I was wondering if anyone else has had problems with their Polar HR monitor. I have a basic S120. I've used it for a two months now and have a recurring problem. Every now and then on a training run the HR readings go "wacky." They jump from 140 to 228 back to 165 and then 142. This normally happens when I'm picking up the pace trying to move from Z2 to Z3. Let me discount some of the usual suspects. There are no power lines where I run, few other runners and none with HR monitors. There are no electrical fields. I'm in the middle of Afghanistan and unless this country has some unique magnetic field, then I don't think it is the environment that is causing the problem. I use Aquasonic Ultrasound Transmission Gel on the HR strap electrodes. I contacted Polar and told them my problem. They told me to reset the HR monitor, which I did. The problem went away for 3 weeks but reappeared yesterday. This is the 3rd time it has happened. Each time I reset the HR monitor it works ok. The problem is I never no when it is going to act up.

Is it because I have a lower end model? I don't care for the whistles and bells, but I do want accurate HR readings all the time.

What do the pros use?

This is my second Polar. I recall having this problem with another Polar 5 yrs ago and switched to Sigma. I decided to upgrade my Sigma a few months ago and couldn't find a good HR monitor other than Polar.

Thanks,
Marine in Afghanistan