Registered: Not Yet
Location:
Posts: N/A

No way to disable it but the trick is if you touch the screen lightly it will come up. Touch it harder and it will not. Learn to tough harder.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Apr 2014
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 18

I've reported several problems to Garmin about the new Alpha 100 units. They have sent me three in the past six weeks, and each one has been unreliable. Wondering if anybody else has had these problems. They don't happen all the time, just sometimes. Turning off the unit, and turning it back on sometimes helps.

Random shutdown for no apparent reason

Shutdown when selecting choices for a pin on the touchscreen, such as touching the info bubble, touching the mark point bubble, touching the navigate to button.

Map showing as a mirror image of what it should (180 degrees backwards).

Map showing correct orientation, but directing navigation the opposite direction it should be to a known point such as Truck.

Dog distance showing wildly inaccurate in an information bubble but still showing correct on the map near the dog icon in the track.

Dog track disappearing when zooming out one click from 25 yds (must be zoomed in lower than 40 yds to see any dog track).

When zooming out one click from say 15 yd scale, scale jumps up to 250 and map zooms to a point in some ocean 6095 miles away.

Shutdown with the screen locked, nothing being done it just turned itself off.

I could go on with more... but I think you get the idea.

Garmin rep says nobody else has reported these problems on any other unit. I find that hard to imagine, since it's been happening on all three units they have shipped to me.

What have you guys been hearing and experiencing about the Alpha 100?

P. S. I am using a TT15 collar. Software 4.4 on the handheld, and 2.5 on the collar.

Last edited by Nightwalker on 12-01-2014 at 10:10 PM

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: May 2014
Location: NC
Posts: 6

Hey Bruce, I have a question about charging dc30 collars.

I have heard different things from different people as to what is the best way to charge the collars. I have had people tell me to leave them on the charger all the time when not in use. Others folks say they will get 2-3 hunts on a collar before they charge it.

So what is the best way?

Should they stay on the charger all of the time or taken off when fully charged?

Should I let them run down to say 20% or recharge after each hunt?

thanks

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Not Yet
Location:
Posts: N/A

Coonerwatts to get your best answer please google Care of Lithium batteries. There are several articles on them.

I am from the old school and I am not leaving any charger plugged in all the time.

Most recommend cycling down to 20-40% and then a deep cycle maybe once a month. These are not like nicad batteries as they don't build memory.

High temps damage batteries--they should be stored at room temp.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Sep 2009
Location: Pleasanton, Kansas
Posts: 1604

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nightwalker
I've reported several problems to Garmin about the new Alpha 100 units. They have sent me three in the past six weeks, and each one has been unreliable. Wondering if anybody else has had these problems. They don't happen all the time, just sometimes. Turning off the unit, and turning it back on sometimes helps.

Random shutdown for no apparent reason

Shutdown when selecting choices for a pin on the touchscreen, such as touching the info bubble, touching the mark point bubble, touching the navigate to button.

Map showing as a mirror image of what it should (180 degrees backwards).

Map showing correct orientation, but directing navigation the opposite direction it should be to a known point such as Truck.

Dog distance showing wildly inaccurate in an information bubble but still showing correct on the map near the dog icon in the track.

Dog track disappearing when zooming out one click from 25 yds (must be zoomed in lower than 40 yds to see any dog track).

When zooming out one click from say 15 yd scale, scale jumps up to 250 and map zooms to a point in some ocean 6095 miles away.

Shutdown with the screen locked, nothing being done it just turned itself off.

I could go on with more... but I think you get the idea.

Garmin rep says nobody else has reported these problems on any other unit. I find that hard to imagine, since it's been happening on all three units they have shipped to me.

What have you guys been hearing and experiencing about the Alpha 100?

P. S. I am using a TT15 collar. Software 4.4 on the handheld, and 2.5 on the collar.

---

__________________
RC

Home of:
GrChGrNtCh Mad Dog Mo Blue Smoke 2012 BBOA National King of Hunt

NiteCh Mad Dog Smoke's Real Deal (Smoke X Blueberrie) 2015 BBOA National King of Hunt
2017 BBOA/BBCHA Grand National Reunion King of Hunt

GrChGrNtCh Big Time Spankin Blue Wendy 2009 BBOA National Queen of Hunt

GrNtCh Mad Dog Tree Rockin Robin 2011 zone 1 Queen of Hunt.

Ch Mad Dog Loud Mouth Ralph (Smoke X Blueberrie) 2015 BBOA Zone 1 High Scoring Show Champion
2016 BBOA Zone 1 High Scoring Hunt Overall Winner

NiteCh Mad Dog The Perkolater ( Astro X Ata Girl ) 2015 BBOA Zone 1 High scoring Hunt Champion

Up and comming Mad Dog Smokin Blue Wendell

And a few young Prospects

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Mar 2007
Location: Forsyth, GA
Posts: 452

I have had the unit shutting down for no reason and sometimes the distance of the dog on the map screen and on the compass screen is different. Garmin sent me a new Alpha and on the second night it shut off. The screen slowly disappeared and then it cut completely off.

All the lady at Garmin told me was that the information we give them is passed on to the engineers and they are working on the problem. After this long I don't think they will ever fix it.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Apr 2014
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 18

RC, Thanks. Did you report the problems to Garmin (800) 800-1020 option 5?

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Sep 2008
Location: Richmond, Ind
Posts: 154

Just had a rep at garmin tell me that he hadnt a call in 3 months about a alpha shuting down. Guess what, mine is.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jan 2011
Location: ohio
Posts: 105

gwhunter
Bruce I contacted garmin. They said it sounded like I have done everything correct up till now but they want me to do a master reset. My warranty they said has expired so they wanted me to do this first if it doesn't work I will have to send it back for repair. It costs $130.00 for them to check it out then they would go from there. They emailed me the steps to do the master reset and I will be doing that tonite. I will let you know how the rest goes.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Feb 2010
Location: off the res.
Posts: 3422

One of my hunting partners has a DC50, only a couple of years old. The other night we were hunting and the dogs treed, when we got to the dogs the collar was blinking and working. We leashed the dogs and on the way back to the truck the collar shut itself off. He put it on the charger when he got home it stays red and won't turn on. He held the button down for a minute, still nothing. Dead battery? Or something else? Thanks.

__________________
Ignorance: the lack of knowledge, education, etc.
Stupidity: lacking normal intelligence.
Intelligence: the ability to learn or understand.
You can't fix STUPID!

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Sep 2013
Location: kinston.n.c.
Posts: 8

I have a 320 that has stopped showing dog trails . have I hit something or does this happen thanks forany help

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jul 2013
Location: Franklin County, VA
Posts: 388

Chuck4026, when you're on the map screen, push the map button and see if the tracks come up.

__________________
Outlaw Kennels

If they don't bay, they don't stay

Catch em and stretch em, tree em and free em

'PR' McPherson's Big Mouth Brandy

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Apr 2008
Location: sugarcreekohio
Posts: 1345

do i needto download base camp first before down loading birds eye view

__________________
Rolling Thunder Walkers 330.204.8844 A DOG IS A DOG YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN U TURN THEM LOOSE

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Not Yet
Location:
Posts: N/A

Yes. Basecamp is the program you use to interface with Bridseye.

Those that will never use Birdseye View should download Base Camp and if the mark roads or points or save any information on their handheld, they should save it on basecamp. Something happens to your handheld you still have all the marks on your computer.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Mar 2008
Location: Dansville,MI
Posts: 419

Can I install the same maps off of the disk that I bought for my 220 onto my new 320.I downloaded the disk on to my computer just like it said but I cant figure out how to install it on the 320

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Not Yet
Location:
Posts: N/A

If you OWN the top0 2008 disk you can select an area and download it to a card and place in you 320. I am not talking about the MAP SOURCE disk that came with all of them I am talking about Garmin TOPO 2008. Map source disk was replaced by basecamp.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Sep 2013
Location: kinston.n.c.
Posts: 8

bayemup34 thanks that solved my problemwith dog trails but today I was trying to track 2 dogs on dog screen it would show me he yardage on one but not the other but would show both on map screen iknow I mashed something wrong had both on screen Saturday thanks for any help

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Nov 2005
Location: Iowa
Posts: 2962

Might sound dumb, but can I charge a 30 collar with my Alpha charger? Just wanted to be sure it will work because I 'smoked' a battery charger once by using it on the wrong light battery. Take care, Ron.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Not Yet
Location:
Posts: N/A

NO. The connections are different. The astro charger is 1 amp and the alpha charger is 2 amp but that should be OK. They just won't connect.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Aug 2004
Location: northcarolina
Posts: 490

Hunting & tried to give my dog a little deterrent for barking in the box (No Contact)
I just switched collars then & tried to remedy today
TT10 info page on Alpha shows hook up for tracking but training not working (Shows training code on info page) 50% battery life
1st I deleted collar from dog list & was gonna add dog (collar) again, collar will not go in add mode, & gives continuous beeping, just like tone sound, red light blinking
Garmin tech suggested TT10 update on computer then remove battery to reset, but the tech I talked too said Garmin had no record of this happening
Charging collar now, seems to be charging fine
I have not tried either Garmin suggestion yet, but wondered if this has happened to anyone ?
David

Update:
Battery removal re-update fixed collar, training working fine.
Collar now charges fine, but red light will not turn to green when charged
David

__________________
NT CH "PR" Turkey Creek Playboy
Dual Grand Ridgeway's Deep Creek Zena
Dual Grand Laurel Fork Mongo
Grand Night Tight as a Cord

Last edited by David Webb on 12-20-2014 at 07:46 PM

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jun 2006
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 890

Forgive me if this has been asked before. When I turn my handheld on it displays where I was the last time . And it seems to take quite awhile to relocate itself. Any ideas?

__________________
TEAM HOGBACK MAFIA

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jul 2003
Location: west virgina
Posts: 389

i know it something i did. but i clear the track and lost the tracks of my collars like the different color line for each dog the maps now i just have a triangle where each dog is . so i tried to reset and return to default. so i was wondering if you can help me i fix this once before and dont remeber how i did it .

__________________
http://i56.tinypic.com/24cceme.jpg

smile and the world will smile too if not dont worry about those other people and coon hunt all night pkc # 80045

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Aug 2004
Location: northcarolina
Posts: 490

Last 2 nights my Alpha has shut down 4 times (Turns Off)
Comes back on pretty quick when I hit power button
First noticed it doing it when in screen lock & moving by vehicle to new hunt
Unlock screen & punch new hunt, & Brown box envelops new hunt icon, then unit powers off if you do or do not punch new hunt again
Then it did it again when I went to tracks page to see track (I had it on do not show)
Punched record show on map, brown color was high-lighted on that selection & it powered off again
I had some thing similar do this on my first Alpha (Random turn-off, but no brown color) & Garmin told me I was punching/selecting too quick
This is my 3rd Alpha & has been 0 problems till now
I'm checking Garmin Monday if there is a solution, ???
David

__________________
NT CH "PR" Turkey Creek Playboy
Dual Grand Ridgeway's Deep Creek Zena
Dual Grand Laurel Fork Mongo
Grand Night Tight as a Cord

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Not Yet
Location:
Posts: N/A

UPDATING YOUR ASTRO 320 AND ALPHA'S.
Garmin a few months ago put out two new collars. The T5 and the TT15. These will work with both the ALPHA and the ASTRO 320 but the Units made before the T5 and TT15 came out have to be updated.

When you open the box on top of the T5 and TT15 there is a colorful piece of paper the size of the box with this information on it. No way to get the collar out of the box with out handling this piece of paper.

If you do not update your Handheld and attach either the T5 or TT15, then from the dog page you will see the dog loose communication every 5-10 seconds. It will just swap back and forth between the question mark and the picture of the dog. Simple update will solve this.

Second most important thing with these collars is to learn how to turn them on.
They turn on in a Pairing Mode or they turn on in their normal operating mode. I have many customers even after they have paired the collar they continue to turn it on in the pairing mode and then call and say they don't work. They say the only way to get them to work is to delete them and re-add them every hunting trip. If you turn one on that is already added to your GPS Handheld in the pairing mode it will not track. Just a fast flash and a lot of beeping.
Read your instructions and sit and play with them and learn how to turn them on.

Next thing and perhaps the most important is to lean the different ways the lights flash on the color and what each different type of flash means. When you have a problem those lights will be the answer to your problem.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Dec 2009
Location: tennessee
Posts: 245

just got one of the new 320s it wont pick up the sattalites just keeps searching

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged