GPS accuracy less than other apps

[+daddybeth 13]

Hi,

 

Apologies, I did search but all seemed to be saying it was just REPORTING the accuracy wrong rather than location wrong.

 

The GPS on the official Geocache app jumps all over the place for me. Accuracy varies, compass can jump from side to side.

 

The thing is, I have another very old app Columbus which is absolutely perfect. Likewise maps always shows the correct location. So I am quite certain it's not that my phone can't get an accurate location, just that the GC app isn't using it.

 

My guess is that GC just uses the GPS on the phone, whereas other apps use the Google location which also uses phone masts and wireless networks to provide a location.

 

Is there any way of improving location on the GC app? Because it is kind of annoying to use that app initially and for logs, but quite often having to switch to Columbus at GZ to avoid having to search within a 10m+ radius.

Thanks for your help.

[+K13 770]

I suggest that the GC app is using the extra location signals, which causes the jumping you experience. Your old app likely uses only gps signal.

 

I have witnessed the same with several different catchers & android phones. Setting their app to use only GPS signal stopped the jumping around, especially in areas where phone signal is marginal.

[Hynz 105]

17 hours ago, K13 said:

I suggest that the GC app is using the extra location signals, which causes the jumping you experience. Your old app likely uses only gps signal.

 

I have witnessed the same with several different catchers & android phones. Setting their app to use only GPS signal stopped the jumping around, especially in areas where phone signal is marginal.

That's exactly what I think which is in contrast to so many postings suggesting that using additionally GSM and WLAN information necessarily increases the accuracy of the location a smartphone can report.

But so far I never found a comprehensive but not too technical explanation how the current smartphone technology exactly produces its "Location" information depending on the various settings.

[+thebruce0 1579]

AFAIK, the AGPS feature of smartphones only helps in quicker general vicinity pickup. It's certainly not better than GPS. But it avoids you sitting around and waiting for satellite locks.  Ideally, if apps continue to use AGPS, they should absolutely lower the priority of its location in their location algorithm, if used at all.