Garmin Truck Antenna Problems

[bluedogs249]

Since Garmin doesn't give a s--t about us let's see if we can figure it out ourselves.
On our truck antenna cables, we should be able to install an inline RF power limiter.
Does anyone know where I can get one.
The limiter would open the circuit if it detects a power over load and then close after high power goes away.
They need to either BNC or SMA connectors.

[doghunter]

I am game to try anything. I wonder if Steve White is watching I think he once said he use to do alot with ham raidos.

There has to be something we can do. Please keep us posted, I have talked to alot of people and all anyone has ever come up with is just unplug them and turn them off. but that kinda defeats the purporse of having one in the first place.

here is a link to some people i bet could awnser the questions.

http://forums.qrz.com/showthread.php?t=181314

[J HUNT]

I know there is a way to fix the problem, but I haven't yet got all the details. A couple guys I know had gotten a set up from a tech guy they know, they actually run some kind of booster on there Garmin, add some kind of cable for protection, and connect it to the truck mounted antenna. They leave theirs on all the time and it is mounted right beside their ham radio, it has never burned up and with the booster it is nothing for them to get 3 to 4 and sometimes 5 miles, and this is the in mountains of WV. The guy that helped with the set up parts his truck on top of the mountain and lets everyone know the direction of the dogs from looking at his laptop. They have an awesome set up, I hope I can get my to work like that sometime.

[doghunter]

How does he hook it up to the lap top. I mostly hunt from the truck and never really need to take it out. if i could use a laptop for the screen my father could follow along (he is handicapped). but the most important thing for me would be to stop frying the unit and if we could also increase the range. I would never cuse Garmin Again.

I do beleive someone somewhere can get this done and is probably using it right now.

Thanks J HUNT for the info I look foward to hearing more on your freinds set up.

[J HUNT]

I will let you know more as I find out, I have not seen the set up yet, this is a guy I work w/but I haven't got to hunt w/them yet, but he is a very reliable source, he doesn't know much about the set up, the tech guy that he hunts with set it all up for him.
I would say you have a cable that came w/your Garmin that you should be able to plug it into the laptop. I have read about guys on line doing that, you get a bogger picture of the area. I don't have a laptop yet.
Also, I read where you can somehow download your collars onto the net and see the whole track even if your Garmin loses signal, the collar will retain where it has been. I haven't tried to do that one yet either because my computer is really slow. i am behind on the technology world.

[BlacktailStalker]

This is all info that I would love to know more about too.
Keep it coming/find out more if you can guys

[Dale T]

Have you guys found anything out about how to set your Garmin up so you can't burn it up yet?

[Caincando1]

It looks like it's been asked a few times but didn't get much help.

http://www.edaboard.com/thread185993.html

http://forums.qrz.com/showthread.php?t=262140

[BlacktailStalker]

Hurry up Marshall !

[kdrchuck]

I know there is a way to fix the problem, but I haven't yet got all the details. A couple guys I know had gotten a set up from a tech guy they know, they actually run some kind of booster on there Garmin, add some kind of cable for protection, and connect it to the truck mounted antenna. They leave theirs on all the time and it is mounted right beside their ham radio, it has never burned up and with the booster it is nothing for them to get 3 to 4 and sometimes 5 miles, and this is the in mountains of WV. The guy that helped with the set up parts his truck on top of the mountain and lets everyone know the direction of the dogs from looking at his laptop. They have an awesome set up, I hope I can get my to work like that sometime.

If you figure out who is doing this for the guys please let me know. I wouldnt need the laptop but a good boosted, not burnt up truck set up would be nice. I'm in WV too, and as you know, the garmins are great when they work but you lose contact pretty easy around here.

[BlacktailStalker]

I will let you know more as I find out, I have not seen the set up yet, this is a guy I work w/but I haven't got to hunt w/them yet, but he is a very reliable source, he doesn't know much about the set up, the tech guy that he hunts with set it all up for him.
I would say you have a cable that came w/your Garmin that you should be able to plug it into the laptop. I have read about guys on line doing that, you get a bogger picture of the area. I don't have a laptop yet.
Also, I read where you can somehow download your collars onto the net and see the whole track even if your Garmin loses signal, the collar will retain where it has been. I haven't tried to do that one yet either because my computer is really slow. i am behind on the technology world.

You can, I did it but forget how. Its easy, just google it or look on the garmin astro manual on their website.

I SURE would like to hear more about this booster and 3-5 miles of range. I need that set up in a bad way.

[Steve White]

Still the only way to prevent burning them up is to not use a truck mounted antenna with a high power radio. We have looked into an rf limiter. The problem is the channels being used would also be blocked by the limiter. The are too close to the garmin. I thought the it would work in theory. Much like that of a TVI filter used for CB's Those work with CB's as cb and tv are so far apart and on different bands. Hard to block 156/157 and still use the Garmin. Some folks won't listen either and use the MURS band. No matter how many times they are told the Garmin uses MURS. One possible way to fix the problem would require the unit to by much larger as the components would have to be larger. They are shielded now to 50watts. Yet you cannot expect to put the 2 antennas next to each other and use a higher powered radio.

Best solution is simply to get out of the truck!!! Can't hear the dogs in the truck anyway. I fear the anti's were right when these first came out. Saying they would make hunters lazy. When I see or hear guys that are just sitting in the truck staring at the screen of the unit. I have to shake my head. Hard to know waht a dog is fully doing if you cannot hear the race, or see them. Sure you can see them on the unit, but not as well with your own eyes.

There is no antenna hooked to my truck for the Garmin. I need range I use the portable long range antenna. Strange how I have not burned a unit up yet. Yes, when hunting alone I have hooked it up to my 2m antenna. Whcih really is more of a pain than it is worth. Since I would rather be in the woods with the dogs. Than sitting at the truck.

You can hook the Garmin to a laptop in your truck. It will not show live tracking though. It does not have a video out port. You would have to constantly be refreshing the track information. That is loading it to the map software, or even goggle earth. Not that hard to do, but a bit of a pain to keep refreshing it. Just cannot plug it in and watch the dogs like you do on the unit itself.

[Steve White]

I missed the part about the booster as I typed my lost post this morning, and forgot to post it.

A booster is a real bad idea with the Garmins. You will overload the circuit. The booster would also have to be a digital one or you would feed a lot of white noise into it. Have not looked for a while, but there was not a digital booster available the last time I looked. Either way it would be a bad idea. Can just imagine how many folks would burn them up then!! Can hear Garmin already. Warranty void, please send $150.

[BlacktailStalker]

Best solution is simply to get out of the truck!!! Can't hear the dogs in the truck anyway. I fear the anti's were right when these first came out. Saying they would make hunters lazy. When I see or hear guys that are just sitting in the truck staring at the screen of the unit. I have to shake my head. Hard to know waht a dog is fully doing if you cannot hear the race, or see them. Sure you can see them on the unit, but not as well with your own eyes.

.

Hard to know what mountain they're on when you havent had them on the screen or heard them in hours and telemetry is as useless as a canoe paddle in a rock slide with all the bounce.
Do you have hounds? Thats one of the most anti things I've read from a guy who supports this sport...
See them or hear them... yeah I see and hear them when they leave and see and hear them when I find them, technology is to help us get from where they left from to where they are.
There are no certainties in the middle, unless you're driving to your trees which most of us aren't.

[Steve White]

Not everyone hunts in the mountains. I do understand the plight of the guys that do. However, many have seen it just as I have. Guys standing there looking at the screens rather than listening to the dogs. Bear crossing the road as the guy has his eyes on the tv screen rather the road. I have had guys tell me the dogs are crossing the road when they have already crossed. Still have at least a 5 sec delay. Ever talked on the phone with a guy that has cable tv and you a dish. I get a kick out of saying TOUCHDOWN, when they have not seen the ball snapped. Of course, mostly I would guess it's the guys that prefer to coffee clutch anyways. Every group has a few of those guys. If not you have seen them. I use mine to keep me in front of the dogs. Preferably where I can see the critter.

Of course nothing will really help when the dogs go over the mountain. Your pretty much SOL at that point. At least until you cross the mountain. Something that is totally satellite is what we need. Then there will be no mountain high enough. For that mater when I cannot hunt. I could at least watch your race.

Oh, and yes. Once in awhile I can drive to a tree, not often but sometimes real close! The Garmin has saved me some real long hikes, and some not so long. I don't mind a nice walk in the swamp. Still the older I get. The colder the water is , and the deeper the muck. Never hunted in the mountians. Might have to carry some 02 if I did.