How to Setup a Bluetooth Bad Elf GPS Pro to work on Windows Computers

Good Morning All

Following on from the other day on a post by Michelle, I have now quickly posted a new Blog on how to Setup a Bad Elf Bluetooth GPS receiver to successfully work on a Windows Computer.

Two years ago I went down this path, and with the help of one very helpful EO Member from Perth, John pointed me into the direction of Bad Elf.

The unit arrived from Melbourne, all paired with my Windows 10, yet it would not start live mapping.

After two hours of hair pulling and much cursing, I was ready to through the unit out the Window, and then gave a late night call - 9pm in South Australia and 9:30pm in Melbourne to another EO friend Chris in some last minute help.

With an hour on the phone and trying all sorts of things, I finally found one well well hidden tab and one that I never thought of looking at.......

The end result it worded a treat.

So to avoid future purchasers of this fantastic product to go through the same painful process, I have made this Blog to quickly get you up and running....

How to Setup Your new Bad Elf GPS Pro Bluetooth receiver

All the best and enjoy the benefits of a true Bluetooth unit that works fantastic.



Stephen
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Reply By: Member BarryG - Friday, Dec 06, 2019 at 16:33

Friday, Dec 06, 2019 at 16:33
Great find Stephen!
One thing you didn't mention is whether this setting still allows IOS devices to operate with ExplorOz Traveller (or other moving map apps, such as Hema, etc.).
Regards
Barry
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Friday, Dec 06, 2019 at 16:45

Friday, Dec 06, 2019 at 16:45
Hi Barry

To be very honest, once I got things working on Ozi, I never went back into my iPad to see if changing the setting has effected being able to connect again to the iPad.

I just turned on the Bad Elf, opened the App on the iPad, and still connecting as good as ever.

If you are looking to get a Bluetooth GPS receiver, I can thoroughly recommend the Bad Elf, works unreal and never ever drops out.


Cheers


Stephen
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Friday, Dec 06, 2019 at 17:13

Friday, Dec 06, 2019 at 17:13
Hi Again Barry

I should have also mentioned about the second image of the satellites in view and locked on.

This is inside my house, in a room that I call my computer room and shows just how good the Bad Elf performs. The roof is colour bond and if I turn on my Garmin GPS, still inside the room, the main screen still shows “searching for satellites “, so this shows you how good these Bad Elf units are.


Cheers


Stephen
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Friday, Dec 06, 2019 at 17:57

Friday, Dec 06, 2019 at 17:57
Sorry again Barry, but I did not answer your original question properly.

I i first tried our the Bad Elf on my IPad, I was using Memory Maps and a trial of the Hema 150k map and that worked fine around Clare.

So the answer is yes, there is no reason why you could not use the Bad Elf with other Moving Map App, eg Hema.



Cheers


Stephen
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Follow Up By: Member BarryG - Saturday, Dec 07, 2019 at 09:54

Saturday, Dec 07, 2019 at 09:54
Thanks for the clarification Stephen.
Barry
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Reply By: noggins - Friday, Dec 06, 2019 at 16:34

Friday, Dec 06, 2019 at 16:34
I use a Surface 3 for my mapping etc as I just don't like apple stuff ( for personal reasons )
There's a simple app you download from the net to activate the GPS in most Windows 10 computers

This is just one of them
https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/p/gps-satellite/9wzdncrfj0dg?activetab=pivot:overviewtab
Another
https://windowsreport.com/windows-8-gps-apps/

For windows Tablets

Ron
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Friday, Dec 06, 2019 at 17:06

Friday, Dec 06, 2019 at 17:06
Hi Ron

One of the two computers that I use in the car is also a Microsoft Surface..

I have been using Apple products for over 30 years, and can not fault them, and once you use Apple products, I find them far superior to Windows based computer items, but it come down to personal use and what you use your computer for.

For this very reason it was the only reason that I had to leave Apple for off road mapping and go to Windows, as OziExplorer is not designed for Apple, which is a real pity, as if it was, I would ditch my Windows computers. I often hear from people that say they would never by Apple, but when you ask them why, they have never owned a quality Apple product and only go on hear say.

I was not aware of this app, have just downloaded it, but not sure if it is working through my home Wi Fi.

Yes it shows my location, but I can not get it to talk to OziExplorer, which is the most important thing I need.

The Bad Elf is not an Apple product, is is mainly used in aviation, so it must be a tried and proven product to use in planes.

Do you use Ozi? And have you used the App away from all mobile coverage?

I find the App must still use internet, as I get annoying adds at the bottom of the page.



Cheers



Stephen

Cheers



Stephen
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Reply By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Friday, Dec 06, 2019 at 17:27

Friday, Dec 06, 2019 at 17:27
If Any computer nerds read this thread, are you able to explain the different between all NMEA sentences that will only work on Apple and the other Simplified NMEA GGC and RMC only which works on all computers.


Thanks

Stephen
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Reply By: Member - Broodie H3 - Saturday, Dec 07, 2019 at 11:37

Saturday, Dec 07, 2019 at 11:37
good morning Stephen,
I am not a computer nerd or a navigation specialist but could you tell me what is a bad elf and what is it used for , and would it be of any use to me as I run Oz explorer on a Samsung tablet, I have never heard of a bad Elf, but as the w.o.m.d says, your married so your not supposed to know anything,L.O.L
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Follow Up By: Frank P (NSW) - Saturday, Dec 07, 2019 at 12:27

Saturday, Dec 07, 2019 at 12:27
If you're successfully running Ozi on a Samsung tablet you already have a working GPS within the tablet.

Bad Elf is just an external GPS that from the sounds of it, you don't need unless you want GPS capability in another device that doesn't have it built in.
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Saturday, Dec 07, 2019 at 15:03

Saturday, Dec 07, 2019 at 15:03
Hi Broodie

As Frank has answered you, it is a stand alone, quality Bluetooth GPS receiver.

I have in the past used, and still have Garmin hand held GPS’s, but by shifting my computers, I would have had to re route my cables and did not want to do it, plus I could only ever record data on one one computer at a time.

Now with the Bluetooth Bad Elf Pro, I connect both laptop computers through the Bluetooth, and they work a treat.

As Frank has mentioned, if you are running Ozi on your Samsung tablet now, there is no benefit of getting another GPS.

Thanks for your enquires .


Cheers


Stephen
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Reply By: Member - J&A&KK - Saturday, Dec 07, 2019 at 11:54

Saturday, Dec 07, 2019 at 11:54
Hi Stephen

Thank you for a very useful set of instructions.

I have only ever used my Bad Elf GPS Pro with Apple devices but have been contemplating adding a windows laptop to the current array of logging devices. So your instructions will be useful when and if that happens.

Does the simplified NMEA stream also work with your Apple devices?

I also agree with you that the Bad Elf is an excellent device. It was recommended to me by one of my USA colleagues who is a private pilot with his own old Cessna 182. In his words “ it’s the only GPS bug to buy”. Whilst I can’t comment on the “only” part I can say it has worked faultlessly for the past 3 or so years. I have it velcro’d to the rear of the rear vision mirror. Excellent reception all of the time, Bluetooth connection to devices, charge the internal battery each evening and the stated battery life of 30 hours when logging to the internal memory is a fact.

Cheers John
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Follow Up By: Member - J&A&KK - Saturday, Dec 07, 2019 at 11:57

Saturday, Dec 07, 2019 at 11:57
Hi Stephen

I just saw your responses regarding IOS and simplified NMEA. Sorry, I should have read the other posts first.

Cheers John
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Saturday, Dec 07, 2019 at 14:53

Saturday, Dec 07, 2019 at 14:53
Hi John

Thanks for your help and advice all that time ago.

Yes you have seen my above reply’s, I would love to know what the two forms of NMEA data is.

By changing it, has has not effected the iPad, which I thought it may have.

I find it a brilliant product and beats having cable going everywhere.

At least when it’s a blog, it will not get lost in the system,.



Cheers


Stephen
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Reply By: Member - Rod N (QLD) - Sunday, Dec 08, 2019 at 08:02

Sunday, Dec 08, 2019 at 08:02
G'day Stephen. Where did you source your Bad Elf?
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Sunday, Dec 08, 2019 at 10:13

Sunday, Dec 08, 2019 at 10:13
Hi Ron

It was from a Small aviation shop in Melbourne, but do you think I can find his details now....bugger.

I see there is now a Flightstore up in Queensland as well as another aviation store in Melbourne called Mendelssohn Pilot Supplied.

As I have said above, these are not a cheap Bluetooth GPS, but an extremely reliable unit made for aviation where they want nothing but the best.


Cheers


Stephen
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Follow Up By: Member - McLaren3030 - Sunday, Dec 08, 2019 at 10:40

Sunday, Dec 08, 2019 at 10:40
Hi Guys,

Purchased mine on line through Flightstore. Only ordered yesterday, but expecting to be delivered by the end of the week. I purchased the Lightning Connector as I only need to connect to Apple devices. $204.99 including GST & Postage & Handling, equals approx $142 USD. If you buy direct from US the unit cost is $129.99 USD plus Postage & Handling. I figured that postage would be at least $10 USD, so I figured I am about equal, and will have it in 5 business days vs about 3 weeks if coming from the US.

Macca.

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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Sunday, Dec 08, 2019 at 10:58

Sunday, Dec 08, 2019 at 10:58
Well done Macca


Cheers


Stephen
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Reply By: Member BarryG - Sunday, Dec 08, 2019 at 10:15

Sunday, Dec 08, 2019 at 10:15
Hi again Stephen,

There are many different NMEA sentences. A good description of the major ones is here
If you look at the write-up for GGA and RMC, they seem to give exactly the info that you will need for a moving map display, ie. position, altitude, accuracy, speed, etc.
Maybe all of the unnecessary sentences bog down a Windows system before it gets to the good stuff?

Barry
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Sunday, Dec 08, 2019 at 10:31

Sunday, Dec 08, 2019 at 10:31
Wow Barry, thank you very much, there is going to be some very interesting reading there.

I just presumed that NMEA was it, but they are countless forms.


Thanks again


Stephen
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