Confusion wrt using an Arduino+Bluetooth Module+Mac

Hi,

I have an Arduino Uno and a Wireless Serial 4 Pin Bluetooth RF Transceiver Module(Home - BuildCircuit.COM). My goal is to pair the bt module to my Mac (running OS X) and send/receive data wirelessly using the Software Serial library (http://www.arduino.cc/en/Reference/SoftwareSerial).

I can pair the device to the Mac but it doesn't stay paired. Even when it is paired the SoftwareSerial sample doesn't work - I can send/receive data via the normal Serial methods but I never see data on the hardware serial interface.

And yes, I've wired up the BT module correctly and matched the pin definitions in my sketch:

const int rxpin = 2; // pin used to receive 
const int txpin = 3; // pin used to send to 
SoftwareSerial bluetooth( rxpin, txpin);

void setup() 
{ 
  Serial.begin( 9600); 
  bluetooth.begin( 9600); // initialize the software serial port 
  Serial.println(" Serial ready"); 

  // This is never displayed in the serial monitor window
  bluetooth.println(" Bluetooth ready"); 
}

I'd really appreciate any suggestions/advice!
Thanks,
LT

Did you try this experiment? It uses the hardware serial so that eliminates some variables:

Thank you John!

I don't have an Android device - does anyone know of an iOS/Mac equivalent?

Again, until I understand why the bt module only stays paired (to my Mac) for about 10 seconds I'm not sure moving forward makes a ton of sense.

TIA!
-LT