Possible to use Internal GPS in no coverage area?

augie0041 · #1 (**permalink**) 12-14-2008, 03:38 PM

I am traveling to Europe this week and brought along my Touch Pro for the plane flights and using it as my PDA. I use TomTom all the time throughout the U.S. I installed the European maps but cannot obtain a GPS signal, am I doing something wrong?
Does the internal GPS require a Sprint signal?
When I used my PPC-6700, my bluetooth GPS dongle worked very well in Europe. I was expecting this to work as well.

**fat boy** · #2 (**permalink**) 12-15-2008, 02:12 AM

Should work, you must be doing something wrong. You do not need a carrier signal for use of the GPS. good luck.

**[sammich]** · #3 (**permalink**) 12-15-2008, 03:09 AM

There was a dispute about this... I think you might actually have to modify the registry to make GPS work completely independent, because it tries to get a lock faster based on the nearest cell tower or something crazy...

I'll see if I can find anything for you.

Merq · #4 (**permalink**) 12-15-2008, 03:28 AM

I was gonna say... does that mean GPS would work even if there was no cell phone signal? Like an actual GPS unit?

**Deimoss** · #5 (**permalink**) 12-15-2008, 04:13 AM

I am never to able to acquire a GPS pinpoint when Im in a building with no Sprint signal, I actually had to step out of the building to get a GPS lock, I'd think there's something in the registry to make it independent of the cell towers

:edit: This was using Google Maps w/Street View

sigp239sas · #6 (**permalink**) 12-15-2008, 04:15 AM

Not sure why it is not working because I just tried Garmin after I turned on airplane mode and was able acquire a signal w/ in seconds. I have not made any regedits on gps. Hope you get it worked out.

sigp239sas · #7 (**permalink**) 12-15-2008, 04:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deimoss

I am never to able to acquire a GPS pinpoint when Im in a building with no Sprint signal, I actually had to step out of the building to get a GPS lock, I'd think there's something in the registry to make it independent of the cell towers

In theory you have to be able to see sky to use gps, but some gps receivers work fine indoors. It just depends on the building type and what device you are using.

betogat · #8 (**permalink**) 12-15-2008, 04:33 AM

I'll be in Mexico next week and I'll test my GPS in the Pro, since I have Nav. Mexico maps. On my old Touch worked flawless, one observation is that before I activated my Pro I installed the Garming maps without having Sprint service and the gps unit worked great it took sometime to lock gps signal, but once it did, it worked great..

**[sammich]** · #9 (**permalink**) 12-15-2008, 08:34 AM

Ok, so this must have been only a Mogul thing. It should work fine in airplane mode on the Pro, then.

augie0041 · #10 (**permalink**) 12-15-2008, 08:43 AM

Obviously you cannot use Google Maps, etc in Europe as they require an internet connection to work. I am using TomTom so that shouldnt be the issue.
Also, I am aware that it should take some time to locate the satellites since I am in a much different location on the earth than the last time I tried to use the GPS. But I am expecting a few minutes, it has been a few hours with no luck.
I tried this both near the window in my hotel, and again in a cab and then kept it on as I walked through the town.
It simply isn't finding the GPS.
I need to select 'COM4' right? There are four choices in my Touch Pro, COM4; COM7; Virtual COM9; and RIL on COM6.
Any settings like this I should try from within TomTom?