+Raymond Duck Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 Been advised to improve the accuracy of my mobile phone by purchasing a Copilot Bluetooth GPS unit. It's linked with the phone and appears to be working ok. How does one cache when using a Bluetooth GPS unit? Do you carry the unit along side the mobile or is keeping in a pocket, for example, acceptable? I appreciate any advice offered. Quote Link to comment
+mpilchfamily Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 What phone are you using and who recommended the Bluetooth GPS attachment? Quote Link to comment
+dfx Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 (edited) Tape it to the top of your head for best accuracy Seriously though, if it's a high sensitivity receiver (and it better be!) then keeping it in your pocket should be ok. Your body may end up blocking some of the signals though (and also it may end up in a position that makes it hard for it to receive the signals, i.e. the antenna pointing to the ground or w/e). You should be able to find some application for your phone that shows you the signal levels from all the satellites - keep that open and experiment with the GPS, put it in your pocket or wherever and observe the signal levels. In any case, the more out in the open it is, the better reception will be. The question is whether the difference to it being in your pocket is significant enough to warrant not putting it there. Edited September 28, 2011 by dfx Quote Link to comment
+drdick&vick Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 On the occasions I use mine it is attached to the shoulder strap of my backpack. Reception is excellant. Quote Link to comment
+Bobbinz Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 I have exactly the same copilot unit. I personally keep mine in my pocket and the phone in my hand! Quote Link to comment
+Malpas Wanderer Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 It should be fine in your pocket. A different bluetooth unit but when I used one with a PPC I could seperate them by 100ft or so without losing the fix. Quote Link to comment
team tisri Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 Been advised to improve the accuracy of my mobile phone by purchasing a Copilot Bluetooth GPS unit. It's linked with the phone and appears to be working ok. How does one cache when using a Bluetooth GPS unit? Do you carry the unit along side the mobile or is keeping in a pocket, for example, acceptable? I appreciate any advice offered. The Bluetooth GPS receiver I have comes with a handy clip to attach it to a keyring. So I clip my keys to a small carabiner clip on a belt loop with the GPS attached to the keyring. If I'm hanging around town in my casual (caching) gear I've usually got an untucked T-shirt so you can't even see that it's there. Then of course I can use my cellphone around town which is about as inconspicuous as it's possible to be. If you put the thing at the bottom of a bag or something you won't get the best out of it. If it's a high sensitivity receiver (and if it isn't you might as well sling it and use what came with your phone) it's not going to be phased by having a lump of organic matter next to it. Quote Link to comment
+Amberel Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 (edited) Been advised to improve the accuracy of my mobile phone by purchasing a Copilot Bluetooth GPS unit. It's linked with the phone and appears to be working ok. How does one cache when using a Bluetooth GPS unit? Do you carry the unit along side the mobile or is keeping in a pocket, for example, acceptable? I appreciate any advice offered.Here is a slightly more complicated reply than the ones you've had up to now . The answer depends on how well you want it to perform. A GPS antenna typically will have pretty much equal performance in just less than a hemisphere, i.e. when held flat, horizontally all round you and vertically down to about 5 degrees above the horizon. It will probably have the same shape underneath the antenna as on top, though this may intentionally be shielded to some degree. By the time they reach the ground, GPS signals are almost vanishingly small - far, far less than the ambient electrical noise. They will be further attentuated to a varying degree by almost anything you put in the way, and they may be reflected by walls, etc., introducing errors and multi-path reception. For optimum performance it's usually best to have the antenna horizontal, and as far away from or above any obstruction as is practical. With a Bluetooth unit you also have to consider that it needs to remain within 5 or 6 feet of your phone, and it needs to move with you. Sounds silly until you mount it on your rucksack and then take your rucksack off while you search , at which point it fails on both counts. The suggestion of mounting it on top of your head, with an elastic chinstrap, is probably the best for performance. But this won't do much for your street cred . And when you start searching it may no longer be horizontal . When I used one I mounted it flat on my rucksack with a bit of velcro, similar to Richard. This is a very reasonable compromise, provided you remember about not taking off the rucksack. The most convenient method is sticking it in your pocket (a top pocket if you have one). The antenna will be pointing in pretty much the worst possible orientation so the performance won't be as good, but it probably will be adequate most of the time. Having said all that, I used one of these bluetooth gadgets twice, and while it performed OK, in practice I found it to be a thorough nuisance. I personally wouldn't consider using one again. Rgds, Andy Edited September 29, 2011 by Amberel Quote Link to comment
+Raymond Duck Posted September 29, 2011 Author Share Posted September 29, 2011 Thanks for all your advice. I'll be out today trying the unit for the first time. Thanks again. Quote Link to comment
+Triskelle Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 A different bluetooth unit but when I used one with a PPC I could seperate them by 100ft or so without losing the fix. Still trying to figure out under which circumstances this might come in handy … Quote Link to comment
+MartyBartfast Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 A different bluetooth unit but when I used one with a PPC I could seperate them by 100ft or so without losing the fix. Still trying to figure out under which circumstances this might come in handy … Well if you put the bluetooth down, or dropped it, then you'd be able to see on your phone exactly where it is , on the other hand you won't be able to use the phone to navigate back to it Quote Link to comment
+Malpas Wanderer Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 A different bluetooth unit but when I used one with a PPC I could seperate them by 100ft or so without losing the fix. Still trying to figure out under which circumstances this might come in handy … It was merely a statement that the bluetooth in the pocket and the phone in the hand would be an ok arrangement. My Bluetooth use was for Road navigation mainly and on occasion of that separation the PPC was fixed in the car the bluetooth receiver in my pocket and I was finding a C&D with a GPSr. When using it for caching the bluetooth receiver on your person is the best option, no need to hold in the hand Quote Link to comment
team tisri Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 It should be fine in your pocket. A different bluetooth unit but when I used one with a PPC I could seperate them by 100ft or so without losing the fix. Useful, except of course the bluetooth unit knows where it is and has no idea where you are. Quote Link to comment
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