Cuddeback Link
Contributors to this thread:Equipment
From: deserthunter
02-Jun-21
Anyone here a firsthand user of the Cuddeback link system ? I have probably 24 cameras scattered around our place. I have Covert . Browning , Spypoint. Stealth and Moultrie cameras . As they get older I am missing more and more pictures. Obvious pictures like something digging a hole etc. So I am getting ready to start updating cameras and am thinking of using just 1 brand. I tried the Bowsite search function by it will not load for some reason.
From: OTC_Bowhunter
02-Jun-21
I second that question. I have been looking at the 4 pack with card, bear case, batteries, ...etc. Thanks
From: g5smoke21
02-Jun-21
I have 2 out currently at a property 4 hours away. I just noticed this AM that I haven't gotten a status report or pictures for a few day. I also can not look at or change settings. I contacted cuddeback and they said it more than likely lost the signal. that doesn't make sense to me since there is a tower 5 miles away and my brothers tactacam reveals are working fine on the property. The only thing I can think of is a bear messed with them and broke the antennas. I'll be having the neighbor check them for me. If they look good I will be disappointed with the reception. My good buddy that's a bow tech at Scheels has said the reveals are the best
From: 4nolz@work
02-Jun-21
Cuddelink system works good they have a very active Facebook page for support too
From: No Mercy
02-Jun-21
I have two set ups of 5 cameras - just took them down and will put them back up in July. I love this set up! Cuddeback will also be coming out with an app to view pics and change camera setting this month.
From: MA-PAdeerslayer
02-Jun-21
Reveals are the best imho! I run 6! 4 older model and 2 newer model. Also have had decent luck with Spypoint micro. But the tactacams are my favorite for a call cam. Cabelas gen 3 takes the cake for a non cell cam for quality and ease of use
From: Bucbuster
02-Jun-21
I have a (5) camera system. We love it. Warranty claim was seamless as well. Replaced a camera immediately.
From: KSBOW
02-Jun-21
I have a buddy that has one, I will be purchasing in future they are a game changer in my opinion. With them set you don't have to go in and out of best places pulling cards. Pull up to front of property where base camera is and pull out card look at all cameras. Wish i could afford about 15 of them
From: Jtek
02-Jun-21
I just put out a 3 camera Cuddeback Link system. All are working well for me except for one issue. Pics at only maybe 15 yards or less are not very clear and sharp. I assume it is a setting that I need to change. Any help would be appreciated.
From: Jtek
02-Jun-21
From: MDcrazyman
03-Jun-21
I have 8 going: Mine are the 20 MP. Pros all go back to one camera and they take good pics. cons: You need to upgrade to the D battery packs to get any life out of them, also when they daisy chain the pics the quality suffers and viewing size is very small like 6x6 and the pics are grainy and hard to tell what you are seeing especially at night. You can make out a deer for sure but trying to figure out how big a buck is, that can be a challenge. The cameras have to be very close to get any type of quality. For instance if you put it on a scrape i would recommend no further than 5 ft away. my 2 cents
From: olebuck
03-Jun-21
i have 4 going. they are more complicated to set up than some of the other brands - but once i learned how to use all the features - they are impressive. great scouting tool! they are quality, and i have had great customer service.
From: No Mercy
04-Jun-21
This buck is 30 feet from the camera-photo looks pretty good quality to me.
From: Mad Trapper
10-Jun-21
I have two systems. One that delivers via cell service and one that delivers to a home camera (non-cell). The photo quality on the non-cell is much better than the cell service system. Both are more than good enough for my use. Very satisfied with both systems. Had a bear chew off one of my antennas though. The camera was in a bear box, but the bear got the antenna. I have added the D-cell battery pack to all of my cameras. Tried using the solar panels and they just don't work that well in cloudy Western PA.
From: 12yards
10-Jun-21
We just put three sets of Cuddylink with repeaters out in SD where we hunt. We also have solar panels for keeping them running. It seems like they are working good so far, even after the cows knocked some of them crooked. One has been taking thousands of pics of the ground. We at least know there are no rattlesnakes going under that camera. Ha! Honestly can't give a report on longevity and durability as it's only been up a couple months. But so far so good.
From: g5smoke21
24-Jul-21
Wanted to update my post. My cuddelink is still not sending pics. Went up to the cabin today and checked them out. They will not connect to the cell network to get a signal. We have a Verizon tower 3 miles down the road so I'm not to sure what the issue is. Moved one of my brothers tactacam reveals 10 ft next to the cuddelink and it gets 4g on the Verizon network. I have a co worker who loves his but I just don't know what the deal is. I have another email into cuddelink support. Last year I had the cams on a different property close to home and they worked great
From: MathewsMan
25-Jul-21
They made transmission cameras illegal in Alaska, but where I had previously been baiting Bear there was no cell signal so they would not have worked anyhow
From: bassmasterjk
26-Jul-21
Following: Just bought G Series cell cam and 7 J series cameras, I've yet to set them up
From: APauls
26-Jul-21
I bought one to try because the Spypoint MicroLinks can't get good service where I am, and Tactacam Reveals are unavailable anywhere. Not even sure if they shipped the new ones to Canada.
Anyways, so far, it works awesome. As others have stated theres more to the setup, but that's because theres more features. They are quite a unit. I found myself more impressed after going through it than before I bought. And it has no issues getting service where my other cameras could not get service. They are expensive though. At the fuel cost of running hours to get there and back my ROI will just be a little longer than a Spypoint lol. But the thing works flawlessly. I'll have to get a couple to daisychain once I can scrape the cash ;) It's nice that you can still run all the cameras on one cell plan as opposed to each camera is it's own deal.
From: Catscratch
26-Jul-21
Loved the idea. Bought one and it was dead in less than a yr. They told me it un-repairable. At the time of purchase they had promised a stand alone receiver unit that could be hooked to your PC. A yr later they still hadn't released it. Walked away and never looked back.
From: 12yards
26-Jul-21
Ours seem to be working well.
From: BullBuster
27-Jul-21
I’ve had them since they came out about 4 years ago. Got 11 cameras. Great concept but have problems all the time. Cameras degenerate over time and picture quality decreases. Every firmware upgrade comes with problems. The battery life decreases over time and with firmware upgrades. U must buy the d-cell battery packs but battery life is still crap. Range poor. Close range quality good.
From: BullBuster
08-Aug-21
I just had my 3rd camera go tits up. I’m finding that they only have a 4 or 5 year lifespan. Not happy about that.
From: BullBuster
10-Aug-21
My 4th camera died. They charge $100 to fix plus you have to ship. If non fixable they sell a new one for something like 40% off. I asked the tech if 4-5 years is the usual life expectancy of these cameras. Her answer: “depends “. Hmmmm
From: 12yards
11-Aug-21
Update on our system. It seems despite having solar panels on each camera, we are still eating batteries. Canopy impacting charging possibly?
From: Mad Trapper
11-Aug-21
I have used them for 2 years now with no problems. I have not had any luck with the solar panels though. I removed the panels and now use additional D-cell battery packs on all cameras. I am getting about 5-6 months on a set of batteries with hundreds of pictures being transmitted. I am in hilly country and the cameras remain deployed all year. No problems with transmissibility. Did have a bear chew one of my antennas. The camera still worked. I also use Buckeye cams. They are much more expensive than the Cuddebacks at least initially. I can get three Cuddebacks for the price of one Buckeye cam. The buckeye cams are bullet proof though and will transmit directly to my computer without a monthly fee.
From: Straight Shooter
11-Aug-21
Thanks to the OP for asking the question. Overall seems like too many issues for me to drop that kind of money. Manufactures need to make the cameras so they can easily upgrade and function when new technology comes out. My Covert used to send pictures but now only functions as a standard camera.
From: Shiloh
11-Aug-21
I wish another company out there would come out with a camera system where multiple cameras could share the same cellular plan. I hate having multiple monthly fees and will not expand past 2 cell cameras until something like this comes along. Please let me know if there is anything out there other than Cuddeback.
From: No Mercy
11-Aug-21
I have had zero issues with my Cuddeback system. Yes-I do have the battery packs on the cameras, and if you think about it, these cameras are transferring big files from camera to camera and will go through more batteries than standard cameras or even other cell cameras. I get 4-5 months out of a set of batteries on each camera. I have two 5 camera sets out in different parts of ND and haven't had any issues in the 3 years I have been operating them.
From: 4nolz@work
12-Aug-21
Spypoint has 100 pictures per month free
From: chasin wtails
12-Aug-21
12 yards --I have a few of Cuddelink cameras with solar and have zero batteries in them with no issue. How much sun are your panels getting? You mention your canopy. Could that be your problem as mine get direct sunlight most of the day.
This is my 3rd year running 8 C/L cameras with a home. 3 on solar and the others the 6 D battery back up. I was getting 6+ months on some last year. I would suggest if you have the system and having issues there are one or more Facebook groups strickly on C/L and lots of knowledge to help. I have 2 Moultrie mobile and paying $20/month where with C/L the 8 cameras cost me the same.
From: 12yards
13-Aug-21
chasin wtails, we have them in SD, in a river bottom area with big cottonwoods. It seems the cameras in the more open areas are doing ok. In the more wooded areas, we tried to place the solar panels where they would get the most sunlight, trimmed branches, etc., but they may not be getting enough light still.
From: BullBuster
03-Apr-22
This is a warning for J series cuddelink cameras. Just had 3 more cameras degenerate. Less than 4 yo. Batteries now last less than 30 days with the 6 D cell upgrade. Less than 80 pics. Longevity is a real issue with these cameras.
