Mapping Unit

Hi all,

I have a newly bought Pro V with a bow mount Carbon 12 and a console mount Carbon 12 unit. I love the Lowrance units, but am very new to them, having been a Humminbird guy before. I’d really like 2 units on the console, 1 specifically for mapping, the other for sonar/structure scan. I’m considering either moving the bow mount to the console, or adding a 3rd unit to the boat. If I were looking for a 9 inch lowrance unit for my console, strictly to display the map/gps, that would link to my Carbons, what would you recommend?

Thanks!

I might not be the best guy to answer this but I have been trying to stay up to date on the capabilities of each model. I own the older HDS gen 2 units.

Here is what I’ve heard.

HDS Gen 2: Not compatible with viewing created maps.

HDS Gen 2 Touch: Not compatible with viewing created maps. Not as user friendly due to lack of any buttons.

HDS Gen 3: Fully compatible. Slower processor than the Carbon.

I may be wrong on the Gen 2 Touch compatibility though.

Big gill is correct, but the gen2 touch should be comparable with the correct updates installed. I have 2 units on the console too for all the same reasons you listed, plus it serves as a backup unit if one goes down.
Stick with another HDS unit and make sure it’s all connected via a NMEA backbone and it will be able to share all waypoints, plus control a motor guide motor if that’s what’s on the boat.

I have an 1850 Skeeter with three Lowrance HDS-12 Units, all NMEA linked to my Motorguide Xi5 Bow-mounted trolling motor. I like having two HDS units on my console when searching for waypoints, structure, and fish. However, I spend 90 percent of my fishing time in the bow, looking at the HDS-12 Screen. My recommendation is to replace your HDS-12 Carbon bow unit with a Lowrance HDS-16 Carbon and move the existing HDS-12 to the console. Two units on the console provide a vast array of structure scan, 3-D, 2-D, CHIRP, and GPS options. Stick with the Lowrance Carbons and you won’t be disappointed.:waytogo

I bought a helix 12 si for $1500 on the cabelas website. I just shut off the transducer and use just the mapping. I like the lake master chips!

biggill wrote:

I might not be the best guy to answer this but I have been trying to stay up to date on the capabilities of each model. I own the older HDS gen 2 units.

Here is what I’ve heard.

HDS Gen 2: Not compatible with viewing created maps.

HDS Gen 2 Touch: Not compatible with viewing created maps. Not as user friendly due to lack of any buttons.

HDS Gen 3: Fully compatible. Slower processor than the Carbon.

I may be wrong on the Gen 2 Touch compatibility though.

I will respond to this to add clarification:

HDS Gen 2: Not compatible with viewing LIVE created maps like the new functionality added by Navionics this year. You can record your own sonar data, upload to the cloud community, the file gets transformed and then you can download to a blank SD card and use in your unit. Lots of steps, doesn’t work that well, but I have done it and it does work.

HDS Gen 2 Touch: Not compatible with viewing LIVE created maps like the new functionality added by Navionics this year. You can record your own sonar data, upload to the cloud community, the file gets transformed and then you can download to a blank SD card and use in your unit. Lots of steps, doesn’t work that well, but I have done it and it does work.. Not as user friendly due to lack of any buttons. Agreed. Also, you would have issues if you wanted to use it icefishing or on an ATV or something because of the touch screen grounding issue, but some have gotten around that.

Thanks guys, appreciate the input