Garmin 305 Operational ?'s

This may sound lame...I did the same thing.

Read the manual It tells you how to change all the screens you see. You can have anywhere from 1 to 4 windows customized to your liking. I customize them based on the type of activity. Also, I switch between the main screen (I leave w/ 3 and have HR in the big window on top), and my running or biking screen during training.

I've had mine for 3 months, and I just read it 3 days ago. WOW!!! I should have read it in the first place. Also, a lot will be found by trial and error.

Also, I found a utility that lets you take a course from motionbased and apply your pace to it. Normally, if you take a course from MB and put it on your watch, you are confine to the creators pace. The utility I found allows you to change a pace on a course. I haven't use it yet, but will do it in a few weeks. I'll post how it goes...

Any field on any screen can be customized (Settings->General->Data Screens). I think out of the box, the screens are:

Screen 1: Total Time, Current Pace, Total Distance
Screen 2: Lap Time, Lap Pace, and Lap Distance
Screen 3: ??? This one is customizable and is sport specific

Here is the Forerunner 305 Owner's Manual, but I'd hate it to take away from your BT time

Once you start using the garmin and it's functions, they start to make sense. Also, creating custom screens w/ data that make senses is a good idea. I had Elevation % on one screen and found it really wasn't needed so I replaced it. Also, because of how the GPS works, I'd recommend using averages for speed/pace. I've seen my actual speed/pace change significantly over a couple feet. One tip I just read was to add GPS signal strength to a screen. If it gets to low, stop and hold your hand up till it re-establishes.

Also, I had problems getting satellites to locate until I read a tip online. Now, I turn on my watch, place it on my car hood or the ground till it establishes. If you try establishing while moving, it can take minutes...trust me! Now, it usually takes about 15 seconds.

I've played around w/ Virtual partner and it kicks @$$! Great for setting pace, TTs, etc.

One thing I read that I was starting to forget w/ the Garmin. I was getting to locked into the technology that I wasn't listening to the most important piece of technology: My body.

Also, I'm working on a hack to bike mount it. Tydarby had a good one, but I'm trying to improve it. I'll post when it's done!

Have fun...it's a great tool!

Since you just started using it, I'd condition the battery so you get full charge all the time. Any chargeable device can be done this way (PDA, cell phone, etc).

Fully charge the unit while turned up, and wait for it to say charging is complete.
Turn on unit and let it run out of juice, or discharge the battery.
Repeat one more time.

This will increase your batteries ability to charge fully.

I should charge mine every night, but I usually do it every couple of days. I need to be better since I've had two workouts where the battery died due to me forgetting to charge it.

Also, I'm going to be building a AA battery-based usb charger so I can use the watch for IM distance, and not have it konk out.

I'm ordering the parts next week, and should have it built the following week.

I'll post when it's done...

Ever better than the virtual partner is the advanced workouts. But you might want to play around with the alerting (HR and pace) features on their own before you setup many advanced workouts. You can setup workouts like:
Run 10 min HR in Z1, then
run 5k at all-out pace range, then
run 1 mi at slow pace range, then
walk until HR is 110 bpm, then
walk until 10 calories are burned

and it will alert you when you stray from your plan as well as let you know when it's time to change to the next step.


I charge mine just about everyday as it charges when connected to the computer. I upload my data at work and just leave it in the cradle for most of the day.

Warning about the calories, though, as they appear to be a little optimistic.

Hah, I just had this vision of you losing satellite signal on the bike, slamming your brakes, pulling off the road and putting your Garmin on some guy's car hood, cursing....

Sounds like slick technology though when you get used to it.