Causes and How to Deal with Inaccurate GPS Tracker

Inaccurate GPS can be a very annoying thing for us. Plus the problem of time on the road that requires us to use GPS at that time. For that, this time we will discuss how to solve if GPS is not accurate when used. Check out the following article TransTRACK!

Causes of Inaccurate GPS Tracker

In general, GPS receiver devices use signals received from at least four satellites to calculate latitude, longitude, altitude, and time. Basic GPS services provide users with position accuracy of about 3-5 meters, 95% of the time, anywhere on or near the earth’s surface.

There are several reasons why we may experience inaccurate GPS location as devices can be affected by various factors when processing information and displaying it accurately. Here are potential reasons why our GPS device may be inaccurate.

Cold Start

When GPS is activated or if it has been inactive in the background for too long, it needs to download data from satellites that describe the position and time of all satellites in the system. This can take up to five minutes or more to fix and can lead to incorrect GPS tracking.

Not enough satellites

Many GPS devices ideally need to receive signals from at least 7 or 8 satellites to calculate a location within about 10 meters. With fewer satellites, the amount of uncertainty and imprecision increases. With less than 4 satellites, many GPS receivers struggle to produce accurate location estimates, and will report “GPS signal lost” at points during the route.

Poor Hardware

If your device is older or does not have good GPS reception capabilities, it will have trouble receiving the satellite signals itself.

Low battery on GPS device

Low battery may affect the proper functioning of GPS on any device.

Multipath signals

When signals from GPS satellites bounce off buildings, GPS receivers can be confused by the extra time it takes for the signals to reach them. In this case, we may see sudden position errors. There is not much that can be done under these circumstances to reduce the effect of multipath errors. GPS is less accurate in this situation.

GPS Displacement

The GPS path deviates from the road. We may notice that the route generally follows the shape of the road but with much less precision moving.

GPS signal loss

If the signal is lost and some time later regained, the point before and after the signal loss will be treated the same as the other two points (even though more time has passed between them) and connect them with a straight line.

GPS bounce

‘Moving’ GPS trajectories can cause our activity to report a greater distance than we actually traveled because every ‘zig’ and ‘zag’ of our GPS trajectory must be accounted for with a straight line connecting them

Radio interference or jamming

Satellite maintenance/maneuvers create temporary gaps in coverage In some cases, the GPS hardware of the device works fine, but the software used is faulty. For example, users can be misled by the GPS software services included:

1. Incorrectly drawn maps
2. Mislabeled businesses and other places
3. Missing streets, buildings, communities, etc.
4. Wrong street address estimation

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How to fix inaccurate GPS

The GPS sensor on our smartphones is essential for using navigation apps and services like Google Maps. However, there are times when our GPS signal is unstable. Here are some ways we can fix and improve the location accuracy on our phones!

1. Check HP

Almost all recent Android releases are equipped with GPS. However, some older Androids still don’t have this feature.

It’s best to first make sure that our Android already supports GPS. You can check it on the list of phone specifications that are widely spread on the internet.

If necessary, download a GPS detection application to check it. we can find the application through the google play store.

2. Make sure GPS is On

If your Android supports GPS, make sure the GPS or location feature is active. Usually in the control center there is a shortcut button to enable or disable this feature.

After that, activate the toggle on the Use Location option. That way, the GPS feature is already active and can be used for Google Maps and other applications that require GPS.

3. Check Internet Speed

Make sure your internet is high-speed and stable. Otherwise, the GPS update process will be weak and make the point location inaccurate.

4. Airplane Mode

Airplane mode is not only reliable for overcoming signal problems. We can also use this feature to solve GPS problems.

If the above guide has not solved the problem with our GPS, then we can try the next method below.

5. Update Google Maps

It has been mentioned above that inaccurate GPS can be caused by outdated Google Maps. To solve this problem, we need to update Google Maps on Android.

Here’s how to update the google maps application to overcome inaccurate GPS:

1. First, make sure our Android phone is connected to the internet.
2. Then open the Play Store app.
3. Tap the profile icon on the top right and select Manage Apps & Devices.
4. After that, go to the Update Available menu.
5. Find the Google Maps app and press Update.
6. Wait until the update and install process is complete.

Now the google maps version on our android phone is in the latest version. Now we don’t need to worry about bugs or problems with the Google Maps application.

6. Clear Cache

Cache build-up causes the Maps app to slow down. This results in a decrease in GPS accuracy.

To fix this, clear the Google Maps app cache by going to Settings. Then open the Apps & Notifications menu.

After that, search for the Google Maps application. Then in the Storage option or google maps application storage, press the Clear Cache button.

7. Enable High Accuracy Mode

An error in selecting the accuracy mode makes the points on the GPS less precise. Therefore, we have to change the mode to deal with the often inaccurate GPS.

1. First, open the Settings menu.
2. After that, click on the Location menu.
3. Find the Google Location Accuracy option.
4. Enable Increase Location Accuracy.

Now the GPS settings on our Android phone are in high accuracy mode. This mode is quite recommended if we use GPS all the time.

8. Unplug HP

If the GPS accuracy has decreased due to the root process, then our Android should be unrooted now. To do so, we can use the same app for rooting.

In most cases, rooting does have an effect on the GPS making it inaccurate and even jumping at times.

By unrooting, the GPS accuracy will return to normal. But we must lose root access on our Android phone.

9. Update the Android System

The Android system gets regular updates. If you get a notification, we recommend that you update your Android system immediately.

By updating, we are already using the latest technology. It also affects the performance of the GPS which may have bugs in it.

10. Go to the Service Center

If all of the above methods of dealing with inaccurate GPS have not worked, the last option is to go to a service center.

There, our Android will get the right treatment to restore its GPS accuracy. However, there is a cost involved in taking your phone to a service center.

The cost required for this repair process varies depending on the brand. If it is within the warranty period, it will be free.

GPS is inaccurate and GPS errors can be troublesome for users. Therefore, we need to know why these errors can occur.

How to Fix Inaccurate Car GPS

Here are some steps you can try to fix an inaccurate car GPS:

1. Make sure that GPS is enabled on your phone or GPS device.
2. Check the internet connection and ensure that a strong enough GPS signal is available.
3. Update the firmware on your car’s GPS navigation system.
4. Make sure that the GPS antenna on the car is not blocked by objects such as buildings or trees.
5. Clean the windshield of your car to ensure a clear GPS signal that is not interrupted by scratches or dirt.
6. Recalibrate the GPS system in your car by following the instructions in the user manual.

If the problem persists, it may be worth considering taking your car to a trusted dealer or repair shop for inspection and repair by a trained technician.

Here are some other ways you can try if the previous steps have not been successful in fixing an inaccurate car GPS:

7. Check if there is a recent software update for the navigation app you are using and make sure to install it.
8. Restart your phone or GPS device to clear the cache and update the connection.
9. Check the time zone settings on your GPS device and ensure the correct time is set.
10. Ensure that your car’s GPS navigation system is not in ‘Eco’ mode or any other energy-saving mode that may affect GPS accuracy.
11. If your car GPS is connected to an external antenna, ensure that the antenna connection is not disconnected or damaged.
12. Replace the battery or charger on your car GPS device if necessary.

If all of these efforts have not succeeded in fixing the problem, you should take your car to a trusted dealer or repair shop for further inspection by a professional technician.

Tips for Improving GPS Accuracy

Here are tips to improve the GPS accuracy of your device:

1. Enable High Accuracy Mode: Use location settings with the High Accuracy option.
2. Use in Open Areas: Avoid enclosed locations such as tall buildings or tunnels.
3. GPS Recalibration: Move the device in a figure 8 pattern to calibrate the sensor.
4. Update Software: Make sure your apps and operating system are up to date.
5. Clear Cache: Clear GPS app cache data for better accuracy.
6. Keep Enough Battery: GPS works best with full battery power.
7. Minimize Interference: Avoid other electronic devices that transmit signals.
8. Use Supporting Apps: Apps like “GPS Status” can help with diagnostics and calibration.
9. Restart GPS or Device: Refresh the satellite connection by restarting the device.
10. Check Hardware: If the problem persists, check the GPS antenna on the device.

With this step, the GPS can work more accurately and support your needs.

Well, those are some ways to overcome inaccurate GPS that you can try for GPS that is weak, often errors, does not work, and jumps. If you want to install a GPS tracker on your fleet or personal vehicle, you can try using  Fleet Management System to be more organized in doing your fleet management!