GPS not working in Europe

[mds]

Hey guys,

I've got a 3G iPad I purchased in the US. I'm traveling all over Europe and my GPS won't find me. It just always shows me at Wollarton Park in Nottingham, somewhere I haven't even been to! Haha. Any idea why it won't located me and how I can fix it? Thanks!

Mike

 

[poloponies]

Hey guys,

I've got a 3G iPad I purchased in the US. I'm traveling all over Europe and my GPS won't find me. It just always shows me at Wollarton Park in Nottingham, somewhere I haven't even been to! Haha. Any idea why it won't located me and how I can fix it? Thanks!

Mike

Is your 3G active?

 

[mds]

I think so. I'm not in airplane mode, but I'm not using cellular data at all. Turning on cellular data doesn't seem to help.

 

[poloponies]

I think so. I'm not in airplane mode, but I'm not using cellular data at all. Turning on cellular data doesn't seem to help.

You "think" so? It either is or isn't. I'm assuming you're paying for 3G service (are you viewing this forum on the iPad)? If you have an active 3G account and you see the "3G" icon at the upper left of your iPad then I'm not sure I can offer any advice. If you haven't activated 3G and/or don't have the 3G icon appearing on the iPad then that would explain why the GPS isn't working.

 

[Gav2k]

Having 3G enabled has nothing to do with the gps chip.

 

[poloponies]

Having 3G enabled has nothing to do with the gps chip.

It has everything to do with being able to view your location. The GPS processes the signal, but without an active 3G connection (or an installed set of maps) you won't be able to "see" where you are.

 

[mds]

I'm not using 3G, but I am on a wifi network. I can get maps just fine but it always show my location in Nottingham even though I'm almost to Zurich. My cell data is on, but I'm roaming and have it disabled. This worked fine in the US, japan, and Australia.

 

[poloponies]

I'm not using 3G, but I am on a wifi network. I can get maps just fine but it always show my location in Nottingham even though I'm almost to Zurich. My cell data is on, but I'm roaming and have it disabled. This worked fine in the US, japan, and Australia.

Did you try a restart?

 

[mds]

Yep.

 

[b.c.]

It has everything to do with being able to view your location. The GPS processes the signal, but without an active 3G connection (or an installed set of maps) you won't be able to "see" where you are.

"...but without an active 3G connection..."

above is absolutely not true. with 3G off and WiFi on, you can fully use GPS and maps on the iPad.

change that to "...but without an active internet connection (or installed set of maps)..." and the statement is correct.

I have 3G iPad, but NO cellular data plan enabled/subscribed to. My GPS and maps work fine just using WiFi. you can even take out your sim card and GPS/maps will work with WiFi enabled and a connection to the internet

The OP must be having some other problem...

 

[b.c.]

Hey guys,

I've got a 3G iPad I purchased in the US. I'm traveling all over Europe and my GPS won't find me. It just always shows me at Wollarton Park in Nottingham, somewhere I haven't even been to! Haha. Any idea why it won't located me and how I can fix it? Thanks!

Mike

maybe a silly question:

- do you have Location Services turned on?
- and when you open the Maps application, did you click on the little circle with crosshairs at top of screen? (otherwise maybe you're looking at a previously loaded map, not your current location?)

 

[mds]

maybe a silly question:

- do you have Location Services turned on?
- and when you open the Maps application, did you click on the little circle with crosshairs at top of screen? (otherwise maybe you're looking at a previously loaded map, not your current location?)

Yes and yes. Toggled just about everything and have done some reboots too...

 

[mds]

I downloaded Gaia, another nav program and it reports the same location, but when listing my coordinates it says "wifi". Presumably the wifi we are using on the bus is based in the UK where we started and perhaps that's why its reporting me there. Is there a way to force GPS for location over wifi?

 

[b.c.]

Yes and yes. Toggled just about everything and have done some reboots too...

hmmm... definitely something abnormal going on

how about trying one of the free 3rd party GPS apps, like Motion X GPS Lite - just to see if you can acquire a GPS signal. that app will give you a bit more status of the GPS signal, lat/long etc. Maybe you can at least confirm the GPS chip is alive...

 

[Ciclismo]

Before you go spending money - leave the iPad in the window. No, seriously, I had a similar problem with my PSP when I got the GPS attachment, and had to leave it in plain view of a clear sky for about 10 minutes until it registered that I wasn't in Japan. Actual Sattelite acquisition and resulting location determination can take ages sometimes, especially without the assistance of WiFi and cell-tower locating services.

It could very well be that Switzerland refuses to allow public use of these services for location based services - they didn't like the idea of Google taking their Streetview pictures, so you never know. You will probably need to rely on pure sattelite acquisition and this happens best when stationary with as much clear sky as possible. So turn it on, leave it on the window sill and go have a beer.

 

[rikbrown]

Hey guys,

I've got a 3G iPad I purchased in the US. I'm traveling all over Europe and my GPS won't find me. It just always shows me at Wollarton Park in Nottingham, somewhere I haven't even been to! Haha. Any idea why it won't located me and how I can fix it? Thanks!

Mike

This doesn't help you but I spent the last 4 years living in Nottingham and Wollaton Park is lovely!