DigiTerra Explorer and Radio Detection RD8000 Cable locator

DigiTerra Explorer is able to use external sensors like laser rangefinders, cable locators etc. These devices have to be connect to the Windows Mobile based handheld via Bluetooth by using a virtual Incoming COM port. This port is not often used, which is most likely why it was removed as a default setting from Microsoft Windows Mobile 6 and higher. Nevertheless one of the following methods can be used to enable the Bluetooth Incoming COM Port number feature in newer versions of Microsoft Windows Mobile on our rugged handheld computer products. During the implementation of the SPX Radio Detection RD8000 cable locator we faced also with this problem.The solution was at the end quite easy thanks of Juniper's excellent forum post: we have to define the incoming port in the Windows Mobile OS's registry. If you have DigiTerra Explorer v7 already, just browse for Utility folder in your SD card, and start Regedit.exe program to edit the registry.

WARNING! If you are not an expert in registry editing follow these steps carefully otherwise the PDA won't work anymore! (Or you might have to do a factory reset...)

Connect the Bluetooth device normally.
  1. Open the Bluetooth manager and connect to the device.
  2. Select serial port on Advanced.
  3. On Com Port tab define an Outgoing Port for the receiver.
Use regedit to create the outgoing port.
  1. Open the regedit.exe (You can find it in DigiTerra Explorer's Utility folder).
  2. Option 1: Download this file (- this PDA registy settings contains COM9 incoming port -), and import it with regedit.exe. OR set up everything manually below.
  3. Option 2: Open the tree HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Bluetooth\Serial\Ports\
  4. Tap onto the already existing key (in the picture it starts with 0000008098...)
  5. Add "Port" Word and write the value field with the correct COM port for incoming Bluetooth! (Usually it used to be COM9 but it could be different depending on the device you use)
  6. Tap on "Server" and set the DWORD value to 1!
  7. Exit from Regedeit.exe and reset(restart) your PDA!
IncomingPortConf
The Incoming Port now is ready to use!
If you would like to see how DigiTerra Explorer works with RD8000 Cable locator watch this video tutorial.