Database Users

GPS out of the country?

Hello!
I'm just back from a trip from london. I brought with me my P4000 thinking that I would be able to use it's great GPS abroad.
It never worked once.
I thought this thing had an aGPS chip, meaning it was a true GPS that could be assisted by cell towers to find a fix faster. So, my understanding was that it should have worked abroad, albeit slower to find a fix then here.
As soon as I got back home, it started working again.
Any ideas?
Mod Edit: Moved from Titan Upgrading
Thanks!

Hello!
I'm just back from a trip from london. I brought with me my P4000 thinking that I would be able to use it's great GPS abroad.
It never worked once.
I thought this thing had an aGPS chip, meaning it was a true GPS that could be assisted by cell towers to find a fix faster. So, my understanding was that it should have worked abroad, albeit slower to find a fix then here.
As soon as I got back home, it started working again.
Any ideas?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you were roaming overseas, then you won't be inside Verizon's firewall, therefore you won't have connectivity to the PDE server. The standalone GPS should have still worked, though it probably would take a lot longer to fix due to the fact you moved a great deal since the last fix. Did you try to use QuickGPS to download the ephemeris data? That probably would have sped up your fix a little.

I'm using tomtom, so, I don't need access to verizon. Anyway, I'm with Telus.
I've let it stand by the window for hours and it never got a lock. I didn't try QuickGPS.
Should I have switched something in the registry to have it work in standalone mode instead of assisted?

Well, i'm living in Republic Of Moldova. WE have no aGPS here at all, but i still can use GPS function on Titan. I have to wait about 1-3 minutes for lock.
I have installed DCD 3.2.6 rom and 3.42.50 Radio. Use SeaSGEE to download ephemeris data and Navitel Navigator. But Tom Tom and any other programs work fine too.
PS Sorry for my English.

I recall having a similar discussion in an earlier thread.
See if any of this info helps:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=2538917
If you do that right, i'm pretty sure it won't even attempt to connect to a PDE server (when u change GPSMode), so you should be able to get a *slightly* quicker lock, as it won't waste time looking for that server.
I do also suggest using some other tool like QuickGPS to retrieve the ephemeris data before trying to get a lock; it *should* speed it up, but I don't know how true that really holds.

Ok,
Thanks for all the infos. I'm going to Madrid next month, I'll try again there.

I was able to get GPS locks all over Europe no problem this past July.

I'm using tomtom, so, I don't need access to verizon. Anyway, I'm with Telus.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well it doesn't matter whether you have Verizon or Telus when it comes to aGPS. I was referring to aGPS. If you aren't inside your carriers internal network, then you won't access the PDE.
The GPS should still work regardless, just in standalone mode, which is why I asked if you tried QuickGPS to try and speed up the lock times.

I was under the impression that there is a registry setting for the global "zone" for our GPSr to look for and that it was set to US.
From the posts I reviewed few if any folks have been able to lock overseas unless they got locks while traveling
GC, have you found any settings in the registry for this?
In QuickGPS I think the setting is as follows:
[HKLM] - Software\HTC\QuickGPS\region
Its set for US for me here in TN and I think someone from Holland posted on PPCGeeks a long time ago NL worked for him to get a lock once he found and got it via trial and error...

I am sure you are onto something here
I think you guys are really onto something here. I have had the most frustrating time with my titan because of this very issue. I travel outside of the USA frequently and in all my travels have only managed to get a lock once! All through Australia and Thailand with no phone signal I was unable to get a lock with either flight mode on or phone mode on. Even in Taiwan where VZW has some modicum of representation (i.e the phone function worked but zero data) I go no lock.
gc was right about the agps thing. Outside of Verizon network you will not get assisted gps (although strangely when in "extended area" roaming inside USA it still seems to work).
in the end i tried a hundred things to get a lock including leaving the phone out in the full view of the sky for 6 hours. Nothing worked except the gps mode that scrawnyb talked about. I finally got a (very slow) lock after what seemed like hours.
I really believe that osteo's answer about the zone (i.e. "US" here in USA) is also part of the answer. I can only assume that the ephemeris data has to be relative to where you are on the earths surface, so the phone having some idea of where you are surely would help (especially without cell tower help from agps).
Targitai, if you visit this thread again can you please check the setting in your phone to see what zone setting you have that assists with locking. You need to look in [HKLM] - Software\HTC\QuickGPS\region and check that you are not set to "US" or similar.
I wont be traveling OS for a few months now, so I cannot confirm any of the above. I hope others who are traveling see this thread and can report back.
Thanks for the helpful info on this thread. This problem has been bugging me for months. Strange this is that my bluetooth gps never takes more than about 2-3 minutes to get a lock, even after crossing to the other side of the earth, over 9000 miles to Australia.

Well,
I'm here in Madrid now and it doesn'T work.
I tried changing the registry key of the GPS mode and it didn't help.
Any other things I can try?

stanelie said:
Well,
I'm here in Madrid now and it doesn'T work.
I tried changing the registry key of the GPS mode and it didn't help.
Any other things I can try?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How long did you wait, and do you have a clear view of the sky?
After traveling a long distance it can take some time to download the full catalog info on the satellites.

I waited a few hours in clear sight of the sky.
My old hp hw 6515 with a old stand-alone GPS chips can find a lock fine...

sorry, double post...

I have had my gps lock over the ocean in an airplane. I dont have navigation software installed other than google maps so I just used Visual GPS to verify I had lat/lon fix and a gps speedometer app to tell me I was going at the same speed the captain had said. No wireless data connection at all.

Hi, I have a similar problem, but when I'm in a no service area, the GPS locks in 2 minutes. When the phone gets a cell phone tower, never gets a lock unless I let him overnight catching sats. I'm from Venezuela, may be the cell phone towers or the network, I don't know, induce some kind of conflict in the position calculation of the GPS. In the flight mode the problem persist.

GPS without Data Charges???

Hi,
I still have my Telus branded Touch and was wondering if there was a way to get the gps working even though the phone isnt active any longer with Telus? Before it dialed into some remote server to get a really quick gps lock. I only recently pulled this thing out of the drawer cause I figured I may as well leave it in my car as a standalone tomtom gps unit. It wont lock onto any satalites though.
Any ideas? I used to have a external bluetooth gps receiever but I cant find that anywhere either.
I'm wondering if its just the rom thats on this thing.... I'm running the standard telus rom. If another rom has the ablity to lock onto GPS without the need for a cellular connection I'd be willing to try that out.
Thanks again!

Aaron McCarthy said:
Hi,
I still have my Telus branded Touch and was wondering if there was a way to get the gps working even though the phone isnt active any longer with Telus? Before it dialed into some remote server to get a really quick gps lock. I only recently pulled this thing out of the drawer cause I figured I may as well leave it in my car as a standalone tomtom gps unit. It wont lock onto any satalites though.
Any ideas? I used to have a external bluetooth gps receiever but I cant find that anywhere either.
I'm wondering if its just the rom thats on this thing.... I'm running the standard telus rom. If another rom has the ablity to lock onto GPS without the need for a cellular connection I'd be willing to try that out.
Thanks again!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am on Verizon. I don't know the specifics about Telus. If your GPS is unlocked then technically you should be able to use your GPS without your radio being turned on. Even use it with the radio turned on & use TomTom which does not require a data connection.
As far as getting your GPS to work, I don't exactly know if the process is simular to Verizon. Perhaps someone else will lend you a hand. I did find some threads for you though.
Take a look at NFSFAN's ROM's
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=406320&highlight=telus+gps&page=3
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=508544&highlight=telus+gps

I know there is a "hybrid" gps setup on the the vogue that you can tweak in the registry to get only the gps chip to lock. Try searching for "hybrid gps" and such in this forum and the dev/hacking forum. It was discussed at length a little while after the htc rom upgrade releases last year.

If you are willing to upgrade to NFSFAN's Windows Mobile 6.5, you can follow this link http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=3680840#post3680840 and in Post #5 there is a cab that will disable aGPS so it won't look for a connection to help. With this you will be solely reliant on the phone's Full GPS chip, which may take anywhere from 1-5 minutes to get a full lock. It's not as sensitive as an external bluetooth GPS receiver. You can find this and other GPS/Winmo upgrades in the Vogue upgrading section of xda.

canyoufindben said:
If you are willing to upgrade to NFSFAN's Windows Mobile 6.5, you can follow this link http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=3680840#post3680840 and in Post #5 there is a cab that will disable aGPS so it won't look for a connection to help. With this you will be solely reliant on the phone's Full GPS chip, which may take anywhere from 1-5 minutes to get a full lock. It's not as sensitive as an external bluetooth GPS receiver. You can find this and other GPS/Winmo upgrades in the Vogue upgrading section of xda.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Once he upgrades it will work just like a standalone TomTom unit. I don't sound like he is going to have the phone activated anyway. The Standalone TomTom units take about 1-5 minutes to lock anyway.

jadesse said:
Once he upgrades it will work just like a standalone TomTom unit. I don't sound like he is going to have the phone activated anyway. The Standalone TomTom units take about 1-5 minutes to lock anyway.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Right, that why I suggested it. Since he won't be using it with service, there's no reason to stick with the stock ROM.

Vogue w/o service. GPS?

I've seen a ton of threads on what to do with an old and decommissioned Vogue. Almost every one says "Put GPS software on it!" Well, ok. I did that. I put NFSFans last ROM on and installed his carrier cab. Nothing else. Fire up GPS viewer and on a perfectly sunny day I can only see 1-3 GPS satellites. Am I doing something wrong?

OK, I flashed the stock 6.1 Sprint ROM and I still can't get a fix on GPS. It will sit there forever in GPS viewer saying "GPS starting up". This was my old phone and I know I had GPS working on it before so I don't understand why it wouldn't work anymore. Radio is 3.42.30.

benutne said:
OK, I flashed the stock 6.1 Sprint ROM and I still can't get a fix on GPS. It will sit there forever in GPS viewer saying "GPS starting up". This was my old phone and I know I had GPS working on it before so I don't understand why it wouldn't work anymore. Radio is 3.42.30.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If the GPS doesn't start up, it usually means that your port and baud rate are not set properly. Make sure that you have it in COM4 with a baud rate of 4800. Also, you may want to take it back to NFS since it is a better rom altogether (including GPS).

egzthunder1 said:
If the GPS doesn't start up, it usually means that your port and baud rate are not set properly. Make sure that you have it in COM4 with a baud rate of 4800. Also, you may want to take it back to NFS since it is a better rom altogether (including GPS).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Took your advice and flashed back to NFS. Still nothing. I see satellites, I just never get a fix in GPS status. I've let the thing sit there for 30 minutes and nothing.

benutne said:
Took your advice and flashed back to NFS. Still nothing. I see satellites, I just never get a fix in GPS status. I've let the thing sit there for 30 minutes and nothing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The fact that you see satellites puts me at ease because that means that the GPS is working. Try something like QuickGPS, which will give you faster locks (or at least it is supposed to )

egzthunder1 said:
The fact that you see satellites puts me at ease because that means that the GPS is working. Try something like QuickGPS, which will give you faster locks (or at least it is supposed to )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, but I don't have a data plan on this phone anymore Quick GPS is right out then. GPS viewer has been sitting here for several hours now and still no fix. Something is wrong.

benutne said:
Yeah, but I don't have a data plan on this phone anymore Quick GPS is right out then. GPS viewer has been sitting here for several hours now and still no fix. Something is wrong.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you connect your Vogue to a PC? If so, you can use theinternet from the pc for this

egzthunder1 said:
Can you connect your Vogue to a PC? If so, you can use theinternet from the pc for this
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Windows 7 PC? So far I've had no luck getting the Windows Mobile Device Center (huge flaming pile of crap IMO) to share the internet with the phone. This worked just fine on my old XP machine. Either way I don't think Quick GPS will do anything since I can't get a lock on GPS no matter how long I wait.

benutne said:
Windows 7 PC? So far I've had no luck getting the Windows Mobile Device Center (huge flaming pile of crap IMO) to share the internet with the phone. This worked just fine on my old XP machine. Either way I don't think Quick GPS will do anything since I can't get a lock on GPS no matter how long I wait.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, QuickGPS is supposed to let your device know which satellites are close by so that you don't sit forever and a day waiting for a lock. I know what you mean with 7 though, I cannot even get a device to sync with the OS, which is why i still have my trusty XP machine for all my HTC needs
If you can get online,, who knows? you might get something...

Change / Renstall radio could help aslo!

t1mman said:
Change / Renstall radio could help aslo!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
He already is on 3.42.30. it could be better, but truth be told, I tried 3 different radios on mine and they didn't do much (if anything)

Yeah, now I just need to find my old XP install CD to see if I can get activesync internet working.

benutne said:
Yeah, now I just need to find my old XP install CD to see if I can get activesync internet working.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So, you are up and running or simple feel like flashing to something else?

egzthunder1 said:
So, you are up and running or simple feel like flashing to something else?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I'd flash to Android if I thought that would work but the battery life there sucks balls. So far I don't have an XP install to share the internet connection. My XP CD seems to have wandered off. I'll have to grab one of our MSDN CDs from work. I'm still not very sure even Quick GPS will help since I let the phone sit plugged in for at least six hours with GPS Test running and couldn't get a fix.

benutne said:
Well, I'd flash to Android if I thought that would work but the battery life there sucks balls. So far I don't have an XP install to share the internet connection. My XP CD seems to have wandered off. I'll have to grab one of our MSDN CDs from work. I'm still not very sure even Quick GPS will help since I let the phone sit plugged in for at least six hours with GPS Test running and couldn't get a fix.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You might just be in a bad area. If you know someone with a Vogue, maybe you can compare and see if they are having the same issue as you.

benutne said:
I've seen a ton of threads on what to do with an old and decommissioned Vogue. Almost every one says "Put GPS software on it!" Well, ok. I did that. I put NFSFans last ROM on and installed his carrier cab. Nothing else. Fire up GPS viewer and on a perfectly sunny day I can only see 1-3 GPS satellites. Am I doing something wrong?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you are still having problems I know one thing you could do... sell it. I am willing to grab it from you.

im having the same issue. sprint vogue, nfs rom, just flashed radio 3.42.50 we'll see if that helps but i doubt it will.
it sees 10 satellites, only uses 1. anyone got any ideas? -_-

kay nevermind i just live in a bad spot for HTC-based gps phones. dream wouldnt sync either, had to walk a half mile lmfao

cheapusenet said:
kay nevermind i just live in a bad spot for HTC-based gps phones. dream wouldnt sync either, had to walk a half mile lmfao
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The weird part is both my other Vogue and my wife's TP2 work with GPS flawlessly. blkswanpres if you're still interested in it PM me. The screen is pretty well scratched up so it would need to be replaced.

benutne said:
blkswanpres if you're still interested in it PM me. The screen is pretty well scratched up so it would need to be replaced.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, but I decided to move to Sprint, I have an HTC Evo 4G preordered.

gps probs

Hi all,
Im new to the g1 and am having a problem.
I cant get my gps to locate any satellites, I am using a rooted and unlocked g1 with no data plan and just want to use gps and not agps. I know there are satellites around as I can find them with my other cell (lg incite using just the gps and not agps). I thought it might be the rom so I flashed 3 different ones with no luck on either and Ive been searching the net and on here but cant really find any help. Does anyone have a solution?
Thanks in advance

It has taken up to 10 minutes for my phone to find satellites without the data connection to assist. How long did you wait for connection?

mdneilson said:
It has taken up to 10 minutes for my phone to find satellites without the data connection to assist. How long did you wait for connection?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
About an hour lol

mistamikel said:
About an hour lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yikes! Have you tried in a different app? I don't really think it would make a huge difference, but weirder things have happened.

Ive tried 3 different ones with no luck. Allthough I did use google sky maps but I dont know if that was using the gps or not.

mistamikel said:
Ive tried 3 different ones with no luck. Allthough I did use google sky maps but I dont know if that was using the gps or not.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What ROM are you runnning? Radio? Rooted? Can you capture a logcat (alogcat from the market makes log capturing easy)?

mdneilson said:
What ROM are you runnning? Radio? Rooted? Can you capture a logcat (alogcat from the market makes log capturing easy)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its rooted and running 2.1 but Ive flashed 4 different roms from 1.5 to 2.1 and none of them can pick up the gps signal. I will try the alogcat and post back.

I am having this problem too. Without data the G1 seems useless for GPS. Rarely it would get GPS lock. I had to put back on data and now gps lock is quick and reliable.

[Q] Problem GPS

Hey guys no one has had problems with the GPS fix?
Thanks

Nope, it's working great.
Why? Do you have a problem with it?

i tested the GPS as soon as i got it. caught my position within 15 seconds to 10 metres from its first ever try.

jusba64 said:
Hey guys no one has had problems with the GPS fix?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
don't forget to turn on your data connection at all times when using gps (locations or maps) because otherwise, you will not get a gps fix
despite HTC's thourough promotion of the Locations app with "preloaded maps", you still need a data connection to use the locations program. Utterly ridicoulous but heck, what can you do...

matthiasdeblaiser said:
don't forget to turn on your data connection at all times when using gps (locations or maps) because otherwise, you will not get a gps fix
despite HTC's thourough promotion of the Locations app with "preloaded maps", you still need a data connection to use the locations program. Utterly ridicoulous but heck, what can you do...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's not impossible to use Locations without data, it will just take longer to get a GPS fix.

matthiasdeblaiser said:
don't forget to turn on your data connection at all times when using gps (locations or maps) because otherwise, you will not get a gps fix
despite HTC's thourough promotion of the Locations app with "preloaded maps", you still need a data connection to use the locations program. Utterly ridicoulous but heck, what can you do...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll have to disagree. I only need data connection to get the AGPS data which speeds up fix. After that the Locations app works fine, even with data turned off. Have you downloaded maps to your SD card?

Well...
I am not sure if I i have a problem, but this is my situation:
Both me and my girlfriend own a DHD.
I have installed copilot on both devices and when I turn on copilot and turn on gps (but have data connection disabled), her GPS fix takes about 30 seconders - 2 minutes, and mine may take > 15 minutes.
Surely 15 minutes should not be acceptable, even with data turned of ,right??

paulus_01 said:
Well...
I am not sure if I i have a problem, but this is my situation:
Both me and my girlfriend own a DHD.
I have installed copilot on both devices and when I turn on copilot and turn on gps (but have data connection disabled), her GPS fix takes about 30 seconders - 2 minutes, and mine may take > 15 minutes.
Surely 15 minutes should not be acceptable, even with data turned of ,right??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try downloading Gps Status from the market. Use it to reset your AGPS data and download new one. See if it makes any difference.

olivierlee said:
Try downloading Gps Status from the market. Use it to reset your AGPS data and download new one. See if it makes any difference.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thx, will have a look when I am at home and let you know if it helped.
It can improve the GPS fix, even if I do not turn on the data connection thereafter?

i had a problem with the lock. i went to the market place and got a normal gps satelite info applcaition. i then waitied for about 20 minutes for it to get a fix(first time) when i then opened HTC locations it worked properly and gets a fix really fast. i guess its just the first time.
SO if you are not getting a fix, WAIT a while for the first time maybe even 30 mins and then it will be fine.

BTW, my GPS fix issue has now been solved....do not know why, but at least it fixes within 1-2 mins or so...

Sometimes it's all about waiting. GPS locating can be very dodgy since it depends on too many factors and is initially a veeeery old technology.
I heard that soon tho EU will launch their own positioning sistem (Galileo - worth 3.4 billion;] ) that's accurate to the meter and since in some way will cooperate with NAVSTAR ( the US current GPS ) will hopefully have better "reception".
Until then - we wait and rely on bloody AGPS