How do I track my activities using Spedmo?

If you own a dedicated sports device you can be almost guaranteed that your device will support saving and exporting GPS activities. If this is the case you can probably plug in your GPS and start using Spedmo right now! Alternative options are available for Android phone users with a beta release of Spedmo tracking software available for download. For more information visit our 'How to get started' section.

My GPS doesn't generate GPX or TCX files, can I still use Spedmo?

Maybe. GPS devices have supported a range of export formats over the years however GPX and TCX have stood out as the more supported formats. There are many conversion tools freely available on the internet which will allow you to convert older formatted GPS documents into GPX or TCX format. GPS Babel is out application of choice when converting GPS activities.

Firefox keeps alerting me to install a missing plugin, what is this?

Spedmo makes use of the Garmin Communicator which may cause Firefox to prompt you about a missing plugin. This plugin is only required for users wishing to upload activities from their Garmin GPS unit and this message can safely be ignored for those who don't own a Garmin GPS.

My GPS activity appears to be missing some data, why is this?

Sometimes when recording an activity unreliable data is sometimes inserted into a activity file as a result of having temporarily low satellite signal strength during the activity. Low satellite signal strength may typically occur when traveling under bridges, inside tunnels or in heavily wooded areas.

In order to eliminate unreliable data Spedmos GPS activity parser currently implements a simple filter which attempts to identify and remove bad values however the potential exists that correct data is wrongly identified. If you have an activity which you believe has been calculated incorrectly we want to know about it! Please take some time to fill in the form on our contact page and help us to improve the filter we currently use.

Spedmo won't recognise my GPX/TCX file, what's going on?

We currently support all versions of GPX and TCX files which we have come across however the formats are flexible enough that applications may choose to store GPS activities in alternative ways that Spedmos activity parser may not recognise the activities stored within. If you come across such a file please contact us to arrange sending us a copy of the file.

What is my Body Mass Index (BMI) and why is it calculated?

Calculating your BMI offers a guide to a healthy weight range and Spedmo uses your BMI when calculating the kilojoules/calories expended during an activity. Calculating your BMI is a simple formula which divides your weight (in kilograms) by the square of your height (in meters).

Please note that BMI weight ranges described in Spedmo only apply to adults aged 18 years and over and are based on studies of Caucasian populations. Therefore, they are not applicable to children and adolescents and they may not be appropriate for people of other cultural backgrounds.

Its important to interpret your BMI correctly. If you are a very active person, your BMI may be above the healthy weight range because of muscle rather than body fat. If this is the case, there is no reason for concern. Remember that BMI is simply a guide and it is really best to check with your doctor or Accredited Practising Dietician if you are at all concerned about your body weight. They will be able to advise on whether your weight is a health risk.

What formula is used to calculate my kilojoule/calorie usage?

Measuring your kilojoule/caloric burn rate is in no way an exact science and a plethora of formulas exist to calculate how much energy you expend during exercise. Depending on your device, inputs provided and the formula used your energy expenditure quoted in your device may vary significantly from those calculated by Spedmo.

In order to try and provide an accurate measure of energy expenditure Spedmo only calculates energy expenditure when activity heart rate is recorded and physical weight, height and age are provided. When calculating your energy expenditure we use a formula based from a 2005 Journal of Sports Sciences article titled 'Prediction of energy expenditure from heart rate monitoring during submaximal exercise'.