Develop Bugs

GPS Status on Epic?

When testing the Epic's GPS, it seems that I currently can get an actual lock that is accurate to about 50m (150 feet). I have also encountered situations where I am entirely outside of the GPS error radius. Getting a GPS lock right now is pretty rapid; locking in under 5 seconds.
However, on thing I have noted is that the phone has been unable to pass the GPS test and GPS status applications consistently. I've tested multiple ROMs both indoors and outdoors, getting similar results across the board.
How is everyone else doing with their GPS? Anyone have a permanent fix? I haven't seen anything that could be considered the answer and I suspect that the problem may be hardware. Certainly clearing the cache has not been a fix (at least not for me).

If you have the new google maps update,uninstall the updates,see if that helps...This worked for me.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App

GPS should be solid. With in 4 meters. If flashing back and forth between DI18 and DK28 via odin w/modem isn't working, I would guess its hardware.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk

ecooce said:
If you have the new google maps update,uninstall the updates,see if that helps...This worked for me.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
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I was referring to the GPS Test app. Reinstalling had no effect.
What I find strange is that reading other posts, people have had mixed effects. This suggests that either quality control was somehow very poor, or that the problem is fundamentally software.

GPS stopped working... any idea before i'll send it for RMA?

Hi all
Few days ago i realized that GPS on my Defy is not working anymore...
It cannot get fix in any location, and GPS status tells me that is actually sees few satellites - 3-7 but readings are not stable (they dissapear from time to time) and it can not get fix...
I am on Froyo - official.
Any ideas?
I just tried it out again - it got fix, but after 130 seconds..... ...normally on a cold start it used to get a fix in below 30 seconds....

Same issue here, stopped working Thu 21st or Fri 22nd. Couldn't get any fix. Restored to factory with no success. On Sun it was working, after a few days it got better, but sometimes the startup time is long, the signal fluctuates and the accuracy (with GPStest) jumps between 4.5m and 45 or even 98m)
Also the GPS indicator sometimes doesn't show up on the status bar while gps is working.
Official Froyo here as well.
Must be some conspiracy
Maybe to get us buy Defy+

Same problem, GPS was working until last week... On Motorola forum there are some other people, which GPS stopped working this month, what's going on? By "stopped working" I mean, that I can not get GPS fix ie. with data connection off or I need to wait 30 minutes until I get GPS fix. For those 30 minutes I see 10 satellites, but no fix. Before month I had GPS fix w/wout data in 30 seconds.

Also been reading about this on the Motor forums. I have not been having the issue (California). Bought mine in November US when they first became available. Official 2.2, T-Mo. Green lens, FWIW.

Same problem here. Bought it in January but around June it stopped being able to hold a lock on any satellites. It can see 10 satellites very easily, and it will lock for a few seconds, but then it drops all of the sats and starts over.
It stopped working on official Froyo, but no joy on CM7 either.

There are a number of article on the net about GPS jamming. In the US Homeland Security routinely cuts GPS and if you are a pilot you will receive an advisory. But there is this:
http://www.economist.com/node/18304246
May not be related. Also, on another pilot forum, they are blaming certain types of GPS antenna for being jammed by cell towers.

I have the same issue. It worked ok for me yesterday while driving a long distance, but lost GPS after about an hour.
I can sometimes get a good enough fix to check in on foursquare, but not often.
I'm on official tmobile us froyo and have done factory reset, but it didn't help any.
Sent from my MB525 using XDA App

tlongren said:
I have the same issue. It worked ok for me yesterday while driving a long distance, but lost GPS after about an hour.
I can sometimes get a good enough fix to check in on foursquare, but not often.
I'm on official tmobile us froyo and have done factory reset, but it didn't help any.
Sent from my MB525 using XDA App
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Where are you located?

scrannel said:
Where are you located?
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Iowa, USA. My standalone GPS device works perfectly here.
Sent from my MB525 using XDA App

My gps seem to be faulty too. In uk.
Sent from mobile.

I always read this stuff just before I buy a phone:/ So it's a wide spread issue?
Might be getting that HTC 7 pro now

tlongren said:
Iowa, USA. My standalone GPS device works perfectly here.
Sent from my MB525 using XDA App
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A link on a pilot forum tested (not sure if it was a phone or other device) a GPS drop-out the pilot was having consistently on the way to his airfield. He finally noticed that when he drove between two cell towers his GPS dropped signal. He retested this several times and with the same result.
John Deere is fighting a 40,000 cell tower development which would disrupt GPS on farm tractors which rely on GPS for movement. This is a Sprint deal with LightSquared.
Look around this site for more GPS woes: http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/GPS_Side_Issue_LightSquared_Broadband_204980-1.html

My gps actually worked today! Figured I'd try it going from hotel to water ski show, took about 2 minutes to get a gps signal. But once it did, it worked well and got us to our destination.
Nothing has changed with phone setup, so it's a bit inconsistent it would seem.
Will be trying it again in a few hours. Wish me luck.
Sent from my MB525 using XDA App

Mine (UK stock Froyo 2.2) was the same, with A-GPS and data and WiFi all switched off it was struggling to get a fix, intermittently.
All GPS Status/Monitor apps showed that it finds many satellites but no locking.
Yesterday I got this app GPSFix from the Android Market and it locked in 1 min. After that all apps and monitors lock without any problem. I need to try more to be sure it was due to the app...

That's interesting Aeron_11. I'm gonna give GPSFix a try. Here's the market link if anyone is interested in trying it:
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.androidlab.gpsfix
The reviews seem to be very good.

GPSFix doesn't do any good for me. It's the same old story. Sees lots of satellites but can't hold a lock on any of them for more than a couple of seconds.
Running CM7

Well, I did some more tests, and I think GPSFix wasn't quite as reliable as I originally thought !
Basically it is still very intermittent. Sometimes it takes 5min or more and sometimes 1min. I think it depends on many parameters:
- I would say weather is a factor, cloudy, windy etc.
- Standing next to a wall or a building - even if not tall it blocks the direct view
- Also I find if you are moving, it will be a lot harder. Stand completely still and not just stop walking but don't move the phone about too much !
- The latest I found is the direction you are holding the phone (and possibly angle) !? Experiment and you see it picks more satellites in certain angles !
All in all, I get a fix but it just takes a long time sometime. A good GPS antenna/hardware in a phone probably is much more reliable than this (my records is 9min, which to be honest puts it pass the practical use). Although this is with all the data and WiFi and other connections switched off.
The funny thing is once it locks it won't let go !? It keeps it locked and won't drop it - accuracy is so so.
By the way, the number of satellites found is not important, it's the strength of their signal (I think it might be called SNR - some monitors show the strength and you can see that until it finds 3 or 4 satellites with 25+ SNR it won't lock.)
I'm no expert, these are just my impression/experience, that's all....

Gps problems even after using gps test, status apps?

My gps sucks. I dont know why. Im stock umrooted with new 2.3.6 update. My gps can't find a damn. Thing. When i use the gps test app the light is yellow and can never find a satellite. It was great when i first got it.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using XDA App

Yes, that's just how this phone is. Reboot it and GPS will mostly work. If you don't reboot it regularly, you have little chance of GPS working.
Also, even when it does work I've found it loses the GPS signal around 5-10% of the time (whereas on the same routes, my HTC Hero never lost the signal).
Samsung is infamous for having bad GPS, and while this phone may be better than some, it's still far more flakey than other brands of phones.
Eric

GPS is suddenly EXCELLENT!

My GPS has all of sudden started working FLAWLESSLY. I have changed nothing on my phone in the last couple of weeks. While sitting sitting in my living room today, I decided to turned on my GPS as I do often in the same spot. The only difference, instead of picking up zero satellites, I picked up at least 5 and Google maps is working great.
Has anyone else noticed sudden improved GPS?? I hope this lasts...
Sent from my SPH-D710 using XDA App

I can't offer much historical performance, as I just got my Epic yesterday, but I was able to quickly get a gps lock at my house last night, and while driving today. I leave GPS on all the time.

I'm pretty sure this is due to me wearing my tin foil hat.
You're welcome.

Maybe this is a dumb question, but how do you check?

SRT300 said:
Maybe this is a dumb question, but how do you check?
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You can do this a few ways.
1) Make sure GPS is on, and go into Google Maps. See if it finds your location when you are indoors.
2) Make sure GPS is on, and download GPS test from the market. It will tell you how many satellites you are connecting to, and how strong the lock is. It also tells the accuracy of your location, in meters.

http://www.spaceweather.com/

GPS Status & Toolbox is another great free app from the market. Tells you how fast the GPS locks in seconds, number of satellites, longitude, latitude, compass bearing, etc. It will let you clear and download A-GPS data as well which one should do regularly.

tokuzumi said:
You can do this a few ways.
1) Make sure GPS is on, and go into Google Maps. See if it finds your location when you are indoors.
2) Make sure GPS is on, and download GPS test from the market. It will tell you how many satellites you are connecting to, and how strong the lock is. It also tells the accuracy of your location, in meters.
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These are the methods I use.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using XDA App

perhaps a neighbor cut down a tree which has been blocking the gps signal to your phone. haha.

Awesome!!!!
Mine says I'm at home too... Even though I'm currently at work about 10 miles away.
The GPS on this phone stinks!!!! But everything else is flawless.

I noticed a huge improvement a week or two before el29 went officially OTA. I was already running the leaked el29 modem/kernel mind you. Maybe Sammy/sprint changed something to play nice with the new release *shrugs*. Before this it would take awhile for GPS Status to lock on sats, now it usually locks in under a minute!
Sent from my SPH-D710 using XDA App

crzchn said:
http://www.spaceweather.com/
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^^this
The massive solar storm probably had a lot to do with it.

Not sure how the epic touch works, but I believe most phones do not use true GPS. The GPS module is usually assisted by the cell radio. Sprint probably improved cell coverage in your area.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk

Yes the phones do use the towers as a "rough location" while searching for satellites.

and if we have no tower signal.. we get no GPS
GPS should work.. cell signal or not. boooo A-GPS.

autoprime said:
and if we have no tower signal.. we get no GPS
GPS should work.. cell signal or not. boooo A-GPS.
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You should be able to uncheck the option to use the cell network to assist with GPS lock. I think it's under Settings, Location, or Security. It will then only use the GPS antenna to determine your location. It will probably take about a minute to get a lock, however.
I haven't tested this out, so it's all theory, but on paper, the theory should be sound.

My old Samsung phone had major gps issues but once I got a good lock and started using gps regularly it worked fine till I started trying out different roms. This phone gps seems to be working fine so far

I've never had a problem with GPS, but I live in an area with good cell coverage

Does a gps fix it exist for the siii?

I am having issues with gps connectivity and was wondering if a gps fix exists for this device that will up the satellite feed. I remember they had one for the epic. I didn't think I would have this issue on this phone as well but I am. It takes a few minutes for my gps to get a lock.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda premium

Assuming you tried GPS tuner and cleared the AGPS data then take it outside where you can see the sky and let it get a new fix?
If I remember right, there's a ## code you can go through and with your MSL code, clear all GPS stats to start it over. You'll have to dig around to find it.
Mine gets a lock in about 15 seconds to 7+ sats and is consistent all the time and quite accurate.

RealTic said:
I am having issues with gps connectivity and was wondering if a gps fix exists for this device that will up the satellite feed. I remember they had one for the epic. I didn't think I would have this issue on this phone as well but I am. It takes a few minutes for my gps to get a lock.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda premium
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The gps should be much better than on the Old Epic. The problem before was that Samsung was using Google gps coding which had some major flaws. They switched to their own proprietary coding in the same way HTC did long ago and it has strengthened the gps immensly. You may have a defective unit. Only place I don't get a lock is inside old city buildings with a lot of metal and concrete (where no one is getting locks either) or in terrible signal areas.