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Mate she will be right!!! Least that is what I'm telling myself just ordered a st 80lb with ipilot 1 thing I do know is it's still under warrenty in the states!! If it doesnt work send it back!!! Mine is not far away and have confirmed the red dot before postage! Keep us posted!!! What dramas have you guys had with your kotas anyways or are they pretty bullet proof? Warrenty didn't really worry me as its only 2years if it was longer might have considered keeping the $$$$ in Aust!
Stressless, let me know how you go with yours. When you receive it can you tell me if yours has a red dot, if not, what revision it is please before you install.
I would appreciate it. Still waiting for my kota to be returned from BLA. I asked the technician if the I-Pilot could be updated here and he said no.
Just a quick update managed to get hold of "Australian" i-Pilot direct from supplier. There is absolutely NO DIFFERENCE between the OZ version and US version. Both had same part number, same revision (C) and NO RED DOT. Installed OZ version, 5 bars signal. Unplugged and installed US version, guess what, 5 bars and all good.
Now to sell one of them!
Good luck with install Stressless! There is a good video on YouTube from Minn Kota on how to install took me at the most 30 minutes. I wish I was at Hinchinbrook! Instead chasing Bream, Flatty's etc at Tuross Head
The lock function works well. Takes a little while to recognize that it had moved from position but regains it well. Then again it was blowing 15 knots!!!
Well I am EXTREMELY dissapointed. So far I think that the I-Pilot is not worth 2 knobs of goat SH$T.
On the water at 7.00 each morning, NO SATELLITE reception for at least 40 minutes.
Then one bar, then four. Look away for a few minutes and NO SATELLITE reception again.......... This would continue ALL day.
I was fishing lake Tuross, coastal, about 4 hours drive south of Sydney.
Very open area, no high sided rivers/creeks.
Sent email to supplier and was told that I would have to send in the unit so that it could be "tested". NOT HAPPY! Will have to cut the provided heat shrink and box it up and send it off to QLD.
Will let you know how it goes. As a side note, it was the "OZ" version that was installed and playing up, NOT the US purchased unit. I was unable to swap them over whilst away to see if it was a unit problem or simply a lack of "viewable" satellites.
Although the Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites number about 32 in a geosychronous orbit, there are periods when the satellites are not in a good position for the receiver to get accurate information. You only need a minimum of 3 satellites to give your exact position, 4 to confirm the information from the other 3.
Most modern receiver chipsets can "track" 12 or 16 satellites at a time, whether they are ALL useful is very rare.
When the I-Pilot had NO coverage/reception my chart plotter (Lowrance HDS-7) had 8 "good" satellites. WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) was not selected on in the unit and is not "generally" available here in Australia. (although it can be assisted by using a land based system, differential GPS, very accurate to about 0.2m!)
Plan A: I'll fit mine in the next few days. I won't heat shrink anything or screw anything together, just leave bits taped/insulated on the shaft.
My plan is to make the connections, press the anchor lock, and drive around the close (dead end steet), and see what happens.
Plan B: Engage lowest prop speed, press anchor lock, drive around and see what happens, a minute running out of the water shouldn't hurt
Plan C: Contact MinnKota for advice/ full upgrade.
Plan D: Get a refund from Minnkota. My understanding from numerous local publications is that the device would live up to my expectations, and that Australia had no reception issues. The success of teams attributing I-Pilot to winning NT Barra and other comps (according to Minnkota ads e.g. Fishing Monthly) led me to believe it is the ducks nuts for the type of fishing I love to do.
I haven't found anything on the net or in the installation manuals suggesting that Australia is in a "red" area, like the new Lowrance HSD imports are ( justifying my purchase of a HSD7 Structure Scan from an Aust. supplier).
Anyhow I digress. If all works well, I'll complete the instal, do a water test and report back on the weekend if possible
Guys spoke to BLA today and was told there is no difference between Aussie ones and the rest of the world just the warrenty issue we all know about however he did say they are up to rev c maybe d!!!! I will be home later today and tell you all what rev mine is as it has the red dot someone mentioned!!!
My last day of holidays yesterday I set the boat up on our driveway, away from everything, Minn Kota deployed, sounder/plotter running as I would be fishing.
Tried with sounder on and off.
From 7.00am 3 Bars, dropping to 1 bar
From 7.45am to 8.30am, nothing - zero reception
From 8.30am to 9.00am , fluctuating between 1 bar - zero reception
Moved the boat, turned the Minn Kota to face each of the cardinal points (not that it would make any difference) and tested again.
From 9.00am till 11.00am 1 bar, to 3 bars, nothing, nothing, nothing
Plotter was receiving 6 good satellites and 2 were in and out.
I have sent information to the Technical guys at BLA QLD and nothing, not even an acknowledgement. In fact I have a flight to Brisbane tommorow and asked if I could drop the unit in for testing. Nothing.
I appreciate that it would be a very busy time of the year for them, but..............
Also I spoke with the retailer who organised for me to get this unit directly from BLA and he said the chances of getting a refund will be highly unlikely.............
Will see what happens. Just to clarify, the unit I am having trouble with is an Australian purchased unit that I paid OVER DOUBLE for than the US unit.
Lost ALL my previous post. Using I-Pad. Will update further tomorrow. Just a quick BIG thank you to Tech guys at BLA Qld (Brissy) for swapping unit. Yet to install new one. Will update you when I do.
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