Lowrance Gen 2 HDS-7 with 3G Radar

N

neblig

New member
http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?pat ... id=2095961

First off, I have nothing to do or gain from above.

I was searching to replace my old Raymarine (A65) Fish finder/GPS ..and came across the Lowrance HDS-7 Gen2 with 3G radar for $1749. Also with another $150 rebate from Lowrance!. No transducer included, base US only, but that's a very good looking price.
Anyone have any experience with using radar on a 7" GPS/fishfinder? Or the products in general?
Rob
 
I have owned a number of Lowrance products, and they are high quality. Customer service has improved recently and is good now. Early on there were some generation one GPS antennas which burned out when in proximity to a radar (mine was well below the radiated beam)--but that is resolved.

I would look and see what else is available in the Lowrance line, and examine the details of each product, as well as Simrad, which is also a Navico product. There are rapid changes and often when you get these great price specials (and this certainly seems like one), the products may be superseded. However, Lowrance gives excellent support to products.

The base map will have no details, and you will have to buy Navionics charts (not that expensive for the gold). You should be able to add on the structure scan to this display with the proper black box and transducer.

7" is small to put more than 2 items on the screen. I like to have a 7" screen dedicated to Radar or GPS--sounder I use 1/3 to half a screen. But you can split a radar and GPS and have functional use, or overlay--may need a heading sensor to do the overlay. (The heading sensor may be some significant $$).

The 3G radar is excellent for close in, good discrimination of nearby objects. Not so good as you go out in range, but for most C Dory owners it would be a great addition.
 
I'm outfitting a new to us boat with an HDS-8 Gen 2 at the lower helm and an HDS-7 Gen 2 at the upper helm. Cabelas actually had them on sale at $1299 for HDS-8 with no maps but a transducer, and $949 for the HDS-7 with Insight maps not including the $150 rebate. (Too bad the Insight maps don't include Alaska.) The GPS receiver in them is quite good, as it is able to acquire and keep lock on 8 satellites while on the coffee table in the basement. Today I found an LSS-1 Structure Scan Module with transducer at a marine dealer's garage sale for $399. It's not the most current version, but the price was good.
 
there is a 4g lowrance radar unit now out as well that is suppose to be better further out. faster and considered newer technology.

insight not including alaska? is it the US insight or nautic insight? my nautic included (well what I looked at) at least SE AK.

the 3g is still considered to be good modern technology and from what I have read is that it is really good in close and decent out farther but any broadband radar is not going to be good at picking up weather or birds 30 miles out. you need to step up if your looking for that kind of intel.

this package deal has been going on for at least a month that I know of. and has been seen on other fishing web sites based here in the PNW.

the gen2 units are good solid units I had a 5 and now have been using an hds-8. and loved both of them.

that said i'm not sure if this is a smoking deal given that its a base model hds-7. The g3 radar kit can be found online or new on ebay for (the cheapest I have found) 1150$.

this package from defender is 1800$ shipped so you are paying say 1200 for radar and 550(600) if you count shipping on the 7.and you do get 150$ rebate if purchased by dec.31st but you will still need to pay 150-200$ for a good transducer 50/200(there are much spendier ones too depending on what you want this(50/200) is a min for a good fishing one around here). and will have to buy a map chip too for it around 150-200$ I would guess.

then you have the dilemma of radar/fish finder/gps. all on a 7" screen. doable yes but makes for small viewing windows.

I looked hard at this package a few weeks ago and passed then and am still passing now. good electronic deals don't seem to last this long. I would consider this a ok deal.
take away cost of g3(1200) and rebate, but include transducer and maps and you in around 800$ for a functioning hds-7.

long winded but just my .02 i looked at this really hard for a week or so.
that said I am still on the hunt for a radar system....
 
if you already had gps and fish finder and the 7 was to be used for sonar alone then its a decent deal as you would not need transducer and maps.
 
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