Best seats for GPS reception

[HowMuch?]

I enjoy following the train's progess using a couple of GPS-enabled mapping apps on my phone. (I'll use the non-NR "general" forum to start a thread on the best apps that people have found.)

I find that once I've got a satellite fix, usually from the platform before setting off, my phone will hang on to it pretty well during the journey.

But as a rule, the newer the train, the more likely I am to lose the fix. Whether that's due to metallised windows, or other factors, I don't know.

Does anyone have any experience of which units interfere most with a GPS fix. And if they have kept a better fix by choosing any particular seats ?

 

[dcd]

I have found that the worst by far are 220,221 and 222's. I never manage to keep a signal even with a dedicated GPS device.


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[jbb]

On a pendolino I find the only place I can get a reliable signal at all is in the vestibules between coaches. Nowhere inside the main coach seems to get a reliable signal on my phone gps.

I only discovered this by accident because one day I couldn't get a seat and had to stand in the vestibule and being bored and uncomfortable was playing with my phone and discovered I get a much better gps signal there so spent the rest of the journey watching how fast the train was moving to entertain me.

 

[snail]

I have found that the worst by far are 220,221 and 222's. I never manage to keep a signal even with a dedicated GPS device.

The emergency exit windows are different to the standard ones. Not tried a GPS unit, but when I've been using an FM radio the reception is definitely better.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I can get a GPS signal on a 222 no problem - in the vestibules! Not had occasion to try a 220 / 221 yet.

On the 390s, I can get a signal anywhere.

This is with a GPS unit, not a phone app.

 

[34D]

I can get a GPS signal on a 222 no problem - in the vestibules! Not had occasion to try a 220 / 221 yet.

On the 390s, I can get a signal anywhere.

This is with a GPS unit, not a phone app.

On mark 4 coaches, I find that any window seat will pick up a gps signal eventually (blackberry).

 

[eMeS]

I've had a Garmin GPS12 satellite GPS for years, but am ignorant about phone apps. Do any of the phone apps use satellite gps data or do they work out a position based on triangulating(?) the signals from different mobile phone cell masts?

 

[HowMuch?]

Memo to self: Must get these unit type numbers thumped into my head!

I've grapes the 22x ones. But what are the ones you get on EC? They aren't too bad for GPS, though it seems to me the older ones are better.

I think my tips would be to get a fix before boarding ; and sit in the centre of the carriage, away from bulkheads so you've got windows in as many directions as possible (or stand in the vestibule, apparently).

The GPS receivers built into reasonably newer phones are very good, I have an HTC Desire. But the GPS is thirsty for milliamps, so perhaps the best GPS seat is "anything with a power socket"!

 

[jbb]

Do any of the phone apps use satellite gps data or do they work out a position based on triangulating(?) the signals from different mobile phone cell masts?​

They do both, if you can get a gps signal they will give a position accurate to a few meters, if they can't then they use triangulation and will give a position accurate to anywhere between 200m and 2km.

Android phones at least (and quite possibly others) also will use wifi access points to determine their position via a google database. Although how the rather mobile wifi on a train affects that I don't know.

 

[eMeS]

Do any of the phone apps use satellite gps data or do they work out a position based on triangulating(?) the signals from different mobile phone cell masts?

They do both, if you can get a gps signal they will give a position accurate to a few meters, if they can't then they use triangulation and will give a position accurate to anywhere between 200m and 2km.

...

​

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[devon_metro]

Do any of the phone apps use satellite gps data or do they work out a position based on triangulating(?) the signals from different mobile phone cell masts?​

They do both, if you can get a gps signal they will give a position accurate to a few meters, if they can't then they use triangulation and will give a position accurate to anywhere between 200m and 2km.

Android phones at least (and quite possibly others) also will use wifi access points to determine their position via a google database. Although how the rather mobile wifi on a train affects that I don't know.

Indeed, whilst trying to find the GPS satellities my android phone will pinpoint my location to the phone mast i'm using in the meantime.

 

[Oscar]

But what are the ones you get on EC?

Electrics are Class 91s (under GNER marketed as Mallard Class 225s) and diesels are HSTs (under BR marketed as Intercity 125s).

 

[34D]

The GPS receivers built into reasonably newer phones are very good, I have an HTC Desire. But the GPS is thirsty for milliamps, so perhaps the best GPS seat is "anything with a power socket"!

A very good point that!!