Issues with the Garmin Astro w/ the DC30

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whitedogone
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Issues with the Garmin Astro w/ the DC30

Post by whitedogone » Mon Mar 09, 2009 6:32 pm

Anybody have issues with the Garmin Astro w/ the DC30. Mine wasn't acting right the other day. It would show the dog
@ 400+ yards when she was 30. And would show 30 when she was a couple of hundred. I charged the collar till the blue light went out. And fresh batteries in the receiver. Wondering if I have to ship the thing to them. :evil:
Beretta S686 Sporting 12g 30"
Beretta Silver Pigeon Sporting 20g 28"
Ithaca (SKB) Model 500 28g 28"
Ithaca (SKB) Model 500 20g 28"
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Re: Issues with the Garmin Astro w/ the DC30

Post by DGFavor » Mon Mar 09, 2009 11:28 pm

Yah, mine has been doing some crazy stuff. Pointing the opposite direction of where I can see the dog in front of me then back sort of in the direction of the dog then back behind me then to the other side of the dog. Seems to get the yardage right so I guess if I mark the spot I'm standing, pace off the yardage it says to the dog then walk in a circle of that same radius, I could find the dog - if he wasn't moving!! :lol: :lol: Planning on sending it all in to get checked out when I get a chance.

Still putting tele collars on 'em in addition to the DC30 because I don't think they've quite got it mastered yet. Doesn't have my full trust. I would like to see it developed to have a few days at least worth of battery life and better range. At the same time, since I've got telemetry gear, it's not that big of a deal to slip a SupraLite on 'em also for backup.

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Re: Issues with the Garmin Astro w/ the DC30

Post by shets114 » Tue Mar 10, 2009 4:41 am

Started having a problem with lost signal on mine. It regains it eventually but if you were needing to locate quickly it may be a issue.
Also seen the distance problem.

I like mine but like I said in other posts on the Garmin situation, It isn't full proof and like any electronic device that is going to be exposed to all sorts of environmental variables. You will eventually find the short comings.

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Re: Issues with the Garmin Astro w/ the DC30

Post by Wagonmaster » Thu Mar 12, 2009 9:13 am

I had that problem with my Garmin last fall, out hunting. What I finally figured out is that the compass gets "lost." The cure was to reinitialize the compass. Hit the button and turn around twice. Probably sounds like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz to non-Garmin people, but if have one you know what I mean. Maybe a little difficult if you happen to be on a horse at the time. I have read posts that close contact with ferrous metal (i.e. your shotgun) will disrupt the compass, can't confirm that myself. Anyway, it worked for me and I didn't have any more problems.

The signal can get lost on a Garmin though. The collar talks to the satellites to locate itself, and the hand unit also talks to the satellites to locate itself, but for the hand unit to know where the collar is, the collar has to broadcast to the hand unit on a line of sight radio band. It is rated for several miles, but like the electronic collars, the actual distance is dependent on terrain and what is between the two units. With the old A1-70's and 80's of the late 1970's and 80's, the one's that had a metal antenna and much shorter range than today's, that was a real problem. Some dogs would learn to run to the top of the nearest hill and go over it for freedom. We called them "antenna wise."

This is anecdotal, but some friends out west did some real world testing, and the Marshall is far and away the best, the Garmin is not too bad, a few miles of reception, and they say the Tracker has the least range. I don't know, my Tracker works good for me, and the Garmin does too now that I have figured out the compass thing.

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Re: Issues with the Garmin Astro w/ the DC30

Post by Ruffshooter » Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:51 am

John, Have you used your garmin and trackers in the woods, Grouse woods type? If so how are they there. I know the Bear hound and beaglers have issues with line of site contact. In fact while snowmobiling a few years back, I found two beagles in the middle of no where 40 miles from the closest road, wearing tracking collars. Talked to the owners the next day and they could not get a line on the two dogs and it was early in the hunt. (They were greatful to get there dogs back, well except one of the guys wife, (she was a crab from MASS that hated her husbands dogs).
The best part of training is seeing the light come on in your little prot'eg'e.

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Re: Issues with the Garmin Astro w/ the DC30

Post by gonehuntin' » Fri Mar 13, 2009 5:43 am

Two of the things that could cause that are are John said, reinitialize the compass. The other is that you have to hold the unit level to get the best readings.
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Re: Issues with the Garmin Astro w/ the DC30

Post by Wagonmaster » Fri Mar 13, 2009 6:52 am

No, I haven't tried it in the grouse woods yet. Friends tell me the Garmin works in the woods. I will believe that of any GPS when I see it.

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Re: Issues with the Garmin Astro w/ the DC30

Post by gar-dog » Fri Mar 13, 2009 7:22 am

Ruffshooter wrote:John, Have you used your garmin and trackers in the woods, Grouse woods type? If so how are they there.
Mine worked and works flawlessly in heavy woods. I have heard that about reinitializing the compass. You do it when you first get the unit. You turn slwly in a circle while holding it level - takes about 60 seconds.

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Ruffshooter
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Re: Issues with the Garmin Astro w/ the DC30

Post by Ruffshooter » Fri Mar 13, 2009 7:28 am

I wonder if they have any type of loaner program? Would certainly like to try it.
The best part of training is seeing the light come on in your little prot'eg'e.

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Re: Issues with the Garmin Astro w/ the DC30

Post by Flush » Fri Mar 13, 2009 10:03 am

You need to recalibrate the compass frequently, I do it at least once a day.

Oh, and YOU don't need to spin in a circle, you just need to spin the unit itself around which you can do while standing still (or in a saddle). But that of course is one's choice, if you prefer to spin, or skip and spin and click your heels :D thats probably fine

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Re: Issues with the Garmin Astro w/ the DC30

Post by BigShooter » Fri Mar 13, 2009 12:19 pm

Flush wrote:You need to recalibrate the compass frequently, I do it at least once a day.

Oh, and YOU don't need to spin in a circle, you just need to spin the unit itself around which you can do while standing still (or in a saddle). But that of course is one's choice, if you prefer to spin, or skip and spin and click your heels :D thats probably fine
Thinking outside the box again! You probably peel bananas from the end opposite of the stem also - just sqeeze the small end and voila' ! If you prefer use a drum roll first! :D
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Re: Issues with the Garmin Astro w/ the DC30

Post by DGFavor » Fri Mar 13, 2009 10:57 pm

I calibrate the compass every time I turn it on - takes more like 10 seconds if that. I have been told that magnets will mess with the GPS - I do carry a magnet on my hunting vest for turning on/off e-collars and tele transmitters. I wasn't wearing my vest though on the few occasions where I've got some crazy spinning around of the dog direction. My e-collar transmitter though has a magnet in it and I was carrying the Garmin GPS and my ecollar transmitter right next to each other. Wondering if that might have been the culprit. Couple days ago I used it and was careful to keep the two transmitters apart and the unit worked perfectly. I was told guys that had magnetic pocket closures on their bird vests figured this one out. Worth thinking about if your dog direction is acting wacky!

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Re: Issues with the Garmin Astro w/ the DC30

Post by glk7243 » Sat Mar 14, 2009 8:26 am

Doug,
Ya sure it's just not your magnetic personality?
Gary

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Re: Issues with the Garmin Astro w/ the DC30

Post by Neil Mace » Sat Mar 14, 2009 10:27 am

John,

I have had the DC 30 since last August, and I have yet to find a place it would not work, I did get the long range antenna, but I rarely need it.

All but two of the problems friends have had with their units were user errors, those two were returned and replaced.

Neil

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