Garmin HRM's

No matter what I (or Garmin Customer Support) try, I can't get current Garmin HRM's (such as the Edge 305 bike computer) to display my heart rate. I have a Medtronic pacing PM.
In my experience, Polar HRM's do a good job of displaying heart rate but at download time, Garmin's PC software is the best (my opinion).
Has anyone solved this problem?

3 Comments

HR Monitors

by ElectricFrank - 2011-07-27 02:07:11

Some monitors have difficulty dealing with the different ECG waveforms that pacemakers cause. One common effect is for the monitor to sense both the pacer pulse and then the hearts response. It sees them as two heart beats and will show a HR of double actual. In other cases the heart nerve block that caused the need for a pacer will result in a weak waveform, especially when sensed from arm to arm. This can result in no reading or erratic readings.

Some of the Polars use a light beam in a finger clip to read the actual blood pulse. This method doesn't have the pacemaker problem.

You might call Garmins tech support and see what they say, but don't expect too much.

frank

Garmin HR's

by pharlan11 - 2011-07-27 10:07:13

I appreciate the reponse. A couple of years ago after bringing the Edge 305 home, I called Garmin Tech Support when I couldn't get an HR display. We went through three iterations of them sending a new transmitter and receiver and me sending back the one that I tried. All of our efforts failed to yield a solution.
I eventually posted a gripe on Garmin's forum and an engineer from the company that supports "ANT" tecgnology responded. Basically, he said that I'm out of luck. The Medtronic pacemaker confuses the ANT transmitter and it refuses to send a signal. I guess that they don't see the pacemaker group as enough of a market to resolve the problem. Too bad.
Thanks again.

Same problem

by Tac - 2011-08-13 12:08:38

See my posting from 5/30/11 regarding ePulse2.

Dave

You know you're wired when...

You always run anti-virus software.

Member Quotes

My eight year old son had a pacemaker since he was 6 months old. He does very well, plays soccer, baseball, and rides his bike. I am so glad he is not ashamed of his pacemaker. He will proudly show his "battery" to anyone.