Shift in GPS track depending on wrist

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.

Top Replies

philipshambrook over 4 years ago in reply to dallasrpi +7 suggested

What's wrong with this? https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/4692022516?fullscreen=true. Yes in places it's adrift much not by much considering there's a reasonable amount of tree cover there…
Simone.01 over 4 years ago in reply to Fursty_Ferret +4

Fursty_Ferret said:
Electronics do not work on magic

Algorithms sometimes can do something similar than magic. Look what is happening in photocameras into smartphones, for examples in Google Pixel device…
RISBAC over 4 years ago +4

Such negativity here... Why do you care if some people are curious about the influence of the angle of the watch ? Maybe it can't fix anything with the watch indeed, but then what? I find that positive…

All Replies

0 subra over 4 years ago in reply to phoglund_

phoglund_ said:
I thought you meant 12 o'clock up, but on inside.

Yes, the number 12 on the watch face points to the sky. Give it a try.

0 MiniEggS over 4 years ago in reply to subra

This shows it on the Fenix 3 https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Garmin+Fenix+3+GPS+Antenna+Replacement/113913

0 subra over 4 years ago in reply to Ceten

Ceten said:
I had read this was changed with the Fenix 6 and the whole bezel is now used as an antenna

Maybe possible, I don't know.

There are 2 options to detect this

1. open the watch and look where the antenna is mounted

2. make a running test with the watch inside at the wrist and the number 12 pointing to the sky and analyze the route

0 c0052350 over 4 years ago

I would also suggest one more test. Wear the watch on the outside of the wrist however wear it upside down with 12 o'clock facing up this then will eliminate any other variables like more shielding by the body etc that wearing on the inside introduce. This way it should be easier to identify id it's an antenna location issue or poor quality signal being bounced off objects.

0 Ceten over 4 years ago in reply to subra

Well, it looks that way in the photos from the links I posted but I certainly won't risk opening my own watch
Would be great if someone from Garmin could weigh in on these findings.
I think by now it's clear people get better results by wearing the watch on the right arm or inner wrist or upside down which does seem to indicate there is still better reception with the 12 pointing to the sky.
I don't think antenna position matters as much for cycling as I mount it to the handlebars with the whole screen having clear vision of the sky.

0 MiniEggS over 4 years ago in reply to Ceten

Surely the sky is behind you as well as in front of you .....

0 swtex15 over 4 years ago in reply to subra

Ceten said:
I had read this was changed with the Fenix 6 and the whole bezel is now used as an antenna:
http://www.f-blog.info/garmin-fenix-6x-pro-disassembly-or-teardown-whatever-you-say/

The teardown in this link that Ceten posted seems to indicate that they did away with a dedicated antenna as seen in the Fenix 3 teardown and instead have pins that connect the whole bezel as the antenna...which, if that's correct, would mean that orientation shouldn't matter (of course, you think I would have learned by now with this issue to use words like "might" or "might not" instead of "should" or "shouldn't").

0 subra over 4 years ago in reply to swtex15

Only Garmin knows the exact construction and function. I've only assumptions, as is usual in all fields of research.

swtex15 said:
instead of "should" or "shouldn't"

If you want this, you should to file a request to Garmin

0 benvlab over 4 years ago in reply to c0052350

You can llook at an earlier post (Sunday, I think), i did what you mention and arrived at the same result / conclusion.

0 agrarina over 4 years ago

EDIT: It seems I had good measurement on 8.78 in past workouts.Looks like recent problems are caused by something else. Please ignore my previous post (if you can see it)