electronic recommendations

tcram

2011-03-08 02:00:51

Hello All,

I'm hoping to get advice on what electronics to get. I currently have an old Garmin that just gives coordinates. I am wanting to up-grade to a chart potter/sounder/fish finder unit. Could I get some recommendations from you all?

Thanks,

TC

spike christopher

2011-03-08 18:06:04

The new Lowrance HD-8 or 10 might interest you. It is water proof so you can move it around the boat without worry. Pretty costly but remember you get what you pay for. there is a sonar along with it's fathometer and a ok chart function, you can tie it into your auto pilot and have all your instruments tied to it. A 10 inch screen is actually quite large. I am thinking strongly of setting one up in the fishing cockpit. If anyone has a negative comment on this Lowrance, please post.

kalitan97828

2011-03-09 03:13:16

Gee Spike you mean its time to upgrade from my Ross flasher??

carojae

2011-03-09 06:00:15

Chart potter............ :shock:

I think Nobeltec is one of the better programs out there - its what I use. You just buy their software and download it onto your laptop. You can run a monitor off this from your laptop to the pit for 2 station viewing. You will need a GPS antenna to complete this. The cost is not too bad and it puts your boat right on the chart so you always know where you are. I also like the vector charts this program offers. Vector charts have less clutter on them as opposed to the common Raster charts. *charts are a extra cost.

Sounder/fish finder. This is one unit. There are a few of them out there. I think what you want is something with a little power. I would suggest 500 watt transmitter power with a 50 kHz transducer minimum - although 50kHz is pretty much standard. You will find a lot of boats using 1000 watts for transmitting power - I guess this helps identify fish better.

You can get all this in one unit - it's not what I do. I've heard others say they don't want to lose it all if the unit malfunctions. Sounds reasonable.

**I haven't bought anything new in 10 years so maybe I am out dated but I hope this helps.

Jim

spike christopher

2011-03-09 06:23:49

I got upset with all the lead I was losing along the out side from Yakobi rock to Sandy bay so I stopped off at NOAA in Anchorage and meet with a guy named Zozula who heads up the chart department in Alaska. He looked up all the details on the those charts, guess what, they were produced in 1926 by lead line and have never been up graded. He also said there was no hope in getting them up grade for another 20 years. I think the Ross are great machines, had one on the Arlice when I fished with Auggnie Blendheim back in the late 60's, also had one of those old paper machines which was state of the art. Good memories.http://www.salmontrolling.com/posting.php?mode=reply&f=5&t=1391#

Salty

2011-03-09 07:59:24

I highly recommend the naviionics app for your iPhone. I use mine about twice a day and I have not been fishing in over a month.

birdfeeder11

2011-03-10 18:18:02

Lowrance products seem to have great fish finding capability, and their digital radar seems to be awsome, however their navigation could be better being that i hit a rock in the Arcola using Lowrance gps/plotter last season and the chart plotter said 20 fathoms no rocks in sight!