Garmin Fenix - Post your tips and tricks

[Squirrels]

I didn't read through all the post on this thread but I just picked up Fenix 3 HR Sapphire. What's the best way to get the altimeter dialed in and keep it that way. Thing goes nuts, it will read correct after GPS calibration and few hours later it is way off.

 

[mfllood3800]

Are you on auto cal or manual ?

 

[endorice]

Slightly off-topic, but I'd appreciate any feedback on this.

For Christmas, I received a Garmin Fenix 5s with the Sapphire glass. Great watch for what I want, but I'm a little disappointed with the contrast of the display. I do wear 1x reading glasses, and find myself having to adjust the angle of viewing constantly to get the best contrast/display.

I get the battery life is fantastic, but I'd sacrifice some battery life to get a vivid display. The screen shots Garmin uses are very misleading.

Has anyone else experienced this? Are there other Garmin watches that have better contrast?

 

[mfllood3800]

Slightly off-topic, but I'd appreciate any feedback on this.

For Christmas, I received a Garmin Fenix 5s with the Sapphire glass. Great watch for what I want, but I'm a little disappointed with the contrast of the display. I do wear 1x reading glasses, and find myself having to adjust the angle of viewing constantly to get the best contrast/display.

I get the battery life is fantastic, but I'd sacrifice some battery life to get a vivid display. The screen shots Garmin uses are very misleading.

Has anyone else experienced this? Are there other Garmin watches that have better contrast?

Sounds like your display brightness is set factory- which is pretty low.

go into settings, then system, then back light- and adjust it there- hope this helps

 

[Squirrels]

Are you on auto cal or manual ?

manual I think

 

[mfllood3800]

manual I think

I set mine to auto
Mine didn't change, but I upgraded to the 5, and boxed the 3 up to resell
Hopefully yours is just a setting issue

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[endorice]

Sounds like your display brightness is set factory- which is pretty low.

go into settings, then system, then back light- and adjust it there- hope this helps

Thanks! Been there, done that. I'm not talking about the backlight you get by pressing the button. I'm talking about the normal display. If I have to hit a button for lighting every time I want to check the time or step count, that's kinda frustrating.

 

[mfllood3800]

Yea I hear ya- It takes some getting used to, You can always change the watch face to a different contrast either white back ground to dark or dark to white.

I use the Sc8 face I believe and custom inserted the info brackets I wanted. I can see it pretty decent. You do have to tilt it to see it better than when it is in an awkward angle. But even some of my regular watchers are like that, again try changing the watch face to one that gets you what you want.

Here is what my watch face looks like neither one of these has the backlight pushed this is just the way it is in regular mode if you tilt it it's real bright if you don't it's definitely darker

 

[Squirrels]

The altimeter on this thing is whack. I can calibrate, sit in the same spot and it changes dramatically within minutes. By several hundred feet.


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[colonel00]

The altimeter on this thing is whack. I can calibrate, sit in the same spot and it changes dramatically within minutes. By several hundred feet.


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I've read a little about that but can't remember for sure. You might check the Garmin forums. From what I recall, there are some settings where you can change how it measures altitude. It uses air pressure to track altitude so obviously, if you are in an area where the weather is changing, it could throw off the altimeter. Is your barometer showing drastic changes too?

 

[mfllood3800]

Call garmin

 

[Squirrels]

My house sits somewhere between 440' and 470', my watch is reading -3430' , that's right 3430 feet below sea level, WTF????

 

[mfllood3800]

My house sits somewhere between 440' and 470', my watch is reading -3430' , that's right 3430 feet below sea level, WTF????

Well if I was you I would move you are obviously living on a sinkhole get out man

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[Squirrels]

Well if I was you I would move you are obviously living on a sinkhole get out man

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Lol I hear ya. Baro is off by 3.4inHg. My weather station at my house is reading 29.71 and my watch is reading 26.34


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[mfllood3800]

Shut that baro off and see, but I would still call Garmin. Did you buy it new or used? Either way they should have tech support.

 

[Squirrels]

Shut that baro off and see, but I would still call Garmin. Did you buy it new or used? Either way they should have tech support.

how will the altimeter work at all if shut the baro off? and how do i shut the baro off?

 

[mfllood3800]

I am on the road when I get home I'll try to check but I believe you can turn it to manual or automatic if you turn it to manual and set it to what you know it should stay there and not be adjusting itself kind of the same as turning it off I think

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[pirogue]

Which has the loudest alarm? Hearing isn't as good as it once was.

 

[mfllood3800]

Only vibrates

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[colonel00]

Only vibrates

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For an alarm? Mine beeps. Nothing loud or crazy but it's there.

I don't know that there's different beeps or volume though.