Figuring out the GPS COM port on a ToughBook PC
I receive quite a few phone calls each year from ToughBook owners trying to figure out how to use the GPS receiver. A ToughBook with integrated GPS from the factory comes with a default COM port dedicated to the GPS, but which one? You need to know this COM port for using software, but also, in the event of a malfunction, you will need to test the GPS to make sure the defaults from the factory haven’t changed. To find out, the best route is to use the HyperTerminal program.
To get to HyperTerminal, start with the START button in the lower left corner:
START > All Programs > ACCESSORIES > Communications > HyperTerminal
Under “Connection Description” give any name to the New Connection, it won’t matter. The icon also doesn’t matter. In the next box, under “Connect Using” scroll down to COM 1. The properties screen will appear. Change to the following if set differently:
Bits per second: 9600; Data bits: 8; Parity: None; Stop bits: 1f; Flow control: None
Click OK.
On the main HyperTerminal screen, you should see a string of characters which are the NMEA sentences (e.g., $GPGGA, $GPGSA, etc., followed by comma-separated values). If not, chose “Disconnect” from the toolbar, then reconnect and start over but chose COM 2 this time. Keep working through the COM ports until one works. Record this COM port as it should not change. If you have the COM port correct in the software, but it still is not connecting to the GPS, make sure the Baud rate hasn’t changed. I have seen that happen and most times the software and GPS are not communicating, it is a mismatched Baud rate; the rest of the time, the GPS isn’t connected.
