Garmin Astro User manual

Astro®
owner’s manual
GPS-enabled dog tracking system

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®
, the Garmin logo, Astro
®
, City Navigator
®
,
and TracBack
®
, registered in the USA and other
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™
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™
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Astro and DC 40 Owner’s Manual iii
Table of Contents
Introduction............................1
Setting Up the Device...................1
Registering Your Device ...............1
Contacting Garmin Product
Support ......................................1
Device Overviews.........................2
Manual Conventions.....................4
Tracking Your Dog.................6
Communication with the DC 40....6
Navigating to Your Dog.................6
Editing Dog Information................7
Tracking Your Dog on the Map .....8
Adding Dogs.................................9
Collar Lock..................................10
Astro and DC 40 Tips ................. 11
Locations..............................13
Marking a Location .....................13
Navigating to a Marked
Location ...................................14
Editing a Marked Location..........14
Averaging Your Location.............15
Projecting a Location..................15
Map .......................................16
Scaling the Map..........................16
Customizing the Map..................16
Measuring Distance....................17
Find Features.......................18
Finding Locations .......................18
Using Optional Detailed Maps....20
Stopping Navigation ...................20
GPS Applications ................21
Trip Computer.............................21
Compass ....................................21
Altimeter .....................................24
Tracks.........................................26
Routes ........................................29
Highway......................................32
Proximity Alarms.........................32
Turn Preview ..............................33
Active Route ...............................33
Satellite.......................................34

iv Astro and DC 40 Owner’s Manual
Accessories .........................35
Calendar.....................................35
Calculator ...................................35
Stopwatch...................................36
Viewing Sunrise and Sunset
Information ...............................36
Viewing the Hunting Almanac.....37
Games........................................37
Customizing Your Device ...38
System Settings..........................38
Customizing the Dog List............38
Setting Dog Alerts.......................39
Display Settings..........................39
Setting the Device Tones............40
Customizing the Main Menu.......40
Customizing the Map Setup .......40
Routing Settings .........................42
Geocache Settings .....................43
Marine Alarms.............................43
Time Settings..............................44
Units Settings .............................44
Heading Settings ........................45
Altimeter Settings .......................45
Customizing Data Fields.............46
Appendix ..............................50
Using myGarmin™......................50
Buying Accessories ....................50
Accessories and Replacement
Parts.........................................50
Data Management......................53
Caring for the Devices................57
Specications .............................58
Battery Information .....................59
Charging the DC 40....................61
Important Safety and
Product Information ............62
Index .....................................76

Astro and DC 40 Owner’s Manual 1
Introduction
Introduction
 WARNING
See the Important Safety and Product
Information on page 62 for product
warnings and other important
information.
Setting Up the Device
When using your Astro®dog
tracking system the rst time,
follow the setup instructions in the
Quick Start Manual.
Registering Your Device
Help us better support you by
completing our online registration
today.
Go to http://my.garmin.com.
Keep the original sales receipt, or a
photocopy, in a safe place.
•
•
Contacting Garmin
Product Support
You can contact Garmin Product
Support if you have any questions
about this product.
In the USA, go to www.garmin
.com/support, or contact Garmin
USA by phone at [phone] or
[phone].
In the UK, contact Garmin (Europe)
Ltd. by phone at 0808 2380000.
In Europe, go to www.garmin
.com/support and click Contact
Support for in-country support
information, or contact Garmin
(Europe) Ltd. by phone at +44 (0)
870.8501241.
•
•
•

2 Astro and DC 40 Owner’s Manual
Introduction
Device Overviews
Astro
notice
Avoid using a high-powered radio
(greater than 5 watts) in close
proximity to the Astro. It may cause
irreversible damage to the Astro.
➊ ➋
➌
➐ ➑
➍ ➒
➓
➎
➏
➊
GPS antenna
➋
VHF antenna
➌
Power key
➍
Display
➎
Keypad
➏
Belt clip button
➐
Wrist strap slot
➑
USB port (under weather cap)
➒
Battery compartment
➓
microSD card tray under batteries

Astro and DC 40 Owner’s Manual 3
Introduction
DC 40
➊
VHF antenna
➋
Collar
➌
GPS antenna
➍
Power key
Keypad
DOG Press to view the Dog
Tracker page.
MARK Press to mark your current
location.
BACK Press to cancel data entry or
return to the previous menu
or page.
MAP Press to view the map.
MENU Press to open the menu for
the active page.
Press twice to open the main
menu.
➊
➋
➌
➍

4 Astro and DC 40 Owner’s Manual
Introduction
ENT
(ENTER)
Press to select options and
acknowledge messages.
Rocker Press to view or scroll
through options and to move
the map pointer.
IN Press to zoom in on the
map.
OUT Press to zoom out on the
map.
Adjusting the Backlight
1. Press and quickly release .
2. Use the Rocker to adjust the
brightness levels.
TIP: You can also press and
quickly release to cycle through
the brightness levels.
3. Press ENTER to select a
brightness level and close the
menu.
Manual Conventions
Press Use the keys on the device.
Select Use the Rocker to select an
option or an item in a list,
and press ENTER.
Field The location on a page
where data is entered or an
option appears. A highlighted
eld appears yellow.
Scroll
bar
A bar that appears on the
right side of a list that is too
long to t on the screen. Use
the Rocker to scroll through
a list. Press IN or OUT to
scroll a set of items.
Default The original factory settings.
You can customize the
settings, but you can
always revert back to the
factory settings by selecting
Restore Defaults.

Astro and DC 40 Owner’s Manual 5
Introduction
>The small arrows indicate
that you should select a
series of items in order, for
example, “Select Delete >
Yes.”
Status Bar Icons
The status bar at the top of each Astro
page provides status information.
➋ ➌➊
➊
Indicates the satellite signal
strength.
➋
Blinks when the device detects a
signal (for example, a DC 40) on
the channel it is receiving.
➌
Indicates the remaining battery
power.
On-Screen Messages
When an on-screen message appears,
you can press ENTER to acknowledge
the message and close the window.
Messages also indicate temporary
conditions, such as “Calculating
Route.” The message window closes
as soon as the process is complete.
Using the On-Screen Keyboard
A keyboard appears when you enter
text.
Use the Rocker to select a
character, and press ENTER.
Select DEL to backspace.
Select to shift.
Select OK to save the text and
close the keyboard.
•
•
•
•

6 Astro and DC 40 Owner’s Manual
Tracking Your Dog
Tracking Your Dog
NOTE: The DC 40 does not transmit
its location to the Astro, and the
Astro does not indicate the location
of the DC 40, until both devices have
acquired satellite signals.
Communication with the
DC 40
The DC 40 that was packaged with
your Astro was linked with the Astro
at the factory. If you are using a DC 40
that you purchased separately, follow
the instructions for adding a new dog
on page 9 to establish communications
with the Astro.
Navigating to Your Dog
1. Press DOG > ENTER.
2. Select Go To.
3. Follow the magenta line on the
map.
Viewing Your Dog’s Status
1. Press DOG to view the Dog
Tracker page.
The direction to the dog and
distance of the dog from the Astro
appears.
➋
➌ ➍
➊
➊
Dog pointer (direction to the
dog)
➋
Dog name
➌
Dog status icon (page 7)
➍
Distance to the dog

Astro and DC 40 Owner’s Manual 7
Tracking Your Dog
2. If you have additional dogs, use the
Rocker to scroll through the list of
dogs.
The Astro can keep track of ten
dogs.
3. Press ENTER to view the Dog Info
page.
About the Dog Tracker Page
The dog you are tracking is identied
and the dog pointer indicates its
direction from you. The dog pointer is
most accurate when you are holding
the Astro level and the dog is farther
than 30 feet (9.1 meters) away. At less
than that distance, “NEAR” appears
instead of a distance and the dog
pointer is shortened.
NOTE: When you are close to the dog,
the dog pointer may be inaccurate.
Dog Status Icons
Sitting
Running
On Point
Treed
Unknown*
*The unknown status icon indicates
that the DC 40 has not acquired a
satellite signal and that the Astro
cannot determine the location of the
dog.
Editing Dog Information
Changing the Dog Name
The Astro assigns a default name, such
as Dog or Dog 1, to every dog (DC 40)
linked to it.

8 Astro and DC 40 Owner’s Manual
Tracking Your Dog
1. Press DOG > ENTER.
The Dog Info page appears.
2. Select Name.
The on-screen keyboard appears.
3. Enter the name of the dog.
Changing the Dog Type
You can identify the dog type so that
the appropriate dog status symbols
appear.
1. Press DOG > ENTER.
2. Press MENU.
3. Select Change Dog Unit Type.
4. Select a type.
Tracking Your Dog on the
Map
Press MAP to follow your dog on
the map.
➍
➋
➎
➌
➊
Marked locations ➊ appear on
the map.
•

Astro and DC 40 Owner’s Manual 9
Tracking Your Dog
The accuracy circle ➋ is the
area where your GPS location
data is poor. The smaller the
circle, the more precise your
location.
The dog location appears with a
status icon and the dog name ➌ .
Your location is indicated by the
map pointer ➍ .
The track of the dog’s
movements appears as a red
line ➎ .
About the Map
When the map orientation is Track Up,
objects on the map appear to rotate
around your position. As you move,
the entire map reorients in the direction
you are facing. To stabilize the objects,
set the orientation to North Up
(page 40).
•
•
•
•
Adding Dogs
The Astro can track up to ten dogs
with DC 40 collars. If you purchase
additional DC 40 devices, you can link
them to the Astro. To link, the Astro
must be close enough to the DC 40 to
touch it, or you must know the DC 40
ID number.
1. Press DOG > MENU.
2. Select Dog List > <Add New>.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions.
By default, the new dog is named
“Dog” and an ID number is
randomly assigned.
Dog Signal Troubleshooting
Each dog you track has its own ID
number. If two dogs within range of
the Astro have the same ID, the Astro
warns you of a conicting ID signal.
Follow the on-screen instructions to
resolve the conict.

10 Astro and DC 40 Owner’s Manual
Tracking Your Dog
When possible, you should allow the
Astro to automatically assign IDs. If
necessary, you can manually assign a
new ID number to a dog.
Resolving the Dog Signal
Conict
You must assign a new ID number toID number to
the dog and change the update rate.
1. Press DOG > MENU.
2. Select Show Info.
3. Press MENU.
4. Select Change Comm. Settings.
5. Select an unassigned and
nonconicting ID.
6. Change the update rate.update rate.
Both 30-second and two-minute
rates reduce battery drain, but they
create a less-detailed dog track and
collected statistics.
7. Bring the Astro within a few feet of
the DC 40.
8. Follow the on-screen instructions.
Removing Dogs
1. On the Dog Tracker page, press
MENU
2. Select Dog List.
3. Select a dog in the list.
4. Select Remove.
Collar Lock
You can use the Collar Lock feature to
PIN protect your dog’s ID signal. Other
Astro users must enter the PIN in order
to track your dog. Other Astro users
can still add your dog by physically
touching the Astro to the DC 40.
1. Press DOG > ENTER > MENU.
2. Select Change Collar Lock PIN.
3. Enter a unique PIN.
NOTE: If you forget the PIN, the
Collar Lock feature can be overridden
by physically touching the Astro to the
DC 40.

Astro and DC 40 Owner’s Manual 11
Tracking Your Dog
Astro and DC 40 Tips
Turn on the DC 40 and allow it to
acquire satellites before you put the
DC 40 on your dog.
This allows the DC 40 to acquire
satellite signals much faster.
Bring extra batteries for your Astro
(page 59).
Use a fully charged DC 40. A
fully charged DC 40 operates for
approximately 17 hours when using
ve‑second interval reporting.
Use line-of-sight radio
communication (page 12).
The Astro can track up to ten dogs
with DC 40 collars. Only three dogs
can be viewed at one time on the
Dog Tracker page. To reduce the
text size, press MENU, and select
Small Numbers.
•
•
•
•
•
Go to www.garmin.com/products
/astro for more information and
www.garmin.com/astro for a
tutorial.
Pausing the Devices During a
Hunt
If you are moving the dogs during a
hunt and you do not want to record
the transportation of the dogs, you can
pause the tracking of all dogs.
1. Press DOG > MENU.
2. Select Pause All Tracking.
You can select Resume when you
are ready to continue the hunt.
Resetting Your Dog Statistics
1. Press DOG > ENTER.
2. Select Reset.
•

12 Astro and DC 40 Owner’s Manual
Tracking Your Dog
About Line-of-Sight Radio Communication
The Astro and DC 40 use radio signals to communicate. Objects in the path of
radio signals degrade the quality of the signals. Keeping an unobstructed line of
sight between your Astro and your dog’s DC 40 produces the best communication
signal. Obstructed radio waves result in a poor signal. To achieve the best line-of-
sight conditions, move to the highest elevation point in your area (for example, on
the top of a hill).
Best
Good
Poor

Astro and DC 40 Owner’s Manual 13
Locations
Locations
Locations are landmarks that you
record and store in your Astro.
Marking a Location
Marking Your Vehicle Location
1. From the main menu, select Start
New Hunt.
2. Follow the on-screen instructions.
After the hunt, you can navigate back
to your vehicle.
Marking Your Current Location
1. Press MARK.
2. Select New or choose a default
location name such as Truck or
Camp.
3. Select OK.
Marking a Covey
You can mark a covey location and
enter the estimated number of birds
ushed and the number of birds taken.
1. Press MARK.
2. Select Covey.
3. Enter the number of birds ushed.
4. Enter the number of birds taken.
5. Select OK > OK.
Marking a Location Using the
Map
1. Press MAP.
2. Move the map pointer to a location.
3. Press ENTER.
If the location does not contain map
information, the following message
appears: “No map information at
this point. Do you want to mark a
location here?”
4. Select Yes or Save.

14 Astro and DC 40 Owner’s Manual
Locations
Navigating to a Marked
Location
1. From the main menu, select Go To
Marked Location.
2. Select a marked location.
TIP: For navigation settings, see
page 42.
Editing a Marked Location
1. From the main menu, select
Advanced > Find > Marked
Locations.
2. Select a marked location.
3. Select an attribute (such as the
name).
4. Enter the new information.
Moving a Marked Location on
the Map
1. From the main menu, select
Advanced > Find > Marked
Locations.
2. Select a marked location.
3. Select Map to show the marked
location on the map.
4. Press ENTER to place a MOVE
marker next to the marked location.
5. Move the marked location to a new
location on the map.
6. Press ENTER.
Deleting a Marked Location
1. From the main menu, select
Advanced > Find > Marked
Locations.
2. Select a marked location.
3. Select Delete.
Repositioning a Marked
Location
You can change the position of a
marked location. For example, if you
move your vehicle, you can change the
location to your current position.

Astro and DC 40 Owner’s Manual 15
Locations
1. From the main menu, select
Advanced > Find > Marked
Locations.
2. Select a marked location.
3. Press MENU.
4. Select Reposition Here.
The position changes to your
current location.
Averaging Your Location
You can average a marked location
for more accuracy. When averaging,
the Astro takes several readings at the
same location and uses the average
value to provide more accuracy.
1. Press MARK.
2. Select New > Avg to begin
averaging.
3. When the Estimated Accuracy eld
reaches the level of accuracy you
want, select Save > OK.
Projecting a Location
You can create a new location by
projecting the distance and bearing
from a marked location to a new
location.
1. From the main menu, select
Advanced > Find > Marked
Locations.
2. Select a marked location.
3. Press MENU.
4. Select Project Location.
5. Enter the bearing and distance to
the projected location.

16 Astro and DC 40 Owner’s Manual
Map
Map
The Astro has a preloaded basemap
that includes cities, highways, exit
information, and lake and river
outlines. The example shows enhanced
map detail using City Navigator®. Go
to www.garmin.com.
➍
➊
➋
➌
➊
Map orientation arrow
➋
Map scale
➌
Your current location
➍
Dog location
Scaling the Map
Press IN and OUT to change the
map scale.
When you zoom in, the accuracy
of your location is indicated by
an accuracy circle. The smaller
the circle, the more precise your
location.
Customizing the Map
1. Press MAP > MENU.
2. Select an option:
Select Data Fields (page 17).
Select Guidance Text to display
navigation information above
the map.
Select Setup Map to customize
your map preferences
(pages 40–42).
Select Turn Declutter On to
hide items on the map that block
road details.
•
•
•
•