A screwdriver’s taper makes it not work as well as a thin piece of plastic or metal. I slide and wiggle to get the xmitter to pop up. Strips are just a bit too wimpy IMO
I don’t want to take the slightest chance that the thicker part of the screwdriver will damage the sensor frame that holds the xmitter.
Key tip there!
I’ve used small precision screwdrivers - they were what I had handy first time I tried.
But I think thin plastic test strip or thin plastic card really is better. In particular they are both stiff and flexible at the same time (unlike the screwdriver blade that is quite stiff). And then after the first test strip wedged in, it is very light and small.
I have tons of tools and what David showed in his photo isn’t what I expected him to use. It looks way to thick to be safe. I’ve got screwdrivers so small you can’t even tell if they are flathead or not. When they get that small, they will be “fiddly” to use, kinda like the test strips that the first people that discovered how to remove a G6 xmitter suggested to use. I use the corner of the thin plastic library card which is much thinner than a credit card but stiff enough for our purpose here. I think David doesn’t think sliding works because his screwdriver is not wide enough, but when you slide the corner of the card I use, the xmitter practically jumps out at you as u slide the card.
Excellent and useful comment, @David_Stillman. The pictures finally allowed me to see what the removal process entails. G6 is still in my future as I’m in the buffer accumulation phase. I’ll likely construct some kind of home made tool like you have done. I need something more substantial than a test strip for my aging fingers.
The pictures along with your annotation make it clear to me what needs to happen. I was imagining something different up until your comment.
Fantastic summary! Thanks.
As I looked at your photo of the transmitter and the engagement tab, it occurred to me that perhaps I could just grind off the tabs and tightly secure the transmitter to the sensor with tape or some other secure, removable material. That would make removing the transmitter possible for me. I have arthritis and can’t reach many sites with the ability to handle complex actions.
Has anyone tried this? Now is a good time for me to give it a go as the transmitter I’m using is about to expire. If it doesn’t work I’m not out anything.
Osteo arthritis is starting to affect my fingers and my dexterity has degraded, so I share your concern.
I would worry that without the tabs securing the transmitter to the black conducting pads in a way that ensures solid and consistent contact so as to prevent introduction of noise into the readings, it may not work well. This is worth an experiment and you may be able to teach us something.
Very helpful. THANKS 
So, my other half recently lost his money clip in his travels. The only good thing that came of it is all the excess that came with the replacement cards. I totally trash-picked this guy with Glee when I saw it in the bin. LOL
I’ve got another week till I can try it out, but I suspect it’ll be perfect. Much better than the strip I had cut off a plastic file folder, which I’ve been using to pop the transmitter.
Someone on Facebook suggested using a guitar pick and that has worked well for me. I am doing the transmitter removal one-handed on the back of my arm and a test strip was difficult to insert and kept bending. I didn’t think that I had any of the thin-style credit cards, so I spent about $5 on Amazon to get a bagful of guitar picks. Money well-spent. So far every sensor that I have restarted has worked fine. I am waiting 30 minutes after removing the transmitter and then reinserting it and starting the sensor.
One reason I like to restart sensors is that it gives me more flexibility than always being on an exact 10-day schedule. For example today I restarted a sensor on Day 8 because we have company coming tomorrow for 5 days and I didn’t want to have to start a sensor while they were here.
I’m sure a guitar pick would be perfect to use for removing the xmitters.
Brilliant! I have lots of guitar picks of varying thicknesses.
I just found another great tool, works better than test strip, and don’t have a guitar.
Metal snap hair clip, with STRAIGHT edge, similar to below an AZN. But I got some from Dollar store.
Well, my try tonight was unsuccessful. I did the strip going straight down per Dave44 instructions. I could not get the strip to slide either direction. I inserted it three different places and I know at least one had to be in the correct place. All were easy to insert and each time as deep as possible. After giving up and removing the sensor, I inserted the strip again and angling downward instead of trying to slide the strip worked. Too late of course. I don’t know if that will work in 10 days but will try again. I have an 8J sensor so I don’t know if that makes a difference either.
Dex was quick to get my second set of 3 sensors to me and thus far, knock on wood, the first three lasted exactly 10 days each to the minute. I know I should not say that as it will jinx my experience.
I have the 8J transmitter and the restart works for me.
I had similar problem with BG strips, but usually got it to work after many tries. But today used the metal hair clip and got it out on the first try.
I used a guitar pick on saturday, it was perfect! It literally popped out! So easy I did it at a stop light while driving. I put the transmitter in my pocket and started a timer for 30 minutes. By the time I arrived at my destination, the timer went off and I popped the transmitter back in and started the new sensor session.
This is a game changer, I have visions of a plentiful safety stock of sensors in my cabinet.
I say run do not walk to guitar center and get a few guitar picks. They are cheap and the folks at Guitar Center are so so nice. Mine had red flames on it.
MM1, I don’t know whether I actually got it partly loose or not. I never heard a click or felt any movement while it was still on my arm. Once it was off and I stuck the strip back in the same place and instead of sliding, I accidentally pushed it downward at a slant against the connection, the darned thing loosened like magic. But I had looked at and touched it before doing that and it looked and felt tight.
I am having to do this one handed since it is worn on my upper front arm and don’t have a helper. I hope the magic works in 10 days!
I could also look for some picks! Thanks.
When you all say you are using a pick, what are you doing with it? I wear my sensor, rounded end up on my arm. So do you insert above the connection and how do you insert the pick? Straight down and slide or do you do something else with it? Some other movement? Like trying to “hoe” it out or slide vertically along the seam? I just was against a roadblock with trying to slide. Tx.
Check out the video and comments here.
