Who's in charge of refunds over at Humminbird?

Got the 797 installed on Friday and managed to get out Saturday AM. I didn't even catch one fish. Last time I went I caught one, therefore, it's obviously a problem with the 797. :p

Initial impressions were pretty much just what I expected. Amazing to be able to cut a 300' swath as I plowed along. Yep, the 5" screen is disappointing just as I expected, but I couldn't swing the cost of the bigger 997 or 1197, but it's a whole different world from 2D. Some of the controls were cumbersome to navigate through, but I'm sure I'll adjust. I did note that when the view is set to 2D on top and SI on the bottom, when I went to move the cursor to mark a way point, I couldn't move it below the 2D to mark something on the SI. Had to switch to full SI view, then mark it. No biggee, but still kind of an odd way to program it. Wished the zoom feature didn't pause the recording.

I think I've got the transducer mounted low on the right side as you look at it from the back of the boat. Noticed that when in SI - the right read out fades to black with no detail on the last inch to inch and a half of the screen. The left side was flawless though. Also, the 2D would not show a complete arch for a fish in a lot of cases the "hook" would start on the left side, climb to the top, start back down, then stop. I suspect that is from the tranducer being less than level as well.

Had an issue with the Navionics Gold - Gulf of Mexico - 15XG card. Grenada didn't show up once I was on the water. Now, this chip came with the unit, but from what I saw, it looks like the detail for Grenada should be there. May be wrong about that, but from the house, when I powered it up - Grenada shows up on the map. When I move the cursor over to the lake to zoom in on the detail, the lake outline disappears. Hmmmm. Might have a chip to sell and another one to buy in the near future.

GPS - issues noted and confirmed.

Anyway, I'm happy with it, but gonna need a good bit of seat time with it to realize all of it's benefits.

Wannabe...

Got the 797 installed on Friday and managed to get out Saturday AM. I didn't even catch one fish. Last time I went I caught one, therefore, it's obviously a problem with the 797.

Left my SI at home and filled my bucket with fish. Must be wasting too much time fiddling with the SI.:p

You know, I've heard people say that before, but I thought I would be different. Surely me of all people could power it down and get to fishing......wrong. 3 hour trip and I spend a good 2 of it at 3.1 mph with my eyes glued to that bitsy 5" screen. I'm just glad there were 3 foot rollers out on the lake and I ran out of cove to graph and didn't have anything else to look at. :)

Wannabe...

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Originally Posted by Wannabe...

You know, I've heard people say that before, but I thought I would be different. Surely me of all people could power it down and get to fishing......wrong. 3 hour trip and I spend a good 2 of it at 3.1 mph with my eyes glued to that bitsy 5" screen. I'm just glad there were 3 foot rollers out on the lake and I ran out of cove to graph and didn't have anything else to look at. :)

Wannabe...

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Hey Wanna,
From listenin' to all the issues with these hi-tek units, sounds like you gonna need to set up a plan for a long term prescription of Prozac.

Oh, and if you figger that bad boy out, my favorite stainless steel needle nose pliers went overboard around the Threadcutter Snag just southeast of Choctow ramp last Saturday........I'd like to have'em back, and I'm assuming that 797 machine could be the hero??? :rolleyes::)

I have a 997 and agree with all of you. I thought that this thing was supposed to point a big arrow saying "FISH HERE TODAY" with a list of baits they are feeding on and sizes of the fish in the location. Mounted transducer on an all weld aluminum boat and have the same problems with side imaging on the left side. I also can't get the unit to give a good reading on the sonar when over 10 mph. I mounted the transducer as low off the bottom as possible, but still have the same problems. My worries are when I get in shallow water. Will scratches on the bottom side of the transducer cause bad readings?

Wannabe,

I would first check the Navionics card because all we are doing is reading the data off of the card. One other thing you can try to make sure you don't have a odd setting turned off. I would go to the setup menu and go down to Restore Factory Defaults and restore them and see if the information comes up.

On the Side Imaging part if you would take a snap shot of the (the right read out fades to black with no detail on the last inch to inch and a half of the screen). If you will email me a picture of the transom of your boat and a snap shot of the image and will take a look at it and give you some suggestions.

Will do Joby. Pretty sure it's a tilted ducer causing the problem. It's either that or interferance from the motor - although I had it tilted way up.

I'm thinking the card that came with this unit is only for marine charts and has no inland lakes on it. At least, that's what it seems to be telling me on the Navionics site. No bigge, I'll dump it on Ebay and buy what I need.

Wannabe...

If I can do anything let know.

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Originally Posted by Joby @ Humminbird

If I can do anything let know.

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You can come up and show me I am wrong about what I say about these units.

You still have an open invitation. I will fess up HERE if I am wrong. ;)

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Originally Posted by Cane Pole

You can come up and show me I am wrong about what I say about these units.

You still have an open invitation. I will fess up HERE if I am wrong. ;)

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TOM YOUR TRYING TO RIDE A DEAD HORSE---AIN,T NOBODY GOIN TO SHOW----:):):)

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Originally Posted by frank lawhead

TOM YOUR TRYING TO RIDE A DEAD HORSE---AIN,T NOBODY GOIN TO SHOW----:):):)

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I know it. They stuck under the table like an old wad of gum. However, I am persistent.

For example, I have emailed Toyota for 1003 days in a row. They shouldn't have charged me 63 bucks for a center hubcap on my Tacoma. 4 inch diameter piece of plastic.Bull. Rip. They don't respond, but I keep prodding. I am like Capt'n America. I don't give up.;)

George Jones.......

Guys,
I do listen and read every comment out here and to say that our gps is inaccurate is wrong. I am out here here to help with any question people have and to get suggestion on how to make our products better. Trust me we listen. We have passed this information along. The only thing I see is the response time on the arrow line getting to your waypoint could be faster. Example When turning your boat the gps arrow needs to stay with the boat.

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Originally Posted by Joby @ Humminbird

Guys,
I do listen and read every comment out here and to say that our gps is inaccurate is wrong. I am out here here to help with any question people have and to get suggestion on how to make our products better. Trust me we listen. We have passed this information along. The only thing I see is the response time on the arrow line getting to your waypoint could be faster. Example When turning your boat the gps arrow needs to stay with the boat.

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I agree about the GPS. My Garmin and HB lat and long display the same coordinates for the same waypoints.

However, I can get on the dots with my Garmin, but I can't with the HB. Here lies the problem. This gives the HB the appearance as being inaccurate. All I want is for it to work as advertised. I do not believe this is too much to ask from HB.

Surely HB knows this is a problem, but has yet to define it as a priority, but HB continues to sell the units with this fault.

I believe we have been more than fair describing this unit fault to would be owners.

I have been whinning about this for over a year, but the problem has yet to be addressed. I guess HB is aware that I am persistent. Fix the problem and I will shut up.

Like I said before, I like the SI part.

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Originally Posted by Joby @ Humminbird
Guys,
I do listen and read every comment out here and to say that our gps is inaccurate is wrong.

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Please Joby thats not what we mean? or are saying. --I myself have no doubt of the 997 waypoints. being accurate. The Hb cannot find its way back to its own waypoints without going off course or around in circles, gosh I hope its been said for last time. We just want/need some help to get this problem fixed. I posted this on the sideimaging site last year, got no real responce so I dropped it, I was wrong l guess. Well thanks for listening/reading. Later................

I have never used anything other that the Humminbird GPS so it may be possible that I am living in my very own world of poverty.. I have had absolutely zero problem with the my 1197 unit and it puts my right on top of the fish.. Almost three years ago I talked my dad into buying a 987 and everytime I have been with him we have caught fish and I contribute alot of the success to the combo of Si sonar and GPS.. Matter of fact, last Monday when I went fishing the wind was blowing 11-13 mph and I had to fish in an area that was out of the wind.... 1197 to the rescue..

I may be putting to much work into it for some of ya'lls standards.. But.. I made one pass in the mouth of a cove.. Found a submerged tree (top of tree12 foot under the surface)full of fish using SI.. I mean FULL of fish in 25ft of water.. I used the cursor to make a waypoint... From there I circled around to the waypoint.. (the closer I got to the waypoint the more I zoomed in on the screen).. Dropped a bouy , backed off the marker and the first ten cast I caught ten crappie... No fishing tale here. That is the absolute truth.. Keep in mind that I have never fished this cove before.. With the si,gps,navionics platinum card I was able to reconize where the fish were, spot on.. If this unit is installed properly and your not handicapped by not knowing how to use it effectively there is no better tool for finding fish that are relating to deep structure..

In summary, I have no problem with getting the boat on top of the waypoint.. I'm not sure what all the hullalbaloo is about humminbird gps.. From my experience it has failed to disapoint time and time again.. I wouldn't take $10,000.00 for my 1197 unit if I couldn't replace it... For true!!!

I am glad urs works for you jusfshn. I guess we just got the cheaper models and just don't know how to use them.

I've been setting back and reading all the posts about these units and have refrained from posting till now, but I just can't hold out any longer. Here goes.

I recently had an opportunity to test Humminbird's commitment to customer service. The challenge was met and in fact exceeded my expectations. So I am convinced that Humminbird cares.

With that said... Yes there are issues with the GPS portion of these units. I'm and having the same problem as everyone else. I am no stranger to navigating by GPS, we use them on the towboats as a navigation aid an I can back a 15 barge tow in on a carton of eggs in shutout fog with the one we have on my vessel. High end stuff!

I believe that not only does HB have a bunch of P O'd customer but there may be some underlying product liability issues as well. Even with the disclaimers. Think about this. You're a Pro Bass fisherman getting ready to depart for a day of fishing in a major tourney. You have routes & track laid out to get you where you want to start. It's foggy! :eek: Pressure's on. You gotta go! You're trying to follow your route & BAM!!! You're off track, have a major wreck but you live thru it. Of course the corperate lawyers would be better off if it killed ya. Dead men don't testify!

You think that ain't gonna get you a law suit after all the discussion about this problem on all these forums?! You bet your sweet SI it will! And even if HB won the law suit the legal costs and bad publicity would be un-godly costly in all aspects.

This has got to be a big deal for a company like HB. Ask Firestone & Ford if something you integrate into the product you sell can't cost you an arm and a leg and take you years to recover from the publicity.

Yes, I believe that humminbird jumped the gun a little putting these products out. Obviously there was not near enough field time invested, before they were put on the market.

HB gained my trust and until they breach that trust I'm giv'n them the benefit of the doubt. We got any other company reps that frequent this board and take the thrash'n the Joby does? Nope! Just having him here to answer questions shows me something.

I want HB to make sure they get it right and not just put a band aid on the problem. I don't believe it should be a costly fix to us, the consumers either. If they rush to a fix more problems may evolve.

Regardless of what the guys said on the other board, I have visited many other fishing forums and believe me this is the talk of the town! It ain't go'n away till it's fixed and people are satisfied.

As for Cane Pole... If anyone questions his motives I'll just say. I've had the pleasure of meeting the man and if he told me the world was square I'd think twice before I called him a liar! The man flat knows what he's talking about and he's right on this one. He's like me in the fact that he believes you should get what you agreed to pay for. Period!

Everyone on here that has voiced their opinion about these units has every right to and are not whining! That's what's wrong with things now days. To darn many people are satisfied with less than they expect. You don't get what you pay for; you get what you demand!

Come on HB... Don't make a liar out of me! :o

There... I feel better now! :D

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Originally Posted by Cane Pole

I guess we just got the cheaper models and just don't know how to use them.

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I detect a bit of sarcasm... Not saying that you don't know how to use electronics.. Just making a general statement... Not telling you anything you do not already know, there isn't $800.00 worth of features/difference between the 997 and the 1197.. I'm sure that $800 wasn't spent on upgrading the gps between the two units.

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Originally Posted by JusFshn

I detect a bit of sarcasm... Not saying that you don't know how to use electronics.. Just making a general statement... Not telling you anything you do not already know, there isn't $800.00 worth of features/difference between the 997 and the 1197.. I'm sure that $800 wasn't spent on upgrading the gps between the two units.

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Your reference.

If this unit is installed properly and your not handicapped by not knowing how to use it effectively there is no better tool for finding fish that are relating to deep structure..

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Originally Posted by Cane Pole

Your reference.

If this unit is installed properly and your not handicapped by not knowing how to use it effectively there is no better tool for finding fish that are relating to deep structure..

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Are you saying there isn't any truth in that statement? Or are you taking offense as if someone was classifying YOU as "electronically handicapped"?

I have read your post in the past and you have my respect... I just don't have anything to compare my gps experience to.. Furthermore, I catch fish using the Humminbird..Isn't that what the unit was developed for?

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Originally Posted by JusFshn

Are you saying there isn't any truth in that statement? Or are you taking offense as if someone was classifying YOU as "electronically handicapped"?

I have read your post in the past and you have my respect... I just don't have anything to compare my gps experience to.. Furthermore, I catch fish using the Humminbird..Isn't that what the unit was developed for?

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Just jib jabbing at ya. I understand your point. Naw, I don't take any offense to this whatsoever.

I believe the SI was intended for underwater topographic mapping. Spotting fish is just a beneficial phenomenon of underwater imaging.;) I like the SI.