Forums >Gears and Wears>Technical explanation for why your GPSsucks at elevation
Patzer
We've all learned the hard way that our expensive (and cool) GPS gear, while accurate at latitude and longitude, is useless when it comes to altitude. Now I know why:
http://www.somebits.com/weblog/aviation/gps-altitude.html
Maybe a bit more geeky than most care for, but I liked it.
Current goal: an Olympic distance triathlon. Did two of them! New goal: a half-ironman?? Did that too. New goal: I'll have to get back to you.
Good Bad & The Monkey
I'm running somewhere tomorrow. It's going to be beautiful. I can't wait.
Poor baby
Outside Lane
There are Garmin GPS devices that do a great job measuring elevation - but they aren't built for runners (trail hiking, yes - running, not really). Maybe someday your Forerunner can do what this thing can do....
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=145&pID=310
See how they run...
We only get the accuracy that the government wants to give us and the cost of our "expensive" gps devices is nowhere near the costs of a system that can calculate the accuracy needed for 3d modeling from what the government gives us.
We have tens of thousands of dollars into our survey equipment, repeaters and base stations that can get us to within a centemeter of vertical accuracy for our terrain surveys. Some days that accuracy is not possible as it depends on how many satellites we can lock onto.
The pain that hurts the worse is the imagined pain. One of the most difficult arts of racing is learning to ignore the imagined pain and just live with the present pain (which is always bearable.) - Jeff
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Beetle, that device relies on a barometric altimeter to measure elevation, not on GPS data. That is the difference.
I know the unit has a barometric altimeter - but it is a GPS device. I just wanted to point out that there were GPS devices available from Garmin that can measure elevation. No problem....
Imminent Catastrophe
"Able to function despite imminent catastrophe"
"To obtain the air that angels breathe you must come to Tahoe"--Mark Twain
"The most common question from potential entrants is 'I do not know if I can do this' to which I usually answer, 'that's the whole point'.--Paul Charteris, Tarawera Ultramarathon RD.
√ Javelina Jundred Jalloween 2015
Cruel Jewel 50 mile May 2016
Western States 100 June 2016
Sorry, I was not clear. It is a measuring device that includes several technologies, including a GPS transponder and a barometric altimeter, among others. Calling the complete device a "GPS device" is as accurate as calling it a "barometric altimeter" or a "compass".
Lighten up man. If it's that important for you to win - you win.
GPS transponder? i thought it was only a GPS receiver.
heh...
------------------------------------- 5K - 18:25 - 3/19/11 10K - 39:38 - 12/13/09 1/2 - 1:29:38 - 5/30/10 Full - 3:45:40 - 5/27/07
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It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.
Amores, LOL. Though a stair climb in a tall building would almost qualify (assuming GPS signals got through the building!).
This 2,063 ft tower in north dakota might be the best he can do. The description says there is a ladder to the top