Is there a way to get Explorer+ to accurately report distance traveled and speed?

Is there a way to get Explorer+ to accurately report distance traveled and speed? It consistently reports further than traveled, and faster than walked. I'm pretty sure i can't walk at avg speed of 7.5 mph over several hours. Garmin Support is no help - claim it's working properly.

0 twolpert over 2 years ago

As noted in the other thread, the speed and distance reported by the device are based on the straight-line distance between track points. Typically, the device will use "sent" or "logged" track points, whichever has the shorter tracking interval.

If you have a long tracking interval AND your path is not a straight line between points, your speed will be reported as higher than it was. This is because the speed is based on the shorter straight-line distance between track points - but you travelled a longer distance during the interval.

However, this does not affect the recorded distance traveled. That is based entirely on the straight-line distances. After all, the end points of each interval are ALL the device knows.

AFAIK, the only way to get a recorded distance larger than what you actually travelled involves multi-path excursions. Those would also typically raise both the maximum and average moving speeds. If you are seeing BOTH longer distances and higher speeds, my guess would be multi-path. If you see this all the time (even when conditions are not challenging), I would be suspicious of a hardware problem with the device.

You can try a hard reset. Other than that, a support ticket is the only alternative.

0 Chappy132 8 months ago in reply to twolpert

I understand the intervals as it pertains to map share.

What I cant figure out is the device will tell me I've traveled 8 miles . Yet my friends phone apps as well as the published trail guide and the physical map all say 7 miles. By the end of the hike 13.39 miles. My in reach is at 16.37.

0 9474289 7 months ago in reply to Chappy132

Same problem. Garmin Support told me it's working properly and the difference between true and reported distance and speed is because the InReach uses the phone satellites rather than the GPS satellites for positioning. I find that hard to believe.

The people at REI said mine is faulty, but it was past the 90 day by the time I figured it out and dealt with Support, so they wouldn't replace it.

I can set mine on a rock and watch it "travel" a mile during lunch. I'm guessing a bad accelerometer.

It's annoying, isn't it. Good luck!

0 twolpert 7 months ago in reply to 9474289

The units do NOT use the Iridium satellites for navigation. They have a separate GPS radio.

if you only send track points by satellite (no logged points/activity/term du jour), the reported distance will typically be short of reality. You are only getting the straight-line distance between sent points. Unless you actually travelled in straight lines between points, the total reported will be short.

If you are recording an activity, the reported activity distance may well be longer than reality - especially in challenging conditions. This is because ALL Garmin handhelds are lousy at eliminating wild excursions caused by multi-path reception. If you look at the activity recording around that rock (on a map), I suspect you will see the characteristic “spiderweb” pattern centered on the rock. The reported activity distance will include all of those wild excursions.

This is the explanation which suggests itself based on your rock example. It’s also possible that the unit is trying to conserve battery at the expense of the accuracy of the fix. That really seems like a stretch based on the total motion around the rock. Finally, it IS possible that the hardware is bad.