"GPS signal lost!"

[Jeff247]

I just took a trip with my Note 8 and heard "GPS signal lost" about 20 times!! I took that same trip of 250 miles 1 way probably 20 times in the last 3 years and never heard it from my Galaxy S5. It's annoying! Any reason for this other than losing GPS signal? Why would my Note 8 suck so bad compared to my S5 GPS! Thank you.

 

[svim]

Can't answer as to why the GPS on your S5 was flawless but your Note 8 is not. Could be a hardware issue or a software issue (Samsung opt to use a better GPS technology in one but not the other), but that's all just pure speculation based on loose assumptions.
I'd focus more on trying to fix the problem. Try installing this 'GPS Status & Toolbox' app:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.eclipsim.gpsstatus2&hl=en
In its Settings menu there's some reset and calibration options. Could be there's just some glitch in the GPS that needs to be corrected.
Also, did this GPS problem occur just during this latest trip or more than once? If it's just a one-off problem it could be as simple as rebooting your Note. Has the GPS been a problem while you're traveling locally?

 

[marctronixx]

GPS is not guaranteed to work 100% of the time. the government still runs GPS and they can shut it off, manipulate it at any time.

i think you should wait before you "cry wolf" and test the phone in other areas or download a gps app and see if the phone can allocate /triangulate the sats in your area.

 

[mikedt]

GPS is not guaranteed to work 100% of the time. the government still runs GPS and they can shut it off, manipulate it at any time.

Doesn't the US govt only do that if the shit really hits the fan, or trying to use the US GPS system in places like North Korea? Also modern phones can use other satellite positioning systems as well, like Glonass(Russia), Beidou(China), and Galileo(European Union).

 

[mikedt]

Depends on where you are at. The Southwest is notorious for the GPS being jammed, turned off or degraded. If you know where to find it you can find out the times that this happens.

Is that in or near Area 51?

 

[svim]

'notorious' seems a bit inflammatory. There is some kind of DoD/military thing going on currently that apparently involves several days throughout the first quarter of the year but only a few hours in each of those days so yes that's a big inconvenience but it's also a temporary one:
https://arstechnica.com/information...ise-ushers-in-gps-jamming-season-across-west/
If however, this is a 'notorious' event that's frequent and ongoing, please post some evidence of this.

 

[marctronixx]

@mikedt ,

The gov can turn gps off anytime they deem. They can send out false data, for testing, etc. also they can take something offline with no “heads up”.
They dont have to tell anyone anything. They can turn it off if the POTUS is landing at a certain city, etc.

a time or two, Ive been driving around using the in built gps in my ride and although i knew where I was going, the gps was getting mixed signals. It happens. And thats my initial reaction to the OP.. could have been a simple glitch , of some other localized issue.

Cloud cover , buildings , other earth interference can also affect gps. Its ancient technology and relies on LOS to be effective.

Let’s not get this conversation off topic though..