Samsung Galaxy Tab A & GPS without WiFi
- Thread starter Mongo The Orange Sherpa
- Start date
Third
Member
Look for an app on Google Play called: "GPS Test"
Install the app then to test, shut off any service connections (BlueTooth, Cell, Wi-Fi) as applicable but don't set the device into "airplane" mode..
Run GPS Test and see if the GPS receiver can tack any birds (should see 15-20 even indoors, as Samsung uses a pretty awesome receiver/antenna).
What some devices use is actually cel tower triangulation (which will not work w/o data service and is useless in the boondocks where there is no service) but Samsung uses an actual GPS receiver. This is what you encountered with the iPad.
If you show no sats with GPS Test, then I suspect that there is an issue with the device/radio. I'll see if I can locate the spec sheet for your device, but I'd be shocked to find that it does not contain a separate GPS radio.
Install the app then to test, shut off any service connections (BlueTooth, Cell, Wi-Fi) as applicable but don't set the device into "airplane" mode..
Run GPS Test and see if the GPS receiver can tack any birds (should see 15-20 even indoors, as Samsung uses a pretty awesome receiver/antenna).
What some devices use is actually cel tower triangulation (which will not work w/o data service and is useless in the boondocks where there is no service) but Samsung uses an actual GPS receiver. This is what you encountered with the iPad.
If you show no sats with GPS Test, then I suspect that there is an issue with the device/radio. I'll see if I can locate the spec sheet for your device, but I'd be shocked to find that it does not contain a separate GPS radio.
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EMS WJ 2000
Observer
Did you ever figure out your issue and what app are you using?
I have a Samsung tab 10.1 and looking to use it in my truck as my GPS platform.
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Mongo The Orange Sherpa
New member
I have been playing around with the tablet, and downloaded maps, for a little bit now. I was able to get it to track me in Gaia, but with a couple glitches. For some reason, it would know where I was, but not create a line during tracking; if I went to the home screen, then back to the app, the line would magically appear. Still waiting to try it in areas where there is absolutely no cell service for an extended period of time, to see whether or not it can truly locate/track.
Also, I was casually talking with my neighbor about my GPS struggles; he's the department chair of Digital and Computational Studies at the college where I work. The end of this month is super busy for everyone, but we're going to see what we can do to work out the kinks, and hopefully increase the reliability. I'll definitely pass on any tips/accessories he recommends!
Also, I was casually talking with my neighbor about my GPS struggles; he's the department chair of Digital and Computational Studies at the college where I work. The end of this month is super busy for everyone, but we're going to see what we can do to work out the kinks, and hopefully increase the reliability. I'll definitely pass on any tips/accessories he recommends!
theksmith
Explorer
i'm a fan of AlpineQuest GPS Hiking over Gaia on Android anyway. Gaia isn't bad on iOS devices, but their Android version seems like a second string attempt. Backcountry Navigator is also popular on Android for topo maps/GPS use, but i find it very glitchy. anyway, there are tons of other apps if you're having problems with Gaia.
DRLexpress
Observer
Have not heard of this one. Downloaded the free one and it looks like it might work. The features that I really wanted to check out, importing routes, downloading maps for
offline, drawing tracks, etc, are not available in the free version. I need to spend more time in the help section of the website. Do you know of any good forums or other help online for it.
Doug
theksmith
Explorer
yeah, i wish the free one was a full featured time trial or something instead so people could really test it. but $10 is really cheap to even try something and not keep it.
their own support forums are great, the developer responds within a day usually on there: http://www.alpinequest.net/forum/
FYI, in the "available maps" screen, scroll down to the bottom and click the "additional maps" button (or something like that)... then look for the map sources with stars. specifically near the end of the list are the Caltop maps - which include great ones such as Forest Service Topo, USGS Topo, land ownership overlays, etc. also you might add the HERE/Yahoo maps which have nice road maps and satellite/hybrid maps (because you can't save the Google map sources for offline use - per Google's License terms, not AQ's fault).
i used to try and teach some clinics for our club (offroadpassport.com) on general tablet/phone GPS use covering multiple apps. now i just cover AlpineQuest to keep it simple. most folks i've turned on to it really like it after playing with it a few days. the exception being really non-techy people that still prefer older dedicated GPS units like Garmin/Magellan/etc.
i also like Copilot USA as an on-road/nav app. it does full offline routing and such after you download the ~2GB complete US map. it covers a ton of larger forest roads actually too, at least out here in the Southwest. however, i don't use this app as much anymore since i have a Verizon tablet and seem to get service often enough that Google Maps usually works for my on-road navigation needs.
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I am currently running a Samsung Tab 8 SM-T350 I have found that WAZE and a few other GPS programs didn't work on it, but I down loaded the free version of OsmAnd from the play store and it has been working great off Wifi (even turned off my wifi to check).. I am still new to the program and playing with it, but very impressed so far, seems to be very accurate and I like I can only download the maps I want. So far just using Washington State, but it shows the walking trails behind my house and greenways, etc.
Jerry Bransford
New member
I'm just now starting to set up and test my wife's new wifi-only Samsung Tab A 10.1 with offline GPS software. Before buying it I did lots of Google searches on if its GPS receiver would work without cellular or wifi signals. The consensus on several websites was that even if there is no wifi or cellular service available, its GPS chip still needs the tablet's wifi enabled which somehow allows it to work and obtain a good fast fix. One member said his GPS was slow at getting a position fix until he enabled his tablet's wifi... despite there being no wifi where he was. Odd but enabling the wifi must do more than just turn the wifi receiver on. I'll try mine out in the desert where there's no cellular service and definitely no wifi ASAP.
theksmith
Explorer
might be due to A-GPS (aka aGPS). originally this meant Assisted-GPS and was a technology for using data from the internet to help the GPS achieve a faster initial satellite lock. but then some manufactures started using the same term to mean a GPS chip that ONLY works with the assistance of the network. so if you see a tablet with A-GPS you've got a 50/50 shot of whether it's a nice extra feature or if the tablet is completely useless off grid.
DaveInDenver
Middle Income Semi-Redneck
This is the confusion with Apple, "Assisted GPS" means it has an actual GPS receiver (e.g. the cell-enabled ones). I guess the perspective is WiFi location is acceptable location and to get better requires "assistance" from real satellites.
It's not a cell or WiFi limitation per say but that the components Apple used have the real GPS receiver co-located in the cell modem component. I know @snare has previously mentioned that this is not a true statement with Android devices but I've often wondered if it's safe to say it's always true. It's still a confusing question because there's no single answer that covers all tablets, all OSes (e.g. both iOS and Android) and brands. There's lots of components and device combination that might be exceptions.
This has been one thing holding me back from buying a tablet that it's sometimes hard to tell for sure what is and isn't true with respect to GPS receivers in them. Like them or not iPads have always been cell capable equals stand-alone GPS included, WiFi-only equals needing a GPS puck.