In article <
[email protected]>, dated Fri, 24 Jan 2003 16:51:57
-0000, Gavin Gillespie <
[email protected]> says...
>Thanks Bob, we did try water before buying the gel, but that did not make any difference, it just
>seems odd that two monitors are doing exactly the same. It looks like it is back to the shop with
>them, but I would still be interested if anyone else is, or is not, having the same problem.
Similar situation here. BTW, no previous experience whatsoever, so I'm not sure what I should expect
really. I got two of those, one for a friend and one for myself. I tried both at home without gel or
anything and they were both refusing to show any pulse. So, I put one on and started hoovering!
About 20mins (as you said) I suddenly came back from the dead -- from flatliner to 120bpm in a split
second. From then on its stability was rock solid throughout and after the hoovering session. A
couple of hours later I put it back on and started cycling. Same situation. No signal until about
25mins later. Then a bit on and off and suddenly rock solid. No interference and I could re-position
it with no interruptions at all. That's when I started suspecting it was the sweat that was doing
the trick. On my way back, again 40mins of inactivity and suddenly it was working again. So, when I
got back home I dried skin & sensor and then it wouldn't work. Applied some water and it immediately
started working again.
Conclusions:
(a) It looks like I'm going to get some gel tomorrow!
(b) Hoovering indoors is a sweatier business than cycling outdoors (the differences in temperatures
may have something to do with this).
While I'm still at it, can someone tell me how those sensors work? I mean, I am guessing they detect
the electrical activity that causes the heart muscle to contract or something like that, which
explains why good conductivity is essential. But if there is no switch how can they tell when to
transmit RF? Are they just transmitting a pulse for every pulse they detect (in which case, if you
don't have them on, they will be idle, therefore they don't waste battery energy)?
--
Michael Klontzas 'If everything seems to be coming your way, you're probably in the wrong lane'
(Borstelmann's Rule)