Once we finally discover our problem, we can work backwards from the solution to describe how the issue occurred so that it is less likely to happen again. The user gains insight and experience with his device, and understands how to prevent similar issues going forward.

Sometimes these are head-slappers that can make even a well-trained Double U'er feel silly for not thinking straight out of the gate. Pick from a bouquet of easy-to-make potential user errors, and I guarantee I've overlooked it before in favor of something far more complicated, turning what should be a 3-minute chat into a 20-minute phone call.

Enter the three big fixes for your DriveTrack screen. Before you call us, know that these are the first questions we'll probably ask. This is by no means a complete list, and more troubleshooting suggestions can be found in our other Help Topics.

"What is your current software version?"

Just as with an Alpha tech support call, the very first thing we will likely be interested in knowing, no matter your problem, is your current software version. Doesn't matter whether you're on your couch attempting to program your DriveTrack 71 to your Alpha, or jaguar hunting in the Amazon and your current issue is a poison blow dart embedded in the screen; we still want to know if your software is up-to-date before anything else. It could very well be that we can spend 30 minutes on the phone looking for a problem that could be solved automatically by connecting to Wi-fi. Garmin is constantly attempting to improve customer experience, and this means that they are always at work introducing new software to fix bugs and glitches.

If your software is out-of-date, update your DT71 over any available Wi-Fi connection.

It's important to keep your equipment updated! Check for new software at least a couple of weeks before the start of your season. When dealing with DriveTrack 71 systems especially, it's critical that ALL of your collars, handhelds, and the DriveTrack be updated to their most current software, lest one unit be more advanced than the other, causing compatibility issues in the entire system that are hard to track down over the phone. As of this article, your DriveTrack 71's current software version will be 6.4. This can be found in your unit by going to "Settings"> "Device"> "About". Your current software version will be displayed on this screen.

"Have you tried turning it off and on again?"

A very stereotypical thing to say when working in technical support, but we wouldn't have you do this unless it worked surprisingly well.

"Have you attempted a Master Reset?"

We may ask other questions first, but this is a great way to start from scratch without us having to find out which setting may have been changed to cause a problem. Maybe the unit has been paired to another handheld previously and is still searching for it, or perhaps you've managed to switch your DriveTrack's language after it takes a tumble down the space in between your truck's seats. A DriveTrack 71 accidentally set to another language can be difficult to reprogram without a full master reset or a translator present, so we can use a factory reset to start fresh, as if we're there with you unboxing your unit. It is important to note that by default, you will have to switch to Dog Tracking mode once the unit is first powered on, but treating a DriveTrack like a fresh unit that has never been handled lets us know what we're dealing with, as if it's straight out of the box.

Learning a second language can be a rewarding and enriching experience, but you may not have time for lessons if you have game treed and would like to get to it quickly.

You can perform a master reset on a DriveTrack unit from your "Volume" screen. The background of your screen will look like a map of the world. Place your finger in the top right-hand corner (Northeast Russia for geography buffs) and hold it there. A diagnostics menu will then appear asking if you want to clear all user data. This will reset your unit back to factory settings, and the unit will act as if brand new. From there, we can usually pair a stubborn device.

DriveTracks are amazing toys that enhance the hunt and act as game-changers in a cat or bear race. But this is by no means a complete list of technical issues. If you're having trouble with your DriveTrack unit, or you just feel like talking to cool people who understand dog tracking products, give Double U a call at 855-384-8687. If it's a problem that's possible to troubleshoot without a full replacement, we can almost certainly assist you.