I have tried several apps that claim to map your cellular 3g signals but they either do not work or they only map the fact that your phone says its on 3g.
The problem is that were i am 3G must not mean 3 g for several areas of town.
So i am looking for an app that will map your signal based off the available RSSI/RSSL that is readable in the phone.
Anyone have any suggestions?
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
I use a signal mapper on my phone. Search for 'Sensorly' in the market, it maps 3g, evdo, 4g, wifi, and it's based on each carrier. Seems to work fine for me.
i did try sensorly and it didnt work, after days of running the app for hours at a time nothing was showing, all i had was a grossly oversized bubble around my house and i barely ran it at home it was ran most of the time on the way to and from work, going out on lunch, etc. but nothing would ever show on the map.
reading the user experiences on the feedback posts for the app show the same, it rarely if ever shows anything on the map.
so it got uninstalled.
Weird, mine works fine. Shows signal mapping all over. Even when i go down a previously unmapped road, 1-2 days later the signal mapping overlay shows up over the roadmap.
see thats part of the issue, the mapping upload should never be uploaded anywhere as a 1st course of action, it should be saved to your phone as an instant read out showing the coverage. then upload it to a server where everyone can see it.
saving it to your phone is nothing more than a logged GPS location = -78 or -80 or -99 or what ever your signal is.
then this numeric value is represented on the google map as a color.
but instead data, what ever data that is, is sent off to god knows where for god knows who to do god knows what with it and then god only knows if it will show up on the map.
the fact that you have to wait for days and then it might not even show up is just silly.
plus, does it REALLY map RSSI (signal levels) or just more of the same 3G or not 3G kind of stuff that everyone else is doing.
i also tried antennas and unfortunately that doesnt work for Sprint CDMA.
wish it did as a friends droid uses it and its pretty cool to see which tower you are connected to.
this could greatly improve my growing database of proof that i have to present Sprint that my area is completely b.s. according to their maps which say its a good area.
maybe i will give it another whack but for now i guess i need a more responsive app with faster display of signal map.
It does map signal strength, albeit only 4 or 5 levels of it. But Thats all your bars show, 4-6 bars of signal strength. I set mine to Sprint CDMA. The delay between mapping new areas and it showing in the map is irritating as hell, I agree. But normally I see them the next day.
funny thing i reinstalled it as i am always willing to give an app a 2nd try (even though this is my 3rd try.) and all my old data showed up on the map. pretty accurately too from what i see on my signal bars as i pay attention to them when i am out and about.
just not sure exactly why it takes so long for the data to show on the map. again just seems silly when other programs do it near instanteously.
v_lestat said:
funny thing i reinstalled it as i am always willing to give an app a 2nd try (even though this is my 3rd try.) and all my old data showed up on the map. pretty accurately too from what i see on my signal bars as i pay attention to them when i am out and about.
just not sure exactly why it takes so long for the data to show on the map. again just seems silly when other programs do it near instanteously.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah like I was saying it takes at least a day normally for it to show up. Thing is, I can understand why they centralize the database, it makes sense. That way anyone who downloads it at anytime, anywhere, can benefit from past signal mapping done. ON the flip side, they should have an option to "show my personally mapped areas" instantly as well. What is cool is that it has Sprint 4G mapping.
Related
Samsung just wrote that apparently the use wireless networks, which is the option above use gps satellites must be selected to get proper locks.
I was skeptical because i just assumed that when I went exploring I selected it, but it actually wasn't.
Put it on, and agreed to the disclaimer and then right away the maps got my location and the live wallpaper map got my location.
you'll get an email saying google knows where you are and yeah its pretty ****ty that you have to do this, but it does work. at least for me.
not a real fix, I've had that on forever and still dont get a proper lock
Confirming that this does seem to work. It might merit mentioning that I've also messed around with my GPS settings quite a bit as well.
Regardless, I got a lock within two seconds after opening Google Maps. Cheers!
-deuX`
The phone used networks to locate you. Not GPS.
PuffinNugz said:
The phone used networks to locate you. Not GPS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh, good to know. Thanks for the info!
-deuX`
This is to assist in the GPS lock. This is not a fix.
True it isn't a real fix, hence the "quick" fix in the title.
it's just another way to help maps get a lock.
obviously this won't help in no service zones but if you're using the data anyways might as well use it to help.
plus it unlocks all the fun location based services, and that maps live wallpaper is pretty freakin sweet!
This will only give you the location of the nearby cell tower. Unless you live under the cell tower all the time, I don't think this is useful. It might be useful for things like check the nearby stores and attractions. But will not give you navigatable fixes and does not speed up your GPS lock. If you're using Google maps, try to zoom out, and you will notice a big circle. Your location is anywhere inside that circle.
That's Samsung tip is pure BS and Engadet should be ashamed to even believe in that BS.
I not only allowed the use of wireless networks for location, but also changing the GPS setting to MS Based to allow for simultaneous use of triangulation and assisted GPS... before this change I NEVER got a successful GPS lock...after I changed the settings I finally can get a GPS lock after about about 3 minutes with direct line of sight outdoors.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
foxbat121 said:
This will only give you the location of the nearby cell tower.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not quite. its actually doing cell tower triangulation, using the signal of all nearby towers your phone sees. In the city, this can be pretty accurate and is rarely off by more than a couple blocks. To see the accuracy, turn off GPS and click 'locate me' in google maps. The blue circle around your location shows the margin of error. The more towers you are in range of, the more accurate the fix.
As far as helping GPS, all this location can really do today is help you grab the most appropriate gps almanac/ephemeris info - if youve got an internet connection. I suppose it could possibly also be used in conjunction with the gps error in some kind of a filter to improve accuracy, but as far as I know that is not being done.
I actually started getting quicker locks with just using the GPS and having the wireless networks unchecked
Just an update:
I changed the SUP/LCP setting to Auto-config and the Operation mode to MS Based. I tend to get a gps lock within a minute or two with it sitting on my dashboard. I also tried it with the"Use wireless networks" setting turned off and it worked the same.
Also, I did try out the MS Assisted SUP/LCP setting and I was able to get GPS signal while indoors, but it was less accurate all around.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
I'm not saying it's completely 100% accurate, but much in the same vein that an iPod Touch can get a location using just the wi-fi this is using much the same.
it uses whatever a-gps it can and then it helps with the cellular data. triangulation. it's useful and if it keeps getting me a signal then its all good
Tonight I noticed a pattern on my LG Optimus T running CM7 2.3.5.
If I disable "use wireless networks" under location and the GPS comes up to find my signal (I assume Google Latitude was calling for it even though it was backgrounded?????) it flashes super fast. I'm talking 12-15x a second. It's far faster than the searching for GPS icon we're all used to seeing.
If I re-enable "use wireless networks" it's instantly fine. If I disable it, it goes back to flashing.
I even signed out of Latitude to make sure it wasn't Latitude causing it to act up, but it did the same thing in both scenarios.
What could be causing this? I tried rebooting it, powering off and pulling the battery, etc. Any ideas?
Well, some new findings, and some new questions.
I have no idea what was causing the issue. Someone suggested I may have several GPS apps at once trying to get a grip on my location. I'm not sure what exactly happened but I ended up pulling a recovery from 10 days ago when I backed it up and it took care of the issue.
Moving along... I'm reading that "use wireless networks" helps the GPS antenna to find my location significantly faster since it can hone in on the area instead of the entire globe. Okay, fine. But I noticed something today. Previously I noticed that Google Latitude was wildly inaccurate. Further research after driving up and down the east coast reveals that Google Latitude (using only cell tower triangulation) is actually pretty damn accurate. In fact, it's always triangulated me within 2.5 miles of my location.
Here's the curve ball. Today I had wifi enabled. On a hunch, I opened Latitude. It said I was in Mineola, New York. Uh. No. I'm definitely in the very very southern most area of Pennsylvania you can get (Maryland border is a mere 5 minute bike ride away). I disable wifi, back in PA. I enable wifi, back in New York.
That said, it's obvious my wifi is throwing off the accuracy of Latitude. Personally I can't even find use with Latitude since I'm ALWAYS on wifi with work. Always. There are several buildings many miles apart I could be at, and since I'm always on wifi, the use of this app is really tanked if my wifi is going to throw off co-workers from knowing where I truly am. And this isn't Latitude's fault from what I can tell... something is goofed up in the database (whoever's database it is) that signifies my current wifi = New York when it should have been Pennsylvania, clearly.
So here's my next question - is it possible to separate wifi vs mobile tower triangulation? I noticed on my Android (Optimus T running CM7 2.3.5) that it specifically says:
Use Wireless Networks
Location determined by Wi-Fi and/or mobile networks
Keyword being... "or"...
Any ideas??
Anybody? No dice?
Hi guys, my Samsung Focus' GPS has been having a weird problem since June, where it only works when I'm under an open sky. So if I'm walking it gets an accurate fix in like.
However, if i'm indoors, in a vehichle, or even under a bus stop, it gets nothing at all. It doesn't even seem to get my location from the cell towers, it just drops me in some random spot like 1km from where I really am, and the marker in Bing maps would be grey with no circle around it.
Also, it seems to get my location whenever it's connected to wifi, but with a pretty huge circle around the marker. Is there some way to fix this, or will I have to bite the bullet, and send my phone to Samsung?
Finding my location takes a while, but once it finds my location everything works fine. Sometimes it goes crazy and doesn't know where I am. Luckily for me, I don't use my GPS as much because I don't have a car. However, once I do I might have to look into seeing what's actually causing such lag with the GPS.
I also wish that turn-by-turn navigation get's a bit of an upgrade. It's great to see this feature built in, but it really sucks having to touch the phone. Defeats the purpose of keeping your eyes on the road. I bought WP7 because of all the integration, and I hope Microsoft sees that they need improvement.
I wonder if others see this too or if my HTC Sensation 4G is broken.
When I'm in Google Navigation I often see the position 200 ft east of the highway.
I might add that I run the phone w/o a data plan so I'm loading the plan over WiFi and then start driving. It does not seem to make much of a difference if I wait for a stable GPS fix or just start driving an let it fix on the road.
The behavior is very annoying, as the Navigation app grabs on to parallel or incoming side roads and reroutes all the time, wasting lots of battery and heating up the device.
PlanBForOpenOffice said:
I wonder if others see this too or if my HTC Sensation 4G is broken.
When I'm in Google Navigation I often see the position 200 ft east of the highway.
I might add that I run the phone w/o a data plan so I'm loading the plan over WiFi and then start driving. It does not seem to make much of a difference if I wait for a stable GPS fix or just start driving an let it fix on the road.
The behavior is very annoying, as the Navigation app grabs on to parallel or incoming side roads and reroutes all the time, wasting lots of battery and heating up the device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you have a case on your phone? If so, try the app without the case to see if you get the same results.
I get about 20 ft error (average). But it can jump up to 50 or so. But I have a MIUI installed. Also adding that I am on a data plan and I believe using cell towers in conjunction of gps narrows down the error.
No case
Thanks, really good question, but my phone is naked so to speak. I don't use any case.
Unfortunately I have learned that Assisted GPS (AGPS) is a feature that does not work with cell towers, but with a data connection. Only if a data connection is present can the helping hand of assisted GPS (search Wikipedia for assisted GPS) work to find you a faster GPS fix.
Do you use Google navigation and do you see similar issues, like position jumping off the highway and attempting to enter the highway from a side road?
PlanBForOpenOffice said:
Thanks, really good question, but my phone is naked so to speak. I don't use any case.
Unfortunately I have learned that Assisted GPS (AGPS) is a feature that does not work with cell towers, but with a data connection. Only if a data connection is present can the helping hand of assisted GPS (search Wikipedia for assisted GPS) work to find you a faster GPS fix.
Do you use Google navigation and do you see similar issues, like position jumping off the highway and attempting to enter the highway from a side road?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Once and a while but I cannot reproduce it.
You can try some of the fixes from crypted in the dev section. Just keep a backup of your gps.conf file if you want to test it. But the fix is for AGPS use.
What you can try is possibly sygic, but it's not free. I think its like 17 bux. But you can try it for a week.
Hey guys.
So I have a friend that says he can receive Weather on his Samsung Galaxy phone using GPS Only and that all phones should be able to. I have searched Google and Bing and everywhere and can't find anything... All I can find is apps that basically download the forecast when you are connected to the internet but Oklahoma weather is always changing and that doesnt work.
Anyone know of a way to do this?
Being part of a Scout troop, we go on camp-outs a lot and in fact just got back from one last night. Nobody had service the entire time as we were about 15+ miles from a nearby cell tower, campsite was down in the valley area, and was touring around between caves.
The only thing that bothers me with this, is you need data to download (& update the current) forecast from the weather service provider the app uses. Sure, some apps need GPS only..such as a mapping app or a compass that shows your coordinates along with the heading.
What is the name of the app your friend has? Maybe the app uses the barometric sensor to (sort of) predict the coming weather? My Galaxy Note 3 has that sensor to show air pressure. Changing air pressures are a good start to predicting the weather, so maybe this is it??
I have no clue.
You need data. Some map apps work with GPS only, but that's only because the maps have been downloaded before hand. GPS can tell you where you are, but not where you are, if you get my meaning. A weather app, whether it needs maps or simply just receives bulletins, needs data. In some areas you might be able to receive alerts through your phone (including Amber alerts and presidential stuff) without data, if you're still with in range of telephony signal. But that's not the same.
Your friend is either mistaken of full of crap (I'd lean toward mistaken - I can't see why anyone would deliberately lie about that). I think your best bet would be to take an emergency AM/FM/NOAA radio with you. I believe the Boy Scouts have a motto this sort of thing.