Seattle Forrest

I got a new watch today. 🙂 I had no trouble pairing most of my stuff (power, Di2, etc) but I'm having trouble getting it and the radar to make friends. I'm hoping somebody in here has been through this recently or can see what I'm doing wrong. (Radar was paired to my previous watch, so I know this works.)

I'm following Garmin's instructions.

1. Power the radar off. I know it's off vs in standby because the LED doesn't flash, vs blue.
2. In the watch, go to Sensors & Accessories > Add > Radar.
   1. Watch says to put the radar in pairing mode.
   2. I didn't have to go into pairing mode with my 130.
   3. I paired it to the previous watch a year or more ago and don't remember.
3. Hold the only button on the radar for 2 seconds to put the radar in pairing mode.
   1. The main taillight comes on; it isn't in pairing mode, it's on.

I've tried a little less than two seconds. I've tried doing this with the radar on but in standby, and just on.

The radar works with my 130, so I know it's functional. And this isn't a huge problem since I'm still able to use the Varia. But I like having the watch vibrate to tell me about cars.

Any ideas?

Polaris OBark

The 130 has been paired with my radar and my kid's watch simultaneously, so it can be done, at least in principle. Can you "forget" or de-pair it from the 130, bind it to the watch, and then re-bind it to the 130?

surak

(Lol Garmin usability)

I've never had to intentionally put my Varia in pairing mode. Maybe your 130 is connected to the Varia via BTLE, which only allows for one connection at a time, and the watch is trying to do the same.

njkayaker

The Varia can be paired with more than one device (I've done it for Edges; multiple pairs even.).

The light/radar Varia looks like two devices (a light and a radar).

In the sensor list, you should see an entry for the light and the radar.

Put the Varia in pairing mode (maybe, this isn't strictly required) and select the radar from the sensor list.
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Given that you did this before, you know all this. It should work the same way with the new watch. Err.

Iride01 

Will the new watch pair with anything else? Or is that the stuff you mentioned in the 2d sentence that were actually paired with it?

Don't know how long they done this, but you can set it up for Garmin Support to give you a call when they are ready for a live person to talk to you......

https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?pa...cs&topFaq=true

I've been calling and giving the VRU/IVR my number and letting them call me back for years. This seems even better.

Click the <call> button at the bottom and a form for you to enter your phone and some other info appears.

Seattle Forrest

Thanks everyone for the suggestions so far.

I won't be able to talk to Garmin until tomorrow. I just don't have a long enough block of time. 😳 I also have to call my bank to approve my debit card into the new watch.

It won't let me avoid this pairing mode thing, unless there's a secret way to edit an xml file and insert an ANT+ ID or something. Screenshot below. I tried with the old watch and it also requires the radar to be in pairing mode. Either this has changed in the last year or two, or it worked previously.



Again, the watch paired up as expected with: a chest strap, a power meter, a thermometer, my Di2, and of course my phone. At this point there's no reason to think anything isn't working, just that how to get into pairing mode seems different than their documentation says.

Troul 

are you sure you are not near an active ANT+ signal?

I would power down the watch, the radar, & start the process over. Make sure you count the 2 Mississippi's .

Seattle Forrest

Powering the unit on, letting go of the button, and then pressing it again for 2 seconds gets the radar into pairing mode. 😁

That was harder than it had to be, but it's done and now I can have what I want. 🙂

fooferdoggie 

I think the watch uses ant+ and just picks up the signal. where the garmin you have to hold the power button to get the radar in pairing mode. the watch wont turn the radar on and off so you have to do it manually.

gpburdell

Interesting. When I try that with my RTL515 it turns it off after the LED showing blue-steady for a moment.

From Off, it takes about three "one-thousands" to enter pairing mode, as indicated by the LED flashing purple.

Seattle Forrest

Thanks for testing that for me! 🙂

You raised my curiosity. I had googled his to put the radar in pairing mode and chicken the RTL515 instructions from the results. Wondering why it behaves differently than yours, I went and found the box and learned that mine is RTL510. Maybe paying more attention would have saved me some headache.