Bloody Garmin: Thats twice in the last few weeks... - Couch to 5K

Couch to 5K

132,414 members158,564 posts

Bloody Garmin

runner56 profile image
runner56Graduate
17 Replies

Thats twice in the last few weeks that it has failed to connect to the eye in the sky.

I did a warm up of around 10 mins waiting for a connection. Both times I have had to start off without it. Weirdly, it tended to connect at around the 2k mark.

Bloody annoying. Anyone else having problems?

Written by
runner56 profile image
runner56
Graduate
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
17 Replies
notbad profile image
notbadGraduate

Periodically mine can be doddery, sometimes 3km in, usually bad on overcast days and hopeless in fog, trees and tall building's are also a problem.

On Sunday 4 of us set off from the same spot all with the same Garmin fore-runner 10, 2 got a signal straight away, the other 2 of us had to wait a while longer as the bar shot up and down dithering away. No idea why! :-(

runner56 profile image
runner56Graduate in reply to notbad

I wonder if there is a set amount of connections the old satelitte can take :)

swanscot profile image
swanscotGraduate in reply to notbad

It's going to pick up a signal quicker if it's close to where it was used previously as it remembers the location. Whenever I travel somewhere to run, I stitch on my Garmin while I'm getting ready, then even if it powers down, when already to run it only takes a few seconds to reconnect.

notbad profile image
notbadGraduate in reply to swanscot

That's been true of mine sometimes, but Sunday's was a place I run from every Sunday and the worst reception is when I leave from home for some reason (after months of connecting instantly, it's like it's forgot).

Best connection for me is the athletics track and parkrun - almost instant, wonder if the fact lots of Garmins have connected from those places helps (they're also both very open spaces so it could be that).

When it's good it's very good but when it's bad it's awful. ;-)

runner56 profile image
runner56Graduate in reply to swanscot

During the week I generally do the same route so I'm not too sure abiut the location issue. Most of the time it connects within a minute of me starting the warm up walk, its just both these times that there has been an issue and on both occasions it has finally connected around 2 k into the run.

I guess we all have off days :)

Tomas profile image
TomasGraduate

Wow, I will remember to tell my Garmin that I love her. Fortunately never had to wait more than a couple of minutes, and I find that most of the time, she finds her signal within less than 30 seconds after walking out the front door. I must be lucky.

Sorry. I know that doesn't help you :)

runner56 profile image
runner56Graduate in reply to Tomas

Thats the thing, it normally connects really quickly.

It was so frustrating as I reckon I ran those first 2 kms in world record pace ;)

poppypug profile image
poppypugGraduate in reply to runner56

Aw we believe you , honestly really we do, no word of a lie , really we do :-) xxx

runner56 profile image
runner56Graduate in reply to poppypug

I am glad YOU believe me PP.

Others have questioned my honesty :o

poppypug profile image
poppypugGraduate in reply to runner56

Ha ha, How dare they ? Damn cheek :-D xxx

AncientMum profile image
AncientMumGraduate

Yeah, mine decided the run I did last Sunday was on December21st. It also didn't register the 2nd km, so I had 0,1,3,4km but, for some reason, no 2nd km- weird! Think it's in a strop with me because I keep leaving it behind. It has no concept of cause and effect!! ;)

IannodaTruffe profile image
IannodaTruffeMentor

This thread is some consolation to me as I stuck to my cheapskate credentials and bought the Aldi GPS watch, for £65 with HRM, which behaves itself for the most part, but every now and then is erratic, although I have never had to wait more than twenty seconds for a fix, normally get one in lees than 10 seconds. I had wondered about asking you posh Garmin folk if you ever had any problems with your watches, but expected you all to become defensive and say how faultless they were. So now I know.

Bazza1234 profile image
Bazza1234Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe

I have seen the Aldi watch here in Aus - think it goes for $99. When you say that it has GPS and HRM - what does it do with those things?. Can you read out the HR while you are running? Can you put the GPS data and HRM data into a PC to analyse your run afterwards?? Etc?? Interested because I use Runkeeper on my Android phone to look after GPS side of things ( and it sends the run results to the Runkeeper website ) plus an cheap Aldi HRM just to guide me re my heart rate as I run -- but would love to be able to tie the two things together.

IannodaTruffe profile image
IannodaTruffeMentor in reply to Bazza1234

Hi Bazza, the Aldi watch is exactly the same as the Runtastic watch runtastic.com/shop/en/runta... except that it has 16hr GPS battery life. You can download the manual from the page I have given you, which will let you see what it is capable of.

Apart from the occasional deviation from track and altitude the watch works well and is simple to use. Although you can set up 3x screens each with 3x lines of data, I find it annoying that I can't set current pace as the central data set. The central line is in bolder text and easier to read than the other two on each screen.

The software is basic, but adequate and is a necessary route to further export as .gpx, which can then be imported into Runkeeper, Endomondo, Strava etc.

The HRM is rock solid apart from a blip (probably poor contact) when it briefly displayed my HR as 185/m. I hope you can get hold of one.

Bazza1234 profile image
Bazza1234Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe

Thanks for that - will read the manual.

TurboTortoise profile image
TurboTortoiseGraduate in reply to IannodaTruffe

Hi Iannoda, I got the Aldi watch too. Connected to satellites fast etc but it consistently gave me deeply innacurate readings of my routes (25mph across the M9 and over Grangemouth refinery once, which was very amusing, if completely useless). I was getting better results from free Endomondo on my phone. So I took it back and coughed up for a Garmin Forerunner 220. Which has been brilliant... it even locked onto satellites in a particular tree covered park that neither the Aldi watch nor Endomondo could cope with. So I am happy, and feel the £175 price tag was worth it.

Thp42 profile image
Thp42Graduate

Mine is being a brat at the minute. Didn't connect at all today.

You may also like...

Progressed to Garmin

accepting my request connection and your kinds words, if anyone else would like to connect with me...

Garmin

Garmins

So...to garmin or not to garmin?

runs, I'm concerned battery life might become a problem as I improve as well. Dunno. Anybody want...

To Garmin or not too!!

I am now on Wk 8 (so running 28 mins) and I am looking at buying a Garmin GPS watch (I'm looking at...