Heart rate monitor

[BobHallam]

I am unable to pair my heart rate strap with my PM5. It keeps saying not listed.

[winniewinser]

I am unable to pair my heart rate strap with my PM5. It keeps saying not listed.

Is it connected to anything else?

What make/model HRM is it?

More info needed

[Tsnor]

Is it connected to anything else?

Most likely this ^^^^. Turn off bluetooth on your phone, then unsnap the HRM, wait a min, then plug the hrm back into belt to verify.

Also could be

1.some HR monitors don't start until they are wet or sweaty. The PM5 can't see them until they start broadcasting. Do a just row for 5 mins then look for your belt again to verify. If this is it then wet your belt's contact pads before putting it on.

2.really old polar HR monitors talk "gymlink", the PM5 only speaks ANT+ and BTLE. ANY HRM from the last decade will broadcast ANT+ and/or BTLE. There is no way to make these old belts work, you can get a new belt that works well for $30 or a great belt for $75.

[Carl Watts]

It needs to be a modern HR strap either ANT+ or Bluetooth, the old Polar tech from 20 years ago doesn't work.

The biggest problems with HR straps is the battery. If you use it multiple times a week it needs a new battery every year.

Make sure you get the PM5 running the latest version of the firmware for it, the connectivity has improved.

The new Garmin stuff like the Run, Swim and pro is amazing, after a soak in water its picking up my HR just holding it in my hands before I even get it fitted.

[Joebasscat]

Also could be

1.some HR monitors don't start until they are wet or sweaty. The PM5 can't see them until they start broadcasting. Do a just row for 5 mins then look for your belt again to verify. If this is it then wet your belt's contact pads before putting it on.

Best advice I got on this front was to put the water on yourself. I do both, just a rub across the chest while wetting the pads. Pretty flawless.

[Carl Watts]

The HR straps appear to be improving all the time. The latest Garmin is a big jump over the old stuff from only a year or so ago. That said it doesn't matter what I have used it has only lasted a few years, even with a full rinse in warm water to wash out the sweat after every use.

[RayOfSunshine]

The HR straps appear to be improving all the time. The latest Garmin is a big jump over the old stuff from only a year or so ago. That said it doesn't matter what I have used it has only lasted a few years, even with a full rinse in warm water to wash out the sweat after every use.

Same here.

[Nomath]

Thanks for the posts on this topic so far.
About 2 years ago I changed from a PM3 with an additional Polar HR-receiver to a PM5. I use a Polar H10 breast sensor, which is considered one on the best. However, using the H10 in combination with the PM5 I was very disappointed. Often it took me several minutes before the PM5 'found' the H10, i.e. the device was 'not listed' for several minutes.
I have to add that I always use a Polar M460 receiver running in parallel to the PM5. Some may consider the M460 as unnecessary in combination with a PM5, but I prefer to use it.

Some posts have suggested that the bluetooth connection to the PM5 may be interfered by other bluetooth devices in the surroundings. I often had my iPhone and an iPad lying around somewhere within a distance of 10 meters. From the moment I have switched off the bluetooth connectivity in the iPhone and iPad, the connection between the H10 and the PM5 has improved significantly. The H10 is now usually found within 30 sec. So there are several indications that other nearby bluetooth devices do matter.

I plan to do a statistical test with the possible interfering bluetooth devices switched on or off and at short or a long distance, in the coming weeks. I will report on it here. If anyone has other suggestions or comments, please let me know.

[gvcormac]

Thanks for the posts on this topic so far.
About 2 years ago I changed from a PM3 with an additional Polar HR-receiver to a PM5. I use a Polar H10 breast sensor, which is considered one on the best. However, using the H10 in combination with the PM5 I was very disappointed. Often it took me several minutes before the PM5 'found' the H10, i.e. the device was 'not listed' for several minutes.
I have to add that I always use a Polar M460 receiver running in parallel to the PM5. Some may consider the M460 as unnecessary in combination with a PM5, but I prefer to use it.

Some posts have suggested that the bluetooth connection to the PM5 may be interfered by other bluetooth devices in the surroundings. I often had my iPhone and an iPad lying around somewhere within a distance of 10 meters. From the moment I have switched off the bluetooth connectivity in the iPhone and iPad, the connection between the H10 and the PM5 has improved significantly. The H10 is now usually found within 30 sec. So there are several indications that other nearby bluetooth devices do matter.

I plan to do a statistical test with the possible interfering bluetooth devices switched on or off and at short or a long distance, in the coming weeks. I will report on it here. If anyone has other suggestions or comments, please let me know.

I "upgraded" to a PM5 so I could do competitions and ergathlons. Overall, I'm disappointed. Way more work to set up the HRM and to log the results; way less reliable. The PM5 internal log comingles different users, rendering the Concept 2 Utility method of uploading results an exercise in frustration. WIth the old log cards, you could keep separate logs, and upload if and when you felt like it.

[Tsnor]

I plan to do a statistical test with the possible interfering bluetooth devices switched on or off and at short or a long distance, in the coming weeks. I will report on it here. If anyone has other suggestions or comments, please let me know.

Very interested in your results.

Some suggestions that might help:

1) Ensure the H10 is active by connecting it to polar beat before you start the PM5 test. That removes the "H10 was in low power mode and did not see a heart beat" delay. You don't want that delay if you are hunting for sources of interference. You can use the second BTLE stream supported by your H10 or use BTLE for Beat and ANT+ for the PM5.

My H10 connects pretty quickly to the PM5, so I am not seeing your delay. " Often it took me several minutes before the PM5 'found' the H10, i.e. the device was 'not listed' for several minutes." <<-- I've never taken minutes. (The H10 connects to the PM5 connects seconds after Ergdata connects, and ergdata supplies the info that lets the PM5 autoconnect the H10). I keep the pod disconnected from the belt so the H10 gets a wake up when its snapped in, then walk down 2 flights to the garage. I think the H10 is always already broadcasting when the PM5 starts hunting. *** If you need me to time anything for you on my PM5 / H10 let me know. PM5 HW version 903, and am sure that will make a difference for BT -- the radio chips evolve quickly.

2) HD music over Bluetooth is known to saturate BT bandwidth. Brushed motors (e.g. paper shredder, old drill) will also broadcast noise that steps on the signal as will many invertor based microwave ovens. You may have better interference sources planned.