Lowrance HDS - are they any good?
Just wondered whether the Lowrance HDS sounder plotters are any good.There's lots of hype but I want to hear from someone who has used them. Also is the HDS 5 too small in screen size . Is the HDS 7 big enough or is it worth getting the HDS 8.
Has anyone got any ideas about the new structure scan coming out to rival hunmminbird sidescan.
Cheers,
Maccas
Macca, I have the 10 and am having sounder problems...GPS is sensational with the platinum card and 3d is sensational...If u get the radar, broadband is definately worth the extra....I am hearing mixed reports about them...similar to mine....Originally Posted by Maccas
I CAME INTO THIS WORLD KICKING, SCREAMING AND COVERED IN SOMEONE ELSES BLOOD. I HAVE NO PROBLEM GOING OUT THE SAME WAY.
NEWBY T.G.
save ur money i nearly brought one but heard to many bad things like performance off shore
i brought a raymarine A70D its pretty good just gotta get the transducer in the right spot
I have a HDS 8 and am having problems at speed as well, the default colour scheme hides the bad signal reception, I a currently working to get it sorted will let you know.
Seems there are more people having problems with them than realise as the software is covering up the flaws.
HDS owners do a test, for 7's and up turn on recording to an SD card at speed then replay the data on your computer at home using the lowrance sonar log viewer, you might be shocked at what you see.
The saving grace of the unit over the furuno is that it has so many great features, the ability to record alone is priceless.
Regards
Honda.
Have a look on the hull truth web site under lowrance the problems are already starting to develop and that is not saying i dont like them its just lowrance have been haveing reliability issues for a few years now thats why i went furuno ..matt
P.S They do have some great features the lowrance its just a matter of getting them to work on a regular basis ...
A bad days fishing has got to be better than any day at work......
I'll try that next time. What does it do wrong ?
I gave my 10 a run for the first time on the weekend. It was holding bottom and depth until 43mph, after that it went squiggly & the depth stayed on until about 48, then went blank which I though was awesome. I've never had a sounder work at that speed before.
I have 2 HDS 5 units and have abolutly no issues. I get excellent bottom view at full noise (42Kn) and can't fault it yet........IMO, far better than my previous top of the range Navman units.........Not sure if those having sounder problems are having them due to poor transducer location as this can easily effect the performance of any sounder.........Good luck but IMO they are a top little unit.....
Change the colour scheme from the default to colour scheme 1 while you are travelling and check the bottom reading, what I have seen in gaps in the soundings. The default colour scheme hides the gaps filling in the detail making you think that it is working properly.
Also find a piece of ground you know contains fish then run over it at speed and see how it goes. Use the record feature of the 7 to record it to an SD card then you can play it back later on the sonar log viewer.
Regards
HOnda.
I got the hds and wished I had gone with the furuno. might have to put up with it for a while
I'm happy with my 10, the way I look at everything new has teathing issues. Works well with my radar.
I have got a HDS 8 with transom mount transducer and I find that I get a perfect picture at all speeds. Its very user friendly and so far I am very, very happy with its performance.
Well my HDS10 has been having issues since install back in early september. Replaced head unit, no joy....Stuck a shoot thru hull 600w in to do comparison, see pics, still no joy...See also, Navman 6600 with thru hull transducer at same speed. Only talking 18kn here...Transducer is directly opposite new 1kw Airmar attached to HDS unit so its definately not the location...After 2 months, many hours of lost work due to testing etc, I still haver a $9000 unit that is not even as good as my cheap navman...
The response from Lowrance......."take some mroe pics of inside the hull where its mounted" ?????? And latest one, download the latest update....Done that and will install this arvo....I know for a fact it wont fix it.....Lowrance know it wont fix it....The shop I got it from who installed it know it wont fix it....
Obviously nobody want to say "rip it out of the water and lets sort it out"
Broadband Radar...Fantastic...Never seen anything like it...
3D GPS and chart plotter with Platinum Card......Sensational......
Sounder.....Crap as is the customer service.......
I will keep you informed as to the eventual outcome...It will come to a head by Monday arvo I guarantee...
I CAME INTO THIS WORLD KICKING, SCREAMING AND COVERED IN SOMEONE ELSES BLOOD. I HAVE NO PROBLEM GOING OUT THE SAME WAY.
NEWBY T.G.
thanks for the update newby, i was contemplating just getting the chart plotter unit and use a separate cheaper sounder.
Although i wouldn't be surprised if it not a software issue as thats what really runs it? programs often fail and can be buggy. lets hoep thats all it is.
Same dramas as Newby,
I have 2 transducers (not both running at once) one is an in hull p79 the other is a transom mount 50/200 both are having issues so it is not the transducers.
Newby, software update does not help, however has a nice feature for saving your configuration (finally).
Regards
Honda.
yep done the software upgrade... sent back to lowrance. fixed the fuel flow meter but the sounder still wont read at speed I have moved it all over the place now. I was going to try shoot thru hull but that doesnt not seem to be the fix for anyone else. maybe they just dont work on deeper V'ed boats???? I think I will try to put up with it for a while than replace it.
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