talked to a HB engineer today

**Wiskers** · 10-05-2008, 04:06 PM

Originally Posted by icemanrrc

1. A number of fishing forums and web boards such as:
BBC
sideimaging : UnOfficial Humminbird Side Imaging Group
The Bass Fishing Home Page™ -- fishing reports, fishing articles, fishing tactics, fishing message boards, boating info, stories, tackle information.
Unofficial Humminbird Side Image Forums www.sideimageforums.com :: Index
These boards are not official boards or supported by Humminbird. My point is that engineers from Humminbird frequent these boards to provide free customer service. As I used to be a huge Lowrance supporter and user, they do not hold a candle to the customer service and support from Humminbird.

2. Service downloads are free and come to you automatically if and when you register your unit on their website. Do you think they should discuss their list of future software upgrade and patches on their website? If so, they would be the first company to do it. Show me where Garmin, Lowrance, Eagle have done so. I have owned all three of those and have had problems with all three that had to be "fixed" with software upgrades and patches.

3. Just my opinion, but I think my 997 would be worth every penny I paid even if it had no GPS capability at all. The SI function of the unit has made me a much better fisherman and saves me TONS of time. I can make a sweep or two in a cove and in the matter of minutes instead of hours, find the structure and fish.

When the software patch comes out to update the GPS, that will just be icing on the cake.

iceman I agree that the Si is great but... I would just like to address a couple of your statements.

1. I have had occation to use the HB customer support. Sent my 797 in for repair. Bad internal GPS antenna. They didn't charge me a penny and far exceeded my expectations for getting it back to me. Great bunch of people.

2. If I were HB I would reassure the customers that have already pumped up for the units that they would get it right. Thats all we expect. I have the same problem that many of these others have with the slow screen update. It is not an isolated problem. There are many units out there not performing up to what they were advertized to.

I'm no stranger to navigating with a GPS. I run a towboat equipped with GPS and I don't have this problem on my towboat. I know what is right & what is wrong when it comes to these things. I look at them 12 hours a day 6 months a year.

As for your statment "Just my opinion, but I think my 997 would be worth every penny I paid even if it had no GPS capability at all." That doesn't hold water or make a bit of since to me! I'm sorry, but the SI is vertually useless without the ability to mark what you found. It doesn't do you a bit of good to know it's there and not be able to find it.

I had to invest in a interlik to hook my 797 & my Matrix 87c together. Now I mark the brush with the 797, get going in the general direction, and jump to the bow and use the 87c to find it. The GPS should be atleast as good as a unit that's been discontinued don't you think?

It's not a darn bit different than if I go and buy a new truck with all the bells and whistles and one of those bells or whistles don't work. You bet your butt if I paid for it I want it right. That's what's wrong with us today. We've gotten that "AW that's good enough" attitude. Well not this ol'boy.

I'll tell ya what. you come down to Ky. Lake & we'll go fish'n in my boat. I'll let you mark something and see how long it takes you to find it. After about 15 minutes you'll be so PO'd you'll say "I see what you mean."

BTW... You come down and we'll really go fish'n. I'll even load my marks on your unit for ya and I've got a bunch. :D

Later buddy.

**icemanrrc** · 10-05-2008, 04:10 PM

Uhhhh, so because I enjoy the product I purchased and I already know that the gps quirk will be fixed, and disagree with some of the other posters, that makes me "officially related to humminbird"?

Get a grip dude!

Originally Posted by blueball

sounds like iceman might be offically related to humminbird ,what do yall think

**icemanrrc** · 10-05-2008, 04:12 PM

If you think he is smart for that comment, that doesn't say a whole lot about you!

Heaven forbid someone have a different opinion or outlook on here!

Originally Posted by jaxsprat

I believe Mr blueball is one smart man.

**Barnacle Bill** · 10-05-2008, 05:12 PM

I don't have a HB and right now don't want one. But I found out some time ago with my Lowrance's that I wasn't marking brush piles correctly. If I looked at my screen and seen a brush pile in the middle of it, I would mark it. needless to say I had problems going back to it, especially from a different angle because when I marked it, it was already behind my boat. How far depended on how fast I was going. So now when I find a new one, I'll circle back and when it first appears on the right side of the screen, I mark it. I now have no problems finding them again.

**jaxsprat** · 10-05-2008, 06:39 PM

#24 (permalink) Today, 05:12 PM
IBNFSHN
Moderator Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Chesapeake, Va
Posts: 7,099

I don't have a HB and right now don't want one. But I found out some time ago with my Lowrance's that I wasn't marking brush piles correctly. If I looked at my screen and seen a brush pile in the middle of it, I would mark it. needless to say I had problems going back to it, especially from a different angle because when I marked it, it was already behind my boat. How far depended on how fast I was going. So now when I find a new one, I'll circle back and when it first appears on the right side of the screen, I mark it. I now have no problems finding them again.
__________________
Work is for people that don't know how to fish!

Bill H. PTC USN Ret

Yep Bill thats how I did it with all my Lowrance's-drop a marker with it first hit right side of screen then turn boat around coming from direct opppsite direction & drop marker when it first hit screen then I would either make my spot mark between the 2 markers or if it was a larger structure I would mark it at both ends. But this HB problem is a case of the GPS not being able to find its way back to one of its marked spot. The unit gets lost ?, over corrects, leaves a trail like that of a water snake-& yet a ETREX $100.oo list=$79.oo sale can & DOES put U within 3 Feet 98% of the time. U can let Hb go for 20 minutes & still not get there. U all must remember this is the same GPS system that controls your MOB== MAN OVERBOARD function= with this present system a person going overboard at nite in a river or Kentuck Lake won't have a chance.........I feel HB has cheated their customers, should offically admit to a GPS failure, & issue a product recall as is done with cars, baby cribs, food,toys, etc. Their disclaimer "to be used as a guide" does not & should not pertain to the MOB function.

**Ranger690** · 10-05-2008, 06:50 PM

I have a 997. The GPS refresh rate is not nearly as serious as some would lead you to believe. A bit frustrating from time to time...maybe. Could it be better....you bet.

I use mine. I'm no genius. But, if it took me 20 minutes to find a spot I just drove by and marked, I might find something to blame it on too.

I work 8 hours a day beside a guy who is not happy unless he has something to complain about. It's very common.

Dayton

**icemanrrc** · 10-05-2008, 07:44 PM

Well said Ranger690........

Careful though.......You might be accused of being "officially related to Humminbird.":D

**jaxsprat** · 10-05-2008, 07:52 PM

Today, 06:50 PM
Ranger690
Crappie.com 2K Star General Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Chesterfield, VA
I have a 997. The GPS refresh rate is not nearly as serious as some would lead you to believe. A bit frustrating from time to time...maybe. Could it be better....you bet.
I use mine. I'm no genius. But, if it took me 20 minutes to find a spot I just drove by and marked, I might find something to blame it on too.

YEP took two 997 ownerswho asked why they couldn't figure/resolve GPS problem so I took them on lake & marked a known visible spot with their 997, drove off a ways then started procedure of goin to spot when GPS said to turn I followed what it said These guys could not believe what they saw let it go for over 25 minutes and we went everywhere & around to the back side of the standing tree finally getting to within 15-20 feet of it.

**CarpPoop** · 10-12-2008, 11:01 PM

Those who say its not that bad or have the attitude that we should just be happy with what we have...forget it. Global Positioning is old technology. The last thing on these units that should have had bugs was the GPS. There is no excuse for selling a 2000.00 unit that has nothing but a top notch GPS installed. We conquered that technology long ago...yet here we are with a unit in the year 2008 that could not have passed a field test for units from the late 90's. When this unit was in production and (i assume) field tested for hours and hours the problem should have been spotted easily and resolved. No way you release that unit for sale with its current GPS issue...but yet it was released at a 2000.00 price tag. This makes me wander about humminbird..it really does because the problem is so obvious that they had to know about it. I just dont get it..i really dont.

**Cane Pole** · 10-12-2008, 11:25 PM

Originally Posted by CarpPoop

Those who say its not that bad or have the attitude that we should just be happy with what we have...forget it. Global Positioning is old technology. The last thing on these units that should have had bugs was the GPS. There is no excuse for selling a 2000.00 unit that has nothing but a top notch GPS installed. We conquered that technology long ago...yet here we are with a unit in the year 2008 that could not have passed a field test for units from the late 90's. When this unit was in production and (i assume) field tested for hours and hours the problem should have been spotted easily and resolved. No way you release that unit for sale with its current GPS issue...but yet it was released at a 2000.00 price tag. This makes me wander about humminbird..it really does because the problem is so obvious that they had to know about it. I just dont get it..i really dont.

It called Money Honey........Rush to market..out the door first...we will get it right later......maybe......

I agree with you.....

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