Lowrance or Hummingbird?

[ditchdoc666]

Hey guys & gals,Just got the blessing from the wife to get GPS/sonar for the Ranger,need your input on which one to buy,I want to get one with the best contour program for the chick,nick,big g" and the best to use,don't want side imaging just a good gps combo,value your opinions and expertise so give me all you can Tks TayloremoScratch

 

[ole blue]

I have a lowrance 520c and really like it. Still learning it. I also bought the 07 Navioncs card for mine. So far I have no complaints about it.

 

[beetlespin]

Either one is good but I lean toward Humminbird. They are easier to operate, a little nicer picture, and more dependable. I have a 787c2 on the front of my new boat and love it. I had a Lowrance 520c on my last boat and liked it as well but I like the Bird better. Fishheadspin has had considerable experience with both as well and might give his opinion next time he signs on. If it were my money I would buy the Humminbird.

Lance

 

[MrWiskers]

I have both and use them for different things. I have a Lowerance on the front (I kick my butt every day for not gettting one with GPS) and a Humminbird 797 on the back. The Humminbird came with all the maps pre-loaded and my experience is it is dead nuts on the Chick but sorry at the Riverpark (you don't need it on the river but still). I think you will be happy with either.

I would get a color unit with 4000 watt power not matter what brand you get.

Just my 0.02 worth.

If you want the next time I go you can ride along to check them both out. Just send me a PM.

 

[Guest]

I like the Humminbird. Ease of use and still the only sonar made in the USA.

 

[beetlespin]

They are all wrong at the riverpark. My lowrance told me I was running 100 yards up on the bank.

 

[MrWiskers]

beetlespin - 2/3/2008 5:26 PM

They are all wrong at the riverpark. My lowrance told me I was running 100 yards up on the bank.

I should have clarified it is not the unit but the maps that are wrong at the Riverpark. I think they just did not care about mapping any of the tailwaters to any great detail.

 

[Skeeter]

I have 2 Lowrance GPS/Sonar units and like them too. But as far as maps go. Mine shows me running on land going around the bend in front of Mullins Cove. I had looked at the Birds when i upgraded but i wanted to keep both units the same. Plus wifey wouldnt let me get 2 new units.

 

[B-Pro]

I have two Eagle Fish elites 480 gps/combo and They work great for me. There right on the money, they take me back to some of my offshore spot on Watts Bar to within 30 feet evertime. There not the color units, but for the price you can't beat them.emoThumbsup

 

[fishinvol]

I just went through the same questions for my boat. I ended up going with 2 Lowrance units. I got a 520c for the front and a LCX-27c for the console. My deciding factor was, I personally can read the graph part of the Lowrance much easier that Hummingbird. I can't waite to get them mounted and running!!

 

[puddle jumper]

Hey DD
If you are budget minded my take a look this , To me seems like the best bang for the buck on low end hi feature area.. putting one on mine in a couple of weeks , Also ive played around with one up at sports wairhouse and they seem to be pritty user friendly, but havent used one on the water so just going by what I found when I looked into them...they are around 400. little lower if you look around..

http://www2.lowrance.com/Products/Marine/M68CSMap.asp

Puddle,,,emoUSA

 

[hl&s]

I compared like models of Hummingbird's and Lowrance's at BPS a few weeks ago and bought a Lowrance 522c. The screen was brighter and crisper to my old eyes. Another factor was the ping setting available on the newer Lowrance's that allows you to minimize or eliminate "crosstalk" when you are running two units with the same transducer khz simultaneously. It's important to me as I like to leave the console unit on the entire fishing trip so I can save the route for future use if I have a successfull day. The "crosstalk" is very annoying and often leads to only using one unit at a time. The guys at BPS couldn't tell me for sure if the Birds had the same feature, although they might.

It's something to consider if you plan to do the same later on.

I recently posted the following on another topic:

From Lowrance's support FAQ's :

"Can I install two transducers (sounders) on one boat?
Anytime you use multiple transducers (sounders) of the same frequency, it is possible for them to interfere with each other. This is despite any specified distance between them as coverage areas and depth of water generally allow each to crosstalk. This appears as two specific fault indications. Dark vertical bars will appear on one sounder displaying the transmit burst of the other sounder. This cannot be changed but it is more livable than the other fault. If one unit picks up the echo return of the other unit, it can rapidly change from reading 20-30 feet to suddenly indicating 300- then 500- then 800 feet etc.

This effect can be reduced or eliminated using the ping speed controls of our latest models of sonar devices. When a unit jumps depth ranges, adjust the ping speed 1 setting slower, this will change the rep rate, and cycle time so that the sonar devices cannot sink up together. This will reduce or completely eliminate this problem. "

Maybe Hummingbird has the same adjustment but calls it something else.

I'd go for color. Much easier too see.

Whatever you get, I hope you're happy with it !

 

[polo-dog]

Steve,

The best thing that I like about my Humminbird 585c is that I can use it at my console and at my trolling motor. The Humminbirds click in and out of the base easily but the Lowrance units that I have had scew in and have two cables that all have to be undone before you can move the unit. I have the ability to have the unit that I feel comfortable with and that I like the best and use it in two places for the price of one unit (plus one extra base). I think that I would do it again next time I get a unit too. I really like my color unit. It doesn't have the best color in bright sun as some that I have seen but I would expect that the higher end and newer Humminbird units are better. It's also great to be able to stow my unit in seconds if I stop at the restaurant at Harrison Bay or other places on the lake and don't have to watch the boat constantly to be sure someone doesn't lift my unit. At the end of the day it just clicks out of the base too. I like the Lowrance units that I've seen too but I'm cheap and one unit being used in two spots is great. Never have to worry about two units with outputs mixing either.

 

[Fishheadspin]

THe hummingbirds are pretty nice graphs. I have not been a fan of Lowrances in a while. i have talked to several dealers that are all saying there are some major issues with the Lowrances graphs. I think Todd at C and O told Lance that 80% of the lowrance graphs are coming back.

 

[ditchdoc666]

Thanks guys,I think I have made a decision,going to go with the hummingbird new 1157cNVB on the console and the 757c on the bow and link them together if I can ,still reading.What ya think about this setup?let me know ,value your thoughts.

 

[beetlespin]

That would be an excellent setup. 757 is similar to 787 except lower pixel count.

 

[REDEAGLE21]

i like what cheez said about made in the usa emoUSA . let me know if you need help with the instalation . lets go fishin .