some of the cheaper antennas... But not GPS antennas. Plus you have to buy the bump-out to house the antenna.

 

Ed

The gps engine module is located in the same metal X bracket that the Bluetooth module is
These are very easy to get too as they are under the keyboard
It hooks to the motherboard on cn29 with a flat cable, and has a small coax antenna wire going up to the lid

Panasonic makes a retrofit gps kit, that contains all the parts required

Complete disassembly of the cf-30 is needed to install the kit , the hardest part is the antenna wire routing

Part numbers for the complete kit are
CFWGP302 GPS KIT FOR CF30 mk3
CFWGP301 GPS KIT FOR CF30 mk1 and mk2

I am thinking about installing a gps in my cf-30 mk-1
I have the stock gps in my mk-2 and it works fine

I am not sure if I want to go for the factory kit though
The factory antenna bump-out on the lid works good, and looks good so I am thinking of buying the antenna kit only, and using an aftermarket gps module


Alex

 

Here comes the PIC.

 

Thanks for adding the pictures Fred

I spend all my money on Toughbooks , and there is no money left over for a decent camera

Btw
What wi-fi card did you put in your cf-30
I noticed the three antenna outputs so I am thinking that it’s an N version
Did you have to cover pin 20


Alex

 

I've not change the Wi Fi card, its a 4965AGN come with the mark 2.
We all like TOUGH , so as the Camera, a tough 8000 !

 

Sorry for the lack of reply,I have been out of town again.
Thanks for the feedback about the GPS.

It looks interesting and potentially expensive anytime I look to original parts for the Toughbook.
I made a offer on eBay for a Gobi modem and the seller didn't even reply in any way.

I guess I have a silly question?
How exactly do I get the keyboard off to see this layout?
Also does the GPS antena just replace one of the corner protectors or would I need new lid casings too?

I have not yet found a CF-30 service manual ( have not looked a lot either) so I a not yet up to speed on the mechanics of it yet.

I did recently have a bad time though getting the KB off of a CF-29 and do not want to repeat that one!

Ed

 

The parts prices are quite high as there is very litlle used parts on the market
You can almost double the new price of a cf-30 by loading it up with options

To remove the keyboard you take out four screws that are holding the plastic retainer on the top of the keyboard
You remove the retainer and the keyboard on this model is on a slotted bracket and you just slid it towards the back and it will lift up
There is a cover to remove and then you have either two or three flat cables to unhook from the motherboard

I am doing a retrofit gps installation shortly and I will report back on costs

I will send you a pm link for a manual
Whats is the model # of your cf-30




Alex

 

FWIW... I just installed the Engenous 600mW card into a CF-18 just to see how many more SSIDs I would register.... I went from 14 SSIDs with the Intel A/B/G card to 32 SSIDs with the Engenous card... So that speaks volumes for that card.

Be careful on the keyboard when removing. lex is right that it slides forward and then up... But if you have a rubber or emissive... It is taped down and you need to be VERY careful when removing it or you will bend it. Small bends are normal when removing and can be tweaked back into shape.

 

I think the OEM gps module and bluetooth module that used on the cf-30 and the cf-19 are all the same. the only difference is its daughterboard.


ohlip

 

So they at least got their act together on the CF-30s and put the antenna on top of the LCD? I sure hope so, as all previous generation OEM GPS antennas were buried in the WWAN sled! No wonder the range on those things is so limited. I looked up the OEM GPS kit on Google and Bing and all sources say that thing can be installed by Panasonic only, this kit is not sold to end users directly.

I hope you report back on how your proposed OEM antenna/aftermarket module GPS install went and how good the satellite lock is and whatnot

 

It's partialy done
Plus a cf-19 kit from Teo a forum member here

Still is apart as I comlicated it a bit as I am installing an extra option ,I will have pics/benchmarks etc in 2 weeks max



Alex

 

I finally managed to find specs for the OEM GPS used on Toughbook CF-30s. Panasonic has specs up the wazoo on everything else in their laptops but are silent on the GPS. Here are the specs courtesy of BuyTough:

http://buytough.com/UserFiles/specs/gps.pdf

Apparently, not much has improved from the CF-29 to today, other than the fact the antenna is on top of the LCD instead of buried in the WWAN sled. The GPS module is still an old-fashioned 12 channel which is probably no better than a CF-29 OEM GPS setup...

 

Did you ever finish this GPS upgrade?

 

Cross your finger I'm on it. I will retrofit with different kind of antena but still at the top of LCD and a gps module with 20channel. I jut finished refurbishing my cf-30 from MK3 to MK2 and its all doing fine now. So, next will be the gps.

ohlip

 

I'm thinking of buying some parts, namely the DIY sled from custom-toughbooks ( http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220577438454 ) and a sarantel antenna for my CF-30 and routing that up the back of the LCD?

I did a search for a thread I started about this earlier but I can't find it...

 

I thought his CF-29 GPS kits were bad.... that is a TERRIBLE setup for the CF-30.... Teo is, of course, correct... For the CF-30 you should use the GPS parts and build your own. They have (usually) the parts in stock at Heartland at least to mount your own GPS antenna.... The custom pinouts can be had from the Schematics. The one listed may work... But it is FAR from Tough!

 

There are two area/location where you can install your mod.. gps on cf-30 toughbook. Under the keyboard is CN29 and on CN30 where the WWAN sled connect.


ohlip

 

I've been looking for a reasonably priced CF-30 to mod GPS into but the prices are still a little beyond me as an experimental platform. Anyone have a plain-Jane CF-30 MK1 they want to sell or trade for?

 

My virgin CF-30 has never been opened... but not really wanting to pay Panasonic $403 for the install either...

 

If you have the ability to mod. It will cost you a max. of $150.00 all in all including the active antena. I will be using the taoglas active antena on which will gonna go together with one of the wlan antena at the top of LCD but I also thinking on the original location on which to use the rubber bumper but not the OEM bulky bumper. I think the regular rubber bumper will gonna works. Just waiting the sample corner piece from Alex( tomcat ).

ohlip

 

Hi
have just installed a gps unit from custom tough books into a cf-30 mk1, works great, but i would like either an oem install or at the very least, an antenna mounted at the top of the screen.

can anyone tell me where to get the oem antena parts from? i would like the bump and all bits to connect to the gps unit i have just installed.

help as always is appreciated.

 

I bought the GPS U-Box 50 channel from custom toughbooks and it went in just fine and it was found in the BIOS. I enabled it and it appeared on com3. I also bought the Taoglas GPA Active Loop Module ALA-01-07-0095A from Symmetry Electronics ALA-01-07-0095A - 1575MHz Ceramic Active Loop Module - Taoglas - SemiconductorStore.com and it fit right under the plastic keyboard cover. I was very excited about that. However the singinal quality is not good. I think I will go with the OEM on top. I got a quote from heartland for $76 and $25 for shipping for just the antenna an bump out.

 

I used the 20 ch SiRF3 module in my mk-1 , c/w the standard panasonic gps antenna and bumpout
I have always used the SiRF III chipsets and come to favor them over others
The benefit of the kit is the extra internal usb port , I am 1/2 finished on a wwan modem internal ,but need the stock panasonic wwan antenna to make it perfect



Alex

 

Hold, the Taoglas GPS antenna slipped under the keyboard as I did not have thin double stick tape at the time. I slid it out and got a fix in seconds. I let it run with out being covered with out plastic and it was awesome. Not as good as I would like with it covered with the plastic keyboard mount (10 sats). But it will work for now. Perhaps a small ground plane will do the trick. I will keep all posted. I don't like the looks of the OEM bump out. Too big!

 

A ground plane is required for best performance
I don't have an issue with the standard antenna as it's well protected
10 Sats is excellent , if it stays at that your in fine shape
The thing that I noticed with the standard gps was the signal strength was quite strong and thats a good thing , not as many sats though as the sarantel I have used on the modded cf-29's

Keep us up to date
We love to read up on modifications


Alex

 

You guys havent seen yet the last CF-30 unit thatI sold with modded Gps? I Used the em408 under the keyboard couple with taoglas active antena(patch antena with dimension of 10mmX10mm). I placed that antena on the plastic part where the wi-fi antena installed just a bit of trimming and its perfect.

About a signal, as perfect as the cf-29 that i modded.

Anyway, I am half way from North America and using my local broadband system on Cf-19 but the its to slow only 3.6Mbps.

ohlip

 

I won't ask you then to post some pictures

You are not missing out on anything here , it's raining



Alex

 

Sorry,Man! All of the photos are on my desktop in BC, Lol. I'll be there on the middle of October.


PS: I've missed the salmon. This is the only photo available.

ohlip

 

aaaaahhhh now you guys are really tempting me to finally do that GPS & WWAN mod.... buy the two antennas and bumpouts for the CF-30 mk1, with a SiRFIII GPS and a disassembled Sierra Wireless 306 HSPA modem inside?