Garmin Megathread-Ask your questions here-See post 1 on how to search thread

jeawan

Did a hard reset worked great Thanks Krusty

statss

My replacement Garmin Heart Rate Monitor is giving the exact same problems as my first one, within 3 months again, load of hoop :rolleyes:

Krusty_Clown

statss wrote: »

My replacement Garmin Heart Rate Monitor is giving the exact same problems as my first one, within 3 months again, load of hoop :rolleyes:

Which is what exactly?

statss

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Which is what exactly?

I had posted about this earlier in this thread and you were very helpful, same issue really, after 5-10 minutes into a run the HR value just drops off a cliff, and stays there, so it becomes useless. Testing it at home doing plyrometric workout, I note the reading comes and goes off the watch screen, I need to press the strap into my chest to get it to register again. Here's some links to recent activity where it just falls away.


http://connect.garmin.com/activity/304861719 - 10k

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/300365795 - 5k



From reading various bits and bobs the polar strap seems more reliable. I might order one. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Polar-WearLink-belt-M-XXL-63-83cm/dp/B007XCLU66/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1369230102&sr=8-2&keywords=polar+strap

The Rainmaker website recommended some sort of gel, I must look into that also.

Krusty_Clown

statss wrote: »

I had posted about this earlier in this thread and you were very helpful

Ah yes, sorry. Some many posts, so little memory!

That is still one crazy looking HR graph. Hard to imagine how you could have the same failure in two different straps, yet it doesn't seem to be a problem that anyone else suffers from. Could you borrow someone else's Garmin watch and pair it with the HRM and wear it on the other wrist? Just to confirm that it's not the watch that is causing the problem (or worse - you! :eek:).

menoscemo

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

That is still one crazy looking HR graph. Hard to imagine how you could have the same failure in two different straps, yet it doesn't seem to be a problem that anyone else suffers from.

The same kind of thing has happened to me. 2 Different straps, 3 different batteries.
I have resolved the issue by not wearing the HRM anymore.

statss

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Ah yes, sorry. Some many posts, so little memory!

That is still one crazy looking HR graph. Hard to imagine how you could have the same failure in two different straps, yet it doesn't seem to be a problem that anyone else suffers from. Could you borrow someone else's Garmin watch and pair it with the HRM and wear it on the other wrist? Just to confirm that it's not the watch that is causing the problem (or worse - you! :eek:).

That could be idea alright. I think it may be a common enough problem from various posts I've read. It's a iittle frustrating it must be said. I think I'll try the Polar strap, a lot of comments saying it works better, even with the Garmin Case thingy.

belcarra

menoscemo wrote: »

The same kind of thing has happened to me. 2 Different straps, 3 different batteries.
I have resolved the issue by not wearing the HRM anymore.

:pac:
I'm not really certain that could be termed as resolving the matter!
Probably the right course of action regardless though!

JohnnyBingo

statss wrote: »

after 5-10 minutes into a run the HR value just drops off a cliff, and stays there, so it becomes useless.

Having the same problem here. Got a Forerunner 410 last November. All going great with the HRM. Then one day I couldn't find the strap.....it turned up 2 days later in the boys room and i reckon it might at one stage have been thrown against the wall!! Anyway, ever since, the calorie count when I wear the strap is about half what it should be - I get a proper readout when I don't wear the strap. The HR reading is also doo-lally......starts off at around 80-90.....climbs to 150-160ish after 5 mins then drops down to 30-40 for the remainder of the run (3m-10m......same result) I initially thought that it may have been damaged during its visit to the boys room but from reading Statss comments I'm wondering is it a known issue with Garmin?? I guess it may still be covered under guarantee. It was brought back from the US so I wonder if there would be any issue there??

Krusty_Clown

JohnnyBingo wrote: »

Having the same problem here. Got a Forerunner 410 last November. All going great with the HRM. Then one day I couldn't find the strap.....it turned up 2 days later in the boys room and i reckon it might at one stage have been thrown against the wall!! Anyway, ever since, the calorie count when I wear the strap is about half what it should be - I get a proper readout when I don't wear the strap. The HR reading is also doo-lally......starts off at around 80-90.....climbs to 150-160ish after 5 mins then drops down to 30-40 for the remainder of the run (3m-10m......same result) I initially thought that it may have been damaged during its visit to the boys room but from reading Statss comments I'm wondering is it a known issue with Garmin?? I guess it may still be covered under guarantee. It was brought back from the US so I wonder if there would be any issue there??

Calorie information is a product of hear rate (and other data, like weight, distance covered etc), so if your HR is off, then your calorie information will also be incorrect. If you don't wear the HRM, it just uses the available data, i.e. weight, distance, etc. I'm not sure that the Garmin warranty covers that kind of abuse!

Garmin HRM straps are pretty crap, however the typical behaviour is that problem is related to contacts/conduction in the early phases of a workout, so you get extremely high spikes (~220bpm) in the the first mile or two 7-15 minutes) of your run. HR drop-offs is a different issue ad doesn't seem to be as common (only reported a couple of times in this massive thread). First port of call would be checking the battery contacts and changing the battery.

belcarra

Yep, the only time I've noticed the HR drop off like that was when the battery needed changing (Just last week). Once changed it has worked perfectly since.
Perhaps the battery contact points may have been damaged at some stage? Maybe have a closer examination of this for any obvious defects?

JohnnyBingo

Thanks lads. I opened it up and wiggled the battery the other day but no improvement. It's only 6 months old but i guess it's possible the battery needs replacing so will give that a lash and report back.

statss

JohnnyBingo wrote: »

Having the same problem here. Got a Forerunner 410 last November. All going great with the HRM. Then one day I couldn't find the strap.....it turned up 2 days later in the boys room and i reckon it might at one stage have been thrown against the wall!! Anyway, ever since, the calorie count when I wear the strap is about half what it should be - I get a proper readout when I don't wear the strap. The HR reading is also doo-lally......starts off at around 80-90.....climbs to 150-160ish after 5 mins then drops down to 30-40 for the remainder of the run (3m-10m......same result) I initially thought that it may have been damaged during its visit to the boys room but from reading Statss comments I'm wondering is it a known issue with Garmin?? I guess it may still be covered under guarantee. It was brought back from the US so I wonder if there would be any issue there??

They sent me a new one, without much fuss, after I emailed them to complain, so I think it must be a fairly common problem. I'm ordering a Polar strap now. I do like my stats so the faulty HR drives me nuts.

Oswalder

I got a new windows7 work laptop a few weeks ago and wanted to install the Garmin SW on it so that I can link to it and ANT+ can download all my recent runs.

I know that I made a balls of it because I stuck the ANT+ stick in before I downloaded and ran the SW. I realised after it hadn't worked. I've uninstalled and reinstalled and rebooted loads of times but still no joy - my laptop won't pick up the device.

Can anyone please help? I'm feeling daft and powerless.

Krusty_Clown

Oswalder wrote: »

I got a new windows7 work laptop a few weeks ago and wanted to install the Garmin SW on it so that I can link to it and ANT+ can download all my recent runs.

I know that I made a balls of it because I stuck the ANT+ stick in before I downloaded and ran the SW. I realised after it hadn't worked. I've uninstalled and reinstalled and rebooted loads of times but still no joy - my laptop won't pick up the device.
Can anyone please help? I'm feeling daft and powerless.

As you've probably guessed, it sounds like a problem with drivers. Have a look in your [Device Manager] and check to see if there are any hardware devices that are not correctly configured. It should appear under the category: [Universal Serial Bus Controllers]. If that is the case, you could try uninstalling the driver and doing a Garmin ANT Agent re-install. If that fails, you could try Uninstalling the actual device (Right-click and select Uninstall).

An alternative would be to move the USB ANT agent to another USB port and see if that makes any difference. Device drivers are typically associated with a specific USB port (and get re-installed when you move a device to a different USB port) so worth a try.

RedRunner

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

As you've probably guessed, it sounds like a problem with drivers. Have a look in your [Device Manager] and check to see if there are any hardware devices that are not correctly configured. It should appear under the category: [Universal Serial Bus Controllers]. If that is the case, you could try uninstalling the driver and doing a Garmin ANT Agent re-install. If that fails, you could try Uninstalling the actual device (Right-click and select Uninstall).

An alternative would be to move the USB ANT agent to another USB port and see if that makes any difference. Device drivers are typically associated with a specific USB port (and get re-installed when you move a device to a different USB port) so worth a try.

...Or hand it back to your work IT Support team and get them to re-image it:)

thewolf_ie

I managed to sit down and check the Max HR settings on my watch. It was set to 185 when I think it should be 220-31=189 right?? I checked garmin connect and on one of my long runs my MAX HR was 201 other times on different runs it went as high as 187. What do I set it as 201?

belcarra

thewolf_ie wrote: »

I managed to sit down and check the Max HR settings on my watch. It was set to 185 when I think it should be 220-31=189 right?? I checked garmin connect and on one of my long runs my MAX HR was 201 other times on different runs it went as high as 187. What do I set it as 201?

The Garmins can give wild spikes so you have to be careful to ensure the value you re taking is a real value and not an artificial spike.
I'd dismiss any value that drops off with the same effort exerted so i'd guess the 201 is to be ignored. At the same time the 220-31 formula is wildly inaccurate too for many people. This was only ever designed to give a very loose rule of thumb and has been dismissed over the years.

To get the most accurate value Max HR from data currently available go to a 5km or shorter race where you were close to flat out (often on the finishing straight). Here you should see a sustainable rise in HR to the finish with it being approx 5-10 bpm higher than the majority of the run. This is then a good basis for your max HR.

However, there are more specific tests where you should get a more accurate value such as can be seen here.

thewolf_ie

belcarra wrote: »

The Garmins can give wild spikes so you have to be careful to ensure the value you re taking is a real value and not an artificial spike.
I'd dismiss any value that drops off with the same effort exerted so i'd guess the 201 is to be ignored. At the same time the 220-31 formula is wildly inaccurate too for many people. This was only ever designed to give a very loose rule of thumb and has been dismissed over the years.

To get the most accurate value Max HR from data currently available go to a 5km or shorter race where you were close to flat out (often on the finishing straight). Here you should see a sustainable rise in HR to the finish with it being approx 5-10 bpm higher than the majority of the run. This is then a good basis for your max HR.

However, there are more specific tests where you should get a more accurate value such as can be seen here.

Thank you. I will give the 5k ago at the end of June. I'm hoping to get it check also at UCD if I ever make the time.

Slogger Jogger

Apologies if this has been asked before but I couldn't find it from a search.

I did a run this evening and uploaded it to garmin connect. The map of the run looked 'off'. I did an out and back run but the run lines on the map of the upload were quite divergent. I hadn't seen this before unless I lost signal and I'm pretty sure this wasn't the case tonight. Here is where I probably made a mistake. I deleted the track from garmin connect thinking I'd upload it again from the watch but the upload isn't seeing this evening's run to upload, despite the fact when I turn on the watch I can see the run in its history.

So, in short, can I restore a deleted run or upload again a run I previously uploaded (and eh deleted )

Krusty_Clown

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

Apologies if this has been asked before but I couldn't find it from a search.

I did a run this evening and uploaded it to garmin connect. The map of the run looked 'off'. I did an out and back run but the run lines on the map of the upload were quite divergent. I hadn't seen this before unless I lost signal and I'm pretty sure this wasn't the case tonight. Here is where I probably made a mistake. I deleted the track from garmin connect thinking I'd upload it again from the watch but the upload isn't seeing this evening's run to upload, despite the fact when I turn on the watch I can see the run in its history.

So, in short, can I restore a deleted run or upload again a run I previously uploaded (and eh deleted )

Hi Mick, it's a 305, right? For the ANT+ based watches, the workouts (runs) are transferred firstly to your computer and then transferred to Garmin Connect. Not sure if this is also the case with the 305, but you could search your machine for files that end with the extension *.tcx.

They should take the form: 2013-06-13-212157.TCX
where the first part is the date, followed by the time.

Also, if you upload your runs to Garmin Training Centre, you could also export it from there. The next step is to do a manual import into Garmin Connect, selecting the appropriate TCX file.

jmcc99_98

Hi all,

Im in the process of buying a garmin. I have an option of a good deal on the FR110. I would like to use the HRM with it also. But I am a bit of a newbie regarding the benefits etc of HR data.

Would anyone have any recommendations regarding the 110, I have read the DC rainmaker website review but would like some other views on it.

Is the lack of interval training on it etc a major drawback? Is the inability to set HR Training Zones a major drawback?

I am a novice runner and intend to do my first marathon in October (And feel this could be a great training companion) I run 4-5 times per week for up to 90 mins or so at a time (This will obviously be increasing)

At present I use my phone and endomondo which is great I just find it a bit bulky to be carrying around.

I would really really appreciate some advice, tips etc. I can get the FR110 for about €70 second hand

overpronator

jmcc99_98 wrote: »

Hi all,

Im in the process of buying a garmin. I have an option of a good deal on the FR110. I would like to use the HRM with it also. But I am a bit of a newbie regarding the benefits etc of HR data.

Would anyone have any recommendations regarding the 110, I have read the DC rainmaker website review but would like some other views on it.

Is the lack of interval training on it etc a major drawback? Is the inability to set HR Training Zones a major drawback?

I am a novice runner and intend to do my first marathon in October (And feel this could be a great training companion) I run 4-5 times per week for up to 90 mins or so at a time (This will obviously be increasing)

At present I use my phone and endomondo which is great I just find it a bit bulky to be carrying around.

I would really really appreciate some advice, tips etc. I can get the FR110 for about €70 second hand

Like yourself Im a novice, ive been running for just about a year. I got my FR110 in September and its been very valuable to my training if a little temperamental. Already though Im finding myself limited by it, would really like the option of programming workouts into it and would like a virtual pacer also. Long story short I suppose is that if you intend on sticking at running and have an interest in the other training options that better specced watches allow you then take the hit now and spend the extra few quid. Im gonna upgrade fairly soon and regret not spending the money first time out.

If you just want pace and distance i.e a stop go watch the FR10 is cheaper new and seems to be a bit more reliable than the 110 from what ive heard but has no HR feature.

Krusty_Clown

overpronator wrote: »

Like yourself Im a novice, ive been running for just about a year. I got my FR110 in September and its been very valuable to my training if a little temperamental. Already though Im finding myself limited by it, would really like the option of programming workouts into it and would like a virtual pacer also. Long story short I suppose is that if you intend on sticking at running and have an interest in the other training options that better specced watches allow you then take the hit now and spend the extra few quid. Im gonna upgrade fairly soon and regret not spending the money first time out.

If you just want pace and distance i.e a stop go watch the FR10 is cheaper new and seems to be a bit more reliable than the 110 from what ive heard but has no HR feature.

I'd agree with what overpronator has posted. If budget is very tight, the the FR10 is likely the way to go, though it doesn't support a heart rate monitor.

Both the FR410 and FR310xt (including HRM) are available at a pretty good price on amazon.co.uk at the moment (though the FR410 is usually £20 cheaper, so may be worth holding out). If you're very budget conscious, I'd look for a second hand deal, on something like a 310xt, but make sure it's fully working, by taking it for a spin. Never buy a second hand forerunner, where you can't make sure it's working properly first. A large number of people report problems after a couple of years of use.

Slogger Jogger

Hi, yep I'm still using the trusty 305. I managed to persuade Garmin connect to upload the track again from the watch, but must refrain from doing deletions again! Thanks.
My uploaded run is stll looking screwy, like I weaved all over the place?
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/327375225 Shame as I was pretty happy with the uphill run on the trail!

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Hi Mick, it's a 305, right? For the ANT+ based watches, the workouts (runs) are transferred firstly to your computer and then transferred to Garmin Connect. Not sure if this is also the case with the 305, but you could search your machine for files that end with the extension *.tcx.

They should take the form: 2013-06-13-212157.TCX
where the first part is the date, followed by the time.

Also, if you upload your runs to Garmin Training Centre, you could also export it from there. The next step is to do a manual import into Garmin Connect, selecting the appropriate TCX file.

subscriber

Not sure if my question is appropriate for this thread but I have a garmin speed / cadence sensor installed on my bike and for some reason it has stopped showing speed when used inside on the turbo trainer, although it is still showing cadence.

Wen I first installed the sensor, it would give me both speed and cadence when cycling indoors.. Is likely to be a technical problem or a settings issue on the unit??

Many Thanks

adrian522

Hi, I recently bought a forerunner 610, second hand off ebay, all has been good with it no problems, however yesterday I did a long run, 17km.

As I hit pause to end the run at 17km the Garmin rebooted itself.

I was pretty disappointed as that was about 2 hours of data I was looking forward to analysing etc.

Does this happen to anyone else? is it a regular occurrence? When I got home I checked the battery, that was fine still had 25% remaining so don't really know what happened.

Krusty_Clown

subscriber wrote: »

Not sure if my question is appropriate for this thread but I have a garmin speed / cadence sensor installed on my bike and for some reason it has stopped showing speed when used inside on the turbo trainer, although it is still showing cadence.

Wen I first installed the sensor, it would give me both speed and cadence when cycling indoors.. Is likely to be a technical problem or a settings issue on the unit??

Many Thanks

Are you sure it's not a data fields issue? Does it still show two fields on the watch, but one is stuck on zero? Given that both speed and cadence would be a product of the cadence sensor, it sounds like it's working fine, just not showing two fields.

BeepBeep67

subscriber wrote: »

Not sure if my question is appropriate for this thread but I have a garmin speed / cadence sensor installed on my bike and for some reason it has stopped showing speed when used inside on the turbo trainer, although it is still showing cadence.

Wen I first installed the sensor, it would give me both speed and cadence when cycling indoors.. Is likely to be a technical problem or a settings issue on the unit??

Many Thanks

Cadence is done via the sensor on the crank, speed is done via the sensor (spoke magnet) on the wheel, also check that your wheel magnet is making a connection.

Mr Freeze

Can you change how often the Garmin 305 "pings" the satellite making it more accurate?

The 2 lads I run with, their Garmins (305 and 405) always measure the same distance, and my 305 is usually measuring anything from 80m to 100m longer than theirs, even though I am running side by side with them.