Lowrance HDS 5 0r 7

My Navman GPS stuffed (antenna and $500 for a new one) and also the sounder is dodgy. Has anyone got an opinion about these 2 units. $500 between the units.

Fishing ATM on triangulation and spots I know. Obviously not the coolest.

Cheers

Neels

Otherwise Furono which I can get.

____________________________________________________________________________

"I would like to die on Mars. Just not on impact!!" _ Elon Musk


brenz's picture

Posts: 2182

Date Joined: 15/06/06

i have the hds 5 on my 12 ft

Tue, 2010-04-20 17:44

i have the hds 5 on my 12 ft tinny and love it

grayzeee's picture

Posts: 2283

Date Joined: 09/07/09

biggers better

Tue, 2010-04-20 18:31

biggers better

____________________________________________________________________________

If I spent half as long fishing , as I do reading this bloody forum , I'd be twice the fisherman I am. 

crasny1's picture

Posts: 7006

Date Joined: 16/10/08

but budget counts too

Wed, 2010-04-21 19:57

From Pacific Marine

"Probably go a combo Unit, The lowrance combos are the best value at the moment, you can get a HDS-5, which is high definition, GPS and Sounder with internal antenna, for $999.00, or a HDS-7 which is the same but just bigger screen for $1650.00. I think they are the better units to go for."

Cheers

Neels

____________________________________________________________________________

"I would like to die on Mars. Just not on impact!!" _ Elon Musk

Brucesta's picture

Posts: 1721

Date Joined: 29/05/09

just be aware they have been

Tue, 2010-04-20 19:06

just be aware they have been known to have a few issues, mine was mounted in my console and it has a IP rating of IP X6/7 which means it can take heavy seas or immersion up to 1m deep. BULLSHIP! mine leaked in water from cleaning it and went to the grave. Sent it back and they replaced it mind you.

When it works it's a great unit, very bright and easy to see, easy to set up as well, i recommend getting the Navonics charts straight up as the nauticpath ones are shithouse for accuracy for landmarks and crap contour line divisions.

I have the HDS 7 out of interest also. I'll have it back in the boat this weekend if you want to have a look at it mate, drop me a PM

____________________________________________________________________________

Las Vegas - Rolling the dice and trying your luck. 1M+ Barra summer target. 100kg Black Marlin winter target

Posts: 4584

Date Joined: 01/02/10

Im with Brucesta on the

Tue, 2010-04-20 19:19

Im with Brucesta on the Navionics card. I have the Nauticpath and it is very basic. When planning trips I used the Navionics program on my Iphone to mark spots and routes then transfer the information.

____________________________________________________________________________

Does anyone know where the love of god goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?

Posts: 2925

Date Joined: 27/12/06

hey dodgy i 2 use my iphone

Tue, 2010-04-20 21:13

hey dodgy i 2 use my iphone and it gets me by till i can afford a better unit.  is there anyway to backup the navionics on the iphone on the computer

Brucesta's picture

Posts: 1721

Date Joined: 29/05/09

good value for 14 bucks i

Wed, 2010-04-21 07:07

good value for 14 bucks i reckon for the iphone version, i also have this. I'm sure there is a way to back up your info at least to a SD card, i'll have a play when i get it in

____________________________________________________________________________

Las Vegas - Rolling the dice and trying your luck. 1M+ Barra summer target. 100kg Black Marlin winter target

beejay's picture

Posts: 55

Date Joined: 22/02/10

iphone navionics

Wed, 2010-04-21 08:06

I also have the iphone navionics Brucesta so would be very inetrested in how you can back that up to computer.

Crasny1, I'm going for the HDS 5 as I only have a 4m dinghy and although I like the bigger screen on the 7 space is a premium.

Bodie's picture

Posts: 3758

Date Joined: 05/11/07

hds 7 brother..bigger screen

Wed, 2010-04-21 09:56

hds 7 brother..bigger screen easier to read!!!

Posts: 1392

Date Joined: 08/01/09

I have the HDS 5

Wed, 2010-04-21 10:07

only the sounder version and not the combo. Is a great unit. Awesome picture. No problems as yet. Would reccommend.

____________________________________________________________________________

FEEEISH ONNN!!!

Posts: 75

Date Joined: 15/12/09

I'm using the hds5 combo and

Wed, 2010-04-21 13:29

I'm using the hds5 combo and it works well for me, have the navionics gold card installed.

Also have the reader and computer software, easy to transfer waypoints but having a little trouble copying the tracks to the computer, says there are to many track points and will not import it, but there is a newer version of the software which has just come out which may be able to transfer the tracks as well.

 

the 5 works well and is easily readable even at night but i guess if you have the money go for the 7 as it will give you that bit more readability.

Bodie's picture

Posts: 3758

Date Joined: 05/11/07

where do you get the reader

Wed, 2010-04-21 15:46

where do you get the reader and software from for your pc???

I had the same problem as someone above, with water getting in round the screen and killed the unit....... no backup of gps co-ords :(

Apparently this was a batch which had used a different clue around the screen. These are no longer made and mine was upgraded for nothing :)

Posts: 4584

Date Joined: 01/02/10

Had tried a bit

Wed, 2010-04-21 17:44

Had tried a bit halfheartedly to pull the maps up on the PC. Called my brother today who is the guru when it come to all things PC and Iphone and the answer was no.

____________________________________________________________________________

Does anyone know where the love of god goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?

crasny1's picture

Posts: 7006

Date Joined: 16/10/08

Cheers all

Wed, 2010-04-21 20:04

I only need the GPS ATM.

Have the Navie with great spots. Now I am worried about getting all the marks, and I have about 100.

Starting to sound like SNAFU (situation normal all F#@k*d up) or worse TSFU (total systems f%$k up). FUBAR (Fd up beyond all recognition) also springs to mind.

Would just love to transfer all the points.

Cheers

Neels

____________________________________________________________________________

"I would like to die on Mars. Just not on impact!!" _ Elon Musk

Justin Poole's picture

Posts: 225

Date Joined: 24/08/08

hds 7

Wed, 2010-04-21 21:05

love my hds 7..

____________________________________________________________________________

 By Hook or Spear, its all good..