May 17, 2012

Stuff that Works
September 2007

DT Systems
H2O 1800 Series
by Jason Smith

hen it comes to electronic collars, I like small – both the transmitter and the receiver: short antenna, a transmitter that can fit in a pocket or comfortably on a lanyard, and a receiver that doesn’t look like a boat anchor around the dog’s neck. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons I’ve gravitated to the DT Systems collars, though all of the different companies are now making small collars.

Waterproofness (“waterproofnicity”?) is another feature that collar companies are making a priority, particularly when coupled with the smaller size of the units (more “droppable”). For a while now, the receivers have been waterproof, especially those designed for retrievers; but there seems to have been a lag in making the transmitter waterproof. The thinking goes that the transmitter is around your neck or in a holster or in your pocket or clipped to a retractable reel on your belt… other than some brushes up against wet cover, where’s the contact with water?

But hunting is simply a wet affair – especially duck hunting – and having the added protection prolongs the life of the unit. DT Systems’ H2O 1800 series of collars passes just such waterproof tests. Drop it in the drink and pick it back out, and you won’t miss a beat. It is truly the number-one selling feature of the unit. In their marketing, DT Systems sums it up this way: “Whether you are knee-deep in cold icy waters or knee-deep in tall grass on a dry sunny day, the H2O is designed with the harshest environments in mind.”

It is more of a basic collar – absent controls for launchers, etc. – but it does incorporate DT Systems’ new Jump (jump between two levels of stimulation) and Rise (gradually rise in stimulation level the longer you hold the button) concepts, as well as a vibration and a vibration with stimulation. Of course, there’s still the nick and continuous buttons, as well as DT Systems’ nice “stiff” dial for changing levels – stiff in that it takes a good click to turn it, which prevents bumping the dial, unknowingly, to a new level.

            Other stats:
            *range: 1-mile
            *battery: rechargeable Ni-MH in both transmitter and receiver
            *16 levels of stimulation
            *beeper/locator available
            *two-dog versions available

Check out www.dtsystems.com/products/H2O1800.aspx for more information of the combinations of features and prices (ranging from $240-$480).

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