Forerunner HR Broadcast & Varia

Dexx-
3 months ago

Up to about one or two months ago I've been using the heart rate broadcast function on my garmin forerunner 255, together with my garmin edge. I discovered by accident that I would also be notified of cars by the varia in this mode. This was great because I could turn off the alert sounds on my edge, not need a HRM monitor and my forerunner barely used any battery, since it doesn't record much.

After a week or two of using this setup this suddenly stopped working. I checked on my forerunner, but there aren't any settings related to the alerts on my forerunner like there are on the edge.

Does someone know how to fix this, because it was really a perfect setup for me.

PS: The varia alerts do work when recording an activity, but I'm specifically interested in the alerts in combination with HR broadcasting

  • 0 1 month ago

    Hello! NextCare Urgent Care®

    You're referring to a setup where your Garmin Forerunner 255 is broadcasting your heart rate to your Garmin Edge, and at the same time, the Varia radar is providing car alerts through that connection. The fact that it worked previously but has stopped could be related to several possible issues, such as changes in settings, software updates, or connectivity issues. Here's a troubleshooting guide to help you get things working again:

    1. Check Heart Rate Broadcast Settings on Forerunner 255

    The heart rate broadcast function on the Forerunner 255 should still be active. To check:

    • Go to Settings > Sensors & Accessories > Heart Rate.
    • Ensure that Broadcast Heart Rate is enabled. If it is, try disabling and re-enabling it to reset the connection.

    2. Ensure Varia Radar is Properly Connected

    When you’re broadcasting heart rate, the Forerunner should still be sending data to the Edge, but it’s possible the Varia radar isn’t being detected properly by the Edge anymore.

    • On your Garmin Edge, make sure the Varia radar is paired properly. Go to Settings > Sensors > Add Sensor and make sure the radar is paired.
    • If the radar is paired and you're not getting alerts, try toggling the radar sensor off and then back on from the same menu.

    3. Check the "Varia Radar" Alerts Setting

    On your Garmin Edge, Varia radar alerts can be toggled independently of heart rate broadcasts. You may have accidentally turned them off:

    • On your Edge, go to Settings > Sensors > Varia Radar > Alerts.
    • Ensure that the alerts are turned on and configured to your liking (e.g., set to beep or vibrate).

    4. Firmware Updates

    Garmin frequently releases updates for both the Forerunner and Edge. It's possible that a firmware update for either device changed the way the devices interact. Make sure both your Forerunner 255 and Edge have the latest firmware installed.

    • For the Forerunner 255, check for updates via the Garmin Connect app or the device itself.
    • For the Edge, check the System > Software Update menu.

    5. Battery and Connectivity Check

    Since the Forerunner 255 consumes minimal battery in heart rate broadcast mode, the device might be in a low-power state that affects Bluetooth performance. To ensure optimal connectivity:

    • Make sure Bluetooth is turned on and that the Forerunner is within range of the Edge.
    • Check that the Forerunner’s battery is sufficiently charged.

    You could also try turning both the Edge and Forerunner off and on again to reset the connection.

    6. Re-pair the Devices

    If nothing else works, you might try unpairing and re-pairing your Forerunner with your Edge:

    • On your Edge, go to Settings > Sensors > Heart Rate and unpair any connected heart rate sensors.
    • On your Forerunner, go to Settings > Sensors & Accessories > Heart Rate and remove any paired devices.
    • Then, re-pair them as if you were setting them up for the first time.

    7. Consider Reverting to Previous Configuration

    If you’ve recently updated either device or made changes to settings that might have affected this functionality, it might help to roll back any changes. Sometimes new firmware or settings can unintentionally alter the behavior you're expecting.

  • 0 1 month ago

    HR Broadcast runs as an app on the watch, in the end its similar to starting a bike ride or a run.
    If Apps are run, sensors have been connected in the past. People complaint about it, for example if you opened the hydration tracking widget, it would connect to every sensor available at that time.
    This means: If you had added the Varia to the watches sensor collection, it would connect to the Varia and give alerts every time HR Broadcasting was started. This was no data coming from the Edge to the watch but from the watch itself.

    I believe that behavior was changed recently on the watches.