New astro model

[glk7243]

Does anyone know about a new unit coming out? I suppose i will be a 420. I have called garmin twice and they will not confirm but both people I talked to told me if I was not in a real hurry I should hold off buying a new 320.

[Dads dogboy]

Buddy should address this!!!!!

The advise you were given is good or so I hear....not only an improved 320 but ALPHA as well!

[kordog]

i am all for progress ,but i wonder at what point garmin is going to out compete itself i would think the window on sales would be getting narrower especially if they are non compatible systems.there are only so many houndsman and how many are actually willing to dump a system and go new all the time.i have the new 320 with dc 50 but still like my 220 with dc 30s just as well .i will not be upgrading again anytime soon unless garmin figures a way to electronically levitate a bear out of the woods. just my narrow minded thoughts.

[lrscott1]

My thoughts exactly.

[not color blind]

Yep, Garmin could of sold twice the dc50s if they would of made them compatible with the 220s also..

[44magman]

I have a 220 and dc 30s and will run it till it fries and can no longer get it fixed.if I had to get a new system I would go with a 320 and dc 50s .

[Buddyw]

Sorry guys I just noticed this post. I've been busy with our Wisconsin trip and our April Fools Joke to spend any time reading posts here it's been a bit crazy.

I can't give you any information about a new system, Unfortunately the bigger I get the more responsible I have to become. (I know it sucks, It was kinda fun being a rebel and spreading Rumors back in the day!) However there are some benefits with getting a larger voice and even getting a and building better relationships with Companies like Garmin. I think it's good for Hounds men in general. But as I do grow, I also have to be careful as to what I say, and which rumors I propagate even those rumors that are not directly from Garmin.

In every situation I have to think and ask myself, Does this help or hurt the long term Goals of hounds men? Most of the time when it comes to these types of questions and rumors it might be a short term gain to spread the rumor, but in the end it could cost a Long Term relationship and I think we would all prefer to have someone that can help Garmin with BigGame Hound hunters.

I do apologize about this however I can not and will not respond to questions about products that are not announced, You can bet when a New Product comes out I will always give my personal honest opinion about it, and not become a Sales man.

But what I will say about Garmin is the more I learn about Garmin the more I realize they are not like any tracking company that we are used to. They are more like a large Technology company, Expect new products close to Every 2 years for products. As the product matures I'm not sure what their next move will be or how they will inovate, but I'm sure they are going to try to come up with something new different and better.

I have a good article in the new magazine interviewing Garmin about things like this. It should be in folks mail box next week.

I'll see if we can't post our Magazine online for folks to read the first issue.

I don't think Garmin is anything like a telemetry company that makes one collar design and then sells that same design for 20-30 years without changing it. Like it or not it's a different game now.

[Dads dogboy]

OK Buddyw has been heard from. He has gotten himself in a BIND! He has become so big that Garmin reached out and made him FAMILY. This is GOOD for him and DU Supply!

But who made him so big and why?

You and I did! Why.....because he was always a straight shooter about Garmin's Short Comings as well as their Strongpoints.....Buddyw would always tell you what he thought. If he heard Garmin might be coming out with something new and you called in to order he might advise you to wait a while.

CUSTOMER Service......DU Supply ALWAYS surpassed any other dealer and darn sure beat the heck out of Garmin when it came to Service. I have sent literally Hundreds of thousands of Dollars worth of Business his way and I have yet to have someone call me and CHEW me out for sending them to Buddy and DU.....all have been Satisfied.

But now he has been Muzzled by Garmin and told to PLAY by our rules or we will take your Dealership away. This should be a REAL fear cause Garmin has done it to others.

Buddy and I used to swap info that we had ferreted out of Garmin Field Testers. Garmin tries to set up Testers like Communist Secret Cells so no one knows what the other is doing. This has gotten worse as the GPS Hound Tracking has become a bigger Part of their business. However LEAKs still happen!

So here is what I hear is going on:

Garmin is SOON going to stop supporting the Astro 220 and the DC 30 collar.

Garmin is Field testing an improved Astro 320 (maybe to be called a 420) which will be expandable to 20 DC 50 Collars

Garmin may be Testing an ALPHA receiver which will accept DC 50 Collars as well as the TT Collars

Both of the Units being tested may have a "Video Out" capability so that they can be hooked up to a larger screened devise to be viewed in REAL time.

Other technical changes and additions are on going and their are some tweaks to the Collars going on & maybe some Antennae issues being studied but these are the main things I am hearing.

What Sucks is ABANDONING the Astro 220 and the DC 30 Collar the two simplest and most RELIABLE Garmin Products made.

Garmin when you read this and I know you will, be advised that none of this info came from Buddyw as I have had NO Communication with him since mid December 2013.

So is what's GOOD for Buddy and DU Good for you and me.....well lets wait and see. I do know that in Business when something works others are busting their britches to match and compete with the successful Company/Idea. Garmin has been the Bully buying out the Competition before they can come to the Market Place. However there is still a Couple of Competitors Garmin may want to watch out for in the coming year or so!

For now though Garmin is the ONLY Good Rodeo in town....we will see if Buddyw and DU Supply are still the Best place to buy from!

[bearsnva]

Dogboy,

For now though Garmin is the ONLY Good Rodeo in town....we will see if Buddyw and DU Supply are still the Best place to buy from!-John Clay

I can't really get the drift of your post but if you think Buddy is or will sell us out for money then I think you are barking up the wrong tree. I can't see Buddy turning his back on the very things that have made him successful, he has had plenty of time to short sell his customers and it has not happened nor do I think it will. I KNOW the support Buddy has given so many people and organizations and I personally think Buddy and Double U will be around for many years and I bet the people on this site will stand by him, period.

[Ker_man]

Dads dogboy,when you say;

''Garmin is SOON going to stop supporting the Astro 220 and the DC 30 collar''
does that apply to returning collars for ''refurbished'' collars?

[Dads dogboy]

bearsnva,

The point of my Post is that Buddyw and DU Supply have been wonderful to do business with, as stated I have sent lots of Customers his way. Until he shows that he is not taking care of Folks I will continue to send Folks to him....in fact I did not over 20 minutes ago!

But and this is a BIG But Garmin has Rules that my not let Buddy Woodbury be Buddyw!
By Posting this in Several Places maybe GARMIN not Buddyw will wake up and let Him continue to take care of Us!

Also if there is enough Hell Raised Garmin may relent on the Astro 220 and the DC 30 Collars.

Garmin is NOT and NEVER has been in tune with Hound Hunters, our demographics and most of our Economic circumstances. There are lots of people who have scrimped and saved to buy a used 220 and dc 30 system.....this is all they can afford! There is NO way in Hell for them to UPGRADE!

Garmin is Tuned into the High Dollar Bird Dog Game.....this is where their R&D mostly comes from ( they have had some working people testing in the Past but that seems to be changing). When you are Catering to Folks who shop for their Hunting Togs @ L L Bean, Cabala's and /or Sierra Trading Post instead of the Co-op or Feed Store......well Garmin may not be getting the True Picture of Who is buying their Products!

Kerdog your Post came through as I was writing this.....you would have to Ask Buddyw about this and if he is going to still be able to do repairs on the dc 30s and 220s!

[bearsnva]

Dads Dogboy,
Excellent explanation of your feelings and thoughts on this. I now understand your intent was to not throw Buddy under the proverbial bus, which I was not sure of previously. You make many good points. I myself am still using the 220 and DC30's because for the most part I think they are the most reliable (especially the 30's) I bought my wife a 320 which she uses quite well, however I know the changes in Garmin's products are expensive and cost prohibitive when running a pack of dogs and some people just can't afford this expense. I do think Garmin should continue to service the models that people spent money on previously because these are the first people that Garmin built their business on.
Thanks for your reply and explanation. I wish you well.
I am betting that Buddy will find out a way to deal with Garmin and still be customer loyal and hound hunting loyal. I just feel that is who Buddy is and will continue to be.

Richard Sprinkle

[Buddyw]

Thanks for the clarification guys,

It's not Garmin or any Garmin rules that is changing Buddyw,

You are correct, as Double U expands and Grows, We do change. I'm definitely not the same person I was 3 years ago, I try to learn what works and what doesn't' work and change, adapt and tweak things to what is working.

This is True with everything about me down to my dogs my marriage, and being a father, to my business advertisements, what clubs and associations we donate to. You name it I'm looking into my decisions and actions.

So a couple years ago I started to take the high road regarding rumors. It's not Garmin that is doing this. It's my decision and I feel it's a better choice for the long term.

For example Just last month I was able to talk with Ted Gartner and ask him some pointed questions. Here is the Link to a copy of that exchange. I would not have had this type of Access or ability if I was not being straight forward and trustworthy.

If I'm wrong, I expect to pay for any wrong choices I make. I would just ask that you respect my decision not to engage in this stuff and keep my name out of any future posts. I'm not going to comment any more on this topic.

Here is the Link to the Interview that I was able to have with Garmin.

http://www.dusupply.com/extradownloads/file/get/id/10/

[slowandeasy]

Funny this is being discussed. As I started a new topic out of the clear blue. Wondering if the shock collar part of the bully buying was going the way of the wild goose also. I would just say this is still America. And if I were garmin I wouldn't chit in bed and kick it out with their feet. As they might find if they continue the BS. Another company will come with a better mouse trap. And they could find themselves back to selling personal GPS's to yuppies with dreadlocks.



Take care, Willie