GPS reliability

Stuuu
Stuuu Posts: 46
edited November 2012 in Road beginners
I've got a HTC Desire HD which I run Strava on and when it works it is great. About 1 in 5 cycles it gets a bit confused and loses signal. This may be because I put it in my pocket. But it works well most of the time.

I'm wondering what you use, how reliable it is, and whether you have it mounted on your bike to give it a better sky view.

Pondering a Garmin 800...

Comments

  • Buckie2k5
    Buckie2k5 Posts: 600
    i had the deisre hd the gps signal was very weak. Since upgrading to galaxy s2 i have no probs at all, finds the sats in seconds.
  • Stuuu
    Stuuu Posts: 46
    I believe the speed of getting a signal is based on the processor speed. But I'm more concerned with reliability of signal. I guess the speed with which you could re-find the signal could have an impact. But where do you have your S2? On the bike or in a pocket?
  • robertsims
    robertsims Posts: 141
    I've got an s2 and had no problems with strava at all. turn it on put phone either in my pocket or in my saddle bag and forget about it until end of my ride. no problems. cheers
    Triban 3
  • Buckie2k5
    Buckie2k5 Posts: 600
    Stuuu wrote:
    I believe the speed of getting a signal is based on the processor speed. But I'm more concerned with reliability of signal. I guess the speed with which you could re-find the signal could have an impact. But where do you have your S2? On the bike or in a pocket?

    its actually the gps antenna on the desire hd thats poor, thats why in your pocket you easily lose the signal. Some people modded the antenna by soldering wire onto it inside the phone but im unsure if it made much difference.
  • davem399
    davem399 Posts: 269
    A lad I know uses the Android Strave App (not sure which phone he has) and today he started his ride about 20 miles offshore in the Thames Estuary :D
  • Buckie2k5
    Buckie2k5 Posts: 600
    he should create a segment there :D
  • Gizmodo
    Gizmodo Posts: 1,928
    Stuuu wrote:
    Pondering a Garmin 800...
    I can recommend the 800, it is a great device. But do you need full navigation?

    If you want a bike computer that will record all your ride data to upload to Strava then the Garmin Edge 500 was best on test in this month's Cycling+ magazine. Best value was the Bryton Rider 40T.

    For full navigation as well, although the 800 is highly praised, they point put how expensive it is and the Bryton Rider 50T won their best on test.

    Whichever way you go, it will be more reliable and have a longer battery life than your phone.
    Summer - Canyon Ultimate CF SLX 9.0 Team
    Winter - Trek Madone 3.5 2012 with UDi2 upgrade.
    For getting dirty - Moda Canon
  • Stuuu
    Stuuu Posts: 46
    Thanks for the input, guys.
  • benmitchell423
    benmitchell423 Posts: 29
    I have the Desire HD. What sort of battery life do you get, what do you turn off before you go to maximise the life. I am struggling to get 2 hours and thats with locking the screen straight after starting the ride and not looking at it again! Also struggle to pick up a signal sometimes. Sunday I had to restart the phone and then it found the signal great. I did have a period in the summer where the GPS just simply would not get a lock though. Counting the days till i can get a new phone, January, then hopefully battery life and signal lock will improve.
  • thescouselander
    thescouselander Posts: 549
    Yes, the battery life and gps on the desire hd is nothing short of woeful. I recently replaced mine with the new Motorola RAZR I - if you want to use strava I don't think you'll find a better phone as the gps lock is excellent and the battery life is phenomenal (as smart phones go). Its a cheap phone too.
  • Buckie2k5
    Buckie2k5 Posts: 600
    benmitchell423 wrote:
    I have the Desire HD. What sort of battery life do you get, what do you turn off before you go to maximise the life. I am struggling to get 2 hours and thats with locking the screen straight after starting the ride and not looking at it again! Also struggle to pick up a signal sometimes. Sunday I had to restart the phone and then it found the signal great. I did have a period in the summer where the GPS just simply would not get a lock though. Counting the days till i can get a new phone, January, then hopefully battery life and signal lock will improve.


    i went through all these exact same issues with my desire hd really nothing you can do to increase the battery life or gps signal. these extended life batterys you see on ebay etc are a waste of time also. I upgraded to galaxy s2 purely on gps reviews and ive not been dissapointed, the battery life is 3 times as long.
  • benmitchell423
    benmitchell423 Posts: 29
    I was looking at the S2 as I also need to downgrade my price plan. not fussed about having the latest phone either so it would fit well as i can get it for free with a reduced price plan. Glad it seems to work well with strava. Whats the longest ride you have used the S2 for with the battery lasting ok?

    The problem with using strava is it shows just how woeful my bike fitness is at the moment, although i have only had the bike since september and currently get out early weekend mornings for about 30 miles or so 1 a week.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,610
    Also got an htc Desire S and it's been back to the manufacturer twice now, I used endomondo a bit before I got a Garmin and it would do a decent club ride OK to be fair, but it takes ages and ages to find a signal.

    Samsung next time...
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • ricey155
    ricey155 Posts: 233
    I'd go with the phones gps power, my zte blade average, galaxy ace works fine but the new S3 is blinding fast picks up the gps so fast

    use GPS test app see how fast it finds the SATS, i always set it up pre ride and run the app make sure its accurate (eg within 30 ft)

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