Electronic Collars
  • Collars and Leads
  • Dog Tracking Systems
  • Dog Training
  • Bird Launchers
  • Hunting Dog Supplies
  • For The Hunter
  • Top 10 Garmin Alpha 200i Accessories

    March 25, 2021 5 min read

    Garmin Alpha 200i Accessories Blog

    Have you purchased a Garmin Alpha 200i or are you thinking about purchasing one? These accessories we are about to suggest will enhance your hunt and protect your Alpha 200i handheld. This list is ordered based on my personal preferences.

    1. Garmin Alpha 200i Screen Protector

    Purchasing an Alpha 200i system is a large investment; so it’s best to protect that investment with the Alpha 200i Screen Protector. This simple and inexpensive accessory will help protect your touch screen from finger print smudges, scratches, and can help reduce the chance of sun spots developing on the LCD display. The Alpha 200i Screen Protector applies in minutes and will last the life time of your device, depending on how much you’re using your screen. Our Alpha 200i Screen Protector comes with two screen protectors, in case you have issues applying the first screen protector or if you damage the first one. Keeping your screen protected also increases your resale value, if you happen to decide to trade-in your handheld in the future through our Trade-In Program. Personally, I feel that every Alpha handheld should have this basic level of protection.

     

    2. Garmin Antenna Quick Disconnector

     There are over a half a dozen different antennas to choose from for you Garmin Alpha 200i handheld. Anyone that has switched antennas in the field knows that screwing one off and screwing the next one on eats up a lot of hunting time. It could also be the difference between being able to track and control your dog or not, if they are going out of range of the standard antenna. The Garmin Antenna Quick Disconnectors offers a solution to this problem, as you can quickly switch between antennas in seconds with the quick one-turn disconnect. The Garmin Antenna Quick Disconnects works with every antenna we sell and is compatible with all the Garmin hunting handhelds.

     

    3. Garmin Magnetic Mount Antenna

     If you are tracking your dog from your car, there is no better product than the Garmin Magnetic Mount Antenna. Standard antennas need attached to your handheld and when inside the car, it has reduced range due to the metal body of the vehicle. Instead of driving around with your several hundred dollar handheld sticking out the window to get signal, connect it to the Garmin Magnetic Mount Antenna attached to your roof. Not only is this safer and does not reduce your range, the Magnetic Mount Antenna also actually increases your range. It simply attaches to any vehicle roof magnetically, as long as it’s a magnetic metal, and has an 11-foot cable to reach into the cabin of your vehicle. When attaching it to your roof, make sure not to have it near other transmitting antennas, like your FM radio antenna or a XM satellite antenna. This can cause signal inference with both the Garmin Alpha and your radio.

     

    4. Garmin Instinct Watch

     Constantly having to pull your Alpha handheld out of your pocket or bringing it up from your side holster to check the status and position of a dog may often cause you to take your eyes off the field and could result in you missing a flush. The Garmin Instinct Watches allow you to quickly check the status of your dogs with a quick glance at your wrist, allowing you to spend more time with your eyes on the field. The Garmin Instinct watches also come in several color and style options. The standard Garmin Instinct Watch comes in six different colors. The Instinct watches also are available in three different styles that offer solar charging abilities. These are the Instinct SolarInstinct Camo, and the Instinct Solar Tactical watches.  For those of you wanting more features and a larger display, check out the Garmin Fenix series watches.

     

    5. Garmin Extended Range Telescopic Antenna

     For far ranging dogs, such as coyote, bear, and deer dogs, more range is a necessity. When the standard range and extended range Garmin antennas do not meet that need, we recommend the Garmin Extended Range Telescopic Antenna. This antenna is only 4 inches when folded down, but can be extended out to 17 ½ inches when fully extended, providing several more miles of tracking and training range. The Garmin Extended Range Telescopic Antenna attaches to the Garmin Alpha handheld through the standard connector or can be used with our Quick Disconnect Connector.

     

    6. Garmin Drive Track 71

     Along with the Garmin Magnetic Mount Antenna, the Garmin Drive Track 71 In-Car GPS System is an awesome product for anyone tracking a dog from a vehicle. The Garmin Drive Track 71 works like a standard in-car GPS navigation system from Garmin with the added features of connecting to your Garmin Alpha handheld through Bluetooth to display your tracking information, while also still providing navigation. The 7-inch display screen also makes seeing tracking information easier than trying to read the Alpha’s screen. When not hunting, the Drive Track 71 can be used as a standard in-car navigation system. To read more about the Garmin Drive Track 71, see our Garmin Drive Track 71 Review.

     

    7. Garmin Alpha Handheld Battery

     When out on a multiday hunt, one of the worse things that can happen is your tracking and training handheld’s battery dies, leaving you helpless when your dogs are out in the field. Having a spare Garmin Alpha Handheld Battery can extend your hunt and provides an extra peace of mind in the event your handheld battery fails from age or some other unforeseen reason. The Alpha handheld battery can quickly be swapped out by removing the back battery cover, removing the battery, and replacing it with the new battery. Best of all, this requires the use of zero tools.

     

    8. Garmin Tempe Wireless Temperature Sensor

     Unless you’re hunting in your backyard, you have to transport your dog(s) to your hunting area. The Garmin Tempe is placed in your dog’s kennel to provide temperature readings transmitted back and displayed on your Garmin Alpha handheld. It’s very important for your dog’s health to know the temperature inside of your dog kennel while traveling. If the kennel temperatures are too cold, products like Red Cedar Bedding or a Kennel Cover is needed to help insulate and retain body heat. If the kennels temperatures are too warm, your dog could end up with Heat Exhaustion. Products, such as a crate fan, can help keep temperatures cooler. The Garmin Tempe is easily connected to your Alpha handheld and is simply attached to your kennel with double-sided foam tape.

     

    9. Garmin Extended Range Wand Antenna

     Like other range extending products discussed in this article, the Garmin Extended Range Wand Antenna can greatly increase your tracking and training range. The long range antenna is 10.5 inches when collapsed down and can be extended up to 42 inches when fully extended for a significantly increased range. The antenna also has a 1-meter-long cable to allow you to reach your arm up into the air for an additional range increase. The Garmin Extended Range Wand Antenna is attached to the Alpha handheld using the standard connector or can be used with our Antenna Quick Disconnect Adapter.

     

    10. Garmin Handheld Spine Carabiner Clip

     The Garmin Handheld Spine Carabiner Clip is a special clip that is designed to attach to the back spine of the Alpha handheld, securely attaching without the need for an additional holster. Attached to the spin connector is a heavy duty Carabiner Clip. This Carabiner Clip can be connected to your belt loop or hunting vest to secure the Alpha handheld and remove the chances of the handheld being dropped and lost. The Garmin Handheld Spine Carabiner Clip can then be quickly removed from the back of the handheld by simply sliding the spine connector off.

     

    Thank you reading our Top 10 Garmin Alpha 200i Accessories. For additional reading on the Garmin Alpha 200i, see our Garmin Alpha 200i vs Garmin Alpha 100 and New Features of the Garmin Alpha 200i Handheld blog articles.

    - Michael Cassatt, Director of Marketing

    Leave a comment

    Comments will be approved before showing up.