Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 18-02-2017, 05:29   #1
Registered User

Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 47
android phone version, does it use satellite gps or 4G?

A poster on boatdesign.net said his phone when running navigation apps, if he goes out of range of cell phone towers, the nav apps do not work? Claims they are using 4G data not GPS data to get fixes.

So, would like to know, do you know if an android nav app stops working?
Will the opencpn app continue to work if there is no cell signal?

You think his issue has to do with the non working app needing to download maps using 4G data?
sdowney1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 18-02-2017, 05:34   #2
Registered User
 
dwedeking2's Avatar

Join Date: May 2014
Location: Key West, FL
Boat: Morgan Out Island 415
Posts: 911
Images: 1
Re: android phone version, does it use satellite gps or 4G?

I have an GPS driven app that I use on an android. It will make a GPS track even if it can't download a map (out of cell tower range). So I don't the issue is the phone but maybe unique to the app (meaning the programmer chose to not use gps)
__________________
S/V Pomaika'i Blog
dwedeking2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 18-02-2017, 05:48   #3
Registered User
 
four winds's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Wandering the US Gulf Coast
Boat: 78 Pearson323 Four Winds
Posts: 2,212
Re: android phone version, does it use satellite gps or 4G?

For me, OpenCPN and MxMariner work fine without a cell signal.

Currently using an inactive Samsung smartphone as a backup chartplotter. Update charts when a good WiFi is available. And use GPS Essentials to record the track of daysails to review on google earth at anchor.

Maybe some apps need a signal to download charts while underway, don't know. To save space in memory, don't know. But charts should be stored locally if that option exists. As it does in OpenCPN and MxMariner.
__________________
Life begins at the waters edge.
four winds is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 18-02-2017, 05:49   #4
Registered User

Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Hannover - Germany
Boat: Amel Sharki
Posts: 2,537
Re: android phone version, does it use satellite gps or 4G?

I don't know about Android but I know about my old iPad tablet it was sold as 2 versions:
- one version without SIM card slot has only the so called AGPS which is not a real GPS chip.
- one version with SIM card slot which has a real GPS chip and is usable as navi at sea.

Gerhard
CarCode is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 18-02-2017, 05:59   #5
Registered User
 
rgleason's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Boston, MA
Boat: 1981 Bristol 32 Sloop
Posts: 17,531
Images: 2
Re: android phone version, does it use satellite gps or 4G?

Opencpn uses GPS and works out of towers
rgleason is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 18-02-2017, 06:43   #6
Senior Cruiser
 
StuM's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Port Moresby,Papua New Guinea
Boat: FP Belize Maestro 43 and OPBs
Posts: 12,888
Re: android phone version, does it use satellite gps or 4G?

Navionics on Android definitely works offshore well out of range of any cell towers.

I develop Android apps, including ones which use location data.

A developer can't decide what is used to determine fixes (4G or GPS), they can only make calls to the operating system's "Location Services" to get a location.

It's the Operating System and User Preferences that determine how fixes are obtained.

The only reasons that an application would only work with cell data is if:

1. the user has set "Location Mode" to "Power Saving"( "Uses Wi-Fi and mobile networks to estimate your location") rather than "High Accuracy" or "GPS only"
or
2. he has a really cheap device which doesn't have GPS - but there are very few of them on the market.

(The above is of course only talking about location fixes. If an application needs a data connection to do other things such as download maps, then obviously that part of the app won't work outside of WiFi or Cell range, but location services still will. But I don't know of any navigation app that doesn't cache maps/charts for use outside of cell range).
StuM is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 18-02-2017, 06:48   #7
Marine Service Provider
 
bdbcat's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 7,387
Re: android phone version, does it use satellite gps or 4G?

StuM...

Concur with all.

Thanks
Dave
bdbcat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 18-02-2017, 08:23   #8
Registered User
 
Tkeeth's Avatar

Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Nola
Boat: 97 Hunter 430 43 ft.
Posts: 369
Re: android phone version, does it use satellite gps or 4G?

Also depends on phone model. Android is an operating system, not hardware. It will work with gps if your device has the capability.
Tkeeth is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 18-02-2017, 08:54   #9
Registered User

Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 47
Re: android phone version, does it use satellite gps or 4G?

Thanks guys for this info.
sdowney1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-02-2017, 02:40   #10
Registered User
 
svseachange's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Cairns
Boat: Beneteau 323
Posts: 783
Re: android phone version, does it use satellite gps or 4G?

The answer is it depends on the app programmer and the Android device settings.

The app programmer chooses what level of location precision the app requests, the user of the Android device determines what level of location precision to provide.

App programmers tend to budget GPS precision because GPS precision locations drain batteries. This is becoming less of an issue as phone batteries improve.

You would think sailing app programmers would request GPS precision and Android users would provide it but this might not always be the case.
svseachange is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-02-2017, 03:29   #11
Registered User

Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 372
Re: android phone version, does it use satellite gps or 4G?

I've had Sony and Samsung android based phones and both had proper GPS Hardware built in. Google maps for instance allows you you download map sections for offline use when out of cell phone reception.
Dymaxion is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-02-2017, 05:34   #12
Registered User

Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Hannover - Germany
Boat: Amel Sharki
Posts: 2,537
Re: android phone version, does it use satellite gps or 4G?

Downloading a map has nothing to do with GPS.

Gerhard
CarCode is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-02-2017, 07:21   #13
Registered User

Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 372
Re: android phone version, does it use satellite gps or 4G?

Quote:
Originally Posted by CarCode View Post
Downloading a map has nothing to do with GPS.

Gerhard
Wasn't my point. Point was that those two Android based devices operate happily with full GPS functionality away from any cell reception. Just load the maps before you leave cell reception area, if not, then read lat/long and use a paper chart. Your choice.
Dymaxion is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
gps, phone, satellite

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Android Phone as Bluetooth GPS with OpenCPN RhythmDoctor OpenCPN 1 04-01-2014 00:46
Seeking ideas for use of satellite phone SALT108 Navigation 15 25-11-2013 19:28
Which Satellite Phone and Network to Use in the Indonesian Tropics ? surfmachine Marine Electronics 1 03-09-2011 02:03
Android - Blue NMEA - Use Phone as GPS Prescription with PC familycruisers Navigation 1 29-08-2011 19:51

Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 16:47.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.