# gps/sonar question



## BigDaddy300 (Nov 1, 2004)

Hopefully I will be able to upgrade my electronics this season and was wondering what you guys like. I really want a gps/sonar combo and need to know what functions, features, and specs are the most import to look for in a unit. Unfortunately price is an issue so I can't just get the top of the line with all the bells and whistles Anyways I would like hear what you guys have to say. Thanks


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## Bass assasin (Jul 23, 2007)

Ive always liked Lowrance the best, but if you want a cheaper unit you may want to look at Eagle


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## JIG (Nov 2, 2004)

Dont know if I could go without the Combo but I dont think you need anything over 500 pixels to find fish. The 642 I have is nice though and Eagle does look cheap to an Lowrance.


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## ParmaBass (Apr 11, 2004)

Sent you a pm Rick....


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## MadMac (May 2, 2005)

Vertical pixel count for target separation, color screen, then screen size.


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## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

Pay close attention to the RMS watts of the unit and transducer, the more watts the better your picture below the boat will be. Peak Watts do matter to a certain degree but more in the 50/200 type transducers, I would not go with a model less than 500 watts RMS. You can do without alot of the bells and whistles but RMS Watts, higher resolution the better for target seperation are key, color is the way to go as well.


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## BigDaddy300 (Nov 1, 2004)

Great help so far guys. My next question is Humminbird or Lowrance? I am leaning toward Humminbird but have not made up my mind yet. Any thoughts?


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## Toxic (May 13, 2006)

Lowrance is a great unit. And their web site offers many free updates. I cannot say if Humminbird offers upgrades or not. Eagle brands are just a cheaper version of the Lowrance units.


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## Marshall (Apr 11, 2004)

I'm having the lowrance 520 put on the boat monday. I know people who have this unit and like it alot.


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## fugarwi7 (Sep 20, 2006)

I can't substantiate this but an electrical tech who repairs GPS/Fishfinders told my dad that the internal guts of most units are all essentially the same...similar to TV's...only of few true manufacturer's and everybody uses their components to build the end product...that being said, is Eagle really that much different than Lowrance from a performance standpoint, provided the specs are the same? I prefer Lowrance and have two on my boat, but I am not really certain how much better they are than Eagle, if at all. I think K Gone is on point! How many RMS watts is really needed to fish the water we fish...deep sea fishing would be a different story, but around here?


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## Evileye (Jan 29, 2006)

I have a lowrance 332c 3,000 watts peak to peak/375 watts rms.
It does everything I ask from it, including finding perch on the bottom.
The 332 is a color unit which I definitely would not do without. I have
the mmc premium east card which I think is not a real necessity. The 
only draw back to this unit is the screen size (5" diag). This seems
to be a common size untill yo get into the more expensive units. What
I've found out is the more watts, bigger screen, color vs bw the more
$$$$$$. I bought mine from a place in oklahoma no tax and free shipping.


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## Hetfieldinn (May 17, 2004)

I used Eagle electronics for years without a single complaint. I'm still using the Eagle GPS I bought six years ago, and it works flawlessly. Last year I updated my fishfinder from a Eagle 480 to a Lowrance color unit. I pretty much run my sonar on the auto mode, but I bump the sensitivity up to around 87%. I like to run two separate units for GPS and sonar in case one of them takes a crap on the water. So far that hasn't happened. Five inch screens are enough for me.


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## chopper (May 15, 2004)

I did have a chance to go to two classes on GPS/sonar this winter. Here is what I learned. No less than 480 vertical pixels. Go color. It really helps see things and decide what is what on the sonar. For GPS get an external antenna. I have looked at several units and I have decided on a Lowrance 520-C. It is $649.00. However, they have new ones in the box on E-bay for $599.00. I don't know if to trust them. I took the 8 hour class and the lowrance units are great to set up and change. The eagle units are less quality lowrance units. Made by the same company. Pay less, get less. I just love the 520-C, just need to talk my wife into it.


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## Fish With Teeth (Mar 1, 2008)

I would advise you to stay away from Humminbird. I have owned several over the years and they were nothing but junk. They spent more time at the factory than on my boat. However, I heard Minn Kota, now owns the company so things may have gotten better but, I will not be the guinea pig to try them again. 

I have had several Lowrance/ Eagle products and have been very happy with them for the most part. I just purchased a Lowrance LCX 27c, with the external GPS antenna. I will soon be mouting it to my boat. I consider this unit to be middle of the road on price. Or, slightly lower than middle of the road and it has a 7" screen, color, and most of the bells and whistles. They sell for $1000.00 at Cabela's or Bass Pro.


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## NUM1FIRE (Nov 12, 2005)

i have a humminbird 777c2 fish finder and this piece of junk has been working just fine with no problems at all and my last fish finder was a humminbird piece of crap and never had a problem with it either


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## napsax (Feb 15, 2008)

I'm in the Southwest & own a handheld Lowrance GPS H2O & a Uniden radio; but, knowledge on using both is very limited. The manuals are pretty basic. Where could I look for classes? Or if anyone has time to explain how to mark a hot fishing site using the Lowrance H2O, or make contact on a Uniden radio (in a "non-emergency" situation), I would appreciate it. How do you talk in those things...I mean do I need a "handle-name"?

PEACE


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## Bluegrass Boy (May 5, 2007)

I bought this unit last summer, and love it!! Its a combination GPS/Fishfinder and I find it very easy to use and understand what's under the boat. Color, very easy to read, easy to plan waypoints and navigate, and when it said there were fish under the boat, we caught fish. I got my unit from Boater's world for $499 and bought the chip for Lake Erie $100 which has everything you could imagine pre-programmed including launches, marinas, marinas with gas/service, restaurants around shoreline, contour lines, the list goes on and on.

IMO its the best for the buck.


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## BigDaddy300 (Nov 1, 2004)

Thanks for all the advice guys. I am leaning toward the 787c by humminbird. My next question is in regards to the navionics chip. I am considering the 2007 chip since they are on sale. Will this chip be sufficient? I will mostly be using it inland with limited use on Erie.


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## Toxic (May 13, 2006)

chopper said:


> It is $649.00. However, they have new ones in the box on E-bay for $599.00. I don't know if to trust them.


DO NOT BUY FROM eBAY. My friend got smoked on buying a new one of there. He tried to send it in to Lowrance and they said since it was not purchased from a store, they would not honor the warranty. Buyer beware.


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## triton175 (Feb 21, 2006)

BigDaddy300 said:


> Thanks for all the advice guys. I am leaning toward the 787c by humminbird. My next question is in regards to the navionics chip. I am considering the 2007 chip since they are on sale. Will this chip be sufficient? I will mostly be using it inland with limited use on Erie.


2007 chip should be fine. I have the 2006 chip and it is great. I saw where the difference between the 2007 and 2008 chips (for the east) is the 2008 has 2000 more lakes. I don't know where they could have found 2000 lakes as there are so many in that chip already. I've never been to a lake that wasn't in the chip, I think it would be hard to find one.

Brian


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## ParmaBass (Apr 11, 2004)

I have the 2007 Navionics card. It's all I'll ever need. When you make up your mind on the fishfinder let me know! You can come over and check out the chip too if you want.


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## BigDaddy300 (Nov 1, 2004)

ParmaBass said:


> I have the 2007 Navionics card. It's all I'll ever need. When you make up your mind on the fishfinder let me know! You can come over and check out the chip too if you want.


Don't worry bud, I have not forgot about you(and your dad) In fact I was on my way to Gander in Twinsburg on Monday to check what they have and got stuck in a bad traffic jam and had to turn around.


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## Hotntot (Jul 28, 2004)

BigDaddy300 I don't know if you already bought or not but try this place http://www.jollyannsales.com/ I bought my 332 got a great service no shipping very prompt.


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## mjgood (Nov 20, 2007)

I just bought a 787c2 off of ebay and it is great. It has both the quad and the wide transducer and I don't particularly care for the wide. If you change from one to the other you have to reset all of the sensitivity levels. I am still learning how to use it, but ift seems fairly easy. I bought a hotmap chip and it has alot of lake even smaller ones and you just plug in. The gps works in my garage with the door closed and you can look at maps or use it for navigation on land if you desire. The color feature is nice but if you need to save some $$ grayscale is just as accurate. Happy fishing...


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