Academy and BassPro both have the Lowrance Elite-7 Chirp on sale for $499.99 reduced from $699.99. I would please like some feedback as to whether this is a good deal or not. Is it a lesser piece of equipment than the HDS series? Thanks for any info you can give me because my wife tells me this may be my last piece of electronics for a long time.

It is a lesser piece of equipment than the hds series. BUT, it is not a bad unit depending on your use. For the bow of the boat it is a decent unit, depending on your style of fishing. At the console it is great for smaller boats, but if you have a 21 ft with a 250 its too slow. Also, you cannot run the navionics platinum, only the premium. Really depends on your use of electronics and what you want to get out of the unit.

That being said, the price is great.

Lowrance rep told us in a seminar that unless you're fishing deep water, chirp is really no advantage. Just passing it on.

Thanks for your feedback. Think I`ll wait for an HDS to go on sale.

Go with the Helix 7. The updates are faster over the Elite 7.

Humminbird HELIX 7 DI/GPS Combo
Model: 409830-1
$489.99

I know from reading the forum that you are highly thought of by your customers. I read on your webpage that you only sell Hummingbird so I am going to rethink my allegiance to Lowrance and seriously consider the Helix. I appreciate your feedback

if you get a Helix does it have contour lines and all built in or do you have to get a card ?

The Chart View has a color background. If you want contour mapping, that takes either a Lakemaster or Navionics map product.
The unit card reader is microSD so that takes the current issues of Lakemaster and any issues of Navionics since mid 2010.

I have only run Humminbird, but I have friends who have used both and their votes go to Humminbird for both screen detail and being user friendly. I'm told the learning curve is a little steeper with Lowrance. If you are thinking of a trolling motor with I-pilot link, you are going to be using a MInnKota, Humminbird, Lakemaster combo so now would be a good time to begin planning for that if that's your goal. Regardless of what you go with, if you are going to get serious with SI, get the biggest screen you can afford, even if you have to wait a bit. I have a 1199 at the console and a 999 on the bow and wish I had got another 1199.

Gbud

Can vouch for David and can vouch for Helix 7. Got mine out for 2nd time today. I came from lowrance and the gps rate refresh is awesome and the Fish ID on sonar really seems to work. Both times I have caught crappie in a tree real close to depth it said. If you are a crappie fisherman this can be a deal maker.

If you are getting FishID symbols for crappie, they are some NICE ones.

This is a huge school of crappie and only a few of them even got the smallest symbol:

I caught 2 14's out of each tree. Since I am new to crappie fishing those are pretty good to me. Can fish ID be fooled by tree branches?

NO, not Humminbird FishID.

I caught all three of these bass in this tree and some smaller ones that did not qualify for the symbols:

A few days earlier I scanned the same tree and there were no symbols created so I did not stop to fish it.