Crazy GPS

Hi Garmin! Please explain to me the GPS trail recorded by my Fenix 5S watch. It's totally crazy for a device that costs over 600 Euro... ciq.forums.garmin.com/.../1335938.jpg
  • The GPS is impacted by the "shadow" of the buildings around the track. Not sure how high they are. Depending on which exact satellites did your watch lock in and how were they positioned against the "horizon" this would have a lower or a smaller impact. Again, not sure how other watch would handle this (or how would Fenix perform on another day) but it appears to be evidently impacted by the buildings.
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 7 years ago
    are you using 'smart recording' or '1 second recording'?
  • are you using 'smart recording' or '1 second recording'?


    Is 1 second GPS recording more accurate than smart recording?
  • That´s really crazy. I thought, nothing can be worst on the track than my Garmins (yesterday I ran 10x800m, average distance measured was 770m). Now I see, everything is possible. :-(
    Garmin support will explain it - there are some buildings and others bla, bla, bla... But they will not explain, how it is possible, that old models (FR 235 attached) or much cheaper models of other brands (Polar, TomTom) are much, much better with their GPS tracking than this "high-end" model.
    ciq.forums.garmin.com/.../1336062.jpg
  • GPS + GLONASS was activated
    1 sec. recording was also activated

    The building that you see there is a school that is 2-storey high. So clearly not a tall building by any means.
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 7 years ago
    Yes, i know what you are feeling. Unbelievable that an expansive watch can be so bad tracking running. The same happen here. Old models like FR 220, 620, 235 are much better. Sad about it.
  • The funny thing is, in Bike mode, the GPS tracking is pretty much spot on... I couldn't find any serios issue with it.
    Why is this huge difference compared to Run mode?
    Again, the settings on the watch are the same: GPS+GLONASS, 1 sec. recording.
  • The funny thing is, in Bike mode, the GPS tracking is pretty much spot on... I couldn't find any serios issue with it.
    Why is this huge difference compared to Run mode?
    Again, the settings on the watch are the same: GPS+GLONASS, 1 sec. recording.

    GPS receivers are more accurate in high speed (using doppler-derived metrics) and when their placement is more consistent, meaning on the handlebars or steady arm on handlebars versus a moving arm being shadowed by the body.
  • Hi Garmin! Please explain to me the GPS trail recorded by my Fenix 5S watch. It's totally crazy for a device that costs over 600 Euro...


    Was it a beer mile?

    :) Sorry I had to!
  • The funny thing is, in Bike mode, the GPS tracking is pretty much spot on... I couldn't find any serios issue with it


    Noticed that and did an experiment running with Fenix with a 90 degrees angle and the results were much better, since then the weather become warmer and I started seaside running were there isn't any problem.

    In a bike the watch is facing up and when you are running is facing left or right. Maybe someone could confirm that running with the watch facing up leads to better GPS.