[Touch Diamond, MDA Compact IV General] low.flying.pigs:
Hello Blaustein / Klaus,

Thank you and everyone involved with the excellent GPS Cycle Computer GCC application.

I'm currently running 4.9 beta 4 on a Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition Pocket PC. I ride regularly and always run the latest beta. I have used most features, but have not found any definite issues with the software yet. I am more than happy to continue testing new releases, betas and anything else. Apart from testing and my thanks, all I can give back to the project at the moment are some suggestions and observations from my almost daily usage over the last 12 months.

Suggestions for changes:

- Option to hide the Task Bar (make some extra space on screen).

- Option to show date in clock area.

- Option to switch on Bluetooth automatically when GCC is started.

- Option to synchronise System Time with GPS Time when GCC is started and has lock.

- Option to change background and foreground colours without making .jpg files.

- Facility for duplication of .gcc file. The duplicate can then be deleted when the satisfactory main file is saved by pressing the stop button to end logging. I have found when an unwanted event occurs, such as a crash, full memory card, battery failure or Bluetooth GPS receiver battery failure, the .gcc file is usually corrupted when reloaded showing 'impossible' data and all is lost. A duplicated .gcc that lags behind the main .gcc by a few seconds would be remain intact, and could be restored from. The backup could be saved separately from the main file, i.e. one on device memory, the other on memory card.

- Facility for filtering the incoming GPS data. I have found very occasionally there are what I believe to be GPS signal errors. If the software could intelligently detect and eliminate sudden momentary 'impossible' data, it would not ruin the log. For example, whilst cycling at a constant steady speed range 10 - 15 mph, and without having done so, when next looking at the screen it shows an incorrect Max speed of 48mph or similar from a presumably momentary signal error. This has occurred in open sky countryside, build up areas, a range of weather conditions from cloudless sunny skies to heavy snow. It seems very random and impossible to recreate on demand, hence my belief it is signal related caused by uncontrollable factors such as Satellite Geometry, Orbits, Multipath and Atmospheric effects.

Suggestions for new GCC features, found on 'traditional' cycle computers:

Odometer:

- Cumulative statistics from every ride to date.

Speed:

- Visual line comparison of current speed to average, Increasing upwards line, decreasing downwards line, steady straight line.

- Alert on over-speed going faster than preset limit, Alert on under-speed going slower than preset limit.

Stopwatch / Timer

- Start, Stop, Split Lap etc

- Count up to preset ride time then alert.

- Count down from preset ride time then alert.

Distance:

- Ride up to preset limit then alert.

- Ride down from preset limit then alert.

Statistics:

- Calorific Burn Counter.

- Efficiency of Rider.

Observations:

- GPS Display on the bottom right: S (number of Satellites, usually 6/8) and Snr (Signal to Noise ratio, usually 51) displays data one second, then nothing the next second, then data again, then nothing, changing between states each second continuously. I would have expected constant valid S and Snr updating every second given Info Display on the bottom left shows a new last sample every second. In Options, GPS Activity is set 'always on, log ev. 1 sec' and Drop First is 'none'. Additionally, the Bluetooth GPS Receiver update rate is every second, and the data can be seen 'streaming' in each second using WinFast Navigator in development mode.

- Speed lags behind actual speed. For instance, when cycling, stopping and then stationary, the speed does not go to zero immediately when stationary, but after a short delay. In options, Averaging is set to '1' i.e. off, so that should not be contributing to the issue.

Are these observations of behaviour normal for GCC? If not, what are your thoughts?

low.flying.pigs