CF-30 mk3 GPS never acquires fix

We picked up some used toughbooks - CF30KCP542M, slightly different than the other 30+ we use. This one appears to have GPS via the standard COM3 but I can't get useful data out of it. It's sitting right next to a working one and went through disabling other COM ports, trying the registry patch, power cycling, setting to a different COM port etc. Any ideas? Could it just be a bad anenna connection? TB only has ~900 hours on it and looks like it lived in a closet.

Here's the data I'm getting from it regardless of how long I let it sit with clear view outside: (added # in place of real numbers)

$GPRMC,00####.0##,V,0000.0000,N,00000.0000,E,0.0,0.00,0#0#0#,,,N*##
$GPVTG,0.00,T,,M,0.0,N,0.0,K,N*##
$GPGGA,00####.0##,0000.0000,N,00000.0000,E,0,00,50.0,0.0,M,0.0,M,0.0,0000*7F
$GPGSA,A,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,50.0,50.0,50.0*05
$GPRMC,00####.0##,V,0000.0000,N,00000.0000,E,0.0,0.00,0#0#0#,,,N*##
$GPVTG,0.00,T,,M,0.0,N,0.0,K,N*##
$GPGGA,002#1#.0##,0000.0000,N,00000.0000,E,0,00,50.0,0.0,M,0.0,M,0.0,0000*7E




Any help would be greatly appreciated - Thanks

 

Capt is the resident gps expert.....but I'll give my 2 cents worth. Or is that sense? Maybe scents?

My GPS started doing something similar, but I have a custom unit in mine.

What software are you using?
Is the baud rate set to 4800 (for the stock GPS)?
I would check the antenna connections.

 

Dropped the HDD in another of the recently acquired of the same model and picked up GPS right away... Guess I should have grabbed more than one to work on initially. Haven't actually cracked open a toughbook before beyond the basics so it'll make a good project...

 

Welcome to the Panasonic Toughbook forum

Please post the full model number of your MK3. This will give us a better idea what you have in it.

Sorry about that...on my phone and missed your post with the model numbers...I will go back to sleep now

 

No luck - antenna leads appear to be in good shape. Bad card?

 

Is that wired across the passthrough? IOW did previous owner use a GPS antenna in the dock.

Bad engine, ffc or ?

You did the battery pull reset right? Then I would think hardware. Sony or Leadtek?

Winfast Navigator has an option to reset Leadtek.

Any other USB devices plugged in?

Many questions no answers. If I had a Linux disk in it I would

Code:

gpsmon -n 0

See

Code:

 man gpsmon

for information.

2 and a half cents.

Gotta put the sheep to bed.

J'd

 

Well,,,Somethings up hardware wise. I would start to swap things one part at a time...
First is to completely remove the flat white cable going to the gps engine. Then re-seat it making sure the correct side is up..
Second I would pull the whole gps /bluetooth PCB and bracket assembly and swap it.
The antenna is probably the hardest part of the gps setup to swap.

 

I have a back door labeled GPS on the bottom and EXT Antenna on the top. IOW is the passthrough working? Small part. Maybe someone has been IN THERE. Annnnd I totally agree with Shawn as usual.

Good luck.

J'd