gps/depthfinder suggestions

[rob711]

hey everyone..i'm looking for a decent color gps/depthfinder..i've seen one on e-bay i think it was a garmin with an internal antenna for 400ish..just wondering if anyone has any thoughts on what to get, or stay away from.it would be used in salt water..i don't understand but apparently that matters as to what type of transducer is used. i'd also like it to tell me water temp..but i think thats most of them..thanks

 

[wcsparky05]

Re: gps/depthfinder suggestions

i think i would go somewhere else for that....not that i don't love this website and the money the experts have saved me, but i would try to find some kind of consumer reports type website like i do when i buy a new cell phone or camera. don't go to consumer reports though, they want $. there's free one's out there. take care.

 

[dingbat]

Re: gps/depthfinder suggestions

What's your budget? $400 is awfully cheap for a combo unit

 

[rob711]

Re: gps/depthfinder suggestions

i really dont have a budget...i thought 400 seemed cheap my self...really dont wanna go over 600..but i have not really had any time yet to do any research...i just wanted to get some ideas of what to look for and such..i like the idea of not having to install a antenna..up untill yesterday i did not know that was even an option!!..the opinions have been invaluable on this forum so i was just "putting it out there"..ha like fishing

 

[dingbat]

Re: gps/depthfinder suggestions

The Garmin 492C or the Eagle 642C will put you in that ball park.

 

[miswirvin]

Re: gps/depthfinder suggestions

I would say that the lowrance lms 525 for external ant and the global map 5300ci for internal ant both of those are great units for the money. they both have a built in base map and for $100 for the chip get even better detail. Let me know if you need a unit.

 

[Big Dog Daddy]

Re: gps/depthfinder suggestions

I have the Garmin 492C, love the unit and would recommend it.

 

[rob711]

Re: gps/depthfinder suggestions

this is a great forum!! thanx fro the suggestions i've been working a lot so i have not had time to look around much....have to pay for the boat!!..i'll let everyone know what i go with

 

[Boatist]

Re: gps/depthfinder suggestions

If your going to fish deep Saltwater no one is better than Furuno. Get a unit that has 500 watts RMS power. Dual frequency for any waters over 200 feet.
Furuno, Garmin and Lowrance with 500 watts RMS power or more and you can not go wrong. 80 Percent of the party boat use Furuno.

 

[95yj]

Re: gps/depthfinder suggestions

I have a Lowrance LMS-337C and love it. It's dual frequency for shallow and deep water. With an optional map loaded, the GPS is great. It's also got all kinds of hookups for adding other things via the NMEA 2000 bus. This year's model is just about exactly the same; model LMS-525C

 

[Bigjohn1]

Re: gps/depthfinder suggestions

If your going to fish deep Saltwater no one is better than Furuno. Get a unit that has 500 watts RMS power. Dual frequency for any waters over 200 feet.
Furuno, Garmin and Lowrance with 500 watts RMS power or more and you can not go wrong. 80 Percent of the party boat use Furuno.

Not picking at you but I get mighty fine performance in saltwater up to around 400ft with 200kHz and 600 watts, the unit is a NAVMAN TF6600. I rarely use the 50kHz.

 

[Boatist]

Re: gps/depthfinder suggestions

BigJohn
Thats good information.

If it is 600 watts RMS not PeP then you have a lot of power. Also many if not most Dual frequency transducer have a narrow cone angle. Example Lowrance/Eagle single Frequency units use a 200khz 20 degree cone angle but the dual frequency units is a 200khz 12 degree transducer and a 37 degree 50 khz transducer so a narrow cone angle.

My unit is only 375 watts RMS and with my 200 khz 20 degree can see fish to about 200 feet. With a 200khz 8 degree transducer I can see fish out to about 400 feet in normal conditions.

Navman I think is a fine unit also but know nothing about them.

My main point in the above post is too many people buy a unit with a 20 degree 200 khz unit with 100 watts RMS output that the manufacture say is good to 600 feet. Well in fresh clear water and no wind plakton or algie you can see the bottom at 600 feet. Take that unit to salt Water with plakton, air bubbles from waves pounding the shore and try and see a bottom fish built like a stealth fighter at 200 feet and it not going to happend. I hate to see people spend their money and read the manufacture spec that say UP TO 600 feet and think it going to work in deep salt water. Also many do not realize that 800 watts PEP equals 100 watts RMS.

 

[Fonchy]

Re: gps/depthfinder suggestions

I just got a Garmin GPSMAP 498C, from what I have read, if you have an open cockpit the internal antenna is fine, if you have T-Tops or some type of cover over the unit is best to get the external antenna. I like this unit because it replaces all the other units I have with just one. I paid 551.00 shipped