GPS probs? Check your mag compass!

**j32driver** · 06-26-2011, 07:50 PM

My GPS has been rock solid since I first got my Fascinate. A couple of weeks ago, instead of getting an instant lock, it started taking 15-20 seconds. Then it was 30-60 seconds. Well yesterday, it just flat failed to get a GPS lock at all with Google Maps.

Today, I was sitting out back and had time to try to fix it. I opened up GPS Status and it had 0/2 satellites. I let it sit for almost 5 minutes with no change. That is when I noticed the mag compass was off by more than 90 degrees ( I know where south is because of the DirecTV dish). I used GPS status to recalibrate the magnetic compass (flip the phone over 3 times on each axis) and then hit ok. As soon as I did that...BAM... instant lock 9/9 sats and accurate to 3 meters.

I have no idea if the mag compass has ANYTHING to do with the GPS on this phone, I'm just relaying what I witnessed.

I'm interested to see if someone else can repeat this. If it works, it might shed some light on why some phones have a great GPS and others barely work.

**Big Z** · 06-26-2011, 09:58 PM

Originally Posted by j32driver

My GPS has been rock solid since I first got my Fascinate. A couple of weeks ago, instead of getting an instant lock, it started taking 15-20 seconds. Then it was 30-60 seconds. Well yesterday, it just flat failed to get a GPS lock at all with Google Maps.

Today, I was sitting out back and had time to try to fix it. I opened up GPS Status and it had 0/2 satellites. I let it sit for almost 5 minutes with no change. That is when I noticed the mag compass was off by more than 90 degrees ( I know where south is because of the DirecTV dish). I used GPS status to recalibrate the magnetic compass (flip the phone over 3 times on each axis) and then hit ok. As soon as I did that...BAM... instant lock 9/9 sats and accurate to 3 meters.

I have no idea if the mag compass has ANYTHING to do with the GPS on this phone, I'm just relaying what I witnessed.

I'm interested to see if someone else can repeat this. If it works, it might shed some light on why some phones have a great GPS and others barely work.

I tested your theory (albeit not very strenuously) and I have had the same/similar success (less satellites - 8 of 8, but that's just my part of the globe i think). I calibrated using GPS Status & Toolbox by Eclipsim, menu/tools/compass calibration. I must say, it seems to have helped my locking speed dramatically. I tried my GPS prior to calibrating and wouldn't lock my position. After I calibrated, it locked w/ in 2 or 3 seconds seconds.

I will test it more tomorrow when I go to a different location w/o GPS on, and see how quick it finds me when I turn GPS on in a new part of town. I did power down, and power it back on, went to the opposite end of my house, and it still locked in 2-3 seconds....not conclusive, but it still locked fast!

I have tried calibrating my compass before using "Compass" by catch.com, just to have it calibrated. I never noticed any GPS improvements after doing so, although I wasn't looking for them either.

If this is legit (as it appears to be to me, thus far) my phone just became sooo much more useful, as my GPS has been so very unreliable on finding my location when I need it.

**causey** · 06-26-2011, 10:08 PM

tried the same, and got a 4 meter instant lock, where it could be hours to lock, if ever. well played.

**jonboy666** · 06-27-2011, 12:37 AM

Thank you so much!!!
It worked the very first try. Great Find! Just follow the directions to calibrate the compass and BAM! locked on to multiple sats within seconds.
Also make sure to be away from ANY magnetic fields ie: computer or surround speakers, black holes ect.

This should be stickied

**soondolee** · 06-27-2011, 02:40 AM

it fixed my gps problem right now...thnx for the solution.

i will report more tomorrow.

**Big Z** · 06-27-2011, 07:29 AM

I am now at my school, in a study room, and my GPS is having some real trouble locking. My compass is all over the place though, so I am assuming that I have some heavy magnetic interference.

**j32driver** · 06-27-2011, 11:00 AM

Awesome! Glad to hear others are getting good results. I've gotten so much from this forum, it is nice to be able to give back a little bit!

**Kevin Gossett** · 06-27-2011, 11:13 AM

Have you noticed this fixing "sticking" or is it something you have had to repeat?

**soondolee** · 06-27-2011, 12:15 PM

mine is still working great....

but i tried this solution to my wife's fascinate, it is not working like mine....hmmm

**TheGord** · 06-27-2011, 06:36 PM

Wow! I gave up on my GPS, but every time I flash a new radio I give it another shot... for a few days...then I give up again. My compass was off by 80+ degrees, just calibrated and my GPS is awesome now. Many thanks

**dsignori** · 06-28-2011, 03:52 PM

This is not working for me .. Tried many times. My compass is fine, but still no GPS lock. Man, this last update really did some job on the GPS ....

**Clak** · 06-28-2011, 05:12 PM

Just out of curiosity, the calibrate tool says 3 axis I think, so how are you guys rotating yours? I was doing end over end and then rolling it side over side, wasn't what the third axis would be.

**Landshark** · 06-28-2011, 05:18 PM

Originally Posted by Clak

Just out of curiosity, the calibrate tool says 3 axis I think, so how are you guys rotating yours? I was doing end over end and then rolling it side over side, wasn't what the third axis would be.

Hold the phone straight up and down so you are looking at the screen. Rotate the phone clockwise or counter-clockwise so you are still looking at the screen while it is rotating.

**Bitter13** · 06-28-2011, 07:15 PM

Simply. Amazing. Just went from no GPS to 9/9 lock. Many thanks.

**Clak** · 06-28-2011, 10:15 PM

Oh wow, got a 9/10 lock in a few seconds. Goolge maps is accurate to 2 meters. This is inside too.

**Sister Amethyst** · 06-28-2011, 11:18 PM

Brilliant, thanks so much!

Fascinate. Tapatalk. 'nuff said?

**swenpro** · 06-29-2011, 03:01 PM

Thank you, J32Driver. An incredible find.

Just wanted to say, installation of GPS Status alone produced great GPS results in Google Maps. Fast lock, and did NOT need to disable Google Location Services before getting lock.

Now that I did the Magnetic Compass Calibration from within GPS Status app, lock is even faster and more precise. And I am indoors!

**skategeezer** · 06-30-2011, 11:10 PM

Originally Posted by j32driver

My GPS has been rock solid since I first got my Fascinate. A couple of weeks ago, instead of getting an instant lock, it started taking 15-20 seconds. Then it was 30-60 seconds. Well yesterday, it just flat failed to get a GPS lock at all with Google Maps.

Today, I was sitting out back and had time to try to fix it. I opened up GPS Status and it had 0/2 satellites. I let it sit for almost 5 minutes with no change. That is when I noticed the mag compass was off by more than 90 degrees ( I know where south is because of the DirecTV dish). I used GPS status to recalibrate the magnetic compass (flip the phone over 3 times on each axis) and then hit ok. As soon as I did that...BAM... instant lock 9/9 sats and accurate to 3 meters.

I have no idea if the mag compass has ANYTHING to do with the GPS on this phone, I'm just relaying what I witnessed.

I'm interested to see if someone else can repeat this. If it works, it might shed some light on why some phones have a great GPS and others barely work.

Genius! Plus enable ALL the location settings and wifi for stellar GPS.

**j32driver** · 07-01-2011, 10:56 AM

Quick update. My mag compass continues to drift day to day. I've noticed that all I need to do to bring it back... open up gps status and then flip the phone ONCE on each axis. I don't even have to tell it to calibrate the compass... it just seems to work by flipping it once in each direction. Now... If I could only figure out why the compass drift is so bad?!?!?!

**TheGord** · 07-03-2011, 03:24 PM

I'm finding the same thing with my Fascinate. The compass drifts, gps isn't great anymore. But as soon as I recalibrate the compass, I'm good for a few days. Odd, but at least it's an easy fix. I'd rather spin my phone around a few times every now and then and have a great gps as a reward then not have a reliable gps at all. Thanks again for this find

**richb89600** · 05-02-2013, 04:21 PM

Originally Posted by j32driver

My GPS has been rock solid since I first got my Fascinate. A couple of weeks ago, instead of getting an instant lock, it started taking 15-20 seconds. Then it was 30-60 seconds. Well yesterday, it just flat failed to get a GPS lock at all with Google Maps.

Today, I was sitting out back and had time to try to fix it. I opened up GPS Status and it had 0/2 satellites. I let it sit for almost 5 minutes with no change. That is when I noticed the mag compass was off by more than 90 degrees ( I know where south is because of the DirecTV dish). I used GPS status to recalibrate the magnetic compass (flip the phone over 3 times on each axis) and then hit ok. As soon as I did that...BAM... instant lock 9/9 sats and accurate to 3 meters.

I have no idea if the mag compass has ANYTHING to do with the GPS on this phone, I'm just relaying what I witnessed.

I'm interested to see if someone else can repeat this. If it works, it might shed some light on why some phones have a great GPS and others barely work.

Yes. Worked perfectly.