#RECORDING GPS TRACKS HOW TO#
#RECORDING GPS TRACKS SOFTWARE#

While Strava does its best to optimize our data analysis by ignoring the most obviously inaccurate data, in the end, we can only make the most out of the data provided to us from the GPS device. It can, in turn, cause you to receive inaccurate achievements on your activity or miss segments that you would have otherwise matched. Bad GPS data like this can often cause your activity to report more distance than you actually traveled since each zig and zag of your GPS track has to be accounted for with a straight line connecting them. As you see below, this will often result in a 'jumpy' GPS track.

GPS Bounce: Tall buildings can often cause a GPS signal to 'bounce' on its way between your GPS device and the satellites, this adds extra distance - and therefore extra time - to your device's calculation of your position.

Cases of signal loss like this can cause your activity to report less distance than you actually traveled, or to not match segments that you would have otherwise matched. In cases like this, the pre-and post-signal-loss points will be treated just like any other two subsequent points (although more time has elapsed between them) and will be connected with a straight line.

Lost GPS Signal: Environmental factors can often cause your GPS signal to be lost and some time later re-acquired.

Bad GPS data like this could cause your activity to report less distance than you actually traveled or to not match segments that you would have otherwise matched. As the activity below demonstrates, the GPS track follows the road with great accuracy until it enters the tree cover - at which point it begins to deviate from the road although you can see that the route generally follows the shape of the road, it does so with much less precision.

GPS Drift: Below, you'll see a classic example of GPS drift where there's an area of dense, tall trees about a third of the way up the climb.

Consequently, environmental factors such as dense trees, steep hillsides, tall buildings, or even heavy cloud cover can impact or even interrupt the travel of the GPS signal between your device and the satellites. More information can be found here.īecause we're dealing with extremely fast signals requiring precise detection, any slight inaccuracy in the signal's reception, or disturbance to the signal itself, can translate to a significant dislocation of your reported position. Since the position of each satellite is known, as well as the distance between those satellites and your GPS device, your position can be triangulated. Because the speed at which the signal travels is known, the amount of time the signal is in transit allows your device to calculate the distance to each satellite. GPS works by connecting your device to a number of overhead satellites and precisely measuring the time it takes for a signal to travel between your device and the satellites.

#RECORDING GPS TRACKS SOFTWARE#

Ignoring (for now) environmental factors, different devices have different qualities of GPS hardware and software - meaning that even if your device is working at its peak performance, there will always be a margin of error in the accuracy of its recording. Many factors contribute to the accuracy of your GPS data - and it's important to keep in mind that no data is perfect in fact, there is some error inherent in any GPS recording. See the examples discussed in this article. Your device may have recorded GPS points that deviate from your true path.Your Strava activity may be missing a map, show a straight line connecting your start and endpoints, or was automatically tagged as an indoor activity. Your device may have simply lost a connection to GPS satellites and did not record any data.

Bad GPS data can result in your activities on Strava having missing or extra distance recorded segments not matched at allor recorded inaccurately inaccurate elevation data inaccurate achievements such as estimated best efforts and more. We use the term 'bad GPS data' to describe any circumstance where your GPS device records location (or other) data that does not accurately represent your activity.

#RECORDING GPS TRACKS HOW TO#

Have trouble with inaccurate GPS data while recording your activities? See the information below to learn more about what bad GPS data is, why it happens, and how to prevent it.

Recording gps tracks