Heart Rate Monitor HRM and Electrical EMR Interference

[Ian Levit]

I have a Polar Prograiner XP Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) which stops receiving heart rate transmissions
from the chest strap, when there is strong electrical interference from power lines. Under normal
conditions the XT works fine, but on a part of the bike trail I use in Northern Virginia, between
Ashburn and Sterling, the bike trail and the power companies high power lines run in parallel. At
the point, the XP stops receiving the heart rate from the transmitter. It may flicker in every once
and a while, but it is useless.

My question is, does anyone who has any experience with similar conditions, found an HRM that
functions better the the Polar XT under these kinds of conditions, that is EMR interference from
high power electrical lines.

Thanks

Ian Levit [email protected].

 

[Rick Onanian]

On Fri, 5 Mar 2004 18:41:45 -0500, "Ian Levit"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>between Ashburn and Sterling, the bike trail and the power companies high power lines run in
>parallel. At the point, the XP stops receiving the heart rate from the transmitter. It may flicker
>in every once and a while, but it is useless.

Your HRM is working properly. It's actually your heart which is stopping. The EM field disrupts the
electrochemical nerve signals to your heart, and your heart goes into a continuous blood impellation
motion rather than the usual beating pump motion. Your HRM can't measure this mode.

>My question is, does anyone who has any experience with similar conditions, found an HRM that
>functions better the the Polar XT under these kinds of conditions, that is EMR interference from
>high power electrical lines.

I've found that an automotive fuel flow gauge works well. You must choose a major artery and
interrupt it with the gauge's sender.

Another option is to reverse your HRM so that you set the rate and it controls your heart. You'll
need two inline power taps and some minor reprogramming of the HRM.
--
Rick Onanian

 

[Frank121]

Must be a full moon....;-)

"Rick Onanian" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news[email protected]...
> On Fri, 5 Mar 2004 18:41:45 -0500, "Ian Levit" <[email protected]> wrote:
> >between Ashburn and Sterling, the bike trail and the power companies high power lines run in
> >parallel. At the point, the XP stops receiving the
heart
> >rate from the transmitter. It may flicker in every once and a while, but
it
> >is useless.
>
> Your HRM is working properly. It's actually your heart which is stopping. The EM field disrupts
> the electrochemical nerve signals to your heart, and your heart goes into a continuous blood
> impellation motion rather than the usual beating pump motion. Your HRM can't measure this mode.
>
> >My question is, does anyone who has any experience with similar
conditions,
> >found an HRM that functions better the the Polar XT under these kinds of conditions, that is EMR
> >interference from high power electrical lines.
>
> I've found that an automotive fuel flow gauge works well. You must choose a major artery and
> interrupt it with the gauge's sender.
>
> Another option is to reverse your HRM so that you set the rate and it controls your heart. You'll
> need two inline power taps and some minor reprogramming of the HRM.
> --
> Rick Onanian

 

[Ian Levit]

Very funnny.

Ian

"Rick Onanian" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news[email protected]...
> On Fri, 5 Mar 2004 18:41:45 -0500, "Ian Levit"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
> >between Ashburn and Sterling, the bike trail and the
> >power companies high power lines run in parallel. At the
> >point, the XP stops receiving the
heart
> >rate from the transmitter. It may flicker in every once
> >and a while, but
it
> >is useless.
>
> Your HRM is working properly. It's actually your heart
> which is stopping. The EM field disrupts the
> electrochemical nerve signals to your heart, and your
> heart goes into a continuous blood impellation motion
> rather than the usual beating pump motion. Your HRM can't
> measure this mode.
>
> >My question is, does anyone who has any experience with
> >similar
conditions,
> >found an HRM that functions better the the Polar XT under
> >these kinds of conditions, that is EMR interference from
> >high power electrical lines.
>
> I've found that an automotive fuel flow gauge works well.
> You must choose a major artery and interrupt it with the
> gauge's sender.
>
> Another option is to reverse your HRM so that you set the
> rate and it controls your heart. You'll need two inline
> power taps and some minor reprogramming of the HRM.
> --
> Rick Onanian

 

[J Morelstein]

check the archives for this website with google. I know from
old posts 1) that this is a well-known problem with Polar
HRM's and 2) posters to the group have mentioned other
models which are (at least more) immune to this type of
interference.

"Ian Levit" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I have a Polar Prograiner XP Heart Rate Monitor (HRM)
> which stops
receiving
> heart rate transmissions from the chest strap, when there
> is strong electrical interference from power lines. Under
> normal conditions the XT works fine, but on a part of the
> bike trail I use in Northern Virginia, between Ashburn and
> Sterling, the bike trail and the power companies high
> power lines run in parallel. At the point, the XP stops
> receiving the
heart
> rate from the transmitter. It may flicker in every once
> and a while, but
it
> is useless.
>
> My question is, does anyone who has any experience
> with similar
conditions,
> found an HRM that functions better the the Polar XT under
> these kinds of conditions, that is EMR interference from
> high power electrical lines.
>
> Thanks
>
> Ian Levit [email protected].

 

[Carl Fogel]

"Ian Levit" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> I have a Polar Prograiner XP Heart Rate Monitor (HRM)
> which stops receiving heart rate transmissions from the
> chest strap, when there is strong electrical interference
> from power lines. Under normal conditions the XT works
> fine, but on a part of the bike trail I use in Northern
> Virginia, between Ashburn and Sterling, the bike trail and
> the power companies high power lines run in parallel. At
> the point, the XP stops receiving the heart rate from the
> transmitter. It may flicker in every once and a while, but
> it is useless.
>
> My question is, does anyone who has any experience with
> similar conditions, found an HRM that functions better the
> the Polar XT under these kinds of conditions, that is EMR
> interference from high power electrical lines.
>
> Thanks
>
> Ian Levit [email protected].

Dear Ian,

Here's an appallingly ignorant question.

What happens if you move the transmitter and receiver
closer? If reception improves, could any sort of antenna in
the form of a fine wire run down an arm from the transmitter
help things?

Carl Fogel

 

[Ian Levit]

I've moved the watch as close to the chest transmitter as
possible, and that doesn't help. I think what one would need
is a stronger transmitter, or the ability to boost the
transmitter in the chest belt. Perhaps if Polar could add a
standard and extra strong signal setting somehow on the
chest belt transmitter. That is very unlikely.

I would guess that Polar wants to get by with as small a
signal as possible, to preserve batter life, and that is
reasonable.

As I said earlier, except for this problem which results
from VERY strong interference from very high power lines
running parallel to the bike path, I haven't had any other
serious problems with the Polar Product. It has always
worked just fine (accept for an occasional error code which
is incomprehensible!).

Ian

"Carl Fogel" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Ian Levit" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> > I have a Polar Prograiner XP Heart Rate Monitor (HRM)
> > which stops
receiving
> > heart rate transmissions from the chest strap, when
> > there is strong electrical interference from power
> > lines. Under normal conditions the
XT
> > works fine, but on a part of the bike trail I use in
> > Northern Virginia, between Ashburn and Sterling, the
> > bike trail and the power companies
high
> > power lines run in parallel. At the point, the XP stops
> > receiving the
heart
> > rate from the transmitter. It may flicker in every once
> > and a while,
but it
> > is useless.
> >
> > My question is, does anyone who has any experience with
> > similar
conditions,
> > found an HRM that functions better the the Polar XT
> > under these kinds of conditions, that is EMR
> > interference from high power electrical lines.
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > Ian Levit [email protected].
>
> Dear Ian,
>
> Here's an appallingly ignorant question.
>
> What happens if you move the transmitter and receiver
> closer? If reception improves, could any sort of antenna
> in the form of a fine wire run down an arm from the
> transmitter help things?
>
> Carl Fogel