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Shift in GPS track depending on wrist

dallasrpi
over 4 years ago

As an avid heatmapper / run every street I'm particularly interested in more accurate GPS tracks.  I've been perplexed by why has appeared to be a shift of my GPS tracks to the left of where I run no matter what direction I run in.  So if I run an out and back on a road it looks like I've practically run a loop because its shifts it off the road on both sides.  In general my tracks are off the road and sometimes its more egregious than others.  I took to running on the wrong side of the road (with traffic instead of against) to get it more centered.  I then did an experiment and changed my watch to my right hand.  Low and behold my tracks started looking significantly better!  I figured there must be some sort of setting I was missing.  I found the wrist setting in my Fenix 6 and changed it from "left" (the correct setting) to "right" and it made no difference.  


Wearing the watch on my right wrist example here:

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/4692022516  - I ran on the side of the road against traffic and its shifted to the right, which is closer to the middle of the road

Wearing the watch on my left wrist example:

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/4488678027 - notice how all the tracks are to the left where you would be running against traffic off the road

Really neither of these examples are very accurate as they don't capture where I really ran but at least with wearing it on the right hand it will actually show on the road I was running on.   I don't know if this is an intentional shift or not.  Also I'm not a fan of wearing it on my right hand (again wrist setting seem to make no difference in my tests).  Does anyone have any info on this?  

Also this isnt a one off test. All my runs with my Fenix 6 are like this and I found many with my Fenix 5 as well.  Additionally I have done several runs with it on my right wrist and they consistently produce better results every time.

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  • 0 over 4 years ago in reply to RISBAC

    hello,
    I did the same for some runs, now. 3 things:

    - the track is definitely better when the watch is worn in the inside of the wrist; I changed the position today during my run and I see a clear difference between before and after (I stayed on the same track, this is a 3,7 km loop).

    - I see a small but recurring difference of 100 m in the overall distance of a 10,7 run, longer by about 100m when watch worn in the inside. nothing big, but happening each time 

    - I see a small improvement in the instant pace accuracy, but not sure that it is significant. 

    Next step on my side : try to wear the watch on the outside of the wrist but upside down, to see if it is linked to the position or which part of the watch is facing the sky

  • 0 over 4 years ago in reply to benvlab

    Consistant differences over multiple runs is what we need. For now, I'm just like you, it seems constantly better. I tried to run once with the watch facing the sky. It didn't really feel better. But it was just one run. And it was not practical at all. Inner wrist sounds like a much better solution.

  • 0 over 4 years ago in reply to benvlab

    Hi.

    Today, i also tried to wear the watch inside the wrist (Fenix6x Pro, left hand).

    But complete opposite for me, as soon as i wear it inside, track is shifted mostly to the right. As soon as i wear it "regular" track is straight on the street.

  • 0 over 4 years ago in reply to bg79at

    This is very interesting because confirm that there is a shift to the right wearing the watch inner wrist also for people that have not the shift wearing "normally". 

    The strange thing is why somebody have this kind of shift wearing normally and somebody else not. Different part of the globe? Where do you live? Which satellite do you use? 

    RISBAC, benvlab, majkim6 and you? Where do you live and which satellite combination are you using? 

  • 0 over 4 years ago in reply to bg79at

    With the watch in the usual position, you had clean tracks ? Going back and forth in a street with buildings around, both tracks were not separated ?

    We don't all use our arms the same way. It could depends mostly about the angle and distance with the body (which is interfering with the signal). When running in streets like I'm doing recently, my watch is very close to the body, all the time. I'm not running fast, so it's small moves. Maybe one inch from my body. Max 2. What about you guys? 

  • 0 over 4 years ago in reply to Simone.01

    I'm in eastern-mid France, GPS+GLONASS, few runs so far with inner wrist and they are noticeable better (left - outer position, right - inner one)

     

  • 0 over 4 years ago in reply to Simone.01

    Paris Area, gps+glonass, a few buildings around my usual loop during lockdown, but so many. 

  • 0 over 4 years ago in reply to Simone.01

    Austria, Upper Austria (near Linz), GPS+Glonass

  • 0 over 4 years ago in reply to RISBAC

    I did a new test today: 

    - watch on left wrist, on the outside, but upside down (meaning I read the screens upside down...)

    - everything else as usual

    Of course, it is not very comfortable... but I got the same results as wearing the watch in the inside of my left wrist. In that setup, this is the same part of the watch facing the sky (meaning Noon is facing the sky while running).

    I will try again with this setup, to see if the major point is having "Noon" facing sky or is having the watch closer to the body. Hope that my message is clear, not easy to describe !