New Garmin policy

[Hounder-]

When you say "running 151" do you mean 151 tracking equipment? Like "beep beep" collars etc.?


Cause I was thinking the other day if that could cause problems too.....

[blackpaws]

Most of the time I have to say if you are not using the mag mount. Without any other radio transmissions on the wrong channels nearby. It seems to be rare to burn a unit up. Also the new units have a stronger shield that should protect them from standard 25 watt marine radios.

by this you mean the roof mount antenna right? if i remember right i might have been using the roof mount antenna both times. the second for sure but don't remember the first. i broke an antenna connecter myself so really i am on my fourth unit.

how well do those other longer rubber duckie antennas work? do they increase range? i have and telescoping one but broke it right away. the only time i connect to my roof mount antenna is when i lose reception in bigger peices of woods. i usually can get just over a mile sometimes a mile and a half. that's what my range was right out of the box too. for now i am going to keep doing what i have been doing and just using my handheld on 1 watt while i have a hunt going and the unit is on. seems to be working for me. thanks again for your info.

Joe

[Hounder-]

From what I understand, Black paws,its the truck/magnet mounted garmin antenna that causes the most problems.


Just got off the phone with garmin armed with a lot of info from this post (thanks Steve) and some of my own and the conversation ended with the service rep hanging up on me(it was a professional conversation too, no yelling or cussing), so not too pleased with garmin at the moment.

The rep did say that the warranty is void if you use a marine radio near it. I asked where is that stated and he said the FAQ. Which for one seems like a weird place to put that and for two I can't find it anywhere in the FAQ.

Also Black paws don't bother asking any burn out questions to garmin, they don't want to say anything they might be later held to for warranty purposes.

I'm not trying to be an asshole here, I understand garmins take on not wanting unlimited returns on a problem that can be avoided. But if there is that major of a problem and you are gonna change the warranty at least let it be known to the customers, especially when I registered the product. Wouldn't take much to contact me then.

[blackpaws]

i agree they should let it be known right in the case with a flyer or something. honestly i have tried to get a hold of garmin on several occasions and have yet to talk to anyone on the phone. they never answer the phone and i have been on hold for hours waiting and no answer. my last resort was e-mailing them and that takes a day or 2 to get a reply. BUT these things are still the cats ass if you can keep them working right.

[Steve White]

BP- Hounder is right. When I refer to the mag mount it is the magnetic roof mount antenna. It could be any roof mount antenna though as there are much better options than the garmin model. Yet they are all a bad idea.

As for the range on the longer rubber ducky. Well In the areas that I hunt. On average I see at least a 50% increase. Normally I get about 1.5 miles from the longer rubber ducky. Depending on the terrain a little more, a little less with it. Rarely though have I lsot the dogs under 1 mile using it. My best with it was 3.2 miles in some flat country and hour south of me. For the most part 90% of the time it's all I use. The other 10% it's the portable long range antenna. By the time the dogs are getting a mile from me. I am moving to get closer to them. The range so far has not seemed to be affected by the seasons. I am getting the same range so far this winter that I did last summer. Last winter I was not using the the longer rubber ducky. I kinda expect to see a little more range due to lack of foilage. Yet I have not been more than 1.6 miles from the dogs yet this winter.


Hounder- When I said running 151, I was referring to the VHF radio channel being used. The group I mentioned was using if I recall correct 151.885. Which is way to close to the Garmin. Can't see a 151 tracker causing a problem. The wattage is way to low. Less than that of the Garmin collars. 151 collars is all I used prior to the Garmin. Like everyone else ran both collars at first. Although I only did this for one day. That was all it took for me to hang up the the beep beep collars.

[pete richardson]

has anybody ever bought and collected on extended warranty -

SQUARE TRADE? is it for real or just a scam -

i have destroyed about every piece of electronics i ever touched

[pete richardson]

ive been trying to find on garmin website where they say they wont warranty units fried by radio -i couldnt find it in an hour- must be in the extra super fine print lots of radios around in 150 - 156 range---licensed and not licensed -

i can think of a lot of situations where gps could get fried by somebody elses radio -

like maybe i drove by the sheriff or fire department and zapppp

keep on them hounder -


-- i did find this

Service an out-of-warranty product in three easy steps:

STEP 1: Look-up Factory Flat Repair Rate

Garmin offers a complete factory overhaul of the models below. Select a product from the pull-down menu below to view the flat-rate repair charge. Rates include shipping and handling.

Note: Repairs have a 90 day warranty. If the unit sent in is still under its original warranty, then the new warranty is 90 days or to the end of the original one year warranty, depending upon which is longer.



Repair Rate: 150

i found this

Online Auction Purchases: Products purchased through online auctions are not eligible for warranty coverage.

[Steve White]

Pete- That is one of the reasons I have not put any Garmin stuff on Ebay. That and the cost of the auctions would raise the price.

[Hounder-]

Ya Pete, I am keeping on 'em


Currently have an e-mail in to tech support, see if I get a reply. Also, trying to find a way that I can talk to someone other than a repair rep about the "new" warranty but I feel its gonna be like looking for a 50lb bobcat track thats smokin fresh going into a small section.....pretty damn tough

[Steve White]

Hounder- I don't reckon you will be calling when you find that track, huh!

[Hounder-]

Hounder- I don't reckon you will be calling when you find that track, huh!

haha, I guess I'm just as bad as a garmin tech manager!