GPS Training Podcast – number 97
This year’s Summer Spine Race series, GPS accuracy, getting the best battery life on a GPS unit or watch whilst participating in an Ultramarathon and Andy’s Top Tips. In this month’s GPS Training Podcast 1. We look forward to this year’s Spine Race and how our race prep is doing – 1 min 2. GPS accuracy – What is good, settings and how have things changed over the years? – 26 min 35 seconds 3. Getting the best out of your battery – during an ultra event – both units and watches – 36 minutes 55 seconds 4. Andy’s top tips – 45 minutes 55 seconds 1. We look forward to this year’s Spine Event x 4 distances Sprint – Starts Saturday afternoon – 15 th June – 46 miles 18 hours to complete Edale to Hebdon Bridge Spine Challenger South – Starts Saturday morning – 15 th June – 108 miles 60 hours to complete Edale to Hardraw CP1 – Hebdon Hay, CP 1.5 – Malham Tarn Spine Challenger North – Starts Monday morning – 17 th June – 160 miles 90 hours to complete Hardraw to Kirk Yetholm, Scottish Borders CP1 – Low Way Farm, Middleton on Teesdale CP2 – Alston YH CP3 – Bellingham CP3.5 – Byrness Full Spine Race – Starts Sunday morning – 16 th June – 268 miles 156 hours to complete Edale to Kirk Yetholm, Scottish Borders Paul Turner, Byrness Hill – Walking an epic 1000 mile. His walk will include both the Coast to Coast & the Pennine Way (walking each twice) & finishing with the Yorkshire Dales Centurion Walk. Paul’s Just Giving page – https://www.justgiving.com/team/pauls1000miletrek – Training – Doing anything different this year – Thoughts ahead of this year’s event? Jon’s Just Giving – https://www.justgiving.com/team/spinenorthjon Andy’s Just Giving – https://www.justgiving.com/team/andyayrespinechallenger 2. GPS accuracy – What is good, settings and how have things changed over the years? 3 x Satellites show position 2d, 4 x Satellites 3d elevation What is Multi GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite system) Device picks up more than one set of Satellite Constellations Main ones we use in devices such as Garmin, TwoNav, Coros GPS – USA 1978 started Military – Global use 1994 31 Satellites Glonass – Russian development 1976 – operational early 80’s 24 Satellites operational Galileo – EU – 2016 started 26 Operational Beidou – China – Started 2012 56 Operational Twonav does not use duel frequency but multi-band uses 3 x satellite constellations at once, we have been using GPS, Galileo & Beidou and seeing under 10 feet and have seen down to 4 – 5 feet GPSMap65,67 dual frequency have seen down to 6 feet Generally we find other handhelds picking up either GPS & Glonass or GPS & Galileo around 10 – 12 feet Garmin Watches do not show an accuracy screen Coros has a Satellite screen where you can see how many are in view and how many are strongly locked on What is Dual Frequency / Multi Band Use Coros Article GPS – 18 satellite transmit at L1 & L5 Glonass – older L1 & L2 no L5 Galileo – all E1 & E5 Beidou – all B1 & B2 Devices we sell with dual frequency Epix gen 2, Fenix 7 sapphire solar & pro models GPSMap65,65s,66sr,67,67i How accurate is a GPS unit/ watch video – https://gpstraining.co.uk/blogs/reviews/how-accurate-is-a-gps-unit-and-which-is-the-most-accurate-gps-unit 3. Getting the best out of your battery – during an ultra event – both units and watches We always talk about backlight if you have option to reduce, not leaving on map page, turning off HR on watches, coros turn off stress monitoring, nighttime coros use nightmode, gesture control vastly improved or just tap backlight button etc, map North up although we do prefer track up Handhelds use battery save mode screen off But carrying on from the discussion about satellites My own Epix 2 Pro 51mm GPS Only – 82 hrs All Systems not dual ie Multiband – 61hrs All systems + multi-band – 37 hrs Auto select picks satellite so battery will go up and down – 58hrs approx. Coros Apex 2 pro GPS Only – 66hrs All Systems – 41hrs All System Dual – 24hrs 4. Top Tips View your 1:25k maps in BaseCamp – V3 Card reader