What exact metrics does CrewLink transmit from Garmin watches?

CrewLink transmits real-time GPS coordinates (latitude and longitude), elapsed moving time, total distance, current speed and rolling average pace, live heart rate (BPM) and average heart rate, elevation and total cumulative ascent in meters, live Garmin watch battery percentage, and activity recording status (Active, Paused, Stopped, Completed).

What is the telemetry update frequency?

Powered by Connect IQ 5.0.0+ foreground web requests, active workout telemetry can be transmitted directly from your Garmin watch at intervals ranging from high-frequency race mode (15s, 30s, 1 min, 2 min) to battery-saver modes (5 min default, 10 min, 15 min, 20 min, 30 min, 60 min). Optional background tracking broadcasts at configurable intervals of 5, 15, 30, 60 (default), or 120 minutes when not actively recording.

How does CrewLink handle cellular dead zones with no mobile reception?

Your Garmin watch records 100% of your activity file offline with zero data loss. The CrewLink live map displays the runner's last known coordinate and timestamp. As soon as your phone reconnects to cellular service, the latest live telemetry automatically resumes broadcasting to your crew.

Does CrewLink support sports other than running?

Yes. While optimized for ultramarathon and trail runners, the CrewLink datafield works across 60+ Garmin activity profiles including Trail Running, Ultra Running, Road Running, Cycling, Mountain Biking, Gravel Riding, Hiking, Walking, and XC Skiing.

How CrewLink Works & Technical Guide

Q: How does CrewLink compare to standard Garmin LiveTrack?

Unlike Garmin LiveTrack, CrewLink provides permanent custom URLs (e.g. crewlink.run/yourname), real-time aid station arrival ETAs calculated from GPX route pacing, elevation profiles, watch battery percentage telemetry, distance calibration to correct GPS drift, and a live spectator map with crew location—with no expiring session links.

Q: Is CrewLink free to use?

Yes, CrewLink is completely free during our public beta. Core live tracking will always remain accessible for endurance athletes and support crews.

A battery-efficient live GPS beacon and telemetry system designed for Garmin athletes, ultramarathons, trail running, and support crews.

3-Step Setup Walkthrough

Getting started with live telemetry on your Garmin watch takes under 2 minutes:

Install Connect IQ App

Download the CrewLink datafield onto your watch from the Garmin Connect IQ Store ↗.

Claim Link & Pair

Create your runner handle on crewlink.run. Paste your 6-character pairing code into the Connect IQ app settings in Garmin Connect Mobile.

Live Tracking for Crew

Add CrewLink to your Garmin activity data screen and start your run. Your crew opens your permanent tracking link in any browser—no login or app needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does CrewLink compare to Garmin LiveTrack?

CrewLink provides permanent personalized URLs (e.g. crewlink.run/yourname), real-time aid station arrival ETAs calculated from GPX route pacing, elevation profiles, watch battery percentage monitoring, distance calibration to fix GPS drift, and a live spectator map with crew location—all without expiring session links.

Is CrewLink free to use?

Yes, CrewLink is completely free during our public beta. While we may explore optional premium features in the future, core live tracking will always remain accessible for athletes and support crews.

Does my support crew need to install an app or create an account?

No. Support crews, friends, and family do not need to download an app or create an account. They simply open your personalized tracking link in any desktop or mobile browser to follow your live progress in real time.

Can I use CrewLink without a preloaded GPX course?

Yes. If you don't load a GPX course file, CrewLink still tracks your live GPS coordinates, distance, duration, elevation, pace, heart rate, and watch battery. Loading a GPX course enhances the experience by adding aid station arrival ETAs, route snapping, and elevation profiles.

Which Garmin devices are compatible with CrewLink?

CrewLink supports modern Garmin watches with Connect IQ background service support. Compatible models include Fenix 8, Fenix E, Fenix 7/7S/7X (Pro), Enduro 3, Epix (Gen 2 / Pro), Forerunner 965, 955, 265/265S, 255/255S, 165, Venu 3/3S, Vivoactive 5, and Instinct 3 / E series.

Is CrewLink an App, a Widget, or a Data Field?

CrewLink is a lightweight Connect IQ Data Field app. This means you can add it directly as a data screen within your existing native Garmin activity profiles (e.g. Trail Run, Run, Ultra Run, Bike) without replacing your preferred sport app, navigation, or workout screens.

How much battery does CrewLink consume on my Garmin watch?

CrewLink is engineered for long runs, marathons, ultra runs, and multi-day events. Connect IQ 5.0.0+ allows high-efficiency foreground network calls with sub-kilobyte payloads. In standard 5-minute ping mode, battery impact is negligible (< 1–2% additional drain over 12 hours). Even in high-frequency 1-minute race mode, the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) burst is so brief that watch GPS and optical heart rate remain the dominant power consumers.

Does CrewLink require my phone during the activity?

Yes. CrewLink transmits live telemetry over Bluetooth from your Garmin watch to the Garmin Connect app on your smartphone, which uploads the data to the CrewLink live map over cellular data.

What happens when I enter a cellular dead zone with no reception?

Your Garmin watch continues recording your activity normally. The CrewLink live map displays your last known position and timestamp. As soon as your phone reconnects to cellular service, the latest live telemetry will resume broadcasting to your crew.

Can my crew see how much battery is left on my Garmin watch?

Yes. Live watch battery percentage is transmitted with every telemetry ping, so your support crew knows exactly when you might need a power bank or charger at an aid station.

How does CrewLink calculate Aid Station Arrival ETAs?

When a GPX course with waypoints is uploaded, CrewLink calculates your real-time ETA for upcoming checkpoints and aid stations by projecting your recent rolling average pace along the remaining trail distance of the route.

How does Distance Calibration and GPS Drift Correction work?

Over long distances or under dense tree cover, Garmin watch GPS distance can drift relative to official race course markers. When Distance Calibration is enabled, CrewLink snaps your position to the GPX track and calibrates your progression to match the official course distance.

Can my support crew see their own location on the course map?

Yes. Spectators and crew members can tap "Show My Location" on the tracking page to display their real-time blue location marker on the course map, making it easy to navigate to the correct crew access point or cheer spot. Crew location stays strictly in the browser and is never stored on servers.

Why use CrewLink instead of WhatsApp Live Location or Google Maps Location Sharing?

While WhatsApp and Google Maps are designed for urban city navigation and short messaging, CrewLink is custom-engineered for endurance events and ultramarathons:

Ultra-Endurance Battery Life (20–30+ Hours): Consumer messaging apps use your phone's power-hungry GPS chip continuously, draining the battery in 3–5 hours. CrewLink relies on your efficient Garmin watch GPS; your phone only transmits tiny background HTTP telemetry pings over Bluetooth Low Energy.
Aid Station Arrival ETAs & Course Snapping: Generic maps only display a wandering blue dot on street tiles. CrewLink aligns your live position to the official race GPX course polyline and calculates real-time arrival forecasts for upcoming aid stations, road crossings, and cutoff points based on rolling pace and terrain gradient.
Dead-Zone Buffer & Trail Recovery: Mountain valleys with no cellular reception cause WhatsApp or Google Maps to freeze or fail. CrewLink buffers breadcrumbs on your watch and automatically backfills your entire missing route the moment 4G/5G connectivity returns.
Full Performance Telemetry: CrewLink streams live Heart Rate (BPM), Rolling Pace, Elevation gain, and Watch Battery percentage directly to your crew so they can prepare nutrition, electrolytes, and dry gear before you arrive.
Zero-Friction Spectator Links: No app downloads, accounts, or phone number exchanges required. Share one permanent URL (crewlink.run/yourname) that works in any mobile or desktop browser.
Live Supporter Counter on Watch: The Garmin watch data screen shows you in real time how many friends, family members, and crew are currently watching your live dashboard.

Can I make my live tracking private with a password?

Yes. In your Runner Settings, you can set an optional Crew Passcode. When enabled, spectators visiting your tracking link will be prompted to enter the passcode before viewing your live telemetry and map.

Can I upload multiple GPX courses to my profile?

Yes. You can save multiple GPX courses to your CrewLink library and switch between them anytime. You can also enable "Auto-Select on Watch Start" so CrewLink automatically detects and activates the course closest to your starting coordinates.

What happens on the map when I finish my run or pause my watch?

When you finish your activity on your Garmin watch, the live map status updates to "FINISHED" (or "STOPPED" / "PAUSED") and displays your complete trail, overall time, total distance, and ascent. Your track remains visible for your crew to review.

Does CrewLink support cycling, hiking, and other sports?

Yes. While optimized for trail and ultramarathon runners, the CrewLink datafield can be added to any Garmin activity profile including Cycling, Mountain Biking, Gravel, Hiking, Walking, and XC Skiing.

Live Telemetry & Metrics Specification

CrewLink transmits lightweight, low-overhead background beacons from your Garmin watch via your smartphone's Bluetooth connection to the live spectator dashboard.

Telemetry Field	Metric Unit	Details
GPS Position	Latitude, Longitude	High-precision WGS84 coordinates from Garmin GPS/GNSS sensor.
Elapsed Time	hh:mm:ss	Accurate activity moving duration.
Distance Covered	Meters (km / miles)	Total workout distance, with optional GPX track calibration.
Pace & Speed	min/km (min/mi) & km/h (mph)	Current instantaneous speed and rolling session average pace.
Heart Rate	BPM	Live heart rate and overall workout average heart rate.
Elevation & Ascent	Meters (m / ft)	Current elevation and total cumulative elevation gain.
Watch Battery	Percentage (%)	Real-time Garmin watch battery level.
Activity State	Status String	Active, Paused, Stopped, or Completed with start timestamp.
Sport Identifier	Garmin Sport ID	Mapped to 60+ Garmin sport profiles (Trail Run, MTB, Gravel, Hike, etc.).

Update Frequencies & Battery Conservation

Live Activity Tracking: When recording a run or race, your Garmin watch automatically streams live GPS, pace, heart rate, and elevation directly to your dashboard. You can customize the update rate in Runner Settings (from 15 seconds up to 60 minutes, with 5 minutes as the ultra default). An instant beacon transmits the second you press Start on your watch so your crew knows you are moving immediately.
Background Check-In: When you are not recording an active workout, optional periodic check-ins keep your location updated throughout the day (from every 5 minutes up to 2 hours, defaulting to 60 minutes) with virtually zero battery impact.

Ultra-Endurance Tested: At the standard 5-minute interval, CrewLink adds less than 1–2% additional battery usage over a 12-hour ultra on modern Garmin devices. Even at 1-minute updates, your Garmin easily powers through 20+ hours of continuous live tracking.

Device & Sport Compatibility

CrewLink operates on Garmin watches supporting Connect IQ System 7 (API Level 5.0.0+):

Supported Garmin Hardware:

Fenix & Enduro Series: Fenix 8 (AMOLED & Solar), Fenix E, Fenix 7 / 7S / 7X (Standard & Pro), Enduro 3
Epix Series: Epix (Gen 2), Epix Pro (42mm, 47mm, 51mm)
Forerunner Series: Forerunner 965, 955, 265 / 265S, 255 / 255S / Music, 165 / 165 Music
Venu & Vivoactive: Venu 3 / 3S, Vivoactive 5
Instinct Series: Instinct 3 (AMOLED & Solar), Instinct E

Supported Sport Profiles:

Add the CrewLink Data Field into any built-in Garmin sport profile: Trail Running, Ultra Running, Running, Cycling, Mountain Biking, Gravel Riding, Hiking, Walking, Track Running, Treadmill, and Cross-Country Skiing.