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More glitches with the HRM - note Garmin please read this.

Garmin, if you are paying attention you need to have a long talk with your software programmers about making assumptions, as in NEVER ASSUME ANYTHING.

As for what triggered this, 2 full hours of corrupt heart rate data because your programmers assumed that because I hadn't used my chest monitor for 3 days it should be turned off. Typically when I go to the gym I put on my chest monitor because I am quite aware that the wrist monitor will routinely exhibit "flights of fancy" in regards to heart rate. Up until today anytime I have the chest monitor on and start an activity it will link up quickly to the 235 so today I didn't check to see if it was functioning as usual. So, I do 36 minutes of HIIT training on an Elliptical and save that data. Then I do a steady 46 minute run on the Elliptical at a targeted heart rate of 138 bpm. Finish up with an easy 1.2 mile walk on a treadmill to get my total steps over 12,000 with a heart rate varying between 103 and 112 at "random" incline setting. BTW, I also take my Forerunner 15 with me to use as a heart rate display, so I know exactly what my chest band was showing.

First, the HIIT training run on the Elliptical. This is the primary reason I take my Forerunner 15 to the gym with me so I can watch my heart rate during each interval. Drill is to work at speed until the heart rate hits my target for that day and then rest until it drops to below 130 bpm. Early on the breaks only last about 30 seconds but as fatigue sets in I'll extend the break to up to 45 seconds. Today's target for peak heart rate was 154 and when that was displayed on the forerunner 15 I'd stop the machine for a rest break. The results for today's session are pretty much JUNK and not at all typical.

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1386224818

HIIT training run from Saturday the 24th using the chest monitor. Note the sawtooth pattern in the heart rate, this is what today's heart rate data should have looked like. I'll also note that this particular chest strap is starting to get flakey so I will be ordering a replacement today. Did throw it in the wash after this run but experience has shown that the straps don't last for much more than a year and when they start getting flakey it's best to replace them.

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1376001507

46 minute targeted heart rate run on the Elliptical, note the step counter dropped out for nearly 45 seconds at the 5:09 mark after the HRM took one of it's "flights of fancy". Also note that the heart rate went from 140 to 175 in just 20 seconds with NO CHANGE IN THE CADENCE. I'll also note that during this activity at NO TIME did the Forerunner 15 I had set to display the heart rate output from my chest band indicate a heart rate over 141.

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1386300257

1.2 mile walk on the treadmill. BTW, I'd also like to know why the step counter dropped out those two intervals, the machine was running at a constant 3.7 mph.

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1386335141

So, what am I upset about.

First, when I saw today's data I went to settings for the chest monitor and found it had been turned OFF. As I am the ONLY person using this watch I can state with absolute certainty I did NOT turn the chest monitor off. I can only assume the watch was programmed to turn off unused devices after some specific interval of non use. Take a look at the weather pattern over the eastern 1/3 of the US and you'll understand why I wasn't out running with the chest band. IMO a setting such as this should ONLY be switched off when the USER decides they want to turn it off.

Second, you either need to design some Intelligent Programming into the wrist HRM to ignore sudden spikes or enable the user to edit those spikes in Connect. I also think that the user should be able to select between a variety of polling intervals for the HRM and make their own decisions for this and it's effect on charge life. I suspect that most of us are syncing our watches daily and thus don't really need a charge life of a week or more.

Third, what is the deal with an unstarted Outdoor Run disabling the Step Counter. This is flat out dumb. You really need to tell your programmers that the Step Counter should ALWAYS, 100% of the time, BE ON AND ACTIVE. Even when a footpod is in use. BTW, I have found that my footpod will NOT function on an Elliptical Trainer and it will disable the step counter, so I can't use my footpod at the gym. When your daily step goal is near 16,000 steps you really get irritated when you engage in activity and get zero steps counted from that activity because the step counter was turned off by some programmer making assumptions. I would also suggest that you take a look at the Step Counter in the Forerunner 15 because IMO it is actually superior to the step counter in the Forerunner 235. As for why I think this, get on a treadmill and compare the step count when grasping the heart rate monitor pads on that treadmill. What you will see is the Forerunner 15 will count your steps and the 235 won't count one single step.

0 timgrose over 8 years ago

I've never heard of the entry in Sensors & Accessories for a particular sensor being turned off by itself. If it did for you then that is certainly not normal.

Not sure I understand the third point.
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1386335141 suggests you stopped at around at 9 mins in and the HR drops in this period. Is that not what happened?

And when you say "step counter" are you referring to an activity with a foot pod or just with the watch's internal accelerometer for cadence and hence steps?

A foot pod is a device to be used only when running. Any other use like on an elliptical I can't see would give meaningful results.

0 Former Member over 8 years ago

maybe not related...

I too noticed that my fotpod was turn off in the settings. I assume it was after the last update. Of course I didn't notice until after my run. Even though the watch alerts me when the footpod is ready. I guess now it tell me when the heart rate is ready too and so I didn't even pay attention to the fact the fotpod setting was off.

0 NickMN over 8 years ago

I also use a HR strap during activities almost exclusively (except recovery runs)

I have had the strap 'disable' on me (without my knowledge for a week or so...) , I think I have pegged it to situations where I have had to do a hard reset. (maybe?). Have to go back into sensors and activate it....

Now I am fairly mindful of watching for the 'Ext Heart Monitor Ready' notice... if I miss it... I check for the watches green lights (should be off...).

0 scooterv45 over 8 years ago

I've never heard of the entry in Sensors & Accessories for a particular sensor being turned off by itself. If it did for you then that is certainly not normal.

Not sure I understand the third point.
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1386335141 suggests you stopped at around at 9 mins in and the HR drops in this period. Is that not what happened?

And when you say "step counter" are you referring to an activity with a foot pod or just with the watch's internal accelerometer for cadence and hence steps?

A foot pod is a device to be used only when running. Any other use like on an elliptical I can't see would give meaningful results.

This particular activity was on a treadmill operating at a steady 3.7 mph pace and I did NOT step off the treadmill during that dropout on the step/cadence count. I also did NOT have my footpod with me. Since I discovered having the footpod present while using an Elliptical Trainer shuts off the accelerometer step counter in the 235 I leave the footpod at home when I go to the gym. Yeah, I'll admit to being a bit too obsessed with making my daily step count goal.

I am speculating here but based on what I've observed I think there are some specific functions programmed into the 235 on what to do when the heart rate lock is lost. If you look at that trace just prior to that dropout in the step count you'll see that the heart rate is increasing at a slope that looks to be about 45 Degrees. I think that is the watch guessing that I'm breaking into a run and it's showing a heart rate estimate based on the assumption that my heart rate will be increasing at a steadily increasing rate. After it regains a lock it then plummets to the actual heart rate. While this is pure speculation I've observed this happening on multiple occasions when I am walking at a brisk pace either on a treadmill or on pavement. It's also very similar to the trace that I'll get using a chest monitor when I am doing HIIT drills on the Elliptical trainer. However the distinct difference is that the trace from the actual HIIT drills will have rounding at the peak and these false traces almost always peak with a sharp point.