Lowrance HDS Question

[spottedbass]

Question to you guys that have the Lowrance HDS. Do you have it mounted at the console? If so, when you mark a waypoint and go back to it then move to the bow of the boat to use your trolling motor how do you stay on your way point?

I am thinking about getting a HDS 7 gen 3 and mounting it beside my trolling motor and then use a 10" tablet to connect to it back at the console. I would mount my transducers on the stern of the boat. What do you think? Am I not thinking about something?

Do you have a better setup beside buying 2 HDS units?

[XxthejuicexX]

Usually done with two units, two transducers, 1 up front and 1 at the console. use the NMEA connectors to network everything together I think. Once you hit a way point at the console it's accessible up front.

[spottedbass]

I am hoping the tablet will work as the "second" unit. That feature with the gen 3 HDS units is awesome. I have looked at buying a sun shade and mount for my tablet so I can mount it by the console. The app on the tablet lets you have complete control of your HDS unit via WiFi.

[XxthejuicexX]

Originally Posted by spottedbass

I am hoping the tablet will work as the "second" unit. That feature with the gen 3 HDS units is awesome. I have looked at buying a sun shade and mount for my tablet so I can mount it by the console. The app on the tablet lets you have complete control of your HDS unit via WiFi.

My thing is that you still only have one transducer. If it's mounted in the back you don't know what you are directly over while fishing . I like the Ipad Idea but in the end would want multiple units and transducers. Friend of mine runs his navionics on his Ipad and it's a great set up.

[TNtroller]

I have a HDS 8 mounted at the console and 7 on the transom as I troll 99.9% of the time. If your Ipad will show the gps waypoints/map the same as the HU will, you idea will work but with the xducer on the transom, it will be difficult to stay on your WP unless you have a MG xi5 or I pilot TM. With either of these TM's you can hit the spot lock/anchor option and they will hold you on or close to the WP but not exact/dead on the spot. They both drift off and make adjustments as needed to bring you back on spot. You could mount another xducer on the TM and use an y spliter cable to connect both to the HDS HU, and switch xducers as needed to see under the boat depending on what you are doing.

Lowrance xducers don't mount very well on Terrova TM's due to the thickness of the cable, while HB xducers do (thinner cable). Can't speak about the MG xi5 set ups, never seen one.

[spottedbass]

How does the splitter work? How do you tell the head unit which transducer to use? That sounds like it could be a great solution.

The problem I am trying to solve is this: I have an Elite 7 HDI at the trolling motor now. I like to go and scan the ledges for bass but I can only scan as fast as my trolling can go. I would like to be able to scan using the big motor so I can cover a lot more water faster. That is why I was wanting to put the transducer on the stern and the head unit on the bow next to the trolling motor and use the tablet to control the head unit when I am sitting at the console. My boat is 17 foot so I'm not sure if staying exactly on the way point is critical. Just staying close.

Any other suggestions are appreciated.

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by spottedbass

Question to you guys that have the Lowrance HDS. Do you have it mounted at the console? If so, when you mark a waypoint and go back to it then move to the bow of the boat to use your trolling motor how do you stay on your way point?

I am thinking about getting a HDS 7 gen 3 and mounting it beside my trolling motor and then use a 10" tablet to connect to it back at the console. I would mount my transducers on the stern of the boat. What do you think? Am I not thinking about something?

Do you have a better setup beside buying 2 HDS units?

I just have one unit mounted on my dash area. No transducer on trolling motor. If I mark a brush pile/way point Ill throw out a marker buoy if I have no other landmark of some sort. I have one beside me at all times. It was orange when I bought it but painted it black so all of America couldn't see it. LOL

[Adrian]

Like Dakota, I have mine mounted on the Console. I have the transducer glued to the hull at the transom, It's networked to a Motorguide Xi5. When I set a waypoint, I tell the Motorguide to take me there. If I move to the Bow, I just hit the down arrow a couple of times on the Key Fob and it moves me backwards 10'. That usually puts me right on top of them. The Motorguide has a Transducer built in to the head, but it's not as good as the one that came with the Lowrance Touch.

[TNtroller]

Originally Posted by spottedbass

How does the splitter work? How do you tell the head unit which transducer to use? That sounds like it could be a great solution.

The problem I am trying to solve is this: I have an Elite 7 HDI at the trolling motor now. I like to go and scan the ledges for bass but I can only scan as fast as my trolling can go. I would like to be able to scan using the big motor so I can cover a lot more water faster. That is why I was wanting to put the transducer on the stern and the head unit on the bow next to the trolling motor and use the tablet to control the head unit when I am sitting at the console. My boat is 17 foot so I'm not sure if staying exactly on the way point is critical. Just staying close.

Any other suggestions are appreciated.

The splitter cable is similar to a Y cable for audio or tv signals, allows you to connect more than one xducer to a HU. I have not used one so can really speak much more than that.

The Elite series can be networked via NEMA to certain HDS units but info sharing is somewhat limited (WP updating/sharing is not all that good I think)

If you get the HDS 7 Touch and wifi option, I would try mounting the HDS at the console for scanning purposes and marking WP's, leave the Elite 7 on the TM for viewing while fishing, and take the tablet up front for WP/boat positioning functions myself, you could see everything from the HDSunit on the tablet and the Elite info as well. The 10" tablet screen would be easier to see at a glance vs the Touch 7 (actually 6.4" I think)

[spottedbass]

Thanks guys. You have giving me some good ideas and food for thought.