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Instinct 1 to Fenix 6 Pro GPS seems like a downgrade

Bylo Selhi
over 2 years ago

I just took advantage of a sale on the Fenix 6 Pro to upgrade from an Instinct 1. In general I'm quite satisfied with all the new features and capabilities of the F6pro.

The GPS however seems to be a giant leap backwards. I'm not talking about accuracy, but rather the ability of the GPS to lock in. On the Instinct, once the GPS got a lock into the satellite network it would generally hold it rock solid for the duration of the activity.

With the F6pro, the GPS keeps dropping contact with the satellite network every few minutes. When this happens the GPS usually locks in again a few moments later. This is an issue for two reasons. First, the constant buzzing on my wrist every time it locks or drops is very annoying. Second and more important, the periods when the GPS isn't locked reduces the recorded distance by 10% to 20%.(There's potentially a third issue that battery drain may increase when a GPS is searching for satellites.)

This happens in all sorts of weather ranging from cloudy, overcast to bright, clear sunshine. As I said, this never happened with the Instinct. This seems odd since the F6pro supposedly has a newer GPS chip and supports more GPS satellites. I've tried all combinations of satellite networks, GPS, GPS+GLONASS, GPS+GALILEO. Same issue in all cases.

I'm a new F6pro user so maybe I'm missing something obvious. I've read posts about GPS accuracy issues. They seem to be firmware related. So maybe there's hope my issue can be addressed. I'd appreciate it if some F6pro veterans could comment on whether my experience with the GPS is normal for this model or if it's something that a firmware release broke or that a future release might fix. Thanks.

  • 0 over 2 years ago

    So F6 GPS is bad in general. However you seem to have even more issues mine onces locked in it stays lock in GPS never had problem with that and distance error is around 6-11% I would say so 20% seem big. Maybe you got some broken hardware. But anyways F6 because of metal case is ok only but not very good. 

  • 0 over 2 years ago

    Are you running? I had improved GPS results with twisting my F6x towards my body instead of outwards and also setting GPS recording to "every second" instead of "smart", which makes it take a GPS point more often. With biking, mounting my F6x on my bike, GPS seems a lot better.

  • 0 over 2 years ago

    As a 6X Pro owner for almost three years I would say that it is not at all normal to repeatedly lose GPS lock. On occasion it can be a little weak when first locked, but give it a minute or two, or five, and it should remain solid thereafter.

    An important thing to understand is that for good performance the watch needs to know where the satellites are. This needs either an up to date CPE.BIN file, usually updated each time the watch is connected and synced with Garmin Express, or a few minutes with a good view of the sky to download the data from satellites. It might actually take up to twenty minutes to complete this following a firmware update or more than a week without using GPS.

    Starting off "cold" with a feeble lock and then heading into forests, between skyscrapers or into a mountain valley is not the best way to secure good performance.

    I always try to leave the watch on GPS standby for a few minutes before actively using the GPS for my activity. If I'm driving somewhere I will open my activity screen while I'm driving so that the watch can start updating the satellite data while I drive. If I'm doing a Parkrun then I'll open the run activity a few minutes before the start time, with clear view of the horizon all round, again maximising the chance the watch has to fully update the satellite data.

  • 0 over 2 years ago

    Hi,

    Which system version ? 23.10 is the latest

    Which GPS version ?

    is your CPE "actual"

    https://support.garmin.com/en-IE/?faq=ZCFBNlxeiM3oipPmFoYfs7

    -

    Is your watch connected to a smartphone ? do you sync it with Garmin Connect before an activity ?

    Do you connect your device once a week to a computer with Garmin Express ?

    Or you can try to put your watch outside and start a "gps" activity and wait for 20mn for CPE update

    Do you select an activity some minutes before the real one to acquire GPS, when your are on your spot or near to it ?

    --> I'm doing all these 3 steps (GE weekly, GC manually&daily, GPS green arc before an activity) and never encounter GPS strange behaviour (i lie, 2-3 times big issue but 2 was Sony Chipset and CPE awful CPE management, 1 because of a Beta version)

    -

    I have this exact model F6Pro and  i'm very satisfied and use this product every week to follow course on the map directly on device since 3 years.

    GP+Galileo

    recording every seconds

    I do not check for instant pace, speed, so for me if it's not fully accurate it's not a problem, but i can't be lost in the forest or in unknown area thanks to my watch.

  • 0 over 2 years ago

    I have both instinct 1 and fenix 6s pro, I’ve race many race’s with both watches, both starting at the same time and both with the same setup and find the instinct distance and pace are slower than the fenix for some reason, when I’ve done a marathon for example distance running over the distance (because you can’t run the optimal line) the fenix would read 26.4 or something and the instinct 25.1 is really bizarre.

    It’s great watch but who knows I might have a dodgy unit or something. both have gps throughout the how run, walk, sup, hike etc. through I wait until both units pace is 00:00 after gps lock. 

    so do individual units have issues, yep, does this mean all have issues probably not, both units are up to date with the most recently software etc

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to socorsu

    Thanks for all the comments.

    F6pro is at version 23.10

    GPS is at v5.5 [so earlier Sony GPS chip]

    Yes I keep CPE data up to date

    The F6pro is connected to a smartphone. I usually carry the phone with me when out walking or hiking. I'm using outdooractive/alpenvereinaktiv apps to record these activities. They show distance as up to 20% more than what the F6pro/Connect report. Incidentally the altitude changes are more accurate than they were with the Instinct.

    F6pro connects to Connect but not necessarily before an activity

    F6pro connects to Express to recharge and check for updates, so every week or so

    I'll try your suggestions to start the GPS well before the activity to give it time to lock in. Interesting that I never had to do any of this stuff with the Instinct.

  • 0 over 2 years ago

    I've had my F6 Pro for ~2 years now and not once that I can recall has it lost a Satellite signal after it's locked on.

    I would suggest you have a faulty watch and should get Garmin to look at it and potentially replace it.