Polar Underwater – H7 and V800, How does Bluetooth work UNDERWATER?

So how on earth does Bluetooth from the Polar H7 work underwater?

Does the H7 device cache the data? (No)

Actually the H7 broadcasts on two frequencies first the Bluetooth frequency which won’t go very far at all underwater and then the 5kHz frequency which is the one that’s coded for gym use. That goes through the water like a tuna.

What’s the Wearlink+ version?

I’m not really sure but I think it’s the one that works on certain Android phones. The problem seems to be that Bluetooth V4.0 (aka Bluetooth SMART or Bluetooth Low Energy BLE BTLE….dah dah dah) isn’t the most super of standards. So different smartphone manufacturers only work to varying degrees.

So check which one you need to buy with your smartphone model.

Bluetooth 4.1 is a published specification and some equipment has been coming out for a while (I have some 4.1 earbuds which work fine with v4). You might find that Bluetooth 4 is hard to connect with various devices (well I have), v4.1 is meant to address that and I think also it’s being touted as a protocol for the internet of all your things at home…replacing wifi for that purpose. I seem to remember also reading that a Bluetooth v4.1 sensor could pair with two other devices simultaneously unlike the 1:1 relationship at present. Don’t take that as the gospel truth. In fact correct me if you know better please.

Anyway, back to the point. Polar V800 and HR swim stats work perfectly with the H7. In theory I suppose you cold use an old CODED Polar chest strap. I might dig mine out and try that sometime. Though that might cause the V800 to use more energy (as it’s not Bluetooth LOW ENERGY).