Testing GPS

I think you are missing the point... If you don't have a GPS inside then you won't be able to enable it in the BIOS. The GPS was made for Panasonic (If not made BY Them) for the CF-28 (And others I presume)... We are trying to fit another type in there but if you don't have any electronics experience and you start fooling around with it... You may end up with a 9 pound brick!

 

Certainly one can not enable an GPS module that not exist,We can see that from that photos,there are 8 pin out from the GPS module,I could say There must be an VCC and an GND PIN,So there are 6 unknown PINs. normaily GPS modle is connected to an internal COM port,The unknown 6 must include an COM port wire,Then HOW COULD THE BIOS KNOW there are or not GPS moudle?It seems that THE DIP SWITCH DID NOT DO EVERYTHING.

I don't think the GPS module is just for CF-28,It's not econormicial.Unlike Japaness behavior.

After I bought another noot book ,The panasonic one is already an matel brick!

 

Certainly one can not enable an GPS module that not exist,We can see that from that photos,there are 8 pin out from the GPS module,I could say There must be an VCC and an GND PIN,So there are 6 unknown PINs. normaily GPS modle is connected to an internal COM port,The unknown 6 must include an COM port wire,Then HOW COULD THE BIOS KNOW there are or not GPS moudle?It seems that THE DIP SWITCH DID NOT DO EVERYTHING.

I don't think the GPS module is just for CF-28,It's not econormicial.Unlike Japaness behavior.

After I bought another nootbook ,The panasonic one is already an matel brick!

 

By the way,is there any one knows what is in an panasonic DVD???
An sony dw-d56a.

?????????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

you mean the actual drive???
well there are panasonic sj drives?????????

 

If you open your CF-28 DVD driver case,You will find out a SONY driver there.

 

the photo is still unclear, Is there any one who have The GPS board can take more Photo about it.
Any thing (Part mumber or S/N or PCB vision mark ) on the small box is helpfull.
If we can find out who built the GPS modle,There may be an ****.PDF to tell us how to dill with the 8 pin connector.
thank to your all.

 

well maybe it is a sony or been changed but most drives from panasonic website are panasonic/ma****a and i am on about the atual drive not caddy................

 

there isnt any manual or pdf for the GPS, only intruction manual is with the GPS filter driver or the one with the CF-29 explaining the serial mouse

 

The connector inside the laptop is a multi-purpose connector. It also handles the various wireless modems so I think they have a lot of useless spots in there for the GPS. As far as the dip switches go... Different models have the dip switches go different ways. On my last one... The dip switches were set differently than the one I have now! Also... This time my GPS is on Com4 instead of Com3. This one works MUCH better than the lasy one too! You just need to play around with it then boot it up and look into setups!

 

Thank you ToughBook,If you have the Book with GPS,Could you take more picture ?? So i can try to find out who Manufacturing the GPS mdule.I do think the module is not just for panasonic. We can find it from other Channels.

 

If you look on ebay there is a seller called Toughbook-Gear that sells them. He has close-ups of the GPS with all the numbers... I don't see any on mine. I think you have to take it out to get the info.

I must say that I am surprised on this most recent Toughbook! The GPS works flawlessly! It takes about 1 minute to get a fix with 4 satellites. Give it another minute and it has 6-7 depending on where i have it sitting. After that... I can turn off and on any GPS software and I get an immediate fix! Maybe this is payback for all the problems I had with the other one.

 

Sorry ,I could not find the Seller you said.Can you please give me the URL link.

 

Toughbook,I think you are not fmiliar the GPS system.When we start a GPS receiver fist time ,It's Called COLD START,it may take alot of time to download the DATA from the satellite,The second is called WARM START，The DATA is already in the RAM of the GPS receiver ,So it will get an immediate fix. COLD START or WARM START depand on the period you turn down the GPS ,IF you turn your GPS down for A long time,(about 6 MOUNTH,The DATA will become too old),Your GPS receiver is turn cold.

 

I understand how the GPS system works. My explanation was for the people who are having issues with theirs and to explain the differences between my first and second GPS system.

 

I just paid for four CF-28s with factory-installed GPS. (cost an arm and a leg, but I hope to eventually get my money back out of them!) I should have them by this weekend. I promise to evaluate the performance of all four and take detailed pics of the circuitry when I get them!

 

Gravitar... Did you get them on ebay?

Just curious who the seller is and what condition they are in. It seems that some of the sellers always get the rough ones and others have pretty good ones. I have been pretty lucky so far... But two of the four I just bought will need major work!

 

This is the link:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=160129331978

So that's pretty much all i know about it. Hopefully they were carefully removed!

 

duhhhh.. wrong thread. try this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=280144254919

 

I finally found Toughbook-Gear ,But his picture shows no more information, From his pics I can see an battery. If any body has problem on GPS start speed ,Why not check the battery first.

 

Gravitar... That's too funny... I had that one in my Watch list... I was going to bid on it but couldn't get to the laptop!

abs... You have reading to do... We've been talking about GPS here for months. The battery has already been discussed. I'm sure it makes a difference somewhere but no one has narrowed their problem down to a battery. Meaning.. My GPS was screwed up and had a good battery... Someone else's was dead but their GPS worked.

 

yep this GPS is a real headche, the most fixesyou get are 4/5 nothing more but alot less...............

 

I have two CF-28s. One 800MHz and one 1GHz. The 800MHz had Win2k on it before I put WinXP over the top of it. The GPS works fine and is recognized. On the 1GHz, I started with a blank drive and did a fresh install of WinXP and the GPS is NOT recognized and had the jumping mouse issue which I posted a workaround earlier in this thread. I simply change the configuration settings in Control Panel>Hardware>Device Manager>Ports>Com Port 4 to a different IRQ setting each time I want to use the GPS and it fires right up. In essence, I have to change the IRQ every time I reboot the computer.

When using the Toughbook's GPS I did notice that it does have a weak signal. From what I have read about this GPS, it's rather weak as far as GPS's go on today's market. The newer Bluetooth and USB GPS's pick up far more satellites than the Toughbook. All that being said, I use the Toughbook GPS for mapping hotspots near my home and it works great (I use NetStumbler and Knsgem and export to Google Earth for a nice map). For a turn by turn GPS, I wouldn't rely on it too much.

Lastly, I notice that I rarely get a GPS fix indoors. Outdoors, if I'm sitting still, it takes a while to render a fix. However, if I just move a little it seems to pick up a signal faster. Even just moving it from side-to-side helps my Toughbook get a GPS fix faster. In the car, I drive maybe 50-100 feet before good data begins to stream in and fixes my position. So, I'm thinking some of the problems in the last few pages of this thread might be the result of some trying to get a GPS fix indoors (where there might be too much interference) and in other cases the GPS may be outside but is just sitting still (mine seems to want movement to render properly). Does anyone want to confirm?

I use Navigator and TrackMaker as free GPS software.

 

I've never tried moving my 28 to get a fix. I'll have to try that tomorrow. I'll let you know.

 

well i normaly do get around 4 fixes even when am driving around, but the problems is while using pc naviator or autorouter you hear that dreadful thing now and then "gps signal lost",
i think these gps were made for open spaces only and not urban areas......................

 

I'm ready to do a side-by-side comparison of my four guinea pigs, I think! I just downloaded Winfast Navigator. I gather that's what you guys are using? I will try them first in my living room (for convenience's sake) but if/when that fails I will go out to the porch.

 

Ok, this is what I get on my first attempt. At the time of this screen dump, winfast had only been running about 10 seconds BUT the computer had been powered up for about an hour, as I screwed around with the port settings and registry keys trying to get the software to recognize COM4. Although everything looked fine in device manager, I had to do the manual settings trick before winfast would allow me to choose COM4. I think the system might have marked it as reserved or something. (possibly left over from the ballpoint mouse problem)

So what do you think of the results? This is taken while sitting on my lap on the first floor of a 2-story frame house with vinyl siding. House is in a east-side suburb just outside of Detroit. the data in the text window is coming in as a steady stream. (well, with a regular pause between packets)

I will post the results of the other 3 tomorrow. Those won't have the benefit of being powered up for a long time before going into the software (i hope) so it should be interesting

 

This has been pretty much what I have been getting.... But I just sold it on ebay... So no more GPS... Modly and I need to take the next step and mod in a NEW GPS!

 

i just noticed that all my satellites were red. what does that mean? did it not actually detect them? maybe i'll try outside and see what happens


(update)

this is what i get out on my porch. started out blue, then turned green. no wait other than boot-up.

So.. as clever as this winfast thing is, what software do i need for this little $200 bump on the side to tell me where i am?

 

I recall a couple people asking for pictures of the GPS hardware, so here goes. Front and back of the PC board, and front/back of the antenna.

I'm sure I'm not the first to figure this out but did y'all realize that the PC board is exactly the same as the one for the radio modem? The GPS version is minimally populated, the next time I take out a RIM modem I'll see if all the other locations are populated. This would explain the DIP switches. Must be a module ID circuit. This explains the reports of changing the switch settings and having the BIOS report that a radio modem is installed!

 

You need clear line of sight to get a good fix. Under a porch or inside won't get you much.

 

Thank you Gravitar.I get the pictures.

 

I'm back home now, and once I get my paycheck I'll order that module to get cracking with.

Using the USB GPS receiver was cool for the trip (We never got lost, and had no written directions out to Los Angeles), and on the plane... that was cool too, but it'd be even cooler if it was built into the laptop rather than something I've got on a cable. The only benefit to the cable, is I could have the receiver outside the truck's cab for better signal.

 

Modly... Please keep me posted. You mentioned the engine you want to use. We just need to find the right antenna we can fab into the LCD. If you can give me the info on both I'll start to work fabbing the antenna into the LCD, take pics and send them to you.

 

Hey Guys,
Just saw this on EBAY - http://cgi.ebay.com/Panasonic-Tough...ryZ40992QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Your Thoughts - not a bad idea but I think? Is it possible to "slpit" the antenna so you could keep the internal but also hook up the external antenna for in the Truck. or is the Bluetooth like Toughbook has done the better option.

 

I wonder if it's true that the panasonic module is "a great GPS engine"? I like this concept but I would damage that connector for sure. I'm very leery about having anything protrude out the sides. My thought is still to use the hole next to the docking station connector, where the factory put their mystery antenna connector. It looks to me that maybe even two MMCX-sized jacks could be mounted back there. I still hope to save the LCD antenna hole for WiFi use.

Ultimately though, I think Modly/Toughbook are going in a better direction. Even if the panasonic GPS module is a good one, they're just too scarce. It doesn't make sense for us to be outbidding each other for the few factory-GPS units that are out there when perfectly good mass-produced solutions are out there

 

Mega-man, You're gonna get me looking into something else with the internal module while I'm at it.

I'll tamper with the old module for giggles in the 600MHz book I got back, and try holding an antenna outside of it somehow. I'm wondering if perhaps the toughbook casing some how screws up the signal.

 

to be honest rather then buy that off ebay, why not get a dual antenna cable made, that way you can keep the gps reciever on the side and stick another reciever some where els,
i dont really like the idea of carrying a reciever around, dont that too many time in the past with other laptops.........

 

I wouldn't buy that thing off eBay either. It's cool and a great bit of info for us, but not worth the money. If I'm gonna carry an external receiver around, I'll throw my USB one in my bag, which has proven to be very reliable. (At a few points, I had a lock on 14 satellites, and had low signal from 3 others)

 

I would think that you couldn't/shouldn't split the antenna for wifi/gps... You are pushing power (so to speak) out to the antenna with wifi... I don't think that would jive with the GPS... You might overload it.

Mega... I saw your CF-28 on ebay... I was leary about sticking the SMA connector out the side but I shimmed it so that there was only just enough to make a good connection. I wanted the connection handy and not have to fiddle with the back door. I guess it would be okay if you were going to mount the laptop in a car or truck and just hook it up and leave it. Otherwise... I'd like it handy on the side.
When I add SMA connections... They are watertight too.

 

Check this puppy out; http://cgi.ebay.com/Panasonic-Tough...ryZ42205QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Same guy with the old M34s, but he's now doing it to 28s. At least now I have an idea for antenna mounting, but I still gotta figure out where he's buying his goods.

 

I respect what the guy did but the red cover wouldn't be a selling feature for me. actually i miss the dark, bland, blend-in-with-the-woodwork appearance of the 27s. Where I use mine, the less attention attracted the better. That red just cries "take me home with you"!

I wonder where his "stealth" antenna is. Seems to me that we've concluded that the stealthier you get with an antenna, the worse the signal strength is.

 

one you use hyper terminal on gps don,nt have set port then hit call before it will do show you gps nema or is wait for call

 

Agreed. Rather ugly in my opinion. I mean c'mon, if you're going to paint it at least give it a kewl color and some flames or something. Some movie I was watching the other night had 28's with black covers. That didn't look so great either.

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Is it just me or did anyone notice the corner antenna housing where he has the GPS antenna located? All of the Toughbook's that I have ever owned have had the antenna housing on the left side (the little round bump in the black plastic corner piece). I have never seen one on the right side like that. Did he make that? or did Panasonic have the radio antennas on the right side on some older models. I'd like to get one and route a wireless antenna connector in that spot.

 

I'm glad you mentioned that, i would not have realized what I was looking at! I wonder why he did that, maybe the wifi is using the radio modem antenna hole? (his "stealth" antenna)

 

I messaged the guy asking a few more questions. I hope he'll clear up a few things for me.

On a side note; Gravitar, I hope you're stocking up on your beer and smokes...

 

For one... He won't answer your questions... I've tried. Secondly... I have seen his work in person. He used glue and tape to hold his laptop together and it was literally falling apart when I saw it... And the guy had only had it for a few weeks. The guy turned around and sold it. Very poor work. I mean... If you are going to do it... Do it right! Yes... He molds the plastic bump-out on there somehow. The one I saw looked like he made some sort of clay mold and then poured something into it. Like I said... Poor work. But I guess no worse than some of the Toughbooks I've seen after they are beat up a little. According to the model number the laptop already had GPS... It looks like he just stuck an active antenna on it... But he says Rockwell...

They say that they switched from black on the CF-27 to reflective silver on the CF-28 was so it wouldn't heat up as bad in the sun. I am finishing my next one for ebay... It took me 2 days to strip and polish the top cover. I don't know what type of paint they use at Panasonic... But it sticks like a brother on the magnesium! It took 3 applications of stripping, scraping and stripping again to get the paint off. Then it took a day and a half of sanding and polishing the cover to get it to a mirror finish. I guess if silver is good... A mirror finish should be better right?

I should have it up tomorrow.

 

Isn't the silver color of the cover on the 28's the natural magnesium itself and not paint?

That's looks very stylish. Kudos. I especially like the accented jeweling.

Ya know what really brings in the eBay bids though (other than having a quality Toughbook of course) is just mention "wardriving" and every teenager out there wants to hand over their life savings and college tuition.

 

I've been saying for a week now that they'd wait till the last minute and then raise taxes to "save the day". I figure the Republicans just wanted to be able to say that they fought till the end, but had to prevent the "disaster" of a government shutdown. I'm not convinced that the Republicans care any more about letting us keep our wages than the Dems, but they have to put on pretenses of caring about it!

The only people that would have suffered if the government shut down would be government employees. They know better than to let us figure out that we CAN live without them.. It wouldn't take too long before we wouldn't want them ever coming back to their jobs!

 

It's actually a metallic silver epoxy paint. You would think by the scratches on some of the laptops that it would be a soft paint. It is tough stuff... Let me tell you!

Thanks... The camera picked up all the fine swirl marks though. It's one of those things that needs to be seen in person.

You're right about the wardriving... You crack me up...