Poor GPS on mobile - just my phone?

Poor GPS on mobile - just my phone?

Author
Discussion

EskimoArapaho

Original Poster:

5,135 posts

134 months

Friday 23rd January 2015
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I currently have an HTC One V with CoPilot installed. Once up and running the satnav works well enough, but the problem I have is that it takes ages to get a satellite fix. By forever, it's often more than 10 minutes sitting on the car dashboard.

I don't think the CoPilot software's to blame, because (from my inexpert tests) it also takes a long time for the GPS notification icon to stop flashing if I turn the GPS widget on.

So I presume it's something to do with this phone. Is a different/newer phone likely to be better? The phone is fine in other respects.

I'm out of contract and something like a Moto G would be in budget and justifiable if it would be better for satnav.

Any thoughts?

silentbrown

8,793 posts

115 months

Friday 23rd January 2015
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Does your phone have a data connection when it's trying to get a GPS fix? It shouldn't need one, but most phones use A-GPS where they query a central server using wifi/mobile mast info to get a rough fix, which then allows the 'real' GPS fix to be obtained much faster.

I've seen problems on some phones where they will take ages trying (and failing) to contact the server even if there's no phone signal. Look at the GPS Toolkit app which may help.

ZesPak

24,421 posts

195 months

Saturday 24th January 2015
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I've had similar experiences with copilot recently!
No problems with maps, was doing my head in, thought there was something wrong with my phone.

marshalla

15,902 posts

200 months

Saturday 24th January 2015
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Do you get the same problem when it's not in the car ? (i.e outside with a clear view of the sky ? )

Some cars have coated glass which can attenuate RF signals, including those used for GPS.

jjones

4,422 posts

192 months

Saturday 24th January 2015
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Do you leave the GPS on permanently? I do on a nexus 4 and didn't notice any difference in battery usage and it is much more convenient to just leave it on as a few apps use your current location (screwfix/voucher cloud/maps) and it is always available immediately.

EskimoArapaho

Original Poster:

5,135 posts

134 months

Sunday 25th January 2015
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Thanks all. I'm going to try out some of your suggestions (with mobile data switched on - as I do normally have that turned off in case some miscreant app decides to update itself). Will also stand in car park at work (low rise site in East Anglia with lots of sky) and see if I get quicker GPS.

Rockatansky

1,698 posts

186 months

Sunday 25th January 2015
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I had similar problems with copilot on my HTC one x+ yesterday (first time I've used in ages).

I don't recall it doing this to me in the past, maybe it is a copilot issue.


ZesPak

24,421 posts

195 months

Sunday 25th January 2015
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Deffo a copilot issue I'm afraid.

PF62

3,575 posts

172 months

Sunday 25th January 2015
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EskimoArapaho said:
I do normally have that turned off in case some miscreant app decides to update itself
You can select only update on WiFi or turn off automatic updates altogether in the Google Play settings.

But back to the subject, I find using the Faster GPS app helps a lot (particularly when overseas), but you can only use that app on a rooted phone - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org....

smiffy180

6,018 posts

149 months

Monday 26th January 2015
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Have you tried in a different program i.e google maps to see if it's quicker?

Have you tried a different area/town? I do not get any GPS at all at Trafford Centre and Manchester City Centre confused

You could root the phone and download a GPS fix program (can't remember of the top of my head but the phone had to be rooted) if all else fails.

andy-xr

13,204 posts

203 months

Monday 26th January 2015
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Mine kept trying to do a download of something that stopped it doing anything over the weekend, when cancelled it just sat there not picking anything up. At the time I just used Google Maps instead, so this is a handy reminder to let it update on wireless and see if it's still dicking about