DLC Covert Special Ops

I got a new toy, err, I mean tool last week. I acquired one of the Covert special ops cameras with 3G service. I wanted a tool I could deploy at our farm in SD and get current information on deer patterns/movements. This time of year, it’s not a big deal for the ol’ man to change chips. However, come fall when I really want the info, Dad gets very busy delivering pheasants and deer take a back seat.

This past weekend I deployed the Covert Special ops over our water tank/mineral site(4/16/14). This mineral site is 4 years old now and has become quite a crater/mud hole. Anyway, it gets lots of traffic. I drove one our longer steel posts into the ground and used a C clamp to attach the antenna to the post. See pic 1. Pics 2-5 are some random pics since being deployed.

I currently have the camera set to take 1 pic, every 3 minutes. It sends me a text message to my phone each time it takes a new photo. So, during the “magic” hours around sunrise and sunset, you’ll find me watching my phone closely.

Any questions, let me know. I’m very impressed so far!!

What’s the cell phone bill on something like this, Kooty? 20 pics an hour get sent? That seems to be a lot of data.

Nice toy–errr–I mean “tool”, though.

Grouse

The minimum package is $10.00 per month for XXX amount of texts. I went to the $19.99 plan for unlimited for this first month. This is a pay as you go service, so I anticipate only paying the $10.00 during summer months, but in the fall when I ratchet up the pics I’ll jump up to the $20.00 plan.

I will warn you, dealing with AT&T stinks to the heavens. Luckily Covert has some pretty good instructions on what you need to do to get the SIM card.

Please keep us updated. I really like this “tool”, but haven’t taken the plunge yet.

Can I be the first to offer a case of good beer to first person who goes out and drops trou in front of Kooty’s camera?

This offer good only to the first iDo’er and we must have proof that Kooty actually received a picture of you slapping your bare @ss cheeks in full view of his WunderCam.

Also, I think it would be great to send a series of bizarre animals in front of his camera. Goats. A camel. Something in the water dish that looks vaguely like a mini Loch Ness Monster. That sort of thing.

Grouse

Grouse

For a case a beer, I’ll do this!!

Im curious as to how they work in less then ideal cell phone areas. Id love to get some of these for my cabin but cell phone service is not great let alone data.

Is there a coverage map or certain data connection you need to have for it to work?

Matt,

If you look close you will see a high gain antenna mounted to the steel post.

I tested the same camera last year with the factory stubby antenna in central South Dakota, I wasn’t able to get very good service. Now with the high gain antenna, I have no service issues.

So far a week in, all is good. Ill be curios how the batteries last sending me 10-20 pics a day.

John

What do you have invested in the whole setup?

Please keep me updated on battery life.

The best pricing I’ve found online is on Ebay right now. $300.00 for the cameras, $34.00 for the high gain antennas. So far, I am getting a few false positives because we haven’t had time to mow. Guessing here, but I average 10 pics a day. The batteries last about a month on this pace. I’m thinking a couple sets of rechargeables are the way to go for this solution.

I gotta say I’m loving the instant feedback I’m getting from this camera. You can tell it’s dried up out in SD. The deer are coming to water multiple times a day now. Yesterday I had very few hours without a deer coming in.

I’m sitting here tapping my toes waiting for the mailman to show. Dad mailed chips on Thursday so I should have them today. Further justification to get another cellular based trail camera.

Any pics you care to share Kooty? or are you hoarding the newest pics. I need a trail cam fix.

One of these is definitely headed my way before this fall! A priceless scouting tool!

I just ordered my 2nd one. Being 6 hours away, this will be priceless. Plus my chip changer(ol’ man) gets very busy in the fall delivering pheasants so now I won’t have to be hounding him.

A nice trick to take advantage of is to put the MMS option to sleep during the daytime if you happen to be getting false pictures. Of course, come fall I want to see what’s going on all day. However, this time of year, I get lots of pheasants and cottontails and other birds at the water tank all day long.

You got it made Kooty!!!

Let’s not get carried away. I still gotta make that 6 hour drive….

A couple from this AM.

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This is a definite for me late summer this year. Are there any external battery options with say a solar charger that anyone knows of for these?
DT

Does it also have motion detection?

Its a regular trail camera that you buy a SIM card for and it texts you pictures. The picture amount depends on what service you buy.
DT

@waterfowler, do you know if it is worth the $100 to by the 2015 model over the 2014? Do you have a link to the specific antennae you bought?
DT

@tcgooroo

I had a couple of these last year in Missouri. THEY ARE AWESOME!!!! Batteries were pretty good on them I thought. It was really neat getting up to the minute photos of whats going on. However, the cell service was sketchy where I was. So it wouldn’t function properly all the time. It would lose service and burn all the battery up trying to send over and over or find the cell service at times. So be warned where you don’t get good service with your phone, I wouldn’t be dropping the money on these.

BUT………..

I have recently talked to a sales rep for these.. and there is a VERIZON model going to be available this year. GOOD deal for most of us MIDWESTERERS. Downside is .. you can not convert your older models over to VERIZON network. It is a whole new unit. So your old cameras are stuck with ATT/ US CELLULAR. So be aware of USED ones for sale if you think that you will put VERIZON SMM card in there. Verizon model should be really good for most of US around north country.

Kooty, by Miller Verizon is really strong by me, maybe that will be a better option. You might want to wait to get the new model.
-MD

Have you heard when the Verizon model is coming out? I will obviously wait for that one, I’m just getting antsy.
DT

I would recommend waiting also. My experience was very positive with the 2014 models to start but this spring they have been very problematic. ATT absolutely stinks to deal with also.

@sktrwx2100

I heard from one of the Sales Reps a week or so ago and he said it’s looking like October before they have them in mass quantities. They were having some issues with Verizon certification. They didn’t want to put them out unless they were firing on all cylinders.

Great, now I have to decide if I’m going to buy another camera to get by until they come out or just wait.
DT

Sorry Deertracker, just got back to your question,

I also heard a fall release , which doesn’t make much sense. But better a successful fall release than a problematic July release.