Thanks, I'm in the Tampa Bay area, so its a little bit South, but it'll be a great resource when you add central FL. I don't have web access on my phone, but my PDA does wi-fi and hot spots are getting pretty easy to find.

This has been one of the most frustrating technological pursuits I’ve ever been through, and I’m not done yet!

My goal was to use my phone as a GPS navigator using Google Earth for maps. I’ve got enough GPS units to know where I am and how to get to where I want to go. What I need is a GPS unit that will show me where I am on a satellite images with the zoom capabilities of Google Earth. Real time thunderstorm overlays would be nice, but I can wait on that.

We spend a lot of time in the Florida Everglades. Topos are useless, marine charts aren’t accurate, but sat photos reveal subtle details that reveal much. This topic started me on the quest to find the software and GPS receiver that would turn my Palm Treo 700p Smart Phone into an Everglades dream device.

Alas, it’s not going to happen for a while. There are only three pieces to the puzzle: software for the phone, the GPS receiver, and the phone with its Bluetooth connection.

Although the Palm Treo 700p is a couple years old it’s still a state of the art device. It was the last of my worries while putting together this system.

In the beginning my biggest concern was the software. The features of GPSWatch exactly fit my mission. I downloaded the trial version and it worked fine on my Treo, albeit without a GPS receiver. I wanted to be sure the Java program would work on my phone. It did, no problem.

Next was the Freedom Keychain receiver. The first place I ordered it from said it was in stock- wrong. After a week that order was cancelled and another ordered, express shipment.

Meanwhile, the full version of the software was ordered with payment made by PayPal. Although the funds were debited to my account and PayPal notified me that the transaction was completed, it took five days for the download to be authorized. Finally, upon authorization to download, it took three more days of working with the support team to get the software loaded on the Treo.

The Freedom Keychain receiver arrives. Open the phone and go to the Bluetooth app to pair them up. No Go.

Two days of talking to the support teams of Freedom, the GPS vendor and Palm left me with mixed results. Palm says it ain’t gonna work while everyone else says that can’t be right.

The software looks solid. The GPS receiver looks solid. The Palm Bluetooth software looks to be the problem. Other Palms work fine with the receiver, just not the 700p. It’s just a software update, but I’m not holding my breath.

Looks like a project ahead of it’s time.

Oh well, I’m off to Exuma for some bonefishing and filming a TV show. I’ll leave the electronics behind.

Thanks for the update. It sounds like it's been massively frustrating. I'm really hoping you get it working, it sounds like it could be a really great setup.

Hopefully a few big fish on the end of your line will help relieve the frustration.

-Blast

Hi Citabria,

Have you tried the latest firmware download from

http://www.palm.com/us/support/downloads/treo700pupdate/index.html

The latest firmware appears to have some Bluetooth enhancements, so it may have the latest JAVA API's required to get GPSwatch working along with the Freedom Keychain reciever. It also allows the use of SDHC cards so it would also allow much larger memory cards to be used.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the well wishes Blast! This is a working trip but with a little luck I can post a photo of a nice bonefish!

I’m not sure. The phone was updated with a new OS about 6 weeks ago. This update did change the Bluetooth interface.

Unfortunately, I’m out of time. Need to grab a few hours of sleep before flying to Exuma where I desperately wanted to use this system with Google Earth maps.

Maybe next trip. I’m convinced this is a super idea that will work great once all the pieces are put in place.

I’ll pursue your suggestion when I get back . . . thanks.

I’m back from the Bahamas, still bummed that I could not use my phone with a Bluetooth GPS receiver to explore while using Google satellite maps.

I can’t really complain, it was a great trip. We got a lot of good footage for at least two TV shows and caught some very nice bonefish on fly. Primary mission accomplished.

While not accomplishing my goal, I have taken a fresh run at putting this system together and have had some success. I thought it’s time to update the thread.

I loaded the latest Palm OS on the phone about six weeks ago. The Bluetooth interface was changed completely. While trying to pair up the Treo with the Freedom GPS, I went through every conceivable configuration without success. Palm support was no help. Apparently the Bahaman breezes cleared my mind. When I got home I found one other, very obscure, option and the phone and GPS paired right up! Thanks Treo support [sarcasm].

Now to the software. I fired up GPSWatch Plus in high anticipation. It doesn’t see the GPS. [deep sigh] Read the documentation. Try every conceivable option. No go. Email support. Still no answer in five days.

I email Freedom GPS support to update them about the successful pairing. These guys are great! In turn they email me a test program. I install it on the phone and everything is perfect. They suggest I test with Telenav. I download it to the phone and everything works great.

Problem is: Telenav is a Garmin Nuvi or Tom-Tom like driving aid. I have a Nuvi 360 so Telenav is redundant. I NEED Google sat maps for offroad!

So, I’m down to getting GPSWatch to see the GPS receiver. Two other programs do this flawlessly. I’m at the mercy of the software support team. I’m still waiting.

While researching all the GPS software for the phone I discovered that Google Maps Mobile with GPS capability will work on Windows OS phone and a few others; just not the Palm devices. I can only dream, and bug Google, which I’ve done!

It’s time to report that the one element of this project that is rock solid is:

Freedom Mini GPS
SiRFstar III 20 Channel
Bluetooth 2.0
Lithium Ion rechargeable battery
Auto and USB charging cables

This is a piece of work. It is about the size of a auto remote. It is simplicity itself with an of/off switch, LED status indicator and rubber cap protected socket for charging.

I acquires a 3D fix in less than a minute, even in my pocket inside a concrete block house. Got it for less than $100 at http://www.palmaddictstore.com/section.php?xSec=29

Support is superb.

More on the software side as it develops.