GPS external antenna

[Grand_Marlin]

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.

Exactly right.

The 3000 is fine, but the 4000 is even better.

For most, the rapid update rate of 5 times a second is not a big issue.
According to Lowrance it was developed for race boats and the high speed bass fishing boats.

It is also handy for those of us who have Sharkcats

Cheers

Pete

ps - Dave, I will catch up for a beer and some refresher training

[SatNav]

1. Much of what some thing is technology is all in the mind.

2. It is quite a mindless approach to simply try on the dash, try on the roof and actually know what the difference is.

3. What many should remember with GPS is that it is dynamic and a one off test attempt such as that is not understanding the whole picture

4. Many will see exactly what they want to see at the time but have no way of knowing the dynamics down stream. Now if only the system didn't move and the GPS didn't move there might be some validity in such a static test, but there is not.

[Grand_Marlin]

Satnav,

I respect your views, but please give a little respect back.

All of my advice comes from fitting and testing these units - that icludes all brands, not just Lowrance.

I was sceptical about the new Lowrance internal aerials, given my experience with internal aerials in the past.
They have proven to be as good as Lowrance stated.

The external aerial testing between on the dash and outside has been done many times on many boats... by myself and plenty of others.
As an installer, if I thought it was inadequate, I would not mount it on the dash.

The customer is told 2 things.
1) I have tested the difference in outside to inside mounting on their boat and I am happy to mount it on the dash.
2) If there are any problems once they start using it, I can move it to an outside position.

For the record, I have never had to move one yet.
I have had to add one external aerial to an older model internal aerial unit.
It was an side console tinny, but the unit didn't like the positioning.

Cheers

Pete

[SatNav]

1. All I am saying is that it is almost impossible to actually know if the internal is less than, as good as or even better than an external without some hard data as opposed to what are nothing more than initial impressions.

2. No doubt every install would be different, different set of circumstances etc

3. I am also saying this is something that is very difficult to actually quantify and validate under normal use conditions as opposed to any form of static testing.

4. As long as the user knows and accepts the dynamics of GPS which can not be guaranteed beyond the installation then this is fine, they accept responsibility.

5. The key with any testing in this type of situation is hard data not impressions but even then this does not indicate future signal issues

[SatNav]

1. Just a question with regard the 5 hertz refresh rate. Has anybody actually checked that it is a true 5 hertz update? Reason being that many manufacturers for quite a long time have dudded the public with update claims.

2. Is a completely new position computed every 0.2 seconds or simply the last available position output every 0.2 seconds until a new position is computed?