Navigation (Problems)

I'm having three major problems with the build in navigation on Fenix 5:

1. When using Ultratrac gps mode the navigation constantly loses track. This means the watch keeps alerting "off course", "on course" on steady (approximately)30 second intervals, which is annoying to the point that it is unusable.

This is not due to poor gps data of Ultratrac as it is surprisingly accurate looking at the breadcrumb map on the watch and also when inspecting it afterwards on garmin connect. I find that when biking the Ultratrac is more accurate than in running so perhaps speed is the factor that gives it better accuracy? I have not tested it yet while hiking.

When using smart or 1s recording the navigation works as it should, there is still the occasional "off course" prompt due to bad gps data but quite infrequent.

I was planning on using Ultratrac on a longer 2000km bike tour where I don't have the ability to charge every day. On longer hikes this could also be useful but for everyday use I don't see the need to use it.

I'm hoping this is an easily(and fastly) fixed bug. I've tried it on fw 2.90 and 3.30, it is the same behavior on both. For a quick fix I hope there would be a option to turn off the "off course" alert.

2. When stopping an activity and using "Resume later" it loses track on the course you are navigating when resuming later. This means it points to the start point of the course and not to the closest point on the course. Starting the navigation again from the navigation menu does the same thing - points to the start.

Have not yet tried what happens if you start a new activity and start navigation from the middle of a course. Although this might work I don't see it as a fix as you then lose all the data from the previous activity when viewing it on the watch.

This was on the fw 2.90 I haven't yet tested on 3.30.

3. Creating a course is a mess.

The only way I've managed to get turn by turn navigation and elevation data to the watch is through Garmin Connects course creator, but it doesn't let you add waypoints and you need a computer to access it and to top it all there is no way to import tracks or any data to it(apparently there is way to upload an activity and then turn it to a course but I couldn't get it to recognise any files I tried to upload).

I've tried to make courses on Gpsies.com and moving them directly to the watches New Files directory through usb, but the only file the watch recognised was a .FIT file, which also kept waypoints, but it didn't have any elevation data. I have not yet tested the course if it carried the TbT cue sheet with it.

RouteCourse app first seemed like it would be the answer to all the course creation woes, but unfortunately it doesn't keep the TbT or waypoint data when transferring to the watch. I do hope the developers keep improving it to add TbT cues and waypoints, when this gets done they will have my money.

I think the best way I've found so far is to add waypoints in Basecamp and to do the courses on Garmin connect.

I'm pretty amazed by the fact that Garmin in all its navigation prowess does not have this yet solved.
In my opinion all it would need is a way to add and to import tracks and waypoints to Garmin connect which it would then parse to it's own working .FIT file adding TbT and elevation data. Also add some kind of simple interface to GC mobile to create courses.

While I'm not holding my breath waiting on Garmin to implement these basic Navigation features anytime soon I do hope they fix the Ultratrac and Resume later bugs rather quickly.

Anyone else having problems or solutions?

0 Former Member over 8 years ago

Totally agree, why Garmin hasn't figured the way to add waypoints to GC is absolutely beyond me. Garmin is known for being the king of navigation products, something so easy as waypoints would be awesome to be able to add to a track . This has ben a problem for a long time. Having to go to other maps to make a track with waypoints then having to convert files to other formats so that the fenix watch will accept them is just not acceptable. I just don't get why they don't make this a priority . The main reason people buy these devices are for navigation purposes, so why wouldn't this be something that Garmin would work on ??

0 JensenB9 over 8 years ago

Totally agree. First Garmin product with course capability and while it is truly a standout feature, the implementation of it is insanely bad. The thing is, this whole Fenix business isn't new to Garmin. This has been a problem for years now. They need to deprecate Basecamp and incorporate the capabilities of it into the Garmin Connect course creator website.

1. I should be able to create a course on the website in Garmin Connect. Do it first on PC and then hopefully provide a mobile implementation in the app later on.
2. I should be able to add waypoints to this course that are properly recognized by the watch and show up on the map on the watch.
3. It should have TbT appropriate for the speed set when creating the course. (This it does do).
4. I should be able to import any GPX, TCX, or FIT file from anywhere on the Internet into the Garmin Course creator and use it as the base for editing.
5. I should never have to plug my watch into a PC for any reason.

@AMOmmike

What I've been doing is downloading GPX files from other web sites and, as you mentioned, importing them into Garmin Connect. They do show up as an activity which you later have to delete, but you can create a course from it first. I also got the issue where, initially, it would just throw an error and say that the GPX file wasn't compatible. I found a workaround where if you use the gpsies converter tool to just convert it to GPX (even if it already is a GPX file) it then works perfectly after that.

0 Ommike over 8 years ago

Totally agree

Totally agree with you two too!

What I've been doing is downloading GPX files from other web sites and, as you mentioned, importing them into Garmin Connect. They do show up as an activity which you later have to delete, but you can create a course from it first. I also got the issue where, initially, it would just throw an error and say that the GPX file wasn't compatible. I found a workaround where if you use the gpsies converter tool to just convert it to GPX (even if it already is a GPX file) it then works perfectly after that.

Thanks, I now got it importing. Not the ideal solution but still miles better than before.

I think Garmin could add this import(track) function to the course creator page, so it would be easier for the users to find and would eliminate the need to delete the imported activity.

I also tried this solution and it seems to work fine: http://runningbadger.blogspot.fi/2015/08/a-tool-to-help-with-navigation-on.html

0 Ommike over 8 years ago

On my commute run to work today I tested to start a course midway and it picked the track immediately. I then ran a few kilometers with navigation and stopped the activity, chose "Resume later", waited a couple of seconds and started the activity again and it now continued the course from the closest point from my position.

Not sure if I waited long enough to lose the gps lock or if moving when the activity was stopped would have made any difference but I'm hoping the resume later bug has now been fixed in fw 3.30. Can anyone confirm this? Wouldn't want to lose navigation again when on a longer course.

0 JensenB9 over 8 years ago

Totally agree with you two too!

Thanks, I now got it importing. Not the ideal solution but still miles better than before.

I think Garmin could add this import(track) function to the course creator page, so it would be easier for the users to find and would eliminate the need to delete the imported activity.

I also tried this solution and it seems to work fine: http://runningbadger.blogspot.fi/2015/08/a-tool-to-help-with-navigation-on.html

The second solution still seems to involve plugging my watch into a PC. I'm trying to avoid that if possible. That Garmin Connect import workaround is good enough for now, but the main drawback is not being able to use waypointing at all. That would seem to a big deal when doing long hikes.