Registered: Jun 2003
Location: vt
Posts: 1256

we have spruce fir thickets here --if you can get in there-- the good thing is you can fall down but youll nevr hit the ground ,, just kinda leaning - - lol


my problems have been slightly less lately- with minis - -- i have one collar that has quit 3 times in last two weeks -- the last time i couldnt get it to work until reloaded software- im giving up on that one - sending it back to garmin today to exchange- i tried the sleep mode trick -- didnt work for me---actually lost sleep mode out of menu for that collar --- garmin said thats normal--- if its not hooking up--

my other two minis have been a little off a few times- - but never totally stopped working -- i had a hare run two miles straight out one day ---- take a left turn following a brook for roughly a mile- and start circling again 2.3 miles away - didnt drop signal at all i was pretty impressed by that -
same day had one come back and go out fartherr and farther - thicker cover and gps was off and on but was on probably 90 % of the time --- again they ended up 2.3 miles but in opposite direction --

--i dont know if thats farthest ive ever had one run but i know it is farthest ive seen since ive had gps collars- my average distance with astros in same cover is about 1000 yards - good day .75 miles - im talking handheld in the woods range----not best case --just average - and these minis when they work are about twice the range- same conditions-

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Registered: Feb 2015
Location: VA
Posts: 97

how do u set the bark meter on ur garmin where u can see how much there barkig when they get out of hearing?

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You have to turn it ON then set the settings on the ALERTS page.

Last edited by on 02-20-2016 at 06:42 PM

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: vt
Posts: 1256

sent one mini back to garmin about 9 days ago-- have had good luck with the others for a couple weeks- until yesterday i will always tell it like it is - good or bad- last week this same collar worked over 2 miles a couple times --once with no loss of gps at all -the other time lost for seconds but kept coming back -- lost gps yesterday- could hear dog running circles on hare -- it showed dog in same spot --- was out a half hour or more -- - dog close to highway -- was kind of inconvenient-i cant think of any reason for it to lose gps like that --dog moving thru same kind of cover had been in all day - - tried to put it to sleep and wake back up -- maybe that worked----- because usually when i lose gps for more than seconds--they are done until i can turn on and off with power button---- - the bad thing was when i put it to sleep and waiting to wake up-- no commm , couldnt tone him, so couldnt catch him- oh ya it started working again after i had him on leash thats always helpful, lol




bottom line is ---- they are STILL pretty unreliable --

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: vt
Posts: 1256

hunted 4 days in the last week -- had at least one mini collar stop working every day - had 2 out of 3 quit one day- borrowed a brand new handheld one day - that ruled out handheld as the problem--- ive been fighting with these issues since they came out---- and now my season is almost over and havent got them working reliably yet- i was told it was a local problem - was hunting 209 gps miles east of here last week with same issues- - i update everything weekly- - have spaced out id numbers and that seemed to help --not sure now if that was just coincidence-

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Pete I thought they had that bug worked out with the upgrade. I see where you said all your stuff has been upgraded so my only suggestion is to send them back and get new ones. They have a year warranty. We personally use them and had one collar loose communication like you stated, but an update solved it's problem.

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: vt
Posts: 1256

bruce- i have sent them back one of them twice- sometimes when they quit they have lost that additional update- - sometimes not- been sending files to garmin - sometimes i hear back from them - it seems when i make a little noise on internet im more likely to hear back-- meanwhile - they stop working on me 2-3 times a week-and sometimes worse than that--- - i depend on them to handle my dogs- tone them on regular basis on hot track and shock if i have too - cant really do that without gps - -- im glad they work great for you-- they DO NOT work great for everybody---maybe they are worse on beagles on hare-maybe worse on canadian border- beagles normally run 20+ miles in a day and not go 500 yards away--never know when a hare might take off and go a mile or two but on average they dont go far- - every time i hear that warning beep that theyve lost gps i cringe--- a big % of the time thats it they are done- shut off and power up and that fixes them most the time- they are warranteed --- i can send back and get replacements but so far replacements have not been better

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Pete, I sell a lot of them and if my customers have a problem I am usually the first to know as I work hard to solve their problems. We did have a problem about 3 months ago with one collar. Had a couple customers around that same time frame have similar problems. Mine showed the dog not being where it was suppose to me and then it would go into a sleep mode and not want to wake up. We updated one and changed one out and they are doing good so far. We used 3 on dogs for about two hours last night and the only glitch I saw was one dog I lost communication on for just a couple minutes when I felt I shouldn't. About the time I started worrying about it she popped back up and was fine all night. Whoever your contact is I would contact them and just tell them you had enough and would like some new-not refurbished collars and start over again.
I know when the 50's came out there were a couple locations in the US that gave that collar problems. That collar would show up like 77 miles away a lot of times. It just might be your location and the files your sending garmin should lead them to the problem. Talking about beagles. Those dogs take a beating. The equipment used on them gets the most wear and tear than any other type of hound. Good Luck!

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Pete I wrote you a long reply to your PM and then it would not send. Said your PM box was full.

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: vt
Posts: 1256

i deleted some - can you resend ?

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Registered: Jul 2015
Location: Eastern Iowa
Posts: 2

Bruce,

I just recently purchased an Alpha 100 with a tt15 collar. I immediately used the garmin/webupdater to update the alpha and collar. When I tried to sync the collar to the alpha for the first time it would not. I followed the directions in the manual -Dog List - Add Dog - Are you near a collar -Yes but the collar doesn't ever sync with it. The Collar just blinks red and after the original update, it will not recognize the device on the webupdater. I see on the garmin FAQ that using a MAC Computer can cause problems with updates. Any advice or should I just call garmin. And I did try updating with a PC but the webupdater wouldn't recognize the collar when I did that. Thanks!

Last edited by BurgRaider on 03-28-2016 at 03:46 AM

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If you tried to update your collar with a MAC it may be ruined. Garmin website tells you how to do a master reset. Perform that and then update with a windows computer.
If it don't work then the only thing is to call Garmin and see if they will warranty it.

Just to make sure of one thing. Your putting the collar in the pairing mode when your trying to attach it. That means holding the start button for several seconds. Yours may not go in a pairing mode now.

If you purchased it from me call 904-692-1568 this morning and I will see what I can do.

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Registered: Jul 2015
Location: Eastern Iowa
Posts: 2

Thank you, Bruce! I called Garmin and they had me try the same things that you suggested, but no luck. They honored the warranty so I'm sending it in. It was the MAC update on the TT15 that messed it up. A learning experience for me, but I wish Garmin had some info stating not to update a TT15 with a MAC. Thanks again for your advice!

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Burg on Gamins website it does say to not use a MAC Computer.

Before using the T series collars or DC 50, ensure the latest firmware is installed*. Download and install Garmin WebUpdater to update the collars and handheld Dog Tracking devices. Follow the onscreen instructions for updating them.

*Do not attempt to update the T series collars or DC 50 with a MAC computer


Updated Information on Garmin Repair/Exchange program.

They are no longer taking Astro 220's in for repair and also they are no longer taking DC 40's in for repair.

Both those programs have been stopped.

DC 30's for the time being can still be repaired.

Last edited by on 03-28-2016 at 06:14 PM

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Registered: Oct 2014
Location: mi
Posts: 228

Sitting on the tailgate a few days ago with a tt10 on a dog in the box. I checked my alpha to see how the other guys were coming at getting back to the truck. The collar that was 5ft from me showed moving away , it went out 75 yards started to circle then showed next to me. I even turned my light on and made sure the dog was still in the box . What would cause this ?

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Registered: May 2011
Location: South East , Pa
Posts: 139

How do I get my Alpha 100 to track the hounds in yards not feet ?? I looked at the book several times and don't see it .... Thanks Kevin

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Last edited by K Slim on 03-30-2016 at 03:28 PM

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Registered: Apr 2011
Location: culpeper va
Posts: 13

I am thinking of upgrading from the 320 to the alpha 100. I saw that you can't upgrade software on the alpha using a Mac computer, but can you use a Mac computer for Birdseye with the alpha

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Kevin, I don't have my ALPHA here right now to tell you exactly which menus to select but I can get you close. Go to your home page and then scroll down and look for system setup. You want to select that and then from the menu find UNITS. That is where you set it up. Let me know if you can get it and I will post the exact steps in the morning if I missed one. That should get you close.

dsheads the garmin astor and alpha can be upgrades from a mac. Mac is all I use in my store except for one old windows machine. The Collars is what you can upgrade from the MAC. The reality of it is you shouldn't need to be updating collars that much. Birdseye on mac is fine.

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Registered: Apr 2011
Location: culpeper va
Posts: 13

Thank you.

Dillon

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Registered: May 2011
Location: South East , Pa
Posts: 139

I got it Bruce , thanks for the help .

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Troy Iowa
Posts: 2159

An Amish friend called me with a problem. Previously, it was working fine, now the collar has quit tracking. It will link to the handheld, but that is it. It will not show status or tracking. He was told by someone that he should do an update. I took my up to date Astro and tried to link it up and it did the same thing. I opened up the collar and unhooked the battery and plugged it back in with same result. Is this collar fried?

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Last edited by Tim MACHA on 05-01-2016 at 06:36 PM

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Troy Iowa
Posts: 2159

BTT

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Registered: May 2008
Location: Gillett, Pa
Posts: 1876

quote:

---

Originally posted by Tim MACHA
An Amish friend called me with a problem. Previously, it was working fine, now the collar has quit tracking. It will link to the handheld, but that is it. It will not show status or tracking. He was told by someone that he should do an update. I took my up to date Astro and tried to link it up and it did the same thing. I opened up the collar and unhooked the battery and plugged it back in with same result. Is this collar fried?

---

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I would do a master reset and then update it again. That is about all you can do.

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Troy Iowa
Posts: 2159

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bruce M. Conkey
I would do a master reset and then update it again. That is about all you can do.

---

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