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GPS accuracy very bad !!

falconeye75
over 7 years ago
Hi,

Tried yesterday the GPS for the first time (GPS + Galileo) and I was very disappointed but the quality of the trace. I am in Paris so in city but I ve never a so bad GPS. In the same area, my Ambit 2 is perfect and following my route but with the Fenix 5X plus, I have more than 40 meters error sometimes !!

I can't understand how a watch costing 4 times a GPS watch can be so bad !! Is there something to do ? I sync it with Garmin connect mobile to have last sat data.

May be it can be a technical problem with the watch... Is there a widget to check GPS accuracy ?

Thanks
  • 0 over 6 years ago
    Good morning. This is my post from other thread. Maybe Ultratrack mode will help?

    Please take a look on this:

    Settings:
    Im using 10.55 os version, with gps 2.24 and my watch is f?nix 5 – Sapphire Edition. I've reseted this watch 4 times until now.
    Data recording mode is Every Second.

    Tracks:
    GPS https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/3017877387
    GLONASS https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/3017904298
    GALILEO https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/3017931882
    ULTRATRACK https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/3017961087

    Comment:
    One lap distance is about 6km. All activities displays wrong distance, but if you download gpx file and open it in external app - then distance becomes more accurate. What is strange - Ultratrack is the best one. On other gps modes signal was losted a lot of time. I have lot of problems with this watch from first day.

    Any ideas?
  • 0 over 6 years ago
    I have lot of problems with this watch from first day.

    Any ideas?


    Your links and description really aren’t normal. Aside of whether you are using Smart or Every Second recording, and that the Garmin Connect website doesn’t always plot the track accurately (can simplify it to appear as if corners are being cut), I’ve had better tracks than yours from my F5+ along twisty MTB trails in thick woodland. You certainly shouldn’t be getting better results with UltraTrac than the other settings.

    If a master reset of the device (delete data and reset settings) https://www8.garmin.com/manuals/webh...6AD7747EE.html followed by recording a static GPS test activity as described here https://forums.garmin.com/forum/on-t...u-need-to-know doesn’t help, then I think you may be best getting in touch with Garmin Customer Support in your area.
  • 0 over 6 years ago
    example issue with GPS.
    I believe this is issue, because during the charging fenix and walk in the same time

    https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/3019329359
  • 0 over 6 years ago
    I have had: FR 305XT, 920XT, Fenix 1, Fenix 3 (Returned after 4 months), Fenix 3HR (Best Fenix accuracy), Fenix 5x (Terrible accuracy/ returned), Fenix 5x+. I also own the 705, 64st, 60scx, and a 405.

    Just talking about the watches - The accuracy on all of them on reasonably straight roads or trails with wider/fewer turns is pretty good.
    The 3/5X/5X+ are about 7-10% low on distance with winding switchbacks and tight trails compared to Suunto or other gps watches for biking. For some reason, the 3HR works much better.
    The 5X+/3 report lower distances on tight trail runs of about 4-7%.

    On a MTB trail, my brother and I did two laps. His bike garmin gps (cant remember the model but newer and better than 705) reported 7.5 miles for each lap exactly. My 5x+ reported 13.55 total. That is a 10% drop. The 7.5 is what is generally recorded on Strava. His F3hr also reported about 13.4 miles.

    I love the 5x+ for the gps tracking, the features, music, apple pay, maps, rowing, skiing, etc.
    But it does kind of suck that I have to buy Stryd and tire based measurement for my watch because I can't rely on the gps distance.

    Hiking in the wilderness has the typical canyon issues and bounce but it is more pronounced on the watch than my 64st. acceptable.

    So if you road ride - Its probably a non-issue.
    If you mountain bike out west or on trails without tight switchbacks - non-issue.
    If you trail run on trails without tight switchbacks - non-issue.

    But the gps ability has gone down with the Fenix series. All the great features are there but it isn't so good at telling you how far you went in some circumstances. I thought the newer chipset would have been acceptable.

    And yes, I use 1 sec recording with gps/galileo or gps/glonass. And yes, I do realize its a watch and am not expecting perfection. Just as good as Suunto, Polar, TomTom.


    Anyone have a answer to why the Fenix watches have such a hard time with distance in tight and twisty trails? My 5x plus always records shorter distances when in tight trails, when compared to other devices.
  • 0 over 6 years ago
    I think that garmin (for better battery usage) don't use primary gps for distance measurement. It use accelerometers and other component / algorithms for calculating distances. Try to start "walk" and don't move your hand (walk with stoller).

    This is why battery time increased. This is why each software update improves accuracy (better algorithms). But me, personally prefer to have good GPS then steps/floor statistic and 24h battery life (12-20 is enough).
  • 0 over 6 years ago
    Anyone have a answer to why the Fenix watches have such a hard time with distance in tight and twisty trails? My 5x plus always records shorter distances when in tight trails, when compared to other devices.


    They do heavy filtering of the speed/positions to make it look nice. Look at the positions at the map, and you will notice that it is almost always taking the curve inside of the real track. If you do that consistently you get a shorter distance. The higher speed you have when running the more problematic it gets.
    The heavy filtering makes it possible to show good to excellent tracks in GPS conditions with open sky and decent for high rise building areas.

    An older style of GPS such as Forerunner 305 is more erratic and sometimes place you inside and sometimes outside of your real track.
  • 0 over 6 years ago
    When I see all issues with GPS accuracy, I ma happy I returned my Fenix 5X plus. Not acceptable for a watch at 849 Euros.
  • 0 over 6 years ago
    We at Garmin would like to look into this more, but to do this, we need you to contact us directly since everyone uses their devices differently and in different environments. To do this, we need more details to understand what is happening with your device. To provide us with that data, please email us at [EMAIL="[email protected]"][email protected][/EMAIL] with your device type in the title so that your email gets sorted to the correct team.

    In the body of the email, add the following:
    • Your concerns and any examples of what you have seen.
    • Software version of your device
    • Link of a sample activity that shows your concerns
    • Garmin Folder

    Once we have the data, we will work with you directly to improve on your concerns.
  • 0 over 6 years ago
    Anyone have a answer to why the Fenix watches have such a hard time with distance in tight and twisty trails? My 5x plus always records shorter distances when in tight trails, when compared to other devices.


    https://forums.garmin.com/forum/on-the-trail/wrist-worn/fenix-5x-plus/1403570-near-perfect-watch-use-for-trail-running-and-mountain-biking


  • 0 over 6 years ago
    They do heavy filtering of the speed/positions to make it look nice. Look at the positions at the map, and you will notice that it is almost always taking the curve inside of the real track. If you do that consistently you get a shorter distance. The higher speed you have when running the more problematic it gets.
    The heavy filtering makes it possible to show good to excellent tracks in GPS conditions with open sky and decent for high rise building areas.

    An older style of GPS such as Forerunner 305 is more erratic and sometimes place you inside and sometimes outside of your real track.


    This makes since. I do notice the tracks look very nice compared to other devices, but distance is short.