Heart rate monitor on a PM3

[mauwf]

Hi there. I've been looking in to getting the HRM attachment for the PM3 but am curious as to what information it displays and records.

I assume that on the PM3 itself the current heart rate will show up, can anyone tell me where on the display this appears, I'm wondering what other information I'll have to sacrifice for it.

Also, what information gets transmitted to the Concept2 utility and onto the online logbook. There seems to be a space for heart-rate for each of the splits, is this the current heart rate at the time of the split or is it the average for the split, and the same for the average heart rate as well.

At the moment I already have a cheap Garmin HRM watch & belt (ANT+) so am just wondering what advantages the PM3 one has (although ideally I'd like it all on the same).

Thanks for any help.

[Citroen]

As you row the PM2 / PM2+ / PM3 / PM4 displays your heart rate. With a PM4 and a Garmin or Suunto ANT/ANT+ digital HR belt you don't even need the small interface dongle. That dongle is only for Polar/Polar coded analog belts (and it doesn't use the coded feature).

The data recorded in memory or on your logcard has a HR value at the time when the split ends (which is slightly non-intuitive). It also gives a simple average (sum and divide by number of splits) for the whole workout.

If you need better data then RowPro hooked up to a PM2+ / PM3 or PM4 will get a HR reading on every stroke.

If you need complex analysis then collecting HR data using a chest strap and a smart wrist watch will give better results but costs more $$$$s.

[Tall Man]

As for where the data is displayed on the PM3, it is in the bottom right corner on the "basic screen". I can't recall where it is on other screens but you don't lose any other display info.

RowPro does a nice job of recording data and displaying it in a graph on the RP computer screen.

[Bob S.]

If you need better data then RowPro hooked up to a PM2+ / PM3 or PM4 will get a HR reading on every stroke.

How do you get that out of RowPro? I do have screen shots of the graphs at the end of a number of pieces, but the RowPro log record shows only the values at the ends of the splits - same as the logcard. The graphs are not too bad and seem to represent all the data, but the time scale is logarithmic which is somewhat annoying. Since the graphs do appear to have the stroke-by-stroke data for the HR, as well as pace and distance per stroke, there should be some way of viewing that data. The ordinary reports do not; they show only split-by-split - with the usual 30 split limit.

Bob S.

[Citroen]

The HR data is in the Rowfile (the one you can upload to folks to re-row against you).

[mauwf]

Thanks. I'll have to have a think as to how much this is worth it as I don't use RowPro and my current HRM watch records full data for the whole workout rather than just snapshot positions.

[Bob S.]

The HR data is in the Rowfile (the one you can upload to folks to re-row against you).

Thanks. I'll check it out the next time I log on to RP.

Regards,

Bob

[Carl Watts]

The biggest advantage of using the HR on the PM as it is clearly visable while you are rowing and the fact it is integrated in your results in the logcard and also you get a nice average overall result for the row. Personally I have not found it necessary to analyse the HR data much further than this.

As it currently stands in RowPro the analysis is not that good because when you compare one row against another it uses pace vs HR instead of Watts vs HR which are two different things in terms of measuring Performance increase and it cannot seem to factor in rating or or course temperature which changes everything anyway.