Humminbird gps ??
 

Any of you guys run a hummingbird unit ?
I'm about to pull the trigger on a GPS /depth finder for the new rig. I flip flop from lowrance to humminbird to simrad. I have a I pilot and I hear the HB syncs with the I pilot to follow contours and what not. It looks like a pretty good unit too. Any thoughts or opinions would be cool. I know very little about using these things so user friendly would be a plus. I love the hds lowrance units but the syncing with my T motor has almost got me sold.
Here is one I am thinking of getting.

https://www.thedigitaloasis.com/mobi...o_p_25024.html



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I fished with someone that had the exact same one. It's a nice unit but to me the maps aren't very detailed and they confused me more that anything when trying to set up on a drift. I'm used to the garmin GPS tho. However you can get cards for the map and once you get used to it, it prolly won't be a problem reading the info.

I have one and like it so far. I have only used it for navigation using the maps. I wouldn't buy lowrance for the same reason I wouldn't buy a duce.

Being that you have the ipilot already. You would have to buy the $800 link remote and HB gps in order to link the TM.

I think the link system is geared more towards fresh water fishing. Being that fresh water has more contours, tree lines stumps etc.

Cant go wrong with either gps unit! Go play with brought and see which one you like!:cool:




sent from my Galaxy NOTE II

Yeah. I still bass fish out of my boat and plan on fishing Toledo a good bit but another 800$ Doesn't really sound appealing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Lowrance is still in business and has top notch customer service from my experiences with them. It was quite a few years ago that lowrance had subpar customer service.

I think alpha man just helped u answer your question


"Go ahead, share your opinion! I won't cry"

The price on that hb is hard to pass up but if thats not that big of an issue for you i would definitely go with the lowrance hds touch unit its the most user friendly gps ive ever used.

2 votes Hummingbird.

2 votes Lowrance

You saw how my hds 7 touch performed..
im still learning all the thinkings it can do.

sent from my Galaxy NOTE II

I have a HB 898 SI/DI unit. It is not very good on maps unless you have the NAV Gold card installed. A world of difference. I have a buddy with an HDS 10 Lowrance. I vote Lowrance 4 sure. You wanna buy my unit it is 2 yrs old, just like brand new:work:

I will never own another hb. Using simrad now and love it.

Which simrad do you have. I really like those too.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Pretty cool. Screen shots on a simrad

http://youtu.be/62allBQil9s


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Nss7. It has a rotary knob controller that the lowrance does not have, this in addition to touch screen. I think they are made by the same people who make lowrance. I find myself using the knob controller in just about all instances

I think that utube video is with an nss8. I didn't get the structure scan with mine. It uses lowrances structure scan

Pm meaux fishing he has the a nss7 simrad unit, I think


sent from my Galaxy NOTE II

Yep I have the nss7. I think it is a better unit than the lowrance hds7 touch for a cheaper price. I have no experience with the hb, but i hear the are not as user friendly. I did a lot of research before i bought mine. If you ever want to check it out on the water hit me up and we'll meet up and make a run to the bay or something

Just Qurious? Whats better about the simrad vs the hds touch unit , being that its the same company that makes them?

sent from my Galaxy NOTE II

https://www.thedigitaloasis.com/mobi...ON_p_7537.html


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Same functions, rotary knob, you don't pay for the built in structure scan module. If you want to add structure scan it comes out to the same price as the touch. With the touch you still have to buy the transducer for ss. I paid right at $1k for the unit and transducer and I bought an upgraded transducer.

Thats awesome price if you dont want the S scan. $800 difference in price without the structure scan. My Lowrance hds7 Touch with structure scan was $1800:eek:

sent from my Galaxy NOTE II

I found the S scan with transducer for 557$


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Jump on that son! Are you going with Nss8 with S scan?

sent from my Galaxy NOTE II

Leaning heavily that way.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Set up options vs price

I look at it this way NSS8 if you dont want Structure scan at all (Never). Its Cheaper

If you want structure scan lowrance 1 and done. Quicker install and you dont need that hds hd box.

If u set on nss8 and w/ structure Scan. I get that set up. Same price as the lowrance.

They are very close in internal specs. lowrance has more pixels, bigger screen and a better picture.

At the end of the day its your money, your boat.

How will you install it ram r flush.

HB only for me
 

On my Nautic Star I'm running and older HB 997c si unit on my console inter-linked together with a 917c on the bow... I have very seldom had an issue with the units operating together and they're pretty much on spot between marking a target on the GPS and showing the same spot on the other unit... In my opinion it is going to be hard to beat HB customer service... While fishing Lake Claiborne in North Louisiana I had an issue with my units working together and showing correct depth... I got HB on the cell phone and they worked with me while I broke out the tools and removed the 997 out of the console... We then worked through the troubleshooting process until we narrowed it down to a cable issue... To me that's customer service... I understand from a friend of mine that he has had both Lowrance and is now running a HB 998c si... He told me that He finds the HB is more user friendly and easier to operate... That's his opinion of the units and I know nothing about Lowrance personaly... Good luck on making your decision and if you are interested I can send you a photo I took with my HB of the buoys around the fishing area of Cypremort Point State Park Swiming Area... Again, good luck...

Bruce...

If you want read a lot of great info on the HB vs Low go to bbcboards.net and scroll down just a bit. There are 4 different board topics HB gps questions, HB image interpretation, Low GPS, & Low images. I've got a 998 on the console and an 898 on the bow. I switched from 8 year old Garmin units and I"m not disappointed.
From what i heard the ipilot works in conjunction with Lakemaster map card. The Lakemaster cards i have for Toledo Bend aren't Hi Def cards so the contour lines are more spaced out (not 1' increments).
There's a post on BBC that the Moderator lists his initial settings for the HB unit and you can fine tune from there. I took a pic of these settings with my phone when I first started using the units so i had a starting point for the settings.
There's still a lot i don't know pertaining to my units.

Thanks guys. I found a new 999ci si KVD with side imaging and transducers for 1500. Found the link remote for 350$. Might be back on team humminbird.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

One thing to consider navionics has the best maps coastal and inland lakes i don't think hummingbird reads navionics but i know lowrance does

They read navionics and lake master


http://www.humminbird.com/leading_in...-gps-maps.aspx


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have the 898SI's on my helm and bow and have only had the HB's on my boats. The 898's are good units and the maps are adequate for were I fish. I troll a lot and they accurately show the structure where I toll. I haven't used other brands so I can't compare.

The helm 898 came with the boat and I added the one to the bow and basically went with HB to keep everything the same. If I were starting over, I would look hard at the Lowrance, however. I added an ethernet network to my boat and you have to buy a couple of network switches and converters to interface the HB's and it added around $300 to the cost of the network. I also have my engine on the network (using Lowrance interfaces) and there are some things you can't view because HB isn't very compatible with the NMEA 2K stuff. Lowrance has put a lot of effort in developing NMEA 2K compatibility. If you want to network your boat at some point, I would look hard at Lowrance.