Troubleshooting Your GPS System and Site Mate

What does all that mean on the GPS Settings – Quality tab of Site Mate?	Minimum GPS Quality Maximum HDOP Honor NMEA Checksum
What does that message mean at the bottom of my Site Mate screen?	Actual GPS Coordinates Unable to Open Comm Port for GPS Data No GPS Data Received No Message at all
Why is nothing being logged in Site Mate?	GPS Signal Guide Mate settings Manual Logging Zoom status Check the settings on the Config tab
Why does Site Mate and/or Guide Mate lock up on my 2200 series iPAQ?	Download file
Why do I only see a line or a blank screen on my iPAQ instead of my map?	Maximum HDOP
How do I configure my Raven 210 Receiver to use WAAS instead of Beacon?	WAAS Config RTCM Config

What does all that mean on the GPS Settings – Quality tab of Site Mate?

Minimum GPS Quality – This refers to the quality of signal that Site Mate will recognize.

0 = no GPS position
1 = GPS position only
2 = GPS position with differential (typically WAAS)

NOTE: If the GPS Quality is set at 2, you will not log data unless you are receiving differential.

Maximum HDOP – HDOP is the Horizontal Dilution of Precision and is an indicator of the quality of the GPS that you are receiving. The higher the HDOP, the greater the risk that the GPS readings are not accurate. The program will ignore any GPS readings that have an HDOP greater than the maximum that you enter.

Honor NMEA Checksum – Check this box to throw out any points that have an incorrect Checksum. Normally if the Checksum is incorrect, the GPS reading is poor.

What does that message mean at the bottom of my Site Mate screen?

There are 4 possible messages you can see at the bottom of your Site Mate screen:

1. Actual GPS Coordinates – This tells you that you are receiving a GPS signal and you are ready to use Site Mate.

2. Unable to Open Comm Port for GPS data – This means that the com port that you've selected either is not a valid com port or is being used by something else.

Double-check your GPS Settings. Go to the Config tab-Settings-GPS Settings. Make sure the correct port is selected here.

TIPS :
* Com 1: Anything connected through the bottom port of the hand held typically use this com port.
* If using the Navman: Exit Site Mate (File-Exit) and check the default com port within the GPS Setup program. Make sure to completely close out of GPS Setup before re-opening Site Mate.
* If the correct port is selected, what else has been connected through this port? Sometimes external keyboards, other GPS programs or other external hardware devices can be accessing the port even though it is no longer connected.

Possible Solutions:
*Disconnect any GPS that you have hooked to your Pocket PC (including Compact Flash GPS receivers) then soft reset the hand held. After the Pocket PC restarts, hook up the GPS receiver and go directly to Site Mate and see if it picks up GPS.
* Change the GPS settings within the other program or hardware drivers.
* Remove any drivers or programs used for other devices through Start-Settings-System-Remove Programs on the hand held device.

3. No GPS Data Received – This can mean several different things.

GPS Receiver is not receiving power - Make sure the power source to your GPS receiver is working properly.

NOTE: If using an IFB box with a non-Raven receiver, you will need a special power adaptor to power the IFB and in return, send GPS signal to the hand held.

NMEA - The GPS receiver must be configured to output NMEA strings.
Incorrect Baud Rate is selected within the GPS Settings. Double-check the GPS Settings by going to the Config tab-Settings-GPS Settings.

BAUD RATE TIPS:

To be compatible with Site Mate, a GPS receiver must output NMEA 0183 strings.

The baud rate within Site Mate must always match the baud rate that the GPS receiver is set to output. Consult the User’s Manual for your GPS receiver to obtain this information.

The baud rate for a Navman is 57,600.

The baud rate for the Holux, Transplant, and Farm Works GPS receiver is 4800.

If using a Raven 115 with vs. 4.19 or lower of the receiver software: Port A is typically 19,200 Port B is typically 4800.

If using a Raven 210 with vs. 4.19 or lower of the receiver software: Port A is typically 9600 Port B is typically 19,200.

Cabling issue – If the incorrect cabling is being used, Site Mate will display this message as well.

If using an iPAQ to GPS cable, this cable will connect directly to the bottom of the iPAQ with one end and the other end will connect directly to the cable coming from the GPS receiver.

If using a serial sync cable, a Null Modem cable will be needed between the serial sync cable and the GPS receiver.

If using an Otterbox with serial pod and an IFB box, a Null Modem cable will be used to connect the serial pod and the IFB box.

If using an Otterbox with serial pod and connecting directly to a GPS receiver, there will be no other cables required.

4. No Message at all – Occasionally the area at the bottom of Site Mate will be blank. If this happens to you, do the following:

Go to the Config tab-Advanced-IFB Communications. If an IFB3 box is not being used, make sure that the box is NOT checked next to ‘Use IBF Communication box’.

Why is nothing being logged in Site Mate?

Several things can prohibit Site Mate from logging data. If you encounter this problem, try the following:

GPS Signal - Make sure you have a good GPS signal. Go to the Data tab within Site Mate. How many satellites in use? What is the signal quality?

Guide Mate Settings - If using with Guide Mate, make sure the guidance arrow in Guide Mate is turning green when wanting to log data. If this arrow is not green, Site Mate will not log data. If the arrow is not turning green when beginning to log data, check the Boom Sense setting within Guide Mate.

Manual Logging - Make sure Manual logging is not activated. (If a LOG button is appearing after you tap GO, manual logging is activated.)

If you do not want to manually log data, go to the Log menu after you have opened a log file (.gpl or .fgp).

Make sure that Automatic is checked. If it is not, simply tap on Automatic and auto logging will be activated. It may be necessary to close and re-open the log file to ensure that the changed setting has been accepted.

Zoom status - If you are zoomed too far out, you will not be able to view your data. Use the Zoom tools to zoom in on your current position.

Uncheck the option to Auto Scroll and Auto Scroll and Zoom on the Log menu.

Tap on the Zoom In tool (a magnifying glass with a +) to zoom in on your map.

Tap on the Zoom All tool (magnifying glass with an A) to zoom all information currently being displayed.

Check the settings on the Config tab.
- Minimum GPS Quality – Go to Settings-GPS Settings-Comm Tab on the Config tab to check this setting.
  - Set this at 1. This will allow Site Mate to log data as long as you are receiving a GPS signal.
  - If this is set at 2, data will not be logged unless you are receiving differential (WAAS).
- Enable Implement Switch – Go to Advanced-Advanced Logging Options on the Config tab to check this setting. If using Site Mate Basic this setting will be found under Advanced-Implement Switch.
  - If this option is selected, the word LOG will appear on your Site Mate screen in red.
  - If you are not using an implement switch, this option should not be enabled.
  - If you are using an implement switch, make sure the appropriate option is selected beneath this setting.
- Use IFB Communications Box – Go to Advanced-IFB Communications on the Config tab to check this setting.
  - If an IFB3 box is not being used, do NOT check this box

Recording Interval – Go to Logging-Auto Logging on the Config tab to check this setting.
- Enter the minimum time and minimum distance desired for logging data. If both requirements are not met, data will not be logged.
- A typical setting is 1 second and 10 feet.
Display – Select the appropriate mapping option (path, points, or boundary) below Display on the Config tab to check this setting.
- Boundary or Points – Make sure the appropriate option is selected here. If wanting to log the actual path or boundary only, check the Actual box. If using an offset and the offset path or boundary only is desired, check the box for Offset. If both are desired, check both boxes. The width and color of your logged line can also be changed here.
- Points – Enlarge to point size to see if previously logged points become visible.

Site Mate and/or Guide Mate keeps locking up on my 2200 series iPAQ.

There is a file available for download to help fix this problem.

Go to http://www.farmworks.com/support/update2200.html

Unzip this file to a folder on the desktop.

Make sure the hand held is connected and synchronized with the desktop computer.

In Windows Explorer, right click on the downloaded file and select "Copy".

Scroll down to select Mobile Device then My Pocket PC.

Right click on the Windows folder under My Pocket PC and select "Paste".

Soft reset the 2200 by inserting the stylus in the pinhole in the bottom of the unit.

These steps are also available at the web site in Step #1.

It is also useful to save a copy of this file in the Ipaq File store on the hand held. This will prevent users from having to return to a desktop computer in case the hand held loses power.

To copy the file to the iPAQ File Store:

Make sure the hand held is connected and synchronized with the desktop computer.

In Windows Explorer, locate the saved file, right click on it and select "Copy".

Scroll down to select Mobile Device then My Pocket PC.

Right click on the iPAQ File Store folder under My Pocket PC and select "Paste".

Why do I only see a line or a blank screen on my iPAQ instead of my map?

Maximum HDOP - To reduce the chances of this happening, go to the Config tab-Settings-GPS Settings-Quality tab. Check the box for Maximum HDOP and enter 25.0 for the quality. Also, turn on the option to "Honor NMEA Checksum". These settings will make Site Mate filter out GPS positions that may not be accurate based on the HDOP and Checksum readings.

Occasionally GPS receivers can lose GPS signal, causing Site Mate to lose position. If this happens, even for a moment, your position in Site Mate will bounce to the coordinate 0 latitude and 0 longitude. Once the GPS receiver acquires GPS signal again, Site Mate will locate your position and bounce back to the current location. When this happens, Site Mate will draw a line to or log a point at this 0,0 coordinate, creating a stray line or an unwanted point far away from your desired map.

How do I configure my Raven 210 Receiver to use WAAS instead of Beacon?

There are 2 places that need to be changed:

WAAS Config

Go to WAAS Config and press the Down arrow once.

Press Enter to toggle Disable / Enable.

RTCM Config

Press the Arrow on the right (Enter) until you see the RTCM Config menu.

Press the down arrow once to select DGPS mode. Press Enter.

The current differential mode will flash. Scroll through to find WAAS only. Press Enter.