[Q] Is GPS working RELIABLY for anyone?

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ewok666

Senior Member
Apr 4, 2006
551
53
Hi Everyone,

I've seen three Note 3 on 4.4.2 and they ALL experience GPS resets and different times of the day. Unfortunately I do not have a Note 3 still on 4.3 and courtesy of Samsung I cannot downgrade. A number of users report that the issue was introduced on the N9005 with version 4.4.2.

I'm going to buy another Note 3 and NOT upgrade if this fixes the issue but I'd like to know whether anyone is using their GPS on the N9005 EXTENSIVELY, during the whole day and is not experiencing ANY odd GPS resets, GPS fix lost or other GPS related issues.

I don't want to know about the time it takes to get a fix or the quality of the signal. ALL of the phones I got to look at lost ALL satellites in places where there was NO reason to lose the fix, i.e. out in the open with clear view of the sky and ALL of them did so repeatedly.

If a new phone will fix the issue but I don't want to end up with another dud which I will then have to return. Because the issue is intermittent and somehow related to the time of day AND can only be reproduced outdoors this would be one painful exercise.

So if you do use GPS regularly to navigate etc please let me know how yours works and version of OS you're on.

TIA
 
I use mine about 6-8 hours a day.

Mainly to keep track of where the train I am on currently is and for navigating streets. And to map out and follow a route when I'm doing an urban or landscape shoot. (Photography).

I've never had issues with my N9005 DBT 4.4.2 NB7, nor on any of the previous versions. It's always accurate and always constant. (Except when I'm in a tunnel or on the tube. But that's physics 101.)

It has never lost all satellites, nor has it ever lost the connection without a perfectly valid reason.
 

uf21

Senior Member
Jun 5, 2012
616
32
I've done a factory reset and my GPS still takes over 10 minutes to find my location....... If it finds it at all.
 

celderic

Senior Member
Dec 1, 2010
1,140
519
I use mine about 6-8 hours a day.

Mainly to keep track of where the train I am on currently is and for navigating streets. And to map out and follow a route when I'm doing an urban or landscape shoot. (Photography).

I've never had issues with my N9005 DBT 4.4.2 NB7, nor on any of the previous versions. It's always accurate and always constant. (Except when I'm in a tunnel or on the tube. But that's physics 101.)

It has never lost all satellites, nor has it ever lost the connection without a perfectly valid reason.

I agree with this post, never once had a problem.
I use mine for about 2 hours maximum everyday (so i can avoid traffic) mounted on my motorbike whilst riding to and from work, with a bluetooth headset in my helmet.
I am running a deodexed version of ND3 :)

Sent from my SM-N9005
 

Someguyfromhell

Senior Member
Feb 2, 2012
4,148
1,828
I use stock unrooted 4.4.2 on N9005 and GPS has been working fine, no issues.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk
 

4aces

Senior Member
Feb 16, 2010
1,614
2,669
Hi Everyone,

I've seen three Note 3 on 4.4.2 and they ALL experience GPS resets and different times of the day. Unfortunately I do not have a Note 3 still on 4.3 and courtesy of Samsung I cannot downgrade. A number of users report that the issue was introduced on the N9005 with version 4.4.2.

I'm going to buy another Note 3 and NOT upgrade if this fixes the issue but I'd like to know whether anyone is using their GPS on the N9005 EXTENSIVELY, during the whole day and is not experiencing ANY odd GPS resets, GPS fix lost or other GPS related issues.

I don't want to know about the time it takes to get a fix or the quality of the signal. ALL of the phones I got to look at lost ALL satellites in places where there was NO reason to lose the fix, i.e. out in the open with clear view of the sky and ALL of them did so repeatedly.

If a new phone will fix the issue but I don't want to end up with another dud which I will then have to return. Because the issue is intermittent and somehow related to the time of day AND can only be reproduced outdoors this would be one painful exercise.

So if you do use GPS regularly to navigate etc please let me know how yours works and version of OS you're on.

TIA

May I ask how u experience the problem maybe I just don't get it. Is the GPS not working at all while maps or any GPS based app is running? Or does the phone tell u that GPS is not working? I'm on 4.4.2 without any issues of GPS
 

ewok666

Senior Member
Apr 4, 2006
551
53
May I ask how u experience the problem maybe I just don't get it. Is the GPS not working at all while maps or any GPS based app is running? Or does the phone tell u that GPS is not working? I'm on 4.4.2 without any issues of GPS

Sure, my GPS is usually fine. Locks quickly and reception is OK. Obviously I lose signal in tunnels and in the CBD sometimes so this is not about that.

I could be in the middle of nowhere with nothing blocking my sight although it's obviously most annoying while driving. I lost the signal when I should not. It usually looks just like the GPS resets or so, without moving much at all the signal will drop from 20 satellites down to four then none within 2 or 3 seconds. Then it slowly comes back, gets a lock and works fine again. The lock could then last for a minute or two and then it just happens again. This seems to mostly happen in the afternoon to early evening.....don ask why :-|

I've tried just about everything. Initially I thought it was a hardware defect but my wife's Note 3 does exactly the same thing......what are the odds of having two Note 3 (bought different places about 2 weeks apart) the exact same problem? I had a quick look at a third one (not one of ours so I didn't get to spend much time with it) but it seemed to do the same thing as well, i.e. lost the signal while standing still with no buildings (and mountains etc) around me.
 

4aces

Senior Member
Feb 16, 2010
1,614
2,669
GPS fix

Sure, my GPS is usually fine. Locks quickly and reception is OK. Obviously I lose signal in tunnels and in the CBD sometimes so this is not about that.

I could be in the middle of nowhere with nothing blocking my sight although it's obviously most annoying while driving. I lost the signal when I should not. It usually looks just like the GPS resets or so, without moving much at all the signal will drop from 20 satellites down to four then none within 2 or 3 seconds. Then it slowly comes back, gets a lock and works fine again. The lock could then last for a minute or two and then it just happens again. This seems to mostly happen in the afternoon to early evening.....don ask why :-|

I've tried just about everything. Initially I thought it was a hardware defect but my wife's Note 3 does exactly the same thing......what are the odds of having two Note 3 (bought different places about 2 weeks apart) the exact same problem? I had a quick look at a third one (not one of ours so I didn't get to spend much time with it) but it seemed to do the same thing as well, i.e. lost the signal while standing still with no buildings (and mountains etc) around me.

I found this on xda

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2612757

I don't know about the rom since I didn't try it but in the quote of the link is how he fixed the GPS issue. Seems like it is a software problem. If your phones are rooted try the method described in the quote if not try reset with backup via Google. Good luck.
 

ewok666

Senior Member
Apr 4, 2006
551
53
I found this on xda

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2612757

I don't know about the rom since I didn't try it but in the quote of the link is how he fixed the GPS issue. Seems like it is a software problem. If your phones are rooted try the method described in the quote if not try reset with backup via Google. Good luck.

Unfortunately this is for 4.3 only and allegedly this issue was fixed with 4.4.2

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk
 

4aces

Senior Member
Feb 16, 2010
1,614
2,669
Hmm ok... Than all I could tell is checking the GPS settings or factory reset. Sorry mate
 

uf21

Senior Member
Jun 5, 2012
616
32
What ROM are you on and is this your first device?

Stock Singapore rom. It is not my first device.

When I bought this phone it had 4.3 jellybean Australian version. Everything was working great and after I updated to 4.4 the GPS has gone to sh!t.
 
Last edited:

ewok666

Senior Member
Apr 4, 2006
551
53
Stock Singapore rom. It is not my first device.

When I bought this phone it had 4.3 jellybean Australian version. Everything was working great and after I updated to 4.4 the GPS has gone to sh!t.

Same here. I just don't get the part where it's always fine in the morning, then **** in the afternoon and perfect again in the evening.