Data Hacking

158 Part II — Software Hacks
e. Switch on the GPS and allow it to acquire a satellite lock.
f. Soft reset the PDA (consult your manual for details as to how to do that),
switch the PDA on, and run the software.
g. See if you get a connection.
4. Check connection type and speed. As with their PC counterparts, many software packages
designed for GPS use on PDAs can be set to a variety of communication protocols
and speeds (see Figure 7-11). Garmin units can be set to either the Garmin proprietary
format or the more generic NMEA protocol. If you have a Garmin GPS, I normally find
that the connection is more stable if the Garmin protocol is used. Make sure both the
GPS and software are set to the same protocol and data transfer speed. For NMEA, try
speeds of 4800 or 9600 bps.
FIGURE 7-11: Pocket PC software is similar
to most desktop PC software in that it
will have port settings information.
General Bluetooth Connection Trouble
Bluetooth connections can sometimes be problematic to set up. Here is a guide to help you
with these kinds of connections:
1. Make sure that both devices are Bluetooth-compliant. This seems obvious, but it is
sometimes hard to determine which PDAs are Bluetooth-compliant.
2. Switch off all other Bluetooth devices in the vicinity.
3. Make sure that the GPS and the PDA/PC are close together and that no walls are obscuring
the signal. Bring the two devices to within 1 meter of each other while troubleshooting
problems.