Why does the P-7 Pro show fewer satellites and constellations compared to other GNSS receivers?
This is primarily due to the satellite acquisition strategy used by the P-7 Pro.
The P-7 Pro is designed to lock onto only the strongest and most reliable constellations necessary for accurate positioning—typically GPS and GLONASS. If these constellations provide a stable and sufficient satellite configuration (especially in open-sky environments), the device may not actively search for additional constellations such as BeiDou or Galileo. As a result, it may appear to be tracking fewer satellites, but this does not affect its actual positioning accuracy.
Real-World Behavior
In one test, the P-7 Pro was left indoors near a window overnight, and it eventually displayed four constellations.
However, after a power cycle and placing the receiver outdoors, it initially locked onto only two constellations.
This behavior highlights the adaptive search logic of the P-7 Pro:
•In weaker signal environments (like near a window), the receiver detects that conditions are more challenging and will proactively search for additional constellations to optimize positioning.
•In strong signal environments (such as outdoors), once it has locked onto a sufficient number of satellites (e.g., from GPS and GLONASS), it prioritizes power efficiency and delays searching for other constellations—sometimes for 10 minutes or more.
Why This Happens
The P-7 Pro uses a Broadcom GNSS chipset, which was originally developed for mobile devices where power efficiency is a key design priority. Tracking all visible satellites in real-time can significantly increase power consumption. Therefore, the chipset is optimized to track only the satellites necessary for accurate position fixes, typically using just 3–4 satellites out of many that may be visible.
How Other GNSS Devices Differ
Other GNSS receivers, such as the Columbus P-70 Ultra or some smartphones, use chipsets that are configured to search for and display all available constellations, regardless of whether additional satellites are needed for positioning. This can result in higher satellite counts on screen, but it doesn’t necessarily mean better accuracy.
Final Note
This is simply a difference in GNSS tracking strategy.
It does not negatively affect the P-7 Pro’s performance or positioning accuracy in practical use.