[time-nuts] Tboltmon Serial Port Selection...??

[Ken Winterling]

Mike,

I don't believe the software has any option for saving a serial port
selection.  At least I have never found one.  It defaults to COM1.  I
use a USB/RS-232 converter and COM 2 because COM 1 on my laptop is in
use by another application.  I have to select COM2 every time I start
the program.  I don't do it that often so it is only a minor
annoyance.

As for why it only works on COM 4 on your PC, I would need a bit more
information but I can speculate.  Does your PC have the older RS-232
or newer USB serial ports?  If you have the former, then the Trimble
is connected to COM4.  If you are using USB ports and a USB/RS-232
adapter (s) then the adapter has assumed the COM4 identifier when it
was plugged into the USB port.  When a USB/RS-232 adapter is plugged
into a USB port it assumes a COMn identifier, usually the next
available one.  You may find that the system has already defined COM1,
COM2, and COM3.  This can happen if you move a USB/RS-232 adapter to a
different USB port or have several adapters.

In the following steps I am assuming you are using a Windows PC
running XP and have USB ports and are using a USB/RS-232 adapter(s).
If so go to Control Panel and open the System folder.  Click on the
Hardware tab.  On the Hardware page click the Device Manager button.
Click on the "+" sign next to Ports (COM & LPT).  You will see a list
of COM ports defined on your system.

If you don't see COM1 defined in the list then you COULD change the
COM4 port to COM1.  Here is how.  Right click the COM4 entry.   Click
Properties.  Click Port Settings.  Click Advanced.  Find the COM Port
Number: pull down box.  You should see COM4 in the box.  Click the
down arrow and select COM1.  Click OK.  Click OK until you are back to
the Device Manager screen where you started.  You should see COM1
listed as one of the ports.  It may be necessary to close and reopen
the Device Manager to see the change.

Good luck.

Ken, WA2LBI

On Thu, Mar 27, 2008 at 7:43 PM, Michael Baker <mpb45 at clanbaker.org> wrote:
> Hello, All--
>
>  Can anyone tell me why, when I click on the Tboltmon
>  icon associated with my Trimble Thunderbolt,
>  that a little Serial Port Selecton window pops up
>  and why does my T-bolt only run after selecting
>  COM-4?  Why can't this be selected once and then
>  forgotten about?  It seems like an un-necessary step.
>
>  Thanks!!
>
>  Mike Baker
>  WA4HFR
>  Micanopy, FL
>