BU-353 Displays Empty Info

deadly_risk · 01-15-2009, 06:33 PM

This is meant to help out anyone who shares the same problem as I. I have a BU-353 GPS puck, installed and working for a few days. It then quit working completely. I used the program called GPS Information that came with the GPS on the CD to see that the computer was seeing NMEA data streaming from the GPS but it was all empty. No satellites in view, no locks, and a date that restarted at 18:00:00 in 2006 every time the computer started.

Playing with SiRFDemo did not help, and neither did any of the cold start or other buttons in GPSInformation.

What fixed it was downloading the newest version of GPSInfo here: http://www.usglobalsat.com/downloads/GPSinfo.zip

From this program clicking "Cold Start" fixed all my problems.

deadly_risk · 03-08-2009, 02:34 PM

After a few months of working perfectly the GPS has gone back to sending empty data. This time cold starting with the updated GPSInformation program is not fixing the problem. The receiver has been in the same spot sitting on my front dash this entire time. And now its displaying the correct time and date as opposed to being years behind.

Screen shots of GPSInfo:

I have no idea, and will post back if I figure it out.

Marvin Hlavac · 03-09-2009, 07:22 AM

Quote: "The receiver has been in the same spot sitting on my front dash this entire time."

Has the receiver been used on a regular bases, or has it been idle for extended period of time?

GPS receivers remember your last location information. That information lets them start working faster. However, that information is stored in the unit only as long as the unit has sufficient electrical power. GPS receivers contain either a small rechargeable battery, or a capacitor, for this purpose. If a unit sits idle for a longer period (a few weeks, but it may be less, depending on the unit) the internal battery or the capacitor loses its power, and the information stored in the memory is lost.

In some cases it may take up to a half an hour for the a GPS receiver to start working again for the first time. Make sure you are outdoor, and the unit has a good view of the sky in all directions.

__________________
BU-353

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deadly_risk · 03-09-2009, 06:26 PM

No, it hasn't sat for any time more than a day. I have a 40mi commute 5 days a week. It used to keep track of my entire commute and now nothing, even after sitting powered on all night. (I have a switching power supply to power the car comp while I admin it remotely/defrag/whatever.)

The GPS puck is routed through my dash so it will have to wait for this weekend for me to pull it out and set it on the roof. But I have no idea why it would work from the dash for awhile then quit.

I'll post my findings when I can confirm if its a weird reception problem or not.

wazza · 03-09-2009, 07:39 PM

dont install gps info it has bugs
download xport form this link http://curioustech.home.insightbb.com/xport.html
and reassign your com port all so go to properties in com port settings and diasable power save mode
this will get you out of trouble
cheers
wazza

DarquePervert · 03-10-2009, 07:13 AM

wazza, please show the rest of us where you learned about the bugs in GPS Info.

Frankly, I think your advice is a bit off. He's getting information from the GPS receiver, so power saving doesn't appear to be an issue.
In addition, GPS Info is reading the data flow from the receiver on COM8, so why would he need a COM port redirector/splitter like XPort?

deadly_risk, try this...
Unplug your BU353 from the computer for a day or so to let it drain all retained information.
Plug it back in and give it time to start communicating with satellites again and see if that makes a difference.
I know it's a pain in the tuckus, as you're without a GPS for a day.

Alternatively, you could disassemble the BU353 and remove the battery to let the information drain.

Curiosity · 03-10-2009, 08:49 AM

Bang it on the dash a few times. Seriously, but not too hard. From the pictures, it's showing sats from memory but 0 sats fixed, so the memory is still there but it's not receiving. Corrupt memory could cause anything to happen, but you've reset it so that's probably not it. Most likely it's the antenna or receiver circuit.

deadly_risk · 10-04-2009, 10:29 PM

Ok, sorry to resurrect this old thread, but Ive figured out a few new things to possibly help someone else searching with this same problem.

The way this GPS was situated was on top of my dash, with its USB cable going through the dash, attached to a USB extender cable, all the way into the center console. In the center console is a powered USB hub, that then leads through 15' of line to the computer.

Move the GPS and plug it directly to the back of the computer and it works just fine, as advertised. Plug it into the extension cable and it works just fine, it is the USB hub and/or the extra 15' after the powered dlink hub that it dose not like.

I have no idea why it would intermediately work from the dash position but consistently for the past two months or so work fine from the back of the car, plugged directly into the computer.

Curiosity · 10-04-2009, 11:02 PM

Wow, that's a lot for it to go through. 15' is about the limit but add the extra 3' or so on the GPS and it's past that. I'd expect corrupt data but it looks good. There's just no lock. It could be that there wasn't enough power for the receiver but enough for the processor to run and send data.

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