Time to upgrade the Fishfinder/Chartplotter >$1000

[SquidMarks]

Hi guys,

It seems that my Gen 1 Lowrance HDS5 has bit the dust after 8 years of use and its time to buy the next unit which will hopefully get me another 8 (or even more) years.

Im trying to keep the budget under $1000.

So far i have looked at only the Lowrance units (im looking at what i know).

I have come up with:

1. HDS7 Gen 2 Touch Combo without transducer or map ( i have the 83/200 transducer already installed from the HDS5 but have no map as i only used the inbuilt map in the HDS5) <- breaks the budget by $30 dollars

2. Elite 7 CHIRP Combo 50/200/455/800kHz T/M T/D & XL9 Map (this will get me the Navionics gold map aus wide and a transducer which will get a bit more definition across the board but also in the offshore water which i occasionally fish, about 70M deep )<- on budget, $999

3. HDS-5 Fishfinder/Plotter Gen2 inc 50/200KHz T/M Transducer - no map (just swap it over into the preinstalled mounting bracket, install the 50/200 transducer and pocket around $350 in savings!)

With the old HDS 5 i only used chart plotter and fish finder (i never utilised the networking features of the unit and did not have all the gear etc hooked up) so im wondering if i need a HDS again or should that money be better invested in other features. The only thing that draws me to the hds is the processor which is supposed to be more powerful over the elite series so the interface might be more responsive, also the botto lock feature is not availavble in the elite series so i heard.

Im also willing to look outside the box and explore other manufacturers but i would be relying on word of mouth from the fishraider community to help me out here

For example, i might have head a good thing or two about the raymarine dragonfly units, i could go for the:

Dragonfly7 Sonar GPS w/CHIRP DualBeam Transducer + XL9 Map for $999.

PS: If any site sopnsors have the units available for a comparative or better price then i would prefer to buy from site sponsors so please chime in via PM! thanks!

[Danieljc]

PM sent

[SquidMarks]

Thanks for your feedback Daniel, that sort of feedback helps!

Just realised that in my tired self, I have placed the greater than rather than the less than sign in the thread title

[mii11x]

SquidMarks, I havn't been on the forums a lot lately, so I'm not sure if (<>) is still a site sponser, I've bought my last two sounders through them and they gave great advice both times.

[Danieljc]

No worries squidmarks, I am hoping my new unit HDS 9 gen 2 touch arrives this week, so can get out on the water either friday or saturday and test it out. I just found the Elite 7 chirp underwhelming and not up to scratch really.

[SquidMarks]

Sadly (<>) is no longer a sponsor. :/

[SquidMarks]

Anyone with any experiences with the sounders that im looking at?

[mrsswordfisherman]

You can always contact that past sponsor if you were happy.

Watch the forums closely though we may be adding one or two new sponsors that could possibly help

mrsswordfisherman

[deek]

Mmmmmm, I'm in the running for a new sounder as well. Might wait for the new sponsors.

[SquidMarks]

I have just been doing some rsearch and im leaning towards the HDS7 Gen 2 Touch Combo without transducer or map.

Now, picking a transducer. I could use the existing 83/200 transducer but then I have been looking around and there seems to be a grea option in the HDI transducers which sem to offer great functionality at a great price.

For example: the Elite HDI 50/200/455/800KHZ T/M Transducer will give me 50/200hz beam for sounding and 455/800khz downscan for 279! (as opposed to a straight 50/200 transducer for roughly $225).

does anyone see any issues with this transducer option?

[mii11x]

I wish I could be more assistance mate, all my questions were answered by Huey or Craig quite clearly, though I only fish rivers/estuaries and never been outside any heads........I did think though that for outside work the 50 would be preferrable over the 83 or perhaps it was if your fishing deeper water. Cmon guys heaps of raiders fish outside, help a man out.

[mii11x]

I keep forgetting to mention I had a hds7 gen 2 (non touch) with lss2 and platinum plus navionics. Great sounder IMO, last year I upgraded the screen to a hds10 (still non touch). Easy to navigate menus on either, plenty of vids to show how to set it all up correctly - gains/sensitivity and the like.

You mentioned that you use the basic map preloaded on your unit, ever though of upgrading that while your at it? Not sure though if this would be beneficial to you outside though, just a thought.

[SquidMarks]

Thanks for you assistance mate.

Buying the navionics gold chart would break the budget at the moment but i can always easily add that on down the line.

The touch series does not need the LSS2 module (its built in the touch units) so a hdi transducer will do both (but no side scan). Or just get both transducers and install them separately i guess!

Maybe the lack of responses is due to raiders not having hds units, i would have thought that they would have been one of the more popular options.. ..

Edited September 8, 2015 by SquidMarks

[mii11x]

I would of thought the same......this is an image on my downscan for your interest

[SquidMarks]

thanks again!

water temp at 27.5 degrees! was this in a bathtub?!

[mii11x]

hahahaha, it felt like it.........was in january, i was actually trying to point out the fish it sounded, to the lower left side of the curser

[SquidMarks]

Yeah, that's pretty cool. looks like a cod or a jewie!

[mii11x]

That was my target - to no avail though