EDGE 840 and BT devices, specifically TRACKR HR monitor

FWIW, I have a Wahoo TICKR HR monitor that is BT only and it has always worked fine with my Edge 540.  I have had quite a few Wahoo HR monitors die in very strange ways but they've been good enough to replace them.  It's usually the strap that fails but I have had at least one failure that was not the strap.  It seems they are sensitive to low battery power or even poor battery connection (like from the batteries with the coating).  I've had my current TICKR for over 2 years now and it's been totally trouble free through at least a dozen battery replacements.  Maybe the problem is with your HR monitor.  Have you tried a different HRM?  It's easy enough to connect someone else's HRM for a test when you ride together...

the 840 with BT sensors are working fine, i am using a PolarH10 via BT, flawless. probably your Trackr is not good (why didnt you buy Polar, that is the best HR sensor imho...)

Thanks for the flawless diagnosis. LOL.

We don't have polar available where I live here. It's that simple. 

The Trackr is fine. Every other bluetooth device that connects to it, connects just fine. Apple Watch, Garmin Forerunner, Garmin Ege 830, etc. The common denominator is the EDGE 840. Not the Trackr. 

With Garmin's latest EDGE 840, it's now also broken my Varia connectivity intermittently. Varia works just fine with the EDGE 830. 

I had a Gen 1 TICKR for probably 4 or 5 years now, and that worked fine although I used that only with ANT+, but I gave that HR monitor to my wife. 

My Trackr is brand new. Works just fine with any other device that connects to it via BT. Works perfectly over Ant+ on the EDGE 840, except with BT connection it reports battery level since Wahoo decided to go with a stupid rechargeable battery. 

which part of the world do you live where no Polar availability? others reported problems too with Trackr and with other devices via BT, so not just you, so probably the problem is in the Trackr firmware and not in the x40. did you ask the Wahoo about it? (it has very old firmware...)

the flawless means the Polar has the best r-r signal via BT for HRV tracking (study says, not just me) , i had once a wahoo hrm accidentally, never ever, it is not their best products line  it was the worst what i have seen in my 15ys cycling career, and they couldnt/didnt wanna fix the problem in their firmware (that was a famous problem with the Tickr line)

my quick theory is that new Garmins like x40 or new FRs have secure BT connection too (GDPR) and the old Trackr firmware cant handle it and an update needed. the old 830 has no such a feature so that works with via open BT protocol, apple is the same

The TRACKR HR is a newer device, released about a year after the EDGE 840. Its Wahoo's current HR monitor.

I haven't seen any reports yet on the Trackr's BT connectivity issues. But I'll look.

I live in Namibia. No Polar here that I've seen. 

ok, and the point of this is? 

Historically, with all garmin products and wearables I've owned, Garmin has always had the buggiest software and hardware. It's also known as a type of update anxiety where one isn't sure what the new software update will fix and inevitably break, an update forced onto devices (at least the watches) The Forerunner 970 was a joke for the first year with the amounts of bugs. I returned it. I know a few users that are frustrated with it. 

To just assume the Wahoo is the problem when it's behaving with every other device, yet the Garmin unit is always the flakiest bit of hardware, is just amusing to me. The EDGE 840, and many Garmin devices have so many bugs still. Garmin released a new Radar with a whole lot of bugs that should have been caught early on in testing. They released an update recently that broke connectivity with my Varia Radar unit. 

Garmin is the type of company that releases a triathlon watch but swimming with it in the ocean and pools destroys the altimeter. Solid. 

I've never had to warrantee any Wahoo product over the last 5-6 years. However, I[ve had a lot of Garmin products fail, break and is some cases get warrantied. I've even been told by our local garmin agent to not swim or shower with garmin watches, even though they are triathlon watches. Not surprising though, as our local agents dont set a high standard.

that the Track's firmware older than the Garmin's secure BT connection one (24NOV < 25MARCH), and this is why it has problem now. because the Track's one is not supported that. The Polar H10 got multiple updates in the past months due this connection type upgrade also. and that is a 5 years old HR devices. just the Polar has better (software) support, thats all. 

yes, i know these things, every brands have advantage and disadvantages, there is no perfect device.