Does the Garmin Alpha WORK in Canada?

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Ontariofella
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Does the Garmin Alpha WORK in Canada?

Post by Ontariofella » Thu Jun 02, 2022 7:10 pm

I know it's technically illegal in Canada since it runs on MURS but I'm just wondering if anyone has the new Alpha 200 in Canada. I'm getting my puppy in a few weeks so I'm in the market for a collar. I really want the Alpha, but I have heard some people say that it won't work in Canada. I have also heard people say they've used it without a problem. Garmin basically said "no comment" when I asked them about it, which is expected.

RyanDoolittle
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Re: Does the Garmin Alpha WORK in Canada?

Post by RyanDoolittle » Fri Jun 03, 2022 8:08 am

ALL the Garmin collars work in Canada.

The only thing you need to be worried about is if you decide to field trial, nearly every club won't allow their use.

Not 1 person has EVER been charged for using ANY of the Garmin tracking collars.

People are going to tell you to just use the Astro 900, which you can do, however it will have 1/3 the range of an Astro 430 or Alpha will have.

I am in Southern Alberta.

Ontariofella
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Re: Does the Garmin Alpha WORK in Canada?

Post by Ontariofella » Sat Jun 04, 2022 5:01 pm

Thanks for the clarification. I'm in northern Ontario and I heard some people around here say that the Alpha stops tracking once it leaves the states, not sure where that information came from.

I was considering the astro 900 at first but it doesn't seem very appealing when you can get double the range and more features from the Alpha for just a couple hundred more bucks.

RyanDoolittle
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Re: Does the Garmin Alpha WORK in Canada?

Post by RyanDoolittle » Sat Jun 04, 2022 10:50 pm

Especially when you consider your landscape I would be surprised if you got 1 mile with the Alpha 900.

I've gotten 3 miles on the back of my horse on the top of a hill with the factory long range antennae but I am on the Prairie not in dense forest like you. I also have an extendable long range that can get 4 feet long, just haven't needed it yet.

Ontariofella
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Re: Does the Garmin Alpha WORK in Canada?

Post by Ontariofella » Sun Jun 05, 2022 11:27 am

That's good to know. I want the most range I can get because the bush out here is dense with lots of rolling hills.

Do you happen to know if the preloaded topo maps on the Alpha 200 cover Canada as well? I'm assuming they only cover the US since it's not intended to be used in Canada.

RyanDoolittle
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Re: Does the Garmin Alpha WORK in Canada?

Post by RyanDoolittle » Sun Jun 05, 2022 9:15 pm

You will need to get Canadian Topo Maps however Garmin has them. At this point most are either download or a MicroSD card that pops right into any of their GPS units. The Alpha can still be used as a GPS without the collars.

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