Garmin DC40 Review and new Garmin Loaner Program.

[macedonia mule man]

question, is there anyway to link my garmin to my laptop aq
nd view the mape page during a hunt. i did link it up and print the map page after the hunt but would like to view the hunt on laptop. anybody ever done that?

[Buddyw]

Roy, It's a Frequency issue, I don't the Garmins are licensed for the frequency in all the other countries, that's why they don't sell them.

I don't know the answer to the DC30 question.. My hope is they won't stop making them.. so far that's the only thing right now I'm worried about is keeping the DC30's around.


Muleman.. I don't know the answer to that question.. At least as far as real time, I'm pretty sure you can hit a button and download the tracks almost real time but you would need to hit the Download button every time you wanted an update..
I don't know if it will do it automatically.. Does that make sense.. I keep meaning to try that out but I never remember to bring a Laptop with me hunting.. It's just not something on my mind...

Buddy

[BigBucks2009]

HI, I like the site and decided to put in my two cents worth. The Garmin tracking system is by far the best hunting product introduced for us beaglers since the shotgun. I currently hunt with the DC 30's and was considering going to the DC 40's but after reading a few reviews, I think I will give Garmin time to work out the bugs in the new line. I have hunted for years with the old style Beep collars and there is no comparison, I got to see many more deer and shot more Big Bucks last year with the DC 30's than I have ever in any season in my hunting days. I did purchase the Garmin setup last year well before season and used it many days through the pre season and had no troubles at all,, But unannounced to us when hunting season came in and the CB radios came into play, My collars quit working within about the second week of deer season. I contacted Garmin and they said "any cb or marine radio above 3 WATTS will destroy the Astro 220 unit when keyed up within a 30 yard radius of the Astro unit, which is what happened in my case. Garmin was very good to me and replaced my unit within a week under waranty, (they did say they will only replace it one time ) But I was back after the big bucks with a piece of mind that I would Take each and every one of my Beagles home with me every night due to this great product. I would and do recomend that anyone with working/running dogs own this product. To finish up here , has anyone tried the dayglow collrs out with the DC30 collars and how do they do? Happy hunting.....

[bigboarstopper]

I wish I had bought mine through you. Mine works like crap. This whole post really says something though. The garmins are so prone to failure that a loaner program is necessary.

[doghunter]

I think we all agree that the Garmin is the best thing since sliced bread for keeping track of your dogs. But it is also very high maintenance. I know I have spent enough in shipping to buy an extra collar or two.

They also told me that any radio with high output would damage the Garmin it does not have to be around the same freq (although I think a close freq damages it quicker).
But then you have those people that use marine radios that have never had a problem. Is it possible that the just have junk circuits that will fail anyway and maybe high radio output just quickens the process.

Has anyone had Garmin tell them what is being damaged? I have heard the front end of the antenna. But that may just be a canned answer. If we know what was being damaged we could go to an aftermarket source and say could you improve or give me a different???? That would stop this from happening.

So the question is what is being damaged exactly does anyone know? (if I take my car to the shop they at least tell me what is broken.)

[PIGLET]

Im with you doghunter i think they are just made the 220 kind of cheap, i believe the astro 220 was designed for bird dogs and maybe beagles, The 220 is a wonderful piece of equipment but i don't believe its made to handle to many years hound hunting wise. I know some have had no problems after 2-3years and some have had problems within a month, I believe they will eventually work the kinks out of it but for right now, I have bought 3 for myself, the first one lasted a little over a year, the second is working good and i bought a third for insurance. They are not fool proof but will not turn loose without em, just got to spoiled. I figured out a 220 costs about 400 bucks and i save in gas alone a year about 600 dollars and thats not counting my time and killed dogs on roads or stolen!

[bluetickstyle]

Buddy, i have a Astro i believe i burnt up with a radio last season. I used to get great reception and range out of it and now find it dropping out 700-800 yard..... today i tested it with my truck antenna, started down my driveway to work lost the collars at 840 yards, left them on all day. On the way back home turned my Astro back on with the truck antenna and waited for them to pick back up, it wasnt until I was 15 yards away did they pick back up!!! I have three collars but only tried two. I noticed the loss of range after the first bear hunt that I used my marine radio with my truck mount. I know mine is out of warranty bout it when they first came out with the DC-30's. How much is a new Reciever alone from you? and how much to get mine fixed? and whats the ETA on it? thanks

[Bearkiller]

I know that the Garmin stuff can suck but I can honestly say that if they blew up after a year I'd be buying one every 360 days or so. They are worth every penny and I know for a fact that my garmin that i have 2,000 dollars into has paid for itself in fuel.

[Buddyw]

BLueTick style, Sorry I didn't see your message..

It's 150 dollars for Garmin to Repair it out of warranty.

Just buying the Handheld alone is about 390 Give or take.. So what I tell people is buy the combo and you'll get the collar for 110 bucks and sell the collar before you use it and Most people (Including my self.. and I'm a dealer) will pay you more than that..

Buddy

[Orion Guide]

Just used the garmin this weekend............................LOVE IT!!!!!!

[bare_down]

**************THEY NEED MORE THAN 50 COLLAR NUMBER*********

I HUNT AROUND DIFFERENT GROUPS OF BEAR HUNTERS AND I HAVE HAD ALOT OF TROUBLE WITH INTERFERENCE.

[SHADOWHUNTER]

YOU,VE GOTTA LOVE YOUR GARMIN DOG TRACKING SYSTEM! I BOUGHT MINE FROM BUDDY IN FEBRUARY OF 2010. CONSIDERED BUYING SOME OF THE NEW 40'S, BUT WAS HESITANT. GLAD I DIDNT! TURNED ON A FRIEND TO BUDDY AND HE PURCHASED HIS BUNDLE PACK OF 30'S. THIS HAS BEEN A BLESSING TO THE HOUND HUNTING! BEEN CHASING MORE GAME NOW THAN LOOKING FOR LOST DOGS. WHAT A TIME SAVER. I STILL RUN MY QUICK TRACK FOR BACK UP INCASE SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN TO COLLAR OR MY ASTRO HANDHELD

[DeVuono311]

Buddy,
What if you offered some sort of insurance on the garmins for your loaner program, figured right into the price of purchase? Meaning this:
Say you sell someone a garmin bundle package for $525.00, then you ALSO offered entitlement into the loaner program for say an extra $25.( Shipping and handeling to be handled by the individual at time of need at extra cost) or something of the sort. Then lets say for example 10 guys payed up front like that, its an extra $250 towards your loaner unit and the odds of every one of those ten guys needing the unit are pretty slim, however the price is still low enough for us to agree and pay "just in case".
Just an idea I tossed around. Take er easy. Let me know what you think.

-Tyler

[wac and stack]

what have you guys found works the best to try to keep your 220 form getting damaged by the radios? i just got a new system and I also use my radios everyday I am hunting. Does the damage happen only when they are on, or will it effect them at any time?

[hamilton10]

I have had an Astro with 5 DC-30 collars for close to 2 yrs. and have had no problems with any collars at all. My Astro reciever quit and they said to send it in for repairs at $150 plus tax. I paid extra for over overnight delivery back to me. It was back in 6 days and when I opened it up it was a brand new unit. My buddy has had the same thing with 6 collars and he has had good luck with his. We both feel the DC-30 is by far the best dog tracking device ever invented and we have had just about all of them or at least used them at one time or another. I would like to see longer battery life though.