Database Users

GPS fix issue, don't exchange the tablet just yet!

There seems to be MANY factors that affect the GPS on these tablets and exchanging one for another *may seem* to get you a better unit. I bought a second a500 unit today and when I first brought up google maps, it had my fix as soon as the screen opened. Cool, this must be a better unit than my other right? Not necessarily because I believe the new unit used my wifi for the quick fix. As soon as I turned off the wifi assistance, the unit no longer gave me immediate fixes. I loaded gps status and the new unit struggled to find just 1 satellite. My other unit which I've had 2 weeks, is now suddenly a gps 'mofo' as it finds and locks position really quick, sometimes in 5 or 10 seconds (wifi assist turned off). The only thing I installed recently is gps monitor, but that's just gives you a monitoring status in the taskbar. It does state that it's turning off gps when you exit maps, which if it does may help conserve battery.
So I'm not sure why my A500 decided to suddenly work really well with GPS. When I first bought it, it was actually kind of terrible. Of course I have the 3.1 update on my unit, but the new one is still 3.01. I don't know how much of a difference that makes either. I had planned on buying an Asus unit today, but could not find the 32gb unit locally (not settling for 16gb).
My unit is stock and not rooted. I don't see a need to root it because so far it's working quite well. If only the microphone pickup was better, but I can live with talking louder at it or into the top of the unit. I have to do that with my samsung galaxy phone also.
Rob

It's funny, the very first time I used the GPS It took forever to find & lock on to sats. Now it's really fast. I'm thinking it has a " learning curve" ?
Update : Tried in the same place tonight , it only picked up 1 sat & didn't lock.

It is aGPS which means Assisted. It uses WIFI to set your location and search for satellites based on that location.

There are a number of factors which affect the GPS on this unit, as the original poster stated. I've been researching this for sometime, and found a number of things that could lead to a replacement unit working better than a current unit.
I've another thread on this subject, but I'll post the cliff notes here.
The following can affect GPS on your unit:
Obstruction (Roof, Cover)
Weather (Clouds vs Sun)
Internet Access
Nearby magnets
Compass Calibration
Your almanac server (gps.conf)
For starters, download a program called "GPS Test", not to be confused with "GPS Status and Toolbox", which you should also have for different reasons.
Plug your unit in and set it up in a spot where you know you can get a signal on other devices (phone, etc). This does not include your basement, but it also doesn't have to be outside. A woodframe house will not usually obstruct the signal enough to interfere. Use your best judgement.
Start up GPS Test and go into the settings menu. Select the option where the screen stays on all of the time. Check to see if your unit will ever pick up any satellites. If it takes more than 30 minutes and you are sure you should be picking up satellites, this indicates a problem. The first step should be diagnostic.
Leave it run overnight. If you look at it in the morning and find a multitude of satellites then your GPS receiver is working fine. This means your GPS can see the satellites, but the only way it can find them is through sheer dumb luck. It needs to be told where to look, and its having problems getting that information. The problem is likely with your compass or almanac.
If you arrive in the morning to find no satellites at all, then your GPS is likely broken (not unheard of) or you need to try again in a better location.
If you know your GPS transmitter is working, the next step is the check your compass. This is where GPS Status and Tools comes into play. The first screen you see when you open the program will be the compass. Make sure north == north. If it does not, almanac data is useless because the tablet won't know which way to look. GPS Status and Toolbox comes with a compass calibration tool. Use it. If your compass will not stay pointed north, then your compass is broken. If it works, then its time to look at your almanac.
Unless your system is rooted, there is no point in reading further. All the following steps require root access.
There are two files that you need to be concerned with. They are /etc/gps.conf and /etc/gps/gpsconfig.xml
You either need to edit them manually, replace them with pre-configured optimized versions for your region (link below), or use a program (fasterfix) to edit them for you. Results with each approach may vary.
I won't go into this step into detail since its been covered a million times on the forums already. I will provide a link:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1068416
This is the one that helped me the most, but there are others.
Best of luck. And remember: Hardware failure is a real possibility, but so is a crappy environment. Make sure there is no outside interference and you're not trying to get your location from an underground bunker and wondering why it doesn't work. A little common sense goes a long way.
Cheers,
-PW

long time lurker on this site.
I just bought an A500 and have been trying to get this GPS to work.
The first one I got had 3.01. I first tested GPS and it worked fine. Was able to get connected to the satelites no problem. Downloaded and installed 3.1 on it and now GPS doesn't work at all. Tested it with the two programs: GPS test and GPS utilities.
Stood outside on a clear day and nothing happened. Tested all the settings and still not one satellite.
After reading a lot of the threads and doing a lot of searching I exchanged it for another one.
Did the same thing. Tested it on 3.01 and it worked then installed 3.1 and it didn't work again on this second one. Went throug all the troubleshooting steps: deleted the cache, reset the gps, etc. Even left it on over night sitting at GPS Test and Google Places.
Doesn't make sense that it works on 3.01 and not on 3.1. Sounds more of a software issue than a hardware issue. But for it to work with some others with 3.1 then I may exchange it for another one again.
Wondering if it was during a certain build that other are having the same issue. Both of the ones i got were manufacturered in April. Could April just be a bad month or several months before that?

3.1 does not have any problem with GPS
Wifi assist turned off, get lock with sygic and can use the navigator.
(but)
- if you go under an express way (like I got in my country they are highway), you lost the signal very quick
HOW TO FIX ?
- buy a GPS enhancer and put in your car, that will increase the signal received and give the tablet a very big help
the poor part of the GPS tablet is the antena... the receiver is not that happy behind a metal case, and oftenly... GPS antena should be on the roof of the car, or external for better signal.
I got locked in 15s

sanaell said:
3.1 does not have any problem with GPS
Wifi assist turned off, get lock with sygic and can use the navigator.
(but)
- if you go under an express way (like I got in my country they are highway), you lost the signal very quick
HOW TO FIX ?
- buy a GPS enhancer and put in your car, that will increase the signal received and give the tablet a very big help
the poor part of the GPS tablet is the antena... the receiver is not that happy behind a metal case, and oftenly... GPS antena should be on the roof of the car, or external for better signal.
I got locked in 15s
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My guess is that Acer subcontracts out parts production for items like the GPS antenna used in the A500 and the quality of those antenna has been very inconsistent (same with the microphone). I have an A500 with a June build date and it has very good GPS pickup. It doesn't lock instantly like the Xoom does, but usually within 10-20 seconds (sometimes sooner) which is still acceptable. Surprisingly, this unit also has a fairly good microphone that picks up my voice well while holding it at any angle. It's still running 3.01 unmodified since it hasn't got the OTA yet. I previously had an A500 with an April build date (it's on the back of the box) and both the GPS and microphone performed rather poorly even with 3.1.
Rob

going to exchange this one at a different bestbuy store and see if they have a different manufacturer date. I did the exchange on Monday and hope they have a different lot.

tekageek said:
long time lurker on this site.
I just bought an A500 and have been trying to get this GPS to work.
The first one I got had 3.01. I first tested GPS and it worked fine. Was able to get connected to the satelites no problem. Downloaded and installed 3.1 on it and now GPS doesn't work at all. Tested it with the two programs: GPS test and GPS utilities.
Stood outside on a clear day and nothing happened. Tested all the settings and still not one satellite.
After reading a lot of the threads and doing a lot of searching I exchanged it for another one.
Did the same thing. Tested it on 3.01 and it worked then installed 3.1 and it didn't work again on this second one. Went throug all the troubleshooting steps: deleted the cache, reset the gps, etc. Even left it on over night sitting at GPS Test and Google Places.
Doesn't make sense that it works on 3.01 and not on 3.1. Sounds more of a software issue than a hardware issue. But for it to work with some others with 3.1 then I may exchange it for another one again.
Wondering if it was during a certain build that other are having the same issue. Both of the ones i got were manufacturered in April. Could April just be a bad month or several months before that?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The 3.1 you're installing is OTA or you are downloading it from somewhere ? My first unit failed with 3.1 with a downloaded 3.1 (it seemed to be the correct for Spain) ... I exchanged the unit, and this new one offered me OTA. It's working perfect with OTA 3.1

I did a test one day with GPS and found it to be marvelous if used properly.
Here is what I did.
1. I cleared my agps data with program GPS Status
2. Redownloaded the data and waited until I had like 6 up 11 fixes
Then I went out and waited at bus station and got a lock with Google maps and I travelled about 75 kilometers and had a perfect fix the entire time, I had about 5 satellites fixed constantly on average. And this was using stock everythings I love the GPS it works fine now.
In the 3.01 version I did the exact same test and it didn't work, everytime the train or bus started moving the signal was gone and stayed gone.
Now its fine! You just have to remember. That this is Agps not GPS A is for assisted, so you use the internet abit and download the data and you're fine! Just learn to use A-GPS!

I have tried everything, and nothing works. What a ****ty thing to screw up on a tablet. I'm trading mine in tomorrow, and if I have the same issue, I'm rooting and switching roms. This is ridiculous ..........
Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk

well well well, this one worked. I exchanged for another one.
3.01
turned it on and opened Navigator. in 10 seconds it locked into the gps. Installed gps test and saw 6 to 7 satellites, in use= 6 looked at the map and it found my location. Opened both Navigator and Places
3.1
Installed 3.1 OTA, once rebooted i opened gps test and now i see 7 satellites! Opened Navigator and worked fine. Opened Places and also worked fine. Both found my location and saw 6 to 7 satellites.
4.010.13.comgen2
wish there was a list of what this update does. installed this update and gps still works. Seeing 6 to 7 satellites. navigator and places still work.
Before i even took this tab i asked the sales guy the manufactured date. This one is from: May

GPS fix
Initially, my gps did not work that well. When I compared my gps.conf with the 2 A500's whose GPS worked very well I found that their GPS.conf contained only this
"NTP_SERVER=north-America.pool.ntp.org". I'm in US, by the way. After I rooted my A500, my GPS worked alot better. After I edited my GPS.conf the fix time was improved.
Before: outdoor : cold start and there.after
Time to fix= 5 min to infinity and 3 mins to infinity
Indoor = no GPS.
After: outdoor= 30 sec to 211 sec. and 10 sec to 90 sec
Indoor= 110 sec to 5 mins. and 29 sec to 90 sec
Hope that helps.
I'm on rooted stock 3.1.

I guess I got lucky then.
When I start mine up, it locates for the weatherbug app update feature and I've never seen it fail.
I haven't done any GPS-specific stuff with it yet, but much of the time I'm using an ad hoc connection from my phone, so it's not a wif AGPS fix.
Interesting read. Makes me want to explore the GPS feature more.

One other thing that is universal across any device using GPS, both commercial and military---your device needs to know where in the sky the satellites are. The initial gps fix will always take more time because the device doesn't have a reference fit the sats. This will also be the case the longer you go between fixes as the device will lose track of the sats over time. Aside from physical obstructions this is often the biggest contributing factor to the length of time required to get a fix.
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App

Noob question here. So this is assisted GPS. I assume it needs the WiFI to access the aGPS servers, but they aren't necessary if a) you have a confirmed working device and b) everything is calibrated properly. Is this correct.

I just don't understand the inconsistency in the GPS fix. I have a rooted A500, with 4.010.13_COM_GEN2, manufactured in April. For some reason, I cannot get a consistent, day-to-day lock on position. I have installed and used successfully in the past:
Fasterfix
GPSFix
GPS Test
GPS Status
I have edited the gps.conf file manually to use, separately, both north-america.pool.ntp.org as well as us.pool.ntp.org;
I have used the "manage A-GPS status" to reset the status as well as downloading the assist data in GPS Status;
After several unsuccessful attempts last night, I was able to gain a GPS lock from my living room in about 20-30 seconds. Today, in the clear open air I could not obtain more than a partial lock on more than 3-4 satellites at a time, and only once obtained a fix, and then for only 20 minutes while stationary. I am now in the exact same position as I was last night, and cannot find a single *blinking* satellite.
While traveling home on the Interstate, I could see more than two satellites at a time and never got a lock on position. In contrast, my Droid (2.3.3) obtained a lock in about 5 seconds with GPS Status. Using a Bluetooth GPS unit and a Bluetooth Mouse GPS, I obtained a position lock in 2 seconds on the A500.
So what gives here? Is it a hardware problem? Why does it work so well one day and then not at all the next, with all other things being equal? It does not seem to be a software issue or sky visibility issue.
UPDATE, 8/9/11: I noticed that in the current configuration as described above, the only satellites that could be seen were those on a bearing of 000, and largely on the horizon. When a different satellite was seen, it would only appear in the northern two quadrants. I restored a back-up from two days ago, and uninstalled FasterFix but manually edited the gps.conf file to us.pool.ntp.org. The GPS fix was improved - not lightning fast, but at least 4 satellites were seen relatively quickly, without particular preference for hemisphere. Position fix still takes a few minutes - two to five minutes or so. Still working on consistency, but may switch to a custom ROM.
UPDATE, 8/11/11: This thing is driving me nuts - no clear consistency on when the GPS works or not. Tried two custom ROMs, same lack of consistent lock. Back to square 1. Droid-1 picks up 10 sats (w/o network checked), A500 only 4. Got a lock away from home this morning, cannot get one at home tonight. Taking it in for exchange tomorrow. Since the first sat it does see is always at 000 and at the horizon, I am wondering if the internal referencing for the GPS unit within the A500 is somehow not set up to handle the assist data format properly. Sort of like it is reading the data, but things are off a space or two. Thus, the GPS unit seems to look, but is looking in the wrong direction. Comments?

[Q] Poor GPS Connection

Hi,
I bought my Nexus 7 about a month ago. It works perfectly apart from the GPS. It can get a signal fast enough when I'm outside, but if I'm in my car it will get the signal will stationary, but once I start to move it loses connection and I have to come to a stop for a while to regain signal.
I downloaded the GPS Status app and looking at the number of satellites I have about 8/8, once I start moving it drops to 0/2 sometimes 0/0.
Should I take this back under warranty?
Thanks
Nick

I dont have this problem. Try latest update 4.2.2 and see if there is still problem. Also download FasterGPS (if you are rooted) and select your country. If not just replace it with new one.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

I have already updated it. And it not rooted, guess I'll take it back.
Thanks for your help

Nick.falconer said:
Hi,
I bought my Nexus 7 about a month ago. It works perfectly apart from the GPS. It can get a signal fast enough when I'm outside, but if I'm in my car it will get the signal will stationary, but once I start to move it loses connection and I have to come to a stop for a while to regain signal.
I downloaded the GPS Status app and looking at the number of satellites I have about 8/8, once I start moving it drops to 0/2 sometimes 0/0.
Should I take this back under warranty?
Thanks
Nick
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sort of depends - on a number of things
- # of satellites above the horizon
- clear Brillioun zone (no trees etc)
- sitting inside of heavy buildings or metallic enclosures (like autos)
Metallic cabs on vehicles have a way of making signals that are already at -155 dB in free space that much more wonky once you climb inside them. But if you have other consumer/commodity GPS units (e.g. a smartphone) that can maintain a good lock very well in the same vehicle, then perhaps it could be a hardware problem.
All these phones - Android / Apple / whatever - seem to come out of the chute with widely varying reception sensitivity floor (btw, there is no "connection", the GPS chip only listens). The original Samsung Galaxy was pitiful - it could barely maintain a lock with a clear sky and an unobstructed horizon - sitting side by side with other phones that worked perfectly. Never mind getting in a vehicle and moving - a lock condition was nearly impossible in that case.
The origins of the problem can be a poor gps reciever front-end, or more likely antenna design - possibly even interference from the tab itself (in the form of IF mixer spurs that land in the GPS band). Hmmm interesting - Asus is not exactly a cellphone design company - if your unit is a tilapia (3G) N7, does the problem change if you put it in Airplane Mode?
If it affects only a single unit, look for a loose connector for the external GPS antenna. There is a thread here on XDA in the N7 forums somewhere - search for that.
I took mine out for a drive with a different Android device right now - no speeds in excess of 30 mph, but they both seemed to hold lock with roughly the same error estimates. Unfortunately for the test, there were 10 satellites up, so maybe that test means nothing for when there are only 5 or 6 visible.
I doubt I'll be using my GPS much in a vehicle as it is WiFi-only (I suppose I could tether, but none of that seems like something I should be doing while I am driving It seems to lock pretty easily indoors, but that is not the problem you are experiencing.
(I vaguely recall that some of those Galaxy S users were trying to tweak GSP configuration files so that their devices would accept poorer lock conditions. I'm not sure if something equivalent is easy to do for the N7)
hope that helps - it's not a fix for you but at least a little more info.

I just tried it again outside alongside my nexus 4. My nexus 7 (which is 32gb without 3g) would only find at most 5 satellites and even then it would keep losing lock. My nexus 4 on the other hand would find about 17 satellites and have a lock on at least 9 of them. I then moved inside and my nexus 4 maintained a lock on most of the satellites whereas the nexus 7 lost all.
I think it is faulty in some way.
Thanks for your help

4.4.2 GPS bug

Hi All,
I've got ongoing GPS problems with my Note 3 on 4.4.2 (various stock versions and CM11):
The GPS works fine for most of the day but EVERY day between (roughly) 15:00 and 19:00 Sydney time (worst between 16:00 and 18:00) it constantly loses the GPS signal......again and again and again with two three minutes in between. Then, in the evening, it works just fine again.
Initially I thought this was a hardware fault but I have since seen two other Note 3 on 4.4.2 doing exactly the same thing. It's only at those times, surely this is some sort of software bug.
I have attached some screenshots that show this in the 'GPS Test' app.
Basically I have a full signal, then all the satellites below 60 or so disappear then they're all gone and GPS starts from scratch. After 19:00 everything is back to normal.
Anyone else in Sydney on 4.4.2 who could give this a try at those times. You'll need an app like GPS test to see this.
Obviously I can't take this to Samsung Australia as they'll just pin it on the non-Australian ROM. Hopefully they'll have 4.4.2 by the time the Note 4 is released
I've bought Ultra GPS logging to run a continuous log over the next few days which I'll attach once it's done.
TIA

If it's consistent every day at the same time, it's more likely to be an external issue. Looks to me like they're all out of range at that time.
GPS satelites have their own orbit, they are not in a fixed position overhead. There are quite a significant few areas on the planet where at fixed times there is no signal whatsoever.

ShadowLea said:
If it's consistent every day at the same time, it's more likely to be an external issue. Looks to me like they're all out of range at that time.
GPS satelites have their own orbit, they are not in a fixed position overhead. There are quite a significant few areas on the planet where at fixed times there is no signal whatsoever.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks but they are definitely not out of range.These screenshots were taken while the phone was pretty much stationary, with clear view of the sky. The signal isn't going to get much better on a Note 3. When I first noticed I was in the car and supected something related but this has been going on for a few weeks now and the only thing consistent is the time of day. This happens everywhere: In the car, at home, in the park...wherever.
I'll try to disable the mobile network time sync. Who knows, maybe that makes a difference. Of course I'll only know after 17:00 tomorrow

ewok666 said:
Thanks but they are definitely not out of range.These screenshots were taken while the phone was pretty much stationary, with clear view of the sky. The signal isn't going to get much better on a Note 3. When I first noticed I was in the car and supected something related but this has been going on for a few weeks now and the only thing consistent is the time of day. This happens everywhere: In the car, at home, in the park...wherever.
I'll try to disable the mobile network time sync. Who knows, maybe that makes a difference. Of course I'll only know after 17:00 tomorrow
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mate, there is a possibility the satellites are out of range, has no relation to how clear the sky is. If the satellite is over another part of Oz, or the world, you aren't going to get a signal from it.... No GPS satellite signal = No GPS...
The pictures you display show this - in top left corner, how many satellites in view (you need a minimum of 3 with decent signal to triangulate your position)... And remember, around high rise buildings the signal isn't so accurate due to reflection off buildings...
Disabling network time sync will make it harder to find the satellites as the Note 3 downloads the satellite position for a faster lock...

Same problem here.
Hi.
I have almost the same problem, so I installed "GPS Status" from the Play Store.

ultramag69 said:
Mate, there is a possibility the satellites are out of range, has no relation to how clear the sky is. If the satellite is over another part of Oz, or the world, you aren't going to get a signal from it.... No GPS satellite signal = No GPS...
The pictures you display show this - in top left corner, how many satellites in view (you need a minimum of 3 with decent signal to triangulate your position)... And remember, around high rise buildings the signal isn't so accurate due to reflection off buildings...
Disabling network time sync will make it harder to find the satellites as the Note 3 downloads the satellite position for a faster lock...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The satellites were not out of sight. A Note 10.1 2014 next to the two Note 3 had no such problem when stationary on a table outside.
Besides, how would ALL satellites disappear from view at the same time without going inside or driving into a tunnel?

oabareload said:
Hi.
I have almost the same problem, so I installed "GPS Status" from the Play Store.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, I looked at that too. How does that fix the problem?

ewok666 said:
Thanks, I looked at that too. How does that fix the problem?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Reset the connection to the Satellite

oabareload said:
Reset the connection to the Satellite
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It seems that is what's already happening. It's just hard to navigate when the connection is constantly being reset.

ewok666 said:
The satellites were not out of sight. A Note 10.1 2014 next to the two Note 3 had no such problem when stationary on a table outside.
Besides, how would ALL satellites disappear from view at the same time without going inside or driving into a tunnel?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ALIENS.....
Really odd....

ultramag69 said:
Disabling network time sync will make it harder to find the satellites as the Note 3 downloads the satellite position for a faster lock...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've only disabled the time sync, not the data connection. That said, made no real difference, could have been a bit better but most likely I'm just imagining that I still had some dropouts this afternoon where I should have had none. This morning everything was perfect as usual.

I've gone through two new Note 3 with GPS issues now. It just turn itself on/off whenever. Not all day is the same and some days you cannot get a constant GPS signal at all. The only solution I've found is to reset the GPS but on really bad days the GPS doesn't even last 1min. It's really bad. I've taken it to the ATT store and spoken with techs online and no one has an answer for this. I'm thinking of switching back to my Note 2 or trying for a 4rd Note 3 replacement if they allow it.
I have minimal apps on my phone so there's nothing else running in the background except for the normal services. Many believe it may be other apps but this isn't the case with me. It's very annoying and more so because I am new to this area and gotten lost several times because the GPS misreports on Google Maps.
If anyone has a good solution besides resetting please let me know. Thanks.
---------- Post added at 11:58 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:23 AM ----------
Alright, on the phone with ATT and it appears Samsung has now acknowledged that some phones do have a faulty GPS. The note did not state whether it was a hardware or software issue but it does state they they have no fix for it. The rep was even surprise to see the note from Samsung. ATT will refuse to replace the phone because it is Samsungs fault. I feel like I've been scammed. This is my 3rd Note3 with the same GPS issue. Actually, now that the phone just updated (this morning) the GPS can't even connect. Utter ridiculous. So pissed.

I've been keeping and eye on mine after updating to ND5. Yesterday was fine even after 16:00 HOWEVER, I found that it's now playing up earlier in the day. Today I lost signal at least ten times in 30 minutes while driving between 14:00 and 14:30......It would be nice if Samsung did something about this but when did they every :-|

You know about GPS jammers ?
Some commercial drivers make use of a GPS Jammer to prevent all the stuff in the cab from correctly recording how many miles they travel. The law states that they have to take a break every so many miles. If the equipment cannot record the GPS mileage, then the law cannot be enforced. So they jam the signal.
Just a possibility to consider. Maybe you can go somewhere isolated and test it at the usual times and see if it works when you can be pretty certain that no jammers are near.

Bulbous said:
You know about GPS jammers ?
Some commercial drivers make use of a GPS Jammer to prevent all the stuff in the cab from correctly recording how many miles they travel. The law states that they have to take a break every so many miles. If the equipment cannot record the GPS mileage, then the law cannot be enforced. So they jam the signal.
Just a possibility to consider. Maybe you can go somewhere isolated and test it at the usual times and see if it works when you can be pretty certain that no jammers are near.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, but this happens regardless of location, including a soccer field, our street, out home, my car an ALL sorts of roads. I'm sure there is some bug in either the software or the chip itself. Needless to say Samsung would not recognize either even if that was the case.

Hey mate, sorry for reviving an older thread, but I can pretty much confirm the issue is not just you, because I'm having the exact same problem.
I got impatient waiting for Samsung to push 4.4 to Australia, so I forced a 4.4 stock firmware using Odin. Ever since I've had problems with GPS dropping out. Lions like it's an issue with the Note 3 and 4.4, because my Galaxy S4 on 4.4 is perfect.
I thought I could roll back to 4.3, but turns out that's not paddle. Looks like we might be stuck with this issue until Samsung push the update here legit. I'm a field service technician, and it kinds sucks when you have to rely on GPS to get around and it doesn't work properly.

But is not australia upside down?

GPS not working on SM-N910F. Show much "In view" satellites, but 0 "In use"

GPS not working on SM-N910F. Show much "In view" satellites, but 0 "In use"
Have problem with GPS. It never can find satellites, even under clear sky. "GPS Test" application always show many "In view" sattelites and zero "In use" satellites.
Changing android version (even CM) doesnt help.
Anyone help! How to fix this problem?

AlexN said:
Have problem with GPS. It never can find satellites, even under clear sky. "GPS Test" application always show many "In view" sattelites and zero "In use" satellites.
Changing android version (even CM) doesnt help.
Anyone help! How to fix this problem?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same issue here, I'm starting to think hardware issue, did you find a fix?

I had the same problem and I tried everything, different ROMs, different programs, to no avail.
It probably is a hardware issue. The GPS connectors inside the phone do not make contact with the GPS antenna on the backplate. Open the phone and raise the connectors a little, very gently, so you don't break them. Before closing it, put a tiny paper under the connectors, so it won't happen again. It's not very easy, but not too hard either.

Thanks
I ordered a phone repair kit (small screw driver etc) yesterday as I suspected the same. I'm going to open her up when it arrives, I'll let you know what I find.
Cheers for the reply
R

Took mine apart, extended all the pins I could see bilut same issue. Where exactly are the GPS pins and antenna? All I could find online was stuff for the note 3.
Cheers
R

rickoneeleven said:
Took mine apart, extended all the pins I could see bilut same issue. Where exactly are the GPS pins and antenna? All I could find online was stuff for the note 3.
Cheers
R
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To the right, as you see the device from the back. It's the two tiny pins on the up-right corner.

Cheers
I'll take another peek tonight

Just opened it up again, give them a good extend but the issue remains. I think I'm a special case though, I got mine from Hong Kong (sent to UK) and then through a custom ROM Modem/Bootloader on without testing anything - idiot. So after further reading I think my issue may be related to CSC stuff, although I'm not sure exactly what that means yet - I'll keep reading.
Cheers for prompt reply.
R

Hello, I had the same issue when running android 5.1
It was after waiting a long time to get some good gps lock. Assuming it was an hardware problem I also checked out the 'pin' issue.
But amazingly, when flashing a android 4.4.4 rom, the gps is now awesome!
It now has almost instant lock everytime and I use it all the time for tracking my running and cycling. So I noticed the difference quickly between android 4 and 5 with the gps. It's like there's a big software bug in the 5 version.

Thanks choko, the one good thing I did before the flash was take a picture of all the info in "about phone" and a full backup including efs etc, so one of my steps when I have more time is a full roll back to stock (4.4.4).
Just need to locate the stock bootloader and modem for my "special" Hong Kong device.
Cheers all
R

I couldn't get a GPS connection on my Note 3 and was about to take it apart when I came across GPS Status Test and Fix I ran it and then everything was sorted! I've just bought a Note 4 and thankfully the GPS worked first time (I'm on MM now)

Thanks wold
I tried that and clicked the buttons at the bottom and it just varied between 0/19 and 0/24, not sure if that means my phone is "seeing" the sats but just not locking or what.
Feel so close to a fix yet so far away as I've tried everything apart from a CSC reset thing I read elsewhere. But that formats your phone so waiting for when I have more time.
Cheers all
R

Okay all - tried flashing back to my original backup from when it was new but it got stuck in reboot loop. I found the exact firmware online that came with my phone, flash it including modem etc and the phone booted as new, no warning sign it had been rooted or any recovery's installed. Even got offered some security updates once I'd logged in. Even after all that and comparing my ABOUT PHONE info to my original screenshot and confirming they all matched exact, I still have the same problem.
Some times when it's broke, I guess it's just damn broke!
Good luck with your journey's my friends, may the odds be forever in your favor.

This solution is the one that finally fixed the GPS on my Note 4 (currently on Android 5.1.1).
I had tried all the other options I could find on the internet (clearing cache, removing SD card, removing/reinserting SIM, calibrating compass, changing location modes, clearing AGPS data, etc., etc., etc.). None of them helped. Powering down, removing the back, then removing all the screws (about a dozen I think), then twisting the case gently several times in a "hand wringing" motion, followed by pushing firmly around the back to reseat anything that may have come loose inside (I did get a satisfying click of something snapping back together around the camera area), and then reassembling everything finally fixed the problem.
I now get a GPS fix in 3-4 seconds while inside on the main floor of a two story home. I get a signal-to-noise ratio that ranges between 15 and 30 and typically get a fix on around 10 satellites now (while indoors). Outdoors the performance is outstanding; the SNR is even better and the time to fix is nearly instantaneous. Before the fix I was lucky if it even got a fix on 3 or 4 satellites and it would often take several minutes, if ever.
I use GPS Test by Chartcross Limited to confirm satellite signal-to-noise ratio and time to first fix. I used to use GPS Status & Toolbox, but I prefer the GPS Test GUI and it has many of the same functions (including clearing and updating AGPS data). Incidentally, before the fix if I cleared the AGPS data I was lucky if I ever got a fix indoors; usually I had to go outdoors and wait many minutes to get the first fix. Now, I will get a fix while inside within 15 seconds after clearing AGPS data.
My Note 4 is like new again. And, as an added bonus, my battery life seems to have improved immensely. I suspect that the poor satellite reception made the GPS run nearly full time trying to get a fix. Now it seems to have dramatically reduced the battery drain required to run the GPS. I suspect that many of the reports of poor battery life are actually Note 4's that have poor GPS satellite reception problems.

AlexN said:
Have problem with GPS. It never can find satellites, even under clear sky. "GPS Test" application always show many "In view" satellite and zero "In use" satellites.
Changing android version (even CM) doesn't help.
Anyone help! How to fix this problem?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had the same problem it shows many in view 20 OR 26 but doesn't fix to any of them. SM-N10F
1-Opened my phone clean all the points pins No avail.
2-Forced Stop the location services then In view 0 in use 0 (google play services and google play-store)
3-Changed online found GPS drivers gps.default.so etc..... Goes to boot loop.
4. Still waiting for solution.
Test Apps ---- GPS STATUS AND TOOLBOX PRO GPS TEST AND FIX FASTER GPS
PUT MY IMEI TO IMEI INFO AND IT SAYS THAT ITS SM-N910C OR SM-N9108V MODEL PHONE.. STRANGE I DONT THINK SAMSUNG KNOX WILL LET OTHER MODEL FIRMWARE BE INSTALLED ON THIS HARDWARE. PLZ CHECK YOURS AND REPORT.
AND DONT SAY ITS A HARDWARE PROBLEM IF IT IS THE GPS IS INTEGRATED IN QUALCOMM SOC SO IT SHOULD BURN ALSO.

GPS fix

My phone takes a lot of time getting a GPS fix, sometimes it doesn't succeed after minutes of waiting. I compared it to some Samsung phones, those connect within seconds...
The connection seems stable after getting a fix, but getting a fix is very hard for this phone...
Is anyone else experiencing this?

You're not the only one, mine's also broken. Looking around at the official Moto forums, it seems like this is a fairly common issue with the G4 Play.
So far stock was broken, CM 14.1 has been no better. If I use GPS Status & Toolbox it will eventually get a lock and maybe the accuracy will get down to +/-30m, but if any other app that calls for location (Google Maps, Pokemon Go, etc), if the GPS is turned on at all, it will almost never lock unless switch to GPS Status, but once it gets a lock, the accuracy will keep dropping till its greater than +/-300-400m before losing the lock and eventually the phone just shuts down GPS and stops trying. Literally not location or app settings make any difference, neither does factory reset.
I've had 2 G4 Plays so far. The first was the Amazon Prime version, it had no location issues at all and was totally rock solid, but boot loader could not be unlocked, so I sold it to a friend for his kids to use for Pokemon Go since it was a great device for that. This second one may as well not have came with GPS.
Edit: I've returned to stock and zero difference. I'm not messing with this anymore, 2.5 weeks was long enough trying to fix it, I'm replacing it through Amazon.

I was heaving issues too, changed my SIM to the second slot and it's quite better now. I even play PoGo.
Sent from my Moto G Play using XDA-Developers Legacy app

The problem is actually quite simple: The G4 Play cannot connect to Russian satellites (GLONASS). Under GPS Status and a few other apps, they are perma-greyed out. All of my LG phones connect to them just fine. What kills me is that the feature is listed under Motorola's website, and the phone knows they are there (even on CM14.1), but it simply refuses to use them.

I'm not sure of this. I used MapFactor and GPS Status & Toolbox, and the IDs of the satellites are also in the GLONASS range (https://github.com/mvglasow/satstat/wiki/NMEA-IDs). Do you have a US only version of G4 Play? I have the international version.

nick_white said:
I'm not sure of this. I used MapFactor and GPS Status & Toolbox, and the IDs of the satellites are also in the GLONASS range. Do you have a US only version of G4 Play? I have the international version.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can confirm my 1607 is US Retail. I tested multiple GPS apps (including GPS-S&T) and while I got signal from GLONASS satellites, it straight up refused to connect to a single one, even if the satellite had better signal than a comparable US satellite. I don't know if it's possible to flash a new modem for this model yet.

Try this app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.android.gpstest
It gave me the best fix than all the others. I don't know what this guy do but it connects to more satellites and gets a fix faster.

I also have a Moto G4 Play mobile with the same problem.
You won't believe that touching to the gps device on the back side of the phone solved the problem to some extent. I go for running every morning and I use Runkeeper to track my moves. So how much distance I cover in a day is much important for me and thus gps accuracy also. But my location is tracked like a heart rate monitor of a hospital. But one day I was experimenting with my phone and found that if I remove the back cover of the phone and touch to the part where it was written Harpia GPS S01, the signal of the gps boosted and the radius of the blue circle became shorter to about 4-8 metres that means I was getting more accuracy than before. So from that day whenever I go to run, I remove the back cover and put a finger on the gps set and the problem somewhat solved. But this was only a part of the story. My father owns a Micromax Unite 3 mobile and he also used to run daily. What to say about the latter, it gives an accuracy of unbelievable 1 metre. On the latter, the runkeeper even tracks the change of lane or the side of the road. I am just jealous of the phone even though it costs 4000 rs less than mine.

ashishwebmail said:
You won't believe that touching to the gps device on the back side of the phone solved the problem to some extent. I go for running every morning and I use Runkeeper to track my moves. So how much distance I cover in a day is much important for me and thus gps accuracy also. But my location is tracked like a heart rate monitor of a hospital. But one day I was experimenting with my phone and found that if I remove the back cover of the phone and touch to the part where it was written Harpia GPS S01, the signal of the gps boosted and the radius of the blue circle became shorter to about 4-8 metres that means I was getting more accuracy than before. So from that day whenever I go to run, I remove the back cover and put a finger on the gps set and the problem somewhat solved. But this was only a part of the story. My father owns a Micromax Unite 3 mobile and he also used to run daily. What to say about the latter, it gives an accuracy of unbelievable 1 metre. On the latter, the runkeeper even tracks the change of lane or the side of the road. I am just jealous of the phone even though it costs 4000 rs less than mine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds like connector failed. Someone on the Lenovo forum had theirs repaired by moto and the antenna connector was what they fixed. Betting mine (and yours) are that. I replaced mine through Amazon, so far the replacement device has been working.
I'm wondering if it's a bad design on the antenna or just manufacturing defect and bad QA on some units.

Kadah said:
Sounds like connector failed. Someone on the Lenovo forum had theirs repaired by moto and the antenna connector was what they fixed. Betting mine (and yours) are that. I replaced mine through Amazon, so far the replacement device has been working.
I'm wondering if it's a bad design on the antenna or just manufacturing defect and bad QA on some units.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dumb question, but if the connection is exposed upon removal of the cover, isn't it possible to tear into and reconnect/solder without taking it to a manufacturer? I mean, what I see are two screws to the right of the headphone jack, a plastic cover that says "Harpia GPS S01," and what looks like some kind of antenna watermark.

mkollersms said:
The problem is actually quite simple: The G4 Play cannot connect to Russian satellites (GLONASS). Under GPS Status and a few other apps, they are perma-greyed out. All of my LG phones connect to them just fine. What kills me is that the feature is listed under Motorola's website, and the phone knows they are there (even on CM14.1), but it simply refuses to use them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting. I've just checked mine (European XT1602) and it does that, too - the GLONASS satellites are showing up, but are not being used.

When I was in stock rom after some time the gps stopped working well, don't know why. Now with Aox 14.1 is working fine, I don't understand the satellites but the accuracy is pretty good

ronaldotalison said:
When I was in stock rom after some time the gps stopped working well, don't know why. Now with Aox 14.1 is working fine, I don't understand the satellites but the accuracy is pretty good
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not seeing any active Russians on that image. Your phone might still be having the same problem as everyone else.

I've bought a xt1602 yesterday. The GPS is excellent. I get a fix in few seconds with solid signals, but without glonass.

Update on the current replacement G4 Play: GPS is starting to fail on it as well. I've hardly even used it, maybe only a dozen times in the last several weeks. So far that's 3 of 3 that are defective. I think I'm going to return this one to Amazon too, not sure I want to try a 4th.

mkollersms said:
Not seeing any active Russians on that image. Your phone might still be having the same problem as everyone else.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see russian satellites on his picture. How do you know that they were not active?

sevenRA1 said:
I see russian satellites on his picture. How do you know that they were not active?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because the three that I see are missing values under the "Flags" column. That hints at the aGPS data being there but that the phone might not have interfaced with them. The UI says 12 of 22 sats are connected. Of the 13 US shown, 12 have all fields with information and the thirteenth is missing info in one column. Granted, all of this is conjecture.

I think u are right. Ive tested it today by myself. But ive to say that this mobile phone has got a VERY fast GPS fix, atleast where i live. (Germany)

I also have bad GPS, thing I've tried:
Reset to factory settings
Safe boot
GPS Toolbox
I will now try putting the sim card in the second slot, like suggested here on the forum. Keep you posted!

Unfortunately putting the SIM card in the second slot did not better the situation. Back to the shop...