Lowrance HDS 5 w/Navionics

[fishbaskett]

Does anyone looking have one of these units, Lowrance HDS 5 w/Navionics, if so would you share a consumer report about it. I think the price is about $700give or take. Is it user friendly, are the features, Navionics, dual beam, WP saving and so on worth the cost? What kind of transducer do you have and mounte how/where? How is the screen, out in the sun or at night? Any thing else you can share will be greatly appreciated.

[Jameslin]

Fishbaskett i bought a hds5 this spring to me its a great unit haven't had any problems yet.It came with 83/200 transducer I don't think you need a dual transducer I was told it was for saltwater.screen is very clear but its pretty hard to keep clean water drops are hard to come off.its a friendly unit to learn how to operate but I'm still learning new things every time i go out.would i buy another one yes the new side imaging and bottom view will be out in December its a add on that will cost you $499.00 from what I'm hearing pretty high in my book.

[Wannabe...]

All I know for sure is I want 1.....actually, I want 2 of 'em.

FYI, Cabellas has them on sale right now with free shipping on electronics. Not sure that's the best price to be had, but thought I'd throw that out there if you're considering it.

Cabela's -- Lowrance HDS 5 Sonar/GPS

Wannabe...

[fishbaskett]

Fishbaskett i bought a hds5 this spring to me its a great unit haven't had any problems yet.It came with 83/200 transducer I don't think you need a dual transducer I was told it was for saltwater.screen is very clear but its pretty hard to keep clean water drops are hard to come off.its a friendly unit to learn how to operate but I'm still learning new things every time i go out.would i buy another one yes the new side imaging and bottom view will be out in December its a add on that will cost you $499.00 from what I'm hearing pretty high in my book.

Thanks Jameslin for sharing the information.

[sloedown]

Get some eyeglass cleaner that is safe for glass and plastic and get a eyeglass cleaning cloth. Cleans the water drops right off.

[skeetbum]

Good tip, Sloedown.

[fishin couillon]

As for the "dual beam" ducer it's really not. I have the HDS 7 and it comes with the standard 200 Khz ducer. The software in the unit converts it to the 83Khz if you use that particular one or you can do a split screen with both. The 50/200Khz ducer is the one for used for saltwater. You don't want that one. Also if you a lowrance ducer with the blue connector already installed, the HDS will use that ducer. For navionics, you have to buy the mapping card. You can get the unit with Lowrance's insight mapping. Of course it's a little more $$. If you install two HDS units all you would need is a ethernet cable connecting the two to share waypoints and ducer info. And with the waypoints, it will synchronize them on both units. If you move, delete, rename, change symbols, it will do on the other. For the ducer info, you have have both units show one ducer, that way it keeps both ducers from running and causing interference.