garmin pro 550 plus tt 15 mini start up

[lonejackfool]

does everybody else's 550 plus show strange distance and direction when you turn the collar on?

This is on a tailgate after doing a recalibrate. I usually just lay them down in the field away from the truck, but I still get wrong direction and the distance is off by 10 to 12 feet. Out hunting, it's always close enough to find the dog.

I think I've posted this before but didn't really get an answer as to whether this is normal or not.

Thanks!

 

[Weimdogman]

They probably are always off by a bit but 10 or 12 feet at 50 or 200 yards is different then 10 feet when 20 feet from the truck.

 

[LC Smith]

Yep... It usually takes a little bit of open sky for them to catch up with each other.

 

[Versdog]

I remember when I was working and we got use of GPS we were extatic with the fact it could as to 30 yards off, we were happy. Always a margin for error if your connected less satellites, due to orbit of satellites things blocking view of the sky, the larger the margin of error. So looking at what you have 10 ft is fantastic.

 

[Labradinger]

I wonder if the government is tracking where I hunt

 

[Versdog]

One other thing is the fastest garmin collars can update location is every 2.5 seconds, a dog can go a long way in 2.5 seconds.

 

[AtTheMurph]

I wonder if the government is tracking where I hunt

You don't have to wonder. You know. We all know. They got you hunting, driving, whatever if you simply have a cell phone..

 

[Goosedowner]

I usually turn both the collar and the hand-held on in the truck (usually place them on the dash of the truck) on the way to the hunting location. it's almost like they are to close to get a good reading. sometimes it will say 69 feet?? once we get out of the truck and the dog gets away from me the distances are correct.

 

[Elksniper]

I agree with the others, once you get it on the dog and away from the truck mine is pretty accurate. Have you updated your software recently? I was having battery problems with mine, updated the software on the collar and the transmitter and it fixed it right up.

 

[Munster927]

It's also possible the collar needs motion to get a good reading. The newer collars have an adaptive refresh rate, so if the collar is stationary you don't get an update. Once it moves, it's refreshing again. Mine is usually weird at start up but once it's on the dog and moving it's accurate within 5-10 feet.

 

[lonejackfool]

don't know whether motion makes it more accurate. i have updated both collar and handheld again this season, both were up to date.

garmin: if you see this, please let me help redesign your 550 plus, the handheld unit was obviously designed by someone who doesn't hunt, doesn't hunt with gloves, and has great eyesight. i don't know about anyone else, but when i hold the unit, my thumb comes out right on top of the two mode slide switches. with a glove on, you can't tell the difference between mode switches and main shock/beep button. the little display screen is ample after you get used to it, but the numerical distance could easily be twice its present size, and the yds/ft display is too small for me without readers.

if the purpose of the 550 plus is to keep you looking at the screen and switches great. i want to watch my dog hunt, and be able to quickly find him, or correct him.

i want to like it, its a great idea, but really, a little more thought could have gone into user friendly.

 

[Goosedowner]

I only run one dog so I taped the mode switches where I want them. I got tired of the switches getting moved and the unit not doing what I thought it should be doing.

 

[Weimdogman]

I only run one dog so I taped the mode switches where I want them. I got tired of the switches getting moved and the unit not doing what I thought it should be doing.

I know Perfection kennels run a transmitter per collar and keep them set on that collar. Not a bad idea for a 1 dog show.

 

[AtTheMurph]

Side question because I just started using one of these things. Went out yesterday and collar handheld were not synched. Both powered on and ran fine. (I resynched today). Question is, did i inadvertently do something to un-synch them? 1 dog.

 

[Elksniper]

This happens to me a few times per season where I look down and the screen says “collar not paired.” Then it takes me about 20 minutes of messing around to realize that I moved the selector from the top collar to the middle or bottom one by accident. Any chance that is what happened? Otherwise I’ve never had to re-pair my collar and transmitter. I’ve wondered if a guy could pair all 3 selectors to the same collar so that couldn’t happen but I’ve never taken the time to try it.

 

[Kennedymil]

I went through two 550+ units. Both suffered from wonky distances and poor compass calibration. The latter really becomes an issue when your dog is on point in cattails and the unit sends you in the wrong direction.

Garmin, to their credit, was great about exchanges. After the second unit failed, I asked if I could pay additional $$ for an Alpha. If I remember, I paid $200. Really glad I did. Compass and distances have always been spot-on.

 

[lonejackfool]

its very stressful hunting in heavy cover, and lose pairing. trying to be quiet, getting your dog to come to you and sit quietly, while you go thru the pairing procedure again. my first handheld did it several times in a hunt. finally found out i was supposed to do an update on my new collar. garmin did eventually switch out my handheld for free. the second handheld has done it to me once this year. i don't think it was from me moving the mode switch. i have changed modes in cold weather with a heavy glove, and not noticed until the dog ignored my beep, vibrate and then shock.

 

[AtTheMurph]

This happens to me a few times per season where I look down and the screen says “collar not paired.” Then it takes me about 20 minutes of messing around to realize that I moved the selector from the top collar to the middle or bottom one by accident. Any chance that is what happened? Otherwise I’ve never had to re-pair my collar and transmitter. I’ve wondered if a guy could pair all 3 selectors to the same collar so that couldn’t happen but I’ve never taken the time to try it.

Only one dog on my handheld. It was still there but not registering (I don't think). After I re-paired the two it works s before. I'm wondering if maybe I left the handheld on as it was completely drained of power before I recharged it. Maybe in that state it lost it's memory?