BigGameHoundsmen.com

I picked up a new Astro and have ordered two new DC30 collars but Id like to modify the old DC20 collar with a new antenna.
I've read where some guys have changed their antennas on these older style collars. Can someone post where they found the connector and also how they modified thier collar? Thanks

I don't know what Connectors you need never seen one. But if you don't find your answer let me know I can help you figure it out.

Take a Photo of it and send it to me if you don't find out your answer, I have a couple catalogs that should have anything you need for RF.

Buddy

Dean

Just check out the UKC site, there are a bunch of guys that got the modified antennas.

If it were me I wouldn't even bother with them. Those DC20s are junk. We went through 4 of them and finally just returned them. We are waiting to try out the new ones.

i agree, they are junk. they work great where the isn't any cover and in the winter when the leaves are off but in heavy cover and foilage they are junk. we tried the new antennas and that didn't help either.

I don't visit the UKC site but I think I read something on here about some guys using a 90 degree connector with some coax for the antenna so it works more like our tracking collars.

Dean,

the sweede posted a post and said he got the connectors at radio shack and used coax as the ant. look under all his posts and you should find it.

Kevin

http://cgi.ebay.com/A-Pair-SMA-Male-L-t ... 18Q2el1247

dean that link is for 2 90* connectors can't beat that price in the US and they get here pretty quick mine took 5 days. It's really simple. Get GOOD coax strip it down to just the wire and the clear plastic around the copper, solder it to the tip inside the connector and crimp the coax you'll want to leave the coax whole (don't strip it) where you're going to crimp it so it holds. i use electrical tape and zip ties to keep the antenna pointed the right direciton i've picked dogs up 3 miles away in REALLY rough country. it seems to me that it works a lot better if you're on foot following the dogs than if just driving around listening to them.

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s207 ... 030044.jpg

Big Swedes post is in the garmin thread in the product review section on this site. 2nd or third page I think. You can also just take the black rubber from around the factory rubberducky antenna, stretch it out to about 18 inches, bend it so it is at a 90 degree, enclose it in heat shrink tape, and zip tye/tape it to the collar. My experience is that this is a lot simpler, just as tough, and works just as well.

Bill

Thanks everyone. Just what I was looking for.

Where can I find the best deal on these Garmin Astro collars?

ebay, $165. He's taking pre-orders now.

$$$ I found it on ebay. Thanks but I'm gonna keep searching

If you have a dc20 already, LCS will give you a 50 rebate on a dc30, which gets the price down to 135.

BTW LCS now says that the dc30's will be available sept 24th.

Bill