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List the improvements you would like to see on the Astro 220 or the DC-30 collar

I personaly would like to see the DC30 charging sestem improved. Maybe a charger that works like the tri tronics collars or something. The DC30's always seem to get full of dirt in the groves where the charger. It is a pain in the butt cleaning them out every time you charge.

Shorty wrote:I personaly would like to see the DC30 charging sestem improved. Maybe a charger that works like the tri tronics collars or something. The DC30's always seem to get full of dirt in the groves where the charger. It is a pain in the butt cleaning them out every time you charge.

X2

Now this thread I like.....

I only have a couple qualms with my Astro.

I would like to have more battery life. When the dogs get too far out in the deep snow and I physically can't get there for a day or two, it's just poke and hope once the batteries die.

I also would like to have more track points available on the unit. I know that you can download the track once you get home, only if there isn't and error with one of the tracks. 620 points is sometimes a little short.

I know that a lot of people have issues with the range, but I really don't. It has always led me to my dogs if the batteries don't die first.

just my .02

Scott

Shorty wrote:I personaly would like to see the DC30 charging sestem improved. Maybe a charger that works like the tri tronics collars or something. The DC30's always seem to get full of dirt in the groves where the charger. It is a pain in the butt cleaning them out every time you charge.

couple wraps of electrical tape cures that problem, its still a cheesy charging system.

I would really like an additional update setting on the collars that provides for max. battery life. I'm thinking 1/2 hr might be the ticket.
This would give the collars more versatility for some other situations and uses.
I've found them really useful on the horses but if a guy wants to put one on a hobbled horse on back country trips he basically needs more then one collar as they basically run out in a day.
Any dog that tends to be bad at backtracking or falls out or maybe just an old dog might be a candidate for a slower update/ max life setting so if he can't be picked up in a day you could still get to him next day or the day after.

Sometimes I don't need to know where that collar is every 30 seconds I just need it to last longer.

Also a version with a battery twice as big might be nice. I'm hanging and extra telemetry collar off my dogs anyway so that would do away with having to do that.

I agree plus they need to update the software to track all 50 channels at the same time and let the user filter out the interference. A 9 shouldn't bump a 39, and etc.

Make a collar without the garmin name on it #1 priority. I legally cant use gps tracking in california and I have to grind off the garmin logo and etch in some bogus telemetry numbers so the warden cant tell its gps.
Battery life number two, Improved charging system number three. Making a screen dimmer would be cool. The unit kills my night vision with the screen so bright. It might save some battery life as well. I tend to use the compass/arrow setting most of the time and I can only see dogs 1-3 unless I scroll. Mabye expand the number of dogs viewed with out having to scroll by making the compass/arrow indicater smaller. All in all its an awsome unit. If garmin made a fixed mount 12 volt tracking unit for the truck to go allong with the hand helds I bet folks would buy em.

i would like to have a way to sync up two astro 220's with the same dog information. we have 6 astros in our group and if we make changes in the lineup or someone accidently changes the channel on one of the collars, then the rest of the astros lose that one. it would be nice to be able to set one up correctly and then share with the others. its hard on the thumbs to enter in all those dog names.

also it would be nice to turn the screen horizontal. it just seems to work better on my dashboard that way. and like was stated previously, a dedicated vehicle unit with a much larger screen would be awesome. either that or an output cable that you could hook up to a small monitor while you were in the truck.

also they could definitely make the battery on the dc30 larger to increase battery life. the johnson collars the dogs have been carrying all thier lives are quite a bit heavier.

eROKv wrote: we have 6 astros in our group and if we make changes in the lineup or someone accidently changes the channel on one of the collars, then the rest of the astros lose that one. it would be nice to be able to set one up correctly and then share with the others. its hard on the thumbs to enter in all those dog names.
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I agree, I would like to be able to "lock" my collars so that they can't be changed by accident or friends, Maybe a password or Pin Number or something.. I don't like the idea that someone let on my system can change my dog Collars..

That screen has a dimmer setting on it. When you first turn it on, hit menu and a sliding scale will appear that you can adjust from bright to dim.

Plotts wrote:That screen has a dimmer setting on it. When you first turn it on, hit menu and a sliding scale will appear that you can adjust from bright to dim.

Thanks. I didnt know that.

That screen has a dimmer setting on it. When you first turn it on, hit menu and a sliding scale will appear that you can adjust from bright to dim.

Or just tap the power button and the dimmer setting pops up.

Is there anyway to leave the light on the astro full time. I cant see it very well on my dash when the light goes off?? Charging system sucks and needs to be changed some times it works sometimes it doesnt when i plug it in.

Jason I think you can . I know there are different legth stting for time on atleast.