Using GPS on the Mesa 2

29 Mar 2016

If a software application has been written using the latest recommended functions, then you can check and change basic GPS related settings under Start > Settings > Privacy > Location. Make sure that Location is turned “On” if it is not already, as well as “Choose apps that can use your Location” such as your installed app (an example is Camera if you are trying to enable geo-tagging (embedding) of location information in the EXIF metadata on photos).

Otherwise, if a software application asks you to specify a COM port number for the GPS, this can be viewed in Device Manager such as under Start > Settings > Devices > Connected devices > Device manager > Ports (COM & LPT) such as "U-Blox Virtual COM Port" for the built-in receiver (this may be COM5 as is default). Since this is a virtual port, any baud rate should be able to be used with it.

Our Geode Connect utility can be used to configure the built-in U-Blox reciever. For more advanced settings such as for software development, please see the following article.

Developing apps to use GPS on the Mesa 2

 

External GPS receiver

If using a Geode, please install and use the simplified Geode Connect software utility. If you are instead setting up some other external Bluetooth GPS receiver for use with the Mesa 2, follow these steps.

  1. Swipe from the right edge of the screen to pull out the Action Center, tap and hold on the Bluetooth icon, and then select "Go to settings". Or turn off the default "Tablet" mode in the Action Center then tap on the Bluetooth icon in the bottom-right system tray and select "Add a Bluetooth device" from the menu.
  2. With your Bluetooth GPS powered on and when it appears in the list of discovered Bluetooth devices, tap on the name of the device and then tap on the "Pair" button.
  3. If your Bluetooth GPS requires a passkey, enter it. If it does not or you do not know the passkey, just tapping Next may complete the pairing. If it does not, then you will need to find the passkey or try a common one such as 0000 or 0183.
  4. Once you have the pairing complete, if needed turn off the "Tablet" mode then tap on the Bluetooth icon in the bottom-right system tray and select "Open Settings" from the menu.
  5. Tap on the "COM Ports" tab. If an "Outgoing" COM port number is not shown as having already been assigned to your paired Bluetooth GPS receiver, tap the Add button to assign one.
  6. Use the assigned "Outgoing" port number and default baud rate of your receiver in your installed app software.

     

 

For similar information with graphics, see the following presentation.

External-GPS-for-ArcPad-on-Mesa-2.pptx