Chartplotter & Sounder Advice
Submitted by SamC on Tue, 2010-08-17 13:47
Hey Guys,
After a couple of new units. I have been looking at the Lowrance HDS-5m Plotter and a Lowrance HDS-5x Sounder.
I would prefer 2 seperate units over a combo unit. I have been looking at the FCV620 but there up there and eating into a half decent Plotter if i happened to go that track.
Have a budget of around $1600 for the 2 units.
Any input would be good, any comments on the HDS-5x as a sounder would be valuable aswell.
Cheers,
Sam
____________________________________________________________________________
Cheers,
Sam
DazSamFishing
Posts: 1518
Date Joined: 19/08/09
Sam, I've got the combo
Sam, I've got the combo you're after. I run the Lowrance HDS 5m Plotter & Furuno FCV620.
When I bought the HH, it was only fitted with the 620 (no plotter), so I spent a bit of time considering what I should fit. I.e. A combo unit, or 2 individual units.
My previous boat was fitted with a combo & it shat itself one day leaving me stuck on both fronts (GPS & Sounder). I wasn't happy.
I'd suggest going 2 individual units. I like being able to look at 2 seperate screens & the confidence that if 1 unit packs it in, I've still got either the GPS for my marks, or a sounder to cruise around looking for fish.
Unfortunately for me, my console dash is quite small, so fitting these 2 units leaves me no room for size upgrades (unless of course I wanted to go back to a single large combo unit).
I would definitely recommend the HDS 5m as the plotter & save the coin for the FCV620 (just sell one of your stellas).
Although, I have heard some good things about the HDS sounder range...
hlokk
Posts: 4292
Date Joined: 04/04/08
Gotta say one things thats
Gotta say one things thats great about my combo unit is that i can scroll back (or across) and mark a spot, which makes it really easy for getting back on top of those fish or a lump.
I think some units you can get that capability by connecting them together though. Can you do it with the HDS's?
What do you loose out plotter wise if you do go the 620 route?
Lamby
Posts: 3145
Date Joined: 04/08/09
Yep agree with the scroll
Yep agree with the scroll back feature, number of times we have been shooting across and then pick up something that looks interesting. Mark it on the sounder and get back around with it on the gps.
mullows
Posts: 738
Date Joined: 25/12/08
Hi Guys I am in the same
Hi Guys
I am in the same boat (pardon the pun) with my new boat arriving soon. Like you Daz my dash isn't huge and the fcv620 looks the goods and will fit...question is the 620 worth the money and is it the same as the 585 just smaller???
Cheers
Mullows
The Older I get the better I was :-)
Seaquest
Posts: 1131
Date Joined: 22/10/09
I would go the FCV620 and a
I would go the FCV620 and a cheap GPS.
GPS is only good to put you in the right areas, your sounder finds the fish.
Also lowrance sounders don't have bottom lock, a must for bottom bashing.
hlokk
Posts: 4292
Date Joined: 04/04/08
Cant say i'm much of a fan
Cant say i'm much of a fan of bottom lock to be honest. Prefer seeing the shape of the bottom, then seeing where the fish are hanging relative to it (e.g. off the leading edge, or on top, etc). Though, most of the time, you'll splitscreen it, but still prefer having whole screen with one on there and just figuring out how far the fish are off the bottom myself :p. Might be reason i'm missing, but didnt see any advantages myself so far (not that i've really used them a lot).
Seaquest
Posts: 1131
Date Joined: 22/10/09
Bottom lock is a must for
Bottom lock is a must for finding flat broken ground. Also is very handy when the swell is up.
scotto
Posts: 2471
Date Joined: 21/04/08
double
i'll double that. bottom lock is the feature that stays on full-time on my furuno.
fishy fingers
Posts: 1719
Date Joined: 28/04/07
yes they do
"lowrance sounders don't have bottom lock,"
my hds 5x does.
SamC
Posts: 2013
Date Joined: 30/08/06
How do you find it FF?
How do you find it FF?
Cheers,
Sam
fishy fingers
Posts: 1719
Date Joined: 28/04/07
It's brilliant
Having said that I only got it a few weeks before going to exie when the comp was on (I wasnt in it) and we all know what the weather/wind was like needless to say it hasnt had a real test yet, I'm a fair weather fisherman so when the winter starts My boat goes in the shed and I cant be bothered bringing it out to fish down here in winter (that and work and other crap)but in the next few weeks I'll get it out and an start fishing again but from what I Have seen I'm very happy with it.
Lamby
Posts: 3145
Date Joined: 04/08/09
In your features have a
In your features have a scroll through, I think it's in options (not entirely sure) but it will split the screen giving you half bottom lock / normal pic. Can't get to it right now but someone will be able to have a look and give you the steps.
fishy fingers
Posts: 1719
Date Joined: 28/04/07
The sounder not the bottom lock
I think Samc was asking how I find the sounder not the bottom lock.............I know how to find that!
whaler73
Posts: 29
Date Joined: 25/07/10
they do have bottom lock
all hds series sounders/combos have bottom lock
MILF (MAN I LOVE FISHING) MILF
till
Posts: 9358
Date Joined: 21/02/08
Actually the new broadband
Actually the new broadband sounders by lowrance do have bottom lock.
I was really impressed with the new garmin touchscreen GPS units, but as much as I like the furunos, I would probably buy a Lowrance HDS over the lower-end furunos.
Not 100%, but pretty sure the 620 is limited to the 600w tranny.
DazSamFishing
Posts: 1518
Date Joined: 19/08/09
Yeah, 620 limited to 600w.
Yeah, 620 limited to 600w. 585 (bigger screen) and can transmit to 1kw.
Seaquest
Posts: 1131
Date Joined: 22/10/09
About time the lowrance came
About time the lowrance came with bottom lock. I still would have any Furuno sounder over a Lowrance. I have a Koden 833c that I love. Its very similar to the Furuno 585.
till
Posts: 9358
Date Joined: 21/02/08
I don't know exactly when
I don't know exactly when they got bottom lock, but previous and current series have it IIRC.
The real shocker is the garmin touchscreen units, they are really lovely, and a good idea, but totally worthless as a sounder - no bottom lock.
SamC
Posts: 2013
Date Joined: 30/08/06
Thanks guys
Yeh the size of the dash on the boat im looking at isn't massive either.
Daz, thats the combo i was originally looking at. I think i will end up going down that track.
Just wanted to see if there were any comments on the HDS sounder set-up
Thanks again
Cheers,
Sam
Brody
Posts: 1025
Date Joined: 06/02/07
I was looking at the HDS5
I was looking at the HDS5 for a mate, and the combo is only $150 more than the standard plotter, means you have a spare sounder for $150.
Tigh82
Posts: 225
Date Joined: 04/05/06
Sounder Plotter
Hey Sam, I also have have the same set up as Daz. 620 and HDS 5M. Must say it is an awsome combo and really easy to understand and use. Nav Gold card is good with the plotter unit. Save the little bit of extra coin and get the two units mate. Good luck with it all. Tigh
JohnF
Posts: 2838
Date Joined: 07/07/10
Sounder Plotter
I have a Raymarine A70 combo. Gotta agree with hlokk that the biggest advantage is being able to scroll back on the sounder, find the exact point you just went over, and tag it on the GPS. No need to turn around and retrack.
Some of the older combo's dont do this, the old man has a top end Furuno combo that is excellent but does not have the scroll back not the broadband of the new Raymarines/Lowrances etc.
I suspect if you get two separate untis of the same make, you could interface them to get this functionality??
I was tossing up between HDS combo, Raymarine combo and sepoarate 620 and cheap GPS as well. I think the Furuno counder may be a bit better, but the slick interface of the Raymarine sold me, and unless you are looking to get a HDS8 or abover, I would go the Raymarine, as all models have the soft buttons across the bottom that change function depending on the screen, minimising the need to go into the menus. Only the HDS 8 and above have this (or at least di when I last looked).
This is actually a MUCH bigger issue than you may think, as it is really hard to flip through menus when rocking and rolling on the sea. The HDS menu looked really slick but tryu it in a 3 m swell....
The HDS8 combo looks like a good thing though!
Now that we are discussing sounders......on 200 Hz, I never get fish arches, but on 50 Hz (now that I hnave set up the trasnducer to remove all the interference) I get excellent fish arches. I tend to run a split screen on the sounder now, with 50 and 200 Hz, gives a lot more info and if you see something on the 50 but not the 200, it means you are just off to the edge, as the 50 has a much wider beam, and allows you to zero in on the target. Like hlokk, not a fan of bottom lock, I find the 50/200 more useful.
Hope this helps.
John
Boston Whaler 235 Conquest......getting the flogging it was built for.
grayzeee
Posts: 2283
Date Joined: 09/07/09
lowrance plotter and furuno
lowrance plotter and furuno for my money
on the lowrance plotter , you can zoom right in to 1/64th of a nautical mile. makes it a breeze getting right on the spot . (although my 585 won't talk to my 5200c ) however,
that is a big plus , having the compatability of the units like is said above.
on my dinghy's , i had lowrance combo units which are pretty much perfect in that smaller space.
(i heard raymarine are moving toward combo units only now.)
If I spent half as long fishing , as I do reading this bloody forum , I'd be twice the fisherman I am.
tyrone86
Posts: 62
Date Joined: 28/03/09
lowrance hds
you can scroll and tag on the sounder on the hds and it will save the way point to the gps and its real easy to use. i would go two screens one gps one sounder it you have the room and the money and the broadband is a must have the best ever 25 30 knots reading the bottom.
double uni knot is king !!
i love to fish for norwest blowies!!
PB flounder 14.3cms (113 grams)
P.B Norwest Blowie 2.3kg on river prawn
mullows
Posts: 738
Date Joined: 25/12/08
Does the raymarine a70 have
Does the raymarine a70 have bottom lock?? Guessing not from the post by JohnF. Other option I was looking at is the Furuno GP7000f, pricey but are they any good
Cheers
Mullows
The Older I get the better I was :-)
till
Posts: 9358
Date Joined: 21/02/08
Certainly it does, I have
Certainly it does, I have the A65 and it has bottom lock. I also prefer how the GPS works to the Furuno and it uses navionics charts - much better detail than cmap.
mullows
Posts: 738
Date Joined: 25/12/08
Cheers Till. I am leaning
Cheers Till. I am leaning toward the A70.
The Older I get the better I was :-)
tot
Posts: 1162
Date Joined: 31/01/10
Sure does have a look , i have the smaller model and love it
http://www.whitworths.com.au/main_itemdetail.asp?cat=114&item=46182&intAbsolutePage=1
Reverse cycle a/c supply and install - Ducted and wall splits
Lamby
Posts: 3145
Date Joined: 04/08/09
What colour palette do
What colour palette do people use on their Lowrance HDS to best distinguish bottom features etc?
Oceanside Tackle
Posts: 2803
Date Joined: 23/07/09
Bottom Lock
Bottom Lock - crayfisherman use it, wetlinners use it, charter boats use it and I know Ryan also swears by it and he gets the odd fish lol so I think theres a message.
Using bottom lock is the best tool for defining ground, fish and their position.
Oceanside Team - Specializing in Jigging for demersal, Super Deep Fishing and Cockburn Sound Pink Snapper.
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arfadunger
Posts: 1
Date Joined: 13/05/10
I've been looking at the
I've been looking at the Garmin GPSMAP 551s combo. I like that it comes with a preloaded base map. It makes it quite useable out of the box, at a reasonable cost. The latest Bargain Boats Bits catalogue has them for $849. Anyone have any opinions or comments?
Off topic a bit, I have been using Navionics on my iPhone (approx $15) as a GPS/Chartplotter and found it very useful.
whaler73
Posts: 29
Date Joined: 25/07/10
over the limit
dont go over your iphones download limit with your carrier could turn out to be very expensive
MILF (MAN I LOVE FISHING) MILF
Reefmonkey
Posts: 711
Date Joined: 22/09/08
HDS
Definate feature of the HDS units is that you can scroll back thru your sounder and mark on your GPS- very handy.The sounders also as stated have the bottom lock. Dont think u can get a furuno and a lowrance to talk to each other but i may be wrong.
Always been a fan of stand alone units, a combo in a 5 inch just wouldn't do it for me split screen. If your lookin at 5in screens definately go 2 units. However recently had the use of a HDS7 combo at my finger tips and have to say the 7inch screen- no problems split screen at all, even with the sounder side split with bottom lock and zoom.
You should be able to pick up two units lowrance for around $1600 or a HDS7 combo for about 1500 but u still have that issue if it craps itself u lose it all.
Mind u also if you go two units i'm pretty sure u have to get the nmea ethernet box to get the two to talk........
Hell i dunno wat i'd do either :) ......
Also factor in a SD card for your plotter a navionics gold will set you back another 390, or 490 for the platinum which will give u the extra dimensional map for the HDS units....
I honestly dunno wat my opinion is but thats it :)
Dave J.
till
Posts: 9358
Date Joined: 21/02/08
You can get Furuno sounders
You can get Furuno sounders to send marks through to Lowrance plotters. Tim Carson has it working on his using over nmea too, not nmea over ethernet.
Just remember that there is no more detail in the WA content on the platinum navionics than the gold. I asked in a boat shop about this last week too.
JohnF
Posts: 2838
Date Joined: 07/07/10
Yep, A70 definately has
Yep, A70 definately has bottom lock, I just dont use it much. In some mcircumstances I DO use it, so is worth having it, but I like to see what the sounder sees and take out the swell effects myself.
You wont be disspointed with the A70, but as said, the HDS8 or above will be very nice.
Boston Whaler 235 Conquest......getting the flogging it was built for.
The_Wanderer
Posts: 735
Date Joined: 24/09/08
Sam definatley check out the
Sam definatley check out the Raymarine range thier interface is awesome very user friendly and the sounders and GPS are brilliant.
Ben
lowrance
Posts: 34
Date Joined: 17/07/10
HDS
Look i would stick to the HDS5x and a HDS5m, unless you want to add a bit more cash to it do the fcv620 and the hds5m. But honestly the hdds5x is better value for money and is a ripper of a unit and will take you to great depths, 1100mts!! Broadband sounder technology is what does it.Less Noise, More Targets, Crystal-Clear Clarity, Greater Shallow-Water Detail and Coverage and Incredible Deep-Water Performance. All lowrance now have bottom lock standard and all these new wizz bang fetures such as structure scan and coming soon the sonic hub!! this system allows the lowrance unit basically be you stereo ipod player!
Plus with all of that it has the NMEA 2000 compatability so it will talk to most outboards and even suzuki's new models, with the new adaptor avail from All Boats.
check out http://www.allboatbusiness.com.au/accessories/whats-new/
as for Raymarine well they're great but they have fallen a bit behind with the technology especially the smaller units, like the a70n has been around a while.
At the end of the day you have so much to spend and Lowrance cover that budjet, also they have had their problems in the past but thats all changed now and always implementing new and better features on their gps and sounders all the time, there gps use the best charts Navionics GOLD the best chatrs for WA!! so do yourself a favour and first speak to the boys at all boats as they will guide you in the right direction.
lowrance
Posts: 34
Date Joined: 17/07/10
HDS
P.s Garmin make great gps plotters with that auto guidance feature but the sounders arent flash on a 551s need to go the 8" or 12" with a 1 or 2 kw trani.
till
Posts: 9358
Date Joined: 21/02/08
But even the bigger Garmins
But even the bigger Garmins don't have bottom lock?