Winpilot and Colibri Problems

[ttaylor at cc.usu.edu]

I am running a system that includes WinPilot running on an Ipaq 37XX
series, Colibri GPS/logger and Borgelt B50. The system is very
unstable and will usually only run for an hour at the most and often
only a few minutes before it crashes or gives an error message.

I get a "lost GPS signal" quite often even though the colibri is
showing nine satellites and a 3D lock. Other times the Ipaq just
locks up and has to have the reset button pushed to get it running
again.

I have spoken to an other pilot with the same configuration and he is
having similar problems.

Has anyone dealt with this and found a solution or has any ideas of
what ot do to fix this?

Tim

[Marc Ramsey]

ttaylor at cc.usu.edu wrote:
> I am running a system that includes WinPilot running on an Ipaq 37XX
> series, Colibri GPS/logger and Borgelt B50. The system is very
> unstable and will usually only run for an hour at the most and often
> only a few minutes before it crashes or gives an error message.

If there is too much GPS data being passed through the B50, its output
will be garbled, which will occasionally cause software running on the
PDA to lock up. In the case of the Colibri, there is an NMEA
configuration screen that determines the set of NMEA sentences that it
outputs. You probably need to disable all sentences except those that
are actually used by WinPilot.

Marc

[[email protected]]

Marc, Having the same trouble with WinPilot running on an Ipaq 37xx
with a Cambridge GPS. Cambridge has been updated with new battery. Any
ideas, Tom

Marc Ramsey wrote:
> ttaylor at cc.usu.edu wrote:
> > I am running a system that includes WinPilot running on an Ipaq 37XX
> > series, Colibri GPS/logger and Borgelt B50. The system is very
> > unstable and will usually only run for an hour at the most and often
> > only a few minutes before it crashes or gives an error message.
>
> If there is too much GPS data being passed through the B50, its output
> will be garbled, which will occasionally cause software running on the
> PDA to lock up. In the case of the Colibri, there is an NMEA
> configuration screen that determines the set of NMEA sentences that it
> outputs. You probably need to disable all sentences except those that
> are actually used by WinPilot.
>
> Marc

[Eric Greenwell]

wrote:
> Marc, Having the same trouble with WinPilot running on an Ipaq 37xx
> with a Cambridge GPS. Cambridge has been updated with new battery.
> Any ideas, Tom
>
> Marc Ramsey wrote:
>
>> ttaylor at cc.usu.edu wrote:
>>
>>> I am running a system that includes WinPilot running on an Ipaq
>>> 37XX series, Colibri GPS/logger and Borgelt B50. The system is
>>> very unstable and will usually only run for an hour at the most
>>> and often only a few minutes before it crashes or gives an error
>>> message.

Both your problems might be related to the infrared port. Here's a
partial quote from the Winpilot FAQ section:

> Important: In-flight testing has shown that on iPAQ3800 an
> application responsible for infrared communication with other devices
> can get activated by bright sunshine. This application consumes
> significant amounts of processing power, slowing down all other
> programs, including WinPilot. This can also interfere with serial
> port communication, especially in systems that use software drivers
> to create NMEA sentences, (e.g. NavMan), or with systems that
> communicate at baud rates higher than 4800 bauds (e.g. Cenfis), which
> results in 'Awaiting GPS Satellite Lock', or 'Lost GPS signal'
> messages.

It applies to the 3700 series, also. I had problems running SeeYou
Mobile on my 3800 until I disabled the port.

--
Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA

[ttaylor at cc.usu.edu]

Eric and Marc,

Thanks for the replies.

Marc, I have the Colibri set up following the Winpilot recommendations
of GPGGA and GPRMC outputs. I can try turning them off one at a time.

Eric, I checked and the IR port is turned off. So hopefully that is
not the problem.

I will try some test to see if things improve. I would like to get
this all worked out before heading to Ely next week.

Thanks,

Tim

[Jancsika]

ttaylor at cc.usu.edu wrote:

> Marc, I have the Colibri set up following the Winpilot recommendations
> of GPGGA and GPRMC outputs. I can try turning them off one at a time.

As I know winpilot use these NMEA sentences. So if you disable them it
won't work at all...

> Eric, I checked and the IR port is turned off. So hopefully that is
> not the problem.
>
> I will try some test to see if things improve. I would like to get
> this all worked out before heading to Ely next week.

Try to log the nmea output (as suggested on the winpilot page).
"1. How do I troubleshoot cable connection between my GPS/Logger and
Windows CE device?
We have written a special application to make it easier. Right-click on
one of the links below , save it on your PC, and transfer it to your
Windows CE device to \Windows\Start Menu directory. You should then be
able to start it from the Start button menu. The application shows if
NMEA data is arriving to the serial port, and saves the incoming data
into a file named NMEA_Log.txt. WinPilotTTy for MIPS WinPilotTTy for
iPAQ "
Do not use any tweak software/hardware (overclocking, special system
functions etc-etc).

/Janos

[Marc Ramsey]

ttaylor at cc.usu.edu wrote:
> Eric and Marc,
>
> Thanks for the replies.
>
> Marc, I have the Colibri set up following the Winpilot recommendations
> of GPGGA and GPRMC outputs. I can try turning them off one at a time.

I'm not a WinPilot user, but if you have just GPGGA, GPRMC, plus the
LXN-specific sentence that outputs pressure altitude, your B50 should be
able to handle that amount of data without problem.

I'll be at Ely, so if you haven't solved it by then, I can take a look...

Regards,
Marc

[[email protected]]

Tim

The colibri NMEA output should be GPGGA, GPRMC, LXWpx all YES, Baud
rate 4800, and make sure the infared port in off in the ipaq.

If this does not fix your problem, then I would look to the cabling
quite possibily a bad connection.

Richard
www.craggyaero.com




ttaylor at cc.usu.edu wrote:
> I am running a system that includes WinPilot running on an Ipaq 37XX
> series, Colibri GPS/logger and Borgelt B50. The system is very
> unstable and will usually only run for an hour at the most and often
> only a few minutes before it crashes or gives an error message.
>
> I get a "lost GPS signal" quite often even though the colibri is
> showing nine satellites and a 3D lock. Other times the Ipaq just
> locks up and has to have the reset button pushed to get it running
> again.
>
> I have spoken to an other pilot with the same configuration and he is
> having similar problems.
>
> Has anyone dealt with this and found a solution or has any ideas of
> what ot do to fix this?
>
> Tim

[[email protected]]

Tom,

Make sure the beam is off on your ipaq. Start, Settings,
Connections, Beam, uncheck box.

The green light on the GPS NAV blinks when there is a GPS lock, solid
light then you don't have a GPS lock. If you get error messages when
the GPS-NAV is solid then there may be a problem with a weak GPS
engine in your GPS-NAV.

If the GPS_NAV is blinking and you get the message then possibly a
problem with the wiring or the connectors.

Richard
www.craggyaero.com

[ttaylor at cc.usu.edu]

An Update:

Marc, Eric, Richard, Al and Janos

Thanks for the suggestions. On my last flight the system worked
flawlessly for the entire flight.

I did not do the conversion scientifically, i.e. one change at a time
so I don't have the definitive answer to what was wrong. I made
three major changes at one time so that any or all may have made the
difference.

Al let me know one of my Ipaq's may have a problem. I also noticed
that the one I was using was having trouble syncing with my desktop
computer the last few weeks. This would indicate a com port problem on
the unit.

I was not using the LXWpx string from the Colibri. I turned that on.

I upgraded WinPilot to the 6.07 version from the 5.xx version I had.
Jerry at WinPilot was very helpful as well as Richard at Craggy Aero.
A side note, I love the new GO TO feature in WinPilot 6.0. I think
this is worth the upgrade by itself.

I confirmed the autobeam infrared function was off on both of my Ipaqs.

So after changing to my second Ipaq 3760, upgrading the software and
turning on the LXWpx stream the system is rock solid stable. I even
tested it by turning off the Colibri and then back on. The WinPilot
would note the data stream was lost, but resume working as soon as the
Colibri was sending data again.

Thanks,

Tim