Troubleshooting and FAQ

15.1.1 The program says “Make sure the ANT+ antenna is connected to the USB port”#

1. Check that the ANT+ stick is plugged in. Try a different USB port, preferably one directly on the computer.
2. Plugged it in before installing? Unplug it, reinstall Pulse Monitor (a new installation over the old one is fine), and plug the stick in afterwards (Installing Pulse Monitor).
3. Open Device Manager in Windows and look for the ANT stick (it is listed as a USB device). If it is shown with a warning sign, reinstall the program: the installer installs the driver again.
4. Restart the computer.
5. If you do not use ANT+ at all, choose Bluetooth in Settings → Devices → Antenna support, and the message will not appear again.

15.1.2 The program says “Make sure Bluetooth is turned on in your computer”#

• Turn Bluetooth on in Windows Settings → Bluetooth & devices, and check that the computer has a Bluetooth adapter at all (desktop PCs often do not).
• Make sure it is Bluetooth 4.0 / Low Energy or newer.
• If you do not use Bluetooth, choose ANT+ in Settings → Devices → Antenna support.

15.1.3 The strap is not found by the scanner#

• Is it on, and moist? A strap sends data only when it detects skin contact. Moisten the electrodes and put it on.
• Is it a strap of the supported kind? It must be ANT+ or Bluetooth Low Energy with the Heart Rate service. A strap that supports only the older “Bluetooth Classic”, or only a proprietary protocol, cannot be used.
• Is the right technology enabled? See Settings → Devices. A strap of a disabled technology is not looked for.
• Is the strap busy with something else? A Bluetooth strap usually accepts one connection only. Switch off Bluetooth on the participant’s phone and watch, and close other fitness apps. An ANT+ strap does not have this problem.
• Is it within range? Stand close (a metre or two) to the receiver during pairing.
• Is the battery fine? Try another strap to see if the problem is with that one.
• Scan with only one strap on at a time.

15.1.4 A Bluetooth strap disconnects or does not connect in a training#

• Check that the Bluetooth limit (Settings → Devices → Max Bluetooth straps) is not above what your adapter can handle. Lower it by one or two and try again.
• A laptop’s internal adapter handles fewer straps than a good USB Bluetooth dongle. For larger groups use ANT+.
• Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz and USB 3 devices disturb Bluetooth. Move the dongle away from them on a short cable.
• Keep a strap and the computer in line of sight.

15.1.5 One participant’s box shows dashes and is grey#

No signal from that strap in the last few seconds. Check, in order: is the strap on; is it moist; is it in range; is the battery fine; is the strap a Bluetooth strap that is connected elsewhere? The box recovers on its own when the strap is heard again.

15.1.6 Heart rate jumps wildly, shows zero, or looks unrealistic#

• Dry electrodes or a loose strap are the cause in nine cases out of ten. Moisten and tighten.
• Check for sources of interference very close to the strap: a mobile phone in the pocket of a tight garment, a strong magnet, a high-voltage cable, some gym machines with their own transmitters.
• Replace a weak battery.

15.1.7 The live view in a browser does not open#

Make sure a live screen is open on the computer, that the device is in the same network, and that Windows Firewall allows Pulse Monitor (Windows Firewall). The table of symptoms is in Troubleshooting.

15.1.8 “check the belt” keeps on appearing#

The same value was repeated across many readings. Typical reasons: a loose strap, dry electrodes, or a participant standing still on a resting heart rate in a quiet moment (rare — a real heart rate nearly always moves by a beat or two). Tighten the strap, moisten it, and if it persists, replace the strap. You can disable this warning in Settings → Training.

15.1.9 Several straps appear in the scan and I cannot tell which is which#

Pair one strap at a time (Before you start). Other people’s straps in range are also detected, with their own numbers.

15.1.10 One strap shows up as two devices, ANT+ and Bluetooth#

This is normal. A strap that supports both technologies is detected by the scanner as two devices with two different serial numbers, one for ANT+ and one for Bluetooth. Pair it only as ANT+: the number of Bluetooth devices connected at the same time is limited, ANT+ has no such limit, and a strap can use only one of the two technologies during a training (Finding straps with the scanner).

15.2.1 I cannot add another participant to the training#

• Your license does not allow you to add another participant to the training. — your licence limit has been reached. Free mode allows two participants. See Licence and registration.
• No more Bluetooth straps can be added to this training. — you reached the Bluetooth limit. Use ANT+ straps, or raise the limit if your adapter can handle it (Max Bluetooth straps).
• A participant or a strap is missing from the list — it may already be used in this training (each can be used once); or the technology of that strap is disabled in Settings → Devices.

15.2.2 The percentages and colours look wrong#

They depend entirely on the participant’s Max HR. Open the participant (or right-click in the training: Edit) and check the value. Also check the zones in Settings → Cardio zones.

15.2.3 Calories seem too high or too low#

Calories are calculated from heart rate, age, gender and weight. Check those fields. If you changed Units after entering participants, the stored weight is read in the new units (Adding and editing a participant).

15.2.4 I closed the live screen by mistake#

Nothing is lost. In the training window click Go to practice and then Start. Everything recorded so far is kept, and the clock and the calories continue (Pausing and going back).

15.2.5 The computer went to sleep during a class#

Check that Settings → Devices → Block sleep and screen saver during training is on. If a company policy forces sleep, adjust the Windows power settings of the computer.

15.2.6 The summary of the training says “No data”#

• The training was never started (Start was not pressed), or it was finished immediately.
• A participant’s strap did not send anything during the training: the report cannot be created for them.

15.3.1 The report is not sent#

1. Does the participant have an e-mail address?
2. Is the mail account set up in Settings → Reports? Use Test settings.
3. Is the computer online?
4. Gmail, Outlook and others require a special app password or a setting for programs (For Gmail users).
5. Corporate or school networks sometimes block outgoing mail on port 587 — ask your administrator.

15.3.2 The logo does not appear on the PDF#

Choose a PNG, JPG or GIF file smaller than 1000 KB in Settings → Reports. After saving, create a new PDF.

15.4.1 The program does not start, or closes immediately#

• Pulse Monitor can run only once. Check that it is not already running in the background (Task Manager) or on another Windows user session.
• Restart the computer and try again.
• If the problem persists, send us the file log.txt from the data folder (Where Pulse Monitor keeps your data).

15.4.2 I changed the language or colours, but nothing changed#

These changes need a restart of the program.

15.4.3 “Your license is not valid. Application functionality is limited.”#

The licence file does not fit this computer or this version of the program, or it has expired. Register again with your code (Registering the program). If the code is refused, contact us.

15.4.4 Do I lose my data when I update?#

No. Updating keeps all of your data and settings.