HRMs that don't suck
I've had my heart rate monitor that has lasted me about 3 years. It has started to spike a lot lately, but then again it has lasted a long time. It is also a polar, the S120. I think you can get it on Amazon for under a 100.
I've had almost no trouble with it. Have you tried tightening your strap? That might help a bit...
I have S625X and RS800SD from Polar and they both work very well - no spikes in HR. I had the 625X for over a year and RS800sd since last Christmas. The only troubles I had with them were when the battery in the HRM belt ran low. After replacing it everything is good. Did you try to replace the battery in the belt or the belt itself? I'm on second belt now and soon may need to upgrade again - the belt gets the most beating of all the components.
Jan
My polar S150 had been acting funny lately too:
- dropping the signal while all of 6" away
- spiking to over 200 bpm when I'm still under 160
- bpm jumping erratically up and down
No idea what happened, but it seems to have worked itself out. Of course I'm not trying to go elite so the problem isn't as bad for me.
As far as not getting interference with power lines, unless you're training alone in your own faraday cage there's not much you can do about it. You could get around picking up other people's HRMs if the signals were encoded by frequency or by the equivalent of a signing byte in the signal. Do any of the HRM manufacturers do that?
I have the 625X - no real issues - I do notice the occasinal jump in HR to 220 when I run by parked BMWs - could it be their security or my wishful thinkning??!
I second changing the battery or the entire strap every so often.
I have the "Timex Ironman T5F001 Unisex 100-Lap Target Trainer Heart Rate Monitor Watch" . It is simple and works great - as long as the battery is good. Used it for avg. 12 hours a week for 6 months before the battery in the chest strap gave out.
The only minor drawback is that it is not upgradeable to the Timex speed and distance tools.
Correction - I got curious and emailed Timex technical support. It CAN be upgraded with the speed and distance gear. I guess that means there are no drawbacks now. :)
My Polar HRM is in and out all the time. I try spit, cream, voodoo magic....it just kind of sucks. The heart rate will randomly drop or randomly spike even when I'm not near anyone or power lines.Thanks.
How old is the unit? Mine was sucking big time until I put a new battery in it and then it worked great. I replaced the batteries in the strap and the one in the watch. I had to send it in for that but it was worth it. $15 later I had a fully functioning HRM.
- A 21st Century Mom who is tri-ing to get better instead of just getting older
www.breakingthetape.com/21stcenturymom
^It's less than a year old. It's always been sketchy, though. I'm pretty hesitant to get another Polar at all.
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-Matt
Not fast enough.
I'd try replacing the battery in the strap first -- that has solved a similar issue for me, and I think I need to do so ~ every year or less in one of my HRMs.
Then I'd give the polar tech support a call. I had a similar issue with one of my garmin HRMs and then it stopped connecting at all, turned out it was just a bad strap and I have the problem much less often now.
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My Polar HRM is in and out all the time. I try spit, cream, voodoo magic....it just kind of sucks. The heart rate will randomly drop or randomly spike even when I'm not near anyone or power lines.
I need an HRM that:
1. Has a watch-type readout
2. Always works, 100% of the time, never sucks
3. Doesn't drop or spike (preferably even near power lines and other people)
4. Lasts for a while
Anyone have an HRM for at least a year or so that does all that 100% of the time without fail? I'm talking perfection here. Thanks.
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-Matt
Not fast enough.