Database Users

Using GPS without CDMA signal

Hello:
I try use the GPS of Sprint Hero in Argentina (there are no operators that use CDMA)
and I can not find the satellite signals, what I can do?
Thanks in advance

Gps will not work without a network location first. You may be able to connect to a wifi and it work, maybe.
Sent from my HERO200 using XDA App

Try to use the GPS while connected to wi fi and have not had luck. There fix something?
danaff37 said:
Gps will not work without a network location first. You may be able to connect to a wifi and it work, maybe.
Sent from my HERO200 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

pablo2m said:
Try to use the GPS while connected to wi fi and have not had luck. There fix something?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you using a custom ROM, or just stock 2.1?

Probably nothing you can do. The gps hardware is not powerful enough to work without a network location.
Sent from my Android for Telechips TCC8900 Evaluation Board (US) using XDA App

Today i'm using CM6 but try with the original sprint rom
stayclean said:
Are you using a custom ROM, or just stock 2.1?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

my thoughts are...
GPS works.. but without data it has no reference.
Maps must be downloaded via some internet connection. Maybe a wifi can help u.
or
you can download a stand alone GPS map app. CoPilot is a good one, but cost $30.

Yeah, but the gps can't even find a lock without a recent network signal to tell it where to start looking. It's not a full on gps antenna.
Sent from my HERO200 using XDA App

I have been traveling around the world recently with my EVO and using the GPS to do so. It's GPS chip is no better than the Hero's I believe.
Things to keep in mind, without aGPS help, it can take these things up to 30 minutes to find your correct location. Usually it takes 4 strong signals to pinpoint it. Download GPS Status from the market and it will show you all of the satellites it is picking up as well as the strengths and you will know when you have a lock. It will also allow you to keep the phone awake and the gps active until it gets a fix. This is probably your main problem. If the phone is not actively using the gps, it turns off the chip and never gets a chance to get a fix.
You need to run GPS status preferably when you are connected to a wifi signal and outside with a clear shot of the sky. It can take anywhere from 10 seconds to 30 minutes depending on if you are on a wifi connection, how far away you are from the last known lock stored in the chip (GPS Status will display this for you) and also how far from the equator you are, etc. If you are very far south in argentina it can be a LOT more difficult GPS to work... I noticed my GPS had waaay more trouble up in sweden than it did down in central europe.
Also, Download mapdroyd and get the maps for the area you are in. It works pretty well for a free locally stored map app. GPS Status also allows you to add pins/labels to gps coordinates and then do a radar type guidance back to them. Between these two tools and now knowing how to connect your phone, you should never get lost again, providing your battery does not die. Luckily I brought 4 extra batteries with me!

[Q] Anyone Elses GPS Aweful?

I have never had my GPS locate me via google maps. My Phone has no issues. Anyone else have GPS issues? any tips? Hopefully a software update fixes it? I have a friend who has the same issue.
[Should have read "awful", not aweful]

Nothing wrong with my gps. Have you upgraded to the latest firmware? Downloaded the A-GPS data (you can get this by using an app called GPS status)? Switch OFF wifi after you do, then leave it to get a full signal lock (takes up to 15minutes or so with a clear view of the sky).

toddmp said:
I have never had my GPS locate me via google maps. My Phone has no issues. Anyone else have GPS issues? any tips? Hopefully a software update fixes it? I have a friend who has the same issue.
[Should have read "awful", not aweful]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Make sure you are outside with a clear view of sky when you test. It can take any GPS up to 10 minutes to acquire the ephemeris information (satellite position at a certain time) and lock up. You phone cheats this by using the cellular network to provide a general location of where your are and therefore where to look for certain satellites.

thanks so much for the info guys. I had a feeling it had something to do with no cell phone band helping out. thanks!

GPS works fine here, as other have said the closer you are to the sky/window the better.

yeah..give your TF a few minutes to lock up sat positions (if you've never done this)..
this applies to most pure gps devices..cellphones can use cellular network signal to quickly locate your position but the data isn't really from gps itself.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1088120
Hope this helps
Acid lestitious 2.0. Fugumod 2.4 800 mhz

jerrykur said:
Make sure you are outside with a clear view of sky when you test. It can take any GPS up to 10 minutes to acquire the ephemeris information (satellite position at a certain time) and lock up. You phone cheats this by using the cellular network to provide a general location of where your are and therefore where to look for certain satellites.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wonder if it does the wifi cheat like maps for android phones, where it uses the known APs to determine location? I say that because when I first fired up my transformer yesterday, after connecting to wifi, I screwed around on maps and it found me inside my house in less than 30 seconds.

toddmp said:
I have never had my GPS locate me via google maps. My Phone has no issues. Anyone else have GPS issues? any tips? Hopefully a software update fixes it? I have a friend who has the same issue.
[Should have read "awful", not aweful]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
its the reverse for me! in the same room of house i often cannot get a fix on my Optimus 2x. i use GPS Staus app. but i often get fix within 30secs. as a test i have both machines running the app next to each other and the transformer always gets regular fixes.
..... hmm just realised as i type this that i have a phone called optimus and tablet called transformer, and they both run android!!!

I get fixes with no wifi (ie: only GPS) within 30 seconds.

Quite the opposite, mine is extremely accurate. After it gets a fix on maps that little google person is standing right in my front yard in the satellite view! Better than my Droid!

Mine is almost instantaneous. Just tried it at home based on this thread and had a read in probably 5 seconds.

I have not been able to obtain a GPS lock until today when I set my location to use wireless networks. To me this is really stupid because the GPS shouldn't have to use any location settings to obtain a lock in my mind. That is if the GPS chip in the TF is a true GPS chip it should not to rely on a wifi signal to obtain a lock. If the GPS is turned on then it should lock.

I tested sygic gps navigation 11 and signal lock and quality was better than my galaxy s was pretty accurate
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using XDA Premium App

Works fine for me, apart from one minor detail. When I switch from Google Maps to another app, even for a few seconds, then the tablet has to get a lock all over again. There appears to be no way to set the GPS to keep a lock while Google Maps isn't the active program.
That, for me, makes Google Maps near-useless in a moving vehicle. Hopefully other third-party apps won't have this issue.

Google Maps is prety much useless on the Transformer for GPS navigation as a data connection is need. I have heard of people caching a route before hand but ..... Copilot Live 7 is out for android so that is one option. However if the GPS relies on a wifi signal in order to obtain a lock then it is about useless too.

toddmp said:
I have never had my GPS locate me via google maps. My Phone has no issues. Anyone else have GPS issues? any tips? Hopefully a software update fixes it? I have a friend who has the same issue.
[Should have read "awful", not aweful]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Gps works fine on mine....unlike my icons or Samsung...both returned

gps does use wifi to help gps locate, theres options to turn this off in settings, i went to pick up my dock today and couldn't get a gps lock while in the car with the transformer in my lap(gps status app showed 3 sats but none would lock) just lifting it up 12 inches closer to the windshield made 7 satellites pop up and instantly started getting locks
i think proximity to a window/line of sky is a big factor, and the transformer does have a true gps chip for those who seem to doubt it, also the navigation app keeps running in the background, its better to use that than google maps

No issues with gps here. The bastard finds me every time!

jadesse said:
However if the GPS relies on a wifi signal in order to obtain a lock then it is about useless too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It doesn't rely on WiFi for a lock, it just uses it to allow a faster connection if you don't already have current ephemeris data downloaded. That's a limitation of all GPS receivers -- it takes a fair while to download the ephemeris data if you're out of date or have travelled a significant distance, and without it the device can't get a GPS fix.
You can think of the WiFi location system as analogous to a cellphone being able to use tower locations to help position itself while waiting for GPS ephemeris data.

Why is our Focus' GPS so slow???

Why is the Focus' gps so slow? I don't know what's wrong with my focus, I mean it just takes so long to get the coordinates of my location. I even have to go to a open sky area then wait for few minutes before it can successfully get my coordinates. Its just so annoying, this is a post ipad product, how come an ipad 1 can get my coordinates even inside the room without any difficulty?
Is this a hardware issue or just a firmware fix is due?

my focus gets a very quick lock about 90% of the time, every so often it will take a mintute or so to lock, but i've had this happen with pretty much every phone i've owned, so it seems about average to good for me...
the ipad1 (unless a 3g + wifi model) uses your network to locate you, which is why it's quite fast.

We have 2 Focuses, one AT&T and one Rogers. With both I get about the same time to get a fix, and that's slightly under a minute, in my location (several tall buildings near).
With what app do you check your GPS? I recommend GPS App

It's an AT&T. My ipad is a 3G+Wifi. It gets gps coordinates via gps chip and not A-gps. Most of the time the ipad gets coordinates very fast in span of 20-25 seconds, boom you know where you are in the map.
I am using the built in MAPS software to track my location. Does the software matters? I mean if the chip is really weak, what can the software do ?

jtphl said:
It's an AT&T. My ipad is a 3G+Wifi. It gets gps coordinates via gps chip and not A-gps. Most of the time the ipad gets coordinates very fast in span of 20-25 seconds, boom you know where you are in the map.
I am using the built in MAPS software to track my location. Does the software matters? I mean if the chip is really weak, what can the software do ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sometimes it does. To give you an example why: GPS without efemerides take several minutes to get a fix. GPS with efemerides take 20s to 1 min to get a fix. Efemerides are downloaded via software.
As for the app I found it to be good enough for testing the GPS part.

I can agree with you. Sometimes while driving if I take a different route than the one the phone provided for me, it will either fail to locate where I am for a few minutes or just fail completely.
I think it's time for a small update.

Is it just a minor driver issue? I hope so , otherwise, we have to live with it or change to another device.

jtphl said:
Is it just a minor driver issue? I hope so , otherwise, we have to live with it or change to another device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Again, other people (including me) haven't experienced any issues.
In fact, it works great for me with Turn by Turn Navigation, even inside the car on the passenger seat (not near the windshield).

Try changing some GPS settings in the focus diagnosis app
Sent from my SGH-i917 using XDA Windows Phone 7 App

what are the settings in GPS I have to adjust to make it perform beyond expectations? Which specific diagnostic option I have to tweak?

Did the OP ever find a solution to this? I'm having some slow locks and the occasional non lock.
I know in the diagnostic app you can get to the GPS with*#1575# but I'm unsure of what data can possibly be changed.

I'm having the same issue on my Focus (Rogers). It never connects to sattelite and always uses aGPS. It's very annoying. I tried many different gps apps and get the same behavior - very innacurate. Garmin allways says "Can't connect to sattelite", gMaps always shows cell tower icon. My phone is unlocked using original Chevron method (not Chevron labs). I also tired to change settings in *#1575# and turn ON/OFF TLS and GLONASS but nothing helps. Should I try hard reset?

Ecstatic12 said:
I'm having the same issue on my Focus (Rogers). It never connects to sattelite and always uses aGPS. It's very annoying. I tried many different gps apps and get the same behavior - very innacurate. Garmin allways says "Can't connect to sattelite", gMaps always shows cell tower icon. My phone is unlocked using original Chevron method (not Chevron labs). I also tired to change settings in *#1575# and turn ON/OFF TLS and GLONASS but nothing helps. Should I try hard reset?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did a hard reset last night and it seems to have cleared up. I also installed this app, have to click the link in the post, searching for it didnt work.http://www.wpcentral.com/new-samsung-high-fidelity-position-enhances-gps-modifies-settings
Not sure if it's a placebo or not, but it seems to be working better.

is Focus GPS native chip or just a-gps?

Coelho_rj said:
is Focus GPS native chip or just a-gps?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Assisted GPS, which includes standard GPS in Standalone mode, so it's better than any native GPS.

after my hard reset the GPS locked much quicker for about a week, then it started acting up again.
my new solution seems to be much easier than a hard reset. Just briefly switch to airplane mode then re-enable your data and open maps up again. Been working great for me.

Faster solution that's been working for me. Turn on and off location services. My phone never locks without this, which is sorely annoying.

I had this problem on 7392 rom. After updating to mango 7720 and 8107, I get fix in 3 to 7 seconds in my room Tested with gpsinfo, it's real satellite data, not agps. I have also installed high fidelity position settings app. Don't know if it's helping.
Sent from my SGH-i917. using Board Express

GPS lock time problem

Hi,When I use my phone for finding my location without using data connectivity - without relying on A-GPS so my phone finds my location after a lot of time or sometimes google maps can't find my location.
How can I solve this?
Thanks.

After day or so it won't get fix at all. Samsung just did something wrong I'm afraid. Looks like the GPS in SG2 NEEDS data to work. I found the hard way on my trip to Japan. I know no solution.

So I cant change my gps settings?
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App

GPS in the S2 is weird. Some days it locks in seconds other times it takes forever. I never use A-GPS.
Today I couldn't get it to lock but last night it was instant. So I restored a CWM backup from last night, rebooted and it locked instantly.
I played around with MIUI for a couple of days and found lock time much better than stock or custom rom.
Also, changing server with fasterfix makes no difference when its having problems locking.
I just don't get it.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA Premium App

GPS Aids in Market. It will take a bit of time on first lock but from then it will be fast.

sxi200 said:
GPS in the S2 is weird. Some days it locks in seconds other times it takes forever. I never use A-GPS.
Today I couldn't get it to lock but last night it was instant. So I restored a CWM backup from last night, rebooted and it locked instantly.
I played around with MIUI for a couple of days and found lock time much better than stock or custom rom.
Also, changing server with fasterfix makes no difference when its having problems locking.
I just don't get it.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA Premium App
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Click to collapse
How do you 'never use AGPS' ? Btw. my problem is not time of the lock. But the fact, that without network, I don't get fix AT ALL. With network AGPS reset helps (many apps can do that). But without network GPS works only for some time (AGPS data still valid). After that you just won't get fix. It even looks like wifi connection won't help, it has to be mobile network.

It's because of crappy gps reciever or it can be improved by another rom?
Thanks
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App

It seems the problem is that GPS is in mode, where it simply relies on AGPS. In older ROMs there was app called LBSTestMode where you could change the mode to stand alone, or just AGPS based. This application is not in newer ROMs, so it cannot be switched. It clearly is just a software thing. Except it looks that there is no solution which does not involve flashing roms and/or rooting.

Dr.Sid said:
How do you 'never use AGPS' ? Btw. my problem is not time of the lock. But the fact, that without network, I don't get fix AT ALL. With network AGPS reset helps (many apps can do that). But without network GPS works only for some time (AGPS data still valid). After that you just won't get fix. It even looks like wifi connection won't help, it has to be mobile network.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I never use it. I don't tick 'use wireless networks' at all. To me that's fake GPS.
Since my last post, GPS has been perfect. Am able to lock up to 11 satellites sitting on the couch. On average it takes about 10 seconds to lock. Tested it at least 20 times today.
But who knows what will happen tomorrow!!!
Man, if you can only get a lock using wireless networks then I think your GPS might be stuffed.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA Premium App

sxi200 said:
Yeah I never use it. I don't tick 'use wireless networks' at all. To me that's fake GPS.
Since my last post, GPS has been perfect. Am able to lock up to 11 satellites sitting on the couch. On average it takes about 10 seconds to lock. Tested it at least 20 times today.
But who knows what will happen tomorrow!!!
Man, if you can only get a lock using wireless networks then I think your GPS might be stuffed.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That does not mean you don't use AGPS. AGPS is method, where data about GPS satellites are not downloaded from those satellites via GPS receiver, but rather from server via. mobile network. So I'm afraid you do use AGPS, unless you disable mobile networking (and wait about day for current data to become obsolete).

One thing I've noticed is that when I run Z-DeviceTest and bring up the GPS status display, it shows that none of the satellites have almanac data, and very rarely have ephemeris data. If that's accurate, that would suggest that if you've turned off AGPS and mobile networking, you could have some trouble.

3waygeek said:
One thing I've noticed is that when I run Z-DeviceTest and bring up the GPS status display, it shows that none of the satellites have almanac data, and very rarely have ephemeris data. If that's accurate, that would suggest that if you've turned off AGPS and mobile networking, you could have some trouble.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice find. First app I know which shows this. Now I can test if that almanac is downloading via GPS satellites or not.

Dr.Sid said:
That does not mean you don't use AGPS. AGPS is method, where data about GPS satellites are not downloaded from those satellites via GPS receiver, but rather from server via. mobile network. So I'm afraid you do use AGPS, unless you disable mobile networking (and wait about day for current data to become obsolete).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok. So does that would mean it's impossible to get a GPS lock without data enabled? Or just harder to?
Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned AGPS, but instead wireless networks which show your position even though GPS is not locked.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA Premium App

sxi200 said:
Ok. So does that would mean it's impossible to get a GPS lock without data enabled? Or just harder to?
Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned AGPS, but instead wireless networks which show your position even though GPS is not locked.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It seems it may vary with ROM, and it is possible to switch it, at least older ROMs contain service menu module (LbsTestMode) to switch it. But my SG2 seems to be unable to get a fix without network. It simply does not even try do download Almanac or Ephemerides data from the satellites.
Also for AGPS, mobile network must be used, not WiFi. As I understand it, those AGPS server names are virtual, and network provider redirects them based on location .. which is not possible via WiFi.
I wonder WHY there is such option at all. Do mobile network providers want us to be unable to get a fix without them ?

Dr.Sid said:
It seems it may vary with ROM, and it is possible to switch it, at least older ROMs contain service menu module (LbsTestMode) to switch it. But my SG2 seems to be unable to get a fix without network. It simply does not even try do download Almanac or Ephemerides data from the satellites.
Also for AGPS, mobile network must be used, not WiFi. As I understand it, those AGPS server names are virtual, and network provider redirects them based on location .. which is not possible via WiFi.
I wonder WHY there is such option at all. Do mobile network providers want us to be unable to get a fix without them ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey Dr, I think you have diagnosed my problem
Every so often I turn off data and use only wifi. One day my GPS locks in seconds then the next it takes forever.
So I have now tested it a couple of times over the last couple of days, when I can't get a lock I turn off wifi and turn on data. All of a sudden GPS locks again. Interesting!!
Hopefully that is it. Will test again the next time it won't lock.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA Premium App

Ha ! Breakthrough. I could get a fix without network ! But ..
I used newer version of 'GPS Status' app. It shows state of unconnected satellites with gray/blue/yellow based on how much data it has - none/almanac/ephemerides. So you can see if there is some progress or not.
So I disabled network (both wifi and mobile), disabled location from mobile network, left just GPS on .. run GPS status and used 'Reset AGPS'.
The connection has few 'phases':
1) you get signals from satellites .. you see it in power meter .. all are gray .. and their dots on the 'sky' view are all in the N. Sure, GPS does not know where the satellites are, and does not know where you are .. so it can't know where on the 'sky' they should show.
2) Some signals/dots turn blue. That means you have almanac data. Rough position of all satellites, which is transmitted by all satellites. That already means your GPS receiver was used to download some data from the satellites. Based on this, GPS can tell very roughly where you are, and will paint dots on the skyview.
3) Some signals/dots turn yellow. That means you successfully downloaded ephemerides data from that satellite, and it can be used in fix. Have enough of them, and you are done.
4) Some signals/dots turn green - you have fix. The error will get better over time as more satellites are used.
I took me over 5 minutes .. but thanks to this tool I could see I'm indeed receiving some data and there is some progress. Also it only worked outside, under open skies. I tried that in a car, in a bus, in a train .. after 10 minutes I did not get over phase 1. With AGPS I get fix in all such situations in few seconds.
It just looks like the data decoding module for almanac/ephemerides is not the same as for the time (which is used in fix itself). While time channel is quite sensitive and fine, data channel seems to have troubles with even slightest disturbances.
Still I'm happy I made it work in the end !
Btw. the fact that AGPS does not work over WiFi still holds.

ayosopov said:
Hi,When I use my phone for finding my location without using data connectivity - without relying on A-GPS so my phone finds my location after a lot of time or sometimes google maps can't find my location.
How can I solve this?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
try fasterfix from market

I rarely have the data connection on (just to save battery) and WiFi is only on where I know I have a known connection - thus it is off when outside.
I put on the GPS then immediately run Sygic satnav program. I will have a fix normally within 30 seconds and a worst case of about a minute (that I can remember).
I have just tried switching off and on my phone, putting on the GPS (from the Pull down menu) and run Sygic. From switching on the GPS, I had a lock in about a minute.
KI3 Stock ROM

fred_up said:
I rarely have the data connection on (just to save battery) and WiFi is only on where I know I have a known connection - thus it is off when outside.
I put on the GPS then immediately run Sygic satnav program. I will have a fix normally within 30 seconds and a worst case of about a minute (that I can remember).
I have just tried switching off and on my phone, putting on the GPS (from the Pull down menu) and run Sygic. From switching on the GPS, I had a lock in about a minute.
KI3 Stock ROM
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Could you try that with AGPS manually reset ? I recommend 'GPS Status' tool to do it, it's in 'tools' menu.

GPS lock time seems much improved in KJ4 firmware for me (i'm on orange 2.3.5)
all three DOP values in GPS Status now show figures (instead of infinity for two of them), and i'm getting reported accuracies of around 5 metres, instead of 14 - 20 metres on the older firmware.

[Q] GPS lock problem after kk

Seems to have GPS lock problems after kk update. Very difficult to get lock, and even when lock is eventually found, signal drops off easily. Anyone with this problem and have a solution for this?

koj012 said:
Seems to have GPS lock problems after kk update. Very difficult to get lock, and even when lock is eventually found, signal drops off easily. Anyone with this problem and have a solution for this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To be honest I have seen that on my 4.3, where GPS lock takes more than twice longer (sometimes 5-10 times) than on my S3 - there is another thread on that somewhere. I was hoping 4.4 to come with improved firmware on that one, but apparently not so much

i'm not on kitkat, but i have problems with gps.
however, problems occurs only when recording a track with "my tracks" from google.. as navigation apps works fine, no issue with the signal. only my tracks is giving me huge gaps between checkpoints..

I dont have gps locking problem in kitkat, but with directions while navigation, gps marker points in opposite direction.
Sent from my SM-N900 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

xclub_101 said:
To be honest I have seen that on my 4.3, where GPS lock takes more than twice longer (sometimes 5-10 times) than on my S3 - there is another thread on that somewhere. I was hoping 4.4 to come with improved firmware on that one, but apparently not so much
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have actually had the same problem, I thought it was only me. I ran stock Italy ROM 4.3, but don't see any improvement under 4.4.2 Poland. Even GPS Status app does not seem to help.

xclub_101 said:
To be honest I have seen that on my 4.3, where GPS lock takes more than twice longer (sometimes 5-10 times) than on my S3 - there is another thread on that somewhere. I was hoping 4.4 to come with improved firmware on that one, but apparently not so much
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting, my GPS lock in MapsWithMe Pro is almost instantaneous. About 5 seconds, usually. Unless I'm indoors, but you can't blame a phone for the laws of physics.
N9005 DBT 4.3 MK2/MJ7/MK2
If I use Google Maps, it will only triangulate if I turn on 'Use WiFi', 'Allow Google Location' and more of that rubbish, and even then it takes about 5 minutes to get a lock.
My advice: Stop using Google Maps.

ShadowLea said:
Interesting, my GPS lock in MapsWithMe Pro is almost instantaneous. About 5 seconds, usually. Unless I'm indoors, but you can't blame a phone for the laws of physics.
N9005 DBT 4.3 MK2/MJ7/MK2
If I use Google Maps, it will only triangulate if I turn on 'Use WiFi', 'Allow Google Location' and more of that rubbish, and even then it takes about 5 minutes to get a lock.
My advice: Stop using Google Maps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. I almost NEVER use Google Maps (OK, maybe for testing stuff) - and I can only wonder how you got that idea anyway Generally I am very happy with Sygic and I also use GPS Test for quick testing, also Accurate Compass (for very quickly calibrating the compass).
2. I have now tested MapsWithMe for like 2 days and I can guarantee you that the "instantaneous GPS lock" is COMPLETE bullsh*t - the program is only caching your last position (which generates huge problems if you move between locks), then it tries to use location data from your WiFi connection if that is active; if not it then tries to use some very basic and EXTREMELY INACCURATE positioning based on GSM cell towers (at which point the error displayed for my position was in the order of 1-2 km); during all those steps the program also fires-up the GPS - but it acquires the lock EXACTLY with the same speed (or complete lack thereof) as any other program attempting GPS lock
3. What still remains a little surprising for me is that sometimes (like well over 50% of time but NOT 100%) my GPS lock is MUCH, MUCH faster (in any program) if I have the Mobile Data connection active (which normally I rarely have); once I have the GPS lock I can then stop the Mobile Data connection and the lock remains perfectly good. EDIT: However the WiFi connection does NOT seem to make ANY difference on GPS lock whatsoever.

Isn't this basicly what AGPS should be doing. It requires a data connection to get the positioning fix faster than just using the GPS. once it gets the location it does not need the data that much. Except for google maps to download the map and navigation information, and this is why it needs a data connection all the time.
Sygic does not need a data connection for the map nor navigation. But, of course, having a data connection well get the fix faster.

y2kkingboy said:
Isn't this basicly what AGPS should be doing. It requires a data connection to get the positioning fix faster than just using the GPS. once it gets the location it does not need the data that much. Except for google maps to download the map and navigation information, and this is why it needs a data connection all the time.
Sygic does not need a data connection for the map nor navigation. But, of course, having a data connection well get the fix faster.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh, I had no surprise from the fact that aGPS can work
What I might have not mentioned above (fixed that now) was:
- a WiFi connection never improves things
- my old i9300 never needed the mobile data connection (or any kind of connection - that made basically no difference on it).
Those two seem to suggest that the Note3 "GPS driver stack" is worse than the old i9300. Also the fact that the mobile data connection does not improve things in 100% of the cases was IMHO interesting to note.

xclub_101 said:
1. I almost NEVER use Google Maps (OK, maybe for testing stuff) - and I can only wonder how you got that idea anyway Generally I am very happy with Sygic and I also use GPS Test for quick testing, also Accurate Compass (for very quickly calibrating the compass).
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Ah, miscommunication. I did not mean you used Gmaps, I meant people in general. Gmaps is a nightmare, on 50Mbps LTE it still barely loads... Even on my homenetwork of 120Mbps WiFi it takes ages to load the map itself, surely the packages are not 1GB a piece?
2. I have now tested MapsWithMe for like 2 days and I can guarantee you that the "instantaneous GPS lock" is COMPLETE bullsh*t - the program is only caching your last position (which generates huge problems if you move between locks), then it tries to use location data from your WiFi connection if that is active; if not it then tries to use some very basic and EXTREMELY INACCURATE positioning based on GSM cell towers (at which point the error displayed for my position was in the order of 1-2 km); during all those steps the program also fires-up the GPS - but it acquires the lock EXACTLY with the same speed (or complete lack thereof) as any other program attempting GPS lock
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I travel an average of 600KM a day.
Yes, MWM caches the last position. Which is hilarious from time to time, last week it thought I was still in Zurich when I was actually in Berlin. If you click the gps icon three times again, it repositions. Waiting for it to refix automatically takes ages.
I do not have WiFi on the Autobahn, (If only! ) and 70% of the journey I do not even have a mobile signal.
3. What still remains a little surprising for me is that sometimes (like well over 50% of time but NOT 100%) my GPS lock is MUCH, MUCH faster (in any program) if I have the Mobile Data connection active (which normally I rarely have); once I have the GPS lock I can then stop the Mobile Data connection and the lock remains perfectly good. EDIT: However the WiFi connection does NOT seem to make ANY difference on GPS lock whatsoever.
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Nothing suprising about that. It uses the celltowers to triangulate by sending a data package, as opposed to attempting to connect to three satelites. If the network is fast enough (UMTS and above) it is much easier to get an accurate position. GPRS doesn't work all that well, nor does having 1 bar of signal on anything but LTE.
WiFi only helps if there are active points nearby (no need to connect to them, detecting them is sufficient) and you have 'use wireless networks' enabled under Location Settings.
I just tested: WiFi and Mobile Data off, No network signal, on the Fyra (Highspeed train. Or as much as the NS can manage, anyway.) from Schiphol Airport to Breda @160kph. Got a lock with SpeedView in 15 seconds, detected 24 sats. Not instantaneous, but then you can't ask for that at such speeds.
I do have to say, on the previous firmware it took much, much longer. About 1-2 minutes. And I tried a Dutch Note 3 yesterday, it required almosylt a minute on the same firnware version.
The weather also influences the signal, clear skies vastly improve things. As does solar activity. Last October you could wait an hour and not get a lock, due to a solarstorm causing too much magnetic interference in the atmosphere. Even my GPS locator itself took almost half an hour.
Send From My Samsung Galaxy Note 3 N9005 Using Tapatalk

ShadowLea said:
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Nothing suprising about that. It uses the celltowers to triangulate by sending a data package, as opposed to attempting to connect to three satelites. If the network is fast enough (UMTS and above) it is much easier to get an accurate position. GPRS doesn't work all that well, nor does having 1 bar of signal on anything but LTE.
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Actually original aGPS doesn't quite work that way at all - here is some info from some of the guys doing some of the Linux kernel drivers for aGPS devices (I can not guarantee it is 100% accurate but fits OK with other info that I have seen):
http://wiki.openmoko.org/wiki/Hardware:AGPS
And another thing to remember when testing GPS - after a successful GPS lock it is very likely that you will have a MUCH faster 2nd GPS lock for up to about 2 hours. So any such immediate 2nd lock should be see in the above context, also the lack of it

Least this problem isn't just me. Always used to track my rides with Endomondo without a hitch but I went out for the first time since KitKat and I couldn't tell you how many times it dropped out on that 2 hour ride ... but it was alot

Xalies said:
Least this problem isn't just me. Always used to track my rides with Endomondo without a hitch but I went out for the first time since KitKat and I couldn't tell you how many times it dropped out on that 2 hour ride ... but it was alot
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Seems to be a very common problem. Read somewhere that this is a software issue and there is a fix if the phone is rooted by flashing a patch on it. But I'm not about to root my phone and lose the warranty. SAMSUNG please release an update quickly that fixes this problem.

koj012 said:
Seems to be a very common problem. Read somewhere that this is a software issue and there is a fix if the phone is rooted by flashing a patch on it. But I'm not about to root my phone and lose the warranty. SAMSUNG please release an update quickly that fixes this problem.
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I am rooted (with knox 0x0 ) and I have looked into that patch - the one that I saw only sets a different AGPS server address and has minimal or no impact - actually I have a strong feeling that there is something in the CSC that overrides it, which explains why the AGPS server only improves things for me when connected only on mobile data and not over wifi.
IMHO that seems to be mostly a firmware / software driver issue - on my old S3 it looked like there was a lot more "caching" of the "GPS almanac" and slightly more pre-calculation of the "GPS ephemeris", possibly on the application CPU on the phone (which has humongous general-computing power compared with the CPU used inside the GPS circuit, which however is highly more specialized). On the Note 3 it seems to work in a "safer" approach in which older (than like 2 hours) GPS almanac data is considered inaccurate and so is the time otherwise used to pre-calculate GPS ephemeris (which time to be honest I have seen WILDLY inaccurate on some carriers, something like 27 seconds away; and of course if the time is not carrier-set the phone time can easily be tens of minutes away ).