Nowadays, it’s probably impossible to find a device without a built-in GPS module. With the development of civilization, we, as “humans,” are shifting more and more responsibilities to robots, in particular to green ones. Now it is no longer necessary to look for moss on a tree (which, moreover, is always growing on all sides) or to easily find the polar star in the night sky; it is enough to launch a navigation application on your smartphone. However, GPS not only helps you get out of the forest, it is quite in demand every day: starting from the same navigation, but around the city, and ending with geo-tags in photographs. However, it happens that the module does not work properly. This may be due to problems in the hardware, then only the service can help the user, or maybe with the system settings, in which case you should read the following few tips.
Wipe the windshield, tap the wheel
Let's start with, perhaps, the most “significant” tips. What will any technical support advise, regardless of what device the user is having problems with? Absolutely right, “Have you tried turning it off and on?” To paraphrase this life hack, first of all, you should make sure that GPS is turned on: Settings \ Location \ Use GPS.
Test run
To eliminate the possibility of the GPS receiver itself losing its functionality, you should use one of the special applications, for example GPS Essentials. Click on the satellite icon and the application will clearly show you where and how many satellites your smartphone is observing and which of them it is communicating with at the moment.
If the app shows that you are out of range of any satellite, try leaving the building or at least going to a window. Often, Soviet “anti-missile” houses block not only the GPS signal, but also the cellular network.
Sometimes the device can lock onto certain satellites even when they are out of sight, resulting in a weak or no signal.
To solve this problem, you might want to try resetting all GPS data on your device and starting from scratch. The GPS Status & ToolBox application helps with this. To do this, press the “menu” key in the application, select “Tools”, “manage A-GPS states”, and then press “reset”. Then click “download” there.
One possible problem that can affect the accuracy of your location is an incorrectly calibrated compass. In this case, the device receives incorrect orientation information, which causes problems when using navigation applications.
You can calibrate the compass properly in the same GPS Essentials. To do this, launch the application, click on the compass icon, and then follow these steps:
- choose a smooth surface away from electrical appliances to avoid the influence of electromagnetic fields, and place the smartphone on it with the screen facing up
- Slowly and smoothly rotate the device 3 full circles around each of its axes. The direction of rotation does not matter.
The process is clearly demonstrated in this video:
Nothing helps
Some smartphone firmwares themselves are not very good at working with GPS, so flashing the firmware can sometimes solve this problem. But this solution is not for everyone, but rather for a passionate user, because in this case you will have to read a lot of specific discussions, most likely not in your native language, in order to choose the optimal solution for yourself. For everyone else, it might be time to simply upgrade your device.
Does your smartphone replace a GPS navigator? Or cutlets separately, flies separately?
Car owners often complain that the navigator does not see satellites. The reasons for such a deviation can be very diverse, for example, a violation of the device’s firmware or physical damage that resulted in partial failure of the device. When using Navitel software, users often encounter firmware failures. You can reboot yourself.
Among the list of the most common reasons why a device may not see a satellite are the following factors:
- incorrect operation of the navigation almanac;
- device firmware violations;
- serious damage leading to failure of the gadget.
Problems in connecting the device to the satellite may also arise due to the presence of pronounced structural features of some vehicle windshields. In this case, you need to try to establish a connection outside the machine.
Almanac failure
The functioning of the device implies its correct functioning in 3 modes:
- cold start;
- warm start;
- hot start.
In cold start mode, the device does not have up-to-date data about its own location. This is why connection may take quite some time.
A cold start for Navitel devices can take up to 15 minutes. During this time, the gadget receives updated data for the almanac, information from satellites about the boundaries of the orbit.
When using warm and hot start, the internal memory of the device contains current information about the almanac.
Important! The period of correct display of the almanac is no more than 3 months; after this time, all data must be updated.
A long shutdown of the device can result in a failure of the almanac; to restore the basic functions of the gadget, a boot using a cold start is often sufficient. Prolonged shutdown of the gadget may result in failure of the device. In such cases, reinstalling the latest software helps correct the situation.
The device does not pick up satellites due to a firmware failure
What to do if the navigator does not pick up satellites? Quite often, such problems arise against the background of malfunctions of working software.
Important! There are many reasons why Navitel software malfunctions. The most common is long-term use.
To restore the device's full functionality, a flashing will be required. You can perform the manipulation yourself or contact a service center for help. You can easily replace Navitel software yourself by downloading the current version.
Maps of current versions will allow you to use new functionality that is often not available for outdated firmware versions.
Failure of the receiving antenna
If the navigator stops finding satellites, the reason may lie in the failure of the antenna receiving the signal. In order to catch a signal, the antenna needs to be replaced. If the navigator does not see satellites, the significance may lie precisely in the failure of such an element. Repairs in this case will be quite expensive, especially if the antenna is soldered to the board.
The Navitel navigator, like any other, can suddenly stop picking up satellites. In this case, the user should try to determine the source of the failure. If serious damage is detected, you must contact the service center.
Subscribe:
Many owners of phones running the Android operating system are faced with a problem when the built-in GPS module refuses to find GPS satellites or finds them but cannot connect. There may be several reasons for this behavior of the module, let’s consider the main ones:
The parameters for connecting to satellites are entered incorrectly in the settings file;
An A-GPS module is installed, which often does not find satellites on the phone on its own;
The module is not working.
I would like to look into the problem with the A-GPS (Assisted GPS) module, since Chinese phones that have it in 98% of cases are now extremely popular and are pushing global brands out of the market.
How does A-GPS work?
The main difference from the standard GPS module is that it connects not only with satellites, but also with mobile operator towers, which significantly improves the quality of location determination. When this function is enabled, the phone often cannot connect to GPS satellites itself and requires a “Full restart”, even if it was just turned on. This is not a problem with the Chinese phones themselves, but rather with the A-GPS module, which costs a penny compared to GPS, and therefore works accordingly. Let's figure out how to set up GPS on Android.
How to determine whether an A-GPS or GPS module is on your phone?
If you have a phone with two SIM cards and are made in China, there is a 99.9% chance that you have A-GPS. But to make sure of this, you can go to the engineering menu. This will begin the process of fixing the issue of a broken connection with satellites.
To enter the engineering menu, you need to dial the following number in your phone: *#*#3646633#*#*. If the combination does not work, you can try entering *#15963#* or *#*#4636#*#*, however, in this case your menu may be different.
After entering the phrase, you are automatically taken to the engineering menu and will see a window with the following content:
You need to move to the left, scrolling through the settings pages to the “Location” tab.
Now select the first option “Location Based Service”. If you have the A-GPS tab, then follow the further settings. Otherwise, this article will not help you much.
Setting up GPS on Android
If you have an A-GPS tab, go straight to it. You should have a window that looks like this:
Compare the settings with yours, adjust if necessary, according to the screenshots:
If everything is written correctly, you can go back one level to selecting the “Location” items and go to “YGPS”.
Here you see that your GPS module does not find satellites, or rather, it finds, but does not connect due to incorrect inclusion:
You need the "Information" tab. The main manipulations will be carried out in it.
As you can see, the status is “UNANVAILABLE”, and TTFF is stuck forever searching. No matter how long you wait, nothing will change.
The essence of fixing the eternal search is to do a “Full” reset, and then, after 2-3 seconds, click on “A-GPS Restart”. Those. you reset the frozen search process to zero, thereby overwriting all preset settings, and immediately reboot the module. Not having time to pick up the standard configuration (incorrect), the module finds all the satellites from scratch.
After 10-20 seconds, you will see satellite signals on the “Satellites” tab, and after another half a minute the module will successfully connect to them.
The search was done from the 1st side of the house, on the balcony, respectively; nothing was found on the second hemisphere. You will find all your companions on the road.
Determining coordinates with a pocket device is far from a new thing, but a common occurrence. Every modern smartphone on Android or iOS is equipped with a built-in GPS receiver. But often the quality of work of this module is not enough for domestic use.
Users are interested in whether it is possible to significantly improve the level of reception on mobile devices in order to more accurately determine the current position or spend time more comfortably in games that need to determine the location of the device in as much detail as possible. Let's study the issue and figure out what solutions are available.
GPS is a special system that allows ground-based devices to receive signals from space from pre-launched satellites in order to use them to calculate their current position. Used in various navigation tools to plot the optimal path to your destination.
Why is it needed?
The main application is terrain orientation and route planning through navigation applications. This combination of satellites and programs allows you to get or walk to your destination without pestering passersby and painful attempts to navigate using paper maps.
For Android OS, the most popular are Google Maps and Yandex Maps or applications.
How to improve reception on your device
There are various methods to improve reception on devices based on iOS and Android, but we will limit ourselves to the two most well-known. A simpler option is to use the capabilities of the smartphone itself to enhance the GPS signal through the system menu:
- First you need to activate GPS, then open settings.
- Go to the “Geodata” item.
- Open "Mode".
- Enable high accuracy in the Detection Method section.
Due to this, the smartphone will more actively process GPS data.
The downside of the method is accelerated battery drain, since in navigation mode the device will consume many times more energy.
Improving reception in Yandex Navigator
The alternative approach is more complex, but comparable in effectiveness to the previous method. Instead of enhancing reception, you need to clear the GPS information using software.
Updating the data will improve the performance of the navigation service. However, this method is not available to everyone, since the application may be incompatible with the device model, it may not have enough storage space, etc.
Application to improve navigation —
For more experienced users
Other causes of problems withGPSin Navigator
Other reasons may also lead to difficulties. Sometimes GPS malfunctions (cannot find satellites or geolocation mode does not even start) in the Android OS as a whole - then you can try to roll back the system to factory settings through the system menu.
You can also update the firmware or take your phone in for service so that specialists can fix problems with the electronics of the device.
Conclusion
To restore navigation and the ability to “catch” satellites on Android even in the open, you need to find out whether the reason lies in the settings or in a hardware failure.
If the device components fail, you need to contact an official service center.
Which method of improving GPS for Yandex Navigator suited you?
Based on Android, it does not detect / does not detect the location correctly. Navigation does not work or does not work correctly. What to do and how to fix it?
Many users encounter a problem when phone or The Android tablet starts acting up. It seems that nothing happened that could cause a malfunction, but it does not work as it should.
For example, the device has problems with the fact that it has ceased to determine its location either tablet e or The phone's navigation is not working properly. The reason for this may be:
1st: Software glitch- i.e. the problem is a software glitch
2nd: Hardware failure- i.e. the problem is in the hardware (i.e., replacement or restoration of spare parts for the gadget is required)
However, do not rush to get upset - in 90% of cases there are problems operation of location recognition, geolocation, satellite detection, navigation, etc. functions. smartphone a or Android tablet is to blame software glitch which you can easily fix on your own.
Fixing a software glitch:
Method 1. Quite simple - go to "settings", find there "backup and reset", in which you choose full reset settings with deletion of all data. Be careful, using this method is often effective, but it entails deleting all photos, contacts, passwords, music, games, videos and, in general, all information stored on your smartphone e or tablet e. Therefore, first save everything you need by connecting the gadget to your computer. If this method does not suit you, or if even after this the problem is not resolved, see Method 2.
Method 2.
Based on solving problems with communication and network reception phone number and tablets based on Android by introducing additional software. Utilities that control all processes inside gadgets. Today, there are quite a lot of them, however, the fewer functions an application contains, the more effective it is, as a rule. The best way to monitor system functions, corrects, and correct all possible settings and synchronization errors is a small, easy-to-use, free utility for Android-based devices. You can download the application from Google Play and see its additional options in the description. After installing the application, all that remains is to launch it. Further, in principle, nothing more is required from you. The application will take full control of the device's functions. (By the way, among other things, the gadget will begin to charge 20% faster, and its performance will also increase significantly, which will affect the loading speed and operation of all applications, games, and the system as a whole. On average, after scanning, the system runs at 50% faster.)
- Also, to achieve maximum data exchange speed over the Internet, it is recommended to install a high-speed browser on your Android device Yandex Browser You can download it from Google Play.
Method 3.
Changing the device software, or as it is also called "re firmware ". This method, as a rule, requires certain skills and can be solved by contacting the Service Center. To carry out this task yourself, you need to contact the website of the manufacturer of your device, download the utilities necessary for flashing the firmware and the firmware itself, and then reinstall it on your gadget.
If none of the methods brings results, unfortunately, you will have to contact the Service Center for repairing your tablet a or smartphone a.
An Android phone or tablet does not detect / does not detect the location correctly. Navigation does not work or does not work correctly. What to do and how to fix it?
