GPS work on a plane?
 

Probably frowned upon, but interested in hearing if anybody has had any luck getting their GPS (Garmin, TomTom, etc) to work in a plane - stationary or while flying.

If you search (put GPS in double quotes - "GPS") you will find many threads about it.

Depends on the airline if they allow it or not, some do and some don't. None allow it at takeoff and landing.

You need to be up against the window for it to work, and even then I'm probably less then 1 in five times that it works. But yes, there is a chance you will lock onto a signal if you keep trying.

I know people who have.

I just bought a new handheld (DeLorme PN-40) and am really looking forward to trying it on my next flight.

My iPhone 3G did not get a fix even when held up against the window for 30 sec. My guess is that maybe the algorithm couldn't do the math calculations fast enough to keep up with the high rate of travel, or the multiple layered window and frame obstructed the view too much.

GPSs work, but you must have a window seat and hold the antenna/device up against the window. My GPS with the SiRF II chipset took over a minute to get a position lock.

Some airlines permit GPS. Check the back of the in-flight magazine on which electronic devices are permitted and when.

Coming back from Cairns last week in a DJ 738 - we were doing 873 km/hr @ 12,315 m - height accuracy around 40m, speed accuracy was around 20 km/hr.

According to "GPS Position" on my Nokia E71. Takes about 1-2 minutes for a good fix...

It most likely isn't that complicated - you just didn't have it there for long enough. Unless you are physically very close to where you last used the GPS feature it could easily take 5min or more to get a fix, as it does not have the mobile network to assist it with a "hint" of where you are.

Should be no issue due to speed or the a/c windows, have had this working on many GPS devices over the years.

Many phones have a tiny antenna that is not that effective. On the ground they rely on assisted GPS but in the air it has to work only on true GPS.

CO allows GPS use. Due to the limited number of satellites that can be seen from one side of the aircraft, it often takes a minute or two for my unit to actually figure out where I am. This is particularly true if it's been turned off for a while and moved significantly from where it was last turned on. It does need to be near a window, however, as the GPS signals don't go through aluminum.

Worked fine on my MyTouch. You definitely have to be at the window.

IIRC the gps feature on the iPhone is AGPS=Assisted GPS which triangulates your signal off cell towers. Very very unlikely it will ever work unless low to the ground and over some pretty strong cell towers.

As per my above comment - this is why it can get a real GPS fix quickly when on the ground - the mobile towers provide an approximate location, and the GPS uses that data to "look" for the satellite signal more quickly. Without a mobile signal it will take longer, but it will work. As an example - you can use the GPS on the iPhone when the mobile radio is switched off.

Good info

Thanks

I think the iphone 3g and 3gs will indeed get gps without a cell tower. I have had perfect gps in the mountains, where the is no signal listed at all. Only iphones with built in gps though, not the original iphone which only had skyhook "gps" approximation.

that being said, I have had only hit and miss sucess with gps on a plane. My iphone didn't get it, although I wasn't at the window.

My htc mogul didn't get it, even when I was AT the window. My garmin colorado DID get it. And my garmin xy400 watch, which was on my arm at the time and up against the window GOT a signal. Fun to watch my running speed at 400 mph