I currently have a Dogtra T&B Dual and an Astro 430 with T5. Bought these a few years ago but they have been barely used as life got in the way, I wasn't able to hunt like I wanted, and my pointer has now reached retirement. I have a young Brittany now and I find myself thinking about selling my current setup and getting a Garmin 550+ instead. Am I crazy? Should I get an Alpha 200i instead? I like the map but not sure how important it is to me. Help me make a decision.
Track and Train Collar Thoughts
- Thread starter CGD
- Start date
Brimar1991
Member
I upgraded to an Alpha 200i last year from a Tri-Tronics 200 lite and an Astro 220. Most of the time, I used the Alpha 200i and my old Astro 220 for distance and direction of my dogs and my truck. When I hunt new fields, I do utilize the map feature to understand my location related to the boundaries. I hunt all public land. Sometimes the boundaries are not marked, or the signs are knocked down or covered up. So, on new public fields not clearly marked, I utilize the map feature until I understand the boundaries. Both GPS devices will serve you well.
Munster927
Well-known member
I really enjoy my Alpha 100. I like being able to see the map and have used it many times hunting new places and trying to figure out where I am on a piece of public when it isn't posted well.
It also pulls double duty for me. When I'm not bird hunting, I'll be turkey or deer hunting and my handheld always comes with me just to use the gps. I once used it tracking a deer I shot, it was handy to drop waypoints wherever I found blood so I wouldn't lose the track. Of course YMMV and if needing a GPS by itself isn't something you need or feel would be useful, it may not be worth it. But for me, I like having the option.
It also pulls double duty for me. When I'm not bird hunting, I'll be turkey or deer hunting and my handheld always comes with me just to use the gps. I once used it tracking a deer I shot, it was handy to drop waypoints wherever I found blood so I wouldn't lose the track. Of course YMMV and if needing a GPS by itself isn't something you need or feel would be useful, it may not be worth it. But for me, I like having the option.
Many will say that the Alpha is not a particularly good training collar because changing the intensity of stim requires more time and attention than a dedicated training collar. I run an alpha 100 and it is true that changing intensity level or switching between tone and vibrate takes multiple screen touches. However, it is a simple matter to program each training button with a different intensity level for a specific collar, which will give you three choices right at your fingertips. That helps. I suppose where it would really fall short is for a pro trainer working multiple dogs in a day, each with possibly a different tolerance for stim. Or needing multiple stim levels for multiple dogs on the ground at once.
I run two dogs. I set up my alpha with one button for tone on the older dog, one button for tone on the younger dog, and one button for appropriate stim on the younger dog, all on the same compass screen. In addition, each dog has it's own compass screen set up with all three buttons programmed with tone or varying stim levels for that dog.
In many years of using an Alpha 100, I've only used the map page a few times. Once was to retrieve a dropped bird (dropped by a person, not a dog). And maybe a couple times for boundaries or geographical "context" as someone else described. The compass screen is it for me. Without my Alpha I'm not sure I would run two dogs at once and I would definitely spend a lot more mental energy and attention tracking my dog(s).
I run two dogs. I set up my alpha with one button for tone on the older dog, one button for tone on the younger dog, and one button for appropriate stim on the younger dog, all on the same compass screen. In addition, each dog has it's own compass screen set up with all three buttons programmed with tone or varying stim levels for that dog.
In many years of using an Alpha 100, I've only used the map page a few times. Once was to retrieve a dropped bird (dropped by a person, not a dog). And maybe a couple times for boundaries or geographical "context" as someone else described. The compass screen is it for me. Without my Alpha I'm not sure I would run two dogs at once and I would definitely spend a lot more mental energy and attention tracking my dog(s).