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Cases and Full Body Skins May Significantly Affect GPS Signal

Guys, so I found out what's wrong with my Captivate. I took the Phantom Skinz Carbon Fiber (it's really vinyl) skin off cause it was peeling a little anyways. My GPS became amazing that's with wireless support off and on stock GPS settings. I also have the Body Glove, and I put the case on. The GPS immediately became the way it was with the Phantom Skinz on cannot lock GPS to save my life. I took the Body Glove off, and the GPS locks like a champ. I left the google maps app on for at least 5 min and copilot on for at least 5 min. Both apps held GPS lock throughout and was accurate within 10 meters.
The above findings were subjective, and I also verified objectively using the phone's GPS test app which demonstrated faster satellite detection time and lock time.
I am pretty confident to say that the GPS should be fine on the phone just the case really affects the GPS much more than wireless signal. I hope this solves some of the GPS issues for others.
I started a new thread so that maybe this could benefit others instead of putting it in the huge GPS Improvement thread.

With all due respect if a vinyl skin could atenuate the signal that radically the GPS would be worthless in a car or indoors.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

I already returned both Body Gloves because of this. With them on, the GPS signals hovered around 38dBHz max, and up in the mid-40's without the gloves.
I recently ordered some Amzer Luxes. Hopefully they don't cut the signal in the same manner.

more placebo effect...
ive never had case on my captivate and the gps is still ass.

GPS Improvement Something Different!

I greatly improved my GPS performance by doing this: First, a brief background: I was always curious about the two electrical contacts mating to the aluminum battery cover; if they were a ground plane or part of the antenna. For the heck of it I tried improving the connections by cleaning the small square contacts on the inside of the cover with a pencil eraser (they looked like they had a thin coating on them) and then gently, slightly prying up the contact on the right with a small screwdriver (the left is spring-loaded) and thats it. I was surprised to see an immediate improvement in signal strength resulting in locks within a minute and spot-on navigation. As a side note I noticed a better signal if I held the phone by it's sides vs cradled in my hand. It may be my imagination but I also seem to get a better signal (more bars) on the phone itself. This was probably an issue with my specific unit but I thought I would share.
Edit: Wow! Looks like many have had a similar experience. Still seems too good to be true, would like to know if you see sustained results. I'm curious if oxidation may eventually occur on the bare metal contacts in the cover, might be beneficial to re-clean with an eraser periodically. Be careful, as there has been a report of a broken contact, pry gently! Keep posting your results and thanks to those who gave me a thanks!

Could be - everyone tried to see if the contacts effected cell signal - But i don't remember anyone checking GPS signal with them.

Interesting. I will check this out tomorrow and see.
The thing is though, there are times when GPS would work great and some when it won't. It's usually in different areas though. For instance, around NYC area and where I live, it always works. When I went to Mass over Thanksgiving, I could barely get anything. This is without touching the casing and having a hard plastic case on.

can you post pics of what you did?

Interesting. Scratched some of that top layer off the contacts on the door and used a screwdriver to pry up the contact on the phone a bit. We'll see how it goes tomorrow. Got a much higher mobile speed test result than I usually do, but that can vary wildly so it could just be coincidence.

I am very much interested, please do provide more test results and pictures, please. Ever since reverting back to eclair (with the minor update that "fixed" tethering... I mean GPS signal, it was horrible. I needed it badly today and lucked out when I just had barely caught enough to get me to my destination. Thank you.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

jz3 said:
I greatly improved my GPS performance by doing this: First, a brief background: I was always curious about the two electrical contacts mating to the aluminum battery cover; if they were a ground plane or part of the antenna. For the heck of it I tried improving the connections by cleaning the small square contacts on the inside of the cover with a pencil eraser (they looked like they had a thin coating on them) and then gently, slightly prying up the contact on the right with a small screwdriver (the left is spring-loaded) and thats it. I was surprised to see an immediate improvement in signal strength resulting in locks within a minute and spot-on navigation. As a side note I noticed a better signal if I held the phone by it's sides vs cradled in my hand. It may be my imagination but I also seem to get a better signal (more bars) on the phone itself. This was probably an issue with my specific unit but I thought I would share.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
how much did you pry up the contact on the right? A small paper clip works well as your can actually slide it into the rounded up portion and use leverage from the side to lift up. I lifted it a little bit but i mostly settled back down into original position..maybe slightly lifted from original position. I can tell they have been making connection because there are worn spots on the corresponding contact points on the door.
The coating on the contact spots looks possibly to be some kind of spray coating similar to a thermal paste only dry? Wonder if the connection would be better without it or if it was removed and replaced with a very conservative amount of quality thermal paste. (Also when you cleaned them with eraser was the white film removed or still present?). Mine is still present although there are small worn spots where you can see the metal from where the contacts were touching.

bames said:
how much did you pry up the contact on the right? A small paper clip works well as your can actually slide it into the rounded up portion and use leverage from the side to lift up. I lifted it a little bit but i mostly settled back down into original position..maybe slightly lifted from original position. I can tell they have been making connection because there are worn spots on the corresponding contact points on the door.
The coating on the contact spots looks possibly to be some kind of spray coating similar to a thermal paste only dry? Wonder if the connection would be better without it or if it was removed and replaced with a very conservative amount of quality thermal paste. (Also when you cleaned them with eraser was the white film removed or still present?). Mine is still present although there are small worn spots where you can see the metal from where the contacts were touching.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I pried it up just a hair worrying that it might break off. Mine looked like it was not making good contact as there was no wear marks. I first removed the film by scraping it with a knife then using an eraser. Underneath the film it is just the bare aluminum.

You could just move to Axura if you want great GPS without messing with the contacts.

adamholden85 said:
You could just move to Axura if you want great GPS without messing with the contacts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That assumes there is no hardware issue. Due to the huge variations in GPS success with people on the same software, there is probably more involved. One possibility is antenna, another likely culprit is "disk" IO blocking GPS functions.
If the contacts and antenna are an issue on a phone, changing OS or tweaking softrware will not make things better.

I think you stubbled on something here, I'm picking up sat. in my home, have not tried it on the road yet, but I am excited to test it out. I've been fighting this
GPS problem since day one. It is the only problem I have with the phone. Thanks for posting your discovery. Man, I think everyone should at least try this and post your results, because I am getting extraodinary results.

alphadog00 said:
That assumes there is no hardware issue. Due to the huge variations in GPS success with people on the same software, there is probably more involved. One possibility is antenna, another likely culprit is "disk" IO blocking GPS functions.
If the contacts and antenna are an issue on a phone, changing OS or tweaking softrware will not make things better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am not saying Axura will help everyone but boy has it helped quite a few. Check the poll I put on the OP.

If you're gonna do this, use an INK (white) eraser. They work much better at cleaning electrical contacts.

adamholden85 said:
You could just move to Axura if you want great GPS without messing with the contacts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
nm... I can't count.

I cleaned off the 2 contact points on the lid using my pocket knife. There seemed to be some white coating on it. My gps is working real well now.

1 sat in an office building (no lock but actually see's it) .. 5x5 bars 3g download 1889kbps/ up 517kbps (was lucky to get 900kbps before..) so yah it is both the Cell ant which is the spring loaded one and the other is the GPS. The coating isn't actually a coating just the oxidation at assmb. emery paper prob works the best just don't try to make it too shiny or remove to much metal.

Wow!! You may have really got something here. I just spent 2 minutes cleaning off and prying up the contacts and the results were instant! As soon as I booted the device back up my 3G signal strength increased by two bars! Not only that but I got a GPS lock in record time - only a few seconds. YMMV
Thank you for posting this!!

Long time browser here. Just made a forum account to post my results of doing this.
Let me first say that you might really be onto something here. I powered my phone down then scraped the white coating on the cover contacts to bare metal using a pocket knife. Then pyred the right contact up to about a 45-50 degree angle. About putting it all back together and powering the phone up and killing all the apps afterward I launched gps test ap. I got 7 sats and a lock under 10 seconds sitting here at my desk. Beforehand I would've been lucky to ever see 1 sat sitting here and even more luckier to get 5+ or a lock holding it against the window to my right.
Haven t tried this outside but I will on my trip to the phili airport this even.
Thanks a bunch!
+Getting 7-10 locks with 32-49feet accuracy here at my desk. Never ever got a lock here before!
+5:30 est. Just did a speed test on 3g. Usually getting around 600-700kbs here at my desk. Getting 1.5-1.7k+ Now...
Also should I be concerned about scratching up the back tabs while removing the coating. Looks like I took sandpaper to them. I mean the its aluminum so rust isn't a problem. And nothing will be touching or getting on them to cause any type of corrosion.

Wow, I normally have 5 bars where I'm at so I couldn't see any change in that obviously, but GPS is perfect sitting here in my house, can't wait to try it out on the road! By the way, I gotta say this again, when I say GPS is perfect, when I zoom in all the arrow is sitting exactly on the portion of the house that I'm in. I'm amazed.
Edit - Just did a speed test and WOW immediate speed increase, ping was 100 below normal, did 1mb/s up AND down! This is definitely a nice little trick you've found.

First time posting. I just tried this, and am getting a lock inside the house for literally the first time.
However, I also got a lock while driving this afternoon for the first time (my GPS experience has been exceedingly poor), before I cleaned the contacts. Maybe it's just a good.day for GPS signal in my neck of the woods today.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

Important discovery about Inspire GPS issue (for me at least)

so, i was having GPS issues after a rom flash and had myself convinced it was the rom, or some other software issue.
never occurred to me that my rubbery body-glove case i just got could actually be messing up the GPS signal. ive heard of other more heavy duty cases effecting GPS signal but not something thin and light and rubbery like the mirage case.
still, sure enough, standing in my kitchen, i locked onto 8 satellites, and it wouldn't get more accurate than 50 ft. leave the program (gps test) on, i slipped the case off, 3 second later i see all the signal strengths on the satellites jump up, and my lock accuracy drops to 9 feet. put the case back on, back up to around 50.
FURTHERMORE: my freaking HAND effects the signal strength?!?! i wrap my hand around the top half of the phone (back) tightly, and the signal accuracy drop to 115ft! remove hand and almost instantly drops to 9 ft (9ft is the best it ever gets)
*sigh* i guess any time i want to use gps i need to take the case off, rather annoying, but in a way im relieved because i know its not flashing roms thats messed it up.
does anyone have similar experience with their inspire? i have not had this with my previous two smart phones.

oFUNGUSo said:
FURTHERMORE: my freaking HAND effects the signal strength?!?! i wrap my hand around the top half of the phone (back) tightly, and the signal accuracy drop to 115ft! remove hand and almost instantly drops to 9 ft (9ft is the best it ever gets)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The GPS antenna is located right next to the LED flash. That might be the reason the accuracy is affected when you put your hand at the top half of the phone.

I just confirmed the same thing with my seido combo case. Via gps test accuracy doubles when the case is removed. Lock time is about the same give or take a second.
Sent from Desire HD or Inspire 4G or whatever this thing is called via premium XDA app.

oFUNGUSo said:
so, i was having GPS issues after a rom flash and had myself convinced it was the rom, or some other software issue.
never occurred to me that my rubbery body-glove case i just got could actually be messing up the GPS signal. ive heard of other more heavy duty cases effecting GPS signal but not something thin and light and rubbery like the mirage case.
still, sure enough, standing in my kitchen, i locked onto 8 satellites, and it wouldn't get more accurate than 50 ft. leave the program (gps test) on, i slipped the case off, 3 second later i see all the signal strengths on the satellites jump up, and my lock accuracy drops to 9 feet. put the case back on, back up to around 50.
FURTHERMORE: my freaking HAND effects the signal strength?!?! i wrap my hand around the top half of the phone (back) tightly, and the signal accuracy drop to 115ft! remove hand and almost instantly drops to 9 ft (9ft is the best it ever gets)
*sigh* i guess any time i want to use gps i need to take the case off, rather annoying, but in a way im relieved because i know its not flashing roms thats messed it up.
does anyone have similar experience with their inspire? i have not had this with my previous two smart phones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed! Take a look at this post. While not 100% the same it is very much on track with what you are saying!
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=999051

Why Certain Cases Of Case Mate And Otterbox Degrade Wi-Fi Signal?

I ordered Case Mate Tough for my smartphone and signal degrades by 5 to 10 dBm (2 bars) when in this case. Many people reported such problem and what is interesting, it does not happen with every HTC smartphone.
One person reported that the smartphones this happens with have software or firmware issue/glitch and that HTC are aware of it and working on a fix.
Does somebody here have Wi-Fi signal issues with Case Mate or Otterbox or even other brands' cases?

I do have a case-mate barely there for my DS but not noticed any drop off in anything. Used a case-mate pop (at least i think thats what they're called) for my DHD and wifi dropped by around 50%. My worst one is with a cheapo silicone off feebay. My wifi signal goes so low it disconnects. Take off the case and its full. Annoys the hell out of me but then i prefer any phone without a case anyway so dont mind taking it off just wish i didnt have to put it back on again!
Si

i'm use otterbox for my DS, and didn't face this problem...

I use a rubber case, and yes, the signal for both WIFI and the network drops. I think the reason behind this is that the only parts of the phone which can act as an antenna are the soft rubber parts, as the phone is unibody. WIFI signal has the worst drop though, and sometimes I cannot get a signal at all.

spagmuff said:
I use a rubber case, and yes, the signal for both WIFI and the network drops. I think the reason behind this is that the only parts of the phone which can act as an antenna are the soft rubber parts, as the phone is unibody. WIFI signal has the worst drop though, and sometimes I cannot get a signal at all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What do you mean by "network drops"? Cellular signal?
I have only problem with Wi-Fi signal. I have noticed that when i move away only top half of silicone, signal improves a lot. I have spotted 2 holes on top - left and right (looking from back). When i cover left, right or both with finger or silicone, signal drops, but silicone has 2 appropriate holes that allow signal to pass through which don't work right.

Hi, I don't know if my point is relevant to this post. If you hold the top part of the phone, the signal will degrade. It is true for my phone and I don't have a casing.

Your point is relevant, this is why i don't hold phone by the top when using internet.
Hold top = degrade/lose Wi-Fi
Hold bottom = degrade cellular signal

wow, HTC didnt think through the DS very well did they
Im not certain but i dont think my cell signal has ever degraded as a result of holding (always hold the bottom of the phone) but im not certain, but my wifi signal definately degrades when i hold at the top or put a silicone case on. It was only a dirt cheap case from feebay but im looking for another that wont degrade it, any recommendations?
Si

Boris_yo said:
Your point is relevant, this is why i don't hold phone by the top when using internet.
Hold top = degrade/lose Wi-Fi
Hold bottom = degrade cellular signal
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same behaviour for me.

Something tells me that degradation of Wi-Fi is a cost for using silicone/cases. For some yes, for some no.

i got a silicone tpu 2$ case, and the signal drops 5dbm

concerning the bt and wifi death grip

forgive me if it has been posted over and over again, but after some time now, has any1 actually found a real fix? from last year's thread till now, some say it's software some say hardware, some say hard case solves it but some says aluminium foil does it. some even say by simply turning on best wifi performance, it will solve it.
some others say flashing a custom rom fixes it. so what is the actual fix? tomoro im going to buy aluminium foils and run it all over the antennaes behind my back cover and see if it helps..
i've tested my sensation, yes death grip is there, but not as terrible as people had it before.
here's my test results :
ROUTER : ASUS N53SV (use connectify)
OS : WIN7 HP
distance from router, 2metres, but blocked with a wooden door (those thick and hard type).
normal holding position : full bar
cover the antennae : 4 bars (- 1 bar)
cover the antennae with 2 hands : 3~4 bar
scenario 2 : distance : 10 metres (blocked by walls and doors) (went to different room on the same floor
normal holding position : 4 bar
cover with 1 hand : 2 bar
cover with 2 hand : 1 bar
considering the fact that im using my laptop to emit wireless signal, this is not bad at all. but im still trying the aluminium foil fix tomoro. will report back
do post your methods of fixing here if you have it thx

Every smartphone has a deathgrip issue and to be honest, it doesnt affect me so much. When i cover with my hand the antenna positions, signal drops 1 line, maximum 2, but like i said, that's normal. Had this problem with 3 different phones, and i think its a general smartphone issue. In many cases people like overreacting.
But hey, thats my opinion!

i've tried my damndest to find this death grip and i just cannot...i run a speedtest and completely cover every single part of the phone with both hands and i still manage to get a 10Mb throughput...so i just don't get it

Have you got a dual band router, if so that's probably why you cant find it.

Death grip affect all of the Sensation phones whether people admit it or not. The back cover is part of the antenna, so covering it with your hand WILL drop the signal. I find it is worse with wifi. No software will fix it, no tinfoil will fix it, no ROM will fix it. Just don't clasp your hands fully around the back cover and its not a big problem.

the_scotsman said:
Death grip affect all of the Sensation phones whether people admit it or not. The back cover is part of the antenna, so covering it with your hand WILL drop the signal. I find it is worse with wifi. No software will fix it, no tinfoil will fix it, no ROM will fix it. Just don't clasp your hands fully around the back cover and its not a big problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that said, some people dont experience it at all. there's a couple of youtube videos proving that. they cover the entire backside of their phone and there's no signal loss..