Blaze loses connected GPS connection time and again

[Aredhel]

Got my Blaze yesterday and have since embarked on 2 short runs (3.3km each) - and was majorly disappointed at how the Blaze performed. It takes ages for the Blaze to establish a connection with my Z3 and when it's connected I get 1 out of 4 bars signal strength - at a distance of maybe 30cm. While running the Blaze then loses that connection and makes up some bogus distance, 2.6km instead of 3.3km, resulting in a 6'19'' average vs. the actual 4'30'' as measured on my Microsoft Band 2. This is an absolute showstopper, I had to actually delete those runs from the fitbit app because connected web sites (e.g. runtastic) actually take those numbers at face value.

I can't even add those runs (as recorded by the Band 2) in the fitbit app afterwards, yet another bummer. I had hoped that fitbit wouldn't release connected GPS without being absolutely sure that this feature works just as well as with the Surge, albeit requiring me to carry a mobile phone at the same time. Alas, my first impressions seem to indicate just that. I no longer trust this thing and will from now on always wear the Band 2 as backup and eventually return the Blaze (and leave the fitbit ecosystem) if there isn't an easy fix.

Major disappointment for a $200 device.

[bbarrera]

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@Julia_G wrote:

I discovered (far as I know no one has confirmed this, but it is definitely true) that you cannot initiate Connected GPS unless you have internet.  That seems weird, because it is a Blue Tooth connection, but it is definitely true.  No internet, no initial connection. 

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Yes, this was confirmed in the first post of this thread:

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Blaze/Connected-GPS-Information-Post/td-p/1196261

and perhaps further in that thread, after your question (post #2), or another thread. There have been other members of the community that confirmed the "C-GPS must connect to Internet at beginning" requirement (and IIRC some confirmed by switching to airplane mode).

This is a Fitbit limitation, for some reason Fitbit insists on connecting to the servers *at the beginning* of a Connected GPS (C-GPS) workout. We can speculate as to why, but the simple fact remains that C-GPS insists on telling the Fitbit servers that a workout using C-GPS is starting. This isn't required with other GPS apps that I use, e.g. with RideWithGPS I download map/route, switch to airplane mode, start recording, get turn-by-turn instructions, finish an 8 hour bike adventure in the mountains where there is no cellular signal, and still have 80-90% battery at end of ride. Its also not required with my Apple Watch, I can turn on airplane mode, enable Bluetooth, go for a walk, and it records my walk. If I look at the route before turning on my Internet connection, I'll see my route without the map, turn on the Internet connection and the route appears on a map.

I was told by Fitbit moderator in some thread from last summer that momentary loss of Bluetooth between phone and Blaze will impact the mileage reported (less miles). There are plenty of threads with evidence to support that this, including the first post in this thread. Some have resorted to testing Blaze C-GPS against the Fitbit app's MobileRun feature (which also uses phone GPS), and MobileRun reports the correct distance. So its clearly an issue with momentary loss of Bluetooth connection between the phone and Blaze. These are complex radios subject to manufacturing variations, so swapping phones or Blaze trackers may fix the problem.

The Bluetooth consortium always seems to be saying "next year it will work great" and then they deliver another update to the standard and it breaks things. Frankly I'm not sure if BT will ever be ready. Thankfully all the sensors on my bike (4 total - HR, speed, power/cadence, rearview radar) use ANT+ instead of Bluetooth and its been absolutely rock-solid for data collection by my bike computer. A few support both ANT+ and Bluetooth, but given the choice I'll always use ANT+ as it just works.

FWIW I said this when Blaze launched - Fitbit should have built upon the Fitbit app's MobileRun for GPS collection and correction, and then send pace/speed/distance updates to Blaze over the "not completely reliable" Bluetooth connection. With that approach, if there was a momentary BT loss, your Blaze may not display the correct pace/speed/distance, but after the run you could review accurate data. And why not? The phone processor is far more powerful and just like other running apps that would allow Fitbit to easily fix the GPS track if the phone throws it a few crazy GPS datapoints that are obviously off by 50 or 100 feet or more. And because iOS and Android don't guarantee you will get GPS data *exactly* when you want it, the app can 'fill in the blanks' if a periodic update or two goes missing. 

Good luck!

[Julia_G]

Hi, @GarethDPhillips, yes, you definitely, absolutely have to have internet (cellular or wifi) to establish the initial BT connection between Blaze and phone (this is also true of Charge 2 btw if anyone asks).  It doesn't work AT ALL otherwise, total non starter, end of story,

My current theory is that any later hiccup, while you are connected, which causes your phone to search for connection, will kill the connected GPS.  

My theoretical solution is to make the connection when you have internet and then once connected to your Blaze, TURN OFF cellular data and wifi  (but don't turn off Bluetooth)!

I will be interested to know if this works.  I have been mostly successful, but as I have said, it may be a coincidence and voodoo -- as in I can only connect if I touch my left foot 3 times at the heel and once at the toe, or some other such nonsense,...

But I will be interested to see if it might work for others having problems similar to mine...

[GarethDPhillips]

I will certainly try this out and let you know!  

Out of interest, do you find that using bluetooth headphones has any impact?

It does beg the question, how / why on earth did this ever get to market?!!

and if by some miracle this action provides a useable workaround, whilst I will be grateful to you for your help, its hardly a satisfactory workaround at all! If we shut down all services that make our phone a phone, then why have the thing with us at all? !  

Though any workaround would be better than the workaround suggested by Fitibt;  i.e absolutely nothing 

[Julia_G]

@bbarrera, actually this has NEVER been confirmed.  From experience I know that 

1. You need internet (wifi or cellular) to make the initial connection

2. You do not need internet to track connected GPS once you are connected.  

And in fact, my suspicion is that attempting to connect to inconsistent internet signal actually may be the cause of failing BT connection between phone and Blaze.

You will note in the post you have linked to that I specifically asked the Moderator the question of whether internet was required and his answer was "the jury is out" (first question in the post). There has been no further confirmation.

[bbarrera]

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@Julia_G wrote:

@bbarrera, actually this has NEVER been confirmed.  From experience I know that 

1. You need internet (wifi or cellular) to make the initial connection

2. You do not need internet to track connected GPS once you are connected.   

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Yes, that experience has been shared by more than a handful of users. I agree with you that Fitbit has never confirmed, but that isn't unusual.

[bbarrera]

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@Julia_G wrote:

My theoretical solution is to make the connection when you have internet and then once connected to your Blaze, TURN OFF cellular data and wifi  (but don't turn off Bluetooth)!

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WiFi and Bluetooth share the same radio, and therefore turning off WiFi *may* reduce interference and provide a more reliable Bluetooth connection. This is particularly true when there is a lot of data being exchanged, e.g. GPS to the Blaze, or streaming audio to a pair of Bluetooth headsets. For this reason Fitbit recommends turning off WiFi on your phone will using Connected GPS. So if you have a Connected GPS issue, that is the first thing to try when attempting to improve reliability of Blaze/phone connection.

[GarethDPhillips]

Could anybody with this issue an a "me too" comment to the pinned post at the top of this forum, just to make sure all instance are tracked?  May be futile, but it seems like it may help to have a combined list of people, and mobile device.

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Blaze/Blaze-Connected-GPS-Disconnects-during-exercise-Pls-track-inst...

[mvan231]

That is correct. I tried that and still had some issue. But when I did it
while walking it worked perfect. But running, it still disconnected.

But you are right about the syncing portion needing internet connection to
log the info to your account. I tried airplane mode after my device had
already been connected and on all day then tried airplane mode with just
Bluetooth on for connected GPS and had the results above. While on my walk
i went out about a mile and a half and stopped. Then stopped the activity
and turned airplane mode back off (radio on) and then started another run.
This was mobile radio on, Bluetooth on, wifi on. I had no issues with
either walk. But like I said, when trying the similar thing with running...
it disconnects. My battery was at 3% when I ran with airplane mode and it
lasted a full 5k surprisingly. But still lost connection. And I was not in
low power mode either.

[mvan231]

I have confirmed on my iPhone 7 that I can initiate connected GPS without
an internet connect as I was in airplane mode with Bluetooth on. Reason for
this is that the GPS chip can still determine location for things like time
zone changes and what not.

[mvan231]

I agree 100%. But I'm at wits end with Fitbit on this issue and after I
return home from vacation and try my regular run route I will make my
decision as I have tried full restore of my phone and a new blaze. But the
new blaze didn't make a difference before but we will see. Likely will
trade this back to them for refund of a different smart / fitness gps
watch.

[GarethDPhillips]

I feel your pain!  The only fitibt choice at present is surge. They are certainly available at every lowering prices (less than the Blaze in many places) but its not a great option, as its an older device. Still, it would keep you in the fitbit ecosystem if that is what you want. But Otherwise, if that is not important, the tomtom runner or Garmin forerunner 335 look a good option. 

Im going to get a used Surge to save a few £££, and just wear that for runs. Its a shame, as I shouldnt have to as I bought my Blaze to be my ONLY device, but this is the only way I can get reliable results, whilst staying on the fitbit platform. I dont think I could live with the surge as an all day every day device. 

[Julia_G]

@mvan231, I wasn't referring to syncing.  Obviously that requires internet.  I use an android phone and it absolutely will not connect to the phone to initiate a GPS link without internet, even though that is a Bluetooth link.  I appreciate your experience may be different, but that I have tested this multiple times in the year I have owned the Blaze and I cannot use the Connected GPS unless I have internet on when I initiate the connection.

[GarethDPhillips]

@Julia_G yes i have the same on my android, if there is no internet connection, the Blaze will not connect to the app at all, and therefore connected GPS will not work. 

The only caveat to this is that if the two have been connected recently (Not certain how recently) I am able to still start a connected GPS session even with no data connection, I dont always have to have a connection in the app (green connected status) to start a run. 

If the phone has just booted, or the app hasnt been opened in a while, or the app was force closed, then I will never be able to connect the blaze to the app, or use the Blaze to start a GPS run , unless I have data. 

[GarethDPhillips]

Ok so enabled flight mode tonight, but allowed bluetooth and WiFi to be on. I went to the start run screen and observed full GPS signal. I then turned off WiFi, so there was no radio left but Bluetooth. I had no other bluetooth devices connected. I got my running shoes on , and walked out the front door and up the street, to the main road where I start my run. When I got to the road, the Blaze had already disconnected. I hadnt started the run yet, it was just on the "ready" screen with the signal graph. I got my phone out of my armband, and turned flight mode off, to enable me to start the run again. I left WiFi off, but had mobile data on for the run. I set off, and around 3km in the blaze lost its connetion to the phone. It re-established it again within a minute or two, and was OK for another 1km (aprox) when it lost it again for another minute or two. Again it connected for another 0.5 - 1km, then it dropped and never re-connected. I ended up running around 11km, but it was manly tracked using steps as the GPS was largely unavailable. 

I;m so gutted by this whole experience. I really want this to work, but it is totally useless. This is the last time I am going to track the run with the Blaze as its devastating to get back from a run knowing that its not been tracked. I feel angry with Fitbit, as they obviously know about this problem. Even the moderators in this forum leave the stock links for people to look at the connected GPS topics, which dont even begin to address the underlying issue, which is that this connected GPS just just not work. 

People who are finding this forum need to be getting their money back, as sadly, unless Fitbit make a clear statement to the contrary, it appears this issue isnt getting fixed, as there is no admission that it exists. 

I;m buying an ugly, outdated SUrge tomorrow, as even though the Blaze would be perfect for me if it worked, the surge will be reliable for my run tracking, as it will eliminate this connected GPS nonsense. 

if anybody at Fitbit feels like contacting me, please feel free. I would very much like to help you to help me / us,  but you dont seem to be interested in understanding this issue, or resolving it. i say this as tech support are not briefed with collecting any meaningful data, they just want to swap units. They all behave the same!  I guess you are counting on people not taking the blaze seriously as a running watch, and therefor counting on the Blaze not really being heavily used in this way. 

as you can sense, I'm incredibly frustrated. Ive invested in Blaze, and have bought spare straps for the watch. I dont want two trackers, Blaze was the perfect one size fits all solution, I thought, but if you are interested in connected GPS, its likely to be a total nightmare for you. Though I acknowledge that it seemingly works for some. 

[The_Lion]

As I mentioned in another thread, open the Fitbit app, sync and then leave it open. In my case it helped to keep the connection. Although I used another sports app for tracking my runs. And I had a BT headset connected for audio cues from that sports app and music from Samsung player.

[Colinm39]

@The_LionWhen you say leave the App open..... All I do is sync and go to home page on the Android so I presume that is "open".. I have never had any issues, but I don't run.. just a consistent pace at above exercise pace.

The only issues I get is with increased distance and pace distance in the East/West route of my walk that the Charge HR 2 Forum are posting. The header and the map plotted distance  always show correctly on Exercise setting walk and run.. Splits are all there.  There is no loss of distance as others are reporting between the logged map and the view header.

My efforts don't help the majority in the Forum and all it can do is point that I'm one of the lucky ones.. To add to that, all I can say I had issues on Android 4 and 5 on my earlier phone and none on Android 7 on the new phone since October 2016

[Rich_Laue]

@GarethDPhillips i in not sure what phone you have, but if you're on an check out my post on squiggly lines. I find the same tips help with the connected GPS 

[Colinm39]

@Rich_Laue  For what it is worth..... Here is an interesting help article from the Polar website about my H7.. if you have connection issues.

Edited and added:.... I wear the Blaze on the LH wrist and the phone in my RH side pocket while walking. No issues, the same with the Polar Beat.

"Is the receiving device positioned directly ?"

"Keep the receiving device in front of you to ensure sufficient transmission range. A good place e.g. for a mobile phone is in a front pocket or handlebar.

2.4 GHz radio frequency signal, which Bluetooth Smart uses, does not pass through human body, e.g. your arm."

[GarethDPhillips]

Nexus 5x.

[GarethDPhillips]

Nexus 5x

None of that info is relevant as I've eliminated / tried every step mentioned