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GPS of Swim 2

As the Swim 2 has problems with correct GPS positioning if swimming with hands mostly below water surface, I want to recommend to offer an external GPS antenna. This could be fit on or under the swim hood. The recommendation in the manual to fit the watch on the hood, is not a good solution as I could not use the other information during swimming. Do you have something like this in preparation or offer it already? 

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  • Do you know ANY Garmin device what can use external GPS antenna?

    Not in the fitness realm, but yes, garmin does provide both wired and wireless GPS antennae for some of their devices, so the technology…

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  • If the hands are underwater (e.g. *** stroke) you won't likely ever get a signal. It is normally fine for freestyle as long as you get a good GPS fix before starting and keeping the watch above water if you pause while in the water. If you are doing *** stroke you could attach the watch to a swim buoy. The GPS will be very accurate but you won't have stroke information.

  • Hello Andy275,

    I know all this. And it may be a workaround in some cases. But even with a freestyle stroke the GPS is very often not working correctly, especially if there are 2 to 3 meters distance between individual strokes.

    But an important reason why I bought the Swim 2 watch was that I have all information at hand during the swim. That is why I asked for an external GPS system constantly connected with the watch.

    I just want to repeat my initial question: Do you have something like this in preparation or offer it already? 

  • Do you know ANY Garmin device what can use external GPS antenna?. If yes, then the original problem is still valid but not with GPS but ANT+ or bluetooth signal. The signal simply disappears in the water, and you can not transfer it to the watch.

  • Do you know ANY Garmin device what can use external GPS antenna?

    Not in the fitness realm, but yes, garmin does provide both wired and wireless GPS antennae for some of their devices, so the technology is there.

    The signal simply disappears in the water, and you can not transfer it to the watch.

    One could go around that the same way as with external HR sensors for swimming.

    That said, I am aware of the additional challenges with external wireless GPS transmitters, so given that the market for it would be minuscule (especially with an unavoidably high price tag), I do not think we will see any solution in the forseeable future. It would be almost simpler just to buy another watch just to put it under your swimming cap, and then just merge somehow stroke data from the wristworn watch with the activity recorded by the swimming cap watch.

  • I like tmk2's suggestion of 2 watches. Alternatively, if you swim a straight line and lose GPS along the way, you can stop before turning and it will interpolate the distance. I sometimes lose a signal when I swim too close to a cliff and the measured distance ends up pretty much the same. Or you can swim a known course and use Google maps to determine distance. None are optimal but at least there are work-a-rounds.