GPS Accuracy Issues

Ray Maker on DC Rainmaker:

Over the past 7 days there’s been a slew of folks with certain GPS watches seeing accuracy issues, whereby the GPS track is offset from reality (usually in a specific direction). This often results in GPS tracks where the visual pattern might be correct, but it’s not in the correct location. Meaning, it’s as if someone shifted your route slightly to the side, ultimately letting you walk on water, or run through buildings. Alternatively, it just might have weird gaps, or be outright dumpster-fire wrong.

I’ve had some issues with tracking, erratic lines and complete jumps several blocks over from where I actually ran. If you ask my friend, he just tells me to buy a COROS and dump my old Suunto. But I still have hope that even though my watch is aging, the issues are GPS data related and not the problem of the watch itself.

The issue has to do with the ephemeris data file, also called the EPO file (Extended Prediction Orbit) or Connected Predictive Ephemeris (CPE). Or simply the satellite pre-cache file.

If you had a issue with GPS tracking accuracy with your watch there seems to be an easy fix:

The good news is the fix is simple: Just sync your watch to get an updated copy.

Alright then.