Lowrance HDS-5M with GPS?

[Sam W.]

It's time to upgrade. Right now, I've got a Humminbird Wide Portrait depthfinder on my console - it must be 14-15 years old. On my trolling motor, I've got an Eagle Fish Finder 320 that I've had for about 3 years. Neither scope is real wonderful, but of the two the Humminbird is better.

I'd like to replace both of them, but I'll have to do it one at a time. I'd like to upgrade to HD, color, and have GPS included. I think my best scope ought to be on the trolling motor, so I'm thinking of replacing the Eagle with a Lowrance HDS-5M first. Does anybody here have any experience with that depthfinder, or some other recommendations in the $600 range? Thanks.

[sixfin]

Hey Sam,
I have a HDS-5 on my console. What specifically are you wanting to know?

[Sam W.]

Hey Sam,
I have a HDS-5 on my console. What specifically are you wanting to know?

How do you like it? Do you think it's worth the money?

How well does it do showing structure, brush, and fish? How much detail does it show? Is the GPS reliable, or does it lose contact a lot with the satellites? I've read that Lowrance had a problem with some models getting water inside - have you had any trouble with that? How about the pre-loaded lake shorelines - do they seem to be accurate?

Mostly, I'd like to know how satisfied you are with it, and if you'd recommend it. Thanks.

[sixfin]

Sam,
I know that Lowrance had problems with their first batch they put out. They had problems with an o-ring not sealing. I think most of those are gone but you might want to find out how long your dealer has had that unit on the shelf. One way to tell for sure is to power it up and see what version of software it is running. Lowrance has put out two updates on their software. If its running the very first version, I would suggest staying away from it.

As far as structure and brush go, this thing is great. I've always like the way Lowrance's depthfinders showed fish and structure. I do have the Structure Scan etherneted on this and I will say that the display is too small. I do not recommend buying it if you are going to use it for the sidescan part. I use mine mostly for GPS and downscan. I have run this unit in 4 and 5 feet of water and it does great. It has yet to lock up on me. One thing I have noticed that I don't like is the scroll speed of the screen. It is slower and a little bit jerky when compared to my 102C but after a while, you get used to it and don't notice it.

That brings me to the GPS part. On my unit, I installed a LGC-4000 external antenna. This antenna updates 5 times a second. I've run garmins and other Lowrance GPS's but this one has been the most accurate so far after I put the external on. Now, let me say this - I wasn't too happy with the unit until the lastest software update came out. They fixed a lot of problems with it. Plus, the external antenna makes a ton of difference. The good thing about these units is that you can have three units and only have to buy one antenna. With the NMEA 2000 network, they can all talk to each other.

I did buy the unit with Insight Mapping on it. So far,on Kentucky Lake, it's been a lot more accurate than my Fishing Hot Spots that I had on my Garmins. As a matter of fact it has been twice as good as FHSpots. The map does real good on stuff deeper than 6 foot but the shoreline itself seems to be off a little but in a lake that fluctuates 5 feet, I would call it pretty good. A guy I work with bought his unit without Insight and he bought the Navionics Platinum Chip. It is more detailed than the Insight and I would recommend it over the Insight.

Now the biggy! Do I think its worth the money? Yes, if you buy the LGC-4000 antenna with it. That's what sets this unit apart from any of the others I've had. I ran this unit without the antenna, next to my other unit that had the antenna hooked up and it was a night and day difference. I also like being able to take snapshots of my screen so I can show them off and study them a little closer when I get home.

It really all boils down to you and if your willing to learn somethng new and spend that much money on your hobby. This unit is an awsome unit but it does have a heck of a learning curve. It has a lot of menus and options that you can change if you want and it takes some time to learn the key strokes but once you do you won't think twice about it. Hope this helps. If you have any more questions, I will be glad to answer the best I can.

[Sam W.]

sixfin - That's exactly what I wanted to know. Thanks.

[GoneCrappieFishing]

TY for that report Sixfin...........I been sittin here wishing for more information on Lowrance myself....Any feedback you guys have that already have jumped in to networking the hds units and your experiences are much appreciated when you share them. I am just about comepletely sure that I am going Lowrance now but still wait to hear more input.I want as most do, to be able to have a good unit on the trolling motor but yet once i pull that up, be able to sit down at the drivers seat and still be able to have the same information available that I was getting while watching the front unit based off the trolling motor transom.I know I will have to get the lss-1 and ethernet cables.I hope to be able to put the hsd7 or8 up front with tm transducer, an Lms522igps on the console if I can keep that unit and use it in conjunction with the hds unit, and the lss-1 with the transducer on the rear of my boat as well as the transducer for the lms522 on the rear.That is my planned set up at the moment.Anybody see any issues with that setup, please say so...........

[fishin couillon]

Sam W. becareful on the units your looking at. You mentioned the HDS 5m. That is a gps only unit. Here is a quick breakdown:
HDS 5 (sonar/gps combo)
HDS 5m (gps only)
HDS 5x (sonar only)
So just double check your units your wanting. There will be a difference in prices also.

GoneCrappiefishing, for the networking that's a great thing to do. I have both HDS 7 & 8. Great combo especially the 8. Large screen and quick buttons which are awesome. As for networking, you can do both ethernet and N2K. If you do not plan on putting the external antenna and N2K sensors, then there is no use in spending $150 for the N2K network. N2K does share waypoints but its partial waypoint sharing and gps data. But since each HDS unit has it's own gps antenna and workings, then no need unless for the external antenna like i stated above.

Ethernet is a different story. Ethernet does not share gps data but you do have full waypoint sharing and sonar sharing. By "full" that means when you add, edit, delete, change names, move, etc. to a waypoint on one unit it will do the same for the other unit. You can also do this with one unit and when you connect and turn them one it automatically updates the other. That also includes importing waypoints onto one unit. It will transfer to the other. Example, i was renaming some points on mine the other night in the house at the computer desk, when i put the unit on the boat the next day and connected the two, it updated the other unit on the bow. N2K does not do that and thats why i put "partial". It will only place the waypoint but can not edit it from another unit.

Now for sonar networking sharing, It's great cause you dont get interference from another ducer being on. This is done via the ethernet network also. Bascially, if you have two transdcuers, TM and transom, you can share on both units. If your fishing with a partner and your on the TM, you can set the console unit to display what is being showed on the TM unit. The partner in the back will be seeing what your seeing, thus that leaves the transom ducer off and no inteference. Same thing with the transom ducer, you can have it show on the TM unit. With that, you are seeing what's behind you and not directly under the TM. I personally don't like the sonar sharing cause i want to see what's under me at that point and time. There are settings in the unit that can turn "off" the sonar networking.

For networking, N2K will be in the $150 +/- just to get started then goes up depending on what other sensors you add. This is all extra cables and T's for connections. For the ethernet it's only one cable that long enough to reach from unit to unit. You connect the 2 units directly to each other. That's about $40 for the 15' cable and a little more for the 25' cable. Of course it all depends on your boat size.

Now if you plan on getting the LSS-1 it will connect up to 3 HDS units and also serves as an ethernet hub. All units are connected to the box via ethernet cables. You can still share sonar and have full waypoint sharing but no gps capabilities thru it.

Lowrance Self-Service Support Here is a link to the "HDS system overvies" that explains somethings on networking.


Hopes this helps you out.