Related
Let me start by saying my Mogul (Bell) has ALWAYS LOCKED (found satellites) with ALL of DCD's ROMS from the day he started creating the ROMs for the GPS. All the "GPS" radio's have worked and am lucky never to have a problem except one: Not Finding GPS/Satellites after the Mogul Sleeps or being able to get it working again without a soft/hard reset everytime!!!
I have been using only DCD's ROMS and currently have radio 3.35.04 and DCD 3.01 installed. I am using Garmin XT and GPS Tuner. I get the same results with every GPS software I have tried.
Here are brief details:
After hard/soft reset - if its within a few seconds and I catch it quickly, there are no problems, both the AGPS and the software are working fine.
After 2-? Minutes - if I let the unit go to sleep, and awake it via the Power button, the gps program is looking for satellites. Sometimes it finds them, most of the time not. It wont find them in ANY program, even GPS Viewer and/or any other navigation program.
After Many Minutes - not only are the satellites gone, but now the navigation software cannot find the AGPS with any program OR method.
Sometimes a soft start fixes it, sometimes only a hard start will do the trick.
I have tried as much of the "forced start" software that I could find, but to no avail.
I also changed the com port to 5 thinking that there maybe is a conflict with 4, (you have to make sure the com port setting in all of your GPS software is also changed unless the software does this automatically) but the SAME issues stated above occur.
I have loaded and reloaded probably 20 different configurations of my software even to the point where all I had loaded was the bare DCD rom (no options or unnecessary OEM's) and JUST my Navigation software. Same issues......
I hope I am not the only one and hope that the contributions to this thread will fix this issue.
Please.....Keep this thread focused on this issue only - Keeping the GPS alive!!! ( no Where did you get this or that program? How did you install it?)
keeping the gps alive will kill the battery.
yea, i have teh same issue as you. soft reset is the only way i get gps working.
thecalip said:
keeping the gps alive will kill the battery.
yea, i have teh same issue as you. soft reset is the only way i get gps working.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe a better way to phrase it would have been to make the GPS available without having to do a soft reset every time.
We don't want to keep GPS alive indefinately! We just want so if we accidentily press power button while navigation is happening, we not have to reset the phone.. because this is a little inconvenient. If I am driving down the road and I hit my power button, now I have to pull over and reset my Titan because otherwise I have no GPS navigation ability and that's not a good happening, you know? We just want so if navigation software is active, not kill GPS, then when shutdown GPS navigation software, shut down GPS gate properly so when want to relaunch GPS navigation software, not need to reboot Titan.
I'm sorry to post in a rather old post.
But I'm having the same problem with my Samsung i780.
When I already used my GPS after turning on my phone and put it back to sleep, it can't find a valid GPS signal when waking it up.
After a soft reset, the GPS signal is found very quickly.
Any fix for this?
yeah, the fix is GC's aGPS fix. I never have to soft reset my device to get a lock ever.
I don't use aGPS, just the internal GPS receiver.
Will it also fix the problem then?
>> edit:
It's not that the GPS doesn't work after accidentally pushing the power button. It's more like when I use the GPS the first time after turning the phone on, everything works fast and good. But when I close the Navigator software and turn it back on in -let's say- two hours, it doesn't get a signal from the GPS. I don't use aGPS.
I only use Google Maps and TomTom7. If I make sure the phone doesn't go to sleep while Google Maps is tracking GPS all is fine. However, if the phone goes to sleep while Google Maps is using the GPS it will not work again, in any program, until I soft reset. If I bring the phone out of sleep fast enough, it's fine. If the same happens with TomTom though it takes a few seconds to fix itself and then everything works just like it did before.
I'm not sure why it works fine with TomTom and not Google Maps though.
I found that if I use the GPS toggle program and leave it on. It finds the GPS signal after sleep mode. It is a small today screen plugin. I also have attached the latest version of Google maps. If i am using the GPS with Google maps it doesn't stop when the phone goes into sleep mode. See if this helps.
i use the same gps toggle program that tommvee suggested using and it works great. i wasn't originally having problems finding GPS satellites after waking from sleep mode, but was having to wait up to 5 minutes before garmin xt could find my location. after installing the gps toggle .cab, doing a soft reset, activating the gps toggle and letting it run in the background for a few minutes, both garmin xt, and googlemaps can now find me in about 30 seconds. i do believe however, that you'll have to reactivate the gps toggle after restarting the phone but it will stay running while your phone is in sleep/standby mode.
tommvee said:
It finds the GPS signal after sleep mode. It is a small today screen plugin./QUOTE]
Is there anyway to activate the program without the today screen plugin?
I'm using the default Samsung Home plugin and it takes the whole screen...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
kflipproductions said:
yeah, the fix is GC's aGPS fix. I never have to soft reset my device to get a lock ever.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am also using aGPS but still have problems if I accidently hit the power button in Google Maps and forget to turn it back on. My power button is very sensitive so even brushing it as I set the phone down will put it to sleep. It doesn't click anymore like the other buttons do :/
As for the battery usage, I only use GPS in my car where I have the phone plugged in 90% of the time.
Where can I get GC's GPS fix?
RedRamage said:
Where can I get GC's GPS fix?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think there's a link to the How To in the Titan wiki.
Any pointers on shutting down the gps gate? I could try a utility for doing the shutdown manually.
Have anyone got the GPS on the Titan to work when you don't have network service?
I have even tried this:
http://www.rimweb.in/forums/index.php?showtopic=13024
I can get my Titan to pick like around 10 sats but it's very unlikely that I will get a lock (1 of 20 times I get a lock).
Cliff notes: What do you have to do to get the GPS on the Titan to work in Europe?
Thanks
Without data, as long as you don't enable aGPS it will work in offline mode, however it's very intermittent on sync. The best method is to turn it on, give it a clear view of the sky either outside or in your car and just wait. If you are driving it will almost never sync up.
Get a tool like Bafs GPS Toggle. As it won't "time out" like Google Maps and Live Search will do. If you just wait it should eventually sync up.
As for outside the country, I am not sure if any of the primer tools like QuickGPS will help, not sure if they will download the ephemeris data for those areas. The first satellite your phone can link onto will then transmit ephemeris data to your phone and tell it what other satellites should be visable at the moment and the upcoming schedule for the upcoming time periods. It then attempts to connect to the others. If it can never make that initial connection then you may never get a sync.
Just give it some time. Mine never took more than 15 minutes while standing still, tho while driving I drove for over 30 minutes once with no sync, however I came to a long stop light 2-3 minutes, and bam it synced. So the trick is to just sit still.
I've never been to Europe, so I can't guarantee that my advice will help.
BTC
BillThyCat said:
Without data, as long as you don't enable aGPS it will work in offline mode, however it's very intermittent on sync. The best method is to turn it on, give it a clear view of the sky either outside or in your car and just wait. If you are driving it will almost never sync up.
Get a tool like Bafs GPS Toggle. As it won't "time out" like Google Maps and Live Search will do. If you just wait it should eventually sync up.
As for outside the country, I am not sure if any of the primer tools like QuickGPS will help, not sure if they will download the ephemeris data for those areas. The first satellite your phone can link onto will then transmit ephemeris data to your phone and tell it what other satellites should be visable at the moment and the upcoming schedule for the upcoming time periods. It then attempts to connect to the others. If it can never make that initial connection then you may never get a sync.
Just give it some time. Mine never took more than 15 minutes while standing still, tho while driving I drove for over 30 minutes once with no sync, however I came to a long stop light 2-3 minutes, and bam it synced. So the trick is to just sit still.
I've never been to Europe, so I can't guarantee that my advice will help.
BTC
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks but I already tried all that, it doesn't seem to work when you're outside the US, I have left the phone for hours under clear sky, sometimes it will even reboot and I will need to start priming the GPS again.
There must be some special setting that I need to do in the phone.
Daved+ said:
Have anyone got the GPS on the Titan to work when you don't have network service?
I have even tried this:
http://www.rimweb.in/forums/index.php?showtopic=13024
I can get my Titan to pick like around 10 sats but it's very unlikely that I will get a lock (1 of 20 times I get a lock).
Cliff notes: What do you have to do to get the GPS on the Titan to work in Europe?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i don't know for sure if the following will work outside the US.
open up a registry editor, i use PHM Registry editor
go to this key
HKLM/SOFTWARE/HTC/supl agps
change the following, if they need it, to:
EnableAGPS 1
EnableGPSSmartMode 1
GPSMode 4
click ok, quit the reg editor, do a soft reset and go back to make sure the settings took.
this will allow you to use the stand alone gps without the need of being in cell tower range. google maps will not work, since it uses the data connection to load the maps.
GPS Mode 4?
g2145 said:
i don't know for sure if the following will work outside the US.
open up a registry editor, i use PHM Registry editor
go to this key
HKLM/SOFTWARE/HTC/supl agps
change the following, if they need it, to:
EnableAGPS 1
EnableGPSSmartMode 1
GPSMode 4
click ok, quit the reg editor, do a soft reset and go back to make sure the settings took.
this will allow you to use the stand alone gps without the need of being in cell tower range. google maps will not work, since it uses the data connection to load the maps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Isnt GPS Mode 4 only for Sprint users?
i don't know myself if it is carrier specific.
i do know it works on my sprint mogul.
Hi everyone, first I want to apologize for my bad english, I will try to explain my problem. I'm from Venezuela, my cell phone carrier is Movilnet, my Titan setup is ROM DCD 3.3.4, Radio 3.2.50, PRI 2.03. The problem is: when I'm on cell phone service area my GPS never gets a lock, unless I let the phone all night with the GPS software trying to lock.
But, when I travel out of the city to an area whitout cell phone coverage, I can get a lock within 2 minutes, consistently, even after a soft or hard reset.
I'm using VisualGPSce to monitoring and priming the GPS, but I also had tried GPS Test, GPS Viewer, GPS toogle, etc. I had noticed that, when I'm trying to lock with VisualGPSce, the software give me a initial position that is 180º wrong, i.e. If the right coordinated is N8º 20,91 W62º 39,14, the software shows N8º 20,91 E62º 39,14. I had tried in flight mode with no success, also disabling aGPS in the registry, may be I will try a QPST config, but I don't know what config can I change.
My thery is that the cell phone towers create some kind of "conflict" and messed up all the GPS syncronization, may be the time syncronization, I don't know.
Thanks for your help.
g2145 said:
i don't know for sure if the following will work outside the US.
open up a registry editor, i use PHM Registry editor
go to this key
HKLM/SOFTWARE/HTC/supl agps
change the following, if they need it, to:
EnableAGPS 1
EnableGPSSmartMode 1
GPSMode 4
click ok, quit the reg editor, do a soft reset and go back to make sure the settings took.
this will allow you to use the stand alone gps without the need of being in cell tower range. google maps will not work, since it uses the data connection to load the maps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Won't get a lock with those settings... I will pick a lot of sats but will never get a lock.
Seems the GPS on the Mogul won't work in Europe or anywhere outside NA.
anddy78 said:
Hi everyone, first I want to apologize for my bad english, I will try to explain my problem. I'm from Venezuela, my cell phone carrier is Movilnet, my Titan setup is ROM DCD 3.3.4, Radio 3.2.50, PRI 2.03. The problem is: when I'm on cell phone service area my GPS never gets a lock, unless I let the phone all night with the GPS software trying to lock.
But, when I travel out of the city to an area whitout cell phone coverage, I can get a lock within 2 minutes, consistently, even after a soft or hard reset.
I'm using VisualGPSce to monitoring and priming the GPS, but I also had tried GPS Test, GPS Viewer, GPS toogle, etc. I had noticed that, when I'm trying to lock with VisualGPSce, the software give me a initial position that is 180º wrong, i.e. If the right coordinated is N8º 20,91 W62º 39,14, the software shows N8º 20,91 E62º 39,14. I had tried in flight mode with no success, also disabling aGPS in the registry, may be I will try a QPST config, but I don't know what config can I change.
My thery is that the cell phone towers create some kind of "conflict" and messed up all the GPS syncronization, may be the time syncronization, I don't know.
Thanks for your help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What GPS settings do you have in your registry?
daved+
what rom are you using?
g2145 said:
daved+
what rom are you using?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am using a rom made by myself with BuildOS but I also tried DCD and other ROMs with the same result.
If you have any suggestions, please let me know.
i had an idea of you trying to get a gps lock without installing the carrier cab..just to see for the heck of it.
g2145 said:
i had an idea of you trying to get a gps lock without installing the carrier cab..just to see for the heck of it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, that's exactly the point, getting a gps lock when you don't have a carrier (no network service at all).
GPSMode
Daved+ said:
Won't get a lock with those settings... I will pick a lot of sats but will never get a lock.
Seems the GPS on the Mogul won't work in Europe or anywhere outside NA.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try GPSMode 2. That is what I use.
oneders65 said:
Try GPSMode 2. That is what I use.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Believe me, I've tried all modes.
I supposed mode 2 would work because that's the factory mode on the GSM models that works on networks with no aGPS, yeah, I have even copied the settings from a GSM TyTN II and a Touch Cruise, they won't do the trick on the Titan.
Daved+ said:
What GPS settings do you have in your registry?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After the hard reset, the default registry settings was:
EnableAGPS 1
EnableGPSSmartMode 1
GPSMode 2
That works in the no cell phone service area, but in the city, doesn't work.
you can use standalone gps with some of the radio versions:
3.35.04: gps mode 2: no lock, no reboot
3.39.10: gps mode 2: one lock, 1x reboot effect
3.41.00: gps mode 2: 3x constant locks, good navigation, no proven reboots
3.41.00: gps mode 1/disabled smart, disabled agps 0x constant locks, 2x proven reboots
3.42.02: gps mode 2: 1x reboot effect
3.42.30: gps mode 2: no lock, no reboot
3.42.40: running: 3x lock, 0x reboot (disabled smart, disabled agps, gps mode 1)
3.42.50: gps mode 2:1x reboot effect
i used own cooked rom with ppckitchen 20931, a gps software to initialize it (Sirftech, free) reprogrammed the phone with qpst (all gps checkboxes on like recommended somewhere in the forum) and much patience... a lock need sometimes up to 2 hours from window (had to connect the phone on the glass in 2nd floor), outdoor it locks while remaining in the car and myself going shopping for some time.
Sometimes with working configuration it never locks, sometimes it does, no matter how much sattelites in view (mostly 5 to 10)
The reboot occurs in my opinion in the moment the phone gets a lock - some user assumed it only happends if you stay outside usa.
I am in germany (no network available) and have disabled phone, wlan, bluetooth.
Try 3.42.40, use gps mode 1, disable agps, and use sirftech - if that doesnt help, post again...
cyclon1978 said:
you can use standalone gps with some of the radio versions:
3.35.04: gps mode 2: no lock, no reboot
3.39.10: gps mode 2: one lock, 1x reboot effect
3.41.00: gps mode 2: 3x constant locks, good navigation, no proven reboots
3.41.00: gps mode 1/disabled smart, disabled agps 0x constant locks, 2x proven reboots
3.42.02: gps mode 2: 1x reboot effect
3.42.30: gps mode 2: no lock, no reboot
3.42.40: running: 3x lock, 0x reboot (disabled smart, disabled agps, gps mode 1)
3.42.50: gps mode 2:1x reboot effect
i used own cooked rom with ppckitchen 20931, a gps software to initialize it (Sirftech, free) reprogrammed the phone with qpst (all gps checkboxes on like recommended somewhere in the forum) and much patience... a lock need sometimes up to 2 hours from window (had to connect the phone on the glass in 2nd floor), outdoor it locks while remaining in the car and myself going shopping for some time.
Sometimes with working configuration it never locks, sometimes it does, no matter how much sattelites in view (mostly 5 to 10)
The reboot occurs in my opinion in the moment the phone gets a lock - some user assumed it only happends if you stay outside usa.
I am in germany (no network available) and have disabled phone, wlan, bluetooth.
Try 3.42.40, use gps mode 1, disable agps, and use sirftech - if that doesnt help, post again...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
THANKSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That's exactly what I needed to know!!!!
I'm using 3.42.50, now I know why I can't get a lock.
I will flash the 3.42.40 radio, I hope I can do the same on the Vogue.
Thanks again!!!!!
cyclon1978 said:
Try 3.42.40, use gps mode 1, disable agps, and use sirftech - if that doesnt help, post again...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Posting again... After around 40 min, the phone rebooted, no lock at that moment but it was seeing 4 sats.
Do I try with a different radio or different settings?
Thanks
I now have 100% gps reception after letting the device ~20 minutes in the car. So i will post my configuration and hope it helps:
ROM Version: 3.08.666.1 (ppckitchen selfmade, nothing special included)
Radio Version: 3.42.40
Hardware Version 3
PRL 60613
PRI 2.03_003 (these doesnt really matter in airplane mode)
I use the "10 items" communication manager with all disabled except of flight mode.
Registry: Default from rom plus the following changes:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\HTC\SUPL AGPS:EnableAGPS = 0
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\HTC\SUPL AGPS:EnableGPSSmartMode = 0
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\HTC\SUPL AGPS:GPSMode = 1
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\HTC\SUPL AGPS:QoSAccuracy = 25
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\HTC\SUPL AGPS:QosPerformance = 89
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\HTC\SUPL AGPS:TimeBetweenFixes = 1000
All values are decimal, not hex!
i think that changing QoSAccuracy from 50 to 25 and TimeBetweenFixes from 1 to 1000 had absolutely no effect. So you should try to change only the first 3 values...
in QPST service programming i have disabled "Allowed" because i read it will not disable the gps but the agps - thats true. I have checked and unchecked all boxes, checked only Autonomous and GPS/AFLT Hybrid.
... in all times i got a lock i started the device from power off mode (pressing power button long time)!
Hello guys I recently had CyanogenMod 7.1 on my SGS2, and i wanted to test out the GPS on some navigation services, and it didn't seem to work.. so I tried to get it back to stock android (2.3.5 XXKI3), and it still doesn't seem to work..
I live in Israel..
Here are the things I tried (on both CyanogenMod and stock Android):
1. stay in the same position for 5min with 2G networks only
2. stay in the same position for 5min without 2G networks only checked
3. stay in the same position for 5min with 2G networks only + WiFi on
4. stay in the same position for 5min without 2G networks only checked + WiFi on
5. tried to enter *#*#1372365#*#* and *#1372365#* to get into gps testing - didn't work..
1. I saw that when I use a program called: "GPS Test" - I only get max of 7 Satellites (this is at least the maximum that i got), and i know i only need 3 satellites to get it to lock, but still it doesn't seem to lock on me.
The "GPS Test" program shows satellites "In Use"=0 , 0 satellites in green or yellow (which really means that i use no satellites) , The maximum signal i got from satellites is "43" (and it was grey)
2. When i click on "show me" in Google Maps it shows "Waiting for location" and after a couple of seconds it shows "Your current location is temporarily unavailable"
What should i do??
(btw i know there are probably thousands of this threads on google - i say.. i seem to kind of tried everything..)
Thanks in advanced,
Din.
I suggest you take a look at this thread, it may help.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1233256
otherwise you may have a hardware defect in the gps chip.
Thanks, I will try that out..
Hey guys, first off, I have searched for no less than 2 hours for an answer to this question, and while there are lots of discussions, none of them seem to replicate what I am seeing.
Can anyone confirm this, and does anyone have a fix?
GPS will not lock a single satelite in Airplane Mode. I'm in American Samoa without cell coverage, and using the GPS Status app to test. Here's my findings:
First, I turn off Airplane mode, turn on WiFi (connected), turn on GPS. I do not get a cell signal. I open GPS Status, GPS locks onto the first satelite within a minute, and locks position in 10 seconds after that. I turn Airplane mode on which turns WiFi off. Interestingly enough, GPS is not turned off. I turn GP Soff, and then turn it back on (have read suggestions to do so, and have also tried not switching it at all). I then turn Wifi on and verify connection. I open GPS Status, and let it sit for up to an hour outdoors, not a single satelite ever appears. I turn Airplane mode off, and within a minute I have a locked location.
So, two questions, is it possible to get GPS to work when in Airplane mode, or is it possible to disable the cell radio some other way (possibly keeping GPS enabled)?
Here's my stats:
Phone: Moto Razr Maxx
Rooted: Yup
Carrier: Verizon
Sys Version: 6.12.181.XT912.Verizon.en.US
Android Version: 2.3.6
Baseband: CMDA_N_04.07.01R LTEDC_U_07.1F.00
Purchased about a month ago
Playing around a bit more, I noticed that when I have airplane mode off, and GPS on, and GPS Status open, if I quickly hit the home button, turn Airplane mode on, and go back into GPS Status, a lock remains for about 3-5 seconds, and then satelites slowly start disappearing until there's none left. Airplane mode is definitely disabling GPS on my phone.
Anyone? Bueller.... Bueller... Bueller...
I can post video if you don't believe me...
I have read that the GPS needs a data connection to make a lock. I don't remember where I read that, but I had the same problem when I was in Europe trying to use my phone primarily as a GPS device with cached maps. There was maybe once or twice that it actually locked, out of many many many many attempts.
I have airplane mode on, wifi and blutooth off, then turn on gps, I get gps lock on my Droid Razr with stock gingerbread for a short period then lose all satellites. It appears that you can't use gps with airplane mode on.
bump i have been wondering about this also. airlines often expressly allow gps. after all, gps RECEIVES, it doesn't transmit.
droidmo said:
I have read that the GPS needs a data connection to make a lock. I don't remember where I read that, but I had the same problem when I was in Europe trying to use my phone primarily as a GPS device with cached maps. There was maybe once or twice that it actually locked, out of many many many many attempts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually GPS doesn't need data connection to make a lock. But with data connection it helps make lock much faster.. that's the features called A-GPS (Assisted-GPS), google around about A-GPS for more detailed info how it works.
I always turn off my data connection every time i use my razr for navigation. I only turn data connection sometimes to make the GPS locked and after i got a lock i always turn off the data connection (I'm not on data plan) and even i didn't turn on my data connection I still can get a lock as long as i am outdoor. So far i never had razr GPS lock problems. This phone's GPS never disappoint me.
My guess is maybe it's some kinda bug on the airplane mode or maybe that's intentionally for some safety reasons.
Same here. I did:
- open maps, locate my position. ok.
- turn off wifi and data
- go back to maps, position ok.
- longpress power, turrn on airplane
- gps starts blinking, position lost
- turn off airplane, but data remains off
- gps position found in 2 seconds
(also tried with "GPS Test" app - same result)
I have MAXX AsiaRetail stock 2.3.6
Sent from my XT910 using XDA
Thanks guys, nice to know it's not just me! Just to clarify some other posts, GPS works with or without a data connection as long as airplane mode is off.
So, seeing as though airplane mode kills GPS, does anyone know of a way to disable the cell radio (to save battery life) without turning on airplane mode?
And just to comfort those who worry about flying, I'm just using the phone for directions and what not (American Samoa doesn't have street addresses believe it or not, and 2 houses past the third palm tree doesn't cut it ). I download the directions while at the hotel on wifi, then go about my way, but if I can't use GPS in airplane mode, it kills the battery searching for a cell tower.
kreez said:
So far i never had razr GPS lock problems. This phone's GPS never disappoint me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Couldn't agree more, while in the states with cell reception, this phone's GPS is fantastic! Unfortunately, if you have to keep airplane mode off to have it work, it's useless in the back country, or 3rd world countries. Maybe today's ICS release will fix the bug!
I don't think it's a bug. My droid X did the same thing.
risslerp said:
I don't think it's a bug. My droid X did the same thing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah yes, feature not bug. :cyclops:
Moved To Q&A
Please Post questions in the Q&A section
On my Razr Maxx I also have no gps in airplane mode. I'm running the official 4.04.
I'm going to guess this is because the droid radio chip has gps integrated along with the cellular radios. Here's my evidence:
Turning off the radio with the LTE OnOff app (it just opens the radio service menu, same as dialing the service number), and pressing "Turn radio off": Gps Test would never see any satellites and would never get a gps lock.
Setting the "preferred network type" to "GSM only" (this has no service in Seattle with Verizon): Gps Test immediately sees satellites and I get a gps lock.
I wish there was an option to turn off all the cellular radios but to leave the gps radio on. I use my razr maxx hiking with offline topo maps and OruxMaps, and it lasts about 8 hours recording tracks every 1 minute.
Possible solution?
My findings are that when using my Razr Maxx still on 2.3.6 stock settings, If I run the GPS Test application with GPS, 3G data and cellular on (airplane mode off) it acquires my location accurate of 10 feet, using 8-12 satellites in approximately 10 or so seconds. If I exit, toggle Airplane mode on, relaunch GPS Test, it will acquire my location in the same time, accuracy and with again 8-12 satellites. But If I exit, toggle GPS off and then Airplane mode on, Toggle GPS on, relaunch GPS Test, it will not be able to locate any satellites.
Now, with that said, if I go into my data/data/com.android.providers.settings/databases/ directory and open the settings.db file, in the "system" entry, I do not have gps listed in either the "airplane_mode_radios" or the "airplane_mode_toggleable_radios" values. I do have "cell,bluetooth,wifi" under the airplane_mode_radios value, and "bluetooth,wifi" under the airplane_mode_toggleable_radios value.
I do not know how this looks in ICS for the Razr (4.0.4). I also do not know if gps is even able to be included here. Just a theory.
I might be on to something that may work and you will need to be rooted.
I warn you, that I have not tried modifying this myself, so I cannot verify it will work. Do not try this if you aren't comfortable with attempting it without it being verified to work first.
What I'm thinking is to use an app like Root Explorer and navigate into the data/data/com.android.providers.settings/databases/ directory. Open and edit the settings.db file with an app like SQLite editor. Then open the "system" database entry. Check to see if on around lines 21 and 22 there are entries named "airplane_mode_radios" and "airplane_mode_toggleable_radios". Once located, check to see if their values include gps among the other available radios. If the airplane_mode_radios value includes gps, then long press, tap edit field, remove it and save. If gps is not listed under the airplane_mode_toggleable_radios then long press, edit field, add gps and save. Exit and reboot.
I think with doing this, it should not turn GPS off when airplane mode is toggled on and it should allow you to toggle GPS on and off while airplane mode is on.
If anyone else knows of an easier or proven way to do this then let us know.
If you know this will not work, correct me and let me know.
Ryco26 said:
My findings are that when using my Razr Maxx still on 2.3.6 stock settings, If I run the GPS Test application with GPS, 3G data and cellular on (airplane mode off) it acquires my location accurate of 10 feet, using 8-12 satellites in approximately 10 or so seconds. If I exit, toggle Airplane mode on, relaunch GPS Test, it will acquire my location in the same time, accuracy and with again 8-12 satellites. But If I exit, toggle GPS off and then Airplane mode on, Toggle GPS on, relaunch GPS Test, it will not be able to locate any satellites.
Now, with that said, if I go into my data/data/com.android.providers.settings/databases/ directory and open the settings.db file, in the "system" entry, I do not have gps listed in either the "airplane_mode_radios" or the "airplane_mode_toggleable_radios" values. I do have "cell,bluetooth,wifi" under the airplane_mode_radios value, and "bluetooth,wifi" under the airplane_mode_toggleable_radios value.
I do not know how this looks in ICS for the Razr (4.0.4). I also do not know if gps is even able to be included here. Just a theory.
I might be on to something that may work and you will need to be rooted.
I warn you, that I have not tried modifying this myself, so I cannot verify it will work. Do not try this if you aren't comfortable with attempting it without it being verified to work first.
What I'm thinking is to use an app like Root Explorer and navigate into the data/data/com.android.providers.settings/databases/ directory. Open and edit the settings.db file with an app like SQLite editor. Then open the "system" database entry. Check to see if on around lines 21 and 22 there are entries named "airplane_mode_radios" and "airplane_mode_toggleable_radios". Once located, check to see if their values include gps among the other available radios. If the airplane_mode_radios value includes gps, then long press, tap edit field, remove it and save. If gps is not listed under the airplane_mode_toggleable_radios then long press, edit field, add gps and save. Exit and reboot.
I think with doing this, it should not turn GPS off when airplane mode is toggled on and it should allow you to toggle GPS on and off while airplane mode is on.
If anyone else knows of an easier or proven way to do this then let us know.
If you know this will not work, correct me and let me know.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd like to confirm that I'm having the same issue of having no GPS connectivity when in airplane mode even though the GPS has been toggled on. Numerous other forums have stated that this is a hardware issue with Motorola phones. I'm curious if the above quoted solution has worked for anybody.
Thank you!
This is the response that I got from Motorola after asking the general question about having GPS turned on when airplane mode is on:
"When airplane mode is enabled, this will automatically disable all wireless and radio communication on the device including the GPS receiver. Because the phone, in order to determine location, takes readings from both GPS satellites and nearby cellular base stations (towers), with the help of a location server on the network. In other words, the phone relies on the network for help in determining location. Although the phone does receive GPS signals directly from the satellites, it can't determine actual location without help from the cell network."
Therefore, you can't use the GPS radio by itself.
hantav said:
This is the response that I got from Motorola after asking the general question about having GPS turned on when airplane mode is on:
"When airplane mode is enabled, this will automatically disable all wireless and radio communication on the device including the GPS receiver. Because the phone, in order to determine location, takes readings from both GPS satellites and nearby cellular base stations (towers), with the help of a location server on the network. In other words, the phone relies on the network for help in determining location. Although the phone does receive GPS signals directly from the satellites, it can't determine actual location without help from the cell network."
Therefore, you can't use the GPS radio by itself.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But the GPS still works fine when I am far away from any cell towers of any kind...
I think whoever responded to you was trying to justify airplane mode turning off GPS. There must be a way to force it to stay on.
It has certainly frustrated me that I can't use airplane mode to save battery while using GPS.
I'm by no means an expert on this issue but I think the GPS and cellular radios are physically connected (on the same chip??) inside most Motorola phones. So even though you might not be near a cellular tower, and if airplane mode if off, you should be able to get a GPS signal. But if airplane mode is on, then both the cellular and GPS radios will be turned off.
Basically, the interwebs is pointing to a hardware issue rather then an a software issue. However, I hope a software solution is available.
MrCavity said:
But the GPS still works fine when I am far away from any cell towers of any kind...
I think whoever responded to you was trying to justify airplane mode turning off GPS. There must be a way to force it to stay on.
It has certainly frustrated me that I can't use airplane mode to save battery while using GPS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd give $20 for a software solution to this problem. I am an avid hiker. Using a cell phone in Airplane Mode you get 4x, 5x, 6x the battery life. If I can use GPS while in Airplane Mode, I can hike a very long time, but if I'm forced to leave the cell radio on merely to use GPS, the battery won't last a full day's hike. It is ridiculous that we can't (yet) use GPS in Airplane Mode. I have been using ViewRanger offline navigation app for years. I download to the phone before I leave home all of the topo maps that I need for a hike, so I have no need for data when I'm hiking.
Did anyone ever try editing the systems.db file in data/data/com.android.providers.settings/databases/ directory? I can't tell that the guy that wrote that post ever tried it himself.
EDIT: I found here documentation of these two settings.
AIRPLANE_MODE_RADIOS -- A comma separated list of radios that need to be disabled when airplane mode is on.
AIRPLANE_MODE_TOGGLEABLE_RADIOS -- A comma separated list of radios that should to be disabled when airplane mode is on, but can be manually reenabled by the user.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My XT912 is rooted and I have System set to read-write. I tried to use SQLite to edit the value of AIRPLANE_MODE_TOGGLEABLE_RADIOS in the System table of /data/data/com.android.providers.settings/databases/System.db to change it from "bluetooth,wifi,nfc" to "bluetooth,wifi,nfc,gps" but even though I have write permissions to the file, when I tried, I received this error:
Update Failed - Error Code 5. Database is locked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I went searching for how to edit settings.db and found this thread and this other thread, but I don't fully understand the instructions.
Bottom Line: if this is truly a hardware problem, then editing this file won't fix the problem (but likely won't cause any harm either), but if this is merely a software problem, then this may finally give us GPS use while in Airplane Mode.
I flashed 4.4.4 via flashtool and my gps has not worked since. GPS status app is reporting 0 gps satellites in view
I have high accuracy mode enabled in Location settings. Any idea what's going wrong? How do I reset this thing back to working?
toolong said:
I flashed 4.4.4 via flashtool and my gps has not worked since. GPS status app is reporting 0 gps satellites in view
I have high accuracy mode enabled in Location settings. Any idea what's going wrong? How do I reset this thing back to working?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try one of the fastgps tools that sets the time server for the gps
Solved!
So the solution was to wipe AGPS log, then use "AndroiTS GPS Test" app to get a GPS lock(For some reason a lot of gps apps fail to keep GPS on while in background in 4.4.4). I also had to charge the phone sufficiently leave it in an empty space for about 4hours for it to get a lock. Once it got a lock, it can reestablish gps fairly snappily.
Reseting, Redownloading AGPS without the 4hour lock did nothing.