[pbnb]

I can get my Playbook to give an accurate location but I need to be outdoors or close to a window facing south. When indoors and the Playbook not "seeing" any satelites, why does Playbook always locate me in Brampton Ontario when I am about 150 kM north west of Brampton. It's like Playbook's GPS has a default location and that location is always the same at 237 Conestoga Dr Brampton, Ontario.

Of course that means any location based Apps like Bing maps or Poynt are useless when indoors.

Any idea how to save the last real time Sat Nav location when Playbook is back indoors?

Also any idea why the GPS always locates me in Brampton when indoors?

[Chaddface]

It may be using some network information to give a location. Just a guess.

[peter9477]

pbnb, what program are you using to get the location?

The geolocation stuff likely falls back to using IP address geolocation, if it can't get a GPS reading in time. Any chance you're seeing something that's the location of your ISP? For example, go here and put the lat/long value you see into Google Maps, and compare that location with what the PlayBook is reporting for you: IP Address Geolocation to Identify Website Visitor's Geographical Location

GPS does not work indoors or anywhere that it can't "see" the satellites. That means unless you're on the top floor of your house, or near a window, it's likely not actually getting a GPS reading when you're inside.

Also, try the free Compass app, and see if it gives any reading while you're indoors. If it works outdoors, but not indoors, it's a simple matter of you not actually getting any GPS satellite signals where you are.

[FF22]

GPS signals are inherently very weak. They can be blocked by roofs and even dense tree cover (or wet tree cover). They can be affected by reflecting themselves off of tall buildings or natural canyon walls. They will not easily, if at all, make it through some of the heat absorbing windshields on cars and in newer trains (are they a metallic grid substance?).

Peter has been more inside the code - I have no idea if the various gps programs can find isp info from your connection and default to those home addresses. I know that they have no cell tower "ability" and are not using cell phone stuff to locate us.

If it has never gotten a fix in "your" ownership, it might be using the last location it was factory tested or something similar???

My pretty accurate Garmin hiking unit can have satellites blocked by my body. Especially on a hillside where it does not get an opportunity to scan for satellites blocked by the hill and then there's no opening where my body further blocks satellites in the other direction. But it has also grabbed incredibly accurate trails with tight switchbacks when placed where it can get signals.

My Tour using gpslogger got some very accurate switchbacks on my bicycle (they were not intended for biking!) when it was placed in a pack on my rear rack.

Circumstances really affect how they work is the bottom line.

[BERaddict]

I have a similar issue. Mine gives me a location 30 miles north of where I am but only if I am home. A lot of other places - it gets an accurate read. My 9810, on the other hand gives me a correct read when I'm home.