I have purchased a Lowrance HDS sounder/plotter and was wondering if there is any difference in quality of signal form the internal and the optional external antenna. The plotter is going to be dash mounted and will only be shooting sometimes through a binimi.
1. Yes there will be a difference between internal/external and the difference will vary dependent on quite a few influences and combinations of influences
2. You need to decide if you can accept possible degradation of the signal/position as opposed to an external that has the best possibility of providing signal AT ALL TIMES other than situations beyond your control.
OK so it will vary on what position it is in but are the receivers exactly the same as each other?
1. Need to explain that one a little further
"so it will vary on what position it is"
2. Position as in navigation position or position as in placement of the unit?
"but are the receivers exactly the same as each other"
3. Receivers? as in more than one or something referring to the antenna reception?
God help us if you ever work for custumer support. Thank's anyway Satnav you kind of confused me though, i'll do a little more research on the net than maybe i can explain myself a bit better.
1. Yes any customer support has to understand exactly what you are trying to say and if they don't then they will obviously ask you to explain yourself further.
Generally the external antenna will help you get clear of any obstructions the unit itself (and it's internal antenna) may have by extending the aerial out to where it's free of other interferences (ie. direct line of sight to the sky, hopefully). The receiver is still the same as it's actually inside the unit. It just extends the aerial part of the recieving unit out further.
Most of the time though (from what I've seen), out on the open water, the unit should work fine without the external antenna if it's up on the dash, even with the bimini.
I'd give it a go first and go to the satellite page on the unit to see what sort of coverage and strengths you are getting. Only if you have issues would i bother with an external antenna.
Richard
Thanks Richard. I'll go without the external considering the price and see how it goes. I havn't purchased a card yet as waiting for some feed back on the navionics platinum plus chart to be able to use with the lowrance turbo view. Might start another thread on that one and see what info i can get.
My opinion, is , go with the external option, and put it inside firstly.Then if you have any reception issues, you can put it outside.
If you go the other way with an internal set up, you are buggared if it doesnt work correctly.
Thanks Grand Marlin
David
G'day Guys,
The times they are a changin'
Lowrance has gone to great lengths with the new HDS units to make sure that the 16 Channel internal aerial works in nearly all situations.
Any new HDS unit ordered comes standard with an internal aerial, it is not an option like the last models.
If you set up your HDS unit and find that you need an external aerial, then you order it as an optional extra part which will cost around $500
So far, I haven't found a need for the external aerial.
Apart from the Lowrance HDS, any other brand I would still buy the external aerial model.
Most times, even with the external aerial, I would mount them on the dash anyway. They worked fine in this position.
The difference was in the sensitivity of the GPS receiver / aerial.
They previous internal aerial models were a lot and were very unreliable when mounted under bimini's etc. (probably due to where they were located inside the unit)
The new Lowrance HDS units have a more sensitive aerial mounted in the top part of the units frame.
Double post
1. It appears some are not taking the full and unpredictable (future) environment into account when a internal antenna GPS is being actually "used"
2. Wow if antenna, signal degradation based on an obstructed dynamic environment has been solved (?) then nobody in the field is aware of this amazing capability.
see, I told you( LOL)
How are you Pete? Made a good student didn't I ( LOL)
David
Bear in mind that if you have an existing network and external antenae then it works with the HDS units. I will be using my existing LGC on a HDS when i upgrade soon.
From my understanding the new LGC4000 has a much greater refresh rate then the older 2 & 3000 units, although given the inbuilt inaccuracies of GPS updating more quickly is of moot value. If you are close to the mark every second then I fail to see where being close to the point 5 times a second is any better.
Originally Posted by SatNav
Just as well you don't work for them or we still wouldn't have these advances in technology
Points 1 & 2 ... dont throw shit over the gps once it is put in da boat or it aint gonna werk as good
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