Hi Everyone, I am new to this forum.
I have been riding for many years, not competitively but for fitness purposes and enjoying the freedom of cycling.
I do both road and off-road but mostly road (most of my offroad with my 4wd )
I recently purchased a Polar M460 with HRM as I have been using Polar from day one and had been satisfied with HRM accuracy.
I have a query for the general forum members as it is somewhat technical.
Cut to the chase, the Altitude measurement of the unit is not consistent even though I calibrated it before I left home and sometimes halfway through the ride (say after 2 hours) to known topographic map heights using the contour lines.
Polar told me that the unit has +/- 20m accuracy and the barometer can be thrown out by changes to atmospheric conditions.
The 20m accuracy I think it is a furphy, this accuracy exists only if you use the GPS on its own.
Does anyone here have the expertise in this field, that will be helpful?
By the way, I often get consistent results and noticed it happens when it is cold.
When not measuring accurately the error is around 8% which is ok I guess for low altitudes.
Today here in Melbourne the temperature is around 20 C and on my return back home, the elevation was around 9% higher.
Cheers and thanks in advance.
Polar M460 Altitude accuracy/consistency
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Re: Polar M460 Altitude accuracy/consistency
Postby RonK » Fri Nov 16, 2018 2:37 pm
Neither barometric or GPS altimeters are very reliable. You just have to take them a guide - no more.
For reliable altitude you would have to calibrate the device every time you use it, and the device itself must have an inclinometer. That is pretty rare.
For reliable altitude you would have to calibrate the device every time you use it, and the device itself must have an inclinometer. That is pretty rare.
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Re: Polar M460 Altitude accuracy/consistency
Postby Defender13 » Fri Nov 16, 2018 2:55 pm
Thank you for your response and will take your advice.RonK wrote:Neither barometric or GPS altimeters are very reliable. You just have to take them a guide - no more.
For reliable altitude you would have to calibrate the device every time you use it, and the device itself must have an inclinometer. That is pretty rare.
Cheers
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