advice on GPS

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clue0000
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2010/02/04 07:59:09 (permalink)

advice on GPS

hey guys....first time post here.
does anyone have any advice for a particular model of gps to buy for on lake erie.

thx for your suggestions

i have 17 ft spectrum fishing boat.
#1

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    kingnuke32
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    RE: advice on GPS 2010/02/04 09:26:32 (permalink)
    Heres a clue. Garmin is the best.
    #2
    bulldog1
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    RE: advice on GPS 2010/02/04 13:05:02 (permalink)
    Garmin probably is the best, but a little pricey IMO. I have two units on my boat, one is an Eagle FishElite 480 and the other is a Lowrance LCX13C (both made by Lowrance). Both units work great for me and the navionics cards make them really nice. The 480 is a black and white unit and sells for around $350. From what I've seen you want to stay FAR away from the new HDS units until they get some bugs worked out. It really depends on whether you want color or not and what other features are important to you.
    #3
    Split Shot
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    RE: advice on GPS 2010/02/04 23:47:54 (permalink)
    clue, both of the units bulldog has are Fish finder/ Gps combo's. I have a Eagle fishelite 500c. finder/gps. It's ok, but I think the screens are way to small to split it for gps and finder info. I am looking to get to 2 seperate units this year. I am used to the old paper graphs and my old lowrance x70a.  I was use to a full screen of depth finder info and a seperate unit with Loran data. I think I will take a look at garmin.

    My Wife said, if I go fish'n one more time, she'll leave me! God, I'm going to miss her!
    #4
    bulldog1
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    RE: advice on GPS 2010/02/05 09:31:43 (permalink)
    They are combo units, but I almost never use the split screen and the LCX has a large screen. I usually use the larger color unit for gps and the smaller one for sonar, works well for me. I do find that the LCX picks up more stuff on the sonar, but I usually looking for walleye or schools of perch and neither of those are difficult to see. The fact that they are both dual systems give me a back up GPS just in case.
    #5
    Split Shot
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    RE: advice on GPS 2010/02/05 11:38:01 (permalink)
    Good idea on the backup bulldog! you are actually using the 2 units like I want to do. 1 gps and 1 sonar. My fishelite screen is just too small for my 61 yr. old eyes, when I want to look at the bottom and gps at the same time. I was tempted to look at one of the cheapest HD units for the sonar. You say they are having some bugs. I may just add a garmin and have my 2 screens like you are doing.

    My Wife said, if I go fish'n one more time, she'll leave me! God, I'm going to miss her!
    #6
    bulldog1
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    RE: advice on GPS 2010/02/05 13:43:41 (permalink)
    Just seems like I've heard alot of ****in' about the new HDS units, which is too bad 'cause I had the itch. The less expensive map cards for the garmin units run $116 (they have one over $300 too), I usually run a year behind on my navionics cards and have picked them up for $60-$70. The garmins are definately nice units though. My dad bought the huge screen Lowrance and it's great even using the split screen, but it was very pricey too. You can see it clearly from anywhere in the boat.
    #7
    Split Shot
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    RE: advice on GPS 2010/02/05 15:21:05 (permalink)
    Thanks for the info!

    My Wife said, if I go fish'n one more time, she'll leave me! God, I'm going to miss her!
    #8
    Blowchowski
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    RE: advice on GPS 2010/02/05 15:41:18 (permalink)
    Clue, are you mostly a walleye fisherman or do you fish structure too? 

    I love cats. I just can't eat a whole one..
    #9
    crappiefisher
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    RE: advice on GPS 2010/02/05 17:14:16 (permalink)
     My kid just bought a Humminbird 998c SI combo. He hooked it up in the house the other day & it looked purdy cool. Time will tell I guess??
    #10
    Porktown
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    RE: advice on GPS 2010/02/05 17:23:29 (permalink)
    Here's a great source for fishing electronics.
     
    I bought a used Navionics chip from the for sale section for 1/2 of the new ones. 
     
    http://bbcboards.zeroforum.com/zeromain  Hopefully I am allowed to link it.  I got the link from a thread on this site about 2 years ago...
    #11
    crappiefisher
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    RE: advice on GPS 2010/02/05 17:33:40 (permalink)
    -
    post edited by crappiefisher - 2010/02/05 19:12:28
    #12
    Blowchowski
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    RE: advice on GPS 2010/02/09 08:11:20 (permalink)
    Buddy has a Lowrance lxc112c complete for $900. It was on the boat and used a half dozen times. He went with the new HDS....... He hasn't been rained on yet.

    If you're not fishing structure, no need to go high end on the GPS.. For Erie walleye, all I have is a Garmin 210 thats about 12 years old.

    I love cats. I just can't eat a whole one..
    #13
    bulldog1
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    RE: advice on GPS 2010/02/09 11:22:17 (permalink)
    He may want to hold onto that 112, it seems like the HDS models all need software updates and then the mapping turns to something less than the original. There's an issue with the mapping companies that they are using. On the plus side, I see where cabelas has the sirius satelite weather receivers on sale for $99 down from almost $400 and they are compatible ONLY with the HDS series.
    #14
    Blowchowski
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    RE: advice on GPS 2010/02/09 14:20:25 (permalink)
    Yea, I know. He's not too concerned about the mapping. Its the Broadband signal he's after. He fishes a lot of tournaments, Deep Creek, rivers, and wants the detail. When he fishes, it's like work. No thanks!

    I love cats. I just can't eat a whole one..
    #15
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