Bluetooth GPS

[David9]

New OpenCPN user and new forum member here.
Can't figure out how to get OpenCPN (on Windows 10 laptop) to recognize my Garmin GLO 2 GPS, and there's nothing in the user manual about using a Bluetooth GPS (except in the Linux section, which doesn't help me).
Is there a way to use the GLO 2 with OpenCPN, or would I have to buy another GPS receiver? Thanks

[Rasbats]

David ...

The Garmin GLO will work with Windows 10. Plug the GLO bluetooth receiver USB dongle into a spare USB port.

Options -> Connections -> Add Connection.

DataPort dropdown should show a bluetooth com port. Baudrate 9600. Protocol NMEA0183.

Apply OK. You may want to activate the dashboard plugin to see the satellites and check the fix.

Mike

[David9]

Appreciate the reply Mike, but the GLO 2 is not a USB dongle. It's a Bluetooth-only GPS/GLONASS receiver, with the USB cable only for charging.

[Corsair63]

Originally Posted by David9

Appreciate the reply Mike, but the GLO 2 is not a USB dongle. It's a Bluetooth-only GPS/GLONASS receiver, with the USB cable only for charging.

has your laptop BT connection?

if is that the case go to settings > Bluetooth & devices > add a device also in your GNSS receiver make it discoverable and pair it with computer.

after being paired also check in settings > BT > devices > more setting options for BT (bear in mind that I'm translating from Windows in Spanish) to see the COM port created for communications with GNSS device, uses to create two COM ports if you cannot connect in one try the other one uses to be "outgoing" and sometimes something like "SPP Slave"
after follow the instructions given in previous messages about connecting to OCPN (sometimes the baud speed would be the standard NMEA 4800 bps but with these BT GNSS could be 9600, try both to see if there is connection).

every time that you exchange something in OCPN, please click on apply.

for a quick verification at the same time that you're doing the connection open in the same tab the NMEA string data window, and you'll see if you have GNSS data coming to laptop.

[wholybee]

I don't have the GLO2, but the procedure should be something like this:
On windows, open "Bluetooth and Other device Settings"
Add device, and go through the procedure to pair the GLO2.
Open Device Manager. You should hopefully now see under Ports COM & LPT a bluetooth serial port. That is what you would need to select with OpenCPN.

Unfortunately, without a GLO GPS I can't test it, but that is the general procedure in windows to use a Bluetooth serial device.

[CarCode]

If your Windows 10 computer has a Bluetooth stack you have to pair the GLO2 with your computer. For instructions see the support center of Garmin. The code for pairing is 1234.

[Corsair63]

Pairing instructions of Garmin GLO 2 in the web

[CarCode]

Originally Posted by Corsair63

Pairing instructions of Garmin GLO 2 in the web

But the pairing code 1234 is missing!

[Rasbats]

Originally Posted by David9

but the GLO 2 is not a USB dongle. It's a Bluetooth-only GPS/GLONASS receiver

My mistake. I see now that I got a Belkin Bluetooth USB stick to get it working.

Mike

[P_Dub]

David, try com 5 with baud rate 38500. It should work like that.

[David9]

Thanks for the replies!
The GLO 2 was already paired with the laptop. The problem was figuring out how to get OpenCPN to communicate with it. After some exploring and guessing based on the comments, I finally got it to work.
I went to Settings/Devices/Bluetooth & other devices/More Bluetooth Options/COM Ports:
Port Direction Name
COM3 Incoming Garmin GLO 2 #38aa4
COM4 Outgoing Garmin GLO 2 #38aa4 'COM5'
COM5 Incoming Garmin GLO 2 #38aa4
COM6 Outgoing Garmin GLO 2 #38aa4 'COM7'


Confusing!
Eventually I found that at the bottom of the Bluetooth & other devices page there's Related Settings, and a link for Devices and Printers. In Devices and Printers I double-clicked on the Garmin GLO 2, up came Properties, and on the Hardware tab I finally saw "Standard Serial over Bluetooth link (COM4), Ports (COM & LPT), and then same for (COM6)


Weird that the main Devices/Bluetooth page wouldn't give me the Properties info...



So I tried COM4, 9600 Baud, and suddenly a steady blue light on the GLO 2, and OpenCPN is getting a GPS signal. Cool.



Problem now is that OpenCPN thinks my boat is at my house, but I know how to fix that :-)