Why GPS in 5 plus is SO bad (SOLVED)

Are you in Russia? What latitude are you at? Have you tried GPS + Glonass instead of GPS + Galileo?

I ask because Glonass is supposed to have an advantage at high latitudes because the satellite orbits are more "tilted" relative to Equator. This should primarily give more precision in the north-south direction, and it actually seems as if your largest errors are in this direction.

Exactly what I was thinking.

1) Try with GPS only

2) Try with GPS+GLONASS

The very first image is GPS only; second one is GPS + Galilieo as marked; last one is GPS + Glonass. I'm at 56'50N latitude and didn't notice any substantial differences. Perhaps, GPS + Galileo is a little bit better.  My settings are also include Data Recording -> Every second.

Anyone who also run 200m circle track, could you please post your track? 

Comparing the accuracy of a GPS watch with a mobile phone is like comparing a car with a motorcycle and then saying ‘I don’t like the bike because when it rains I get wet, but I stay dry in the car.’

Mobile phone signals are much stronger and can use much more sources to calculate position. GPS signals are weak and can easily be distorted by seemingly mundane things such as wet leaves or sun heating up a flat surface on the side of a building. Plus phones combine phone and GPS signals, and many more basic fitness watches use the phone location rather than their own GPS signal as it’s known that the phone’s location is much better.

Also phones are bigger and much less subject to being shaken around like watches. That means the watch has to do a lot more calculation on what is signal and what is noise. 

Don’t get me wrong, there’s still much work to be done by Garmin, Polar, Suunto etc., but it may make sense to do some research before screaming havoc. DC Rainmaker has some good articles on this, as does Suunto and Garmin. 

Try and swap your watch and see it it makes a difference, but otherwise you may have to return the watch and get a different mode or brand (but be aware that most use the same GPS chips as there are only three or four manufacturers - and no, Garmin itself does not make the GPS chip or antenna, just as Apple and Xiaomi buy them from external manufacturers. You could blame them...).

You're clearly unhappy and have determined that the watch is not fit for (your) purpose. Frankly if I were as pissed you, I'd probably return it and just revert back to training with a phone strapped my arm.

That said, you could use a foot-pod or find another place to run which isn't amongst a cluster of buildings which reflect the GPS signal - producing the skews you're seeing. I choose not to run in the Sydney CBD because the plots are equally as trashy and I generally ignore my location and pace when running canyon trails for the same reason. It's laughably inaccurate when you have high solid walls around you.

Garmin can't really do much about fixing this because it's a physics issue and the accuracy (in areas of high signal reflection) will only improve if and when they include LTE on the watch which can assist via an additional form of triangulation.

www.agmonitoring.com/.../gps-vs-cellular-locating-technology

Duplicated, sorry. 

Garmin 910XT that I have been using for years.  Always very accurate.  Was about to invest in a new Fenix 5S Plus or 6 Pro but if the GPS is as you describe I will not be bothering!  Surely it has to be your watch that is at fault as opposed to Garmin's GPS standard being reduced from previous versions?

Leee said:

Comparing the accuracy of a GPS watch with a mobile phone is like comparing a car with a motorcycle and then saying ‘I don’t like the bike because when it rains I get wet, but I stay dry in the car.’

I'm sorry guys, are you all real or from that crowd who writes those paid reviews? :) There is no such inaccuracy among any watches but F5+. Please find another screenshot; this runner run with me at the same time ("Fluby"). It is Polar Vantage M and it is even better than iPhone X. I posted dozen of screenshots; too many text in back;

Still willing to see whether anyone can show similar accuracy for F5+ for _200m track_. If that exists, at least it will allow me to claim replacement.

alexis said:

I'd be interested in seeing other folks' posting of their 200m circle tracks as well. I'm surprised by how poor the Fenix 5+ tracings are.

Done. Pls see below for Vantage M. Also pls see one of my previous screenshots above from my old Vivoactive HR from the same location. Looks much better though I should admit the pace reported by Vivoactive HR was totally wrong. As F5+ does.