Earthmate GPS Blue Logger Brief Review

My Geo buddy gave me his Blue Logger GPS device along with his DeLorme Topo USA 6.0 license - thank you Brian!  The Earthmate Blue Logger is a bluetooth enabled portable GPS device.

My main objective for establishing a purchase, or being gifted with a bluetooth GPS device was for two reasons: portable street navigation and topology for hiking and camping for my netbook, and integration with CacheMate on my Windows smartphone.

DeLorme Topo works as it should in all aspects of a NMEA compliant serial GPS device.  The only quirk I have seen is the com port negotiation.  If the GPS unit is not started, paired, and connected when starting up the Topo USA application, your serial port is not visible under the selectable COM ports for communication.  This is not a bug, though a wish for a feature, which in all terms and respect to my version, it might have been changed in more recent distributions of DeLorme Topo USA.

CacheMate is also a seamless user experience.  Make sure the device is paired, use the Windows Mobile bluetooth stack, choose your GPS connection method in CacheMate, and success.  You are now able to find nearby caches and also navigate to the Geocaches if you so wish to do so.  I would rather not ruff up my smartphone, so I use my old reliable GPS device for the actual Geocache find.  However, a belt clip bag is available for the unit from http://shop.delorme.com/.  A multitude of accessories such as AC chargers, and base chargers are also available.

Here are the Blue Logger specifications:

• NMEA 2.0-compliant 12-channel receiver
• WAAS-enabled
• SiRF starIIe/LP low-power GPS chip set
• Cold Start: < 45 seconds; warm start: < 38 seconds
• Hot Start: < 8 seconds
• Power, Logging GPS only: ~90mA at 3.7V
• Power, Logging GPS with a Bluetooth connection: ~118mA at 3.7V
• Maximum Velocity: 1000 knots
• Maximum Altitude: 60,000 feet
• Battery Life: 8 hours (charge up to 500 times)
• Operating Temperature Range: –20° Celsius to + 60° Celsius
• Supports SBAS (WAAS / EGNOS / MTSAT.)
• Blue Logger weight (without battery): 1.7 ounces (47 grams)

Here is what is in the box with a retail purchase:

• Earthmate Blue Logger GPS with 3.7V Li-ion battery
• DeLorme Blue Logger Manager software
• Mobile charger
• A/C charger
• Charging cradle
• Carrying case 

In conclusion: I am happy with its startup time and position acquisition time.  It has a battery life of 8 hours, has a 12 channel receiver, and is NMEA compliant.  It does the job and works as a receiver from this brand type should function.