Firmware 20 awful GPS accuracy on Fenix 5

Since I upgraded the Firmware from from 19.1 to 20, I get the most terrible GPS accuracy ever on my Fenix 5 Saphire. On a recent hiking tour I had about 15km on my display while my wife with the Fenix 5S Plus got about 12,5 for the same tour. Most of the time, my track was way off the street, many loops and jumps where there were in fact only a 180 degree turn of the street. When standing still during brakes the distance increased constantly as if I would walk around. During a run yesterday, it showed a pace of 5:45 at the first 500 m although I was running about 4:45-4:50. The watch is absolutely unusable. Considering updating to Forerunner 735 or 745 now. Any better ideas? How can I downgrade to 19.1?

Does anybody know if there.was also a GPS Software Update as Part of the Firmware 20? My watch shows GPS version 2.6.

Any help is appreciated!

Jens

0 JM_Zogg over 4 years ago

Fenix 5x, SW 20.00, GPS 2.60, Display 3.40, C.I.Q 3.1.8

Accuracy perfect. Tested yesterday with trailrunning in mountains, distance 23 km, elevation ±1400 m. My results compared to the results of my friend with different watches (Suunto, garmins, etc). Perfect match!

I don't think SW downgrading is the solution. What about APPs and connection to Smartphones. Are you using the original results from the watch or after transferring to somewhere?

0 Tschens over 4 years ago in reply to JM_Zogg

Thanks for your reply. I realized that especially during slow activities such as hiking the GPS performance of the Fenix 5 is terrible. Attached are parts of 2 tours I did recently with my wife. Fenix 5S Plus (left) vs Fenix 5 (right). Especially in the first example the total distance differs extremely. Terrible track with fenix 5 when hiking compared to Fenix 5s Plus - always!

0 Tschens over 4 years ago in reply to JM_Zogg

Here another example from yesterday.

0 coldheart over 4 years ago

Can you confirm you're using "every second" data recording instead of "smart"?

Also, are you using GPS or GPS + GLONASS?

0 Tschens over 4 years ago in reply to coldheart

Fenix 5 is on every second. Fenix 5S Plus in on "smart". I tried also the other settings, this does not make any difference at all. Both watches GPS+Galileo. Tried also GPS+GLONASS. Does not make any difference. According to my experience and to feedback from other users, these settings are just senseless frippery.

0 Tschens over 4 years ago in reply to JM_Zogg

Where can I see the display version? No such information in the "info" area in the settings menu of my fenix 5. Only FW 20.00, GPS 2.60, WiFi 2.40, C.I.Q. 3.1.8, WHR 20.03.31 and some infos on firstbeat etc.

0 reittila over 4 years ago

No problem here. Just came home from a bike ride with my wife. My F5 and my wife's Vivoactive4 were practically on par with 50m difference on a short 16km route.

0 Tschens over 4 years ago in reply to reittila

The faster you move, the less noticeable the problem. Try hiking.

0 JM_Zogg over 4 years ago in reply to Tschens

Hi tschens

The display version is displayed on my watch (Fenix 5x) between the GPS-Version and the Wi-Fi version!

0 Tschens over 4 years ago in reply to JM_Zogg

Thx for your reply. Obviously, the display version is only shown at the "X" Version of the Fenix series. But don't worry, my watch also has a display. ;-)