Garmin receivers on or off at Grand Junction National Ch?

hi-tailyn · Post by **hi-tailyn** » Fri Mar 14, 2014 9:52 pm

Was reading in the AF some great write up on the Nationals, and looking through the great photos online showing all the dogs with Garmin collars on.
During the write ups they would tell when the handler could call for the tracker.

I was curious if these receivers, which I assume the marshal was in control of were kept on or off before they handed them to the handler or scout to help retrieve their dog.

If off, were there any dogs that they couldn't get a signal on?

Neil · Post by **Neil** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 7:12 am

The rules say they are to be off. If they were, some failed to link back up.

But they were using the unapproved DC 50s, so hopefully they left them on.

They have always made there own rules.

DGFavor · Post by **DGFavor** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 9:06 am

I was more curious if you couldn't just use your own telemetry collar...opt out of the Garmin?

Neil · Post by **Neil** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 9:27 am

DGFavor wrote:I was more curious if you couldn't just use your own telemetry collar...opt out of the Garmin?

I don't think so. I know when Tracker was a sponsor, Larry Garner furnished some on unique frequencies that you had to use. There was some minor grumbling from the guys more comfortable with Marshall and Wildlife Materials.

At least you wouldn't have the link up problem with telemetry.

ACooper · Post by **ACooper** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 9:40 am

Neil wrote:
DGFavor wrote:I was more curious if you couldn't just use your own telemetry collar...opt out of the Garmin?
I don't think so. I know when Tracker was a sponsor, Larry Garner furnished some on unique frequencies that you had to use. There was some minor grumbling from the guys more comfortable with Marshall and Wildlife Materials.

At least you wouldn't have the link up problem with telemetry.

Are the telemetry collars bigger than the garmins?

DGFavor · Post by **DGFavor** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 10:06 am

Are the telemetry collars bigger than the garmins?

No, for the most part they are significantly smaller/lighter. My Tracker Supra Lites are much smaller, my Marshalls are about 1/2-1/3 the size of a Garmin collar. You can find telemetry collars like some of the hound guys run that are pretty beefy.

I've been hording the Supra Lite collars when I can find them cheap and have an extra Tracker receiver, well two extra actually as my wife has a Classic model, in case my current one ever conks out on me. Should be able to get me thru my lifetime of bird dogs anyway or until GPS gets a little more trustworthy.

Neil · Post by **Neil** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 10:23 am

I would think Marshall is still business as dogs were always secondary to falcon guys, and I know Wildlife is, although even their smallest receiver is beefy,

Doc, I think you may be the last telemetry holdout.

Ricky Ticky Shorthairs · Post by **Ricky Ticky Shorthairs** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 10:34 am

No he's not.

DGFavor · Post by **DGFavor** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 10:39 am

Yes, Marshall definitely still in business but their receiver is still not small enough for slipping into a hunting vest like the Tracker. I love the Trackers - small, reliable, lots of battery life plus with telemetry you tend to keep your head up looking for the dog, ready to "go to work" training/correcting/etc., instead of riding with your head down looking at a screen saying "it says..." I can't think of the number of times I've been out training or hunting with buddies and they're riding/walking along, head down, staring at the Garmin screen saying "it says he's 400yds to the left" and I'll be "yup, he sure is, I'm watching him right now chasing birds".

I still see a fair number of guys out this way using telemetry - especially at our venues with the deep river canyons that can suck up a dog for days.

ACooper · Post by **ACooper** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 11:59 am

DGFavor wrote:
Are the telemetry collars bigger than the garmins?
No, for the most part they are significantly smaller/lighter. My Tracker Supra Lites are much smaller, my Marshalls are about 1/2-1/3 the size of a Garmin collar. You can find telemetry collars like some of the hound guys run that are pretty

I was curious, and they aren't approved for AF events? I use a Garmin and run AKC, but have always heard if you really need to reliably find a dog telemetry is the way to go.

DGFavor · Post by **DGFavor** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 12:38 pm

I was curious, and they aren't approved for AF events?

Oh yes, they're approved and been in use long before dog GPS was even a twinkle in someones eye...so to speak.

Some of the receivers are real monstrosities - when you're judgin' guys used to hand you the equivalent of a rifle scabbard to lug around. But they work well - simple is not always a bad thing. Simple tools for simple people...like me!!

hi-tailyn · Post by **hi-tailyn** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 2:26 pm

From what I understand Each dog wore a specific top/bottom dog/am or pm brace, collar supplied by the championship and the Judges Marshall was in control of receiver till it was needed.

Was not sure if receivers were turned on or off.

Does anyone know for sure.

I thought they were using the DC50.

Many years ago I had a Marshall and loved it. Marshall kept teasing that they were going to come out with their own GPS system. Anymore whisper of such a devise?

birddog1968 · Post by **birddog1968** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 2:30 pm

Walking with your head down is a personal issue. I never look at mine....if dogs out of sight and I get a point signal I look at it..... I don't think they should be used at trials if u have to turn them off and can't link back up. I brought that up once to blank stares and silence. The garmin just isn't meant to really work that way tho they do link back up a lot of times.

jimbo&rooster · Post by **jimbo&rooster** » Sun Mar 16, 2014 5:31 am

I grew up with hounds and though I do have and use a GPS. When I'm away from home I use the tracker.

Jim

rockyridge kennels · Post by **rockyridge kennels** » Sat Mar 22, 2014 8:44 pm

hi-tailyn wrote:From what I understand Each dog wore a specific top/bottom dog/am or pm brace, collar supplied by the championship and the Judges Marshall was in control of receiver till it was needed.

Was not sure if receivers were turned on or off.

Does anyone know for sure.

I thought they were using the DC50.

Many years ago I had a Marshall and loved it. Marshall kept teasing that they were going to come out with their own GPS system. Anymore whisper of such a devise?

Receiver was on. There was a top/bottom unit, no am or pm.

hi-tailyn · Post by **hi-tailyn** » Sun Mar 23, 2014 4:19 pm

rockyridge kennels wrote:
hi-tailyn wrote:From what I understand Each dog wore a specific top/bottom dog/am or pm brace, collar supplied by the championship and the Judges Marshall was in control of receiver till it was needed.

Was not sure if receivers were turned on or off.

Does anyone know for sure.

I thought they were using the DC50.

Many years ago I had a Marshall and loved it. Marshall kept teasing that they were going to come out with their own GPS system. Anymore whisper of such a devise?

Receiver was on. There was a top/bottom unit, no am or pm.

I know the National is run under its own rules.

If they have determined it beneficial to leave the receiver on then AF and AKC should review their recommendations on this device.

Where the importance in retrieving the dog is way more important than some politics or fear of cheaters.

The trackers, GPS devices should be on the judges or marshals horse anyway during the brace.

Neil · Post by **Neil** » Sun Mar 23, 2014 4:29 pm

Yes, Larry Garner former CEO of Tracker has been saying so from the beginning. Has written at least two letters to the Field to no avail.

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