Thunderbolt GPS Navigation Issue??

[rkawski]

I'm not using an extended battery. I've been testing for a day now with the VZW location services turned off and so far that has been working.

So far this has been working. I'm not 100% sure this fixed it as the issue seems to come and go.

 

[zomac]

Install GPS Status from the market, then:

Menu -> Tools -> Manage AGPS -> Reset

Menu -> Tools -> Manage AGPS -> Download

Used these instructions from someone in XDA forums and it worked like a charm!

This worked for me also. Thx!

 

[Chrisy]

How many people having problems with GPS lock are using an extended battery?

I just stumbled across this on the HTC forums -- there's a suggestion that the extended battery cover is missing a connection between the two leads that produces poor GPS and Networking performance.

Defect in extended battery cover - HTC Thunderbolt (Verizon) - Android Forums - HTC Community

I know it takes me a good 5-10 minutes to get a GPS lock in open sky, and I have the extended battery cover.

-j

I'm using the 2750 extended battery and used my Tbolt to Geocache today. First used it to use Google Navigation, turn by turn to get me to cache location. Worked great. As soon as I got in my car I started c:geo which launched the Navigation. Locked within 1 minute.

At the cache, I used the compass and it led me to within 3 feet of he cache. It was a micro in the bush and I found it!

No issues with GPS and extended battery here.

 

[dezicartel]

this is annoying as hell...i tried the fix and it works great, but seems like u have to do reset and download location everytime, before running google maps/runkeeper/etc... so frustrating!

 

[willis936]

I did the fix once. I'm using the extended battery. I reset my phone a few times a week and delivery pizzas so I use the gps on frustrating house numbers. Since the fix I get lock in 10 seconds when in proximity to a window and instant while driving. The extended battery cover has no defect. They use less connector material than the stock cover because it wasn't doing anything to help. That black tape around the rim is the antenna.

-stock HTC Thunderbolt tapatalk

 

[Bwangster12]

This worked for me also. Thx!

So, GPS Status ABSOLUTELY made a difference when I did as this above post indicated. I was in my car and tried to use Nav... the thing was searching for GPS signal and I just exited. Then I opened GPS Status and reset then downloaded and Nav locked on immediately and started giving voice nav.

Do we have to reset and download every so often or is this a one time thing? Should I keep GPS Status installed?

 

[zomac]

I left GPS status on phone after the download. I moved it to SD card and don't plan on deleting. I have only done the download once and I lock within 5 seconds always now. I have all three boxes checked under GPS settings. Before the reset and download it took me over 5 mins to get a lock whenever it did work.

 

[Bwangster12]

Yeah, the lock is instantaneous now. Its really incredible. The thing is speaking directions before the screen refreshes to show me Google Navigation.

 

[willis936]

I left it installed because it's a really cool tool. Nothing like seeing the readout of every sensor on the phone 8)
Also there's an option in the app to refresh the GPS data if it's older than a week, day, 6 hours, etc. It's set to one day from stock.

I learned recently that killing apps manually is about the stupidest thing I as user could do. That's for android to handle. Keeping apps running takes no battery, opening and closing take some CPU and makes everything less responsive. Lesson's learned I rebooted and don't kill tasks anymore. Battery life has already jumped up a good amount (and I'm sure some minor bugs fixed themselves).

 

[Bwangster12]

So, if I understand that correctly... if I set the "Auto-download AGPS data" to 3 days for example... it will automatically download the data (as I did when I first got this app) every 3 days and I don't have to do anything but close it and not figit with it?

 

[willis936]

I believe so but I may be wrong. It might check and update only when it tries to get a fix in the app. I think once you do it once though you're good unless you're not staying in the same locale from day to day. If you continue to have troubles it's a simple matter of opening the app someplace where you can get a gps lock.

Also I get 4/4 to 7/7 satellites depending on the time of day.

-stock HTC Thunderbolt tapatalk

 

[OmahaPlaya]

Did what the instructions said and turned off the Verizon service and it works so far.

 

[DJBeanPole]

Tried all the tricks here. Still no dice.

 

[anon(220176)]

I think it's the Google Navigation app itself.

I got quick GPS lock if I use Google Maps. But if I open Google Navigation immediately, even from Google Maps itself, Google Navigation will say "Searching for GPS...."

 

[DJBeanPole]

Fantastic. LOL glad I have a product I can't use because the product doesn't function correctly.

 

[GoldLeader]

Install GPS Status from the market, then:

Menu -> Tools -> Manage AGPS -> Reset

Menu -> Tools -> Manage AGPS -> Download

Used these instructions from someone in XDA forums and it worked like a charm!

I sat outside for 15 minutes waiting for a lock, but it wouldn't lock.
Found this tip, and tried it out.
After reseting the AGPS, I got a lock,within seconds. Sweet!

Before the reset, it showed 2 satellites. After the reset I had 6 and I was still sitting in the same position.
What the heck? It's sad that an app developer on the market makes a better GPS product than Google...

 

[jtthunderbolt]

I sat outside for 15 minutes waiting for a lock, but it wouldn't lock.
Found this tip, and tried it out.
After reseting the AGPS, I got a lock,within seconds. Sweet!

Before the reset, it showed 2 satellites. After the reset I had 6 and I was still sitting in the same position.
What the heck? It's sad that an app developer on the market makes a better GPS product than Google...

I was having the same problem and decided to take the phone to the local Verizon service center to get them to check it out. I had been using a third party Seidio battery (which I purchased for the longer battery life). So, in the event that they switched out the phone, I put the original battery back in. And guess what? When I checked the nagivation/gps functions while waiting, I found they all worked fine. It's the first time they worked since I changed the battery out to the Seidio, so I can only associate the problem with the battery. I don't know why this makes any sense, but it does. So, I can only suggest that if you are using something other than the original battery, throw the original back in and see if it works properly.

 

[bjboucher]

I was having the same problem and decided to take the phone to the local Verizon service center to get them to check it out. I had been using a third party Seidio battery (which I purchased for the longer battery life). So, in the event that they switched out the phone, I put the original battery back in. And guess what? When I checked the nagivation/gps functions while waiting, I found they all worked fine. It's the first time they worked since I changed the battery out to the Seidio, so I can only associate the problem with the battery. I don't know why this makes any sense, but it does. So, I can only suggest that if you are using something other than the original battery, throw the original back in and see if it works properly.

Your battery door may not have been put on properly too. When you swapped them out it was probably put back on the right way. All the antennas are in the battery door so if it is loose, you will have reception and GPS issues.

 

[Ed Witles]

Can also try this if rooted:
This is a MOD posted today in IRC(#thunderbolt) today by Ziggy471 that has improved GPS lock for myself and others that have tried it.

Instructions:
With Root Explorer (or similar app) go to /etc/gps.conf

In Root Explorer long press on the file and select open in text editor

Change the first line from: NTP_SERVER=north-america.pool.ntp.org to NTP_SERVER=us.pool.ntp.org

Save changes and reboot

Credit: Ziggy471

I am unable to edit this as it is read only. I am rooted and the editor also has superuser access.

Using the new Total Commander

 

[craigrn16]

I had the same problem and tried all the tricks, GPS status, gpsfix all that stuff and the only thing that seemed to have worked was when I put on my extended battery door. I get instant lock and NAV.