GPS stopped working

ok! i have an odd, very long, quite boring story to tell. GPS problem, but i honestly cannot tell if hw or sw.

it seems that some LCD screens completely block the gps signal…but only in SFOS.
all my fake/knock-off LCD screens work fine, but two of my Sony factory screens do not.

im not talking about time to fix, or MLS, just pure device GPS signal,
as determined by the GPS Info app showing “satellites in view/use: 0/0”, in device-mode-only.

i have three xperia x compacts.
one works perfectly, one is brand new and the gps doesnt work, and the other works with some LCDs and not others.

note: as far as i know, the back inner housing in the xperia x compact is where the GPS antenna is, like the X/XA2/etc.
removing the housing greatly DECREASES the gps signal, but does not eliminate it entirely, so part of the antenna must be in the motherboard.
the front-housing and LCD screen have shit to do with GPS, afaict.

  1. gps always works. satellites found. reflashing, replacing the screen, replacing the housing, continues to work.
    current housing actually has a clean break on GPS antenna, at the bottom.
    still works.
    REMOVING the screen and the housing, bare motherboard, VNC-ing into the device over wifi:
    it STILL finds satellites, tho it did not get a fix any more.

  2. brand new phone. GPS worked fine in android for initial test in google maps (no sim card).
    gps will not locate a single satellite, ever, in SFOS.
    tried reflashing, several OS versions, including the same images that work on phone#1
    did NOT try hardware solutions, since its brand new and works in android.

  3. gps doesnt work with some screens
    screen broke, so replaced it with a screen that i am reasonably certain is a sony factory screen.
    GPS stopped working, zero satellites found ever.
    figured i damaged the antenna, so i replaced the back housing. no luck.
    put the broken screen back on, suddenly found a satellite.
    tried several old screens, two fakes, one legit but cracked.
    all screens work, except the color-accurate, unscratched official one i want to use.
    removing the housing (and thus the GPS antenna) with a good screen, it STILL finds some satellites, tho it does not get a fix.
    removing the housing with the bad screen, it of course still doesnt find any satellites

the front-housing has some contact points, but all the screens all have the same contact points and no visible differences.

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