Pace accuracy

Former Member over 8 years ago

I just spent some time reading through (some) of the 55 page "GPS Accuracy" thread. Some of what I'm experiencing is touched on there, but I'm much more concerned about the pace problems I'm having with my F5 than laser-perfect distance accuracy. Specifically, I've noticed that my pace is all over the place during a run, even when I know I'm holding a very steady one. For example, here is the pace data from today's run:

I can understand some minor deviations, but when I'm running for several miles at what I know to be a sub-7 pace and look down at my watch and see "8:40", that's pretty darn frustrating.

Here's what the exact same run looked like two weeks ago with my old FR220:

Totally difference experience. What gives? Do I need to change the GPS settings on the F5 to something other than what comes default?

0 ChevronLugs over 8 years ago

Eh, basically everything the fenix5 has and in case you don;t have the sapphire version of the f5 also added wifi?

I mean, you do know the 935 and fenix5 are pretty much identical hardware and functionality wise and the only/main difference is the housing.

And if we go by the Garmin spec sheet, even the housing (fiber reinforced polymer) is the same. It's the bezel and case back that's different between F5 and 935. Is the stainless bezel on the F5 series really screwing it up this much?! Maybe the stainless back contributes to the problem as well, which combined with the bezel both could be shielding the antenna just a bit too much.

0 webvan over 8 years ago

You'd think that Garmin would have seen that problem during the development phase with all the testing equipment they have access to.. The issue I suppose is that pace/mile markers aren't an issue for a hiking watch...

0 chimpware over 8 years ago

And if we go by the Garmin spec sheet, even the housing (fiber reinforced polymer) is the same. It's the bezel and case back that's different between F5 and 935. Is the stainless bezel on the F5 series really screwing it up this much?! Maybe the stainless back contributes to the problem as well, which combined with the bezel both could be shielding the antenna just a bit too much.

People keep saying it's just the case that is different, but it's not the antennas are different. The fenix line has the Exo Antenna, while the 935 does not (at least from what I have read).

0 webvan over 8 years ago

Where did you read that?

0 chimpware over 8 years ago

Possibly I should have said it differently;

fenix 5 - Steel Grip design with stainless steel EXO-Antenna as bezel (Garmin site description)
935 -Bezel Material - fiber-reinforced polymer (Garmin site description)

so if the fenix 5 has the stainless steel bezel and the Exo Antenna and the 935 has a fiber-reinforced polymer bezel, it cannot have the same Exo Antenna.

0 FlipStone over 8 years ago

No idea what the antenna/internals look like on the 935 but could be that the antenna is different.

And guess it's just a decision for Garmin on design vs performance. And if performance is good enough for like 90-95% of the buyers it's simply good enough... For me it's just not unfortunately.

0 ChevronLugs over 8 years ago

Possibly I should have said it differently;

fenix 5 - Steel Grip design with stainless steel EXO-Antenna as bezel (Garmin site description)
935 -Bezel Material - fiber-reinforced polymer (Garmin site description)

so if the fenix 5 has the stainless steel bezel and the Exo Antenna and the 935 has a fiber-reinforced polymer bezel, it cannot have the same Exo Antenna.

Where'd you find the descriptions on Garmin's site? I just looked at the fenix 5 product page and I'm not seeing anything regarding the EXO antenna anymore.

0 Former Member over 8 years ago

And if we go by the Garmin spec sheet, even the housing (fiber reinforced polymer) is the same. It's the bezel and case back that's different between F5 and 935. Is the stainless bezel on the F5 series really screwing it up this much?! Maybe the stainless back contributes to the problem as well, which combined with the bezel both could be shielding the antenna just a bit too much.

I doubt the stainless caseback makes a difference, but given how weak GPS signals are, who knows. Regarding the F5 and 935, the bezel is the difference seeing as the F5 has its antenna within the bezel and likely inductively connected to the antenna within the case itself. Garmin allegedly made improvements on the antenna design between the F3 and Chronos:

https://appelmoessite.wordpress.com/2016/10/09/chronos-gps-finally-done-right/

Unclear if that applies to the F5 as well. The 935 likely has a traditional antenna given that it's made of completely RF transparent materials, unlike the F5.

If folks want a primer on Garmin's Exo antenna design, their latest public patent is very enlightening:

https://patents.google.com/patent/US20160013544A1/en

0 Former Member over 8 years ago

Where'd you find the descriptions on Garmin's site? I just looked at the fenix 5 product page and I'm not seeing anything regarding the EXO antenna anymore.

The Exo antenna branding is on the box :confused:

0 ChevronLugs over 8 years ago

fenix 5 - Steel Grip design with stainless steel EXO-Antenna as bezel (Garmin site description)

Emphasis in bold, by me. I just looked at the box for my f5 silver/blue and nowhere on it is a description as in the quotes. "EXO antenna" is all, besides a little blurb in the legal jargon section.