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How to avoid chest band pairing with FR235

Hi,
Today running with a friend (who was wearing a Fenix with chest band), my 235 coupled with his band and showed me his HR instead of mine.
I did not do any prior coupling process with his chest band, but it automatically joined my device, changing the signal of my optical sensor by his signal.
It is easy to turn off the wrist optical sensor, but, how can I avoid any ant+ band to pair with my device and keep the optical sensor working?
Might be a silly question, but I only see 2 choices: Automatic (the optical sensor works unless there is an external band available) or "off for the optical sensor". I want "on" the optical and "off" external bands.
Thanks

0 chunkywizard over 9 years ago

Find his HRM in your list of sensors and turn it off.

HTH

CW

0 Ea2ctb over 9 years ago

OK, thanks.
Yes, I see his sensor in my list.
I turned it off, while keeping "automatic" the HR monitor.
Sure it works. I will confirm after next ride.
Thanks again.

0 Ea2ctb over 9 years ago

thinking twice... and when I race, having hundreds of chestbands around me...how do I prevent any of them from pairing my 235 while having my optical sensor working?

What worries me is that the chestband of my friend coupled my 235 without any pairing process. Is that normal?

0 Nighthawk700 over 9 years ago

Unfortunately, yes, it's normal. I wanted to compare my chest band (paired with a running app on my phone) vs. my 235 to see how accurate the watch was. The first run I thought there was 100% accuracy. Then I realized it paired up automatically.

0 chunkywizard over 9 years ago

it's meant to be by close proximity only and I believe you have to be close for a few seconds, so no hugging before races!

CW

0 Former Member over 9 years ago

Hi, I have the same problem and described it recently in this thread:

https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?343687-Maximal-heart-rate-correct-with-Forerunner-235&p=806527#post806527

I also want to check the accuracy of the optical sensor with my chest belt that is supposed to be only connected to my Edge 1000 GPS but not to the 235. But even if I turn off the belt on my Forerunner, it will automatically reconnect. That's stupid unless there is a solution for that...

0 Ea2ctb over 9 years ago

:) No really need of hugging someone to get the band paired with the 235. I tested with a band on my chest and, as some of you write, it coupled immediately, disregarding the optical sensor.

I do not see any possibility of racing using the optical sensor. What can you do if you are going to be in a pack, side by side with dozens of bands around you? Think about the few seconds before the race start...
Either you use your own band (pairing it well before you join the crowd at the start line or ... what else can you do?

Anyone raced with this model?
How can it be that you do not need any process of paring/validation before the sensor couples the watch?

0 chunkywizard over 9 years ago

did you delete the HR strap from your sensor list or was it already paired and just reconnected? I believe the first pair has to be very close but the reconnection will happen at a greater distance.

CW

0 Ea2ctb over 9 years ago

In my case:
- I had no sensor paired. My girlfriend joined me and her HR strap paired my 235 automatically. (no hugs, but at any time strap and watch could have been at some 5-20 cm...)
- I could not get rid of the strap signal until today when I went into the menu, I chose her sensor and turned it off as you CHUNKYWIZARD suggested previously. Now, I can avoid her HRM strap. (thanks)
-So, it is ok to avoid her HRM strap, but what about any other signal close to me in a race? Will it happen the same? Will any other strap automatically pair my 235? I cannot turn off every HR strap that pairs my 235 :D

Or did my girlfriend HRM strap paired my 235 automatically because it was the first sensor in contact with the 235 (the watch was brand new) but with the following ones it will ask for validation before pairing?

I would like to have the option of: HR strap "on" or "off"
If "on" it looks for the closest or the last strap paired and "pairs".
If "off" it works with the wrist optical sensor, independently of the signals on the air.

I do not know if I explain myself.
Thanks for your assistance.

0 Former Member over 9 years ago

I just tested mine again. What you can do is to disable the optical sensor and it will remain disabled. However, I cannot disable the "external" chest belt. Even if I 1.) disconnect my ANT+ belt and 2.) even remove it from the menu, it will soon reconnect to the watch automatically. So from my experience I have no choice to measure the optical HR readings at the same time together with my ANT+ belt (and a second device such es the Garmin Edge 1000). The latter would possibly only work if I were using a Polar belt that cannot be recognized by the watch.