I installed a hds7 gen 2 not long ago for my console. And this past week broke my cord on my crappy trolling motor mounted finder. So good excuse to get another fish finder. I want to stick with lowrance and was curious what some of you guys run. Most of my curiosity lies in the Ethernet linking what will work with the hds gen 2. And what's suitable for the front of the boat without breaking the bank.

Thanks guys. I've been looking some bit just bad when it comes to making my mind up. Lol

Well getting it narrowed down to a hds 7 gen 2 w sonar

Elite7 chirp to get the down imaging but pretty much lose networking

Or dig deep and cough up $1k+ and get another hds 7 touch with just sonar and get the networking capabilities.

Oh the decisions.

I think you have to take into consideration how and where you fish. If you fish deep and/or offshore, I think you should get side imaging. With side imagining, the bigger the screen, the better.

Sooooo, I just upped the ante to about $2800. LOL

Yeah I'm def not going that high. Freshwater lakes. That's it.

And I have side imaging on my hds 7 it'll have to work for me. Lol

Whatever I get will just be on the bow and really to seey depths bottom changes and chart.
If I'm offshore structure fishing I'll use it some then to dropshot etc.

So no it doesn't have to be to fancy. With a regular hds gen 2 I'll have sonar only or
Go with an elite and get the down imaging as well in one puck.

Kinda my kicker right now if I want the DI or the networking capability

If you put a Gen2 unit up front and ethernet it with your touch I believe you can take advantage of downscan and sidescan from the xducer you have on your 7. I have an HDS-8 Gen2 at the console and a HDS-7 Gen2 on the bow. I linked them with the ethernet cord and the 7 automatically picked up the SS & DS from the 8's xducer as well as mapping. I put a ducer on the trolling motor for the 2D on the 7. Picked mine up pre-owned with everything but the ethernet cable for under $600 on the BBC boards under electronics.

That's what I was thinking and have been told anyways. Kinda the way I was leaning to link everything and having one map card. And using the sonar. Just would suck not having the DI match up with the front 2d.

That's the only reason I was looking at the elite. Plus kinda the price.

Looking at a hds touch just like mine with & 83/200
For $950 at the moment. Don't really want or need to spend that much but kinda hard to beat that price

I have a new boat that has Lowrance HDS 7. Need help learning how to use it.

On that bud I'd read the manual pretty thoroughly and spend time on the water tinkering with it.

Google YouTube videos for it. Search on here and bbc boards is what I did.

The rest I called lowrance tech support and asked them. Got them on the phone quick and will answer any questions I had pretty good for me anyways.

I couldn't really get arches or the colors online that I thought I should. Colors vary he said.

Make sure pucks are parralel with the bottom. Ping speed max and chart at normal or speed up one notch and seems fitting on mine.

Surface clarity or whatever it is on low. Usually noise rejection on off.

Sensitivity on auto or I may play with it some.

Youtube

Well ended up going with another hds 7 gen 2 touch for my bow.

Kinda hard to pass up for $900 hopefully will be here in a day or two and get her installed