GPS/CHART

[maxi]

About to purchase gps/chartploter any help on whats the best curently looking at the Garmin 172c or the Lowrance 3500. Not sure which is best and have heard conflicting repots on which charts are best. Blue chart/Cmap or Navionics. Help and prices would be unreal.

Cheers

Greg :-? ;D

[Leo_N.]

Mate, I am going through the same process with both chart plotter and sounder options. Fot the sounder I am leaning towards the Furuno FCV600L and for the plotter the Garmin 172C seems to be a good option. There has been some discussion here about the Garmin plotter and their charts and it all seems positive.

[maxi]

Good to see someone is heading down the same path, hopefully the reasearch is worth it. Not sure about the screen size on the Garmin it could be a bit small, however the service on the Lowrance is also scary. I live at Caloundra, if you want to discuss further feel free to give me a call on 5491 8629 or 0421644047.

Good luck

Greg ;D

[Smelly]

Maxi - did you decide yet?

I too am going through the same process - am concerned about difference in screen res for these two models..

[Pointyfish]

I've got the GPSMAP172C and find the screen size adequate. Bigger is always better until it comes to price. I would go with the Garmin. The Lowerance plotters I've seen tend to leave your path as a thick dark line were as the garmin leaves a much thinner trail which is heaps better if your going to do a lot of trolling. When I work bait balls off the plotter chasing billfish the thinner trail makes it a lot more acurate to work a small area. Also the Garmin is a very user friendly unit.
The Garmin cards ( blue card I think ) come in two different area of coverage. One does Esperence in SW Western Australia around the top to Townsville and the other does the same but runs down the east coast and around SA. The detail and acurracy of the cards is excellent.
I bought my unit from Johnny Appleseed GPS 1800 666 477 www.ja-gps.com.au at the time he was the cheapest in Australia.

[Smelly]

THanks Pointyfish -

What do u mean by "Leave your path"?

I always thought, the bigger the res. the better..

Even though Garmin has lower res, does it still seem a better unit?

Smelly

[Smelly]

Also, pointfish - do u have an internal or external antenna fo rthis unit?

Which is better and why?

[Pointyfish]

As you move around in your boat the display on your plotter will leave a line were you have been. This enables you to back track to a lump you may have driven over or an area you had a hit in or to check where your mates went if they borrowed your boat! Reguardless of the definition of your unit, the units I've had experience with will leave draw this line different depending on the brand. The two seperate models of lowerance plotters I have seen both draw a trail line approx 2mm thick which might not sound much but when your trying to fit a picture of an area 30kms squared on a screen 100mm x 100mm (approx) its clutter you can do without. The 172C leaves a line about 0.5mm thick. Unless you do a lot of trolling or sounding around in deep water looking for bottom then this might not worry you.
You won't be disappointed with a 172C. Its a top unit with all the nessary features including tides etc for your area, it has a good display, its easy to use and the maps are very accurate. There an exceptional unit for their price, I reckonmend them.

[Pointyfish]

I've got the internal antenna. My boat has a soft top canopy so the signal goes straight through it no probs. If your got a hard top canopy then get the external antenna and mount it on top of your canopy otherwise go the internal , less parts plugs etc to go wrong

[maxi]

Hi Smelly,

I still have not purchased yet, but will be for sure in the next two weeks. I like the look of the 3500 lowrance and have heard good reports, however I still have not seen the 172c as the shops near me don't have that model in stock and I would really like to play with it in demo mode. My main concern is screen size, clarity and the Navionics Verses Blue map thingo. Anyhow now pointyfish has really got me thinking. Any Idea on what price the 172c is with eastcoast bluemap.

Greg

[Pointyfish]

I bought mine on the 6th May 05 from Johnny Appleseed. Prices then were as follows:

1)Garmin GPSMAP172CI $1034.00
2)Card MPC011R (half aust running up west coast) $219.00
3) Registed post to Karratha WA $24.55

Total $1277.55

I would think you could get it for around a hundred dollars cheaper now days. Prices on electrical gear doesn't stay the same for long.

[Bowser]

I have a Lowrance and particularly because it uses Navionics. All reports and professional opinion at the time was that the best charts available were Navionics. Talk to the people who have no commercial or personal interest in the type of chart to get an unbiased opinion. And screen size and resolution do matter, if they didn't we wouldn't have high definition wide screen plasma tv's. The screen of your GPS is the same. A larger screen will enable you a larger view of whatever you are looking at rather than a tiny view and colour will beat grey scale evrytime

[Ratman]

Bowser,

Does Lowrance have interface capabilities with stuff like EasyGPS/PC waypooint management systems???

I agree, screen seize matters.

Mick