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GPS systems


ryno1983

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Hi all,

I am wanting to purchase a GPS since im wanting to start heading off shore to do some fishing. I will pay upto $2000 id rather spend some more $ to get something good and thats going to last. Id even consider paying more.

Could you please give me some advice as to what you guys recommend to be the best GPS systems on the market.

Thanks alot guys....

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For $2000 you could seriously consider a good quality combined GPS and sounder unit.

I use a Garmin 76, only worth a couple of hundred these days I think, but cost $600 when purchased.

We have the new high end Garmins at work, but only had them a few weeks, so have not had a chance to use them, but well over $2000 by the time we bought the maps for all Australia and the marine map package.

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whats the zoom like on that one brian, say uve just done a drift and u want to get back on that same track again and start it over as you found some fish, i find it really easy working with a 5m zoom, some of the cheapies go out as far as 50m so your 10 times out. i got in a boat with an etrex one day and was ready to throw it overboard.

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mackmauler wrote:

whats the zoom like on that one brian, say uve just done a drift and u want to get back on that same track again and start it over as you found some fish, i find it really easy working with a 5m zoom, some of the cheapies go out as far as 50m so your 10 times out. i got in a boat with an etrex one day and was ready to throw it overboard.

It has tracking and a great zoom. I can set it to a way point and it seems to get me within feet. I tested it in the back waters of the Logan where the river is only about 2 metres wide and it picked up the water.

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always run seperate, bigger screen and simply if one fails your not blind in one of the senses.

lowrance are spose to be pretty good running the navionics charts which are probably the best you can buy for detail. blue map is what goes into the garmins its decent.

i dont have a lot of good to say about lowrance for reliability, far from being a 1 off there back in the shop with some issue.

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i prefer separate as when looking for godd old no 12 on the gps im also looking for reef on the bottom and 2 screens make that easy if you want a nice sounder i have a humminbird 727 but have a look at the 797 you can get them down to 2000 on the right day and in a pinch it has gps mappin cards etc but the colour oics on the sounder holy shite talk about video quality that side scan technology is awsome .

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Ok so after a day of ringing around, driving around and talking to, to many people in relation to sounders and plotters. I have reached this expensive decison.

Navman Tracker 5607

Furuno 585 sounder

I couldnt hear enough positive things about the Furuno 585 and 620, when you see it compared to the others you know why. Have opted for the 585, because larger screen higher resolution. Plus if doing offshore fishing is a must considering The unit comes standard set at 600 watts of power but can be increased to 1000 watts. Other sounders on the market only have 400-500 watts. This aparently makes a massive difference when fishing in deep water(120+).

On the tracker front, it was between lowrance 5200c or the Navman Tracker 5607. Both do the same thing though am swaying towards the Navman since they seem to have a better reputation and the quality of screen resolution was better. Aparently Lowrance has just bought out Navman. Im assuming here when i say that Lowrance seems like a larger company who is buying out its competitors and acquiring navmans technology because its superior. Correct me if you think im wrong.

So what do you guys think? And thanks for the help to date.

Ryan

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Spent Friday arvo loading the maps on that top end Garmin we got at work. Very disapointed to say the least.

1. Had to connect to internet to get an unlock code for the maps.

2. Could only unlock part of the maps, it was advertised as marine maps for Australia, but would only allow me to unlock about a 1/3 of the coastline, have to pay more to unlock more.

3. Maps are pretty basic when viewed on computer, but when loaded onto GPS, they are woeful, only half the detail of whats on the computer? dunno what gives there.

Being as the GPS was over $2000, and all the map sets (got road ones as well, at least for that I could unlock all of australia) nearly $400, I am glad I am not laying out my own dough for em!

Then to boot, I find I cant then load one of those sets of maps onto our other GPS, apparently the one you register when you unlock the maps is the one they will load on to and thats it.

I think I wont be buying another Garmin, either for home or work.

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Well after another day im certain on the Furuno 585 with a 1k transducer, this sounder was unreal on display and couldnt hear enough good reports. Even from places that didnt even stock the unit $2859. And i was looking at the Garmin 550 $1500, though have decided on the Raymarine c435 $1800, price includes maps. I decided on the Raymarine unit over the Garmin unit considering reputation, screen is a bit bigger, easier to use. The Garmin seemed a great unit but for an extra $300 i think the cost is jusified. So a little over $4600 problem solved. Im going to go to the gold coast boat show hopefully i can pick up a better deal. Or if anyone knows where i could get a better price would be appreciated!

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