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Help GPS tweaks??

S

softtech

Android Enthusiast
I just discovered the files /system/etc/gps.conf and /data/gps/secgps.conf

Could different values in one or both of these files improve the GPS experience by switching to different servers? In Googling around, someone suggested these values for secgps.conf file (completely and totally untested):

#Generated by GpsLocationProvider.
#Mon Jan 01 00:02:44 GMT+00:00 2001
SSL_TYPE=0
SSL=1
OPERATION_TEST_MODE=0
POSITION_MODE=7
ACCURACY=50
SESSION_TYPE=1
ENABLE_NMEA=false
SERVER_MODE=0
START_MODE=HOT
GPS_LOGGING=0
DYNAMIC_ACCURACY=1
AGPS_MODE=0
ADDRESS_MODE=1
OPERATION_MODE=MSBASED
USE_DEFAULT=true
DYNAMIC_ACCURACY_VALUE=50
SUPL_PORT=7276
ENABLE_XTRA=true
TIMEOUT=3600
NUM_OF_FIX=999999999
SUPL_HOST=supl.google.com


and also these values for gps.conf (also untested):

NTP_SERVER=0.us.pool.ntp.org
NTP_SERVER=1.north-america.pool.ntp.org
NTP_SERVER=2.north-america.pool.ntp.org
NTP_SERVER=3.north-america.pool.ntp.org
XTRA_SERVER_1=http://xtra2.gpsonextra.net/xtra.bin
XTRA_SERVER_2=http://xtra1.gpsonextra.net/xtra.bin
XTRA_SERVER_3=http://xtra3.gpsonextra.net/xtra.bin
# DEBUG LEVELS: 0 - none, 1 - Error, 2 - Warning, 3 - Info
# 4 - Debug, 5 - Verbose
DEBUG_LEVEL =0
# Intermediate position report, 1=enable, 0=disable
INTERMEDIATE_POS=1
# Accuracy threshold for intermediate positions
# less accurate positions are ignored, 0 for passing all positions
ACCURACY_THRES=0
# Report supl ref location as position, 1=enable, 0=disable
REPORT_POSITION_USE_SUPL_REFLOC=1
# Wiper (wifi positioning), 1=enable, 0=disable
ENABLE_WIPER=1
################################
##### AGPS server settings #####
################################
# FOR SUPL SUPPORT, set the following
SUPL_HOST=supl.google.com
SUPL_PORT=7276
SUPL_NO_SECURE_PORT=7276
SUPL_SECURE_PORT=7276
# FOR C2K PDE SUPPORT, set the following
# C2K_HOST=c2k.pde.com or IP
# C2K_PORT=1234
#################################
##### AGPS Carrier settings #####
#################################
CURRENT_CARRIER=common
DEFAULT_AGPS_ENABLE=TRUE
DEFAULT_SSL_ENABLE=FALSE
# TRUE for "User Plane", FALSE for "Control Plane"
DEFAULT_USER_PLANE=TRUE


I thought I would ask here about these files and leave it to those of you that better understand to tell me the ramifications of making a change like this, etc.
 
Not sure about that, but you could do some experimenting and let us know how it turns out!

If you bork your GPS, follow the following procedure which should bring it back (may also work for you anyway if you are having GPS issues):

Getting GPS to work using GPSCLRX (also, how to get your SPC code)!

Actually, if you carefully record any values before you change them, you should be able to get back to where you were. But keep that link handy "just in case." :)

Good luck! And if you (or anyone else) decide to do some experimenting, please report back your results!
 
softtech said:
I just discovered the files /system/etc/gps.conf and /data/gps/secgps.conf
Click to expand...

So since nobody else gave this a try, I finally got around to trying it myself (especially since someone asked about it recently).

I renamed /system/etc/gps.conf to gps.conf.bak and renamed /data/gps/secgps.conf to secgps.conf.bak and pasted in EXACTLY what I have above into new files that replaced the originals.

And.............

Works great. I walked outside and locked onto 10 satellites (according to GPS Test) within seconds after turning on the GPS. I'm going to live with it awhile, but it sure looks like this is going to permanently replace using the satellites that Metro PCS has us using, at least for me.

Give it a try. Let me know how it works for you.
 
Just noticed that one of these files was edited by K0nane as part of Basix. I hope that he can comment on what the differences are between what he put in and what I've now changed it to...
 
If you guys are trying out gps fixes, try FasterFix. I think it's on the market. If not, zeppelinrox on xda has a link to the apk for it. Do know that it requires root access on your phone. But it does all the file editings for you!
My gps is quick as a rabbit with it, and I must admit I'm quite satisfied with it! :)
 
I am continuing to have major GPS problems with my Indulge.

About 3 weeks after getting the new phone the GPS failed to operate. I was able to use TRS-80's excellent tutorial on GPSCLRX and that temporarily solved the problem.

I've cleared the GPS state and on occasion that works. I've had to use GPSCLRX several times and most of the time it's worked.

I have had to backup the phone completely, do a factory reset, and restore from the backup to get GPS working again. That seems to be the only consistently reliable method to get GPS back (although pretty drastic and takes up a bunch of time).

I convinced my local MetroPCS corporate store to replace the phone. That seemed to solve the problem for about 8 days, so I thought that it was a bug in my original phone. But now the replacement phone is doing the same things as the original phone.

The original phone was firmware 2.2.1 and build EE07. The replacement phone is firmware 2.2.2 and build EG06. The problem exists whether or not the phone's rooted or not. I have installed FasterFix and it has not solved the problem.

Any suggestions?
 
If it is happening on two separate phones, I would think it has to be something your installing. I would probably do a factory reset, do not restore from a backup and see how well things run with the stock install + apps that do not use the GPS. Presuming it seems to work I would then add GPS using apps one at a time and see if any of them generate the problem (technically it may never re-occur as it could be your restoring bad setting from the backup).
 
My short answer: try Basix (after wiping data!). I've got some GPS tweaks built in that should help. If you need more, try this full set. Don't restore any apps from backup, or install any GPS-related apps, until you know GPS is working right.
 
fdbryant3 said:
I would probably do a factory reset, do not restore from a backup and see how well things run with the stock install + apps that do not use the GPS. Presuming it seems to work I would then add GPS using apps one at a time and see if any of them generate the problem.
Click to expand...

I've already done this. What's making the problem tricky to track down is the GPS disappears without any new apps being installed. The only way I find out there's a problem is when I try to use a GPS app and it doesn't work. In the most recent case the phone worked for a couple of weeks with all of the GPS apps and then suddenly GPS died. I hadn't made any changes since the previous time I used GPS so I don't think it's because of any changes I've made to the phone.
 
tiede said:
If you guys are trying out gps fixes, try FasterFix. I think it's on the market. If not, zeppelinrox on xda has a link to the apk for it. Do know that it requires root access on your phone. But it does all the file editings for you!
My gps is quick as a rabbit with it, and I must admit I'm quite satisfied with it! :)
Click to expand...

FasterFix has been the only thing that has been able to get the gps working on my r915! After several months I love my phone for the first time :-) With network location disabled I am able to get fast accurate fixes every time. Even after several restarts and airplane mode on/off cycles it continues to work! I fiddled for a couple of months with doing it by hand and using every program I could find, nothing worked. Using FasterFix and Gps Aids has finally got me up and running.
 
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