Why did it take so long to get a GPS Lock on my Band?

[YKinase]

GPS Lock

Went for a run yesterday with GPS. It took 13 minutes to get a GPS lock. It was a clear, cloudless day in New England. After my run, I grabbed my Band 1 and started it for a run with GPS. Locked in about 30 seconds.

Has anyone else had difficulties getting their Band 2 GPS lock?

 

[ScottyKnox]

Re: GPS Lock

My first lock took a few minutes, but in the next 2 runs I did, it locked on within 15-20 seconds.

 

[DroidUser42]

Read most any GPS forum and you'll see the same question raised. Unless you're standing out on a open prairie with no buildings nearby, you won't have a complete unobstructed view of the sky. More then likely there will be some building, some hill, that is hiding one of the 3 GPS satellites you need to get a lock. Some cities with their concrete canyons are nearly impossible to get a lock.

And some days are just bad "GPS days" as the satellites that are visible happen to be in a straight line that isn't useful for positioning.

The satellites are not geosynchronous, so they're always moving. And since you can't see them, it's nearly impossible to compare results unless you have a second GPS receiver next to you. What seems same to you (same time, same place, different day) is a totally different constellation.

 

[EMitchell]

The first time I tried locking my band 1, it took about 15 minutes. After that, it was about 30-45 seconds. Also, I found if I followed the screen advice and hit the activity button before the GPS locked, it took a lot longer than if I just waited for the GPS to lock.

 

[Nate Silver]

I made the mistake once with Band 1 of going ahead and starting a cycling activity before getting a lock. 20 mile ride, and it never did lock. Haven't been out with the Band 2 yet, but I expect the first lock will take approximately forever, and subsequent ones will be a lot less, but never as fast as my Garmin watch. I use the time to futz around with bike computer, gloves, helmet etc. until it locks. Its a pretty small package to cram a decent gps antenna into, so I'm pretty happy that it eventually does get a lock, and seldom loses signal once its on it.

Edit to add: went out on the deck to try gps lock. Got it (first lock) in less than 45 seconds! Drizzly overcast too, pretty good.

 

[anon(8555314)]

I've used the Band 2 for four GPS bike rides and got a lock every time within 30 seconds. I don't know if this helps, but I usually open the bike or run tile and turn on GPS tracking 20 min or so before I'm going to start the activity. Like Nate, I'll hit the start button a minute or so before I'm really ready and finish my prep while waiting for a lock. On the two or three times I started an activity before getting a lock on Band 1, it took 5-15 min, far longer than waiting at the start.

 

[driedl]

I read on the Microsoft website that you'll get a lock faster if you sync with your phone before you enable GPS. Not sure what the secret sauce is there but I did get a faster first GPS fix with B2 than I was getting after many uses with B1.

 

[EMitchell]

As others have posted, my first use of GPS with B2 was a lot quicker than the first GPS use of B1, only took about 30 seconds to lock. But I didn't hit the activity button before locking - fell for that with B1 once, and it took forever to lock.

 

[DroidUser42]

I read on the Microsoft website that you'll get a lock faster if you sync with your phone before you enable GPS. Not sure what the secret sauce is there but I did get a faster first GPS fix with B2 than I was getting after many uses with B1.

It changes the GPS to A-GPS.

 

[Snapperlicious]

Re: GPS Lock

I was playing golf today and i originally got an inaccurate reading and then couldn't get another after several attempts. Another player stood next to me with his device (not sure what brand/model) and had a reading immediately. His also displayed a reading much faster than my band, and it appeared accurate looking at the yardage marker ~8 yards away. It sure would be nice to get that level of performance from my band. It was at a pretty open spot on the course too on a clear day.

 

[DroidUser42]

In addition to satellite constellation, there's issues about how recent the downloaded orbital data, an accurate time and approximate location. A GPS unit doing a "warm start" will lock on much faster then one having to do a "cold start".

 

[11B1P]

I read on the Microsoft website that you'll get a lock faster if you sync with your phone before you enable GPS.

Yep, your first initial GPS lock will always take longer. In addition, if you haven't synced your phone and health app recently, it will take longer for the GPS to lock. I have seen this with my wife's iphone 5c. I sync my Icon and health app daily and my GPS locks within a minute, sometimes a bit longer. I just walk around a bit before I take off.