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losing GPS connection (conflict when using many apps?)

Z

Zibudizz

Newbie
Hello,

I'm a new Android user. I'M on a Samsung Galaxy player 5. using Android 2.3 and I'M using mapmyrun app... I lose often my GPS signal and it seems (I'M not sure yet) that when it happens is when I'm listening music while using MapMyRun... Is their any advice for never losing GPS connection when you are running... Is it possible that being on lock screen affect the GPS connection? I know it is a broad question.

Any advice? Thanks!
 
The GPS radio doesn't depend on any app to maintain a connection. But if you run under dense foliage you can lose the connection, due to the fact that foliage absorbs radio signals, and the GPS signal isn't that strong to begin with. (Running into a long tunnel can do the same thing.)

If you're talking about MapMyRun losing connection with the GPS radio, talk to the app's developer.
 
It's also because you're using it without an internet connection. Typically, devices like iPods and Galaxy Players have a harder time keeping and acquiring GPS connections because they can't use cellular towers and AGPS data.
 
Thanks for answers,
To Rukbat, When no apps is asking for GPS location, I think Android put the GPS in sleep or something like that. No? If so, maybe using Music app reverse priority and increase chance that GPS will go in sleep mode. Does that could make sense?
To Chanchan, GPS watch and GPS in cars doesn't use other signals than the GPS and can work very good... But, maybe they are better quality GPS than the one provided in phones or in my Galaxy PLayer...
 
GPS watches and GPS in cars have bigger antennae than the ones in phones and iPods, because they are able to provide more power to it. Remember that there are more than just GPS and maps running on your device at any given time. It's just a case of a jack of all trades will not be better than a specialist.
 
Zibudizz said:
Thanks for answers,
To Rukbat, When no apps is asking for GPS location, I think Android put the GPS in sleep or something like that. No? If so, maybe using Music app reverse priority and increase chance that GPS will go in sleep mode. Does that could make sense?.
Click to expand...
Yes, it is a fact. Different apps manage gps differently. Some stop requesting gps position when they go into the background and this contributeds to losing GPS lock.
 
electricpete said:
Different apps manage gps differently. Some stop requesting gps position when they go into the background and this contributeds to losing GPS lock.
Click to expand...
Okay, so that means, for example, that the app I'm using for tracking my run could behave differently (in relation to asking GPS position) if it is running simultaneously with other apps (e.g. music app) than if it is running by itself? Thanks!
 
No, I’m saying that one run tracking app can act differently than another.

Here’s an experiment on my phone:
Enable GPS in settings.
Assuming there are no nav/gps apps running, you will not see anything in your notification bar (you may see something if you pull down the notification bar to expose toggle/indicators, but I’m talking about the bar at the very top always in view without pulling down).

Now, start Osmand and press map to display map. You will see the gps icon now in the notification bar (blinking while trying to lock, solid after locked).

Now, press your home button to go to your launcher without exiting the Osmand application (it just goes to the background). Notice, the status bar gps indicator goes OFF.

Try the same thing with Navfree. Open it up and the gps indicator displays in status bar. Press home to push Navfree to the background and the status bar gps indicator stays ON.

Did you notice the difference? The status bar gps indicator stayed on when I pushed Navfree to the background but it went off when I pushed Osmand to the background (assuming no other apps running at the time). Navfree kept polling GPS when in the background and Osmand didn’t.

Guess what, if you have Navfree running, there is no tendency to lose lock when you push the application to the background. If you have only Osmand running, it stops polling and easily loses lock while in the background (especially if you’re moving while it’s in the background).

Also screen timeout behavior of your phone may be important. I think some apps will allow gps to be disrupted if the screen goes off... others will not.

There is a tradeoff between saving battery and agressively polling to keep lock...different apps approach that tradeoff with different priorities.

Tasker has the ability to request GPS location and there are options to request a single fix or to continuously request fix. If I use Tasker to continuously request fix, then the gps status indicator stays on no matter what’s going on. So I can use that to keep from losing lock when I'm using Osmand. But it will use more battery and get a little warmer.


Look at your status bar gps indicator and it will give you a better idea what’s going on. When it goes out, it is very easy to lose lock.
 
Okay,

Thanks electricpete... I like your comparison of Osmand and Navfree... It looks like apps doesn't let you much control of where you would like to be in the balance between save battery and GPS always on. In my case... I don't know if it is a question of the app that let GPS goes off or the inability of my GPS to keep lock when I'm running. I will do more test. I'm also try to use "Keep my GPS alive" app...

THANKS for your clear response.
 
Okay, after multiple test, there is definitely a conflict between: - my GPS and - music listening.
Listening music on the default Android (2.3) app for music while using an app that need a GPS lock create problems with my GPS lock.
What I tried: listening music and using: -OSMand, -Runkeeper, -MapMyRun. I also try to use "KISS keep GPS alive" and same behavior (problem).
 
Just to write the conclusion. There were a real conflict... it is clear (and strange according to me). Thanks chachan05... I just read my music with another player. I use the open source "Android Music Player"... Strange that the conflict is in the default player that is coming with the device no? But chanchan, I completely disagree about a possible explanation of using GPS without Internet connection... I think I had never lose my signal in car or doing sport (except with the conflict mentioned above) and I'M not even able to connect my device to the Internet, because the only way for me is by Wi-Fi.
 
Jusr fyi, AGPS uses outside information (usually from cell towers) to find out which satellites should be overhead here and now, so it doesn't waste time looking for satellites it can't find. It improves "time-to-first-fix". It doesn't keep you from losing lock once you've acquired lock.

If you want to see how bad a car GPS can be, next time you're driving a few hundred miles, keep the GPS off during the drive. Then notice how long it takes to get its first lock. (If you're moving when you do it, it takes even longer, because if the receiver misses even one bit of the almanac or ephemeris, it has to wait for the start of the transmission again. It can take over 12 minutes to get that first fix in really bad conditions. Not good if you're calling 911 from a cellphone, which is why AGPS was developed.)
 
Thanks for that information... My device is not a phone, but I think it retains the area where I am for improving the "time-to-first-fix" according to some criteria. But my problem had nothing to do about getting a first fix.

Thanks to the forum community
 
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