One of the really nice features of the IPAQ hw6900 family of Pocket PCs is that they include a built-in GPS receiver. 

I was a GPS virgin when I bought my hw6925.  I had heard of GPS and had a vague notion of what it was, but I had never seen GPS in action and had no idea how versatile, convenient, and sometimes frustrating it could be.  Since I don't travel much these days and I almost always know where I am going, I didn't think I needed GPS or that I would use it, so the GPS receiver was not the reason I purchased the hw6925.  For a long time I was indifferent to the GPS capability of my Pocket PC, but over time, I've come to enjoy using it.  However, as a new user, my initial GPS experience was confusing, frustrating and a bit disorienting.

The first time I used GPS, I was going to a funeral in a part of town I was not familiar with. I set out confidently expecting GPS to get me there.  Everything was great until I exited the interstate and was about a mile away from my desired location. GPS told me to turn right, but there was no right hand turn. I kept driving around and around with GPS telling me over and over again to make a u-turn at the next light. Talk about driving around in circles! After about an hour of meaningless driving, I was hot, tired and in a foul mood.  I missed the funeral, so I got back on the interstate and drove home. I was so frustrated!  Come to find out, I really had been only a mile away. I had driven by an unmarked ramp to a bridge that did not show up on GPS.  The moral of this story is....If I'm not completely clear about where I'm going, I still need to look up the address on Google Maps so I can get a general picture in my head about where I need to go before I get on the road.

After that driving experience, the GPS receiver on my hw6925 didn't seem to work any more.  I think with all my frustration and tapping around, I inadvertently changed some of the settings so the GPS receiver could no longer fix on the satellites.  It was some weeks later before I was willing to sit down and spend some time getting to know GPS on my hw6925.

Reading through the Pocket PC forums, it appears my initial experience with GPS is not unique.   In this article I've laid out some things I've learned about GPS for the novice user - all you seasoned GPS folks can pipe in with your helpful hints to the GPS virgins in the comments section.

Software & Maps

If you have a GPS enabled Pocket PC, the GPS connection is free and you won't incur any additional charges to your cellphone bill if you use GPS.  But you won't be able to use GPS much until you get some software and maps.  Most of the hw6900s included a demo GPS application and maps.  For instance, the hw6925 came with a 60 day trial of HP IPAQ Navigation Software and maps.  You can use online maps or you can purchase maps and store them locally on a storage card.

• Online maps:  In this scenario, you would install GPS software to your Pocket PC and access maps through some kind of data connection: 
  
• Some wireless providers offer a GPS subscription service to its customers.  For instance, AT&T offers TeleNav to its subscribers.  If you subscribe to a service like this, you'll pay a monthly subscription fee.  The maps are not downloaded to your Pocket PC and your use of the service relies on an ongoing data connection (think GPRS/Edge). 
  
• Google mobile is free and can be used with the GPS receiver in your Pocket PC, but the maps are not downloaded to your Pocket PC.  Similar to the TeleNav service, Google map information is accessible through an ongoing data connection. 
  
• Purchased maps: If you purchase GPS software and maps, you'll need to devote some space on your storage card to store your maps.  The iGuidance driving navigation software I use requires exclusive use of 2GB of a storage card. 

There is a myriad of choices in GPS software for the Pocket PC, based on how you plan to use it.  Most of this software does not overlap into other uses.  For instance, GPS software and maps that is designed for driving is not suitable for off road use (hiking, boating, flying); hiking software may not be suitable for boating, etc.  You need to figure out how you plan to use the GPS receiver on your Pocket PC and purchase the appropriate software for it.

Much GPS software is limited by the maps it uses.  For instance, some GPS software can only be used with European maps, while other software can only be used with United States maps.

The (missing) GPS Control Panel

WM5.0 devices that are GPS enabled use an Intermediate GPS driver that allows the GPS receiver to connect to multiple GPS programs at the same time through the use of a virtual COM port.  The virtual COM port is also known as the GPS program port while the real COM port is known as the GPS Hardware port.  The GPS program port can be used by multiple GPS programs to communicate with the real (Hardware) port.  Because the GPS programs do not connect directly to the Hardware port, multiple GPS programs can use the GPS receiver at the same time.

WM5.0 includes a GPS Control Panel that allows you to configure the Intermediate GPS driver, but the GPS Control Panel is hidden on the hw6900.

You can unhide the GPS Control Panel by making a simple change to the Pocket PC's registry.  If you don't already have a registry editor installed on your Pocket PC, you can download and use the free PHM's Registry Editor to make this change.

1.	Open up the registry editor on your Pocket PC	2.	Tap HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > ControlPanel > GPS Settings
3.	Tap the "Hide" DWORD key	4.	Change the value to 0  or you can delete the key by pressing & holding your stylus on the Hide key until a popup menu appears, then select Delete
5.	Save your changes, exit out of the registry editor and soft reset the Pocket PC	6.	Open up the GPS Control Panel by tapping Start > Settings > System tab > GPS

If you are uncomfortable changing the registry, you can also gain access to the GPS Control Panel by copying and pasting the attached GPS Control Panel shortcut to your Pocket PC  Then whenever you wish to open up the GPS Control Panel, you can navigate to the shortcut, tap it and the GPS Control Panel will open up.

You don't need to change the GPS program port.  The hw6900's built-in GPS receiver uses COM7 as its GPS hardware port with a baud rate of 57600.   If you have a different Pocket PC with a built-in GPS receiver, you can probably find out what the correct hardware port is for your device with a little bit of googling on the web.

 

If you encounter connection or stability problems with your GPS connection, you could try removing the checkmark in the box next to "Manage GPS automatically; otherwise leave this setting alone ============>.

For more information about setting GPS up on a WM 5.0 device and for detailed instruction on using a Bluetooth enabled GPS device with your Pocket  PC, see Setting up GPS on Windows Mobile 5 by the Windows Mobile Team Blog (June 7, 2006).

 

Quick GPS Connection

The Getting Started CD that comes with the hw6900 includes the HP iPAQ GPS Quick Connect Utility.  The Quick Connect utility uses Global Locate technology (now owned by Broadcom) to retrieve and deliver GPS satellite data a couple days in advance to the Pocket PC.  Using the Quick GPS utility is not required - the GPS receiver on the hw6900 will still connect to the GPS satellites, but it may take a few minutes longer to locate the satellites.  If you want to use this utility, you need to install it to your Pocket PC from your Getting Started CD. 

The Quick Connect utility downloads a couple days' worth of satellite data to the Pocket PC through a GPRS, WIFI, or ActiveSync connection.

• GPRS or WIFI:  To open up the Quick GPS Connection utility, tap Start > Settings > Connection tab > Quick GPS Connection icon.  Tapping the Download Now button on the Status screen will prompt the utility to download 4 files from the internet.  If your Pocket PC is not connected to the internet, the Pocket PC will initiate a GPRS connection. 
• ActiveSync can automatically update these files for you:
  • When you install the GPS Quick Connect Utility, an ActiveSync conduit is installed to your computer.   Quick GPS will be included as one of the information types that is displayed in the ActiveSync window  when you sync to your computer.
  • Make sure ActiveSync's internet passthrough connection is enabled or else these files will not be updated (I have to disable Microsoft's Firewall to enable this connection)

  

 

 

Troubleshooting your GPS Connection

As a GPS novice, I've encountered some frustrating connection issues, and I've figured out, mainly through trial and error, some techniques to use to resolve these connection issues that may be helpful to you too.  Here are things to check if you run into connection issues:

• The GPS receiver is turned on when GPS software is running and it is turned off when you exit the GPS software, so make sure you've got a GPS application running on your Pocket PC.  After you've opened up some GPS software on your Pocket PC, you can confirm that the GPS receiver is turned on by tapping Start > Settings > System tab > HP Asset Viewer icon > GPS tab.  The Status field should show "GPS is Enabled" (see screenshot).
• Check the GPS Options in the GPS software you are using to make sure the correct COM Port and Baud Rate is selected there (the GPS COM port on my hw6925 seems to get changed frequently). 
• On the hw6900, the correct GPS hardware port is COM7 and the Baud rate is 57600.
• If you are connecting two GPS applications to the receiver at the same time, you'll need to point both applications to the program port instead of the hardware port. 
• Verify that the correct GPS hardware port and Baud rate is selected in the GPS Control Panel 
• Place your Pocket PC in a window or take it outside to the clear sky to make it easier for the receiver to find the satellites, and leave it alone for several minutes - don't fiddle with it .
• If you are moving around a lot (flying from one city to another city), it will take longer for the GPS receiver to get a fix on the satellites than if you are driving around in the same location.  Flying from Atlanta to Seattle and then using my GPS took several minutes for the GPS receiver to reorient to my new position.
• Make sure your Pocket PC's battery is charged up and close open applications that you won't be using.. 
• Be patient and wait.  Tap, tap, tapping the Pocket PC screen will not make the GPS receiver find the satellites any faster, but will likely lock up your Pocket PC, requiring a soft reset to get going again (speaking from experience here).  If the Pocket PC has not found any satellites within 30 minutes, then you may have a connection problem and should go back and review your settings.

Now that I've overcome my initial reluctance to use it, I am really interested in trying out different GPS software and seeing how well it works.  Stay tuned!

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