GPS signal help BB Curve 8330

Hi I have a verizon bb curve 8330 that I bought a few months ago.

So I bought a new bluetooth gps unit. Before I started anything I pulled the battery and did a long reboot.

My gps a signal lock it flashes green on the puck. After that happens it sycs up with my BB and I get the normal Blue LED flash on my phone. All is well. I go to advanced settings and set it to use the BT GPS instead of internal. I also turn location on. Ok everything should be setup so far correctly right?

I have tried with 3 different programs BBmaps, google maps, and amaze. BBmaps allows me to select to use the BT GPS instead of internal. The other 2 do not. Regardless neither program will get a gps signal. I tried this on my 30 minute ride to work today for many minutes waiting on each program to get the gps but none did.

What did I do wrong.

Find the thread on gps-logger and try downloading that. I find it pretty quickly finds my bt gps unit and locates me.

I don't recall if those programs each may have a setting/option where you tell it to use the external gps (in addition to the advanced bb setting).

I installed GPSed which saw my gps device. With this running in the background every program gets a signal lock. Google Maps shows distance within 3 meters, bbmaps works fine, and amaze does turn by turn directions. Now I can sell my stand alone car gps unit and just use my phone. One less thing to carry around now. :)

Originally Posted by trowabarton

I installed GPSed which saw my gps device. With this running in the background every program gets a signal lock. Google Maps shows distance within 3 meters, bbmaps works fine, and amaze does turn by turn directions. Now I can sell my stand alone car gps unit and just use my phone. One less thing to carry around now. :)

There seems to be some limitation in some BT gps units - they need what I will call a helper program, like gpsed (I now use gps-logger) to talk with the BB and then other programs, google, for instance, will then get the proper signal, too.

Well, there are still some limitations in the BB as a gps, at least, my 8830. It is much slower at recalculation and does require a DATA connection in order to get maps/routing. My TomTom is faster and has the maps on board. The screen is much larger and it speaks MUCH LOUDER!

But I do like the BB as it is with me whereas I have to plan to take the TomTom. Actually, it was fun/practical when traveling down to the Sierra this past summer having the TomTom find a point-of-interest and have the BB dial the phone number - that can't be beat.

Just for fun I tried GPSLogger and it worked as well for getting the signal. I don't have a tom tom but a generic gps device just like it. It has many less options and no way to update the maps. But for $70 at the time I couldn't beat it. I think I will still sell it since using amaze tonight on the ride home worked OK. It was a little slow but I could use it without problems.

Now I just have to find a nice windshield mount with maybe a speaker on it since the BB speaker isn't loud enough with my windows open. But that is ok for now. Since I bought my BB I don't have to carry around my mp3 player with me as well. 2 less things to carry to my car everyday is great!

All about convergence. I agree... less devices to carry.

Originally Posted by trowabarton

So I bought a new bluetooth gps unit
...
My gps a signal lock it flashes green on the puck. After that happens it sycs up with my BB and I get the normal Blue LED flash on my phone. All is well. I go to advanced settings and set it to use the BT GPS instead of internal. I also turn location on. Ok everything should be setup so far correctly right?

I have tried with 3 different programs BBmaps, google maps, and amaze. BBmaps allows me to select to use the BT GPS instead of internal. The other 2 do not. Regardless neither program will get a gps signal.

Some programs don't startup correctly with a BT GPS. Obviously BB Maps is going to work fine with a BT GPS. Garmin Mobile also works fine. Amaze and Nav4All didn't work right unless BB Maps was running, otherwise they wouldn't see the BT GPS.

Here's the workaround if you have a GPS app that won't play nice with your BT GPS:

1. Start BB Maps
2. Start finicky GPS app.
3. Wait for finicky GPS app to get a fix.
4. Exit BB Maps
5. Use finicky GPS app.