30/3/2015 GPS 

Accuracy. Tools & Tips to Test Your Device

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GPS Accuracy. Tools & Tips to Test Your Device

19 Nov 2014

By Anver and Vasyl

When it comes to location tracking applications, there is no other such important
factor as accuracy. We have already written a lot about the basics of GPS accuracy
and GPS accuracy for skiing, now we're going to share some facts from our own
research and a list of practical tools that will help you to test your device`s tracking
accuracy. It is going to be concise and precise.

First of all, as examples we'll use the following list of devices we used for testing
back in 2013. Go ahead and take your own device and test it following the basic
principles laid out in this article.  

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Device OS GPS chip GLONASS support

Google Nexus One 2.3 RTR6285 -

Samsung Galaxy Nexus S 4.1 BCM4751 -

Samsung Galaxy Nexus 4.3 SiRF SiRFstarIV -

LG Nexus 4 4.3 Avago 3012 +

Samsung Galaxy SI 2.2 BCM4751 -

Samsung Galaxy SII 4.2 SiRF SiRFstarIV -

Samsung Galaxy SIII 4.2 BCM47511 +

Samsung Galaxy Note 4.1 BCM47511 +

For our research, we used different Android devices, because each one uses a
different type of GPS receiver and has different accuracy.

All mobile phones which have chip-sets with support of GLONASS (Global
Navigation Satellite System) give you a better choice of satellites to draw from when
you are in the field.

As you may see, the best device for GPS tracking from the abovementioned set is
Nexus 4. Find out what the results of testing it are in different real-life environments
in `GPS Accuracy for Skiing`.

Lemberg's quality assurance team typically uses a number of applications during the
process of testing apps with location tracking functionality. Below is a list of those
applications with a short summary.

Applications for checking GPS accuracy (walk outside, drive a car, static position,
etc.):

GPS Test

The GPS Test app for Android is a utility that shows GPS information read from your
phone’s internal GPS. Will support GLONASS phones. The app has several colour
schemes, which could be used to match other instrumentation within the app. It
has a "night mode" colour scheme as well.

 
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GPS Test has five informative screens:

1. GPS signal (SNR) bar chart, showing the signal

strength for each satellite, as well as the
accuracy and status of the GPS.

2. Satellite positions in the sky (skyview), shown on

a rotating compass.

3. Your current location on the Earth shown as text

and on a world map. The current position of the
sun and the day/night transition curve is also
shown.

4. Your current speed, heading and altitude

displayed as text.

5. The current time read from the GPS and the local time in your current
timezone, as well as the sunrise and sunset times at your location.

GPS Status & Toolbox

Displays GPS and sensor data: position and signal

strength of satellites, accuracy, speed, acceleration,
altitude, bearing, pitch, roll and battery state.

Tools included: compass with magnetic and true north, leveling

tool, mark or share your location and navigate back later.
Keep your GPS fast: reset it or download A-GPS data
regularly for faster fixes.

GPS Data

GPS Data represents all data from your GPS device. If you have problems with your
position or signal strength, GPS Data will help you. You can test, diagnose your GPS
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signal quality and check the status of your device with

this app.

With its splendid UI consistent with Android Holo theme

(also for Android 2.3 devices!), you will never need
another GPS status and test app.

SEE ALSO:

• Offline mode. Data Caching Approach For

Travelling Apps
• How To Determine Location If You have A Roof
Over Your Head
• What Kills Battery in an App with Location
Tracking?

2 Comments Lemberg Blog   Login

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Join the discussion…

Marian Paździoch  •  4 months ago
maybe change "Glonass support" headline from table to "GNSS support" or vice versa as it
confuses the reader.
△  ▽ • Reply • Share › 

Vasyl > Marian Paździoch  •  4 months ago
Thank you, Marian. We made the edits to the article. GNSS is a little bit wider
conception. The United States NAVSTAR Global Positioning System (GPS) and the
Russian GLONASS are global operational GNSSs.
△  ▽ • Reply • Share › 

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