Data Field: Surf Tracker

[FONT=Arial Black]Surf Tracker[/FONT]

Version 1.20
https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/ded87d46-5477-4ca7-a247-847b896393e0

Track your surfing sessions in real time! This data field estimates the number of waves ridden using a speed and time threshold to mark the start and end of a wave ride.

Info shown (from left to right):

  • your total number of waves ridden and the total wave ride time (min:sec)
  • for your latest wave ride: wave ride time (seconds), maximum speed during the wave ride (km/hr or mph) and the distance covered (meters or yards)
  • the numbers in red show the maximum values for the wave ride time, speed and distance during the activity
  • For square watches, the bottom line shows the time of day and elapsed time of the activity. For round watches and the Vivo HR, the top line shows the time of day and the bottom line shows the elapsed time.




Notes:

1) This data field must be used in a 1-field data screen and should be set up before starting the activity. I use an Activity > Other > Paddle, but any activity with GPS ON should work. Open water swim will work but the GPS tracks are noisier since the sampling rate is lower, but it may be the better option for surfing when your arm is in and out of the water. Some activities smooth the speed data more than others and will give less accurate results (eg. a walking activity will not work as well as paddling or cycling). Vivoactive users try the Cycling activity, the Run activity will smooth the speed values to much to even out the Pace and this won't work well with the wave detection.

2) The summary stats and a speed plot are saved to Garmin Connect once the Activity is ended and saved:


3) This has been tested many times with standup paddle surfing. It has taken a while to get the thresholds working accurately. The detection thresholds can be changed using the Garmin Connect Mobile app (see https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?332843-How-to-App-Settings for help):

There are four settings to mark a wave ride based on speed, time and distance.


An event starts when the speed is >= 9 kph, it must last at least 6 seconds (above 9kph) and have a max speed of at least 13 kph to be counted. The event ends when it falls below 9kph. The min distance is set to 0m, but this can be changed to avoid false detections. These thresholds work well for standup paddle surfing, but try changing them and post your results. It should work for: standup paddle surfing, surfing, kayak surf, surf ski and maybe standup paddle downwinding.

Threshold ranges and defaults:
1) Start/stop threshold: default 9kph, range 5-50 kph
2) Time threshold: default 6s, range 2-60s
3) Max speed in event has to be >= 13kph, range 0-50kph
4) Min distance: default 0m (disabled), range 0-1000m

Typical values:
Standup paddle surfing: general setting for all waves
9kph, 6s, 13kph, 0m

Standup paddle downwinding (Hood River)
10kph, 10s, 12kph, 20m

4) The stats from each wave ride can be saved to a text file using the instructions at the bottom of the page (advanced users only, unsupported).

----------------- Planned Updates------------------

1) none hopefully


----------------- Version History ------------------

0.2 datafield now updates even when not visible.

0.3 added min distance to threshold test (now min 9km/hr for 5s and 15 m) to avoid paddling out/false wave counts, especially for SUP (eventually these values will be user selectable).

0.4 more tweaks after on-water tests (now min 9km/hr for 6sec), 19 waves and only 2 false readings and that was when I was chucked over the falls...

0.5 changed totdist and elapsed time to use the last good point of the event, instead of first one below the threshold, since when falling in it might take a while to get gps fix again and this will add to the waveride time. This should only decrease the wave ride time. The threshold test is now: >= 9km/hr for >= 6 sec and maxspeed >= 13 km/hr, redesign screen, add total wave ride time in min:sec

0.6 add fenix support.

0.7 bug fixed- crash when data field is in view and GPS just becomes active

0.8 D2Bravo, Epix and Vivoactive (separate app) support, compile using SDK 1.1.4. Latest numbers are green during an event (shows green if above speed threshold, even if below time threshold).

v0.9 new SDK 1.2.1, support for fr230/fr235

v0.95 new SDK, 2.1.3, support for Vivoactive HR

v1.0 added GCM settings for thresholds, changed distance calculation (should be shorter and more accurate), added 1 field Vivoactive support (got rid of the separate version)

v1.20 Garmin Connect summary stats and wave speed plot output
_________
** Advanced user only+unsupported method to save each wave ride to a text file on your device:

Place a *.TXT file in the /GARMIN/APPS/LOGS folder on your device, where * is the name of the .PRG file in the /GARMIN/APPS folder. Look for a file that is ~12 kilobytes. On my device it is 69SI5820.PRG, so I would create an empty file in /GARMIN/APPS/LOGS/69SI5820.TXT

To find out the filename, uninstall Surf Tracker, make a note of the *.PRG files in the /GARMIN/APPS folder, install Surf Tracker then note which PRG file is new.

Sample output format:
Wave# TimeofDay WaveRideTime(sec) WaveRideMaxSpeed(kph) WaveRideDistance(m)
1 07:26 20 28.8 113.4
2 07:28 13 27.6 76.8
3 07:33 21 30.2 122.2

Copy the file to your computer after a few sessions. I copy and paste the details into the notes section of the activity on Garmin Connect. The file will be appended to until it gets too big (10KB), then it will be overwritten. I had 3 days of sessions saved and it was only 1.8KB.
  • epix status?

    hello, looks like an interesting app. I see some mention of Epix in the discussions, perhaps indicating it is untested. I only have the EPIX and would like to try it. In the store it appears not available for epix. Is there a way i could try it out on epix?

    thanks.
  • Former Member
    Former Member over 8 years ago
    Basic Use and confirmation of working with current fenix 3 hr

    Hello,
    Is there a simple instruction sheet somewhere?

    Gathering from all these pages, it seems the App does not show as an Activity like the other built in Apps..?
    Then there is mention that you need choose some other Activity to make this app work..?

    So, the methods of use are download and install.
    Then use some other App
    And hopefully there will be added data on the Connect page in reference from the Other App we would use while hoping this app is storing data?

    There are also screen shots that show wave counts etc... Where would you find this?
    Maybe it's all logical when working properly and maybe it does not work with the current Garmin OS and the Fenix 3 HR?
  • Hello, Just surfed today. Installed the latest app yesterday and confirmed it's presence on the Fenix 3 HR. Used SUP as the activity and now looking for some data in Garmin Connect area. Any tips or is the Fenix not supported? New watch btw with latest OS.

    Thanks for the feedback. I am trying to get a reply from GARMIN, but for now it seems that the Fenix 3 and HR are not working with the Garmin Connect output. Maybe it is a device firmware issue. You may be able to get their attention by posting here: https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?362242-Fenix-3-HR-3-64-Beta-Release

    or email: [email][email protected][/email]

    This is what an activity should look like on GC: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1400359845

    hello, looks like an interesting app. I see some mention of Epix in the discussions, perhaps indicating it is untested. I only have the EPIX and would like to try it. In the store it appears not available for epix. Is there a way i could try it out on epix? thanks.

    I had to drop Epix support when I added the Garmin Connect custom output. The Epix doesn't support this. But it's not working properly anyway. If there is demand, I could make an Epix only version...

    Hello,
    Is there a simple instruction sheet somewhere?

    Gathering from all these pages, it seems the App does not show as an Activity like the other built in Apps..?
    Then there is mention that you need choose some other Activity to make this app work..?

    So, the methods of use are download and install.
    Then use some other App
    And hopefully there will be added data on the Connect page in reference from the Other App we would use while hoping this app is storing data?

    There are also screen shots that show wave counts etc... Where would you find this?
    Maybe it's all logical when working properly and maybe it does not work with the current Garmin OS and the Fenix 3 HR?

    It's a data field so you add it as a single field to an Activity like Paddle/SUP/Other. I don't have a Fenix 3, but just google 'fenix3 set up 1 datafield". Here's what I found:

    A Data Field needs to be set up within the settings for a given activity (like Paddle, SUP or Other)

    Long Press UP
    Settings
    Apps
    SUP
    Data Screens
    Screen N
    Layout
    Select single field
    Field 1
    Select ConnectIQ Fields
    Select Surf Tracker
    Long Press DOWN to go back to watch face
  • Former Member
    Former Member over 8 years ago
    Long Press UP
    Settings
    Apps
    SUP
    Data Screens
    Screen N
    Layout
    Select single field
    Field 1
    Select ConnectIQ Fields
    Select Surf Tracker
    Long Press DOWN to go back to watch face


    This helped a lot thanks.

    I now have the App bound to SUP. Will need to clone and rebuild SUP as Surfing at some point but at least I know the App is now tied to something. Already surfed today so will have to retest tomorrow or over the weekend.

    RipCurl Search is the Competition... I have this watch also and like it a lot. If you ever get a chance , check one out as they are nicely refined for Surfing but lack Water Temp, Heart Rate and the ties to MyFitnessPal.com like the Garmin.

    Thank again on the Steps to Install as this was very helpful (Maybe move it to the home page to help others?).
  • Former Member
    Former Member over 8 years ago
    Finally some waves

    Hello,
    Still new to the Connect site so not sure if this is a Public URL:
    https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1404987809

    Seeing the Surf Tracker link and logo under the image of the watch.
    Saw wave counts while surfing though I'll need change the thresholds as more waves were caught then actual (opposite of the Rip Curl Search GPS which does not attribute all waves caught ).

    Is there a Wave Count value on the Garmin Connect site for the Activity that collected data?
  • Hello,
    Still new to the Connect site so not sure if this is a Public URL:

    It's private. There should be a lock symbol on the right at the top of the activity page. Select that and choose Everyone.
  • Former Member
    Former Member over 8 years ago
    Got it... Lock reset to Public
  • It looks like it is partially working - I see the plot of Wave Ride Speed in Garmin Connect web but that's it. There are no summary stats. This is what you should see:
    https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1400359845

    It sounds like a device firmware or Garmin Connect issue, as posted here:
    https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?362690-Fit-Contributor-datafield-not-working-on-Fenix3&p=911342#post911342

    We just have to wait for a fix.
  • Former Member
    Former Member over 8 years ago
    Surf Settings

    Hello,
    Just an FYI to others that the default speed threshold of 9 kph did not work for me. It gave me twice the actual wave count. Changed it to 11 kph and today in testing it worked perfectly. No more "false positives" and only actual waves caught were counted.
  • Former Member
    Former Member over 8 years ago
    If it works on the 230 it should also work on the 630. Is there a way you could add forerunner 630 to the list of supported devices so 630 owners can download?
    Thanks!!