Sounder/GPS Combo opinions

[Chris_2184]

Hi all,

I just bought a new boat package a little while back and it came equipped with an Eagle SeaCharter 500c DF, has anyone used this model before and did they like it? Should I upgrade?

cheers

[SNAPPERCOFFIN]

Where abouts will you be using it?

[Moonlighter]

Hi Chris

I have the Seacharter 500cdf on my boat. Its now about 3 yrs old.

Its a great combo unit, with a dual frequency 500w transducer so heaps of power and many, but not quite all, of the features of the equivalent Lowrance models. Res is quite good. Satellite lock-on not quite as fast as Lowrance but rarely takes more that 50 sec.

I use mine in Moreton Bay and offshore, great pictures in depths out to 90 odd metres which is about as deep as I fish. Very happy with its on-water performance.

A few things I have learnt about this unit that you might be interested in:

1. Unlike the Lowrance units, none of the Eagle units allows you to set the upper and lower range limits manually. This means that you can't set the unit to look at, for example, the bottom 5m when you are out in 80m of water. The only thing you can do is use the zoom feature to zoom in x 4 times and that's OK but not as good. If you fish regularly out in more than 60 - 70m of water it might be an issue, otherwise not that big a problem, just something to be aware of IMO.

2. Make sure that the software version in your unit is the latest one available. The current version is 1.9.0. - compare with the version on your unit. Its quite easy to download the new version to your PC (you will need an up to date version of Java installed on your PC first) and then save this to a SD card and upload. See http://www.eaglenav.com.au/en-au/Dow...tware-Updates/

The older versions of the software on this unit had quite a few bugs that myself and some other owners hounded them aboiut until they released new versions which are now fine.

3. If you get a mapping card (eg Navionics, Nauticpath etc) never, never, never save anything onto the map SD card as you will be at severe risk of wiping the map if you do!! If you want to transfer some waypoints to or from the unit get a separate SD card and use that.

4. You can download a slighly clunky but nevertheless useful waypoint management software from the Eagle/Lowrance website for free - its called GDM. Very useful for creating and uploading waypoints, routes etc to the unit and then downloading them and saving backup copies on your PC. See http://www.eaglenav.com.au/en-au/Dow...a-Manager-GDM/

5. I would recommend that you either take the unit out of your boat when its not being used or alternatively fit an inline switch that allows you to completely cut the power supply to the unit when its not being used. Why, you may ask? Well the only drama I have had with this unit was after I got slack and left it in the boat with power connected (athough the unit itself was turned off). Came home from work one day and heard this constant beeping from the shed - the Seacharter had switched itself on and was then running thru the light cycle from low to high again and again and it wouldn't turn off at all! Ended up having to send it back to Eagle to be fixed and as it was out of warranty cost me quite a few $. Apparently this problem happens to both Lowrance and Eagle units a bit and my theory is that it has something to do with power being connected to the unit constantly. Simply solved - install a switch and turn it off when not in use!

Hope this helps

ML

[Chris_2184]

Snappercoffin, I'll be using it around CQ area including impoundments, estuaries and offshore. Deepest usage will probably be around the 120ft mark.


Moonlighter, thanks for the info that will help me out a lot. I'm still new to the unit and getting to know how to use it properly, it does seem like a decent combo though. As for the cut-off switch, I have one installed in the boat but I disconnect the unit anyway and store it away.

Cheers

[Chris_2184]

Oh by the way, do you know how to resize the map/sounder split screen? And can I change the settings to show arches rather than fish symbols?

Cheers

[Moonlighter]

Resizing windows when youre in split screen mode is a piece of cake.

Hit menu, then you will see the "resize window" option on the list. Scroll down and select that. Then use the left and right arrows to adjust the size to suit. Then exit.

Have you worked out how to access the 2 different menus that apply to the GPS and sounder sides when in split screen mode? Just hit the pages button twice - you will notice that there is a blue highlight line at the top of the screen that indicates which side of the split screen is "active" - when you hit the menu button, the menu relevant to that side will come up. Hit pages/pages again to swap to the other side and access the other menu options.

Re fish symbols, gee its been a while but I think its in the sounder setup menu. Pretty easy to follow as follows:

First make sure you're on the sounder page, then hit menu/sonar features/ then scroll down to the Fish ID section and un-tick the box next to fish symbols. That will get rid of the little fishes swarming all over your screen and annoying you!

Did you get a user's manual with the Seacharter? If not you can download from Eagle's website - use one of the links provided earlier and you'll be able to find it there. If you get stuck PM me and I will e-mail to you.

ML

[BILLY THE KID]

how detailed are the gps maps WITHOUT the navionics cards in them . or do they have to lock a few sattelites to show detail
i cant seem to zoom in on mine at the moment without it overzooming ???

any ideas

its on an seacharter 502c df igps model

[tenzing]

Billy , check the reply to your post. You may have answered my question.
Without the mapping you will certainly get enough detail to say, tell australia from PNG. That sort of thing.
Brendan