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P3470+ (HTC Clone!!) GPS problem and ROM update?

Hi everyone
I have a P3470+ (HTC clone from China) Phone (Hisilicon K3, 460MHZ, WM 6.1) and my problem is that whatever navigation software (or Google Maps) I use, the phone doesn't find any satellites anymore :-( It USED to work but now it doesn't?!?
Anybody know how to fix that problem?
Also, can I update the ROM? Where do I find an ENGLISH ROM (WM 6.1 or even 6.5?). I know how to set this phone into an "update mode", I also have a software called "IDT" from Hisilicon, the only thing I am missing is a ROM. Maybe this is the only chance to get the GPS working again?
Anybody know how to do a hard reset on this baby?
Thanks for your help and greetings from Germany

ColonelZap said:
Hi everyone
I have a P3470+ (HTC clone from China) Phone (Hisilicon K3, 460MHZ, WM 6.1) and my problem is that whatever navigation software (or Google Maps) I use, the phone doesn't find any satellites anymore :-( It USED to work but now it doesn't?!?
Anybody know how to fix that problem?
Also, can I update the ROM? Where do I find an ENGLISH ROM (WM 6.1 or even 6.5?). I know how to set this phone into an "update mode", I also have a software called "IDT" from Hisilicon, the only thing I am missing is a ROM. Maybe this is the only chance to get the GPS working again?
Anybody know how to do a hard reset on this baby?
Thanks for your help and greetings from Germany
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Download GPSToggle CAB from this link http://www.megaupload.com/?d=7VRBH5RS . It is called GPSToggle and is a Today screen app. It works best when installed to main memory.
Once installed, you will need to add it to your Today screen. From your Today screen go to Settings, then choose Today settings. Go to the Items tab and you should see BAF GPS Toggle at the bottom of the list. Click the box to have it added to your Today Screen. Close the Settings screen and go back to your Today screen.
Now, a little bit of info about your GPS. It will work best when it has an unobstructed view of the sky overhead. It should stationery (not moving) and uninterrupted from the time you turn on the application.
Some people can get satellite signals inside a building. I can because I live in a one-story condo. If you can sit outside with your phone for about 30 minutes, GPSToggle should do the trick.
On your Today screen you will now see an item called GPS with the word OFF next to it. Click the word GPS and the word next to it will change to On indicating that the app has turned on your GPS.
Now sit back, be patient and wait. If you're lucky and outside, the SIRF III chip in your phone should lock on within as little as 42 seconds (doubtful in your case) and as long as five minutes.
Attached to this message are four screens showing what your screen will look like:
GPSToggle 01 - Initial turn on. GPS is in search mode (no satellites detected).
GPSToggle 02 - GPS on. Communication beginning. 12 satellites possible.
GPSToggle 03 - GPS on. Four satellite bars displayed. Satnav not possible yet.
GPSToggle 04 - GPS on. Four satellites locked on. 3D satnav possible.
Note 1: I had not turned on my GPS today which meant it took about 2.5 minutes to lock on. This is not bad considering I am sitting in my front room. Normally, it takes about 60 seconds when I have turned on the GPS previously in the day and eperemis data which is satellite position and timing information is available from a previous session.
Note 2: According to most SIRF manufacturers, it takes three satellites for 2D satnav to occur. Most GPS programs can operate with that mode. Four satellites provide 3D satnav which is preferred.
See if this works for you. If it does, whenever you need to use your GPS, go to the Today screen and use GPSToggle to turn on the GPS for you which will quote warm it up for your GPS program. Once you see four green bars, you can turn on your GPS program and navigate like a champ!
You can read further about GPSToggle at this URL and thank the developer: http://www.freewarepocketpc.net/ppc-download-gps-toggle.html
Good luck!

Thank you so much for this detailed instruction, I really appreciate it!
I tried it, unfortunately it didn't work for me
After + 1 hour it still says: GPS on Seek: 0
I'm starting to believe that this phones actually has a hardware defect?!? Whatever navigation software or GPS tools I use, GPS is ALWAYS found, Comport is open and it looks like data is flowing but never does this phone find any satellites
Anything else I might try?
Thanks

There are two more things you can try (actually three but I will save the worst for last):
#1 - To help your GPS, it is best for WM to manage it (a recommended feature from Microsoft). Go to the Settings tab, External GPS (why it is called that on my Settings tab is beyond me). Then click through the screens to have WM manage the GPS. On one tab you will asked to choose a Port from which all your programs will access data. You need to use an unused Port. I recommend Port 8 but that is up to you. Previously Ports 1 - 4 have been used by other programs. 5 - 8 are free and supposedly TMS uses Port 9.
The reason for doing this is if WM manages the data, it will keep the GPS on and provide the resolved info to all applications. If the programs managed the GPS, they could selectively turn on and off the GPS and also block each other from using the GPS. You don't want that to happen. That is why MS recommends WM manage the data.
#2 - While I have never used this option, Assisted GPS (AGPS) is the second option. You activate Assisted GPS by going from the Today screen to Settings and then System. AGPS is one of choices on this tab. Once selected, AGPS settings page will offer the chance to Enable this utility. Click the circle next to Enable to activate this feature.
Assisted GPS will use an internet or cell tower connections to download Epheremis data to aid your GPS to determine what satellites are available to you during a given time period which is why charging is recommended. Be advised that AGPS can your data plan to access the internet and could cost you some money. Supposedly AGPS should be able to download epheremis data within a short period. The file is a small text file. But I don't do it this way and can't really advise on this although I do know theoretically how AGPS works.
#3 - While this is not the worst of options, you can plug in your phone nearest a wall that is not obstructed by being in the middle of your house or apartment and turn on the GPS. If there is a room with a window where you can leave the charging phone, that would be a preferred location. In some cases, it can take hours for a phone GPS to be found. You could do this overnight if not having use to your phone is a pain for you. Yes, you might to leave it unattended for a long time.
There is one more option but that involves downloading another program which hopefully will not be necessary. Please try the options one by one and see what happens.
Good luck!

Correct time set and its importance to GPS position resolution
Pardon me for what I now say but, I made an assumption and would like to cover that base. Is your time and time zone correctly set?
Global Positioning Satellites (GPS) use the time set by a GPS receiver as the entering argument to determine where your GPS is. When your time and its time zone settings are received, the overhead GPS will transmit to your receiver the epheremis data which is the location and times satellites will be overhead where your time is set.
Being off one minute, a couple or even an hour *might* not be too bad. But three hours (a time zone) or using AM versus PM will seriously affect what epheremis data is transmitted and used by your receiver.
Time zone is also a similar error. Off one or two zones and the wrong epheremis data will be transmitted and used.
To use an example, this would be like telling a friend you will be in Paris at 10 AM sharp when you actually are in Milan and it's 8 PM. If your friend were to look for you at the Eiffel Tower at 10 AM, do you think they would ever find you if you actually were in Milan?
GPS receivers suffer too when incorrect time or time zones are set by the user. Granted, the user should sync the time with their computer but even some users have incorrect time set on their computers.
Hopefully this is not one of your problems.

Thanks again for putting so much time into my problem!
I just checked the time, date and time zone, it's all correct.
I tried it with and without having WM manage the GPS, right now I have this function ON in the external GPS settings. Program port 5, Hardware port 6, Baud Rate 4800. I KNOW these settings are supposed to work because they did when I first received that phone. Igo8 worked perfectly with these settings
about #2: This phone does NOT have any A-GPS settings. I'm SURE I looked into the right place, I have another phone (a T5355+ Touch Diamond2 clone), that phone does have A-GPS settings and they are found right where you wrote they should be. So, nothing I can do about A-GPS settings on my P3470+ phone with the problem :-(
about #3: I have my phone in a room right under my roof right now, underneath a huge window, charger connected, hoping for a positv result. In that spot I was always able to find some satellites
What else have I tried before:
I tried using Quick GPS, I downloaded the data, no result. I also deleted the Quick GPS data, just in case, but it also didn't do the trick.
Anyway, I'll leave my phone under that roof window for the night, I'll post the result tomorrow
Thanks again for all your help, I really appreciate it

You're welcome, Colonel. Every time I see a post like this, I thank my stars that I have not had this problem. I was a Mod on another GPS forum and saw this frequently but half the time it was what we called in the military "operator error" or self-inflicted.
I wonder if you have installed other GPS apps and removed them? Reason I ask is that I've noticed with WM6.1 and above, that WM seems buggy when apps are installed and removed. I don't think it's MS's fault but what I call "crippled ROMs" that we are seeing. Not all ROMs are created equal if you get my drift. If you have a backup program like SpriteBackup or SPB Backup, you might want to do a backup and then a master reset or Mass Clear to bring your phone back to an initial state where the GPS drivers should all be present. I would save that for tomorrow if I were you.
I know it's probably about beddy bye time if you're in Germany. There is two more utilities I can recommend. The first I have a doc file on which I will paste here.
Winfast Navigator (WN) is the easiest to use in my humble opinion (IMHO). I have a Holux GR-271 that connects to my PDA as a NMEA receiver on Port 4 at a baud rate of 4800. Once installed, you can use your values to test your receiver from the first page displayed.
I have attached the zip file to this message. I think you can install the CAB file to your storage card. Once you do, you can use the settings you quoted in the first window.
Here's how another member reset his GPS using WinFastNavigator and how to set your values on the first page:
http://tjworld.net/wiki/Howto/ResetGPSReceiverToNMEAMode
While I would not recommend setting your SIRF chip to NMEA, one of WN's utilities will reset your SIRF chip if you want to go that route. I would have reinstall it to my phone as I did not need it for my phone.
Not sure why but xda could not attach the file. Here is a link to it:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=VTSNORVT WinFastNavigator.zip
Good luck!

same problem
ColonelZap said:
Hi everyone
I have a P3470+ (HTC clone from China) Phone (Hisilicon K3, 460MHZ, WM 6.1) and my problem is that whatever navigation software (or Google Maps) I use, the phone doesn't find any satellites anymore :-( It USED to work but now it doesn't?!?
Anybody know how to fix that problem?
Also, can I update the ROM? Where do I find an ENGLISH ROM (WM 6.1 or even 6.5?). I know how to set this phone into an "update mode", I also have a software called "IDT" from Hisilicon, the only thing I am missing is a ROM. Maybe this is the only chance to get the GPS working again?
Anybody know how to do a hard reset on this baby?
Thanks for your help and greetings from Germany
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the same problem with a phone like, ask the chinese rom, but not how to install on the phone , because apparently I need the driver (my pc does not recognize the pharos downloading clone mode), you use if you send the original ROM?

Hi everyone and especially Ronp76
The night under ste stars didn't do the trick
I was suspecting I might have a "crippled ROM", so I did a Clean Boot a "long" time ago, with no success.
O.k., I just installed WN, clicked on Port Setting, selected SiRF and tried to set it to Port 6, Baudrate 4800. I got an error message:
"Couldn't open the Serial_AGPS COM6 port!"
Same error message on COM1 and COM3, the only port I don't get that message is "Serial_BT COM2"
Bluetooth????
When I select that Port, WN tries to connect but nothing happens :-(
EDIT: I still had BAF GPS Toggle runnning, after turning it off, I didn't get the error message on COM6 anymore. But still WN is trying to connect to COM6 and is getting nothing :-(
EDIT2: I tried a tool called "GPS Port Scan" http://www.51spsoft.com/DownInfo/info30767.html, it searches for GPS, finds it on port 5 AND (?) port 6, when I open Port 6, I can see "data flowing" (see attached picture). But that's it, when I check the GPS status with this tool, it shows no longitude, latitude or anything :-(
While I would not recommend setting your SIRF chip to NMEA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't, should I try this anyway???
@ssccll
I know what you mean, when I put my phone into that "download mode", connect it with my laptop, Vista is trying to find a driver which I also don't have. Since I couldn't find an English ROM for that phone, I haven't really worried about that (yet)

SatCE rogram recommendaton
ColonelZap,
I am sorry to hear that Plans One and Two did not work. I think you're right that something drastic has happened to your GPS and now it is not being found. Hopefully you got a one year warranty with your phone and can return it if my next couple of plans do not work.
I have Plan Three ready now and will work on Plan Four later. Plan Four involves WinFastNavigator and resetting your GPS. I will have to reinstall it on my PDA as I took it off when I made it a dedicated iGO8 GPS with TTS support. iGO8 and TTS use just all available memory. Plan Three is a program called SatCE.
SatCE is a pretty smart program that usually finds a GPS regardless of whether or not the user knows how to find its settings. Download the CAB file and install it to SD card memory. Start up SatCE and you will see the Initial Screen. This screen has interesting information once the program is locked-on to satellites. Please note that since I launched my SatCE from a cold start with my Clone's GPS, it has no satellite information.
From the Edit menu on the taskbar, choose Location. The SatCE Location Screen will appear and you will see that SatCE is using the GPS location for its eperemis data. Change this Location to the city nearest you. Then tap the Calc button on the same screen and go back to the Initial Screen.
If your GPS works, the numbers should begin to change with the Sun and Moon information the easiest to verify. Based upon your time, you should be able to see that the Sun's azimuth and elevation are correct. By setting the Location, SatCE will force your GPS to use this Location as its present position in the epheremis data equation to locate satellites.
SatCE works really well and displays some pretty neat pictures if you click on the Icons next to the Edit menu.
Good luck and I will work on reinstalling WFN.

I am just about done setting up my PDA with WFN. In the meanwhile, I will post a more detailed URL for WFN as there may be more info there that I have glossed over:
http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/winfastnavigatorppc.php
To get back to one of your questions about changing from SIRF to NMEA, I am unsure because we are dealing with Clones and I yet do not know all the specs for SIRF III which is supposedly the chip used in our Clones.
Supposedly with previous or older SIRF chips, you could change back and forth between NMEA and SIRF because that was built into most chips. I don't know if SIRF III has this capability.
One thing unknown to the average bear or GPS user is that programs can tweak your GPS chip. GPS chips have flash ROM memory like our Clones' memory. Instructions or new data can be written to flash ROM which can affect how your GPS chip operates. OR, instructions can be written and cause your chip not to work.
I hope that maybe one of your programs wrote some bad instructions which did not damage your GPS chip but reprogrammed it making it invalid. Since it worked previously with other programs that is the more likely scenario versus it failing but hey stuff happens!
I will leave you with these thoughts while I go "play" with WFN on my PDA. Colonel - this is going to cost you beer (just kidding)!

WinFast Navigator Reinitialization of GPS chip
ColonelZap,
I think you broke the code on using WinFast Navigator BUT just in case and to allow others to follow along, I will now detail how it can reset a GPS chip.
From the previous Initial Screen, a user selects Port Setting and inputs the appropriate values. If these values are unknown, they can be found by going from Today/Settings/System/External GPS. These values are set from the Initial Screen using the attached WFN Port Setting Screen. Select SIRF and your appropriate Port which can vary from Clone to Clone and HTC to HTC (this stuff does apply to HTC regular phones too).
At this point if you had a working GPS chip, you could click Connect from the Initial Screen and should get a message to the effect that your GPS was found. If not, then we will now get into some of the tweaking found from this URL:
http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/winfastnavigatorppc.php
Once you have set your GPS chip values AND know them to be correct, you will reinitialize your GPS chip using the WFN Reinitialize Screen Page. This page is found on the Initial Screen by going to Command.
Click Command and you will see the WFN Reinitialize Screen. You will select Factory from the Reset Modes available. Click OK and go back to the Port Settings page to see that the values are what you initially set.
Click Connect again and cross your fingers that your GPS chip was reset and it now back to a working Factory Mode.
BTW, WFN's Reinitialization page is good for other things too. If you ever travel more than than 10 miles with the GPS chip off, epheremis data will be written to your GPS track log with your last known position. This last known position is used to locate satellites.
Like the previous example of telling someone you're in Paris when you're actually in Milan - if your GPS thinks it's in one place when it's actually in another, this can delay the Time to First Fix (TtFF). Basically your GPS chip is going from a Cold Start with bad data.
You can force the GPS chip with WFN to first Connect using the Initial Screen page. WFN remembers the values you set. If by chance, the Connect is taking too long OR you have travelled a long distance say by plane, you can exit the program and start it again.
Then you will go to the Reinitialization page and do a Cold Start. This will clear the track log and force your GPS chip to use its time + time zone to communicate directly with overhead GPS satellites.
One more note and I found this by accident. In the same way GPS chips can be tweaked incorrectly, they can be tweaked in a positive manner. If you look at one of my PDA's WFN Initial Screen, I tweaked the GPS chip from a baud rate of 9600 to 57,600.
Older GPS chips were set at lower baud rates when they were fully capable of higher rates which is kind of like a modem that can use various baud rates. By using the WFN Reinitialization Screen page, I reset mine on the NMEA tab to 57600. I have not checked this with the SIRF chip on my clone but will do so later this afternoon.
Good luck again to you. Hope this works!

SatCE Mission failed
I followed your instructions, my city was even listed Clicked on calc and numbers started to change on the main screen. No satellites, though
I couldn't tell if the sun's position is right, it's pretty cloudy, I couldn't see the sun.
When I clicked on the sat-symbol in the taskbar it reads
"GPS not activated"
WN Mission:
Here's what I did:
Port Settings – SiRF – Com 6 – 4800 Baud – ok
Then I clicked on command, selected Factory, selected 4800 in the SiRF settings, pressed ok.
Now, here is the "funny" thing: As soon as I pressed the ok button, the main screen came back up and it reads NMEA in the bottom left corner? WHY NMEA????
Other than that, nothing happened
Man, I really owe you more than just one beer

ColonelZap said:
SatCE Mission failed
I followed your instructions, my city was even listed Clicked on calc and numbers started to change on the main screen. No satellites, though
I couldn't tell if the sun's position is right, it's pretty cloudy, I couldn't see the sun.
When I clicked on the sat-symbol in the taskbar it reads
"GPS not activated"
WN Mission:
Here's what I did:
Port Settings – SiRF – Com 6 – 4800 Baud – ok
Then I clicked on command, selected Factory, selected 4800 in the SiRF settings, pressed ok.
Now, here is the "funny" thing: As soon as I pressed the ok button, the main screen came back up and it reads NMEA in the bottom left corner? WHY NMEA????
Other than that, nothing happened
Man, I really owe you more than just one beer
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Rule of thumb regarding Sun:
9 am - 090 degrees East
12 pm - 180 degrees South
4 pm - 270 degrees West
I think SatCE had the same problem as the other programs - your GPS has been reset.
I don't think I remember reading or seeing a WFN Factory Reset not bringing a GPS chip back to its original settings. On the WFN Reinitialize Screen page (attached), go from the Reset tab to SIRF tab. Insert your proper values and click OK.
You could go back to the Connect feature but if it was me, I'd do a soft reset after exitting the program. Do a soft reset and then run the program again. You may wish also to repeat setting up the SIRF values on that tab and then doing a Factory Reset to see if that helps. I seem to remember doing different combos but it has been a year or two since I did all this "black magic" but it was PFM when my GPS came back.
You might also want to look at the URL in my previous message to see if I missed something. I know that that URL reads like a doctoral dissertation but it saved my bacon when my PDA's GPS was reset by a program.
Then you can look at this page:
http://tjworld.net/wiki/Howto/ResetGPSReceiverToNMEAMode
That user wrote about how his GPS chip worked with both SIRF and NMEA. I would think our Clone's SIRF do the same. If nothing else works, you could set NMEA and use the values he suggests for making a SIRF act like NMEA with these values:
GGA 1
GLL 0
GSA 5
GSV 5
RMC 1
VTG 1
MSS 0
User 0
User 0
User 0
I have to run but will leave my computer how so I can tap into it and maybe respond on the fly! Good luck!!!

BTW, on one of your combos, please make sure you check the SIRF tab and then ACTUALLY do a Factory Reset by clicking the OK on that tab. I know you probably did this but just want to make sure you clicked OK on this tab.
You could also do a Factory Reset followed by a Cold Start immediately after that.
Gotta jam!!!

Hi again
I re-did everything, softreset and EVERYTHING.
The "bad news" is, when I use the Post Scan Utility (see my Post #9), NOTHING is found anymore
I also have the feeling, that WN is not really doing anything? Whenever I restart it, the baud rate is back to 38400, it doesn't take my 4800?!?
I'm also a little confused why I only get Port1, 2 ,3 and 6 offered when I go to the Port settings. The only port accepted is port 6 and this port is called "Serial AGPS" why "AGPS"?
I'll play around a little more, maybe I'm doing something terribly wrong?
UPDATE:
After I did the NMEA thing, I used the port scan tool again, this time it found GPS on Com5!!!! Too bad WN doesn't offer me that Comport
UPDATE 2: This port scanning tool always seems to find the GPS at the port I set under "Programs" in the external GPS settings, NOT the hardware port.

Looks like the Colonel is getting plenty of help!
Sorry about the problems though. But this has been a really interesting lesson in how GPS chips work. Bookmarking this thread right now so I can come back to it later (here's to hoping that doesn't need to happen! )
BTW Colonel.. I forgot to mention to you (and in my little video) that I am also using the Windows Mobile utility for managing my GPS connection. I think its called GPSID Settings (cab attached). I have the checkbox clicked to manage the connection automatically. After doing that, I open the GPS viewer to bring the GPS chip to life before launching iGo.

AGPS usually stands for Assisted GPS which means that your GPS is being "assisted" by your data plan and/or cell towers to get epheremis data. I did not think about that. You will find AGPS on Settings/System/AGPS. If it is on, I'd recommend turning it off as it should be "helping" you. You can about SIRF and AGPS here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SiRFstar_III
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assisted_GPS
I noticed in your second picture that the GPS was found on Port 5 but you say that you have been using Port 6.
If and I do recommend WM6.5 being set up to have manage GPS data, WFN needs to know the real or actual Port when you do a Reset.

Serial GPS also means something but I have my mind on what I'd doing right. I've seen it some context and feel it may be a factor. . .
SIRF, Port 5 would be my bet if GPSViewer found it there.

Colonel,
When you go to Settings/System/External GPS, what Port does WM report your GPS as? That report or Port should be the one you focus on resetting or re-initializing.

weak GPS signal problem?

Is anyone experiencing problem with their GPS signal? Mine would lose the GPS lock constantly. Thanks.

Working fine on my end. Out and back, my drive was 5 hours total.
Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk

No, no problems at all. And I used the GPS allot.
Sent from my LG-H918 using Tapatalk

Make sure yours is set to High accuracy. Mine was not after set up. I had to change.
Sent from my SM-T813 using Tapatalk

Even in high accuracy, I lose the gps signal frequently. Sigh

Do you have a case on your phone?
I just got my cases in and have noticed weaker gps performance since putting the phone in a case.

I've been having major GPS problems. Going for a run and expecting the phone to track my route and calculate my speed accurately shouldn't be too much to ask in late 2016. But my phone constantly loses the GPS signal (this was never a problem with my previous phone in the same location) and even when it doesn't, it can't figure out where I am. My run traces often show me two streets over in addition to thinking I'm jumping back and forth across a busy 5-lane road every 5 seconds or so. I run 6 miles and the phone thinks I've gone 8.25. Not useful for training for events.
Even if you don't want to use the phone to track exercise, there's another reason the bad GPS is annoying. It makes it impossible to take advantage of the feature allowing you to unlock the phone without using your fingerprint or pin based on your location. I have my phone set to be unlocked at home, but the phone apparently can't tell when I'm at home, making this setting completely useless.
As to GPS issues while driving, I haven't noticed them, but I've not used the phone for navigating either.
Would like to mention that while I have a case on it, it is quite light and doesn't seem like it should interfere so badly with the GPS. Will try checking the accuracy without the case and will update if this resolves the issues. Also, I have tried tinkering with the GPS accuracy settings but even selecting all the options to optimize accuracy has not worked for me.

The only thing you can do to test the case theory is to use the phone without that case. That said, it is possible you have a defective phone. I have read many articles about poor GPS being caused by a loose, internal connection. You might want to take your phone to a repair facility and have them check it out.
I have a US996 and, so far, GPS is nice.

how
wtharp2 said:
The only thing you can do to test the case theory is to use the phone without that case. That said, it is possible you have a defective phone. I have read many articles about poor GPS being caused by a loose, internal connection. You might want to take your phone to a repair facility and have them check it out.
I have a US996 and, so far, GPS is nice.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
how can you change it to high?

No issues on my end yet, I use it navigating on a daily basis (racking up Waze points basically) and walking around, can't think of maybe one time it lost GPS driving and that was only briefly.

Mine was misbehaving horribly. I tried using google maps to see if it was something to do with Navigon, (my normal gps app) and somehow it seems like just running maps fixed it. It has been working great with Navigon now.
Go figure.

GPS on my Sprint version has worked great in all 3 options since day 1
Sent from my LG V20 using XDA Labs

On my rooted VS995 software version VS99513A on notsostock kernel v1.2 the GPS seemed to never be able to locate my current location. When I used it before without root it picked up quickly. Am going to try nostock kernek v1.1 the updated version and see if I get a difference. Plus now am running magisk instead of supersu so will see if that makes a difference.

It's possible that the a-gps data is corrupt. I'm not sure how you'd go about clearing that. There must be a cache file associated with gps daemon.
Try installing this:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.eclipsim.gpsstatus2
And when GPS isn't working, run the app and see if it's receiving/decoding any satellites at all (bar lengths indicate strength, colour indicates successfully received all ephemeris data from satellite and therefore has lock - it can take a while without a-gps).
---------- Post added at 08:29 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:27 AM ----------
P.s. I found that taking the back off my phone improves Wi-Fi. Metal blocks radio signals.
If you have low or no signals in a specific location, try popping the back of the phone and seeing if the signals become useable.

mmar3087 said:
Is anyone experiencing problem with their GPS signal? Mine would lose the GPS lock constantly. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry to bring up an old thread. I just bought a used LG V20 (at&t version, H910) on Craigslist the other day, and have had GPS issues that made me highly annoyed like I bought a lemon phone, and was getting ready to call LG Support, and pay a lot of money for repairs.
Happily, I did discover a trivial solution that I haven't really seen, so I thought I'd share it.
After I purchased the phone, I factory reset it. It seemed like the device would be able to triangulate a position, but it would be unreliable, move around, and the accuracy would be highly variable. (observed in Google Maps and Waze). These symptoms seem to be consistent with other people's experiences. The useful and highly recommended "GPS Status" and "GPS Test" apps, that normally show visible satellites were showing ZERO satellites. As suggested in various places, I used "GPS Status" to re-download the A-GPS databases, set "sensor filtering" to medium. Still, zero satellites, but a semi-functional GPS, which is confusing. I found the hidden menu code for the H910 (*#546368#*910#), and SAAT->"Manual Test"->"GPS/BT/Wifi test" and ran the hardware-level GPS diagnostics. I was getting signals of 0.0 db for GPS and GLO satellites, kind of suggesting the GPS hardware was faulty, and made me even less optimistic/more annoyed.
I was basically convinced GPS on my phone was kaput, and would need to be serviced, until I discovered ........
Rebooting the phone solved all of the GPS problems, and made GPS and GNO satellites visible and now GPS is 100% functional. It seems that since I initially factory reset the phone and did my normal installation, I never did a simple reboot. Since I haven't seen that kind of obvious solution on any of the forums, I thought it would be useful to report. I'm cautiously optimistic that was my only problem ......
good luck
=mxasf=

Bought a used one and having problems: it'll fix on several satellites but it's usually unable to acquire the specific location (latitude and longitude). Depending on the program, it will say "waiting for GPS fix" in osmtracker or "looking for GPS location" within 'GPS Status' (the app).
When it does get a 'Lock' (a specific location), its accuracy is 200-300m off. :/
I tried some of the other common tips and tricks:
I've downloaded new A-GPS data (using the 'GPS Status' app); tried using the GPS without my case on; doing a simple reboot, none of them work.
After more searching, I found this guide: https://imgur.com/a/VxeaU which recommends to place copper tape on the GPS antennas of your phone.

i have 2 V20's.. the one i bought back for myself is 12/2016 and another one is another batch 3/2017 for my wife..
What i'll found is the earlier one ( 12/2016 ) have the following issue :
- overheat
- kaput gps
- screen burn
While the one i bought for my wife ( 3/2017 ) doesn't even have the following issue above.. Furthermore, the screen also different.. my wife V20's tend to have a more saturated color, brighter screen and doesn't overheat as much as mine..
My conclusion is, only those with earlier batch of production have all this defect.. and to those who own it ( including me ).. i guess, we're unlucky!
i'll use my wife V20's as gps since mine V20 is good for nothing when GPS is a needs.... if she's not around, i'm totally doomed !
-----
if you guys wonder, there was no different in camera.... unlike G6 ( pheww~ )
both my and my wife V20's produce the same images quality..

mxasf said:
Rebooting the phone solved all of the GPS problems, and made GPS and GNO satellites visible and now GPS is 100% functional. It seems that since I initially factory reset the phone and did my normal installation, I never did a simple reboot. Since I haven't seen that kind of obvious solution on any of the forums, I thought it would be useful to report. I'm cautiously optimistic that was my only problem ......
good luck
=mxasf=
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's an old common fix

skorasaurus said:
Bought a used one and having problems: it'll fix on several satellites but it's usually unable to acquire the specific location (latitude and longitude). Depending on the program, it will say "waiting for GPS fix" in osmtracker or "looking for GPS location" within 'GPS Status' (the app).
When it does get a 'Lock' (a specific location), its accuracy is 200-300m off. :/
I tried some of the other common tips and tricks:
I've downloaded new A-GPS data (using the 'GPS Status' app); tried using the GPS without my case on; doing a simple reboot, none of them work.
After more searching, I found this guide: https://imgur.com/a/VxeaU which recommends to place copper tape on the GPS antennas of your phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I followed that guide (credit https://www.reddit.com/r/lgv20/comments/7fx2gz/becareful_buying_the_top_plastic_bezel_of_the_v20/)
and bought copper tape (https://www.amazon.com/Copper-Conductive-Adhesive-1inch-12yards/dp/B018RDZ3HG) off amazon.
For me and my VS995; there were metal contacts (see picture 1 of the imgur album) and the metal contacts were silver, not gold.
Nonetheless, I put some copper tape only on the first contact as shown in picture 1 and my signal improved dramatically. The lowest accuracy that I can get (lower is better) now is about 8m and it has been hovering around 15m; and still takes a few seconds to
This is compared to my s5, where I could get an accuracy as low as 4-5m and usually hovers around 8-10m and could obtain my location within 10 seconds after turning on GPS.

Pixel 8.1.0 Oreo cannot get fix on GPS

I have a Verizon unlocked Pixel with Magisk 16.4 installed. I have seen a few other threads from maybe a year ago about this same problem, they all seem to suggest the issue is hardware. I want to check to make sure I haven't missed any software check first.
For about a half year now my Pixel has had trouble locking on GPS. Fitness apps like Strava or Endomondo are super inaccurate or report no distance traveled. Google Maps will work, but only in areas heavy with WiFi. I've mostly ignored it, but in the past week I was out of town and could have really used Maps Navigation, so now I'm trying to figure out if there's anything I can do.
I have tried (combined with numerous reboots):
Confirming "High Accuracy" being selected, and also tried "Device Only"
Tweaking Bluetooth and Wifi Scanning
Using AGPS apps to clear and update GPS, followed by letting the apps scan for 10 - 15 minutes while the phone is screen-on and outdoors.
Going into the list of apps and Enabling a previously Disabled "Device Policy" app
Reading /system/vendor/etc/gps.conf (but I don't know what it means)
Flashing to the latest Pixel sailfish images (June 2018 bootloader, boot, radio, system, etc.) and thus removing Magisk
Uninstalled Android Auto
Removing my SIM card, restarting the phone, and then re-inserting it.
The GPS apps I've tried (GPS Status and GPS Test) both show that they can see satellites (18 to 23 at any given moment) but that they can't get a fix. If I'm outdoors, sometimes 1 satellite can be fixed for a minute or two and that's it. The only repair attempt that had any effect was enabling "Device Policy", after which GPS worked perfectly for about 20 minutes before returning to poor operation again.
The issues only seemed to appear after I upgraded to 8.1, which may be coincidence and me just perceiving the timing poorly.
Apart from a Factory Reset which I'm nearly ready to do, is there any other thing I can do, try, or test to get GPS working? I'm not sure how to debug from adb shell properly but I do have access to use adb and get more information if required... or should I accept that my hardware is damaged and that it may be time to upgrade phones? (I'm definitely out of warranty at this point though...)

I have had to return 2 pixel devices with a GPS issue. So it's probably the device.

I would have reset first, then if that didn't work roll back to 8.0. then start trying all that other stuff.

Probably screwed
ohioDroid said:
I have a Verizon unlocked Pixel with Magisk 16.4 installed. I have seen a few other threads from maybe a year ago about this same problem, they all seem to suggest the issue is hardware. I want to check to make sure I haven't missed any software check first.
For about a half year now my Pixel has had trouble locking on GPS. Fitness apps like Strava or Endomondo are super inaccurate or report no distance traveled. Google Maps will work, but only in areas heavy with WiFi. I've mostly ignored it, but in the past week I was out of town and could have really used Maps Navigation, so now I'm trying to figure out if there's anything I can do.
I have tried (combined with numerous reboots):
Confirming "High Accuracy" being selected, and also tried "Device Only"
Tweaking Bluetooth and Wifi Scanning
Using AGPS apps to clear and update GPS, followed by letting the apps scan for 10 - 15 minutes while the phone is screen-on and outdoors.
Going into the list of apps and Enabling a previously Disabled "Device Policy" app
Reading /system/vendor/etc/gps.conf (but I don't know what it means)
Flashing to the latest Pixel sailfish images (June 2018 bootloader, boot, radio, system, etc.) and thus removing Magisk
Uninstalled Android Auto
Removing my SIM card, restarting the phone, and then re-inserting it.
The GPS apps I've tried (GPS Status and GPS Test) both show that they can see satellites (18 to 23 at any given moment) but that they can't get a fix. If I'm outdoors, sometimes 1 satellite can be fixed for a minute or two and that's it. The only repair attempt that had any effect was enabling "Device Policy", after which GPS worked perfectly for about 20 minutes before returning to poor operation again.
The issues only seemed to appear after I upgraded to 8.1, which may be coincidence and me just perceiving the timing poorly.
Apart from a Factory Reset which I'm nearly ready to do, is there any other thing I can do, try, or test to get GPS working? I'm not sure how to debug from adb shell properly but I do have access to use adb and get more information if required... or should I accept that my hardware is damaged and that it may be time to upgrade phones? (I'm definitely out of warranty at this point though...)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As much as I hate to say it you are probably screwed. My GPS worked when I very first got my Pixel but the day it updated to Marshmallow I started having the same issues as you. If I stand still it can get a lock but it can't keep up while I move. I've tried troubleshooting with Verizon, with Google, and a whole bunch myself. I've installed new ROMS, old ROMS anything I can find. I think they tweaked something after the 8.0 update that alters how the GPS chips function, and certain units are basically borked from it. They won't fix it now that my phone is out of warranty, I ended up buying a Garmin unit for my car out of frustration.

Set up altitude, but "Network unavailable"?

When I selected "Calibrate now" after few seconds show up notification: "Network unavailable"
and next time will show: "Can't get a sea level air pressure reading for your location. Enter manually?"
Data/internet connection working on News, Weather apps. This behavior is same, WiFi or bluetooth connection.
Does anybody have any idea how to fix this bug?
SM-R760
Tizen Version 4.0.0.2
R760XXU2DSA1

deffyplus said:
When I selected "Calibrate now" after few seconds show up notification: "Network unavailable"
and next time will show: "Can't get a sea level air pressure reading for your location. Enter manually?"
Data/internet connection working on News, Weather apps. This behavior is same, WiFi or bluetooth connection.
Does anybody have any idea how to fix this bug?
SM-R760
Tizen Version 4.0.0.2
R760XXU2DSA1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
I had the same issue. Uninstalled the Wear application from phone and installed again.
Bingo..
Hope this helps.

I'm having this issue too. Ive tried reinstalling everything and resetting the watch. Nothing seems to be fixing it. Looking at the reviews of the alt-barometer app in the Samsung store seems to suggest the issue is widespread.

Have the same issue too. I think it's a problem of the defined server in the app which doesn't respond anymore. They should update the app...

Hi, i have exactly same problem after update to tizen 4.0. Have you some solutions?

Same problem , too. Last update 14.2.2019
I have noticed today at my job that I was at 188m, and when it worked I was less than 50m.
Same thing after reinstalling "wear", maybe worst, I didn't had backup

Same problem here after Tizen 4.0.

Same problem. Also affects Hiking Activity in S-Health on the watch. (It can't detect altitude so whole activity is broken showing "0km walked", "--" instead altitude and wrong calories). Tried every combination of reseting watch (with and without backup restore), reinstalling wear app and all plugins on phone and reinstalling altimeter app on watch. Even reflashed firmware via NetOdin. Also tried disabling adblock on phone in case some url gets blocked. No difference).
I'm also starting to think this have to do with predefined altitude server altimeter is contacting being down and not responding.
I had enough fiddling with this but if someone is determined they can try downgrade back to 3.0.0.2 to see if problem persist. Or try debugging the watch to see what is actually happening behind the calibrate request. Maybe even use packet sniffer.
SM-R760
Tizen Version 4.0.0.2
R760XXU2DSA1
BTU (UK) region

It must really be a widespread problem. The same here after the update to Tizen 4.0.2. I have made several hard resets of the watch, the only thing I have not done is phone hard reset. Not going to suffer this not knowing if it helps. I was solving more problems, so I have made several hard resets of the watch. For instance, SOME of the incoming calls were not vibrating on the watch. But after the first hard reset after the update the altimeter started working the second day I think!!! I thought it was really an issue connected with unavailibility of a server somewhere. I was solving more important issues, so I have made other hard resets and since then the altimeter jut won't work...

Same problem after upgrade to Tizen 4. Tommorow i trying downgrade to Tizen 3.
SM-R770
Tizen Version 4.0.0.2
Poland

I had the same problem. After several tries is now working. All I had to do was set the location to "high precision " on my phone (note 8) and after 4-5 times the watch will update automatically. Also I went outside.

I tried today and a get altitude measurement! I turned off and on my location on phone. But... I got lucky only one time. I tried 5 minutes later, and get "network unavailable"... Strange...

Problem
I have the same problem..

agawron91 said:
I tried today and a get altitude measurement! I turned off and on my location on phone. But... I got lucky only one time. I tried 5 minutes later, and get "network unavailable"... Strange...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had the same experience today. At 1 a.m. of our local time (Europe) I got one calibration but since then - nothing. It makes me believe that the problem is not in our watches or phones but on the side of a server somewhere. Were they testing something?

It seems that reinstalling the app would help. I have done it, and for now it's all good
again, network not available , one or two updates and gone again.

Another +1 here - I have just discovered that my S3 Frontier is doing exactly the same thing. Uninstalling the companion app on the phone and reinstalling it hasn't worked for me, the intermittent nature of it (based on previous posts) would suggest some back end network issue at the end of whoever provides that data.

deffyplus said:
When I selected "Calibrate now" after few seconds show up notification: "Network unavailable"
and next time will show: "Can't get a sea level air pressure reading for your location. Enter manually?"
Data/internet connection working on News, Weather apps. This behavior is same, WiFi or bluetooth connection.
Does anybody have any idea how to fix this bug?
SM-R760
Tizen Version 4.0.0.2
R760XXU2DSA1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As I posted before, same happened to me the first time after the update to Tizen 4
I had to turn location to high accuracy and had to go outdoors, and after 4-5 tries the altitude is calibrated and working perfectly now. One thing I noticed is that you need to set your phone location on all the time with at least "device only" option.
GOTO_GOSUB said:
Another +1 here - I have just discovered that my S3 Frontier is doing exactly the same thing. Uninstalling the companion app on the phone and reinstalling it hasn't worked for me, the intermittent nature of it (based on previous posts) would suggest some back end network issue at the end of whoever provides that data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Seems that the data is provided by the android location services, not by your data/wifi; in this case you need to have the location on with "device only", seems to solved my problem, BTW I havent noticed more battery drain than using "battery save" mode.

Seems that the data is provided by the android location services, not by your data/wifi; in this case you need to have the location on with "device only", seems to solved my problem, BTW I havent noticed more battery drain than using "battery save" mode.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for this tip - I missed your earlier comment so repeating it here again is useful and does seem to provide a work-around. Have a "Thanks" on me.
Since this is a recent change I wonder if Samsung got their device class confused and are trying to get the watch to aquire a "true" GPS fix rather than using the phone if available, but got it wrong with the latest build so now the watch has acquired a dependency it didn't have before.
My S3 has Wi-fi (but turned off) and no carrier / network (ie mobile phone) support and that used to work perfectly well with my phone's location services set to "High Accuracy" over the Bluetooth link which should surely be enough for any non mission critical consumer device since that uses network location, Wi-fi and GPS. I can see why someone might want a high degree level of accuracy on their watch but then surely the watch should be acquiring GPS itself which is why I wonder if Samsung were trying to be smart and got their wires crossed.
I will check out the battery usage implications of restricting my location to GPS at a later date, but I am mostly indoors and a) don't use the altimeter all that much and b) won't get much of a GPS fix in the concrete and steel bunker that is my office so I am expecting it to be an absolute battery sucker.
Thanks again for the tip about changing the location services on the phone.

GOTO_GOSUB said:
Thanks for this tip - I missed your earlier comment so repeating it here again is useful and does seem to provide a work-around. Have a "Thanks" on me.
Since this is a recent change I wonder if Samsung got their device class confused and are trying to get the watch to aquire a "true" GPS fix rather than using the phone if available, but got it wrong with the latest build so now the watch has acquired a dependency it didn't have before.
My S3 has Wi-fi (but turned off) and no carrier / network (ie mobile phone) support and that used to work perfectly well with my phone's location services set to "High Accuracy" over the Bluetooth link which should surely be enough for any non mission critical consumer device since that uses network location, Wi-fi and GPS. I can see why someone might want a high degree level of accuracy on their watch but then surely the watch should be acquiring GPS itself which is why I wonder if Samsung were trying to be smart and got their wires crossed.
I will check out the battery usage implications of restricting my location to GPS at a later date, but I am mostly indoors and a) don't use the altimeter all that much and b) won't get much of a GPS fix in the concrete and steel bunker that is my office so I am expecting it to be an absolute battery sucker.
Thanks again for the tip about changing the location services on the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My S3 is exactly the same as yours, and I dont have wifi or GPS on either, it gets the location straight from the phone, I checked it and when I go to altitude on my watch I can see that the icon of "searching location" goes on in my phone.
I am pretty sure that the GPS of the watch doesnt work by itself because I use it to run everyday (with my phone) and is tracking the metrics and altitude just well, also the location is locked and working, I run 5kms per day and I get 3 and a half days of battery and when I run with the watch alone I can get 1 and a half day (cause GPS and Spotify).
BTW, where I live/work there are no high structures or buildings miles around, maybe it means faster location.
Regards.

I found solution that help me in reddit: "Switch on "location history" in Google account. Should help"

Nokia 8.3 5G GPS issue

Hello there!
I came here to ask for help in a helpless case.
Android 11 on Nokia phones has broken GPS for a long time and there seems to be no interes in either Nokia or Google to fix it.
I talked numerous times with Nokia support to no avail.
Nature if the issue:
While using navigation feature of google maps, whenever GPS signal is lost, google maps will "jump" and won't continuously track location, even if I leave the area of limited GPS signal availability.
To further clarify:
1. Go to underground garage
2. Set up route to an address
3. Start navigation
4. Observe "signal lost" prompt, and "--" in speed indicator.
5. Start driving, leave underground garage
6. Observe the app, when the phone should regain navigation capability it does not happen.
7. Location tracking is non-continuous and "jumps", speed changes back and forth from "--" to different values like "54 km/h"
8. This issue persist regardless of actual GPS signal, app restart, even phone reboots.
9. Only way to alleviate the issue is to long press Vol. Down and Power button for a hard reset.
I tried contacting google support - to no avail, also talked with Nokia support many times.
Issue occurs on both my and my wife's Nokia 8.3 5G, also occurred on my previous Nokia Phones.
Android 11, most updated one.
I have developer functions enabled to change icon shapes, what can I do to try and fix the issue?
Please help me this is so annoying