Apparent GPS Failure

[Narsil]

It seems I may have a bum GPS. It will not find my location via GPS.

Under locations, I have "Use GPS satellites" selected.

I installed the "GPS Status" app and it showed a total of 8 satellites but the Droid would not lock onto any of them even after several minutes of standing in the middle of a pasture on a relatively clear evening.

Any suggestions before returning this to Verizon for a warranty swapout?

 

[mike1655]

Droid will not find GPS

I just bought the droid toda and even the verizon rep could not get the gps to pick up the anything other than towers. It just kept searching for satelites. Without satelites the turn by turn voice navigation will not work.

 

[rroof]

Bummer - left the store, hit the Googlemaps app, and it guided my home with a better screen/visualization than my factory BMW Nav (really)!

 

[Narsil]

Ever take your car to the mechanic with a chronic problem...?

I waited in line for 20+ minutes to talk with a tech support person who hadn't really even touched a Droid before I handed her mine and explained the problem and the steps I'd taken. She fumbled around for a moment and finally asked where the verizon nav program was. I explained that it didn't come with that because it had google maps and she asked me to demonstrate the problem. I was fairly impressed with her willingness to try and fix the problem on a phone she wasn't familiar with and a program she'd never used. :blink:

I opened google maps, touched the settings button, and pressed "my location." Three seconds later, inside the Verizon store, the map shifts and a blue dot appears in the proper place on the map. Grrrr. No wait, happy! :icon_ banana:

I step outside, hit the GPS Status app and I'm locked onto twelve sats. Sweet! I have no idea what the problem was but it seems to be functioning just fine now.

 

[f4fwildcat]

I'm having the same problem with finding the GPS satellites. Similarly, I have "Use GPS Satellites" selected, but the Droid never finds them. I too installed "GPS Status", but it has never shown any satellites, and the searching indicator continuously circles. I've been outside with no overhead obstructions for hours at a time ... but to no avail. It will not find any satellites. Have others had this problem ... and have you been able to fix it?

 

[Narsil]

Grrr...well, after having it miraculously function flawlessly in and after leaving the Verizon store yesterday, my GPS is not functioning again.

Now, GPS test doesn't even show the satellites that it won't lock onto, it doesn't even show that any satellites are there. I'll have to take it back to Verizon this week.

 

[fupher]

Crud, I'm having the exact same issue and the exact same experience when I went into the Verizon store.
When I go into browser google identifies my location correctly, it's just in maps for me.

 

[New2u]

Try one thing, turn off the GPS function on the phone. Turn it off, then back on, then put the GPS back on and see what happens.

 

[Narsil]

Try one thing, turn off the GPS function on the phone. Turn it off, then back on, then put the GPS back on and see what happens.

Same problem as before. I'm backing up my apps and data now and will try a factory reset. I doubt that will fix it but it needs to be tried before attempting a swapout.

 

[fupher]

Try one thing, turn off the GPS function on the phone. Turn it off, then back on, then put the GPS back on and see what happens.

Thank you for the suggestion, unfortunately it didn't work.
I did the factory reset, it worked... for about 5 seconds, and I was quickly returned to the small Indian village I apparently inhabit.
Phone was connected via wifi at the time, I feel like this is important.

There are a few variables in my situation, and otherwise the phone is quickly becoming my bff, so I am doing to try not get ocd over it and see what happens. :wink:

 

[Narsil]

...I did the factory reset, it worked... for about 5 seconds, and I was quickly returned to the small Indian village I apparently inhabit...

Hehehehe...Yeah, I apparently had an interesting afternoon in the mountains of Nepal earlier this afternoon. :icon_ banana:

 

[fupher]

Hehehehe...Yeah, I apparently had an interesting afternoon in the mountains of Nepal earlier this afternoon.

Haha!! No kidding, I was there yesterday! It's even more peculiar to me that my location varies within the same region. Interestingly, I'm also in Florida.
The plot thickens! opcorn:

 

[shatteredzman]

I am sure most of you understand how GPS works but just in case let me suggest a few things since I dont think the droid has a defective GPS unit.

GPS is based off of satellite technology. Sometimes GPS takes a good amount of time before a signal is established. Just like satellite TV weather can affect the signal quality. So to make sure your GPS is working properly go outside and find an area not blocked by trees and buildings and give your phone about 60 seconds to connect to a satellite. If after several attempts it does not work you may have a defective GPS unit.

 

[txskeets]

My GPS picks up its signal as soon as I step outside with no issues. I think you may have a bad GPS.

 

[JhankG]

Try a hard reset.