Garmin GPS unit for dogs

[pointshootretrieve]

Anyone have the new Garmin tracker gps etc? Is this an e-collar tracker in one? Does it work well?

[birddog1968]

Do you mean the Astro 320 or the sport dog gps tracker?

With the Astro and DC40 collars a ecollar can be added to the gps collar strap. Its not a one system does all, you still need your ecollar transmitter to work the receiver you place on the gps collar.

[nj gsp]

I just got the 320, and I'm still learning my way around it. I leave the DC40 on the collar by itself because there's not enough room on one collar for e-collar, beeper, bell, and the GPS too.

So far I like it, although I did have some trouble at first. The problem I was having is after turning the dog's collar off while driving to a different spot, the dog did not show up again on the map until I deleted the dog and re-added it. But now I think the dog collar had not had enough time to get a satellite fix and the 320 still thought the dog was over a mile away. Apparently letting the collars acquire a good fix off the dog before putting them on the dog is good advice.

The other thing I noticed is if you rename the dog, BaseCamp will only see the tracks associated with the last "known good" name assigned to the collar. I found this out when I ran the collar with one dog, then changed the name on the collar when I switched it to my other dog. The only visible tracks were the ones with the second name. After turning the dog collar back on, and renaming to the first name I was able to download the other tracks.

I won't have this problem anymore as I bought a second DC40 for the other dog. All things considered it's a pretty cool GPS.

[pointshootretrieve]

I was looking at the Garmin Astro/DC40

and

Radio Systems Corp/Sprot Dog Tek 1.0 and Tex 1.0lt

[pointshootretrieve]

Do you mean the Astro 320 or the sport dog gps tracker?

With the Astro and DC40 collars a ecollar can be added to the gps collar strap. Its not a one system does all, you still need your ecollar transmitter to work the receiver you place on the gps collar.

I see, the Sportdog does offer an all in one though

[nj gsp]

The DC40 is the GPS collar that goes on the dog. The Astro 320 is the handheld receiver.

I looked at the Tek but for the same money as the Astro system there is no comparison, especially when it comes to the quality of the mapping, satellite imagery capabilities, and dog tracking accuracy made even better with the 3 axis compass in the 320. I also have 2 different TT transmitters, a Pro 100 and an Upland so I'm already covered on the e-collar / beeper part of the equation.

[pointshootretrieve]

The only reason I was thinking of the Sportdog is eliminating something to carry. If I go with the Garmin I still need to carry the TT transmitter and the GPS reciever. If I went with the sportdog it would be all in one.

[terrym]

The only reason I was thinking of the Sportdog is eliminating something to carry. If I go with the Garmin I still need to carry the TT transmitter and the GPS reciever. If I went with the sportdog it would be all in one.

This is my dilemma in choosing a unit. I already have a TT Sport basic G3 and I was wondering about running 2 collars at once vs. an all in one like the Tek 1.0. Can someone tell me if there is an "on point" alarm incorporated in the Garmin 320?

[birddog1968]

Yes the astro will alert you to dog being on point, or taking a poo