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I was trying to get some opinions about the Lowrance Elite 7 Chirp model # 000-11663-009. Bass Pro has a weekly deal on them for 379.99 and that is a discount of 120.00. This price is good right now but I can't say for how long. I've been looking at the Hook 7 they have for 569.99 also but with this price would it be better to go with the Elite 7 Chirp.
I've got the elite 7 ti with chirp and the total scan ducer and a navionics hot maps chip in it. I love the unit but sometimes it acts up when the cords get really hot. Other than that it's a gen 3 with chirp, ss, ds. Processer is very fast, and, being a cartography junkie and gis afficiando, Lowrance has the ball in their court with 3rd party mapping platforms.
Oh yeah, and it helps me catch fish too.:biggrin
Don't do it. Internal gps can't not keep up with itself. Very frustrating working structure, locating waypoints. Price is not worth the headaches, reason I know is due to my experience with the chirp 9.
Check out the Garmin they have some cheaper unit that are Great !!!!!
I'm with Meatgetter, if you going on the low end go with Garmin, the Stryker series is getting very good reviews!!!
Thanks to all who have responded. After further review the unit Bass Pro had on special came with the Lake Insight Pro HD Lake Maps card. I've never had a depth finder w/ a SD card but I thinking Navionics maps had the best mapping for the lakes in Ms. Garmin w/ LakeVu may be great, I just haven't seen one in operation. Maybe I need to go to one of the places they have the units on display and play with it for awhile. My plans are to get two, (1) with at least a 7'' display with sidescan at the wheel and the other downscan w/ chirp for the front. Both Garmin and Lowrance have these in 7'' displays just wish Hummigbird did so I could really be undecided. I really do appreciate everyone's comments. It's just a 1 time chance that the wife will let me spend my own money on something I have wanted and I sure don't want to screw this up.
Humminbird with a Lakemaster south east version 4 card in it is the best for the MS lakes, insight for Lowrance is a close second.
Garmin maps are better than both of the other two !!!!!! I have used them all......
Decision made so far is to pass on the Elite 7 chirp. Don't want a unit with slow processing speed. Useless and Frustration are the 2 things I like to leave on the bank so I'm taking in account all the great info all are providing to me.
I'd like to see them maps on the big four, if they are better than Lakemaster I would buy one.Quote:
Originally Posted by MEATGETTER
They look better to me John !!!!
In classic fashion, I missed where you said it was the Elite Chirp model-not the ti model. As mentioned (looks like you've already done so) steer clear of that model.
Rees Guide, or anyone for that matter, do you have a screeshot of the Lakemaster view on, say, Grenada? Just curious as to how it looks.
I've got the Navionics Hotmaps Platinum and I cannot complain a bit, except for some areas that are not mapped on the big 4 that have water only in the spring. These areas are few and far between once I turned on fish n chip, but a couple of the areas missing data are in productive waters. One thing that I try to tell the couple of folks who've asked me about Navionics cards and which one to get- people with far less experience than a lot of those on the board- is that, if he is using the chart plotter for fishing, then get Hotmaps Platinum. There is a difference.
Another thing that they don't tell ya- or if they did I missed it- is to cut on the fish-n-chip option on the lowrance units that have a platinum card installed. The first time I put the card in I zoomed in to Grenada and was already looking to see what time it was, and if I had time to get to the store for a return on my money. However, after going through settings on my unit, I turned on fish n chip and BOOM, I had bottom contours like I thought the HD lakes were supposed to.
Fish n chip option?? Where might this be?? Do all lowrance units have this option?Quote:
Originally Posted by SlaterSlinger
Thanks!!
Mine are the 93sv model. .
Bandchaser,Quote:
Originally Posted by bandchaser
In regards to your question on whether or not all Lowrance models have this option: do not quote me on any of this. :twocents
Firstly, I believe the fish-n-chip feature only exists as an option (that can be turned on/off) relative to the Navionics chip that is in the unit. If I remember correctly, it has to be a Platinum or Premium chip. If this is in the unit, and the unit has the feature on its menu, then you can turn it on.
Once ya got the right chip, it's a matter of whether or not the unit has the fish n chip feature as an option. Perhaps I once read where it was only HD models? I can't remember, to be honest. (That is one of the things I despise about Lowrance- as a result of being owned by Navico: they are very spotty and vague on their product lines and information about which is what, who goes where, what model has this, etc. Basically, at times, things are clear as mud with them.)
However, I believe HDS models, possibly others, can have this option- if it is not present- with an update on the unit's software.
Assuming all is well on the software updates, correct chip, unit feature options, etc.- the way to cut this feature on (in my Elite Ti) is as easy as pie:
* Make sure that your chart is switched from Lowrance to Navionics before you start at step 1.
1) On any screen with the chart go to the "Menu" and touch:
"Chart Options"
2) From "Chart Options" find and open the menu item:
"View"
3) From the menu item "View", find and engage the option:
Fish- N- Chip
That's it.
Also, I redact my statement about Grenada and it only being a few areas not mapped. In the main basin this is true. However, I forgot that everything North of Graysport has not been mapped. I hope they get back out to Grenada asap to finish this. Being one of, arguably, THE top destinations in the country for the crappie species, you'd figure they would have dotted their t's and crossed their i's on this lake.
Nothing above Torrence and Scuna/turkey is mapped on the Scuna side either, reason I changed.
I checked my chart after reading this and you're wrong...for tee-tee'in in my cheerios this morning. It sure ain't. I haven't fished that far up since buying my card, and so I haven't taken notice.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rees Guide
Hurts my pride that I somehow missed this; because, as the legend goes, it is said that my acute vision and notice for visual detail is greater than (or equal to) that of the mighty ground mole. Believe it or not- I don't care.
Again, thanks to all. Slaterslinger, I,m glad you commented so highly of the ti model. That was the unit I was thinking about placing at the wheel. The other unit was going up front to run off the trolling motor. I'm going with 2 units and really want CHIRP from what I've heard about them. Now if CHIRP is not that much of a big deal then I'm back to the drawing board. With that option (no CHIRP) Hummingbird would be back on the table. Garmin already is on the table because they supply a CHIRP model at a 7"" display and I haven't seen where Hummingbird does. Garmin came on the boat but both have been overcome by rain.
Forgot to mention but Bluetooth option is a plus
Chirp is a fancy word for clearer transducer readings in my opinion. The processors in the elite series are a joke.
Jump to the HDS GEN 2 Touch and your going somewhere! Have 2 on my rig and they are the cat's meow!!!
Chirp is no a fancy word for clearer transducer. True chirp sends out multiple frequencies at the same time therefore making clearer images. The only one I know of that has true chirp are Garmin. They all work just have to decide what is best for you. I still run a Lowrance on the front but it doesn't compare to the new Garmin I have on the dash.
I know I have checked out the Garmin on display at places and they do look good. Have great images
Compared to 10 years ago, they are all awesome. If you like to play with electronics, Lowrance. If you want to take it out of the box and use it without tuning, hummingbird. Garvin Is amazing too
Garmin.
Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.Quote:
Originally Posted by bandchaser
Do more research, sir. The Elite Ti IS AN HDS GEN3 plus more perks. Anytime you want to check mine out for the processor's performance, I'd be happy to prove you wrong. I dabble in bathymetry mapping on the side using my unit, and I can assure you that, just like fishing, I cannot tolerate an under powered unit. I also completely understand the confusion about the Elite Ti vs the other Elite models. That's the thing I spoke of in my 2nd post about one of the things I hate about the often ambiguous/confusing models, features, etc. of lowrance products. My Ti will run just like your Gen 2 with the additional feature of Bluetooth and wifi connectivity. I'm not knocking the Gen 2 or 3 (even I'm not THAT stupid), but to state that the Ti has a junk processor is false. It has the SAME processor as the HDS GEN 3.
And the chirp statement is incorrect as well. For shallow water fishermen like us, is it a MUST? No. However, I depend on my chart plotter map and chirp sonar far more than I do any other features. I catch more fish using chirp. Period.
I believe the thread title began with the word opinion.....lolQuote:
Originally Posted by SlaterSlinger
All You Wanted to Know about CHIRP Sonar - Wired2fish - Scout
Maybe we should do our homework before telling someone they are wrong.
TI was also not discussed by the OP. Please don't take this as a battle of who knows more. Thank the good Lord above for the freezer of blessings so far this year. But if I knew more about these contraptions and had the very latest equipment, I might need two more freezers!![emoji41]
Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
Shoot... the older I get the more I despise getting into a battle of "who knows more." ESPECIALLY with folks a decade+ older than me. It usually does not wind up well!Quote:
Originally Posted by bandchaser
I just don't want any reader thinking ALL Elite units are junk; and thereby making a decision to scrap a fine unit like the Ti from their list of choices. In my opinion (albeit a humble one), the Ti with the totalscan at BPS is one heck of fine deal; one that I am only interested in seeing other fellow fishermen capitalize on- not so much about being right about anything.
If I knew more about all of the contraptions out there- I'd need more than freezers: I'd need another job, a divorce lawyer, a psychiatrist, etc., etc. :help
I am still recovering from a knee surgery I had 2 weeks ago. The last time I went fishing was a week and a half before surgery to Okatibee . The final straw on deciding to go see the doctor was when I couldn't even unhook the boat that night.
With that said, a fellow would be hard-pressed to find a fool so thankful as this one regarding his blessings. Not being too terribly old, the surgery put a little bit of wind in my sails by making me aware to be thankful for the simple things- like hooking up a boat, or mobility, or enjoying my time chasing a critter like the crappie- allowing me to enjoy myself while on this earth and under the sun (literally and Ecclesiastically :) )
Bad choice of words. I knew it when I hit "post quick reply." Sorry 'bout that.