Does anyone who has experience have any cool ideas they used when adding another fish finder onto thier boat? Here are some of my questions and/or "nice to haves". ( I have a HDS 5 Lowrance equiped with a Navionics Chip)
1) If I add a new HDS 8 (and make it the "main" unit at the helm) will it retain the waypoint data from my HDS 5 or do i have to start all over? I want the bigger screen at the helm so I can manuver the boat to the drops and ledges I've marked. I would then wire the HDS 5 as the "secondary" unit.
2) Do both units use the same transducer effectively (in other words) - if I set up the 8 (main unit) to have 3 screens (downscan, chart and sonar) and I want the 5 (secondary unit) to do sidescan and sonar - does the transducer effectively handle all of this data without "lag".
3) How hard is it to make the secondary unit "portable" - in other words I'd like to run some wires to the bow and some to the stern - so when I'm trolling a big lake and both fishermen are in the back I can have both finders back there and more views to look at on different screens AND, alternately, when casting It can be used up front by itself? Has anyone done this? any suggestions or issues?
send a message to hogslayer with all your questions. the guy is a sonar guru. probably give you a bunch of tips on the best way to set such a system up
1/ you will need a navionics chip for both units (to see contours etc).
I believe to share gps data you need NMEA 2000 but it will not share the contours.
The side scan is a separate module that you have to purchase and will enable you to share transducer info through ethernet cables. It will allow you to use up to 3 HDS units.
2/ No lag and effective, see above. If you dont have the side scan module(LSS-1) you can still connect the 2 HDS units with an ethernet cable that will still allow you to share reg sonar. You need side scan for sidescan and down scan sonar.
3/ Very easy all you need is an extra power cable/ 2 if you want to enable mounting both on the dash. You might also want to buy another gimbal bracket so the mounts stay in place.
I have my boat set up so I can have HDS 10, HDS 8 and HDS 5 all on the dash or front or rear of the boat.
Power cables are $25.00 to $33.00 depending on where you get them.
Eternet cables are 35.00 to 60.00 depending on size.
LSS-1 Side scan is $575.00 to $650.00
Gimbal Brackets are 30.00 to 45.00 dependin on size and where you buy.
Hope that helps a bit. If you need more info let me know.
huntsfurfish is the only boatowner, fisherman that needs a booster seat to see where he is going, but his boat is well eguipped, if you see him come to shore one day with his hair standing on end, you will know he touched the wrong wire.
Adding another Head Unit (fishfinder)
Linear Mode
