Garmin 920XT Windsurfing activity

OK that sounds like that will be it.

Thanks again, I sent you the file.

Cheers

This is a datafield and can be added to an existing activity profile. I would do a new activity profile for Windsurfing first by clicking Settings->Activity Profiles->Add New, Choose Sport is: Other, then choose a color, then an icon, then a profile name (I used custom one and typed in Speedsurfing), then "Use Default", GPS: on, then "Done".

Then in Activity Settings->Data Screens, Screen 1: change it to a 1-field layout (enter, up, up), then down, enter and choose "Wind/Kite Surfing Datafield" from the "Connect IQ" section

I think I'll write step by step (click by click) instructions on how to do that. I once write them for k800ben, but I lost them.

My setup currently is:

Screen 1: 1-field: Wind/Kite Surfing Datafield
Screen 2: 4-fields: Time Of Day, Distance, Max. Speed, Avg. Speed
Screen 3: 4-field: Heart Rate, HR Zone, Avg. HR, Calories
Screen 4: 1-field: Lap Time (this works as a race timer, whenever I hit the LAP button it starts counting minutes/seconds from 0:00 upwards. So I know that at 4:00 I should pass the line.

Do you mean the flashing red rectangle around the 10s value after each run? Otherwise it should not flash. Does it flash as in the screenshot below?

www.chumba.ch/garmin/

I also put some instructions on how to create a custom activity profile for Windsurfing and also how to customize datafields:

www.chumba.ch/garmin/instructions.html

Ah, I see. Yes, it alternates between them when the speed is below 16.52 knots. Usually a screen is shown at least for 9 seconds. So would you like to have an option to show just one of them?

I personally like to see both because the 5x10s is handy and also all 5 individual 10s to see if there are for example 2 "bad" ones. But I could add an option to show just the first or just the second one.

Yes, the speed shows up automatically. You need to be planing (over 15 kph or 8 knots) for at least 10 seconds to get a first result. There is no need to press any buttons. You can test it with a car drive in case there is not enough wind. Also make sure you added the datafield to an activity profile that is based on the sport "Other". See: chumba.ch/garmin/instructions.html

Hi Fin151,
first, congrats and thanks for all the great work reg the datafield. This is hugely appreciated.

I just got a forerunner 920XT and are getting the error message (below) when trying to download the datafield from apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/b820a772-e335-406a-85b7-2ac6a0e5b61a
So I am not able to download the datafield. My watch is updated. I have added kitesurfing as a new activity following your instructions.
Any idea how to get around this?
Thanks heaps.
Tom (Oslo, Norway)

Perhaps is it a good idea to remind the GPS-TC posters that none of the Garmin GPS watches (or any others for that matter) are approved for GPS-TC posting.

But of course if you want to spend all that money just for the information on the water, thats up to you.

No Garmin bashing here Rick. I could care less about them or any other. Spend away as much as you like, it's your money.

If Garmin, or any other GPS watch maker ever makes one actually suitable for the GPS-TC I will be the first to praise them.

They may well have excellent quality of manufacture and bling, but that is a very different thing from excellent data quality for our purposes.
As it stands, all the watches, by necessity of form, use a tiny antenna (like phones), have quite limited data memory, use Trackpoint location to calculate speed which is severely compromised for accuracy, and don't produce data for verification or accuracy evaluation. They also need dedicated proprietary software for downloading and converting the limited data they record. Some do seem to have excellent waterproofing though and look really flash!

Thanks Fin. I had heard a rumour that the 920XT could be producing Doppler speed data. I have a .fit file from one I am studying and it does look like that. It may be useful if you could confirm this from Garmin and find out if there is any filtering applied.

It is very good to hear that at least Garmin has made their data available directly from the unit as a removable disc. This is a very big advantage. Kudos to them!

Sadly, as you say, they don't record the accuracy data which means the results may very often be quite accurate or the same as the GT-31, but unless you always have a GT-31 to compare, you can never be as sure it is correct. Does the data contain the satellite position and signal strength data?

I can understand why many people into bike and running sports may like to have them as they are obviously aimed at that market and do a great job for those sports where speed high precision and verification is not required.

We have discussed the idea a doing lots of testing of other Doppler GPS devices in comparison with GT-31/GW-52. It would in theory be possible to eventually build up enough data to determine a certain level of confidence we could assume, but it would require far more resources and $$ to do it properly than we could possibly have. And that would just be for one particular model which could change in a year to two, or even less.

Since most people have a GT-31, or can obtain a GW-52 for far less money, which do give us extremely reliable data, and do give us error and sat signal strength and position data for verification, that is the best option for any competition.

I am confident there will be other cost effective stand alone GPS devices based on the newer UBlox GPS chips (and possibly others) in the near future which will add to our choices and provide even more accurate data.

In the meantime, for those windsurfers who are into the other sports were the 920XT is well suited, I am sure they will find the watch gives useful information like the Logit App does, but since we cannot quantify it's accuracy, it is not currently acceptable for the GPS-TC posting.

It's only really interesting or relevant if you are a runner. The requirements are very different.

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sailquik said..
No Garmin bashing here Rick. I could care less about them or any other. Spend away as much as you like, it's your money.

If Garmin, or any other GPS watch maker ever makes one actually suitable for the GPS-TC I will be the first to praise them.

They may well have excellent quality of manufacture and bling, but that is a very different thing from excellent data quality for our purposes.
As it stands, all the watches, by necessity of form, use a tiny antenna (like phones), have quite limited data memory, use Trackpoint location to calculate speed which is severely compromised for accuracy, and don't produce data for verification or accuracy evaluation. They also need dedicated proprietary software for downloading and converting the limited data they record. Some do seem to have excellent waterproofing though and look really flash!

At the risk of being red-thumbed, I beg to differ.

Having used a Suunto Ambit 2S for 2 years along side my GT31 I can safely say that the differences in results are so marginal it's not worth mentioning. I now have a Fenix 3 and I'm testing that along side my GT31 and my Suunto, but so far it appears pretty damn accurate (for my purposes). I always wear my GT31 (in case some tool wants the file for verification purposes), but in reality the Suunto and Garmin are as accurate as I need for my own peace of mind.

What I don't understand is all these people that say GPSTC is about fun, but then get all serious when they hear about people using devices like Suunto and Garmin. If GPSTC is about having fun and not supposed to be highly competitive then why aren't these devices allowed? It certainly wouldn't bother me in the slightest if someone posted a PB using one of these devices.

Not everyone needs error logs. I only reach speeds of 37 knots and have alphas in the low 20s. Why then all this seriousness about devices? I'm no elitist, nor are any of the regulars I sails with, so what's the issue? From everything I've read on these forums lately, the fun and accessibility of gps sailing is being ruined by a few fanatics who insist on people using a gt31 or gt32 et al.

I love my Fenix 3. I can wear it in the office and it looks great, I wear it for running on the beach and I use it to track my pool swims. Oh yeah, and it tells the time too. It's a great multi-pupose device and it erks me that they're "not approved" by the elite for GPSTC, which is supposed to be about fun, not serious competition.

Love my 920XT

Use it for windsurfing, SUP, running and MBT.

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sailquik said..
As it stands, all the watches, by necessity of form, use a tiny antenna (like phones)

The Suunto Ambit has a comparatively large antenna... that's the big chunky thing hanging off the side of the watch. I thought the antenna was so big it was pretty ugly and that's why I changed to the Fenix 3.

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N1GEL said..
What I don't understand is all these people that say GPSTC is about fun, but then get all serious when they hear about people using devices like Suunto and Garmin. If GPSTC is about having fun and not supposed to be highly competitive then why aren't these devices allowed? It certainly wouldn't bother me in the slightest if someone posted a PB using one of these devices.

Your definition of fun isn't the only one that matters - there are many people that post to GPSTC... their opinion matters too.

The GPSTC began with an understanding that it wasn't playing for sheep stations - however it was apparent early on that there would need to be some effort to provide an even playing field. For example, if I sail in the UK, what day do I attribute the track towards?

A given set of devices where recommended by the "technical committee" - that committee made it pretty clear that any device needs to be verifyable, unless it was an older device which was already in use. The reason we use the GT31 has nothing to do with "because we say so" and everything to do with science.


So my definition of fun is...

When comparing my own data, I want to know whether I actually bettered my previous runs; I dont want to know that I just got somewhere within 1.5kn margin.
I also would like to know if it bettered my mates runs with the same likelihood.


Just for clarity, are you are ok with me using an old Foretrex 101, which would randomly add 1.5kn greater speed to my run - so that I bettered your score?

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mathew said..


Your definition of fun isn't the only one that matters - there are many people that post to GPSTC... their opinion matters too.

The GPSTC began with an understanding that it wasn't playing for sheep stations - however it was apparent early on that there would need to be some effort to provide an even playing field. For example, if I sail in the UK, what day do I attribute the track towards?

A given set of devices where recommended by the "technical committee" - that committee made it pretty clear that any device needs to be verifyable, unless it was an older device which was already in use. The reason we use the GT31 has nothing to do with "because we say so" and everything to do with science.


So my definition of fun is...

When comparing my own data, I want to know whether I actually bettered my previous runs; I dont want to know that I just got somewhere within 1.5kn margin.
I also would like to know if it bettered my mates runs with the same likelihood.


Just for clarity, are you are ok with me using an old Foretrex 101, which would randomly add 1.5kn greater speed to my run - so that I bettered your score?

This is my last outing, both downloaded on GPSAR.

GT 31. 25.91 25.23 7.11 22.54 12.96 15.126

Garmin 920XT. 26.06 25.16 7.10 22.28 12.60 15123

if anything l benefit from the GT 31. Bugger all in it.

so what's the big deal !!!!!!