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4.Pair the devices. Most Bluetooth devices must be paired before use (for security, most Bluetooth devices have to be introduced to one another and a pin code inserted the first time they are connected to prevent unauthorized connections). Consult your manual for instructions for how to do that.

5.Check connection type and speed. Make sure that both the GPS and software are set to the same protocol and data transfer speed. For NMEA, try speeds of 4800 or 9600 bps.

Software-Specific Issues

Numerous software-specific issues can cause problems for those wishing to make use of a GPS and a PC or PDA. The following sections cover some of those issues.

Erratic Mouse Pointer after Connecting a GPS

Sometimes after you install and connect a GPS to a PC, the mouse pointer will jump around the screen in what appears to be an erratic, unpredictable fashion. As you can guess, what is happening here is that the PC is taking the signal from the GPS and interpreting it as mouse information. Use the following steps to troubleshoot this problem:

1.Restart the PC. With the GPS connected at startup, the system should detect both the mouse and the GPS and work properly.

2.If this doesn’t work, download and install new drivers for your mouse from the vendor’s website. This should reset the settings and cause the pointer to ignore the GPS data.

3.Unfortunately, some GPS-mouse combinations cannot be fixed directly (usually it’s a bad driver issue), and these problems can generally only be fixed either by reverting to using a basic driver supplied by the operating system or by replacing the offending mouse (try to get a USB mouse, as these are less prone to problems).

4.Check for updated drivers for the GPS too. These might be helpful in solving such problems.

Windows XP Problem: Microsoft Ball Point

Here’s another interesting problem: You connect the GPS to your PC, and Windows XP or 2000 identifies it as a “Microsoft Serial Ball Point.” This prevents the GPS from working as a GPS because the system thinks that it is a mouse. The solution is fortunately quite simple: Disable the fictitious mouse and the GPS will then work just fine.

Here are the steps to follow:

1.Boot the computer with the GPS receiver attached. The cursor might be behaving erratically and jumping around the screen, or all sorts of other unwanted behavior may be observed.

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2.Disconnect the GPS. The computer will quickly return to normal.

3.Click Start Control Panel. If your mouse pointer isn’t working, you can use the Windows button on the keyboard to bring up the Start menu. Navigate using the cursor keys and press Enter for a mouse click. If you are running Windows XP, you will need to click Performance and Maintenance before clicking System, followed by the Hardware tab and then Device Manager. If you are running Windows 2000, you won’t see Performance and Maintenance and will proceed straight to System.

4.Click the plus sign (+) next to Mice and Other Pointing Devices (or navigate to it using the cursor keys and press Enter), as shown in Figure 7-12.

FIGURE 7-12: Pointing devices

5.Click Microsoft Serial Ball Point. This is what Windows XP thinks that your GPS receiver is.

6.Select Actions Disable.

7.Click OK to close each window.

8.Reboot the computer with the GPS attached. The problem should now be fixed!

Microsoft MapPoint Troubleshooting

Microsoft’s popular MapPoint application is used to plot GPS positions in real time on maps. Three common problems with this software can be easily fixed as follows.

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If you receive error messages when using the software, follow these steps to resolve the problem:

1.Ensure that the cables are properly connected and working properly.

2.Make sure that the GPS is turned on and powered up properly.

3.Ensure that the input/output format (interface) on your GPS receiver is set to support the NMEA protocol (usually, if given a choice, use NMEA 0183 version 2.0 or later).

4.Make sure the COM serial port is set to the same speed as the GPS unit. For most devices, 4800 bps is the appropriate speed to use.

5.Ensure that the COM port that was selected during configuration is the same port to which your GPS receiver is actually connected. On the Tools menu in MapPoint, click GPS, click Configure GPS Receiver, and then select a different COM port from the list if necessary.

6.Exit or change the settings for other programs or applications that use the same COM port you have configured for the GPS receiver.

7.Make sure that your GPS device does not require a specific mapping program to work properly. Although it is rare, some GPS receivers can only be used with specific software packages. For example, some TomTom units are locked to the software and cannot be used with other software packages.

8.MapPoint cannot detect GPS receivers that connect to the PCMCIA slot in your computer (these are common on laptops).

9.A GPS for use with MapPoint must be configured to use a COM port with a number below 20. COM ports above 20 will not be recognized as being a GPS device by the software.

If your GPS receiver cannot find satellites, follow these steps:

1.Make sure you have properly installed your GPS receiver, and that you are using both the correct COM port and a functional cable.

2.Make sure your GPS receiver has been turned on, is connected to your computer, and is running for several minutes in a location where it has a clear view of the sky. Check to see if the GPS itself is tracking satellites.

3.Make sure the COM serial port is set to the same speed as the GPS unit. For most devices, 4800 bps is the appropriate speed to use.

4.Make sure the COM port that was selected during configuration is the same port to which your GPS receiver is actually connected. On the Tools menu in MapPoint, click GPS, click Configure GPS Receiver, and then select a different COM port from the list if necessary.

5.Exit or change the settings for other programs or applications that use the same COM port you have configured for the GPS receiver.

6.Make sure your GPS device does not require a specific mapping program to work properly. Although it is rare, some GPS receivers can only be used with specific software packages.