Registered: Feb 2006
Location: MO
Posts: 775

Getting ready to buy one and was wanting to know a few things. Does the truck antanna add much range? Are buying the aluminum base plates they have out a must? Just figured if these are things that I will need/want down the road I might as well get them in the first place, so guys let me know what you think.

__________________
if you're gonna do it, do it in style!
If you can’t dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with BS.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Not Yet
Location:
Posts: N/A

I don't know anything about the truck antenna but I think the backing plate breakage is mostly from over tightening. Don't ovetighten, do wrap it securely with tape as a backup.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Aug 2004
Location: Palatka, Florida
Posts: 1014

Justin,
The magnetic truck antennas will add considerable range to your system. In tests we have done it has doubled the range, The metal baseplates are not a must have item but they do give you peace of mind knowing they will not break. Hope this helps.

__________________
My name is Leon Silcox and I wrote this message.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Mar 2006
Location: Farmington WI.
Posts: 644

the idea of the astro is awsome but they definatly have some bugs to work out of it. when it works properly its awsome but some nights you just wanna through it in the scrap pile.

__________________
Home of:
NTCH Branch river ice age Mya
GRCH NTCH Snyder's Death-Row Flashback (Flash)
CH, FCH,GRNTCH Ice Ages' Front Seat Fanny 2011 world finalist at 2 years old
Temp home of Grch, Fch, GrNtch Wades Red Busko

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: May 2006
Location: Gauley Bridge,Wv
Posts: 2938

pm Bruce M. Conkey he sells them at a great price he is a nice guy to work with thats where iam going to get mine

__________________
CopperHead Kennels
Gauley Bridge,Wv
Chris Neff
Home (304) 632-5029
Cell(304) 651-5973

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: May 2007
Location: Hartwell, Georgia
Posts: 178

My experience has been over the past six months or more since I bought mine

1- I love it, would not have another type of tracker
2- have had it lose signal once in a blue moon for a few seconds
3- the magnetic arial does add good distance
4- I am still running the original plastic backing plates on mine and they get lots of rough use. I have added tape to be sure
5- I use the shorty arials and get the same distance, and I have tested them side by side. Have never broken or lost an arial, make sure they are tightened good
6- before each hunt I clear all the history and re calibrate the compass just to be sure
7- I have most of the eastern and southern states loaded on mine
8- sometimes the collars get sideways on smaller necked dogs but they still work good but may once in a while give a false tree sign
9- has never failed me on getting to my dogs or getting back to the truck
10- this is my second one, I lost the first one after having it two months and liked it so much I bought another. It fell out of my pocket somewhere in a swampy pond area of a wma and I never could find it. Now I have a lanyard with a whistle and two clips that I attach to my coverall straps and use the cell phone type carrier that comes with it to attach to my front pocket and that way I cant be dumb enough to lose another one, lol

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Sep 2004
Location: Moncks Corner, South Carolina
Posts: 1814

IMO. I would get the metal back plate, just for piece of mind. I broke a plastic one 3 months after getting my system. I get 1.2 miles with my Astro with the normal antenna and I got 2.2 miles with the roof top the only time I've used it. I love my Astro and couldn't imagine hunting without it.

__________________
Kenny's Allnite Black and Tans
Moncks Corner, SC
843-697-5889
ChNtCh Allnite Gypsy Girl

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged