What is GPS (in one sentence)?
GPS is a system to estimate the location on Earth by using signals from a set of orbiting satellites.
Tips: Achieving good initial GPS lock
To achieve fast startup and high-accuracy position estimates, you should provide:
- A clear view of a large portion of the sky
- Time to tune in to the signals from the satellites
The keys to a GPS lock are clear access to the sky and patience. Any obstructions between the phone and the sky can adversely affect signal strength. A big tree is an obvious obstacle, but even a jersey or a backpack can cause problems for the very low-strength signals.
To improve signal acquisition time, hold the device in one place for up to 1 - 2 minutes and make sure the device's data communications are enabled. This allows the phone's GPS to get hints about its approximate location. Even with a clear sky, it can take a few minutes before a lock can be established in some situations. Most iPhones made in the last few years have had fairly solid GPS sensors. That being said, not all GPS sensors are created equal.
Variable performance
The GPS includes the chip in your device as well as the satellites above the Earth. So even if your device is in the same place and the same setting as before, it may behave differently from one day to the next.
Typically, the device needs to receive signals from about 5 satellites to get an accurate estimate of its position. With the changing position of the satellites, changing weather patterns, and the changing nature of the Earth's outer atmosphere, there are enough parts of the GPS outside of your direct control and observation that it is difficult to make conclusions about what specifically is causing inconsistent performance. We recommend you try repeatedly before making a judgement about the best ways to work with your device's GPS in your setting.
Tips: Improving phone GPS performance
- Turn the phone off/on
- Turn location services off/on
- Perform a GPS reset!
- Double-tap the home button. This will bring up tile-sized images of all currently running apps
- Swipe the screens of all apps upwards to close them
- Go into Settings and turn on Airplane Mode
- Open Settings > General, and select Reset Network Settings (you will need to re-enter your wifi passwords!)
- Once your phone has reset go to Settings > Location Services, turn it off then on again
Steps to take when investigating GPS Issues
Be Patient!
Try using the ESR app to record for 5 minutes, letting the app search for signals with a wide open view of the sky, and keeping it completely immobile. If this does not produce useful location estimates, here are the steps we recommend to take next.
Determine if GPS works in other apps
If you are willing to get your hands a little dirty, try running one of the free apps that present detailed GPS operating information. “GPS Status” is a free app that can reset your GPS and download fresh A-GPS data. You should see it eventually reporting 5 or more satellites acquired, and an overall accuracy range of less than 30 meters if everything is working properly.
Check for resource management apps
Some devices may have apps installed that disable GPS services or terminate backgrounded apps in an attempt to reduce battery usage and improve system performance. Please disable or adjust the settings of these apps to allow ESR to receive GPS information during long periods of background operation.
What to do when GPS just doesn't work
Contact our support team with a description of the device, iOS version, and version of ESR - as well as a full description of the problem. When sending a message to us from within the ESR app Me > Settings > Get Support, all of this information gets included in the message automatically.