Problem with external bluetooth gps device [2.9.4 Beta]

Hi there,

first of all, Oruxmaps is a really nice app! I really enjoy using it.
And the support of external bluetooth gps devices is a excellent new feature!

After pairing the HTC Magic with the Blumax 710 gps receiver and connecting Oruxmaps with it, the GPS data gets updated only once right after connecting. From now on the data keeps the same, although I still keep moving. Furthermore the GPS device turns off after a few minutes which happens normally when no bluetooth device is connected to the gps receiver.
When connecting again manually to the gps device by pressing the satellite button, the gps data gets updated again. But as before only once.

Hopefully you can understand what I mean.

scotchbonnet wrote:Hi there,

first of all, Oruxmaps is a really nice app! I really enjoy using it.
And the support of external bluetooth gps devices is a excellent new feature!

After pairing the HTC Magic with the Blumax 710 gps receiver and connecting Oruxmaps with it, the GPS data gets updated only once right after connecting. From now on the data keeps the same, although I still keep moving. Furthermore the GPS device turns off after a few minutes which happens normally when no bluetooth device is connected to the gps receiver.
When connecting again manually to the gps device by pressing the satellite button, the gps data gets updated again. But as before only once.

Hopefully you can understand what I mean.

Hi, thanks!

Hmmm, strange; works fine with my fortuna slim gps.

I need more people testing external gpss.

does it also happen when you are recording a track?

Remember that OruxMaps disconnects from gps if you turn off the screen, and you are not in track logging mode.

orux

Hi orux,

I just tested it with track logging mode. There were some fragments of my route tracked correctly (about 3/10). But it was far away from usable.
Then the external gps switched off for the last few kilometers. Seems that there was no bluetooth connection any more.

The external GPS device normally works great, as I experienced with NoniGPSPlot (Windows Mobile). As far as I remember you can only establish a bluetooth connection in the first 20 or 30 seconds after switching the device on.
Is Oruxmap using a continuous bluetooth connection to the external device or is it interrupted periodically?

scotchbonnet wrote:Hi orux,

I just tested it with track logging mode. There were some fragments of my route tracked correctly (about 3/10). But it was far away from usable.
Then the external gps switched off for the last few kilometers. Seems that there was no bluetooth connection any more.

The external GPS device normally works great, as I experienced with NoniGPSPlot (Windows Mobile). As far as I remember you can only establish a bluetooth connection in the first 20 or 30 seconds after switching the device on.
Is Oruxmap using a continuous bluetooth connection to the external device or is it interrupted periodically?

Hi; scotchbonnet;

It should be a continuous connection. have you tested 'Bluetooth GPS' android application with your gps?

I m going to build a version with more debug info about external bluetooth.

orux

Hi orux,
the app 'Bluetooth GPS' is working fine. I tested it about 30 minutes. The program updates the gps data every second and the bluetooth gps does not turn off automatically.
I'm happy if I can support you developing oruxmaps by testing a debug version.

I did test with Gtop (MTK chipset) bluetooth gps and in tracking mode it works fine. Also non-tracking mode works fine. But there is something which causes Oruxmaps use much power when it is running long time. Letting Oruxmaps run background (no tracking or gps enabled) overnight causes 5% battery level drop per hour. Normal battery level drop is ~1%.

usva_ wrote:I did test with Gtop (MTK chipset) bluetooth gps and in tracking mode it works fine. Also non-tracking mode works fine. But there is something which causes Oruxmaps use much power when it is running long time. Letting Oruxmaps run background (no tracking or gps enabled) overnight causes 5% battery level drop per hour. Normal battery level drop is ~1%.

Thanks;

I will investigate;

orux

Hello,

Thanks a lot for this really nice application. I started using it for small ultralight flights and I find it very convenient.

I installed it on an archos 32 internet tablet (android 2.2) together with an external Leadtek 9537 Bluetooth GPS receiver.

I use it in track mode. It works fine for a while (up to 30 minutes) and then seems to loose the communication with the GPS without being able to restore it.

My feeling is that, for some reason, the Bluetooth communication is shortly broken and maybe oruxmaps is not aware about it. Please let me know what you think.

Thanks,
Christophe

christop wrote:Hello,

Thanks a lot for this really nice application. I started using it for small ultralight flights and I find it very convenient.

I installed it on an archos 32 internet tablet (android 2.2) together with an external Leadtek 9537 Bluetooth GPS receiver.

I use it in track mode. It works fine for a while (up to 30 minutes) and then seems to loose the communication with the GPS without being able to restore it.

My feeling is that, for some reason, the Bluetooth communication is shortly broken and maybe oruxmaps is not aware about it. Please let me know what you think.

Thanks,
Christophe

Hi, Christophe;

OruxMaps tries to reconnect if the connection is lost, but if no success, the internal gps is started. The problem is that your device does not have internal gps, I think!

With the heart monitor, the behaviour is different, if the connection is lost, OruxMaps retries to connect each 30 seconds.

May be I can add this second option as a setting.

orux

orux wrote:
Hi, Christophe;

OruxMaps tries to reconnect if the connection is lost, but if no success, the internal gps is started. The problem is that your device does not have internal gps, I think!

With the heart monitor, the behaviour is different, if the connection is lost, OruxMaps retries to connect each 30 seconds.

May be I can add this second option as a setting.

orux

Hello Orux,
Thanks a lot for your fast response.
I confirm my device does not have internal GPS. I also believe that trying to reconnect cyclically to the external GPS might fix the problem.
Please let me know if you can add this (there is no hurry, of course)
Thanks again.
Christophe

For info, I get the message "Error! Unable to use the GPS!" when attempting to use an external bluetooth GPS (OruxMaps v3512). However if I use the application Bluetooth GPS in conjunction with OruxMaps, it works fine.

I should note that my device doesn't have an internal GPS.

Icarus wrote:For info, I get the message "Error! Unable to use the GPS!" when attempting to use an external bluetooth GPS (OruxMaps v3512). However if I use the application Bluetooth GPS in conjunction with OruxMaps, it works fine.

I should note that my device doesn't have an internal GPS.

Hi, Icarus;

Do you use 'long press' over the gps button to start external gps?

orux

Thanks! Long press works fine. Should have read the manual...(sorry!).

Hello,

Well I did'nt know about long press / short press on GPS button (oops)

=> I did additional tests with oruxmaps v3.4.2, archos 32 and external leadtech bluetooth gps.

If I don't use long press on gps button I believe:
- android is managing the bluetooth connection and is providing the gps information to the apps
- oruxmaps doesn't know that the GPS is extern
=> Therefore I believe that the proposed modification may not fix the problem.

If i use the long press on GPS button:
- I need to disable setting in android that associates the bluetooth gps
- I need to kill the bluetooth association in android
- After the long press on oruxmaps GPS button, the bluetooth association has to be redone (code: 0000)
- It seems that communication with GPS is started but then the gsp information doesn't seem very reliable

I didn't know for 'bluetooth gps' application as well.

=> I'll make additional tests and let you know.

Thanks
Christophe

christopheb wrote:Hello,

Well I did'nt know about long press / short press on GPS button (oops)

=> I did additional tests with oruxmaps v3.4.2, archos 32 and external leadtech bluetooth gps.

If I don't use long press on gps button I believe:
- android is managing the bluetooth connection and is providing the gps information to the apps
- oruxmaps doesn't know that the GPS is extern
=> Therefore I believe that the proposed modification may not fix the problem.

Yes, you are right. OruxMaps thinks that it is an internal gps.

christopheb wrote:
If i use the long press on GPS button:
- I need to disable setting in android that associates the bluetooth gps
- I need to kill the bluetooth association in android
- After the long press on oruxmaps GPS button, the bluetooth association has to be redone (code: 0000)
- It seems that communication with GPS is started but then the gsp information doesn't seem very reliable

I didn't know for 'bluetooth gps' application as well.

=> I'll make additional tests and let you know.

Is the gps information not correct?

Or OruxMaps does not update the location?

Please, test last beta here:
http://www.oruxmaps.com/cs

There are small changes managing external gps devices.

orux

Hello,

Ok thanks a lot. I did some tests with 3.5.22:
I was able to start bluetooth connection with the 'long press' and new bluetooth association
However it seems that position is acquired only if position is changed: I get the correct position only after I move the gps receiver.
I seems also that the position is updated only after it changes (therefore after a stop, the speed remains > 0)

I'll make tests during a flight when I can and let you know if bluetooth connection reliability is improved.

Thanks again
Christophe

Hello,

So I confirm that with oruxmaps version 3.5.22 on an archos 32 and with extenal bluetooth GPS:
- Bluetooth connection and GPS tracking in external GPS mode was OK during a complete 30 minutes flight
- oruxmaps is able to recover bluetooth connection with external GPS even upon switch off / switch on of the GPS receiver

Thanks a lot
Christophe