Blaze Connected GPS Disconnects during exercise - Pls track instances here

[GarethDPhillips]

I thought it may be useful to have a simple topic to track instances of this problem (the buzz on your wrist during a run, you look down, and there is a little mobile icon with a red line through it).

You will find that after the run or exercise, that the GPS tracking died right at the moment you got the error on the Blaze screen. 

SO. Rather than discuss the problem, or possible work-around in this topic, can you perhaps just leave a reply to say "me too" and also list your mobile device?  

This issue may be more common on android, but I'm not sure. I know of at least one person experiencing this on an iPhone 7, but I have a friend with an iPhone 6 who has NEVER experienced this. 

So I'll go first..... I get this on every run, randomly. I use a Google Nexus 5x (android). VERY frustrated. 

[reallywhynot]

me too samsung galaxy s7 t-mobile

will say, sometimes the s7 seems to turn off location, if that happens no gps,

but for the most part the gps just disconnects

[The_Lion]

For me it helped to leave the app running in background. Otherwise I had these disconnections a few minutes after the start.

[GarethDPhillips]

.

[Rich_Laue]

Samsung Galaxy S5

If i have too many apps running in the background.

Have not swipped enough unused, but preloaded apps out of memory. I need enough free space.

Even the Fitbit app doesnt need to be running.

If i do the above, my GPS problems are solved.

BTW that red line througj the phone icon, means exactly what it implyes. Lost phone connection.

[MEM9558]

Yes! This happened to me yesterday with an iPhone 6. I didn't know that that was what the buzz early in my run meant but I was disappointed not to get my map

[JennaJ]

Same issue...Sprint LG G3 (android)

[GarethDPhillips]

"BTW that red line througj the phone icon, means exactly what it implyes. Lost phone connection"

Thanks, I agree that this signal will display if the link between the phone and the Blaze is lost (Bluetooth) but I dont think it is only displayed if the phone bluetooth connection is lost, as I can also make it display this symbol by putting my phone in a location where I know it will lose GPS fix. If I do this, the symbol appears after around 10 seconds. (I can monitor GPS fix status using an app at the same time)

I think the symbol actually tells us that connected GPS has been lost, but I think this can be either caused by a loss of Bluetooth connection to the phone (i.e. the GPS data stops arriving) or a loss of phone GPS lock / quality.

I have gone round in circles convincing myself this was one or the other of these two conditions, but I am currently of the opinion that there is a loss of Bluetooth connectivity, or that Bluetooth LE connection momentarily lags or gets disrupted, and that is what causes the icon to appear for me. I dont now believe that it is GPS signal strength, as when tracking the run in another app on the phone, the run is mapped with 100% accuracy, as others have witnessed.

So either the bluetooth is struggling momentarily, or for some other reason the Blaze is unable to access the phones GPS service for a moment?

I was unsure exactly how this "connected GPS" was implemented. I initially assumed that when you start the run from the blaze, it is actually the app that is tracking the run, on the phone. I now dont believe this to be the case, I think the Blaze is tracking the run locally, and is literally doing so as if it had its own GPS (obviously gaining "GPS capability" by using the phones GPS). This is presumably why the data stream coming from the phone GPS service to the blaze over the Bluetooth LE is so critical.

[Arifyusof]

No issues in Xiaomi note 3 Qualcomm used for a few months. So far 2/2 issues on Samsung j7 last 2 days.

[Rich_Laue]

On my samsung S5 no isues as long as only few background apps are running and have plenty of free memory.  It seems the app needs more memory than it reports to the OS 

[Colinm39]

Not me... Sony Xperia XP Android V7 App 2.44.1

But, I don't run.... As mentioned earlier... Maybe it's that motion...

[The_Lion]

As I mentioned it works for me when I open the app, sync and leave it open. Although it is in background because I use another sports app (and a BT headset). Then I never lost connection. But obviously there are a lot of problems with BTLE. My chest strap often lost connection after a few minutes until the developer of my sports app changed something.

[GarethDPhillips]

So I think the conclusion of all of the conversation and testing done by a number of us is as follows (its worth saying Fitbit never once offered any useful assistance in relation to this issue)

The Blaze uses Bluetooth LE to communicate with the phone, so anything you can do to keep Bluetooth interference to a minimum is good. Turn off WiFi for starters, if possible. 

Primarily though, if you are running with your watch on one side of your body, and your phone on the opposite site (i.e. in an arm band) you may find that when  you begin running, this action of opposing arm movements interrupts this low power Bluetooth connection as it passes through your body. This seems odd as the two devices are very close, but it has been proven to be the case. Try wearing your Blaze on the same side of your body as your phone when running and you will likely have reliable connected GPS sessions. 

It seems ridiculous that it can be so easily upset by simply having the devices on opposite sides of the body, but if this fits your usage pattern , and you are seeing unreliable GPS tracking, try this, it may well resolve your problems. 

[Twinkerchen]

I have the same problem. 

IPhone 6 on iOS 10.3.1

sine blaze firmware upgrade the other week I lost connection 4 out of 5 workouts (running) today I had no track recorded afterwards, just random point connected by a straight line. And it stopped recording exercise twice last week half way. Once after 6k and the other time after 8k. Half the track is available in app after sync until the km where it stopped... pretty annoying!!!!!!!

[jstowe]

I am experiencing this as well on a Samsung Galaxy S5. The first two times I tracked a ride I was using another sport tracking app. One of those times I lost data on my Blaze. I thought it may have been the other app causing interference. On a 20 mile ride yesterday I only tracked it from the blaze using connected GPS with my phone. It lost connection multiple times during the ride and I ended up at 6.91 miles of data. I wear my watch and phone on the same side of my body. I will try closing other apps and checking storage space to see if that has an impact.

[Veestiger1]

Me too. So frustrating! 

[Kateskate80]

Me too. iPhone 6s

[AlejandraFitbit]

Hello all, I hope you are doing fine. 

If you are experiencing issues with the GPS connected feature, I recommend taking a look at the My Blaze GPS is not working post.

I hope this helps, see you around.

[mathijssegers]

Me too:

Charge 2 /w Google Moto G First gen and Google Moto G5 +

My new phone  was gone for repairs that's why I used the old Moto G first. But lately I've been having lots of disconnects. First I thought my phone was crashing (the old one can't handle much drain but CPU and memory on the G5+ are far from being abused for just sending GPS over bluetooth).

This is really annoying when you arrive at your destination and you see the strikethrough mobile phone icon.

[mathijssegers]

@AlejandraFitbit

This is of no help, this is only relevant if you cannot get a connection in the beginning. Every person in this topic mentioned that it loses connection during an exercise the exact moment you don't want to be bothered with rebooting your device.