TT15/TT15X Track and Train collars, like other Garmin tracking collars, utilize a light system to indicate the status of the collar. We get quite a few collars in that customers claim have lost GPS, only for us to start them up in-shop and see them work right out of the box. If a problematic collar is still under warranty, it's usually still a good idea to have it replaced, but in such cases, these collars may be functional without the need for service, so it's important to know the difference between your Garmin TT15X's blink patterns. You can often determine yourself if there is an issue worth sending it out to us for inspection or replacement, especially if no spare collars are on-hand.

There are three distinct green blink patterns on a TT15/TT15X to pay attention to before collaring up and releasing your dog to ensure the unit is properly tracking; single, double, and triple-blinking. For this example, we'll use a collar that a user noticed has less-than-perfect GPS reception.

A single green blink indicates that the collar has no GPS signal whatsoever. The collar may not have a clear view of the sky, or has not yet had enough time to pick up satellite reception. Potentially, a single-blink light pattern could also indicate a damaged or severed GPS wire, meaning the collar would have no tracking functions and need to be replaced entirely.

This collar is indoors. It can tone, shock and vibrate over VHF, but the single solid blink tells us it has no line of sight to any satellites and cannot determine GPS location.

The collar will display a double blink pattern if the collar is picking up partial satellite reception. This indicates that only 4-6 satellites in the GLONASS/GPS networks are actively tracking the collar. While you may be able to determine the dog's vector, you may still lose the dog's location intermittently if one or more satellites is in and out out of the collar's view.

This collar was placed under a desk, still indoors, but near the shop window with a very limited view of the sky. Here, it only has partial satellite reception.

A triple-blink pattern means the collar is picking up 7 or more satellites and is tracking at optimum efficiency. While some collars will pick up a GPS lock immediately after being powered on, others may take up to 20 minutes to achieve a solid GPS signal and display this blink pattern. If a collar never achieves a consistent triple-blink, it may be defective and unsafe to track your dog.

This collar is outside with a clear view of the sky. The triple-blink pattern indicates full GPS reception has been acquired.

A RED flashing light while a TT15/TT15X is on charge is an indicator that a battery has become defective, OR that a charging circuit has malfunctioned and that the collar will take only a partial charge, if any. Do not use a collar flashing red while charging in the field, as it could last anywhere from 5 hours to 5 minutes after you release your dog. If the collar is under warranty, do not hesitate to call Double U immediately to have the collar replaced, and certainly DO NOT remove any screws or open up the back of the collar, as this will void your warranty. However, if the collar is out of warranty, there is no harm in testing the battery to see if this is your issue.

If your collar is down and in need of replacement, or if you're unsure and would like an inspection, simply follow this link right here to find out the steps required to get the collar sent in to Double U.