Moto G and satellites

[harry]

Hi there,  I bought a Moto g phone, very nice, and have installed OsmAnd+ on it, great!  I have a Garmin Glo which I use mainly with my Asus tablet and it works with the phone as expected, (with the relevant extra software).  However, the phone is supposed to be fitted with antennae for GPS and Glonas signals (as is the Glo) but it seems not to pick up it's location without the assistance of the Garmin Glo.  Anyone know why that might be?

Harry

[P Wat]

Hi Harry
Sorry I can't comment on Glonas, but I've been using a Moto G since March 2014.  (Yes, aren't they great!)
Moto G's GPS acquisition has been much quicker than my trusted Garmin, and much more accurate. Plus it does a million more things - Garmin consigned to the drawer!
If you are not getting quick GPS acquisition with Moto G there must be a reason worth investigating.
BTW - You can get a good value for money totally submersible case if your lifestyle requires it - (mine does).
PW

[P Wat]

I'm inserting your response, and my follow-up here, to keep the whole conversation in one place.  For neatness I've deleted my response "above".  (hope this makes sense and is done properly) - PW

HARRY; "If your acquisition is quick and accurate then you are probably using Glonas without realising it.
"reason worth investigating" is why I asked. I must have some setting wrong. The waterproof case is unlikely to be of interest, thanks.
Harry"

PW; "OK- Harry. I'll investigate and reply with info later.  Busy right now.
PW"

[P Wat]

>Harry  Here's the info:-

My OsmAnd is Osmand+ (paid for) version 1.9.4.
Phone is Moto G (now maybe known as first generation)
Android is 4.4.4
Further details if required.

In Moto G “Settings” go to “Location”.
Check Location is “On”
Touch “High accuracy”. Do you see three options? = “High accuracy”, “Battery saving”, “Device only”. You can only select any one of the three.
Mine was selected “High accuracy” (has the blue blob alongside). I have no memory of having deliberately selecting it that way, but it works!
Further down in the same section is a list of “Recent Location Requests”. Mine includes the names of 5 apps.
Below that is “Location Services”. Mine only shows “Google Location Reporting”. Touch that and I see (i) my email address, (ii) “Location Reporting On this device”, (iii) “Location history Off”. These are selectable on or off if you touch them and then change the blue “switch”.

Hope the above makes sense.
Get back to me for clarification/more.
PW
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[Harry rid]

Hi there, PW.

 

I wrote you a lengthy reply and it seems to have vanished into the ether.  Effectively what I said was that the "High accuracy", I suspect, entails a data charge so I have mine set to "Device only".  My Garmin Glo when set alongside the Moto picks up the satellites in my living room and shows me the location when connected by Bluetooth to both the Moto and my Asus tablet.  When the Garmin is switched off the tablet will get the satellites outside and slowly but the Moto will not get them at all.  The Moto is supposed to have the same pair of antennae as the Garmin, ie GPS and Glonass (the Russian system) so it should work as well as the Garmin.  I have asked Motorola for an answer but they are taking a long time to reply.  No one else has answered but your self.  Maybe most people don't know about such things.

 

Harry (R)

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[Nelson A. de Oliveira]

Did you try to update the A-GPS data in your phone?
You can do this with GPS Test
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.chartcross.gpstest
(or other similar app)

[Paul W]

Hi Harry

You can be reasonably confident that “High Accuracy” will not use phone data (data charge), but there is a way to be 100% certain.

 

Turning off data -  (skip this bit if you know what you are doing):-

In “Settings”, select “Data usage”.

Alongside “Mobile data”, check the slide switch is set to “OFF” (grey).  (While I’m there I can see my data usage graph states “4 Jan – 3 Feb: about 0.00B used”   J   I never use phone-based data.)

Done.

 

Now select GPS “High accuracy” as previously described.

I generally get an accurate fix within a few seconds, even sitting in my front room, albeit near the window.  Absolutely knocks spots off my Garmin which is still sulking in a drawer.

 

You could go back into “Data” later and confirm that none has been used.

Let me know how you get on.

PW

[stf]

On KitKat "High accuracy" will use both network based location services and GPS so it will use data (exception below). If you want to be sure it is not using data to acquire location then select "Device only".

Exception: If you are running a non-stock ROM and have not installed gapps (Google Apps) but have instead installed components from the open source microG (nogapps) project then there are a couple of network based location services that us on phone databases and do not use data services.

[P Wat]

Hello stf.

How can I assure you? :-
1) My Moto G is set to High Accuracy (see attachment) and always has been.
2) I use no data because I have turned it off. The evidence is clear. (see attachment)
3) I am using all the original hardware including ie standard ROM.
4) All my apps are from Google-Play,
This seems to be at odds with your statements.
Have I misunderstood you?

Method - In Moto G “Settings”, select “Data usage”.

Alongside “Mobile data”, check the slide switch is set to “OFF” (grey).

Return to “Settings”. Go to “Location”. Check Location is “On”
Touch “High accuracy”. See three options = “High accuracy”, “Battery saving”, “Device only”. Select “High Accuracy”.
My Moto G has been set like this for as long as I know. It is quick to gain GPS fix, and it has never used data.
QED? 

I look forward to hearing whether other MotoG users (or others) also find they can gain swift GPS fixes using High Accuracy having first ensured that Data is off.
PW

[stf]

No need to assure me. :)

If you have data turned off then even if you have "High accuracy" selected there will be no data usage. Just saying that for those who have data on and are have mobile coverage, the setting you'd like for testing this is "Device only" which avoids even trying the network based location services.

With respect to fast time to first fix, I have a Garmin eTrex that supports both the GPS and Glonas systems and it acquires very rapidly with no outside help (has no data connection at all). And I know a person with a Android phone that also supports both the GPS and Glonas systems and it acquired quite rapidly when we were hiking in an area with no mobile coverage so it did not have a data connection. In that same situation my phone which does not support Glonas went so long without acquiring that I gave up (deep canyon with damp broad leaf trees overhead which make GPS acquisition and tracking difficult). So I believe you and your experience.

On Monday, January 19, 2015 at 2:13:15 PM UTC-8, P Wat wrote:

Hello stf.

How can I assure you? :-

. . .

[P Wat]

Confirmation of Glonass -
Spurred on by feedback from "stf", here from the horse's mouth is the evidence that Moto G (1st Generation) has GLONASS.
In http://www.motorola.co.uk/consumers/Mobilephones/Moto-G-with-4G/moto-g-4g-uk.html scroll down to Specifications, on the right under Connectivity, Location services.  Eureka!

I'll try playing with "High Accuracy Vs “Battery saving” and “Device only” to try to evaluate speed of fix and relative power consumption.
BFN.
PW

[harry]

I hope this gets through to you as there is something strange going on with my computer, still here goes :-

Hi PW and STF

 

The plot thickens.  I twice contacted Motorola by phone and spoke to two of their agents, both of whom did not say whether the Moto g (SECOND GENERATION I should have said that from the start as it might have avoided some confusion) had Glonass or not but from your link I got another link which (http://www.motorola.co.uk/consumers/mobile-phones/Moto-G/motorola-g-gb.html) which took me to the spec for the correct phone which, according to that specification, has A-GPS.  Now the original reviews I read, both had specifications which said that A-GPS, GPS and Glonass were on it.  So; I just phoned Motorola again and the chap told me that Glonass was definitely supported but that if "High accuracy" were selected then there was a risk of data charges being applied.  All I can do is to keep "High accuracy" set and keep a check on the charges as you, PW, suggest.  If I go anywhere that a navigation service is important I shall just have to take the Garmin Glo with me as well as the phone.  Anyway I will, of course keep you posted as to any findings as time goes on.

 

Thanks again for all your troubles,

 

Harry (R)

On Friday, 16 January 2015 20:35:55 UTC, harry wrote:

[harry]

Hi all,

 

Problem solved.  Switch off Bluetooth and all is fine.  With Bluetooth on the phone is looking for the Garmin which has hitherto been its source of satellites and ignores the inbuilt antennae.  With Bluetooth off it finds the internal system.  While looking to do all the things I had been told I noticed Bluetooth was on and wondered and thought I'd try it off, just in case, and bingo!

 

Happy Harry (R)

[Harry rid]

And of course you don't need to be set to high accuracy with the potential costs, especially if you go abroad.

Harry (R)

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