Satellites have been tracking sporting canine for years, however Garmin is upping the game by adding LTE technology. The brand new Garmin Alpha LTE allows tracking out of your mobile phone. Today, Garmin announced the Alpha LTE within the United States, which you can read about here. Since that is a brand new machine for Garmin, we talked with Sean Hayes, Garmin dog product supervisor, to debate the functionality and ItagPro simply why you may have this machine. Hayes has been with Garmin for 12 years however started his profession nearly 25 years ago with Tri-Tronics (which was acquired by Garmin in 2011), so he knows canine know-how. Sean, thanks for becoming a member of us immediately and congrats on the product launch. To begin things off, the brand new Alpha unit has a new acronym behind it - "LTE." Lots of our readers are familiar with GPS canine monitoring, iTagPro smart device however can you clarify what LTE dog monitoring is? Sure thing. LTE makes use of cellular transmission towers to communicate with a gadget.

This is just like the know-how getting used on your cellphone. GPS then again, uses satellites in area to help gadgets on the ground know where they're at on the earth. A GPS receiver on earth receives GPS signals that it uses to calculate its position. Alpha LTE combines the two technologies to assist individuals know where their dog is at. Are you able to walk us via the product growth for the Alpha LTE? This product originated with our staff in EMEA. The model of gun canine in Europe may be very different from the United States. There, iTagPro smart device gun dogs are often used for big sport, so you will have 10 hunters relying on one canine for iTagPro smart device hunt information. Traditionally, hunters there would have individual handhelds, monitoring one canine, to offer very important hunt info. Since LTE coverage is powerful in Europe, we needed to provide an LTE solution to fit their type of looking.

What is special about LTE tracking when you might have GPS tracking? Shouldn’t GPS monitoring work all over the place? That’s a fantastic query. As we seemed to the US, we saw good use cases for LTE, and it’s useful to grasp how Garmin canine tracking merchandise work to grasp why LTE is essential. Garmin canine monitoring products like the Alpha 300i and Garmin TT 25 use what’s known as multi-GNSS monitoring, iTagPro smart device which means it's using a number of satellite tv for pc networks, so it has incredibly sturdy location tracking and coverage. That location is then despatched to the Garmin handheld by way of a VHF (radio) transmission, which displays the dog’s location on the handheld. There are instances, on account of difficult terrain or other external components, when the VHF hyperlink can be severed. When that happens, the GPS location is unable to be transmitted to the handheld. That is where LTE steps in and turns into so beneficial. It offers an extra tracking system.

If VHF isn’t working, but LTE service is on the market, Alpha LTE picks up tracking your canine, displaying it on the handheld. VHF and LTE), the handheld mechanically displays one of the best location obtainable without the user ever understanding. It’s a "belt and suspenders" method to dog monitoring for patrons who track canine in troublesome terrain. For anyone who has ever had the "? " present up on their handheld because of VHF drop, it is a essential new growth. It will be important to note, though, that the Garmin handheld and dog gadget are continually looking for each other utilizing VHF. For readers who've this occur and don’t have Alpha LTE, it’s useful to get to a high level so the dog machine and handheld have a better time reestablishing a connection. Got it. "Belt and suspenders" is nice, but is LTE something that is robust enough to be used as a standalone gadget for ItagPro canine monitoring?

Absolutely. Since Alpha LTE is an autonomous system and gives redundancy for location, communication, and iTagPro smart device battery, it will also be used as a very stand-alone tracking iTagPro smart device. Users can pair it on to the Alpha app and track canines directly from their cell phone, making it perfect for a seize and go unit when a full VHF monitoring programs isn't needed (round city, going for a run, hiking, going to cabin, etc.) When you won’t have training, it is possible for you to to track your canine straight from your phone when in cellular protection. Additionally, at $299.99 (plus annual LTE subscription) the Alpha LTE system is one of the more cost-efficient sporting dog tracking units accessible. Because it carries the Garmin name, you know you’re getting a product you may depend on. What’s even more interesting is there isn't a vary limit for LTE monitoring so your dog might be in Georgia and also you could be in Arizona and so long because the Alpha LTE canine gadget is in cellular range, you will know the place your dog is.