Modern smartphones are equipped with a GPS chip, which greatly simplifies our travel or finding a specific address. However, it is not uncommon for GPS to not work well. And not always the poor assembly of the smartphone is to blame. You can often improve the functioning of the navigation module by digging into the settings.
Antenna boost
Many motorists have a complete GPS navigator. Some of these devices have an antenna connector on the back wall or side end. This allows you to amplify signal reception several times - you just need to get the appropriate antenna.
As for modern smartphones, we hasten to disappoint you. In their composition, you will never find a special connector for the antenna. It is possible to improve GPS reception on Android only by software methods. If they did not work, then you will have to put up with the current state of affairs. As you might guess, budget devices work worst with GPS satellites. This is explained by the fact that they are equipped with the cheapest and oldest navigation chips, which have a low speed and a weak signal receiver.
Visiting the settings section
In many smartphones and tablets, the GPS chip is disabled by default. In this case, the device determines the location by cell towers and networks Wi-Fi. To enable the navigation chip, you need to configure the device. To do this, perform the following steps:
Step 1. Go to the “ Settings ” section.
Step 2. Here you should be interested in the item " Location".
Step 3. This item may have a different name on different devices. For example, on Samsung tablets, you need to select the “ Connections ” tab and click on the “ Geodata ” item, at the same time activating the corresponding switch.
Step 4. In this section, you need to enable high location accuracy. The device must use all sources for this - GPS satellites, Wi-Fi networks and data from cell towers.
It should be noted that in this mode of operation the power consumption increases. And if it is practically not noticeable on new smartphones, the owners of budget and old devices will accurately protect the reducing battery life.
Depending on the characteristics of the device, the GPS settings may be in different subsections. Therefore, on more modern Android smartphones, these actions can be made a little different.
Call the notification panel and make a long press on the "GPS" icon(may have another name). In the page that opens, provide applications access to location and in the "Location" section set "High accuracy".
Calibration of the compass
If it is impossible to enhance the reception of the signal on smartphones, then It does not hurt the operation of the digital compass. The fact is that on some devices it is not calibrated, as a result of which the navigation program cannot understand how your smartphone is sent to what side of the world. You at this point it seems that the device does not catch GPS.
To calibrate the compass you will need an application GPS Essentials . Download and install it, after which make the following:
Step 1. Run the program.
Step 2. Go to COMPASS mode.
Step 3. If the compass works stable, then the problem is not in it. If the compass refuses to correctly show the parties of the world, then make it calibration.
Step 4. First brighten the smartphone around your axis screen up. Next turn it back up. Well, then turn over to the left right. This should help. In some versions of the application, you must first select Calibratein the section settings.
View the amount of visible GPS satellites
in the same GPS Essentials you can look at what quantity Satellites connect your smartphone. If it is large enough, the navigation chip is not worth blaming - a problem in some of the programs. To view the satellites, you need to select Satellites in the application menu.
Resetting GPS data
A common problem of some devices is a long binding to a specific GPS - Hispotes, even when they managed to leave the visibility zone. In this case, the application GPS STATUS & TOOLBOX can. It will reset the GPS data, after which the connection to the satellites will be made from scratch.
Step 1. Download and install the utility.
Step 2. Run the installed application, agreeing with the terms of the license agreement.
Step 3. On the main screen of the program, you will see the readings of different sensors, as well as information on the number of GPS satellites above the head.
Step 4. Press anywhere display, after which you can pull out the curtain with the main menu. Here you can calibrate the compass if it failed to do with the application considered earlier. But now you need to click on the item " A-GPS state management.
Step 5. In the pop-up menu, you must press the " button to reset.
Step 6. After completing the reset, go back to this pop-up menu by clicking on it Download".
What to pay attention to when buying a new smartphone?
Now you know the answer to the question "How to set up GPS on Android?". But all this will not help you very much if you want to use your smartphone as a GPS navigator on an ongoing basis. Better for these purposes to acquire a good modern smartphone. When it is selected, be sure to read the full technical characteristics. They need to find a mention of support for A-GPS technology - it greatly reduces power consumption. The ideal smartphone will be the one that also works with satellites GLONASS. Fortunately, almost all devices that are imported into our country over the past year possess the support of the Russian navigation system. But, again, to look into the specifications of the device before its acquisition is still needed.
