options when running twin HDS7 gen1 units

I recently added a 2nd HDS7 unit to the bow of my boat (main unit is same at the stern). I know one option is to add an Ethernet cable and link the two together. Will a single map chip show up on both units with Ethernet? What are my other options? Buy a second map chip and run both units entirely separate?

If they are linked, what are the advantages.

If I run the separate, what are the advantages?

How do I transfer waypoints from one unit to the other? Do I need a computer and a special program? OR will waypoints be saved on both units simultaneously? I must be overlooking this info in the owners manual as I can’t find it.

Thanks in advance for educating me. I know next to nothing about the in’s and outs of running two units.

If you connect the 2 units together, your waypoints will be saved to both units. Its a nice feature to have all your waypoints on both.

You will need to get a map chip for each unit.

I cannot remember if it was a HDS Gen 2 requirement or not, but I know there was a SW update for HDS units that allowed it to share map cards between units.
The big thing with that though is depending on which chips you do have, the newer SW updates messes up LakeMaster chips. If you have Navionics or Lowrance chips you should be fine with the updates.

Connecting them with Ethernet is the way to go. The second you save a waypoint on one unit it stores it on the other. It does not share tracks this way though.
You can also share sonar between the two if you would want to do that. If you have it in the bow I would assume you have a trolling motor there so that is probably not something you would do.

Piece of advice, if/when you get an Ethernet cable to connect the two units, make sure you uncheck the “Network” Sonar in the settings. By default it comes on when you initially hook up the two units and if you don’t want to share sonar save you some frustration of trying to figure out why your images are funny as in, same on both units.

Thanks guys, that certainly gives me a better handle on things.

I am leaning on connecting the units via an ethernet cable primarily so the waypoints are saved to both units. Right now I also use my HDS7 for ice fishing. I do have a trolling motor in the bow and usually sit in the stern (tiller boat) when using it to troll a contour. Being able to get a “bow view” would indeed be a plus for this usage.

When jigging over tight structure, I sit upfront and being able to punch in a waypoint will be new to me and much used when pinpointing a small rock pile or other structure.

New question; If I enter a waypoint to a single unit (when ice fishing for example) I assume I will need to manually add this waypoint to the second unit come open water time? Or in other words, waypoints saved to an isolated unit (ice fishing situation), will not automatically update from unit to unit when connected by the ethernet cable come next spring.

I believe your second question the answer is NO you will not have to enter them in manually. But make sure you back up your weigh points on both units pryer to hooking up. I did this last spring and I still can not figure out how my system deleted all the weight points from the unit that was still on the boat. Lucky I had a back up SD card with all my wpts. I do have my HDS units connected with ethernet as well as the NMEA.

Mohca

Thanks for your answer. All the new electronics can be a bit overwhelming for a guy who still remembers the “green box”.

Huntindave wrote:

Mohca

Thanks for your answer. All the new electronics can be a bit overwhelming for a guy who still remembers the “green box”.

I not only remember the “green box”, I have three of them in my garage as we speak. Ah the good old days!