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945 appears to have lost GPS 32 metres into Open Water Swim

Hi guys

Another potential issue here.

I used my 945 for the first time in a lake swim, and after swimming for 1h 7 m and what should have been a 3100 metre swim only recorded as 32 m on the watch.

On checking on Garmin Connect this morning, it only recorded the first 32 metres of the swim and then seems to have lost GPS.

I have recorded stroke rate however through the swim and of course, pressed the lap button on each lap. So the watch was still actively recording the swim, just not the distance.

I am swimming again on Saturday or Sunday, so i will update further if this issue continues.

If it does, I will log it with Garmin.

Regards

James

  • Firmware 2.50 , yesterday my first OWS. Just one word, perfect!

    I turn on GPS before dressing my wetsuit... I start swim 3/4 minutes later... best gps trace ever had. GPS+Galileo (I live in Europe...), auto lap @250m, one second recording. 

  • I did two swims with 2.50 software and neither performed.  First swim, around a pier, recorded 498 yards and showed me cutting through the pier half-way, when I swam around it and my 920XT on the other wrist recorded 981 yards.  Second swim only recorded 51 yards, while the 920 (on a buoy) recorded 1988 yards.  For both swims I "soaked" the GPS for about 20 minutes before hand.  On land, however, the tracks are comparable and measure equal distance.  Hoping that the next update will do the trick or else I may just return for refund and stick with the 920 until things are worked out.

  • I have no doubt this will get resolved. Both the 920 and the 935 had issues with OW swim when they first came out - and later again for the 935 when the GPS was significantly changed. As disruptive as this may sound, one temporary solution for the 945 is to swim for a 100m or so and check the distance. If it's good it usually stays good for the rest of the swim. If it isn’t keep the watch clear of the water until the distance stops increasing (I've got an extremely fast 200m Strava segment as a result of this) then carry on swimming. I've found the swim is generally recorded. However, every time I stop at a turn buoy I checked the distance just in case.

    No it is not ideal. But it will get worked out. I think the problem is just a little more difficult than Garmin hoped.

  • Garmin released GPS Beta, see post from DCrainmaker:

    twitter.com/.../1139094489723801600

  • HI James.  Same issue here, just got the 945 last week and have done 2 OW swims with it, so far both failed.  It stopped tracking around 33 yards (sorry, USA here) then starts tracking again about 15 minutes into the swim.  I was just on-line looking for a solution and I saw these posts.  I was going to look for updates but of course, the Garmin servers are down for maintenance.  I'll keep checking here for a solution, thank you for making me feel not-so-alone.  KAT

  • That is great news as it is now happening on every swim that I do. Not a massive pain, but this should just work as it has previously on the 935.

  • All well and good, but every time you have to return a watch, it costs you a fair bit in insured postage and you are a week or two without a watch. So not ideal for me.

  • With the beta GPS firmware... GPS+Galileo and Swimrun from yesterday:

    https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/3763939343/10

    First swims ok, then no data. That one swim was "quick" as I didn't remember that I already switched the sport.

    Based on this, I would say that how long you have had the GPS lock doesn't much help.

  • I have had the same problem this morning. first time to use the devise and it recorded 39 meters in a approx 5.2Km swim. not good enough

  • I have done 5 swims with the 945 and 2 just recorded about the first 100m of total 1000m and the other 3 missed about 200-300m in the beginning. 

    Last one done with the 2.42 beta, but still missed several hundted meters in the beginning. Track shows correct starting point thou. And I saw the first few meters regestering on the watch. But after 350m I only got 100m. From there on the recording was ok.

    Of my 5 swims the first 3 was done as withe the old 920xt (rest in peace on the river bottom) just making sure GPS is fixed and dive in.Last 2,after reading about these known problems i "soaked" The GPS for 10-15min.

    By the way. 945 is way slower to get a a GPS fix then the 920xt. In all activity modes. With the 920 I hade fix before I had left the apartment. With the 945 I'm waiting at least 30s-1min on the sidewalk outside before a fix.