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.
  • Former Member
    Former Member over 9 years ago
    Ok found it šÐÑ%°BigWaveDave for Vivoactive (258TD37488„8
    So i created a 58TTD3748.TXT in the LOGS folder wil test it tomorrow btw the 58TD3748.PRG file is 7kb!!
  • Former Member
    Former Member over 9 years ago
    Ok all sorted save works fine now did a test with my bike:mad: .....xexe waiting for a swell to test it in real thanks Dave for the help good job!!
  • Corrupts Connect IQ data fields / all data fields are blank on vivoactive 3.20

    After loading, all Connect IQ data fields are missing and only blank pages appear. Shutting down and then rebooting shows all the CIQ data fields, and the data field(s) are again able to load. Unfortunately, they disappear again at some point and a reboot brings them back. I removed all the data fields and reloaded them one at a time. Loaded this one last and again, all Connect IQ data fields go into hiding.

    I have 367 BikeFields; Ascent, Decent & Elevation; Distance to Start as my other CIQ data fields.

    Please check it out, otherwise it's a one star deal.
  • >Please check it out, otherwise it's a one star deal.
    :mad:
    I don't have a Vivoactive but was nice enough to spend the time making a special version for it. There isn't much I can do without a device to test it on and it seems to be working for others with VA's.

    >I have 367 BikeFields; Ascent, Decent & Elevation; Distance to Start as my other CIQ data fields.
    I'm also not understanding your post - I thought you could only have 2 CIQ data fields active at one time? Have you tried only installing this one? This sounds like a Garmin issue perhaps.

    I would look in the GARMIN\APPS directory for a CIQ_LOG.txt file or a err_log.txt file in the root directory.
  • >Please check it out, otherwise it's a one star deal.
    :mad:
    I don't have a Vivoactive but was nice enough to spend the time making a special version for it. There isn't much I can do without a device to test it on and it seems to be working for others with VA's.

    >I have 367 BikeFields; Ascent, Decent & Elevation; Distance to Start as my other CIQ data fields.
    I'm also not understanding your post - I thought you could only have 2 CIQ data fields active at one time? Have you tried only installing this one? This sounds like a Garmin issue perhaps.

    I would look in the GARMIN\APPS directory for a CIQ_LOG.txt file or a err_log.txt file in the root directory.


    Those are the other Connect IQ data fields I have downloaded and are available; yes, only 2 Connect IQ data fields can be used at the same time for any activity.

    I neglected to mention that when I first loaded your data field and found blank pages under my Connect IQ page, I reattached my vivoactive to Garmin Express a couple of times rather then rebooting. All my Connect IQ data fields showed that they needed to be downloaded from the cloud, which I did. It was after this happened twice that I tried the reboot method. I did get your data field loaded, but before I could try it, it just disappeared along with any other Connect IQ data field I had loaded on any activity.

    On a completely different topic which is specific to GPS and surfing in general:

    I see a lot of forum (surfing, sup) users excited about the speeds they are reaching and for some it seems to be their sole purpose. I've only used my watch in the water a couple of times, but the max speeds of 38 I have seem pretty impossible. Do you think these max speeds are possible and/or accurate? I thought surfing maxed out aroung 15-20 mph.
  • The fastest I've had is about 29 km/hr. Here's some examples of top level surfers (38 km/hr max):
    http://www.ripcurl.com/how-fast-do-you-surf.html

    I'd say 38 km/hr is on the high end and not likely, but mid and upper 20's is reasonable. I guess it depends on how big the wave is and how fast you are ripping dtl...

    From: http://www.surfline.com/community/whoknows/whoknows.cfm?id=1163

    In short, as I said before, there are too many variables undefined to give a definite answer to a specific ride, but you could comfortably say that skewing everything toward maximum velocity on a 9-foot wave, a surfer is never going to break the 40 feet per-second mark, which is approximately 27 miles per hour."

    So top speeds of ~44 km/hr.

    Edit: Oh but if you are talking mph then 38 mph = 61 km/hr is not possible, except maybe at Jaws after being towed in. Max of 20 mph = 32 km/hr would be reasonable.
  • Speed

    The fastest I've had is about 29 km/hr. Here's some examples of top level surfers (38 km/hr max):
    http://www.ripcurl.com/how-fast-do-you-surf.html


    Makes more sense, since from my limited use, my other max speeds were around 15 mph. The limited GPS refresh rate of 4-7 seconds (per DC Rainmaker) and the short time and distance of most waves, has to make speed accuracy suspect, due to the low sampling rate. It would be nice to know which activity has the highest rate; I would think cycling would have the longer/slower rate, since the speed is much faster then running or walking, but I really have no clue.
  • Ok an update and i think it can help to this speed issue.......
    Surfe a real crap 1 foot yesturday .....just for paddling fitness and an oportunity to test va compared to my rip curl search!1
    VA loged this
    1 14:24 6 17.1 37.4
    2 14:35 8 18.7 66.7
    3 14:54 11 13.6 36.2
    4 14:56 18 18.0 67.7
    An rc search logged just 1 wave max speed 11,7 kmh!!!
    The second logs are off ,there was no way for a 14 sec ride even at the best that spot can offer,the speed logs i cant tell but they seem way to fast at least from what rip curl logs usually but the spot provides some steep drops that can offer speeds around 17-24 kmh but in better surf than yesturday,
    The wave cout was much better than rip curl missed 1 wave ,rip curl missed 4.....out of 5!!!!ok not wavew to be remembered!!!!
    The distance now is ok usualy the ridew there are 30-60 meters.
    Thats my non expert review hope it helps!
    Dim
  • Former Member
    Former Member over 9 years ago
    Ok an update after a poor 1foot session i had yesterday more paddling fitness and an opportunity to test the VA against Rip Curl Search gps
    VA logged this
    1 14:24 6 17.1 37.4
    2 14:35 8 18.7 66.7
    3 14:54 11 13.6 36.2
    4 14:56 18 18.0 67.7
    Rip Curl logged just 1 wave 12 kmh 21 meters
    I drooped total 5 waves so VA did better job counting than Rip Curl that insists not to count sort runs that are most of surfing here..........
    The spot offers some steep drops that previews rip curl logs justify 17-24 kmh speeds in way better surf ,just short runs 20-50 meters usually 66,67 that VA logged seems too much for the conditions??
    So speeds also seems off way too much for the conditions ......
    The time logs are definitely off cause there is no way 14 sec runs at this spot!!!
    I had it in bike mode
    Hope this helps
    Dim
  • Former Member
    Former Member over 9 years ago
    Vivoactive

    excuse my ignorance but is there a step by step for loading the surf tracker on the vivo active? Or can you point me to a thread that explains it?