Fitbit Ionic is searching while in running mode??

[Running4life]

So when I go to connect my gps during exercise mode(running) it just keeps searching.  Any thoughts on what to do??  This happen with my previous Ionic so they replaced it with a brand new one and still happening.

[SGB77 · Accepted solution]

This has just happened to me. I only use GPS for cycling commute and it hasn’t logged since 24th July. I checked when the app (IOS) updated and it was the 25th. I wonder if there’s a connection. When did you last update and log a track?

I have tried restarting watch a couple of times and have also disconnected watch from app. I have stood outside for 5 minutes and pressed pause on exercise and it kept searching. It’s very annoying and I think I have tried everything that the boards have suggested. 

I only logged in here here to see if I could speak to a Fitbit person. The links they’re giving seem to imply that you need to use your phone GPS and the page references ionic even though the ionic should have its own GPS. 

it is is nothing to do with cloud cover, trees or high buildings. I live in a cloudy country, with low rise buildings and the trees have always been here. 

[SGB77]

Contacted Fitbit support on web page as I don’t do twitter and they mentioned trees, cloud cover, etc. Made me restart watch (third time this evening). I didn’t get that “were cleaning up the app” message.  Restarted watch, restarted app, started exercises three times and third time it reconnected. I got cut off from tech support twice and have to re-queue to say it is sorted, at least temporarily. Will go for another walk later and see if it still works. 

Good news that I don’t have to chop down trees and buildings or talk to god about the weather

[Running4life]

This first started happening to me in March of this year When using the exercise app it would search why it was running it wouldn’t tell me the actual miles I was logging. When on the forum, disconnect from Bluetooth, factory reset watch, uninstall watch for app and reinstall watch for map did the whole thing everything works fine ran a marathon in May no issues. About a week or two later it started doing it again. Fast forward to two weeks ago finally started PT for my tendinitis which made me remember that my watch wasn’t working correctly. Contact customer service about two weeks ago, They tell me the same thing you need to have your watch with your phone. I going to tell her that that’s not why I bought this watch the reason why I picked this watch was because the built in GPS. I then told her my watch and phone are right next to each other anyways and it’s still not workings. She goes to tell me that she’s just reading what the screen tells her. My watch is pass warranty so they stopped at that point. Thank God my Father-in-law always buy extended warranties. Contacted my extended warranty they had me ship the watch to them, they were unable to fix it and replace it with a brand spanking new one. So with the new watch I’m still having “searching” issues. I’m going to try the trouble shooting a few more times.

[Rich_Laue]

This is simply saying that it is having a problem getting a lock on at least 4 satellites 

As mentioned above weather, cloud cover, trees along with the smaller antenna can play havoc on the reception. 

Personally I would not do a restart, this only does a reset of the hardware bf restarts the software Ms why it is a soft restart. 

A hard restart where the tracker is shut completely off is the only way to positively restart hardware and this is called a hard restart. 

[Running4life]

Are you saying that Fitbit is saying they’re having a hard time connecting to four satellites?   What is your suggestion to try to remedy this problem?

Sent from my iPhone

[t.parker]

@Running4life I expect Fitbit is not storing an updated list of satellites like other brands do which significantly speeds up connection. If you look at other watches, they usually store the list of satellites locations and refresh it when they expire or the user travels significantly far that such cache is not valid anymore. I'm not sure whether Fitbit uses such a list but considering that some issues involve connection problems after some time passed (before worked, now doesn't) my guess is that it may have such list, maybe comes updated with the FW, but then for many months it doesn't receive new updates and the connection takes longer and longer. If you try to use Garmin with expired CPE file you will see that acquiring GPS connection also takes significantly longer for Garmin watch. My Ionic (R.I.P.) developed such issue with the beginning of this year and many times didn't even bother to connect to GPS during my runs. Frankly, I don't see any fix that can be done by the user here.

[Running4life]

Thank you for the detail insights. It makes me sad that I will have to replace my Ionic.

Sent from my iPhone