Tri-Tronics Trashbreaker

[South Texan]

I have two trashbreaker EXP transmitters with six collars. I figured if one of my transmitters went down, all I had to do was add the collars to the other transmitter and I was still in business, till I could get the first transmitter fixed.

Well here lately I noticed I wasn't getting any range out of my shock collars (400 to 500 yards line of sight) and these are suppose to reach 2 miles line of sight. This was on all six collars, so I figured all six collars couldn't all be bad at the same time, so I thought the problem had to be in the transmitter. So I added the six collars to my spare transmitter and checked them out line of sight and got about the same results maybe a little better, but not much.

I'm in terrible need of a shock collar right now and didn't have time to wait, so I bought another Trashbreaker EXP with one collar on E-Bay. Got it in within a few days and added 5 of my other collars to this new unit. Just for curiosity I field tested this new unit and did get .73 mile line of sight on this test but nothing close to 2 miles. When this new unit was on a dog at 830 yards with my garmin tracking system on the dog also, I couldn't reach him.

I called Tri-Tronics telling them what the problem was (no range). The technician for Tri-Tronics that I was speaking with told me if you used your tri-tronics shocking collar with the garmin Astro tracking system, that that's what would happen, you couldn't get any range because they interferred with one another.

Just wondering, are any of ya'll having this problem? Those of ya''ll that use the garmin astro tracking system along with a tri-tronics shock collar on a dog. This interference doesn't seem to affect the tracking system, I picked up a dog the other morning at 1.43 miles. That's with the little extendable antenna on the Astro 320. But something is sure happening with the shock collar. The only thing that gets me is when I was doing my field testing with the shock collars I didn't even have my Astro units around, so I know there wasn't any interference then. What ya'lls experience?
Robbie

[Unreal_tk]

Ive never tested mine but if my dogs arent within 500 yrds i dont bother. But i have wondered about that.

[amos]

S. T. does each of your collars have it's own charging saddle? And do you keep them charging all the time? That is the questions they asked me. Tritronics is the most over rated peice of junk I know of. They would not operate 2 miles if you were in the top of two pine trees. But alas, Garmin has bought out the big liar t.t.
Now have you ever tracked you hounds 7 miles with a garmin. I think not. Not even from the top of them pine trees. Why don't they just tell the truth?

[South Texan]

Amos,
Each collar does have it's own cradle. I have charged them, take them out of the cradle and recharge them 2 more times. I have also taken the batteries out of the transmitter for 15 minutes then replaced them. I have done everything tri-tronics has said but nothing has made any difference.

[CatCrazed]

I use a garmin but I live in big woods/ hill country so i never dreamed and of that stuff would work to the range rating. My shocker does interfear with my CB it is on the 27 mhz and the garmins are aroung 140-160 I have no idea what the shocker is. But my ? is why do you even want to shock them that far away? Are you just using the tone to get them to come back? Cause idk how you would know what there doing?

[South Texan]

I use a garmin but I live in big woods/ hill country so i never dreamed and of that stuff would work to the range rating. My shocker does interfear with my CB it is on the 27 mhz and the garmins are aroung 140-160 I have no idea what the shocker is. But my ? is why do you even want to shock them that far away? Are you just using the tone to get them to come back? Cause idk how you would know what there doing?

CatCrazed,
Let me give you an example. About 3 days ago I got a call from my neighbor. They said that they had shot at a deer and they thought they had hit it, because of the pop of the bullet, but...they didn't have any blood. But they wanted me to bring the dogs over and see if I could find it. So...I loaded up a good little 4 year old gyp that can really cold trail and a 1 1/2 year old dog I'm training. The 1 1/2 old dog is really doing good but is not completely broke.

I unloaded the dogs walked them down the road to where they had shot at the buck. The dogs went to looking and searching trying to find blood. They'll go down deer trails maybe 100 or 150 yards just checking for blood, if they don't find anything they'll come back and go down other deer trails just trying to find something. Well after looking for so long they got to getting wider and wider in their search for blood. Next thing I knew my young dog was out about 650 yards, then he opened up. My little gyp broke to him to check the young dog, by the time she got to where my young dog had jumped, my young dog was out 750yards and going on. My little gyp quit and started back to me after she had gotten to where the young dog had jumped. So...I knew it wasn't right. Now I'm watching all this on the Garmin, that's how I knew she had gotten to where the young dog had jumped and she even went down the young dogs trail for about 50 yards before she quit and started back to me. But...now I KNOW it isn't right. Time to stop the young dog, by this time he's 800+ yards, I pull out the ol'Tri-Tronics and nothing. Suppose to reach 2 miles and want even reach 800+ yards. So I jumped in the truck and drive around to get close enough to reach the young dog with the shocker and get it stopped.
The neighbors called me back that evening, said the buck came back that same evening and the hunter shot and missed him again.

If the old dogs don't put in wither it be cat, deer, coon, lion, etc. that your hunting, it's time to get it stopped. You say how do I know it's wrong that for away? Let me ask you a question. "How do you know it's a trash race if your dog is only 100 yards away, but in the brush and you can't see him?" To me it doesn't matter if he's 50 yards away or 1/2 mile away if my broke dogs don't put in I know it's wrong, distance doesn't make any difference. My only problem is I can't seem to get any distance with my shock collar any more.. Hope this answers your question. Robbie

[pegleg]

I can't answer your question I think its just age and probably a loose or weakened transmitter. I use primarily the sportdog and must admit their customer service has held up. Which is why I initially decided to use them.

[CatCrazed]

OK I can see that. I do the same thing just I dont let my young dogs that far from the "broke" dog. I'm not trying to say which way is rite there just dif and we are trailing way dif animals. Actually my way is prob wrong because i'm taking away the indepence from my young dog. For what its worth I think mine worked today at 450yrds in the timber she came back ether that or cause the horn. I dont know how else to help ya the garmin quits by 1000 yrds where i hunt so I dont expect anything to work that far. If you are on your 3rd transmiter maybe its the collars.

[Steve White]

Normally, that is a battery issue in the Transmitter.

[South Texan]

I sent one of the transmitters back to Tri-Tronics about 10 days ago. They called this afternoon and left a message that they had found a few issues with the transmitter. I'll call them tomorrow and see what the issues are.

Pegleg, what kinda range do you get with the Sportsdog that you use?

[Steve White]

I have tested the sportdog 3200 out to a mile. Only a test though. Would never shock a dog at that distance. Regardless of what I think is going on. Young dogs will surprise you at times, and some dogs just wont honor what others are doing. Would hate to zap one for doing what is supposed to be doing only because it did not go with the old dogs. Maybe it's just my area, but I get a lot of split races.

I can recall one bear chase this year. Where my pup got out front of the old dogs. Made a hard turn crossing a powerline. The old dogs behind, turned in another direction chasing ghosts, or just quitting. I put 2 dogs with my pup, and about an hour later had the bear in the air.

Another case just a few weeks ago chasing a yote. Dog crossed the road. At the road nothing but deer tracks that I could see. Could not believe it. Almost pulled the trigger. Something made me walk that track into the wood a little ways. Sure enough the dog was right, and I packed in. Almost zapped her for doing the right thing.

So I would never zap one unless you know for sure. Which means you really don't need much range. In all reality though. These are low power transmitters. Just cannot expect them to get real long range. Advetised distances are based on theory mostly, and CLEAR line of sight.

Just cannot see getting 2 miles from one of these low power transmitters. It's hard to get 2 miles out of a 5w VHF handheld radio. Don't know why anyone would think a 1/4 watt transmitter is going to do better than a 5w one. Folks have to be realistic about things!

Obviously you do have some issues with your gear. But, may also be expecting too much. I do not know which band they are using. I know they are running around 27mhz. Not sure if it is VHF, UHF, AM, or FM. All of which will make a difference.

[CatCrazed]

27 mhz would be why it interfears on my cb that is am maybe ill try it on fm and see what it does.I wonder if i could burn it up w my cb or when i key the mic if it would shock a dog?

[outlaw13]

I just want to add to this post that i have been using the new sportdog 3225 system with 3 collars (it will expand to 6) and i really like it no problems and it reaches out as far as i have wanted to go.

[sheimer]

Mr. Robbie, I won't begin to tell you how to train your dogs as I know that you are way more capable than most. I will offer the suggestion of using the model 70exp and save the hundred bucks. I use the 70 and a guy I hunt with uses the trashbreaker and we get the same range(both of us loose contact just over the first ridge). I don't think there's a dime's worth of difference except the price tag.

Scott

[Steve White]

Scott, might be onto something there. Talking to Sportdog a while back. I asked about the difference in collars. Since several models work with several units. They told me the range was not affected. Just that the intensity of the shock was greater at longer distance. The IH being the top collar. So an 8 was an 8, but the next collar down would only be a 6 while on 8 at the longer range.

Not sure how that would work with the TT. Since they are the same collars. It's a thought though.

Doubt you would shock a dog using CB. Maybe? CB is AM. Pretty sure the collars are FM. I have seen CB's mess with some remote control toys.