For hunters, the usefulness of a dog for flushing out game is undeniable. This faithful companion to man helps him track animals in the bush. In doing so, it sometimes happens that the dog strays too far or even gets lost. To prevent this kind of situation, it's prudent to equip the hunting dog with a GPS collar. This way, it becomes easy to find it when it wanders during a hunting trip. Major brands of GPS collars for dogs like Garmin and RoG offer interesting models. Here is a comparison of the RoG Master & Speeder GPS collars and the Garmin Alpha 100 + TT15, the flagship products of these two brands.
What Is a Dog GPS Collar?
When you have a lost dog in the wilderness, it's a real source of anxiety for the owner who has no idea about the precise location of their faithful companion. To know exactly where your dog is in real-time, dog GPS collars have been developed. These are, in fact, location devices that allow you to know exactly where your pet is. Regardless of the brand, model, or version of this dog tracker, you can track your dog from home.
Depending on the brand, model, or version of the GPS collar, you have access to the exact position of the dog or the direction in which it is heading from your smartphone screen through a compatible app, or from the touchscreen of the associated remote control. It's also possible to get an estimate of the distance of its location on your screen. Sometimes, the dog GPS collar allows you to track the animal's activity to better understand its behavior and monitor its health.
The dog GPS collar can be with or without a subscription, and in either case, each has specific features. Collars without subscriptions are essentially those that operate with very high-frequency radio waves (VHF). They are quite accurate with a limited range of 8.7 to 9.94 miles [14 to 16 km] (distance between the transmitter GPS collar and the remote control acting as the GPS receiver), but have a shorter battery life due to a very high signal update frequency (~ every 2.5 seconds). They are generally preferred in remote areas with poor mobile network coverage, where the risk of signal loss is common.
For collars with subscriptions (or SIM card plans), the situation is quite different, as they have a SIM card connected to the mobile network. Therefore, they operate on the GSM network and can, depending on the SIM card, work with multiple operators and be available in many countries. Once connected, the accuracy of A-GSM GPS collars is roughly the same (16.4 to 49.2 ft [5 to 15 meters]), but they are primarily unlimited in distance (as long as the area is covered by the mobile network) and generally have a longer battery life (sometimes over a week) because the tracking mode is more flexible (adjustable signal transmission frequency from 10 seconds to 10 minutes or 1 hour and more). The location of such GPS collars is done through an app on your smartphone.
This type of device is of great utility because the risks associated with the dog's wandering are under control. If for any reason the hunting dog finds itself far away from you in nature, lost, injured, fleeing danger, or in pursuit of game, you can simply locate it with the tracker to bring it back home. This is an excellent way to avoid headaches and unnecessary time losses related to the disappearance of hunting dogs in the wilderness.
Technology Used and Benefits
What best characterizes GPS tracking collars for hunting dogs is their ability to fulfill the intended functions. Regardless of the technology used, the key is that your companion animal is always locatable to prevent them from getting lost. Both the RoG Master & Speeder GPS Collar and the Garmin Alpha GPS Collar 100 + TT15 are equipped with technology that makes it easy to find a dog on a map. Although each of these devices is equipped with slightly different technology, the result is equivalent.
The RoG Master & Speeder GPS Collar is based on technology that combines a high-precision GPS satellite receiver and a 4G mobile network module. It is, therefore, a hybrid VHF + GSM technology, as it is possible to track the dog in areas covered by the mobile network and in areas without coverage. There is, therefore, no risk of not being able to locate your faithful companion because the switch between the two modes can be done in real-time from the touchscreen remote control.
As for the Garmin Alpha GPS Collar 100 + TT15, it is based on VHF technology like a radio. It is, in fact, one of the best VHF tracking kits available on the market. The main advantage of this kit is that it does not require a GSM network to track the dog, and it does not require any subscription. Garmin devices have been globally recognized for years for the reliability of their tracking and training functions.
Performance and New Prices
The Garmin Alpha 100 + TT15 GPS tracking collar is a highly efficient kit and undoubtedly one of the best choices on the market. With its 3.5” [7.6 cm] diagonal touchscreen, it allows you to easily locate all the hunting dogs in the pack when you go hunting. In the most extreme conditions, deep in the forest, in swamps, and in the mountains, there is no need to worry. It is very reliable and can withstand any challenge in outdoor activities. The range of this tracking kit goes up to 9.32 miles [15 km], and it comes with a micro-SD card that provides access to IGN maps at a scale of 1/25,000 throughout USA, ideal for orienting yourself in the field. You are guaranteed to find your hunting dogs and locate participating team members, no matter where they are. The Garmin Alpha 100 + TT15 GPS Kit is sold new at a price of around 800 euros.
As for the RoG Master & Speeder tracking collar, even though it does not yet have the reputation of Garmin or Dogtra, it is equally efficient. With a touchscreen, for the receiver, slightly smaller than its Garmin counterpart (2.36” [6.1 cm] diagonal), this kit is nevertheless very robust and durable, designed to withstand the most challenging hunting conditions with an IPX7 waterproof rating, making it highly functional in the harshest outdoor situations. It also comes with external storage memory through a 1 GB micro-SD card (included in the purchase), allowing you to track your dogs for up to 9.32 miles [15 km] when the device operates outside network coverage. Once the 4G mobile network coverage is established, the range becomes unlimited in distance as it is limitless. The new price of the RoG Master & Speeder collar is 750 euros. It currently offers the best value for money among VHF collars for hunting dogs.
Features of These Collars
The features of the RoG Master & Speeder GPS collars and the Garmin Alpha 100 + TT15 collars are similar, although there are some small differences. Indeed, the characteristics of these two tracking kit models appear to be identical. Both the RoG Master and the Garmin Alpha 100 units have a range of up to 9.32 miles [15 km] and can monitor up to 20 dogs simultaneously.
When you acquire a product like this, you receive a package consisting of a color display touchscreen remote control equipped with a radio antenna and a GPS antenna, compatible with a GPS transmitter collar with a standard range radio antenna that allows you to track the activity of the dogs. Both components are equipped with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery.
Accessories such as the charger (AC adapter + USB cable) are generally included, but the inclusion of the micro-SD card, which serves as external storage memory enabling access to maps throughout USA, depends on the retailer.
The features that these collars have in common include:
- Bluetooth functionality;
- Signal updates every 2.5 seconds;
- Virtual fencing;
- Distance evaluation traveled by the dog;
- Possibility of locating another device;
- Training functions;
- Battery life of up to 40 hours;
- LED beacon or strobe light for tracking the GPS collar.
However, there are some differences to note. Regarding the training functions, for example, the Garmin Alpha 100 + TT15 tracking kit has the advantage as it offers 18 levels of electrostatic stimulation, vibration, or sound, while the RoG Master & Speeder GPS kit has only 3 levels of stimulation (electrostatic or vibration).
Furthermore, to the credit of the RoG Master & Speeder kit this time, it is possible with the RoG brand to record the sounds of the dog's environment when the central unit calls the GPS collar. Thus, this voice intercom allows the hunter to hear the barking and the immediate surroundings of the dog, an additional feature that is starting to be appreciated by hunters.
Reputation of the Brands
There are several well-known brands of dog GPS collars launching competitive models in the market. This includes the Dogtra Pathfinder GPS tracking collar, GPS Num Axes, Sportdog Tek GPS collar, Canibeep Radio Pro GPS collar, GeoVie Tracker G1000 GPS collar, Garmin Alpha 100 + TT15 GPS collar, RoG Master & Speeder GPS collar, and many others. Manufacturers are competing vigorously and ingeniously to provide dog owners and hunters with state-of-the-art tracking devices to locate their dogs.
For the two models under this comparative analysis, the Garmin Alpha 100 + TT15 GPS collar kit and the RoG Master & Speeder GPS collar kit, the reputation of their manufacturers is unquestionable. The brand Garmin is well-known in the world of GPS in general. For its range of GPS tracking collars for dogs, it offers models of absolute efficiency, highly performing devices, including the Garmin Astro GPS units (Astro 320), the Garmin Alpha series, and its variations (Alpha 10, Alpha 100, Alpha 200).
As for the RoG brand, even though it may not enjoy the same level of recognition as Garmin, the models it introduces to the market are equally valid and efficient. The RoG Pro Mini Supra beacon and the RoG Master & Speeder GPS collar kits are examples of this. RoG continues to make a name for itself in the world of GPS tracking collar brands for dogs, but it is already competing with Garmin in terms of efficiency, performance, and quality for its tracking models on the market.
Quality, Ease of Purchase, and Customer Service Responsiveness
The Garmin Alpha 100 + TT15 GPS collar kit and the RoG Master & Speeder GPS collar kit are of impeccable quality when it comes to tracking dogs. Both Garmin and RoG have not made any compromises when it comes to the reliability of these models. Both are effective for locating hunting dogs. These devices are on par in many respects because these GPS hunting dog collars perfectly fulfill the same mission.
Regarding ease of purchase, the Garmin Alpha 100 + TT15 GPS collar kit has become difficult to obtain as it is often out of stock with retailers, especially when the hunting season begins. Since its discontinuation by the Garmin brand in favor of the new models like the Alpha 200 and TT15X, reconditioned Alpha 100 + TT15 units are mainly exchanged on the secondary market after factory refurbishment. Meanwhile, the RoG Master & Speeder GPS collar kit is readily available. Its price is also more affordable than that of the Garmin Alpha 100 + TT15 GPS collar kit with nearly the same functionalities.
Furthermore, the customer service (SAV) of the American brand Garmin is sometimes difficult to access. Its responsiveness often falls short of customer expectations, with mixed reviews. In contrast, the customer service (SAV) of the French brand RoG is easily accessible with a customer service number located in France, known for its quick handling of customer requests.
Which GPS Hunting Collar Is Right for You: Garmin or RoG?
In summary, while the GPS kit Garmin Alpha 100 + TT15 is one of the best GPS tracking models available on the market, the GPS kit RoG Master & Speeder has nothing to envy. It is equally effective in helping hunters keep an eye on their dogs at all times. On many analysis points, these two models are on par. It is true that the brand Garmin is one of the undisputed leaders in the market, but the RoG brand, with its innovative new features and hybrid technology, has nothing to be ashamed of. This French brand is a credible alternative when it comes to tracking hunting dogs with an excellent price-quality ratio. Therefore, the RoG Master & Speeder GPS collar kit represents a suitable solution for hunting, which can validly replace the Garmin Alpha 100 + TT15 GPS collar kit, provided you can obtain it, especially in the secondhand market.
