EAST TEXAS HOG DOGGERS FORUM

I lost my 320 tonight, and was wanting some input. Who has an alpha now and used to run a 320, with DC 30's, 40's and 50's, and what do you like better? I already have a couple t 5's but don't want to have to buy a bunch of new collars for the alpha unless it's that much better than the 320.
Thanks in advance.

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The biggest plus to me is if you were hunting with someone that also had an alpha they're able to see your location. Meaning if you drop it , you can find it.

I was sure thinking about that tonight. Have y'all had to do that yet? Does it track it like a dog?

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Manny, I've had the 220, 320 and my Alpha for over 2 1/2 years now... I love it. Like Chris said, you can connect to your buddy's Alpha and track each other... and find it when someone drops theirs. The range is way better with just factory antennas. I get out to 2 miles in a lot of places, I've gotten 3 several times. When it does drop signal it usually picks it back up pretty quick, enough to get a bead on your dog. The best thing about it is the Tri-Tronics built into it. I've always ran shock collars on all my dogs and train them to the tone. It's nice not having the extra handheld and collars to deal with.

Mike...do you still run the quick track along with the Garmin or are you confident enough not to use it anymore?

I still do Reuben, just in case. I've probably used it 2 or 3 times in the past couple of years. A hog cut the Garmin collar, severing the GPS antenna wire and another time a collar quit working... it was nice to have the back up telemetry collar.

But yes, I am confident enough to turn a dog loose with just the Garmin collar.

The shock collars on the alpha are super convenient if you have trashy yella dogs like me. The alpha takes some getting use to but I like mine a lot

thanks everyone. I guess I'm going to bite the bullet and give it a shot.

Make sure when you get it, do the updates on the handheld and the collars. No telling how long they were on the shelf and could be several updates behind.

ok, thanks. does the long range antennas that I already have for my 320 work screw into the alpha, just like the astro?

I think so.

Mike...I was about to get rid of my second hand astro 220...it just wouldn't work right...I did exactly what you said to do on the  alpha but on my 220 and it is working like a champ... 8)

Reuben, it seems like 90% of the time a Garmin acts up... an update will fix it.

The alpha collars come with long range attenas

I went from a 320 to an alpha a year ago and the best thing I have ever done. Like mike said, I get a lot more range out of it than I did with a 320. Also if I lose signal on a dog, it will update enough to let me know which direction he is going (usually over 2 miles before I lose signal too much). Also love the fact that with my pups, I have trained them enough now that if they start running a race, I can tone them. If they are on the wrong game, they will leave it. If their on a hog they will ignore it.

Hey nanny how did you teach them to ignore the tone when they're on a hog?


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THe alpha is by far the best tracking system ive ever used for hog hunting.......... pups start running a deer......... 1 button and the problem is solved. Older dogs start leaving the country, 1 button to tone em and they quickly learn to turn around. Just an all around great system in my opinion, along with what Chris and Mike said both about the range and the ability to track another unit. Hard to beat a system with those features.

The alpha with the tt15s is the best tool I have for catching hogs besides my dogs, it's the best tracker I've used, and I've never lost reception even in the steep canyons under a heavy forest!


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Not to get off the main subject to much does anybody use the quick connects for there antennas? I was at earls the other day and bought some. I have a whip antenna on my truck then the regular rubber one. I noticed after putting them on they seemed kinda woobley. The guy was telling me about a lock nut were it screws on comes loose and messes something up. When i looked at mine it was loose. Anybody had any bad luck with the quick connects?

What is the longest range you have tracked with the tt15s? Also do these collars double as training collars?

Not too far but the terrain is steep and the canyons deep, probably two miles, I used to loose reception with the 320 frequently, i also have a 40" telescoping antennae on my alpha so when I do loose reception I just extend the antennae, I used to use that on the 320 as well. The guys I hunt with use 220s and loose reception all the time


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Well it just came in and I did all the updates we'll see. I have a big magnetic whip antenna with a quick connect that I used with my 320 and never had a problem.

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thank you lief...

Didn't teach em I guess.  They just ignore it when they are on a hog.  Drive of the dog I suppose.  I cast hunt and hardly ever send just pups without one of my older trash broke dogs.  But they did jump a little nanny the other day and took her for a small circle and I toned them and they left it alone.  We went to a new area a couple weeks ago and the pups went out to about 800 yards and jumped (one of them isn't silent mouth) and I toned all 3 of them, for some reason I just knew it was going to be a deer and it turned out to be a small sow.  They all ignored the tone and caught the hog.