Gps does not pick up android satellites. What to do and what to do if the GPS system does not work on Android - guide

09.02.2017 14:36:00

In one of the articles we looked at the question of how to make a TV remote control out of a smartphone.

It is difficult to find a smartphone that is not equipped with a GPS module. Even the most budget gadgets have this useful navigation tool installed. It doesn’t matter what model your smartphone is if you need to get directions or find out the location in an unfamiliar place. To turn on GPS on your smartphone, you don’t need any special knowledge - you press the right button and everything works. But not everyone knows how to configure GPS on Android so that the smartphone’s battery does not overload.

We will tell you about the main stages of setting up GPS, and also recommend several Android applications with which you can check the operation of the GPS module.

GPS does not start automatically on your smartphone. To enable and configure it, you need to dig a little into the settings. In each version of Android, the activation path looks a little different. We will look at the main steps to enable and configure GPS in a smartphone running Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

Stage 1: Turning on

To turn on GPS, slide the notification shade down and click on the bar that displays the time, date, and battery charge. You need to click on the gear icon, after which you will be taken to Settings. In addition, you can access the settings through the corresponding button in the general menu. Find the Personal Data section and click on the Location button. At the top of the screen there will be a switch that activates GPS.

Stage 2: Setup

By default, the location of the smartphone is determined from all sources. GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and mobile networks data are used to accurately determine the location with an accuracy of 10-15 meters. This function ensures high reliability of geolocation, however, please note that this mode puts a lot of strain on the smartphone’s battery. Therefore, in the settings you can choose one of two economical modes:

By network coordinates
By GPS satellites

The first mode uses only Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and mobile network data. It is necessary that the smartphone is connected to the Internet via Wi-Fi, or the user needs to start Bluetooth mode. Without a network connection, the location of the smartphone is determined by the base station signal.

If there is no access to the Internet, and the nearest radio tower is several tens of kilometers away, then you should enable geolocation using GPS satellites.

Once the GPS on your smartphone is turned on and configured, you can safely install the navigator application for Android. The most convenient and functional navigator you can choose is .

To check how GPS works on your smartphone, you can download a special application from the Google Play store. We'll look at three programs available for free download. For them to work properly, you need to go outside.

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AndroidTS GPS Test Free

OS version: Android 3.0 or later
Download

The application works with the main Russian and foreign navigation systems: GPS, GLONASS, QZSS, BeiDou Satellite Compass, GoogleMaps, OSMDroid OpenStreetMap, BingMap, Yandex. Maps, Map Test, AGPS, MGRS Maidenhead WGS84 Xtra data Datum GPS/KM VMG. Without leaving your home, you can find out your exact coordinates. The main functionality of the application is concentrated in 6 menu items:

Compass
Map of satellites in orbit
Satellite data
Route data
Detailed map navigator
Waypoint table

GPS Test

OS version: Android 4.0 or later
Download

The application allows you to check the quality of GPS signal reception, supporting GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, SBAS, Beidou and QZSS satellites geolocation systems.

Complete GPS test information is displayed on six main screens:

GPS signal (SNR). A chart that shows the signal strength for each satellite, as well as the accuracy and status of the GNSS network.
Positions of satellites in the sky.
User's current location. Displayed with coordinates on the world map. The position of the sun and the transition curve between day and night are noted. The screen can be used as a navigator.
Screen compass
Current speed, course and altitude
Current GPS reading time and local time in the current time zone, as well as sunrise and sunset data for a given location.

The disadvantage is the lack of Russian language. On the other hand, the application interface is easy to learn.

Often, when purchasing a new Android smartphone (especially from Chinese manufacturers), users are faced with the problem of GPS not working. And if you don’t use this functionality, then it’s okay, but if on the contrary, then the problem needs to be solved.

We will tell you why GPS does not work on Android and how to fix the situation.

Why GPS doesn't work on Android

Here are the most common causes of this unpleasant phenomenon:

Weak (defective) GPS module
A case that shields the GPS antenna and degrades the quality of signal reception
Incorrect parameters in the GPS.conf system file
Broken firmware

If there are problems with the GPS module (hardware), then only repairs can help, which can only be carried out by service center specialists.

You can always remove the cover and check whether the GPS is working correctly. And if there is a problem with the firmware, then simply reflash the device (read how to do this here).

But we will not focus on this, but move on to the third point.

Automatic GPS setup

The easiest way is to set geolocation settings automatically using a special application, for example, FasterGPS:

You just need to select your continent and region - the program will do the rest for you.

Manual GPS setup on Android

You can also configure GPS manually. To edit the GPS.conf file you will need Root rights (how to get them -

Tablets are devices that are actively used not only as multimedia centers. They are used by motorists and pedestrians as a navigator, which allows them to quickly navigate a place and find the desired building, street, or object. However, after one or two years, the device may no longer perform as intended. A user whose tablet does not see GPS satellites needs to know what to do.

Why can't my tablet see GPS satellites?

Some devices come with a built-in navigation device, but this does not affect satellite tracking setup. It will be the same either way. But the main reasons why the device does not see satellites may be the following:

Problems with the firmware.
Programs crash.
Almanac failure.
Mechanical damage.
GPS module failure.

And if physical damage will have to be repaired by professionals, then you can deal with software damage yourself.

Almanac failure

This is a software problem, which is determined by the fact that the device will not be able to correctly determine its location and connect to satellites. It is proposed to solve a problem of this nature in one of two ways.

Quick start

The method is used only for those cases when the tablet computer was recently turned on and correctly determined its location. Using the “old tracks” he will be able to correct the time and location of the satellite. The technician will spend up to a quarter of an hour on such work.

Delayed start

It assumes that quite some time has passed since the last moment of use and it is difficult for the tablet to determine its location. This task can take an hour. The tablet needs:

Search for satellites.
Take the position of the orbit and its parameters. Only after this the tablet will receive a special type of parameters - ephemeris, which will be responsible for binding location and time.

And if the user has not used the GPS location search function for a long time, then the tablet needs a decent amount of time to do this work. Sometimes the waiting time can take up to 6 hours. To make it go faster, you need to move away from massive metal products, trusses, mesh, etc.

Accelerating the search for GPS satellites

For such work, you will need super administrator root rights to change the equipment parameters. You can speed up your search for satellites by doing the following:

Open file system.
Find the /etc directory.
Open the gps.conf folder (open as text).
Find the line: NTP_SERVER=north-america.pool.ntp.org.
Instead of the specified text, write: NTP_SERVER= ru.pool.ntp.org.

In some cases, to solve the problem you need to reflash the gadget or take it to a service center.

Some users are faced with the problem of GPS not working. What to do in such a situation?

If GPS does not work on Android, then the reason may be hidden in the navigation module. This problem is most often encountered by beginners who do not yet fully understand how the phone works. To solve the problem:

Activate navigation by sliding the top curtain, where all the necessary icons are hidden
Activate the “Geodata” item
Now turn on any navigation program and start using it

By the way, some applications notify users that the reception of geodata has been disabled. For example, Navitel. They display a special alert and even immediately go to the navigation activation menu. Once everything is done, you can start planning the route.

After turning on geolocation and settings, there is no result? The problem here is most likely your impatience. If you launched the GPS module for the first time, then wait about 15 minutes. During this time, the electronics processed information from the satellites. All other launches will be carried out much faster.

You should do the same if your navigator was working in another area and you brought it turned off. The device needs time to determine its position.

Reasons why GPS does not work on Android

If you are trying to determine your location on the go then worth a stop And stand a little to the navigator could tune in. For some devices The chips are slightly slow, so they take some time to set up
You entered a building, but GPS will not work through thick walls.
You have entered the zone adversely affecting signal reception - many trees, rocks or high-rise buildings. In this case, you just need to go out into the open area
If the option is still not activated, then you have a direct route to a specialist, since if problems arise with GPS, namely, if it previously worked well and suddenly stopped, then this indicates internal failures
If you don’t want to contact a service center, then first do a factory reset, perhaps this will solve the problem

To check the signal reception level, use GPS Test. If the geolocation option is activated, and the chip itself is working, and you are in the open air, then the points where the satellites are located will be shown on the map.

Video: Setting up and testing GPS on an Android smartphone

Recently, cases have become more frequent when on a smartphone GPS doesn't work, this is especially true for Chinese smartphones from not very popular brands. Today we will sort everything out and ultimately solve this problem. So what to do? How to set up GPS and why doesn't the new Android pick up GPS?

Why doesn't GPS work?

In fact, there are various sources of the problem, which include the following:

Bad GPS module (purely a hardware issue, you can’t do anything);

The case covers the GPS antenna;

Incorrect GPS.conf data in the system;

Software problem (in the firmware, for example).

Defining the problem

To determine what problem is preventing you from using GPS normally on your smartphone or tablet, you need to remove the case, go out into an open area and turn on GPS in the settings. Next, run GPS Test and wait 10 minutes (and such a mess happens).
Check in the “About phone” section (Settings section) what firmware is installed on your device; if it is custom, then you can try to switch to the official one.

Setting up GPS via GPS.conf

GPS.conf is a GPS configuration file that can only be edited by experienced users who understand which line does what. And for ordinary users, it would be a more reasonable option to simply copy the working GPS.conf file.

File Manager ( or );

GPS Test;

GPS.conf file.

Installing GPS.conf

First you need to go to the file manager and move the GPS.conf file to the /system/etc folder, agree to replace the system file. Of course, you also need to set the permissions (as shown in the screenshot).

Run GPS Test, in the settings select “Clear AGPS” to clear the cache. Reboot your smartphone.
Run GPS Test again and check the operation of your GPS module.

How to set up GPS via FasterGPS

The program itself edits GPS.conf, saving you from pluses with a tambourine. Of course, root rights are required for the utility to function.

So, the program itself made all the necessary manipulations with the GPS.conf configuration file. Now the GPS module should work correctly, enjoy it to your health. But do not forget that a smartphone is not a navigator.