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GPS Accuracy

Former Member over 8 years ago

So it begins.

I will have mine Fenix 5 on Saturday and will start doing comparisons to an Ambit 3 Peak. I don't have an F3 to directly compare to as of now.

Anyone have an F3 and F5 to compare?

0 NeilJonesOnline over 8 years ago

With a bit of exaggeration, it's starting to remind me problems with F3 that were never really solved. The firmware is very similar, probably just an update from F3, so if they could solve it, it should already be done. Or they could borrow from other teams. Look at FR 735XT instant pace, it's much more usable while running. If that would be just smoothing thing, there is nothing easier to do. I'm really interested in seeing FR 935 comparison, GPS and instant pace wise. If it performs better, considering nearly identical FW, it really must be the F5 construction (metal bezel, EXO antenna, etc.) causing the difficulties.

It'll be interesting to see how the Forerunner 935 compares now people are receiving them, as it seems to effectively be the same hardware and software in an all-plastic package.

0 surfer63 over 8 years ago

Have you tried turning on GPS + GONASS in the GPS settings? might get more accuracy in built up areas?

I paced at parkrun on Saturday, and my pace on the watch was up and down long a yoyo. one second 7min next 10min. I know I run at a constant 7:10 pace usually for this course. I think the firmware needs a little updating and I seriously hope it is not the hardware after investing so much money.

I got the same up and down while I am was running in a constant Speed. The pace was hoping +-1 Min/km while i set the whatch to record all 1s!

Realy not usable for serios Training :-(

0 webvan over 8 years ago

Instant pace in the .fit file is indeed a mess, same on the FR235 so it's probably an MTK thing, when I'm running it's not too bad though thanks to Garmin's rounding. I mostly look at Lap Pace on the road or actual time on the track anyway.

It'll be interesting to see how the Forerunner 935 compares now people are receiving them, as it seems to effectively be the same hardware and software in an all-plastic package.

Yes very curious to see what the FR935 track will look like in this F5/VAHR comparison https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?371929-GPS-Accuracy&p=962429#post962429 - hopefully more like the VAHR (plastic) than the F5 (Metal)...

0 Olu.F. over 8 years ago

There are some legitimate complaints here, but a lot of unrealistic expectations and images that mean absolutely nothing without GPX files to analyze them.

Maybe I'm just lucky, but I've had excellent F3 performance (https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1616519630) and to date good F5 performance (https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1640893143)

I train 10-18 hrs per week with my Fenix, so before I bid you adieu here's a few tips:
-If GPS tracings is all important to you, get a different watch.
-If 1% error in average pace and distance is all important to you, get a different watch.
-If you do mostly trail running, hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.
-If you do mostly urban running, most watches will give you mediocre results at best.
-Instant pace is not for 'serious' training unless you're on a flat surface with no wind and if instant pace is that important NOTHING will every beat a calibrated footpod. IMO average lap pace (either for intervals or every 1km/1mi) is a much better way to train.

Wish everyone the best of luck.

0 bjoern.schulte over 8 years ago

Don't get me wrong, I fully agree with you.
It is "just" disappointing, that older/cheaper Garmin watches can do by far better (like my 920xt).

0 Former Member over 8 years ago

close pine

think I'm going to keep hold of my Forerunner 630 in case I need it. it was always spot on and never let me down.

0 Former Member over 8 years ago

Would moving from Smart to 1 second GPS use a lot more storage on the watch? What happens when that fills up?

Thanks,

0 ChevronLugs over 8 years ago

I meant to send this last night, but fell asleep. Luckily the text was still there.

Wow, pretty scary...looks like the UltraTrac track I got during a walk at lunchtime !

Updated information to follow!

How long do you wait after you get the GPS lock on the Fenix before starting the activity? We've been through this before with the Fenix 3. It's good practice to wait at least two minutes after getting the GPS lock before starting the activity. If the Fenix 3 doesn't have a really good lock early on, often times it will never get a good lock.

On that particular test, I waited until it went fully green (the circle), then it cycled to red, then back to green (strange, right?), and I waited for a good 30+ seconds after obtaining green.

Maybe the F5 is better placed with the 6'o clock side facing up?

Has anyone seen the antenna placement/orientation in the F5? Regardless, new information.

As a followup to the test I did this morning (yesterday) with four devices, I set the F5 to GPS+GLONASS with 1 second recording. I fired up an activity (walking) and waited until it had GPS lock and indicated it was ready to start. Same drive, but in reverse. Same crappy tracks. Not content with horrible tracks I decided I'd roll the dice and try a different unit. Back to REI for an exchange. Replacement unit unboxed in the car, setup quickly and synchronized to GC on an iPhone. I set recording for 1 second, and left GPS at default. Recording started after GPS circle went fully green. A drive on some side streets, and some on the highway, and I now have a perfect track. Faulty, or marginal hardware in the previous unit, I'm guessing.

Interesting observation from the first F5. I initially set it up through Garmin Connect, then paired it with GC on iPhone. Wanting to see how quickly it could get a lock, I went outside (clear, open sky) and went into an activity; no dice. It never got a lock, even after 5+ minutes. Came back inside and deleted the EPO.bin and let Garmin Express download a new one. Back outside, fire up an activity and got lock quickly, but loses lock, then locks again. Strange...

0 NeilJonesOnline over 8 years ago

Would moving from Smart to 1 second GPS use a lot more storage on the watch? What happens when that fills up?

Thanks,

Yes, they'll take up more space but that's really not going to be an issue. If it's anything like the fenix 3, IIRC it deletes activities after 3 months anyway. I've never heard of anyone running out of activity storage space on their fenix.

0 Olu.F. over 8 years ago

Don't get me wrong, I fully agree with you.
It is "just" disappointing, that older/cheaper Garmin watches can do by far better (like my 920xt).

I'd agree with you if my older Gamin devices could do even a fraction of what my Fenix 3/5 could do. Also when I look back at comparable runs (thanks to Strava). I often find the GPS tracks to be worse on the older devices. I never zoomed in and used satellite view or Google Earth like I do now. As for pacing, I can remember plenty of times when I looked at the average pace on my 910 and just rolled my eyes.