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Garmin Forerunner 245 - GPS Accuracy 2020

Griff2000
over 4 years ago

Hi all, 

I’ve searched for similar topics but couldn’t find anything recent.  I bought a Garmin Forerunner 245 this week and have not been impressed by the GPS accuracy when viewed on a map.  Reading old forum posts from early 2019 a number of posters suggested that GPS accuracy issues might be to do with the move to a new chipset.  It’s now the end of March 2020 and I’m wondering if things have improved with the latest firmware?  Mine is up to date but I’m wondering how accurate I should really expect it to be?  I’ve added some photos from the Garmin Connect app where I view my activities.  I find that I’m off the road/path more than I’m actually on it!  I’d expect to be ‘off track’ a bit, but not the majority of the activity.  Or am I being too picky?  Should I not be zooming in this much?  Just trying to work out if this is the norm or if I have a defective unit and need to send back.

Thanks in advance.

  • 0 over 4 years ago

    That's quite normal and nothing to worry about. Check out reviews from DesFit, RizKnows and DcRainmaker  - they all give devices that lay down such tracks a really good review.

  • 0 over 4 years ago in reply to Sitronen

    Thanks Sitronen.  I actually read DCRainmaker a few times before buying.  Read his stuff a lot. He found the accuracy to be good and provided some screen shots.  However, he doesn’t zoom in as much so I couldn’t tell whether mine was similar or way out compared to the findings in his review!  

    Happy if it’s the norm but it will always nag at me that I have not done the full distance, or not actually earned a new PB, or whatever, if the tracking is not more accurate!  I have a Garmin Edge 500 bike computer which, although basic, seems to track a lot more closely and that’s when moving much faster than when I run (using the 245).  So maybe I’m just a bit spoilt from using that and expecting too much from a watch?

  • 0 over 4 years ago

    I find my GPS tracking for the most part to be spot on.  Sure it occasionally puts me on the opposite side of the road, or throws the odd wobble but 90-95% it shows me where i ran to the metre!

  • 0 over 4 years ago in reply to ChrisNewton35

    my last runs were better as before with GLONASS/Every second i have to say....

    on the other hand - is "intelligent" tracking enough, also to save a bit battery?

    Some say every second some say it isnt necessary? thank you

  • 0 over 4 years ago in reply to ChrisNewton35

    Thanks for the reply.  So when you view on a map do you see like I do in the photos above or is yours much more on the road?  I’d say mine are up to 3 or 4 metres off the road or path I’m running on!  Sometimes it tracks the whole road about a few metres off. I.e. it tracks the direction of the road perfectly but keeps a uniform few metres off it!  It’s not the end of the world if it’s off the side but it matters if it’s adding extra metres on or if I’m running shorter than I plan to!

  • 0 over 4 years ago in reply to Griff2000

    its normal, i have just put a post on now, mine does it every now and then, sometimes way off

  • 0 over 4 years ago

    That is completely normal for all satelite based positioning systems. Accuracy is within several meters in perfect conditions and can get worse depending on several circumstances. Here are some good info:  https://www.gps.gov/systems/gps/performance/accuracy/

    It's also worth noting that satelite positions change constantly and they are never the same during the day and not day by day and so on ...

    You might get good tracks one time and not so good tracks another time.

  • 0 over 4 years ago

    TL;DR, update to FW 4.40 and GPS FW 4.10 and things might improve by a lot!

    You are correct in thinking so, but you are also in luck.

    When I got my 245 a couple of months ago, I was too disappointed since it wasn't as accurate as my 2011 forerunner 910XT !

    I was getting similar results, but not quite as bad as yours, in streets with high buildings, but in open spaces it still wasn't as good as my 910XT.

    I tried GPS only, and then GPS+Glonass, without much difference. Then I read that GPS+Glonass improves the signal only if you're above the 40th North Parallel (most of North America and Central Europe+), and since I live below that, I activated GPS+Galileo.

    The results were better!

    BUT TODAY, firmware version 4.40 came out with GPS version 4.10 and I updated, and I'm happy to tell that after coming back from a short run (same route I usually do), I've seen massive improvement. Actually, it's so good, I was trying to see a point that it showed me off the track and I couldn't.

    So update. Update now!! Be sure to check that the GPS version got updated as well in settings->about>scroll 2-3 pages!

    Let me know if your signal improved with the update

    (sorry for the long post, so excited I get the same results as my 910XT now, even better!)

  • 0 over 4 years ago in reply to mariosx

    My GPS says 2.90 (!).. After update... I don't have pc to sync to garmin express, and that seems to be the only fix 

  • 0 over 4 years ago in reply to ChrisNewton35

    it happened to me as well... I had to connect to Garmin Express to update correctly. I guess you can either find a pc and install garmin express, or wait until they fix the OTA update for the GPS ....