Question about the new HDS units

I am condsidering an upgrade to my electronics.
How good is the internal antenna on the new Lowrance HDS units??
Would I still need the external antenna or is that mostly for when the unit is mounted in a boat with an enclosed cabin??

I am still up in the air a little on whether to go with the HDS7, HDS8 or just bite the bullet and go with the HDS10.

It looks like there are some fairly big differences between the 7 and 8 with the extra function keys below the screen on the 8 but is there a big difference between the 8 and 10 other than size?

Insight yes or no? I have asked at three different places and been told not necessary by 2 and it is a gotta have by the third. Anyone know which it is and why??

Thanks
John

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How good is the internal antenna on the new Lowrance HDS units??

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I was leary too since they had the internal ant problems in the past. But I can’t attest to an inside mount.

I have the Insight that came with the HDS-8. I can see it helping to narrow down an area to fish. I shows at a glance shallow water going to deep water, points and basins.

Now that the Lowrance chips are being released, I’ll be able to get mine updated and take a peak at how they work.

I went with the 8 because it’w the larges that fits on my council. It’s like a motor John, always get the largest that will fit!

I have two HDS7’s and the internal antenna works great, no issues so far. I believe the functions are the same on all 4 sizes except the ability to split your screen more times in the 8 & 10. Also the 8 & 10 have the programable function keys as you stated. I went with the 7 because thats what fits in my location on my boat. I would get the biggest I can fit because these old eyes aren’t getting any better. You will love the HDS & I would suggest the structure scan if you have the $.

The internal GPS antenna in the HDS series is as good as any of the previous generations external antennas. Fast satellite signal lock up and good accuracy when looking at the estimated position error. That said the LCG-4000 external antenna with its faster update rate will give you the best possible accuracy.

Jim Carroll NPAA #13

Hello John,

The internal antenna on the new HDS units is the same as the LGC 3000 that went with the LCX units from last year. It works great. The LGC 4000 is a new antenna available this year. It is an external antenna and differs from the 3000 in that the 3000 updates your position once every second and the 4000 updates your position 5 times a second. This will show movement of the boat on a waypoint much quicker allowing you to stay over a waypoint with more accuracy. It can also be mounted right next to the head unit without any of the previous issues.

I have a Ranger bass boat and I have an HDS 10 at the console and an HDS 8 up front. There are no differences between the HDS 10 & 8 other than the size of the screen. If you add the structure scan eventually then the 10 will give you decent size screens when you split it 4 ways. Other than that either one is a better choice over the HDS 7 which can only be split 2 ways.

I use Insight USA on both of my units because there are lakes all across the nation preloaded into the unit along with all the navigable waterways. For me this includes the California Delta where I fish often. Lake Insight is just the lake package and Nautic Insight is just the navigable waterways. The basemap units are very basic mapping detail and need a mapping chip to be used for mapping detail to be displayed. I really like the Insight mapping that I have used on all the lakes I have fished. Good detail, contour lines with points of interest on larger lakes. You can check out which lakes are on the Insight mapping by going to http://www.lowrance.com and write Insight Mapping Lake List in the search box in the upper right corner. Then click on the link to the mapping and click on the region you are in and see if it covers the lakes you normally fish.

I have the 3 HDS units a hds10,hds7 and hds5 and like the others said the internal antenna works very well. I have had the HDS7 since they came out and never had a problem.

I just bought an HDS 10, HDS 7 and structure scan and hopefully going to start installing them tomorrow. So I don’t have any experience with the internal antenna yet.

I’ve been looking at units for the past 3 or 4 months and had originally settled on the hds 8 and hds 7. After looking at them, if you pretend that the guick button bar on the bottom of the hds 8 isn’t there. It looked like it was pretty close to the same size as the hds 7. So I decided to with hds 10. Also other thing that I did was one of the many times I was at bass pro looking them. I turned all of the units to the same screen and looked at them all. I was amazed at how similiar the hds 7 and hds 8 were. And how big of a difference there was between an hds 10 and hds 8. So I figured I’m spending this much money, I mind as well get the 10.

As for insight, I decided not to get it. I think it all comes down to how many different lakes in different regions you fish. I fish either in Iowa or Minnesota. When I was at BPS picking the salesmans brain about it. I had him bring it up and looked at the lake I fish the most which would be Leech. All the contour lines were off and it wasn’t very accurate at all. So I decided I would save the money on insight and buy a navionics north chip. I know they are pretty accurate (at least on the lakes I fish), have experience with, and feel thats best way I could of spend my money.

Jeremy

Ken, Thank you for being here. We appreciate the help!

Thanks for all the input everyone!!!

It really helps hearing from people that actually use the units day in and day out.

I have two HDS-7’s and just added my structure scan. If I would have had room on my console for an 8 or 10 I would have purchased that but the 7 was as big as I could go. As some others have said, if you have the room and the budget, go as big as you can get. Unlike some others however, I have had some intermittent issues with my GPS. Periodically when I fire the unit up, regardless of being in a similar or different location or the elapsed time, I will be stuck on the “?” for my position. Sometimes it’s a few minutes and other times it takes a reboot to get it to come in. In all fairness, my unit sits just below the metal trim around my windshield so that could be part of it.

As far as the insight, it is my understanding that if/when you add any lake chip (Lakemaster or Navionics) that the Insight is turned off and becomes useless. This is the reason I elected to purchase a unit without the Insight feature and instead put that money towards my local region chip. If you will be fishing a number of different states then maybe it has more value, for me the choice to forgo the Insight feature was simple.

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As far as the insight, it is my understanding that if/when you add any lake chip (Lakemaster or Navionics) that the Insight is turned off and becomes useless.

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I don’t know yet because I don’t have mine, but isn’t this why a person would buy the LakeMaster Insight chip?

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As far as the insight, it is my understanding that if/when you add any lake chip (Lakemaster or Navionics) that the Insight is turned off and becomes useless.

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I don’t know yet because I don’t have mine, but isn’t this why a person would buy the LakeMaster Insight chip?

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BK, The Lakemaster Insight chip has nothing to do with the HDS Insight preloaded unit. I really wish one of the two had a different name because it’s confusing the heck out of customers. Lakemaster Insight is comparable to Navionics Hotmaps Platinum in that it offers 3D mapping. As others have said, I prefer the Navionics or Lakemaster cards over the preloaded Insight data if you fish only one region. But if you travel outside of your home area then the preloaded units are a good value.

No kidding Wade!

So as near as I can tell,

Lowrance w/Insight (pre loaded)
3D shaded display for the US
No depths

LakeMaster Insight Chip

3D shaded display for MN Lakes WITH
high definition shaded contours (depths).

I’m reading the literature and still confused!

Once the LakeMaster chip gets here, I’ll post some screen shots of both.

Finished installing my 10 and 7 with structure scan today. When out on a local lake and all I can say is WOW.

The questioning about the internal antenna, for me anyways, is gone. I turned them on in the garage and in no time they were locked on. I was amazed. It hardly gave me time to put my navionics chip in.

I am glad I went with the hds 10 for the console. The structure scan is awesome. You see all these pictures in magazines and on websites just doesn’t do it justice. Then to actually see first hand…. wow. What a tool to have.

Jeremy

Hello Wade,

I am on the Lowrance Pro Staff and just found this website. I really like the fact that there is a place for your readers to come to get questions answered. I will continue to monitor the website and help with the questions if that is OK?

I conduct tournament support at FLW tournaments out here in California and have delt with alot of questions so if I don’t already know how to answer a question I know people who do so I’ll get the answer and we will all learn something.

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Ken, Thank you for being here. We appreciate the help!

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Dido!

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Hello Wade,

I am on the Lowrance Pro Staff and just found this website. I really like the fact that there is a place for your readers to come to get questions answered. I will continue to monitor the website and help with the questions if that is OK?

I conduct tournament support at FLW tournaments out here in California and have delt with alot of questions so if I don’t already know how to answer a question I know people who do so I’ll get the answer and we will all learn something.

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Sounds good to me, Ken.