garmin and field trials

[tompetey]

witch is the best tracking collar for field trials does the garmin work well, does it find the dog even if it is just turned on after the dog is running? I am looking to get one and want to make a good choice

[gsp3333]

I don't run trails but always know where my dog is with the garmin. I have pulled the unit out of my vest and found it on different settings, just reset it and there is my dog on the screen. I will never run her without it.

[DGFavor]

Personally I wouldn't use a garmin for a field trial - telemetry still way mo' betta in field trial setting at picking up dogs that have a good head start on ya'. To numerous to count episodes of folks with the Garmin, turning it back on at a trial to pick up their wayward hound and not being able to re-communicate with the dog collar...which makes it useless. "Field Trial Magazine" has a section on Garmin use tips and in a recent edition the author mentioned he still uses his Tracker in field trials due to the re-communication issue with the Garmin. Someday maybe, not yet.

[Brushbustin Sporting Dogs]

Doug, do you have any experience with the new Astro, I believe its the 320 with the DC 40 collars. From what I've seen of the new model is its very quick at picking up the dog. Way more so than the original model.

I still think the problem with them is that the collar and unit must talk to one another. Running on rougher terrain can inhibit this a bit but again from what I've seen with the new model it has been way better than the original.

[DGFavor]

No, definitely haven't seen the new model in use as much - the only time I saw it used was scouting for a guy, the dog was gone too long and judge handed him the Garmin. He turned it on and...nothin'...nothin'. Then the dog ran by and we picked it up. So IME the new Garmin worked about as good as my scouting!! I should say that I have seen it work really well at times when guys have turned them back on just as advertised.

I'm sure the bugs will get worked out - I hope they do. There are times I really miss using the Garmin because it does some cool stuff for sure - just not the go to recovery device yet IMO. I loaned mine out last year for a guy to try and haven't seen it since!!

[Brittguy]

I have the maximum tracker. My friend has a Garmin. I use his Garmin whenever I can. Tracker takes a lot use to get good with it . To me the Garmin seems much more accurate. Never had trouble turning it on and not finding the dog. If I didn't already own the Tracker and was just buying I would get the Garmin. It seems to have more applications such as training sessions where it is on all the time and you can track his exact route.

[ultracarry]

When you use the dc 40 you have to sync the collar and handheld before you put it on your dog. Then turn the unit off. It will pick the dog up pretty fast when turned back on.

The problem is when you go hunting in a different area than you are growling the handheld is saying the dog was at the last known location and may say the dog is 200 miles away. It may take 5-10 minutes to figgure out where you and the dog are at. Still would rather use the garmin over nothing.

[AzDoggin]

... the dog is 200 miles away.

That's a dog with some run in him, right there. Hope he's honest.

[jimbo&rooster]

I have no FT experience, but I have alot of experience with telemetry systems on hounds. and I have limited experience with the garmin. I like a telemetry system, for 2 reasons.... 1. If i am at an FT there is a real good chance I am 3-6hrs from home, if I have to leave my dog on the ground for more than 8hrs, I might get a little worried about battery life on a garmin. 2. I had my buddies New garmin unit on one of my dogs the other day to "test drive" it, For hunting where you will leave it on all the time It would be great. but we turned it on and off a few times through the day when we put the dog up and it took several minutes to reaquire the satalites... I just bought another Tlemetry system and I am personally much more comfortable using it.

Jim

[Karen]

We use the garmin all the time (Astro 220 and DC30 collar...but upgraded to the astro 320 during the off season).

You have to calibrate the Astro at every new location (takes about 20 seconds), and we make sure it syncs to the collar before we put the collar on a dog. We've had to use it a few times, and it took approximately 20 seconds to find the collar once turned back on. I wouldn't run a dog without one.

I know Jeanette & Mike Tracy both use the Garmin, as does Bob Burchette (Brittany pro). If it's good enough for them, it's certainly good enough for me.

[Vision]

I loaned mine out last year for a guy to try and haven't seen it since!!

Doug can I borrow your truck, horse trailer and horses please?

[Sharon]

witch is the best tracking collar for field trials does the garmin work well, does it find the dog even if it is just turned on after the dog is running? I am looking to get one and want to make a good choice

I may be missing something here you can't turn it on during your alloted time unless you tell the Judge you are picking up your dog.

[bwjohn]

admittedly i know do not have a garmin or personally trial. train with people that do quite often and attend trials. So, my question is coming from someone who not may know the finer details of rules or operation of the garmin.


Does the Garmin have a silent mode? If so, I think it is customary to give any tracking device to the judge. So, you could give the device to the judge in silent mode and it would for go any reconnection/syncing problems. Is this a possibility?

brandon

[ultracarry]

You usually don't have problems with the unit being turned off so its not an issue with having it turned off.

Even with it off I will as the judge if they want the unit and haven't had one take it yet.

[myerstenn]

You are not suppose to have it on while running the dog unless you call for the tracking device. Which means the dog is out of judgement .

[SHNOOL]

Ok, like Karen said... we used the ASTRO 220 (handheld), and the DC-30. We trial. We've upgraded to the ASTRO 320, but kept the old collar. We'll report back what we find. but...

The "standard" thing to do to keep communication up, is to Fire up the ASTRO handheld when you first get to the grounds. You "Calibrate the Compass" which also relocates the handheld unit (Astro) to your exact location (exactly like your GPS in your car, if you turn it on miles from where you last had it on, it takes a while to "reacquire" and give your location)... While you do that, have the collar (DC-30) on. That allows the handheld (Astro) to synch up with the collar (DC-30).

Once calibrated and the handheld is talking to the collar (DC-30), you can shut the handheld (Astro) off.

Shut the collar (DC-30) off as well, until you are nearly at the time of your brace. More on that in a minute.

If your never lose your dog, you never turn the ASTRO on, and honestly the Judges or the Handler should have the handheld (Astro) unit tucked away (as you would a tracker). They are NOT to be used while your dog is in contention, as stated by others.

Ok, so god forbid your dog gets off course, or whatever, you are NOW NOT in contention, you thank the judges, and pull your handheld (Astro). If you did as stated above, the until will gain communications with the collar (DC-30) in 30 seconds or less. Yes we've proven this (mind you it's a LONG 30 seconds if your dog is missing).

That being said, at the end of that 30 seconds you know EXACTLY where your dog is (and whether he's on the move), not just a "direction" as the tracker does. The Garmin has less issues with overhead powerline noise (as a tracker does), and since a lot of these grounds seem to have powerlines near them, and I'd put the GARMIN as it is said in the category of an essential tool for trialing.

By the way, if you turn the collar off, and back on, it creates a new "track log," on the collar. Every time power is cycled on the collar, it creates a new track. For that reason, we power cycle the collar before every brace. That way when we are home/back at the trailer, we can analyze the dogs pattern (and have 1 track per dog run) and talk about what we did right, and what we did wrong, and where we think we need to focus on training going forward. You need a memory card for the Astro, and a laptop or computer running the Map Source, along with Google Earth installed (or Mappoint), but it's a handy tool to see where your dog was for the run. That ONE thing has provided more information than you could know.