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-- Garmin Astro GPS Dog tracking system (http://forums.ukcdogs.com/showthread.php?threadid=167557)

Yes, the system also tells you your location. Of the 3 regular GPS units I have been around, this unit, even for just its regular GPS capabilities is the best.

With the punch of a couple of buttons, you can "Start a new hunt" which marks the current location as the "truck" and then once you turn the dogs loose or you start walking yourself it will track you. So you can look at the screen and see where you are at, where the truck is at, and where the dog is at. You also can see how far the dog is from you. With a few extra button clicks, you can also see how far you are from the truck.

Those of you that know me, know that I'm a "gadget guy". If it has to do with electronics, I am drawn to it....and I live by the motto, he who has the most toys wins....

To go along with that, at the AKC World hunt I purchased a Garmin Astro tracking system. What little bit that I have been able to use it, I'm learning more and more about it even though the State of Indiana has me "locked out" of the woods.

Out of the box, it's a cool little gadget. The GPS unit is probably one of the best hand held GPS units for sale. I am amazed at how quickly it picks up the satellite signal, and it has lots of cool "features" that I'm still working to figure out. I can say this....out of the box, the maps that are installed on the unit leave you wanting more....and as such....I loaded the software on my computer and installed the "Trip and Waypoint Manager" software that has a little more detailed "base map" in it.


The illustration to the above is an actually track that was completed by one of my dogs with the collar on. This is what is available with the standard base map that comes with the system. As you can see, not a lot of detail to the map...well actually NO detail whatsoever. If you are simply looking to locate your dog...this is a cool feature You can follow your dog along as it hunts, you have a good idea where it struck, and you can certainly figure out which direction the dog is when it is treed.

Being the gadget guy that I am.....I'm not satisfied with the base model of just about anything. I already had a memory card that fit the unit from one of my other electronic ventures, so I installed the memory card in the GPS and purchased the Topographical Maps from Garmin.


As you can see, the detail is a little more striking. You can see roads, and topographical features on the map now, with the same track superimposed. Of course, in my country, the topo information is not that pronouced as it is mostly "flatter n' a pancake" around here. Probably the most important feature for this map is the addition of roads (even the country back roads) and bodies of water. I can certainly see where knowing where a river or lake is would come in handy when trying to pick a route to your dog.

I have gained a lot of knowledge about how my dogs hunt, and what they are doing when they are free cast using this "tool". It is certainly much more than a tracking system, only to be used when you don't know where your dog is! More on that later.




This last illustration is a feature of the "Trip and Waypoint Manager" software that comes standard with the Astro. With the help of Randy Sexton, I was able to figure out how to make use of the "view in Google Earth" function. What this does is to superimpose the same track information over a satellite image! You wanna talk abou educational! I did notice that the Topo view was a little "off" compared to the satellite view. If you went by the line drawing in the Topo map, you would think that the dog ran down the edge of the field and went straight into the timber and got treed. That simply is not the case. The dog got struck in the field to the North. It was a standing corn field, then moved that track into the timber and got treed just inside the timber. This track is not very long, nor is it very "confusing", part of why I used it for this article. The dog in question is a quick locator and we were rewarded with eyes in the top of the tree. The Google Earth view will allow me to zoom in far enough that I can almost pick out the exact tree where the coon was located!



Overall, I think this is going to become an invaluable tool. I hunt a lot of young dogs, and I think over time it will help me evaluate a dogs locating ability, and to understand how it goes about picking the right tree.....as well as if it's off "loafing", or avoiding water, thick cover, etc.

Coon hunting has certainly come a long way since the days of carbide lights and bailer twine lead straps!

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Joe Newlin
UKC Cur Advocate
Home of Oak Ridge Kennels

Thats pretty cool, Joe. I especially like the dog's track superimposed on the satellite map.

It looks to me like these t hings are going to tell us alot about what a dog is doing out there, that we don't currently have any way of really knowing.

I've been trying to hold back getting one of these until a 2nd generation comes out, but I'm not sure I can wait that long....

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coooool! I got to catch up with you, Joe. Think I'll borrow my buddy's 10 year old to tutor me!

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Thanks!
Brad McDaniel
Cordele, Ga USA

oak ridge its your fault

Well Oak Ridge its all your fault and you cost me a bunch of money today. I was thinking real hard about getting one of the Garmin Tracking systems then your posts with the maps put me over the edge today and I ordered one. So its all your fault and I'm tellin my wife, thats my story and Im sticking to it LOL. I already own Garmin GPS system and the Mapping software and have used it quite a bit to figure out various places and the terrain so I am really looking forward to being able to watch what is really going on with the dogs. I'll let you know when I get it and try it out but they sound great. Thanks for the push

So what is the battery life like? How long does it last.
Tiny Santana

Dang it all, Joe!!!!!! The last thing I need right now is to spend money!

How about ya nix nay on the garmin-ae for about 6 months.LOL



Sure looks pretty cool ... even to a guy stuck in the 20th century.

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Larry Atherton

Aim small miss small

quote:

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Originally posted by bearman
So what is the battery life like? How long does it last.
Tiny Santana

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Joe Newlin
UKC Cur Advocate
Home of Oak Ridge Kennels

Joe, how did the modifications come along? I am very interested in one of these units, but I am not going to shell out the cash, if the collars will not stand up to the demands of a hound.

Scott

Looks like to me they could take the antenna, mount it on top of the collar, and use the actual electronics as a counterweight...

quote:

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Originally posted by Scott S.
Joe, how did the modifications come along? I am very interested in one of these units, but I am not going to shell out the cash, if the collars will not stand up to the demands of a hound.

Scott

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Joe Newlin
UKC Cur Advocate
Home of Oak Ridge Kennels

Thanks, Joe. This is a pretty nifty piece of equipment.

I used one at the pkc world thought it worked great at one time my dog was 1.8 miles away and it picked her up. some times it takes a min. or 2 to pick the dog up but after it did it worked good.

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DeepWater Kennels
Home OF
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map loading

I already have the full set of map source maps on my computer what does it take to download them onto the GPS, just the simple copy as it was with my regular GPS, any special tricks. My stuff shipped today so hoping it gets here soon so I can play with it, lol

This system is amazing. My only beef is the same as everyone else..... the collars. My main problem is that even with a counter weight they seem to want to end up riding more on one side or the other than on top. I solved the issue with the plastic collar attachments that break rather quickly. I just took a scrap piece of steel sheeting left from putting steel on my dog kennel and used a snips to fashion a steel bracket. Drilled holes in it for the screws to go through and now I don't see how it could break. I'll try to take a picture and put on here if anyone is interested.

As for the batteries..... I used both my collars all night last saturday and sunday night before they got down to showing one bar of battery power left. So roughly 9 hours each night for two nights before charging. They are set for every 5 seconds so you could likely get more out of them, but it's easy to check and see how much battery power you have left.

I've cut my dogs off several times before they have crossed roads or circled back behind me. One night the dogs decided not to stay on the river were heading down the railroad tracks away from the timber.... I met them at the road and watched them come right to me on the screen. If you hunt around roads much this system will be a must have.

Oh and if the unit tells you your dogs is treed but you don't hear him barking when you know you should.... he's likely eating on a dead animal or a deer gut pile. I've had young dogs eating at deer gut piles 3 different times. Unit says they are treeing but no barks when I know I should hear them.

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Kyle Hough

Iowa State Coon Hunters Website: www.iowacoonhunters.com
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Ive got one that I like. The only bad thing is the collar needs some fine tuning I think. The plastic piece on the bottom that the antenna connects to is basically junk, breaks all the time no matter how much tape is used. But I have a buddy that works a CNC machine and made me 2 identical pieces but out of aluminum, they screw right in there and are really light weight. I dont have any more problems with that. I will be happier when they make a better collar, I just hope that I can trade these plastic ones back in.
Joe, got a question for ya, how did you use the Google view of the Earth function, was in on your GPS unit or did you use a cord through the computer? Thanks. -Zach Sinnwell

You have to first purchase the topo maps or the pre loaded data card with the maps on it. Download Google Earth (it's free). Load the software that came with the unit onto your computer.

Using the USB cable, connect the unit to your PC and you are in business!

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Joe Newlin
UKC Cur Advocate
Home of Oak Ridge Kennels

I was told by the wife that I wasnt allowed to look at these or a new bow until Jan. with my B-Day and Christmas both coming up I have to leave them alone and I was told to stay off Ebay apparently I messed up my B-day last year..lol
I will be getting one of these systems...

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Camden Beyer

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CoonDog Mafia

Joe, hey I was gonna ask you too, or anyone else that has one, does anyone else have trouble when charging the collar and the blue light will not come on? I have cleaned those connections really well and the light will not come on. I had this happen with my first collar and they just sent me a new one but I dont want to have to go get a different one everytime that this doesnt work. I have tried the different charges on my other collar and everything works fine, any suggestions?

I hunted with one for the first time last Sunday night. I was completely impressed. Thought it was great to be able to watch where the hound was going on the hand held GPS. We have not figured out how to get the topo map on the screen, but have not had alot of time to mess with it either. I really liked what I saw.

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If you fail to prepare, prepare to fail.

quote:

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Originally posted by z sinnwell
Joe, hey I was gonna ask you too, or anyone else that has one, does anyone else have trouble when charging the collar and the blue light will not come on? I have cleaned those connections really well and the light will not come on. I had this happen with my first collar and they just sent me a new one but I dont want to have to go get a different one everytime that this doesnt work. I have tried the different charges on my other collar and everything works fine, any suggestions?

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Joe Newlin
UKC Cur Advocate
Home of Oak Ridge Kennels

I got one with 2 collars. The antenna on collar #1 broke off on the 3rd night in the woods. Collar #2 stopped sending a signal the first night in the woods (and it was charged).

I love the thing, but the collars don't seem durable enough for coonhunting yet. I'm sending it back.

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I use this system down in WV in the early bear season, and Let me tell you it worked great. I had no problems finding my dogs, and was able to stay in the race, seeing the direction the dogs were going in, I was able to get around to them and stay more in the race. OUTSTANDING........ I used both the GPS, and the regular collar, but I never needed the tracking collar.

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LARSENS BLACK BEAR KENNEL & SUPPLY

GREG LARSEN

1149 BURLINGHAM ROAD

PINE BUSH, NY 12566

beardog_treed@yahoo.com


http://stores.ebay.com/LarsensBlackBear-Kennel-Supply_W0QQsspagenameZMEQ3aFQ3aSTQQtZkm

quote:

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Originally posted by SwampBuster
I hunted with one for the first time last Sunday night. I was completely impressed. Thought it was great to be able to watch where the hound was going on the hand held GPS. We have not figured out how to get the topo map on the screen, but have not had alot of time to mess with it either. I really liked what I saw.

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Joe Newlin
UKC Cur Advocate
Home of Oak Ridge Kennels

range

has anyone used this setup in any terrain thats not flat. we dont have much easy walkin huntin around these parts so being able to track over a ridge or two is vital. if these things need a good line of sight to work well they would be worthless around here.

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