Gun Dog Forum

Garmin Alpha - didn't want to hijack the other post.

I agree w/general consensus - invaluable.

I've had mine since introduced and do keep it updated, along w/the collar.

Love the functionality & really enjoy the ability to dump info into Base Camp + ability to sync w/Google Earth.

All fine and dandy..is it just me or is the whole setup plagued with glitches?

Especially Base Camp; I use Mac

Seems like they try to do too much w/the unit / software..

I want it to tell tell me what direction my dog is
How far away he is
If he is on point.

The rest of it can be thrown out. I'd rather they put more effort into handheld collar sync times and less effort into the crap people think they need but don't.

They are nice because they are easy to use and they attract people because they are Shiney (bells and whistles) but won't track a dog down like a telemetry unit.

The solution to your issue is in your own post..."Mac"

I have suggested to several associates who were having issues with their Alpha to switch to PC, ALL have reported back that they are now good to go. Especially with updating, basecamp and the unit acting up.

Bytes are cheap. My impression of the extras is that they already had the software so it was included just because.

I doubt it would be significantly cheaper without the fluff.

The topo maps are very handy in the back country where there is no cell service, and I suspect hound hunters find them handy in places like WI to verify the dogs remain on public property.

Appreciate the comments and appreciate the nuance about Mac..kind of suspected.

I really like the abiltiy to review and to store tracks against mapping etc.

I tire quickly of BaseCamp crashing & the hanheld just going apey sometimes.

Truth is though, this occurs a small percentage of the time & the ability to track/communicate along with all other virtues is tremendeous.

I suppose I would rather a company put out a product that's bullet proof and only add features as they have been well tested in a manner that does not disrupt core functionality...call me a whiner

lets look at the basic realities here.
Garmin is generally a navigation GPS maker for all industries. aircraft , auto ,marine etc.
it just so happens they also targeted the dog training market.

the alpha hand held has all the software and features of a top of the line GPS.
you can use it to plot a family road trip or load it with marine charts and fish the outer banks.
how much or how little of its potential is used, is up to the individual owner.