Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Morrison TN
Posts: 4927

I haven't had the Garmin lose my dog huntin yet, and the last two nights I was huntin ridges so steep that you didn't walk down them, you slid down them and crawled up the other side. Bad, bad bad. (Treed 3 in one tree one night, last night treed one we seen in a Cedar tree, one den that I am pretty sure she had it, one den that I think she missed but it was a legit den so I can't say for sure but I don't think it was there, good hunts).

Then I tried it out to see just how far I could get it. I placed the collar on the fencepost in the lowest place in the yard and drove away intentionally through ridges. It was a little over a mile with the receiver in the truck before I lost signal. Hooked up the truck antenna and it was 2.3. I lost it for a second or two in other places, but I was 2.3 before I lost it for good, in the middle of town LOL. I had went around a mountain, in a very deep valley and didn't lose it unitl I was surrounded by buildings.

I would be willing to bet the Yagi would get at LEAST 4-5 miles and that would be plenty. I am curious how the hand held long range would do, I bet it would get 4 itself.

I am just holding my breath to see how much the leaves affect it.

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Registered: Jan 2007
Location: Lake Panasoffkee, Florida
Posts: 1116

Good to know Rip. I have been real hesitant to get one down here. I know a few guys who are running them but also run another tracking collar. What about "thick" cover or brush? Some of our woods are thick enough that you don't get cell phone or hand held gps readings.

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Last edited by Clay Lautzenhiser on 02-21-2009 at 06:59 PM

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Rip several times down here I have tested the truck antenna to over 4.5 miles. I got sightly less with a YAGI about 3-3.5 and it was a big YAGI tuned for the 151mhertz signal. Then again we are flat.
Clay in these creek swamps around here we haven't seen much of an affect on them and Leon has a dog that will ramble around if he has to and it keeps up with him just fine.

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Morrison TN
Posts: 4927

That's what I worry about too Clay, back home we have "ivy thickets" (mountain laurel) so thick you have to crawl on your hands and knees. The ONLY hand held GPS that would consistantly get signal crawling through that stuff (it's also between the ridges cause it grows along the creeks so that don't help) was the Lowrance Global Nav 100 but it took 6 AA batteries and liked them pretty good.

Garmin e-trex? Forget it, you had to be on a logging road for it to pick up, pretty much junk in that area. The Magellan 315 that I bought was a good compromise.

So, being worried about that I put the collar in MY BOOT, then put the boot UNDER the stairwell IN THE BASEMENT. It never lost contact with the sattelites. I was amazed.

Others have said that the foilage doesn't effect these like it did the handhelds (which I think is believable because if Lowrance could make one 15 years ago that is 100 times stronger than the E-trex then they certianly could make one now that worked that good). Putting that thing in my basement and it getting signal through the house (no windows in the basement either) pretty much made me feel better. Still a little worried, but I feel better about it.

Oh, I sold my Tracker system Thursday, so IT BETTER WORK or I'm in trouble. LOL.

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Morrison TN
Posts: 4927

Bruce, you didn't get as good with the Yagi as you got with the truck antenna?

Have you tried out the long range antenna they offer yet? How much farther does it reach than the truck antenna or are they about the same?

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Registered: Jan 2007
Location: Lake Panasoffkee, Florida
Posts: 1116

10-4. I know that James Wright runs one and has since they came out but he is still running both collars. He has been my reference. We tested on at Allen G's house this summer and I think it still lost signal a couple of times in Michigan. I have really been waiting for someone local, like James, to give me the ok.
Thanks for the good info!

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Rip, I got my best results out of the truck antenna followed by the yagi. I haven't used the LR antenna yet but Leon has and has better information than I do as I can't remember what he said he got out of it.

Clay this system really caught on with the deer hunters this year and the hog hunters love it also. Several of the coonhunters at the Taylor club use them with good results.
A young many named Josh Farnsworth from this area uses it and it seems like everytime he shows it to someone they get one.

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Last edited by on 08-12-2013 at 07:21 AM

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Registered: Jan 2007
Location: Lake Panasoffkee, Florida
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Ya Bruce I know Josh very well. I suppose I will take the leap sooner or later.

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: North GA
Posts: 14395

quote:

---

Originally posted by Rip
I haven't had the Garmin lose my dog huntin yet, and the last two nights I was huntin ridges so steep that you didn't walk down them, you slid down them and crawled up the other side. Bad, bad bad. (Treed 3 in one tree one night, last night treed one we seen in a Cedar tree, one den that I am pretty sure she had it, one den that I think she missed but it was a legit den so I can't say for sure but I don't think it was there, good hunts).

Then I tried it out to see just how far I could get it. I placed the collar on the fencepost in the lowest place in the yard and drove away intentionally through ridges. It was a little over a mile with the receiver in the truck before I lost signal. Hooked up the truck antenna and it was 2.3. I lost it for a second or two in other places, but I was 2.3 before I lost it for good, in the middle of town LOL. I had went around a mountain, in a very deep valley and didn't lose it unitl I was surrounded by buildings.

I would be willing to bet the Yagi would get at LEAST 4-5 miles and that would be plenty. I am curious how the hand held long range would do, I bet it would get 4 itself.

I am just holding my breath to see how much the leaves affect it.

---

Rip your tests pretty much mirror mine with the collar in the yard on a fence post..I can go a few miles north and the range cut downs to half that..Even with the truck ant..Like I said before if the yagi does get 4 or 5 miles consistantly..I'll have one..LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU FIND OUT WITH IT The leaves WILL NOT affect the gps..

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Registered: Jun 2008
Location: AL
Posts: 2097

We have been totally pleased with our garmin and dc-30 collars. We have three collars. The only problem that I am having is getting spoiled by learning how my dogs really hunt. They are an amazing way to truly get to know your dog.

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