Ok, I’ve spend all of 20 minutes with the ’17 Ulterra.
I just have one question at this time although I reserve the right to ask more questions later.
When I was using the Ulterra it showed 7′ accuracy…so that would mean the boat could drift 14′ right.
Maybe if I spent more time with it I wouldn’t ask these questions…
The new Spot Lock should lock on and drift no more than 3 ft. + or – depending on wind,current,GPS strength and a few hundred other things.
The Heading Sensor works the Jog feature which allows you to move 5 ft. from your spot lock location. You do not need the Heading Sensor to use the Spot Lock.
If your boat is moving 7 to 14 feet on Spot Lock there is something wrong with your unit.
He has a Skeeter 189 and I think he has a 80 lb. Ulterra.
2 lbs. of thrust for every 100 lbs. of loaded boat.
BK — did you SPELL that wright ——- lol
I mean this word —- Ultress —- this a MinnKota?
No no…let’s back up.
The GPS accuracy on the control shows “accuracy 7′”.
How can a spot locked unit stay within 3′ when the accuracy of the gps point could be off by 7′?
Hell I just figured out how to deploy, stow and turn left and right. I’m not ready for “jog” yet. LOL!
Are we sure the number is a representation of distance and not just a number based on a scale of 10. Whereas 10 would be most accurate.
Spot lock just off something like a channel marker to see if it holds. Have you calibrated the heading sensor yet?
The 7 is signal strength. The number of satellites its picking up.
First of all his new boat is a “Skeeter SOLERA 189”
I believe that Brian is mixing the names a bit. Watching a video for a bit I was able to determine which trolling motor that he has.
I’m fairly sure his trolling motor is a “Minn Kota Ultra“.
I’m thinking (not for sure) that it is an 80 pound, 24-volt I-Pilot.
I don’t know if it is a 112 pound 36-volt and/or whether it has the Link system in it.
http://www.minnkotamotors.com/Trolling-Motors/Freshwater-Bow-Mount/New-Ulterra/
The 7 is signal strength. The number of satellites its picking up.
It really doesn’t matter what trolling motor it is (80# Ulterra) I don’t think.
The Minnkota puck runs the trolling motor and the bird gps.
Both say “accuracy 7′) but now you have me second guessing myself Crappy Fisherman.
Too late to uncover it tonight. I’ll get photos on Saturday when I have the FW out.
Thanks guys! (You too Denny!:) )
my terrova 2017 model with the minnkota heading sensor puck and I link remote will show how far I’ve drifted away from my spot lock. Furthest I’ve seen it drift is 7 ft but only seen it so it twice. Usually it stays within 1-2 ft
As far as the minnkota puck goes it is not hooked to your bird bk, it sends a Bluetooth signal to your trolling motor and my understanding is it only is in use when working the jog feature.
As far as the minnkota puck goes it is not hooked to your bird bk, it sends a Bluetooth signal to your trolling motor and my understanding is it only is in use when working the jog feature.
Katman, help me out. If I do not turn on the MinnKota gps puck, my bird’s gps won’t work. Then I say “oh crap, I forgot”, go to the back of the boat and press the button until it lights up. At that very same moment the bird’s GPS fills in the screen.
But you’ve made my point in a round about way.
Go to the satellite screen on any gps. What does the accuracy say?
How can spot lock be better then the accuracy of an expensive gps in your sonar unit?
Here.
The United States government currently claims 4 meter (13.1) RMS horizontal accuracy for civilian (SPS) GPS. Mind you, that’s the minimum. Some devices/locations reliably (95% of the time or better) can get 3 meter (9.8 feet) accuracy.
SOOO… How can one be held Spot Locked tighter then the accuracy of the best GPS accuracy (9.8′)?
That is why, when the Terrova first came out with the spot lock and they were marketing is with a 5′ circle that people were referencing it to a 5′ diameter. I felt it was at least a 10′ dia and a 5′ rad.
BK, I know this sounds like a crazy idea and it’s not really a “MAN” thing to do, but what does the owners manual say? 
BK, I know this sounds like a crazy idea and it’s not really a “MAN” thing to do, but what does the owners manual say?
I hate you.
not really sure why that would be bk. I have mine linked with a helix 10 mega and my gps works without the Bluetooth minnkota heading sensor. The heading sensor only turns on when the terrova is turned on. It’s wired straight to a batterie and turns on via Bluetooth when the trolling motor turns on.
Could it be that they have it paired with your humminbird somehow? Since the h bird is Bluetooth and all.
And also your ulterra itself is not using your humminbirds gps for spot lock. It has its own internal gps in the head of the tm
It’s only using the gps of your h bird when following a contour
You guys must have to really work hard to catch fish… 
Francis, you know I was kidding right? LOL!
I did go through all the manuals and found nothing that could answer my question.
I did talk to a fella that said the same thing as you katman. When I get to my boat, I’m going to have to do some checking.
His response to my question…
How can one be held Spot Locked tighter then the accuracy of the best GPS accuracy (9.8′)?
Was that the Ulterra has and antenna in it’s head, one in the back of the boat (the puck) and it has a heading compass. Those three items keeps it tighter to a spot then the 9.8 feet the government claims is the best gps accuracy.
Katman, I’ll get back to you on the bird using an outside GPS antenna. It might just be a coinkidink.
Belletain, isn’t that what whalli fishing is all about? 
The three point gps thing has that precise pinpoint accuracy only one of the 3 is stationary on the ground as I recall. This comes from my knowledge from the survey equipment.
The heading sensor has nothing to do with the spot lock. It is only used for the jog feature. You can actually remove it and the spot lock will work as it’s supposed to.
Try updating the software in the Ulterra maybe it has SPAM in the program.
I saw what you did there. ^
Francis, you know I was kidding right? LOL!
Oh, good. I was concerned that when I’m down tomorrow I might find a 3oz no-roll sailing through the air towards my forehead unexpectedly.
whew!
The Minnkota puck runs the trolling motor and the bird gps.
I have mine linked with a helix 10 mega and my gps works without the Bluetooth minnkota heading sensor.
this is due to a difference in settings, as networks with those external HS pucks can be set up to work either way.
in your case, BK, it sounds like your Humminbirds are set up to use the GPS from the puck (your Ulterra will also be using it of course). there are some valid reasons to do so, but i think this is a mistake as it can introduce unnecessary error into your waypoint locations.
for example, if you are on the bow looking at a sonar return of a crib from your trolling motor’s transducer, marking a waypoint will actually record the location of your GPS puck…and if that puck is in the back of the boat it could be over 18′ away from the crib below your sonar up in the front! that’s a big error.
i would always turn on that puck’s power so that you can “jog” with your Ulterra spot lock. great feature.
however, i’d change your Humminbird settings to select the local internal GPS of the unit. in the example above, if you’re sonar is over a crib and you record a waypoint on a bow-mounted Humminbird unit, that waypoint will be located as close to the sonar transducer as possible…and that’s a good thing when you want to come back again and park over the top of that crib.
now…if you have a single Humminbird mounted at the console (i think this is how the Solera comes from the factory?), i’d select the gps source that’s closest to the sonar transducer you’re using at the time. for example, if you’re using the transducer in the trolling motor, select the one that’s most forward. if you’re using a transducer on the transom, select the puck if it’s mounted back there. ie., get your transducer and gps source as close to each other as possible for most situations.
as you gain experience with your Humminbird/MinnKota network, you will discover times when you want to select one GPS source over others. your network should list all of them that are available: each Humminbird’s internal, your external puck, etc.
First, the GPS signal isn’t scrambled for civilian use. Known as Selective Availability, it was outlawed by President Clinton.
Secondly. although the accuracy of GPS alone may be advertised at 9.8′, trolling motors, depth finders, etc. all use what’s known as a differential correction source to improve the accuracy of the GPS satellites alone, in this case WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System…a system of geostationary satellites orbiting over the equator around the world) and it’s free. It’ll improve the accuracy of the GPS receiver alone to about a yard or so if tested over 24 hrs. There are a number of differential correction sources on the market and some will improve accuracy to less than an inch, but the GPS receivers and antennas must be upgraded to improve accuracy and the improved signals are not free. The market would be small in the recreational fishing industry because of the cost.
It’ll improve the accuracy of the GPS receiver alone to about a yard or so if tested over 24 hrs.
That’s exactly what I was looking for! Thank you!
It didn’t make sense to me that a spot lock could stay inside a 5′ ring when the best gps units aren’t any more accurate the 9.8′.
Very good Mr. Winther,
I’m going to double check this morning but I think you smacked it on the nose. I thought it was odd that the bird connected to the Minnkota One Point but it sure seemed like it was.
Only one person will understand this…. Spam tastes better at the Spam Museum. 
It’s spring time Bob! 
Got out and calibrated the heading sensor for the new Ulterra trolling motor.
Huge difference in the old spot lock and the new spot lock. Minn Kota has a real winner with their new improved spot lock.
I run Lowrance HDS gen 3 with a Point 1 GPS antenna networked and a Minn Kota
Ulterra with the Heading Sensor. There is no way you can use the Heading Sensor
for GPS to your locator. The Heading Sensor is a electronic compass not a GPS
antenna. The only thing it does is show the alinement of your boat keel to your
trolling motor as a reference for the Jog feature so your trolling motor knows
which way to turn when you hit the buttons on your remote. I hope this clears up some of the confusion for everyone.
PS Don’t try doing the launch your boat commercial you could end up hitting the DOCK!!!
Now you tell me. 
Mum’s the word.
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