Freedom Keychain 2000 gps receiver
- Am waiting on a Keychain 2000 I ordered to arrive any day now. Looking forward to finding out just where the heck I am.08-02-08 03:29 PMLike 0
- jeffhRetired Moderator
After you have paired with the puck, and with the Freedom Keychain 2000 turned ON, go to Manage Connections/Bluetooth Options/Keychain GPS 2000/Menu/Device Properties/Menu/Refresh Service List.
You will first see the message: "Waiting for Keychain GPS 2000"
Watch closely. If next you see this message: "Unable to connect to Keychain GPS 2000" flash on the screen, turn the Keychain 2000 off and back on again and try again. You have to watch. The message will appear momentarily, then go away.
Once you have successfully refreshed the list, the blue light on the phone should start blinking.
Note: Google Maps cannot keep the Freedom Keychain 2000 locked. The puck requires a regular acknowledgement from the device, or it goes into battery-saver mode and drops the bluetooth connection. Google Maps is unable to provide this acknowledgement. Blackberry Maps can. So if you want to run Google Maps, it will be necessary to start Blackberry Maps first, let it sync with the GPS, then exit it without closing it and start Google Maps. If you do this, Google Maps will run with no problem.08-02-08 04:00 PMLike 0 - jeffhRetired Moderator
I recently purchased a Plantronics 855. I have since returned it for other reasons, but it worked with the puck with no problem. I was able to make calls while using the GPS. I did not get a chance to test receiving a call.
I suspect any modern Bluetooth 2.0 headset will work. When I get another one, probably a Blueant Z9, I'll check it again.Last edited by JeffH; 08-02-08 at 04:23 PM. Reason: typo
08-02-08 04:23 PMLike 0 - I have a 8830 through Verizon and I have 2 questions.
1) Is the Freedom Keychain used only for GPS? Does it boost your service range? For instance, if you are in an area with hit and miss service, will it help you get better service?
2) Does anyone know if you have one, will Greenfinder work if you have Verizon?08-27-08 09:36 AMLike 0 - jeffhRetired ModeratorI have a 8830 through Verizon and I have 2 questions.
1) Is the Freedom Keychain used only for GPS? Does it boost your service range? For instance, if you are in an area with hit and miss service, will it help you get better service?
2) Does anyone know if you have one, will Greenfinder work if you have Verizon?
2) I haven't used Greenfinder, but I haven't found any GPS app so far that would not work with my Freedom. Its external GPS signal replaces the internal GPS signal. The signal source is transparent to applications.08-27-08 09:41 AMLike 0 - I hope you enjoy it. A lot of people here have them. After getting the puck paired with your device, if you're having trouble getting the bluetooth to connect, here's what you can do:
After you have paired with the puck, and with the Freedom Keychain 2000 turned ON, go to Manage Connections/Bluetooth Options/Keychain GPS 2000/Menu/Device Properties/Menu/Refresh Service List.
You will first see the message: "Waiting for Keychain GPS 2000"
Watch closely. If next you see this message: "Unable to connect to Keychain GPS 2000" flash on the screen, turn the Keychain 2000 off and back on again and try again. You have to watch. The message will appear momentarily, then go away.
Once you have successfully refreshed the list, the blue light on the phone should start blinking.
Note: Google Maps cannot keep the Freedom Keychain 2000 locked. The puck requires a regular acknowledgement from the device, or it goes into battery-saver mode and drops the bluetooth connection. Google Maps is unable to provide this acknowledgement. Blackberry Maps can. So if you want to run Google Maps, it will be necessary to start Blackberry Maps first, let it sync with the GPS, then exit it without closing it and start Google Maps. If you do this, Google Maps will run with no problem.
Luke08-27-08 04:20 PMLike 0 - jeffhRetired ModeratorIt'll work reliably with a few feet of separation between the puck and the BlackBerry. I haven't measured it. I normally clip the puck to a belt loop and hold the BlackBerry in my hand while walking, or clip it into a vent holder in the car. The puck is a GPS, like the Garmin or TomTom, only much smaller since it doesn't have a display or any controls, other than an on/off swith, 4 status LEDs, and a charging port. It decodes the satellite signals and provides location data to whatever software you're running on the BlackBerry. There wouldn't be any reason to use it with a Garmin or TomTom unit.08-27-08 05:59 PMLike 0
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- jeffhRetired ModeratorTo answer your question, I fully charged my Freedom Keychain 2000, turned it on, and started a timer. Then I started BBMaps, and selected Start GPS Navigation. I used BBMaps for the test because it can keep the puck running continuously. I plugged the BlackBerry into AC power and sat it and the puck near a window.
I can't turn off my password timer, so every thirty minutes or so I had to zoom in or out on the map to keep the Blackberry from locking. I was concerned that if it did, BBMaps might stop and then the puck would shutdown. If you're not familiar with the Keychain 2000, it has a battery saver circuit that shuts it down if it doesn't get an acknowledgement from the BlackBerry. BBMaps can give that ack signal; Google Maps cannot. That's why I tested with BBMaps. BBMaps also tells you how many satellites it's seeing, so you have feedback that the device is still running properly. And of course, there are the blinking LEDs, orange for satellite acquisition and blue for Bluetooth connectivity.
In addition to the orange and blue LEDs, the puck also has a red/green battery status LED. That LED is green when charging, off when fully charged or discharging, and flashes red when the battery needs charging.
I started the test over 9 hours ago. The Red LED started flashing at the 9 hr mark. BBMaps still showed 9 satellites, so the GPS was still working. While I was typing this note, the unit shut off at 9 hrs 15 minutes elapsed time.
I've had my unit since April, so it's still fairly new, but I've used it a lot. Based on my results today, I think you can safely expect 8-9 hours of continuous operation from a fully charged battery in the Freedom Keychain 2000. The battery is not removable, so carrying a spare battery is not an option. The unit does come with a car power adapter, and can also be charged from a USB port or any BlackBerry charger.10-11-08 07:50 PMLike 0 - I have a 8830 through Verizon and I have 2 questions.
1) Is the Freedom Keychain used only for GPS? Does it boost your service range? For instance, if you are in an area with hit and miss service, will it help you get better service?
2) Does anyone know if you have one, will Greenfinder work if you have Verizon?
A GPS puck is only for GPS, it cannot help with reception issues for calls or data.Last edited by pete1118; 10-12-08 at 05:23 PM.
10-12-08 02:04 PMLike 0 - The Freedom Keychain 2000 will work perfectly with an 8830. There are other models that will as well, but I own the Freedom. It has a minor issue with Google Maps, but no problems with any other app I've tried. The Google issue is easily worked-around, but always baffles first-time users. Other than that one caveat, I recommend the Freedom Keychain 2000 whole-heartedly. Many people in the forum use it.
Last edited by Blacklatino; 10-14-08 at 09:55 PM.
10-14-08 09:51 PMLike 0
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