GPS DEPTH COMBO

Just got a new boat, looking for a good gps/fish finder combo. Trying to
keep it under $600. Any recommendations?


--
HomeBrewer

http://home.earthlink.net/~t3e871/index.html
www.rcparkflyers.com
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There are pro and cons to getting a combo unit. Make sure this is what you
want. Most have small screens when the display is split.

Sarge

On Fri, 19 Mar 2004 21:21:05 -0600, "HomeBrewer"
wrote:

Just got a new boat, looking for a good gps/fish finder combo. Trying to
keep it under $600. Any recommendations?

I have personal experience with this one http://tinyurl.com/2dsel and
it's marginally ok performance wise, but you are limited in scope with
the amount of data the GPS can provide. If you are truly limited in
space and dollars, then this is a decent unit. The same company makes
this unit http://tinyurl.com/ywvzs which is also a decent performer.

Lowrance makes this model http://tinyurl.com/3antd which I have seen
on other boats and it performs well. Again, if it's a question of
space and money, this is probably the best choice overall.
(Disclaimer: I am a shameless brand loyalist.) :)

I did not include Garmin in any choices for personal reasons having to
do with incredibly lame and stupid, insolent attitudinally challenged
customer service representatives and a technical service rep who
didn't know his ass from a hole in the wall. I will never recommend
Garmin to anybody for any reason.

These are pretty much your base line choices based on the amount of
money you said you wanted to spend. There are others, but they are
toys. Personally, I like the concept of an all-in-one unit, but there
are scenarios in which all-in-one units can cause you problems in
particular if, for any reason, the unit goes down, you don't have
either. It's really a personal choice - what you are comfortable
having.

For me, I want the best that I can afford of each.

Having said all that, I confess I have a single unit GPS/Sounder on my
Ranger, http://tinyurl.com/39qqe, but I carry a backup handheld GPS
just in case and I have an X-85 built in the dash so if the X-18C
dies, I'm still in good shape. My Contender has seperate units.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

Later,

Tom
S. Woodstock, CT
-----------
"Angling may be said to be so
like the mathematics that it
can never be fully learnt..."

Izaak Walton "The Compleat Angler", 1653

Hi HomeBrewer,

You can probably get into a Garmin 168 and stay within your price range.
Information on that unit can be found at
http://www.garmin.com/products/gpsmap168s/
Please email me if you are interested in more information.

Thank you,

Beverly
www.lonestardepot.net



"HomeBrewer" wrote in message
...
Just got a new boat, looking for a good gps/fish finder combo. Trying to
keep it under $600. Any recommendations?


--
HomeBrewer

http://home.earthlink.net/~t3e871/index.html
www.rcparkflyers.com
Remove the xxx to reply!

I've been very happy with my Lowrance LMS320. Nice screen, good
resolution, not too big. Only thing I didn't like was that it has a
remote gps antenna. I used some glue and velcro to attach it to the
top for use in my Kenner center console.

Main selling points for me:
uses insdustry standard flash memory not propietary like Garmin
If you buy Mapcreate you get maps of all the USA you don't have to buy
more key
s to unlock other locations like Garmin.
I actually use it in my Suburban for auto GPS as well.
Compared to Garmin the Lowrance Sonar has more power for the same
$$


Everybody has his brand preferences, I wouldn't consider Humminbird
and the other things like Raytheon etc. seems like you're talking lots
more $$.

A sales feature for Garmin is that it is supposed to work with
OzieExplorer map software if you like to make your own maps from
scanned in hardcopy paper maps although I've found the Mapcreate is
plenty good.

Have fun. I think you'll be happy with either Garmin or Lowrance.

Don
WA5BGP

I actually use it in my Suburban for auto GPS as well.


I just bought the Lowrance LMS335....It's great so far. Did you buy a new
power cord and mount to hook it up in the vehicle?


--
HomeBrewer

http://home.earthlink.net/~t3e871/index.html
www.rcparkflyers.com
Remove the xxx to reply!



"Don WA5NGP" wrote in message
om...
I've been very happy with my Lowrance LMS320. Nice screen, good
resolution, not too big. Only thing I didn't like was that it has a
remote gps antenna. I used some glue and velcro to attach it to the
top for use in my Kenner center console.

Main selling points for me:
uses insdustry standard flash memory not propietary like Garmin
If you buy Mapcreate you get maps of all the USA you don't have to buy
more key
s to unlock other locations like Garmin.
I actually use it in my Suburban for auto GPS as well.
Compared to Garmin the Lowrance Sonar has more power for the same
$$


Everybody has his brand preferences, I wouldn't consider Humminbird
and the other things like Raytheon etc. seems like you're talking lots
more $$.

A sales feature for Garmin is that it is supposed to work with
OzieExplorer map software if you like to make your own maps from
scanned in hardcopy paper maps although I've found the Mapcreate is
plenty good.

Have fun. I think you'll be happy with either Garmin or Lowrance.

Don
WA5BGP

I actually use it in my Suburban for auto GPS as well.


I just bought the Lowrance LMS335....It's great so far. Did you buy a new
power cord and mount to hook it up in the vehicle?


--
HomeBrewer

http://home.earthlink.net/~t3e871/index.html
www.rcparkflyers.com
Remove the xxx to reply!

No, I just attached a nylon connector similar to whats on a pc power
supply connector to the tail of the cable that they provided and now I
have the other sex attached to my boat, truck, and a power supply in
the house.

I wanted to run it in the house. My experience with electronics is
that it if its going to fail it fails within the 1st hours of usage
so since it doesn't get used much I have it sitting in a window of my
house and I just run it several hours a week on the ac power supply to
"burn it in".

I am somewhat of a computer geek but I must admit that mastering the
software on this thing wasn't obvious. It took me a month or so to
figure out how to make it show the trip calculator and how to reset
the statistics.

I'm waiting for a deal on 256MB flash so that I can captuer sonar data
and then come back and look at it on the pc.

I spend more time playing with this thing than I do fishing. oh well.

Have fun.

Don
WA5NGP