My ANT+ signal-boosting kit arrived the other day. This morning I got out my toolkit (aka scissors) to install it.
There are well-known problems with the Fenix 5/5s (example: garmin forums, 44,000 views ). Dropped connectivity appears to happen with Garmin sensors as well as non-Garmin ANT+ sensors. Clearly it’s not Garmin’s fault and small companies like RunScribe should pay for resolving the problem. Errrrrr.
That’s what RunScribe seem to be doing with the apparently ingenious signal-boosting kit. You just cut a 40×3.5mm section of self-adhering aluminium strip and stick it to the side of the RunScribe pod. Thank you Tim & Co at RunScribe.
Definitely one of my easier jobs.
My last DIY escapade was changing and shortening a Shimano bike chain with the wrong tools which took over 45 minutes…40 minutes longer than this job.
“Will it work?” … I’ve no idea. I guess it’s been tested. All I can say is that the later run showed no apparent dropouts with the 235…not sure there were any dropouts bfore tho to be fair.
“If I stick a strip on my STAGES aluminium crank that also has reduced ANT+ connectivity will that work?” …. err NO. I doubt it very much.
I discussed the UNliklihood of a FEnix 5/5S recall here.
My moral compass doesn’t always mesh with everyone else’s but this situation looks clearly wrong to me. My solution is to repeatedly moan about it until nothing gets done. 🙁
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What I want to try… sticking it on a Stryd to see if that resolves issues on the Fenix 5/5S…
great minds think alike.
yes, someone I know said the same thing 😉
but where would you stick it? (serious question, take the polite interpretation !)
Yeah, my thinking was basically along the ‘seam’ edges, in essentially a similar installation design. It won’t look as pretty, but that’s OK. With a WASP I can measure RSSI pretty easily (roughly), so is simple enough to see if it changes.
My bits of foil arrive Friday, so will try it out then. I tried finding said foil locally, but no luck.
At the same time, someone noted that the most recent Fenix 5 beta software + the ANT stack update has some specific items that may benefit Stryd. Garmin hasn’t confirmed that to me though, but rather a reader saying it. I haven’t got it all installed though.
Runscribe will also allow you to change the update frequency of the ANT+ signal in the GC app – so worth playing with this too to see whats optimal.
I am not an RF engineer, but assume that the innards must already be formed in a way that the foil can boost what’s already there. I have not opened up any of my RS pods, but I assume the antenna construction must wrap around the side where the foil is placed. I have no idea where the antenna is in the Stryd, but I think you’d have to pretty lucky for the same thing to help there too.
(feeling smug, having gone for the 935 instead!)
by coincidence i’ve just written something saying exactly the same thing in anohter post. i’ll have to cehck the time stamps to prove the originality of my ideaettes (edit…you were first)
just tried 16khz tho and can’t even ‘pair’ it from 10cm grrrr
this just increases the frequency of checking tho and doesn’t boost the SIGNAL buts BOOSTS the chances??? somthing like that
i have a 935 too unfortunately runpow takes that one up 🙁 I can only afford the one 😉 (the RS pods do both par to that easily in my experinces)
Yes – I think its just throwing the data at you more often, but with the same power levels.
higher frequency=less range?
that would be my vague memory of physics.
In general, but also depends on what objects are in the way as different frequencies can penetrate better then others. But the range frequencies Ant+/BLE run in is too small for impact there
Yes I saw that.
I decided against doing Garmin’s testing for them.
Where depends on the antenna location. This either acts as a reflector to make the signal more directional or as a ground plane as they may not have that on their PCB.
http://www.antenna-theory.com/antennas/patches/pifa.php
thank you…I suspect this is a topic you know a lot about!
yes, presumably that’s why Runscribe give the instructions as they do for the palcement of the ‘strip’
I find it incredibly disappointing from Garmin that Ant+ doesn’t mean things work together (eg. Stages and 920XT). They blame others but it’s basically the standard that’s at fault. And Garmin own the standard!
Has nothing to do with the standard. Antenna design is hard: http://www.cypress.com/file/136236/download