Heart rate data download from HRM swim to MK1 data not accessible.

Hi Internet,
I've been struggling with Garmin and their MK1. I'm doing a small research project on free-diver profiles in a local area and have a couple of MK1 watches to gather basic free-dive data. I know - overkill, but the ability to use with separate HR bands and the (supposed) capacity to export the raw data lured me in. Man, was I wrong! I chose them because my preliminary understanding (naive I guess) was that I would be able to get the raw data off the garmin watch/connect website via CSV or otherwise. Nope! They don't allow that for dive data. Only the raw .fit files can be exported which are all but useless to a non-programmer like me. The CSV functions are all disabled (greyed out).
I've found an open source program to export the dive profiles and it accesses the HR data but only IF it's recorded on the wrist sensor (terrible data for freedivers because of the whole peripheral vasoconstriction reflex). Data that is recorded on the HRM chest band then downloaded to the MK1 then onto Garmin connect is not accessible.

How can I get the HR data off the MK1 or Garmin Connect into a spreadsheet OR export the raw data?

Please help.

Thanks

Top Replies

Former Member over 5 years ago in reply to 4272307 +1

4272307

4272307 said:
How can I open this file to see the raw data of the HR values?

my two cents and sorry for the technical bla bla bla...

the raw data

open the mmmmm.fit file with a hex-editor

search…
atj777 over 5 years ago in reply to 4272307 +1

Just to clarify what you are asking.

You mentioned you had a Fenix 5 so I assume you are wanting your HR data from a fitness activity (run, etc.) rather than a dive.

I’m pretty sure that a fitness TCX…

All Replies

0 TrippyZ over 5 years ago

Yes it is. From the activity in Garmin Connect select Export Original. All the data, including the strap HR data, is in there. However the HR data is patched into the tail of the FIT, not merged into the activity recording in the normal fashion.

0 Excido over 5 years ago

Ok, that sounds promising, How can I access this data? Specifically, how can I export the time-stamped depth and HR data into a spreadsheet? Yes, one can export the "original file" but that is only accessible with another Garmin product. It does not allow one to actually acquire the data in a usable form.

0 4272307 over 5 years ago

Hi Excido, any update how to get the raw HR data? I have a Fenix 5 and I am trying to make my onw analysis.

Raul.

0 Former Member over 5 years ago in reply to 4272307

4272307

Raul,

The fit file with HR data that TrippyZ is talking about, you can also find on your watch.

After a download, in folder TEMPFIT / SAF_HR is a fit file named "HRDATA.FIT" containing the hr data.

You can split the activity file in two separate fit files.

happy & safe sporting

0 mguaylam over 5 years ago

HR data will not be merged on the watch but on Garmin Connect (I don’t know why, it’s silly). The fit file there should have everything.

0 4272307 over 5 years ago in reply to Former Member

I downloaded from one training "export original" the file nnnnnnn.zip, after unzip it, there is just one file mmmmm.fit and it is no ascii caracters. How can I open this file to see the raw data of the HR values?

Thanks man.

0 Former Member over 5 years ago in reply to 4272307

4272307

4272307 said:
How can I open this file to see the raw data of the HR values?

my two cents and sorry for the technical bla bla bla...

the raw data

open the mmmmm.fit file with a hex-editor

search for text "fit"

serach again for "fit" until you get to the last one in the file

when finding more than two you will have to repeat the cutting

you found the last "fit" in the file

from there count nine byte back and select from there until the end of the file

copy (& cut when found more than two "fit", repeat),

paste in a new file and save as a hr-mmmmm.fit file

with thisisant FIT SDK dump the content into a CSV format

import & check with Microsoft Excel

open the mmmmm.fit with FitFileRepairTool and analyse with Microsoft Excel

happy & safe sporting

0 4272307 over 5 years ago in reply to Former Member

Thanks OnlyTwo, using hex-editor and R script I will generate my onw plots of my trainings. It is fun but Garmin can provide the raw HR-data in CSV format, like Polar does. Thanks again!

0 atj777 over 5 years ago in reply to 4272307

Just to clarify what you are asking.

You mentioned you had a Fenix 5 so I assume you are wanting your HR data from a fitness activity (run, etc.) rather than a dive.

I’m pretty sure that a fitness TCX file is available for fitness activities in addition to the FIT file. TCX is just XML and can be downloaded from Connect.

I assume the TCX file will have the updated HR data - it certainly has the base HR data from the watch.

0 Former Member over 5 years ago in reply to atj777

yep, just checked

downloaded hr data is in the exported tcx

not from a run, etc, but from swimming

happy & safe sporting