iPhone Zwift and Garmin fenix 5 HR broadcasting

The Archives Archived: Tips and Troubleshooting
1

Hi,

I am having issues with zwift managing to find my fenix 5 heart rate when it is on HR broadcast mode. I know it will link up to my iPhone as I am managing to get HR broadcast when using the wattbike app.

Has anyone experienced this and found a solution to the issue? I enjoy being able to use my phone for zwift but makes it a bit of a pain when I cannot have heart rate readings

Thanks,

Tom

1 Like
2

Wrist-based HRM are inaccurate and I would suggest a chest-strap HRM for better accuracy.

I don’t have a Fenix and I can remember if it broadcast HR in Bluetooth or ANT+, but from what you are describing it is broadcasting in Bluetooth so you would need to disconnect it from the Wattbike since Bluetooth can only be connect to one device/app at a time. 

If it is broadcasting in ANT+ (which most, if not all Garmin device do) then you would need to bridge the signal with CABLE since iPhone don’t have a ANT+ receiver. 

 

3

Thank you for the response,

Yeah I know they are far from ideal in terms of accuracy but they are better than nothing when I am using the trainer at work, at least at home I have the strap, laptop and ANT+ connector.

When using the wattbike hub app I am able to connect both the wattbike and the HR from my watch. I am reading places stating that it transmits in ANT+ which would lead me to believe that it “shouldn’t” work, but the fact that it does on one app but then not on another is the part that confuses me. At least if it was universally not working across both I would not have an issue.

4

If the HR is being picked up by one app on your phone (assuming based on what you said) and not Zwift then problem is the Bluetooth can only connect to one device OR app at a time. You would need to make sure you disconnected the Fenix HR from ALL other apps and devices (including your phone) before opening Zwift.

If it is being broadcast in ANT+ then there is no way the iPhone would ever pick it up without an ANT+ dongle (Like the Wahoo ANT+ key) or something to bridge the signal (like the CABLE or 4iiii HRM), iPhones don’t have built-in ANT+ receivers.