GPS location question

[jacarver]

When I am at my house the current location says someplace that is almost 2 hrs away. When I go any where else around here within and hour from my house the location is correct. I haven't been more than an hour from my house yet so I've not tried it out anywhere else. Is there settings that need to be changed. I've tried looking for them but haven't found anything. Thanks for the help.

 

[dj.GETAFIX]

are you sure its running from the gps satalites??
if your useing the google map app then it might be that the gps isnt turned on and is takeing your location from tranglating position from the nearest gsm phone towers from you. if your unsure as to wether the gps is on id recomend putting the gps on/off switch on your home screen. you can find it under widgets/settings. when mine is of it shows im about 1.5 miles away but when the gps is on it seems acurate to about 2 to 3 meaters and even shows wich way the phone is faceing...
hope this helps

 

[jacarver]

The GPS is on. I'm about 100 miles from where it says my current location is. So it's not even close. But I can go a few miles down the road and it is correct. It's frustrating when trying to get directions. I didn't know if there is a way to calibrated it.

 

[Deleted User]

The GPS is on. I'm about 100 miles from where it says my current location is. So it's not even close. But I can go a few miles down the road and it is correct. It's frustrating when trying to get directions. I didn't know if there is a way to calibrated it.

There is no calibration for the GPS. But if your location is wrong, then it's not getting a lock or a very weak lock. When you start the Maps app, the notification bar will show a sat dish with green signal bars that flash as it acquires the sat signals. When it gets a lock, even a weak lock, the green bars stop flashing and accuracy could be a few hundred meters. It will get a more accurate lock as more sat signals are acquired. So if the bars are flashing, then it's not locked and it won't be accurate.

Are you in a basement or concrete apartment, or under a steel roof, or something else that will block the signals? What happens when you go outside in the yard in a clear area without trees?

 

[Griff_LI]

GPS doesn't seem to be used for "Current Location" (as published in the Weather or Clock widgets). My GPS is permanently on but the icon only shows when a GPS-enabled app (like Maps) is running. Sometimes, even when I've been using Navigator and the GPS-lock is perfect, the Current Location is wrong. I've never worked-out what it is that controls it.

Currently, for instance, my Current Location is showing as Marlow (where I live). I'm in Bracknell (and have been for about an hour) - I got here via Reading (well, Winnersh) where I spent 30 mins or so. That's the corners of a (very rough) 10 mile equilateral triangle (more like a 10x10x14 right-angled one) and I used Maps to check traffic on my way between Marlow and Winnersh. It's been like this for a while and it's not such a bother as I don't use the Weather widget any more. I thought it was a problem with all Android locations...

 

[Deleted User]

GPS doesn't seem to be used for "Current Location" (as published in the Weather or Clock widgets). My GPS is permanently on but the icon only shows when a GPS-enabled app (like Maps) is running. Sometimes, even when I've been using Navigator and the GPS-lock is perfect, the Current Location is wrong. I've never worked-out what it is that controls it.

Since the weather widget doesn't need exact location info, it simply uses cellular network provided location info to determine your approximate area for weather updates. GPS is not used for the weather updates at all since it's not a critical need. It's there to give you an idea of what to expect for weather, not up to the minute info.

Currently, for instance, my Current Location is showing as Marlow (where I live). I'm in Bracknell (and have been for about an hour) - I got here via Reading (well, Winnersh) where I spent 30 mins or so. That's the corners of a (very rough) 10 mile equilateral triangle (more like a 10x10x14 right-angled one) and I used Maps to check traffic on my way between Marlow and Winnersh. It's been like this for a while and it's not such a bother as I don't use the Weather widget any more. I thought it was a problem with all Android locations...

The default setting for updates to the weather widget is every 3 hours. So it doesn't even check for a new cellular network location until it attempts a refresh. So obviously it won't show the correct location until it does a refresh, or if you do it manually by tapping the widget and hitting refresh in the weather app. So your experience makes sense and it's working as expected.

I see the same thing happen when I drive to work which is 40mins from home. By the time I get to work the weather widget is still showing my home town weather, not the weather in the city where I work (unless it does the update along the drive in which case it may show one of the towns or cities I pass through on my way to work). An hour later the phone shows the weather at work. When I get home it does the same thing, showing my work location or nearby and doesn't update until a bit later. Note I have the weather widget set to update every hour.

All of this is normal and expected.

 

[Griff_LI]

That makes sense, thanks (and also explains the OP's phone's behaviour, so long as that is the "location" he/she is asking about).