Garmin Alpha range question??

[Owl Creek]

i would like to know on the shock part how far will it reach out ?
my TT classic 70 was only good for about 300 yards.
i sold it and got a Trash braker and love it . i have tested it out to 550 yards in the woods and it worked.

i'm sure the alleged 9 mile range is for the tracking GPS part.
but can some one give me real life range on the shocker?
it would be nice to run just one collar.

Thanks in advance.

[BCBeagles]

first 9 miles is only in "ideal" conditions...those don't exist in nature.

I get about 1.5 miles more or less with mine. this is realistic. never have tried it out farther. If you dog gets further out, you are going to have to get closer to it to track it...imo.

I can shock as far as I can hear and when you are on a ridge top here in WV you can hear a ways. I have shocked dogs well over 700 yards from a ridge top, but that is a ridge top.

The Alpha, IMO, is the absolute best hunting tool ever made...it is not perfect, but it is the best investment I have made for hounds.

good luck!

[BAR-NONE]

To my understanding on the alpha, the tracking and training run on the same frequency so therefore as long as your tracking your dog you can train it.

[BCBeagles]

Here is my question to anyone involved....why would you shock a dog you can't hear or know there area to be sure they are being corrected??? What if they are near a highway and run into traffic???

this has always been an issue discussed....if I can't hear them...why shock them??? I understand getting to a new area and then shocking to see if they are close...but with the tracker you don't need to do that....get closer then shock for a safe result.

JMO.

[Owl Creek]

The reason for the question is if i get a new unit i want better , not go backwards.
i like to keep my dogs with in eye sight, so i can see what there doing or say under 75 yards unless they are running one.
and make them hunt with ME.
i like grubby hunt . im not much on wide bird dog hunt.
one of the things i can not stand and burns me to the core is to hunt with ( chase after ) the dogs . i would rather take a ass whoopin than chase after dogs all day passing up good rabbit cover.
but for example , on the off chance they are 200 yards out running a swamp rabbit and say it holes up
and on the way back your buddys dog hits a deer and gos away from you.
by the time you realize its not a rabbit. they are 500 0r 600 yards out there.
i want to know with out a doubt i can stop that race if i need to.
i dont have to worry about that to much now days . but Never say Never ,it will happen one day.

as far as your question . i agree 100%
i dont know why someone would shock a dog that they can not hear or dont know where their dogs are. its the hunters fault for not staying up on what his dogs are doing.
thats why i have a GPS i want to be in control as much as i can be.
there's and old says around here jim, "ya can't fix stupid" there have been alot of good dogs ruined by bad trainers with a hot temper and a tritronics unit.
thanks for the info Guy's i may just have to save up for one. my poor little gyps beat their knees up with what i am running. two collars are a lot for a little dog.
but i wanted to make sure i was getting something at least as good as my Trashbraker. and it looks like it is .

Steve

[BAR-NONE]

Steve, a month or two ago I was in the same situation as you where, loved my trash breaker system, never had a problem with it. But I wanted to upgrade to a tracking unit because I run a lot a night and the tracking just helps me breathe easier. I also was worried that I wouldn't get a peice of equipment as reliable as my trash breaker. But I bit the bullet and bought the alpha and I'm here to tell you it is the hands down best thing I have done as far as equipment goes. If your serious about running/training/conditioning and serious about your dogs it is almost a must have.

If you have any questions about that alpha I'd suggest calling Mike Frankilin from okiedog supply this is where I purchased my alpha and he was very helpful an even set it up for me to use on beagles.

Jake Asbury

[chris83]

Do you guys run the long or short antenna ? Does it make a difference ?

[DIXIEDOG]

Here is my question to anyone involved....why would you shock a dog you can't hear or know there area to be sure they are being corrected??? What if they are near a highway and run into traffic???

this has always been an issue discussed....if I can't hear them...why shock them??? I understand getting to a new area and then shocking to see if they are close...but with the tracker you don't need to do that....get closer then shock for a safe result.

JMO.

Same reason you would do it with a standard shocker except with the Alpha you get more intel on the fly.....let's say you're dogs start on a rabbit 50 yards out...then they straight line to 500 yards lickety split....you look at your map on your handheld and see that in another 200 yards they are going to hit the road......that is when I would consider using the shock portion and calling them off it. Could it be a rabbit that ran 500 yards straight....possibly but very unlikely and I'd risk that over correction rather than risk them running into the road.

Maybe you hunt with some friends.....everybody is spread out over a few hundred yard area when somebody yells to you that your dog is on off game....be awful nice to shock them from a distance.


Personally I can't remember the last time I had to correct a grown dog but it's nice to have it there if I have to sometime. Now pups on the other hand need to be kept inline, a pup that plays too much or interrupts and older dog constantly gets a correction but again like you mentioned those are times when they are within sight and you can see what they did and also their reaction to the correction.






Chris83 I run mine with the short antenna and have yet to want for more range....it's good for miles with that antenna. I haven't even tried the long antenna seems to cumbersome to me.


My big wish list for the Alpha is a cover like the Gizmo vest that holds the unit upside down instead of antenna up so that when I pulled it out to look at it the screen would naturally be upright instead of having to flip it over everytime. I have no regrets buying the Alpha system, I purchased one when they first came out and so far it's exceeded my expectations by far. It does so much more than my Astro 220 did, hard to believe they were able to improve on them that much in just a few years. My favorite additions are the perimeter dog alerts and the buddy to buddy location so you can see where everyone in your hunting party is on the screen...gives a lot of peace of mind when you lose visual contact.

[BCBeagles]

Whole different story down here in the hills...your scenarios are rare at best.

We don't hunt extreme distances from each other...usually a shout is all you need and if anyone in our party is more than 100 yards from the action they are lost..lol.

I do agree with shocking from distance, but if they get over a ridge top here...it is your fault for not correcting them before if it is off game. Our rabbits don't take thru big timber often...better be on the button.

Just different scenarios....good for a discussion. Again....my opinions.

[chris83]

It's pretty flat for the most part over here were I hunt and run, I will try the short antenna first. I agree the longer antenna is kind of a pain to deal with. Jim do you run the long or short antenna over there in the hills ?

[Owl Creek]

well it sounds like i need to put it on the short list.
and sell the TT and my DC 30's.
i will keep my 220 and my DC 40 collar maybe.

it sure must be nice only running one collar, that
would be so nice.

thanks for the info and conversation guys.

[BCBeagles]

I use the long antenna and here is the main reason...yes I get more range, but the longer antenna sticks out perfectly just enough from my front loader vest to pull it right out with the antenna.

It works out well this way. Last year I was always fishing in my vest for it. I put it in a little pouch, made by Dan's and then in my vest. I don't like it dangling from my coat or something like that...just my preference.

To each there own, but the long one will stay on mine for now. I also had much more range in Maine this year with it...of course we were in extreme snow conditions with tons of snow on the trees.

Overall a great system however you find your fit with it!!

[stavemillbeagles]

Steve I have the new alpha system and I love it come check it out if you want

[Owl Creek]

Thanks ,i will take you up on that.
i'm off untill tuesday. busy saturday afternoon and sunday tho.
let me know a good time to come buy for a visit.

[Chris Powers]

I live in south east ky and nothing is flat down here where we run dogs. I have two places that I run. And I drop two packs down at the same time According to the gps they are 2.3 to 2.8 miles apart. As long as I stand still I can pick both packs up very clearly from either spot. They work great for me If I'm driving inbeteeen places they do drop signal. But once I stop and hold still for a minute they will pick right back up.