Does the GPS Work if I Don't Start an Exercise?

[Arminsafarians]

I have had a fitbit for years but just recently purchase an Ionic. my steps and miles are way off from another app I use on my phone. I have read a lot of the posts and understand that the stride length can be adjusted to make the steps a bit more accurate but the miles are way off as well.

now I know that the unit has a GPS and I can start it with an exercise type but does the GPS work normally when I wear the unit but do not initiate a workout routine?

I almost off by a mile this morning and really want to figure this out.

any help would be appreciated.

Moderator Edit: Updated Subject for Clarity

[Rich_Laue]

No the GPS is not normally activated.

I haven't tried, but I've read that on an auto detected run, the GPS is activated, however I can't imagine the start being close. 

So yes setting the stride will help. you say it is off but no mention of how much off.

[Arminsafarians]

well, here is the results from this morning.
I ran my Armor app and my fitbit data.

the steps are not accurate on their own and the mileage is off too. the
armor data was just for my walk this morning. the fitbit data has a few
more steps after I got home and the Miles are still less than just the walk
this morning.

also I lowered my stride length and it did not help. I generally, high
level assume around 2k steps per mile.

Armor
[image: image.png]

Fitbit

[image: image.png]

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[Ozzie65]

Hi @Arminsafarians - Your images aren't appearing for some reason, but I'm curious how you know the Armor app is more accurate than the Fitbit?

[Arminsafarians]

well I have more information today.

I thought Armor was more accurate because the steps/distance=steps/mile
that are much closer to what they should be where the fitbit was showing
steps much lower. also the Armon uses my phones GPS so the distance is
correct where my fitbits distance was not (I think Fitbit measures the
distance based on the steps and stide lenght so if the steps were off, the
miles would be too. this was the last 3 days.

this morning my distance is much closer which is odd, the only change I
made yesterday is I put the stride length back to automatic. So I plan to
continue to test.

here is what is really odd. after my morning walk, my steps are something
like 1700 per mile super low, but by the end of the day, calculations put
my steps/mile on around 2100.

I have no idea why but I guess if by the end of the day the numbers seem
accurate that is less troubling but I still don't understand why? 🙂

Example this morning I walked 3.37 miles and my steps are only 5920. This
is pretty low. my old fitbit would always show around 2100-2200 steps/mile.


P.S.

I really appreciate your support and open discussion.



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The Best way to predict the future is to create it.
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[Rich_Laue]

You would be surprised at how many gps apps are not accurate.

[Arminsafarians]

ok, I will buy that. hahahah. It's body armor though. hahahaha

but the other thing is even more interesting.
how after the walk the steps are off, but at the end of the day, it
magically adds up.

all good, thank you for responding..

Cheers

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The Best way to predict the future is to create it.
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[Rich_Laue]

I'm still looking for some usefull data to see if I can help.

True steps, Fitbit steps, true distance, Fitbit distance.

Results from a 100, 200, and 500 step count test

[Arminsafarians]

I have one more issue, let me know if I need to post it outside of this trail since this is more step count and my current issue is sync.

I have had my Ionic for 3 weeks now and today was the second time I had to reboot the Ionic to get it to sync to the app.

this happened once before and when the app tries to sync and the little circle on the top right next to the ionic picture keeps turning nothing happens and the app goes back to dashboard and data doesn't get synced or updated.

and the versions and configurations are correct so this is not a phone thing, or a bluetooth thing. but any direction is appreciated. not the end of the world, but for a device at this cost level, stuff should just work. 🙂

Let me know please.

[Rich_Laue]

Occasionally we all seem to have to reboot the phone or tracker, sometimes the Fitbit tracker needs to be removed from the phones Bluetooth.

Unfortunately the tracker, and the phone are little computers and at times have the same type of problems big computers have. This could include an app crash, hardware lockup, hardware not responding, or a driver not responding.

It is hard to say but it might have been a Bluetooth problem on the ionic.

[Arminsafarians]

ok, I know my old one didn't do this often. 3 weeks and twice is not so
good. I will keep an eye out and see how it behaves going forward.


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The Best way to predict the future is to create it.
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