Why Yandex Navigator does not detect location

All smartphones are now equipped with a GPS module. With its help, the geolocation of the user is tracked, who is given the opportunity to use software for this. But for a variety of reasons, programs begin to fail and work incorrectly, which leads to invalid display of coordinates and refusal to launch the software. Next, we’ll look at what to do if Yandex Navigator doesn’t detect your location on Android.

Why Yandex Navigator does not detect location

Why does the navigator go blind?

The main reason why Navitel does not pick up satellites in the car is a malfunction of the pulse receiver. It is recommended to use a remote antenna that enhances signal reading.

"Navitel Navigator"

Other technical reasons for navigator “blindness”:

failure of the GPS receiver;
violation of the device’s supply circuits;
external antenna malfunction;
incorrect location relative to satellite pulse shadowing.

Almanac failure

If the navigator writes that there is no connection with the GPS receiver, the reason may be a failure of the almanac. The operating principle of the device is based on three operating modes for determining location: hot, warm, cold. In the latter case, there is no provision for providing information about the location of the device. The Navitel 9 navigator will search for satellites in this mode from 10 minutes.

After determining the coordinates and orbit, the device receives parameters for the most accurate determination of the satellite’s position with reference to the current time (ephemeris). During a warm start, the saved almanac remains in the navigator’s memory; the satellite search period is 2–3 minutes. Hot mode indicates fresh information about the parameters of the satellites; the equipment will pick up signals in a few seconds.

ON A NOTE. The period of relevance of the almanac is 60–90 days, and the ephemeris is only 2–3 hours. After the expiration of the specified periods, it is necessary to update the data.

Firmware failure

If the GPS signal source is not found on Navitel 9, the reason may be due to incorrect firmware. When updating the device yourself, you need to pay attention to the software, which must correspond to the assembly of the device. If these parameters are violated, the problem cannot be solved.

The second reason for firmware failure is a malfunction of the processor or other important components of the navigator. In this case, you will have to correct the situation by purchasing new elements, which is equivalent in cost to purchasing a new device.

Incorrect signal processing

If there is no connection with the Navitel GPS receiver, you do not need to immediately look for firmware or repair specialists. The reason for incorrect processing of pulses may be the presence of obstacles in the path of the signal (thick walls, awnings, dense foliage). If a problem occurs, it is recommended to drive your car to an open place and wait for communication with satellites.

Receiving antenna failure

Some drivers wonder: Why doesn’t Navitel always determine my location?” A common cause is failure of the receiving antenna. The outer element is more prone to breakdowns. You can replace it yourself in a few minutes. Problems with the internal antenna require specialist intervention.

Athermal windshield

In this case, the navigator may not find satellites. The situation is often short-lived and indicates an interruption rather than a loss of signal.

Reasons for the problem

There are only 2 ways to perform GPS navigation: through a mobile network and the GPS module built into a smartphone. There is a third method using a WiFi wireless network, but it is not fundamental and is used solely to adjust the final results. For this reason, it is not necessary to use the Internet to operate the navigator.

There are 2 groups of reasons for non-specific location determination in Yandex Navigator:

The first is software that appears when the device’s firmware is incorrectly installed, there is a management failure, or malware is installed.
The second is hardware related to damage to the navigation module.

Remedies

Let's look at all the ways to fix the problem. But before that, let us remind you of a simple but very effective method that helps in the vast majority of cases. This is rebooting the smartphone. It may seem to some that a reboot will not be enough, but it helps to cope with many problems in the operation of gadgets.

Method 1: incorrect setting

Let's start fixing the problem in the simplest way, such as checking that the smartphone is configured correctly. To do this, you need to go to a special section with parameters that determine the navigation capabilities of the device. You can get to this section as follows:

go to the smartphone menu;
click on the “Settings” icon;
go to the point where the word “Location” is mentioned. Very often it can be found in the “User Data” or the “Connections” section.

Activating the line will open a section with the parameters of the GPS module. You can also configure it here.

The first step is to make sure that the switch is in the “on” position. Then you need to choose one of the data processing methods. At the beginning of the article it was said that there are only three of them and these are: mobile operator towers, artificial satellites and wireless WiFi.

You may encounter large inaccuracies if you select “Phone only”, due to the fact that mobile operator towers and the Internet will not be involved. It is best to give preference to the “High Accuracy” mode and start checking the operation of Yandex.Navigator again. There should be no trace of the problem. But if it is still present, it is associated only with the hardware.

Method 2: Module Calibration

A special program has been developed that is responsible for calibrating the device and navigation module, through which the problem of determining precise geolocation can be solved. The program is called Essential setup, to download it for free you need to go to the Play Market. Once it is installed, you will need to do the following:

Run the program;
Activate the icon with the compass logo;
Place the mobile device on a horizontal surface;
Click “Test” and wait for testing to finish.

Activation of GPS on your smartphone must begin after 10 minutes. after testing is completed. To do this, you need to turn on the satellite navigation mode.

Method 3: Date and time settings

Setting the date and time on your phone or tablet should be as accurate as possible. It is equally important that the time zone is specified correctly. Because the signal coming from the satellite contains time information. The data will only be reliable when the time on the satellites and the smartphone is synchronized.

It is also necessary to take into account that the application poorly determines the location and poorly plans the route in the area of the Moscow Kremlin and on the streets of the central part of the capital due to the security measures taken. Transmitters that receive signals from satellites deliberately distort them before transmitting them to the gadget.

Method 4: Hardware problems

If the problem is related to the hardware of your mobile device, then you will need to take some action. It is quite possible that the GPS module has failed, so the only way out of this situation is to replace the non-functioning component. This can be done at a service center or independently, if the owner understands this. But first you will need to purchase a new module.

Leonid Kaganov: diary

I'm reporting my experience, maybe it will be useful to someone. Yandex Navigator began to lose position: instead of a crawling cursor, it draws a circle jumping over with jerks, the car speed shows 0.

As always happens to me, the matter was complicated by three factors:

1. The night before, I dropped my smartphone on the stone floor of the Oktyabr cinema lobby, so much so that the protective glass cracked. The smartphone itself was not damaged in any way externally, so I didn’t pay any attention to it.

2. In the morning, Xiaomi suggested updating the firmware of the device and updated it for an hour.

3. At the same time, I decided to update the applications (I always disable self-updating), including updating Yandex Navigator, Google maps and some system services unknown to me.

In the following days, it turned out that there was a problem with navigation. At the same time, the position on the satellites seemed to be separately located, lists of satellites were seen, the geoposition was readily sent to Telegram with an accuracy of a dozen or two meters. An attempt to disable WiFi and Bluetooth positioning (just kidding, it turns out there is now Bluetooth positioning) did not help. I couldn’t find how to disable positioning by mobile network base stations in the device menu. Tests of the engineering menu showed the serviceability of all sensors. True, the OK button did not appear in any way in the accelerator test, but the numbers themselves looked correct for all possible turns of the body:

The problem lasted for several days (I especially emphasize this fact so as not to get the impression that this is connected with the current crash of Google servers), and I was already desperate and was about to turn to you for advice, when suddenly I myself found the solution and am sharing it. It turns out that in the location settings of the smartphone there is a certain “Google Geolocation” - separate from navigation via WiFi and Bluetooth, which have their own disable options. And if you disable Google geolocation, the Yandex navigator immediately starts working properly. And if you turn it on again, it again draws a circle, jumps and does not calculate the speed of movement.

What does Google have to do with geolocation at all? I have no idea, I’ve never looked into these jungles of menus. But I turned it off and everything worked.

How many times have I promised myself not to update the software as long as everything works. I don’t remember a single case where something worked better after a scheduled software and system update. But problems after an update are a common reality almost every time. If they don’t mess it up, at least they’ll redraw the usual icons so you get used to it again. And it’s especially nice to find out about problems in the middle of the highway, hurrying in traffic jams along an unfamiliar route.

UPD: Another interesting version is reported by Alex Tjapukhin: the problem with the location could have arisen due to desynchronization of the exact time on the smartphone, they write about something similar: https://4pda.ru/forum/index.php?showtopic=925733&view=findpo[…] I I looked in my settings - yes, for some reason, for example, “use network time” and “use network time zone” were disabled (I didn’t understand what ClockSync, mentioned in the link, is, but if it’s additional software, I install it , of course, I won’t). I don’t really know how all this is connected with the NTP service, this is its problem, time synchronization, is it really not provided for on board in Android? I turned on the options; next time I drive a car, I’ll experiment. I just don’t know how soon it will be.

How to enable and configure GPS on Android

Most modern devices running the Android operating system are equipped with a built-in GPS module, with which you can determine your location by connecting to satellites in Earth orbit. Knowing the exact location and having a navigator application on your phone, you can easily get directions to any point on the map. For fast and accurate operation of the navigation system, you need to know how to turn on GPS on Android.

Before you turn on GPS on your phone, make sure that your device is equipped with this module, because some budget models do not have it. Detailed information about this is provided in the instructions for your gadget. If the device is equipped with a coordinate receiver, you can begin configuration.

Below you will learn how to connect GPS to your Android phone, tablet or navigator.

Why else is my phone showing the wrong location?

The Android operating system boasts the widest and most accessible functionality. The latter includes the ability to determine the exact location of the device. This function is implemented using special software.

However, the location is not always determined correctly.

There are a number of reasons why this could happen. Incorrect GPS settings or internal failures, for example. Below we will talk in more detail about these reasons.

So, why may geolocation in a smartphone be incorrectly determined:

Continuous movement. Satellites may not have time to fix your location, so you should just stop the car for a while or drive at a lower speed.
External interference. There may be significant interference around your device that is preventing the signal from getting through. Among them are high-rise buildings and dense buildings. You may be deep underground, which also prevents the signal from being transmitted normally. Mountainous terrain, tunnels, and overpasses can also have . The essence of the problem is simple - objects above and around you interfere with signal transmission.
Clouds. If buildings or dungeons are swept aside, then it’s worth looking at the sky.
As strange as it may sound, heavy clouds can also interfere with the signal path to your device.
Magnets and metal located near the smartphone. This is also possible, although it is worth recognizing that few of us put our gadgets in metal cases or use cases with magnetic elements and stands of this kind.

In general, external factors that prevent an accurate determination of the device’s location are understandable. What about internal ones?

Activating geolocation in the settings menu

The second method is as simple as the first.

Click the Settings icon. It can be on the Home screen or the Applications screen.
Go to the following settings section: “Personal data” (for Android up to Lollipop version) or “Privacy” in the “Advanced settings” menu (for firmware starting from Marshmallow).
Click on the “Location” item - the positioning settings menu will open.

In addition, you can quickly go to this section of the menu from the notification shade by holding down the “GPS” icon.

Changing location modes

There are 3 modes for phones and tablets running Android 5.1 and below:

Device only. This mode is very accurate, but searching for satellites, especially during a cold start, may take some time. In addition, you need to be close to a window or balcony, or better yet, in an open area under a cloudless sky. High energy consumption.
Save battery power. Establishing coordinates using wireless networks: Wi-Fi; mobile network; Bluetooth. For this mode to work correctly, Wi-Fi or mobile Internet must be turned on. The mode is less energy-consuming, but also less accurate.
High accuracy. A combination of the previous two modes. The most accurate, fastest and energy-consuming mode.

Sending coordinates to Google services

Google may collect location data from you to improve its search and recommendations. In the location settings section there are items responsible for activating or deactivating this function.

Important! If you do not want your smartphone to transmit your coordinates to Google, disable this feature.

Depending on the firmware version, this item may be called “Geodata transfer” or “Location history”.

You can track the places you've visited in your location history.

Often incorrectly identifies the location, inconvenient

I used it several times and often had problems determining my location.

The application works in such a way that it automatically detects the location and sends the order. The location of the call, of course, can be edited, but if you get lost or want to leave some club where you suddenly find yourself, you will first have to find out the exact address of your location, because Yandex will most likely determine it incorrectly. Well, or compare the location with other maps.

How to set up GPS on Android through the engineering menu

All the actions described below are carried out with activated GPS and the Internet on a balcony or open area. The trick only works on rooted systems:

To open the engineering menu, dial the combination *#*#3646633#*#*. If the combination does not work, try the commands *#*#4636#*#* or *#15963#*, the functionality of the codes depends on the manufacturer and firmware.
In the menu that opens, go to the “Location” tab and click on “Location Based Service”.
If there is an AGPS tab, check the “Enable EPO” and “Auto Download” checkboxes in the EPO section.
In the “YGPS” section on the “Satellites” tab you can see the schematic position of the satellites. All satellites are shown in red, which means they cannot connect to available satellites.
On the “Information” tab, check “full” and then “AGPS restart”.
Returning to the satellites tab, you can see how the connected satellites change their color to green.
All that remains is to restart your device to apply the new settings.

After you turn on GPS and correctly configure the geolocation in your gadget according to our instructions, you can start working with navigator applications. Currently there are several dozen of them. There are also offline maps that can work even with the Internet turned off; you just need to first download the necessary map and navigation files. But the full power of navigation with information about objects, weather, traffic jams and much more can be felt with the Internet.

Satellite geopositioning

The GPS signal system includes several dozen satellites. Objects are located in different orbits, perform different functions, and interact according to certain parameters:

approximate circulation period – half a day;
connection in equatorial configuration/longitude – 55/60 degrees;
signal transmission taking into account the current time, date, serviceability status, orbital almanac, satellite coordinates.

For your information. To find out the geoposition you need 3 satellites. When the Navitel navigator sees a smaller number, it simply cannot determine the coordinates.

Solving the problem of incorrect location determination

Before you start changing the settings of your smartphone, you need to try rebooting it. Perhaps this will help to quickly fix the error if it does not find the correct location. If this does not help, the following options are available.

Option 1: Doesn't work without a network connection

If you are unable to determine your location, your phone may not be configured correctly to receive the signal. For example, there is no network connection. To fix this:

Go to the main screen of your smartphone and make sure that it has a network signal (the icon should not be crossed out).

If the application was downloaded recently, it will not work without the Internet until the maps are downloaded. In this case, download maps to your device.

Once the network is configured, you can start downloading maps. To connect to the Internet, do the following:

Go to your smartphone’s settings, select the optimal network (in this case Wi-Fi) and click on it.

Move the slider to the “On” position. and login to the network.

Launch Ya.Navigator, the problem should disappear. At the same time, you will be prompted to update or download maps.

On a note! When downloading maps for the guide, it is better to use a WiFi connection, since the content is heavy and will take a long time to download through the mobile network.

Option 2: Airplane mode

If the smartphone is switched to “Airplane Mode”, then no communication functions will be available (calls, SMS, Internet access, navigation). To turn it off:

Go to your phone's home screen. In the line with date and time, make Skype down.

Perform another downward pull. An expanded list of quick access to settings will open. Here, find the “airplane” icon and set it to inactive.

After this, all functions should work. When you start Yandex.Navigator, the GPS tracking system is activated independently.

Option 3: Incorrect GPS setting

Yandex Navigator may not see satellites due to a missing GPS connection with the appropriate permissions. It happens that the module does not start automatically. To enable it:

Unlock your smartphone, then swipe down from the time menu on the home screen. The first settings page will open.

Next, scroll the Right until you see the GPS icon. Then click on it. The icon will change color.

Now press and hold it until more settings open. Here, select the “ High accuracy ” option.

After this, launch Yandex.Navigator. The search problem should disappear.

Option 4: Device hardware

If none of the above methods help solve the problem, there may be a problem with the mobile device itself or its operating system. Contact a workshop to have your phone diagnosed.

On a note! Smartphones on which the navigator is installed and running automatically connect GPS. This indicates that the device is working properly.

How to fix the problem

When the device first connects to satellites, it may take up to 30 minutes. You need to leave it in an open area and wait for the results. If the device is used constantly and the connection is lost, you can solve the problem yourself.

Changing the navigator location

It is necessary to change the location of the vehicle. They experiment with the location of installation of the receiver and antenna in the vehicle interior. The most shaded place is the area between the roof and the rear view view.

ON A NOTE. To check for the presence of a pulse from a satellite source, you can temporarily remove the mirror. If the navigator has an external antenna, you should examine the high-frequency cable for integrity. If there is no external amplifier, you need to buy one and re-check the connection with the satellites.

Adjusting settings

If there is no connection with satellites, the problem can be solved by adjusting the settings. A suitable option for Android is to reset user adjustments to factory settings. This operation involves saving all information, including routes and travel segments.

It is more difficult to solve the problem if the navigator software fails. You can update the software yourself using special applications using a PC, smartphone or tablet. If the desired result is not obtained, you must contact the service center.

Update and flashing

Installation of new software for Navitel is carried out in several stages. After this, the device will stop writing that it does not see the satellite signal.

Steps	Description
1	Download the original version of Navitel (preferably identical to the original program)
2	Connect the navigator to a PC or other device with Internet access
3	Download the necessary maps
4	Copy the installation file to the User Maps folder
5	Restart the equipment

Installing a remote antenna

The installation process will take 10–15 minutes. Insert the antenna into the connector on the navigator panel. Select the Delete Files item from the menu and click Write in the window that opens. Find and activate Update Map. At the end of the installation process, click on Exit and remove the flash drive. Check whether the antenna can detect satellites.

You can flash the navigator yourself using downloaded programs for Android or iOS. In order for the device to work correctly and without failures, you need to adhere to some rules. Do not leave the device in direct sunlight for a long time. It is necessary to properly construct the supply circuit, without voltage drops. During long-term parking, it is better to remove the device and store it in a warm, dry place.

For example, if the Navitel E700 GPS navigator cannot “see” satellites, you should try to solve the problem by following the recommendations of specialists. If the attempt is unsuccessful, you need to contact the service center.