Poor GPS Tracking

Among the many posts about this update, this one seems to have the most different experiences reported... so I'll add mine.

On my non-music FR255 with 16.17 (GPS 5.00) I don't notice a difference in accuracy. I don't really study the map results, but the total distance for a known course seems to be consistent before and after the update. It seems less than +/- 1% variation using the "All Systems" option.

But I do also feel like it is harder to get the initial lock. Lately, I trigger it to start looking before I step outside and close the door, then get out in the open and stand like a statue with my arm raised to the south-west and see the red arc not really change until it finally blinks to a green arc and vibrates.

It may have last been on a 13.x firmware that I feel like it worked better. It would often be showing a partial green arc or even get the full lock and vibrate before I raised my arm to check and start the activity.

6125703

How long does it take for the screen to say "Ready"? Does syncing with your Connect app before starting an activity speed up the process? 

Out of curiosity, does power cycling the device make a difference either?

I haven't timed it, but I want to say I might have to hold still for 30 seconds (which feels ridiculously long standing there like a statue). And this is after it's been in the satellite seeking mode for a minute or two while I was getting ready to go. I also think but cannot prove that it will take longer if I don't hold the watch very still.

I don't have it connected to my phone normally. The phone connection on the watch is disabled and bluetooth on the phone is also disabled. But the ephemeris is showing as "current".  If it shows "missing", then it takes even longer to get a lock, and I would turn on the phone connection long enough for it to go back to showing "current", but usually at home and not at the start of an activity.

I haven't seen any difference with power cycling. I get good battery life (around 10-14 days) and enable the phone connection during a charge and then restart the watch once at the very end before taking it off the charger.

Edit to add: earlier in the year, it would usually find itself while I was going outside, so I would either have a lock already or get it in just a few seconds when I looked at the screen and waited to actually start the activity.

Today I had problems again.

I started my run, 100% gps without any delay
After 2k of running, gps dropped. 2k before gps was backup.
If done this route quite often in the past without any problems

I had occasional problems in the past. But droprate has significant increased since the last version.

Come on Garmin, this is your core-business 

6125703, 

I sent you a DM for clarification.

Can you respond to my question in this thread please ?

forums.garmin.com/.../acute-load-definition-doesn-t-match-exercise-loads