Why does GPS work when underground and under big buildings but radio signals, Wi-Fi, and cell phone signals struggle?
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It doesn’t always.
GPS runs off of a satellite system, which is also used for things like satellite TV.
If you’ve ever used satellite TV or tried to use a vehicle’s GPS in a storm (even heavy cloud cover with a lot of rain or precipitation in it), they are notorious for losing connection.
Many “GPS” applications still store location data in phones and other devices so if they lose connection it will still show your last location. Most modern location services combine GPS, cell signal triangulation, data from Wi-Fi or other networks, as well as other devices nearby to confirm your location.
Otherwise, the lower frequency signals are likely to travel further (like an x-ray going through almost everything but lead) than higher frequency ones. High frequency signals oscillate (go up & down making a full wave) much more quickly than low frequency ones, and because of that they’re likeliest to be deflected by thin layers of metal or other things
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