Re: Erratic GPS

Andy Burns wrote on Mon, 24 Jun 2024 06:54:11 +0100 :

The Real Bev wrote:
 

Andy Burns wrote:
>

Losing view of the satellites and falling back to cell tower or wifi
location?

 
Standing still.

 
The satellites aren't ...

Q: When you're tracking someone else, does "snapping to objects" apply?
A: ???

I use GPS mostly in two situations, where I think I know where "The Real
Bev" is having difficulties so allow me to try to patiently explain.

When "The Real Bev" is driving on a road, she is perhaps not aware that the
blue location dot is "snapping" to "objects" (usually roads) on that map.

So, while driving, even at breakneck speeds around hairpin turns (which,
I'm sure she doesn't do - but you get the point), the blue location dot
serenely follows the roads without much of a deviation off the beaten path.

But that's due to snapping.
Not GPS.

Now, I hike. I'm in the Santa Cruz Mountains which are rugged (hell, a guy
just this weekend was lost for ten days and he didn't run into a soul).
 <https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2024/06/21/boulder-creek-man-rescued-from-remote-canyon-after-nine-day-search/>

When hiking in rugged backcountry, with just GPS, the track I lay down
bounces widely all over the place (just as The Real Bev is insinuating).

(Note that with back-country hiking, Wi-Fi precision scanning wouldn't do
much good, nor would cellular tower triangulation - given the remoteness.)

Having explained that The Real Bev may not be aware of "snapping to
objects", I must say I don't track other people on my own maps.

So I ask the group at large this basic question related to her question:

Q: When you're tracking someone else, does "snapping to objects" apply?