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Tracker receiver question ?
Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 6:14 pm
by sgc
How good are Tracker systems at pin pointing direction of dogs? I called the company that made my receiver to ask if they made a small antenna (something like the ultra compact antenna that Wildlife makes). They told me that they don't because they don't believe that you can get good direction from a smaller antenna. It made me wonder. Wildlife makes the smaller antenna & Tracker has a smaller antenna system. I have to admit I get good direction from my system, but am wondering about getting something more convenient to carry. To give this company credit, they did reduce the size of their Yagi antenna by 25%, but thats as far as they would go.
Re: Tracker receiver question ?
Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 7:46 pm
by Rainman
IMO they are pretty good. I've used them on bear dogs and beagles with good results. One of the hounds lost a collar once and I used the Tracker to walk right to it. Much easier to get through the brush with a Tracker than a Yagi.
Re: Tracker receiver question ?
Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 7:50 pm
by FullCircle
You don't get as much range or pin point as well with the smaller antenna. You can get in the general direction then you must turn the tracker unit lower as you get closer and keep working it back and forth to pin point a dog. I left a dog coon hunting one night and when I returned to where I turned her out she was there waiting but didn't have the collar on. I got my Tracker receiver and picked up the signal and headed in that direction. I found the collar about a mile as the crow flies in a brush pile. My dog had gotten hung down in a hole under the brush pile and pulled the collar off. It was still hanging on a root about 18" down inside the hole. I had a hard time crawling though the logs and down though the brush to get to the hole but was able to retrieve the collar. They aren't the best I've owned but truely the most convenient. Tracker now makes it's units where you can attach a yagi antenna for those times you need a far reaching unit and when I get where I can I'm going to buy one of the newer units just in case I need the extra range. I will have to say you have to practice a little to be able to get the most out of the Tracker but I'm well satisfied with mine. I also believe a GOOD collar is the most impotant part of any tracking system so buy the best collar you can afford.
Re: Tracker receiver question ?
Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 9:07 pm
by steve w
You will have more trouble with the dog moving around then the Tracker reciever being unable to pinpoint a direction. The above replys are about right.FullCircle, you can get an older model Maxima upgraded to accept a yagi antenna, not sure about a Classic. Cost me about a hundred bucks a couple of years ago.
Re: Tracker receiver question ?
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 9:33 am
by Big Mike
My issue with the tracker system , is signal deflecton. The signal deflects off the front antena, to the back , and it appears the dog is in the direction your facing or pointing the reciever, When in fact the dog is actualy directly behind you.
Then again maybe it's the operator and not the machine lol ? Anyone else have is problem?
Re: Tracker receiver question ?
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 5:45 pm
by FullCircle
Thats the reason I said you'll need to practice with the Tracker. Always start low and work your way up that way you don't get a back signal as bad. After You use it a while you will get the hang of it.
I checked on getting my Tracker up graded and thought about doing so but I also want to up grade from a 5 dog to a 10 or 15 dog unit. So by the time I added the 10 dog upgrade and the Yagi upgrade I will be better off the sell my unit and buy a newer one.
Re: Tracker receiver question ?
Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 9:57 am
by chapkosbeagles
just dont buy the strike collars
Re: Tracker receiver question ?
Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 3:25 pm
by Nor' Easter
When you get the strong signal pointing towards the dog ( you think) you need to point it 180 degrees away also and look at the signal, it should weaken a little. Keep turning the squelch/power intensity knob down and point it back and forth 180 degrees and you will see that the signal IS stronger in one direction. My buddy told me this, he said he travelled in the wrong direction more than once in the beginning ( uses Wildlife with small antennea almost all the time) keeps large antennea for unusually far off tracking.