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Finding gps location using a Android phone


Evans125

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I use a Bluetooth GPSr and the "Bluetooth GPS" app. This combination gives the accuracy of a good handheld GPSr and as a bonus Bluetooth is much less hard on my phone's limited battery than using the phone's GPSr functionality. I got the tip from a forum posting years ago; I regret I don't recall the poster's name.

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Phones tend to be inaccurate, so if you want to hide a cache, it's a better idea to get a dedicated GPS device for yourself or borrow one to determine the location of the hide.

while that may have been true a couple of years ago, today smart phone GPS is very accurate. It depends on the application that the cacher is using. Just using a turn-by-turn direction app is going to give general location, but using GPS Status & Toolbox https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.eclipsim.gpsstatus2 this app also pairs with the c:geo app to give you "radar" navigation on a cache you are searching for. There is also a GPS averager that I have used, but I don't think that app is any more accurate that GPS Status.

 

btw, have have hidden 24 caches using my Samsung on the Android OS and only have had to adjust a couple due to initial inaccurate readings. (mostly due to heavy tree coverage)

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Phones tend to be inaccurate, so if you want to hide a cache, it's a better idea to get a dedicated GPS device for yourself or borrow one to determine the location of the hide.

while that may have been true a couple of years ago, today smart phone GPS is very accurate. It depends on the application that the cacher is using. Just using a turn-by-turn direction app is going to give general location, but using GPS Status & Toolbox https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.eclipsim.gpsstatus2 this app also pairs with the c:geo app to give you "radar" navigation on a cache you are searching for. There is also a GPS averager that I have used, but I don't think that app is any more accurate that GPS Status.

 

btw, have have hidden 24 caches using my Samsung on the Android OS and only have had to adjust a couple due to initial inaccurate readings. (mostly due to heavy tree coverage)

 

I agree that the blanket statement that 'phones tend to be inaccurate' is rather out-dated, however, 'some phones tend to be inaccurate' is valid. It depends a lot on the model of phone being used. Some are good (my old one was), but some are lousy (my new one is so I bought a bluetooth GPS receiver for it instead)

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Phones tend to be inaccurate, so if you want to hide a cache, it's a better idea to get a dedicated GPS device for yourself or borrow one to determine the location of the hide.

while that may have been true a couple of years ago, today smart phone GPS is very accurate. It depends on the application that the cacher is using. Just using a turn-by-turn direction app is going to give general location, but using GPS Status & Toolbox https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.eclipsim.gpsstatus2 this app also pairs with the c:geo app to give you "radar" navigation on a cache you are searching for. There is also a GPS averager that I have used, but I don't think that app is any more accurate that GPS Status.

 

btw, have have hidden 24 caches using my Samsung on the Android OS and only have had to adjust a couple due to initial inaccurate readings. (mostly due to heavy tree coverage)

Thanks for the link, I just loaded it on my phone. I was using a compass app earlier today that displays gps, but it fell far short of expectation. Eager to try this one out.

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The Iphone Groundspeak app in iOS5 is exremely accurate. (I didn't upgrade to 6 because of the Apple maps debacle) - however, it was interesting today to see the difference in providers/phones when I was caching with a friend. She has an Android with the Groundspeak app, but her provider is T-Mobile and mine is AT&T - her refresh rate was horrible and her distances were much less accurate than mine.

 

My Iphone has never led me astray because I've cached in major cities, but if you're caching somewhere with no network coverage you better have a GPSr.

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...it was interesting today to see the difference in providers/phones when I was caching with a friend. She has an Android with the Groundspeak app, but her provider is T-Mobile and mine is AT&T - her refresh rate was horrible and her distances were much less accurate than mine.

The provider has no effect* on GPS accuracy. The difference you saw is due to the different types of phone hardware (ie. Android device vs. iPhone) and the likely different GPS chips contained within.

 

*Cell signal can help you get an initial lock, but won't have any effect after that.

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I use C:GEO along with my garmin 60CSx to locate and refine a cache that has not been down loaded into the handheld. I locate a nearby cache on the android using C:GEO app and transfer the waypoints to the handheld, because the actual app does not get you really close, from 20-30 feet virses GZ 0. if you download C;GEO, tap on any destination and then my coordinates, i'tl give you your way points, write them down and there you have it, maybe.

Edited by jedddog
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Hmm - I'm not sure about that. I have and Android also, also AT&T, and my map refresh is much better than hers - same model - Galaxy SII.

 

She doesn't get the "real time" movement I get on both my droid & my Iphone - hers is very sporadic and tends to hang unless we're in a wide open space.

 

I thought I'd keep my droid just for geocaching but the battery life is horrid so it will not get a new contract...

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Hmm - I'm not sure about that. I have and Android also, also AT&T, and my map refresh is much better than hers - same model - Galaxy SII.

 

She doesn't get the "real time" movement I get on both my droid & my Iphone - hers is very sporadic and tends to hang unless we're in a wide open space.

 

That sounded like a software issue to me since you said both phone are the same model. I was going to suggest that maybe she downloaded an app that you didn't and it was that poorly written app and causing some problems. If it was poorly written it wouldn't even need to access the GPS functions to cause problems with them so it could be almost any app causing the problem.

 

Then I did a quick internet search for Galacy SII GPS problems and found this article on the notaboutthenumbers website.

 

"You may be the victim of something called disabled Static Navigation.

 

Disabling Static Navigation is seen as a desirable feature that intentionally filters out apparently minor position updates once you are going at a low or slow speed. The idea is that your position will not be accurate anyway, due to the GPS signal being degraded by bouncing off buildings, being under trees or walking through a canyon.

 

The weird thing is the phone’s GPS chip is still receiving updates and keeps calculating your position; it simply stops telling you."

 

The fix involves rooting the phone and installing an app. The article has a link to the app and there are many websites that detail the rooting process. Just be aware that rooting your phone usually voids your warranty.

Edited by Glenn
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GPS Apps that are on my Droid devices include one that is good for the original question:

"GPS Averaging" which will give you the coordinates of your location, averaged for as long as you want.

I would go back at another time or day and do it again.

 

Other Apps that I use regularly:

GPS Test, GPS Essentials, GPS Status, and My Tracks.

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