I hope they do it too, sure would make it easier with our lakes constantly low water. I tried to find the post where I thought I read about the patent thing but I'm having a hard time recalling where I saw it.

Yeah, think it's way overdue.....if we could get enough Lowrance users to submit requests for it to their Tech Support I think we could probably get it done....

I think if everyone would call or e-mail Lowrance that we want the lake leavel adjustment they might get it out a lot sooner.
I will call on Mon. so lets get the ball rolling!

I'm trying to figure out which lowrance to get. There are so many kinds its confusing. I see elite 7 hdi, elite 7x, elite 7 broadband combo, hds 8 gen 2 (which as a 300 dollar rebate). What I am wanting is sonar, downscan, gps, chartplotter( trail marker). All elites seem to have a 100 dollar rebate.

Which one of these bugars do I want?

If you don't want sidscan then an elite 7 HDI (with chirp, if possible) will work. Call one of the sponsors here and they will help you.

I saw where a lowrance hds8 gen 2 costs 1150 with a 300 rebate. Another hds6 costs 850 with a 300 rebate but I'm not sure what it does.Does it have sidescan and down scan both? If it does can you use one of them at a time or do you use both at the same time ?

how do these compare with a elite 7 hdi?

Ok, lots to type here: you have 2 options with the HDS series. Option 1 is the push button gen 2 models and these require a LSS (Lowrance structure scan) black box module and a lss2 transducer to have SI & DI (side imaging & down imaging). So add about $500 to the price.

Option 2 is the Touch models, these have the LSS built in but you will still need the lss2 transducer. You will also have to a 2d sonar transducer with both of the two options above. The lss2 ducer is around $300 (I think).

Now this is where it can get confusing, with the Touch graph you can buy the HDI transducer and it will give you sonar & DI built into 1 transducer. (This HDI transducer won't do the same thing on the push button gen 2 models so it's not an option with them.)

Yes the LSS system will give DI & SI if you buy the lss2 transducer and you can have both DI & SI on or off. It's fully customizable to however you want to view it. The HDI is sonar & DI only.


The differences? HDS has a 2 year warranty and more custom options, obviously it cost quite a bit more.
The HDI is a decent graph at a pretty good price but it only has a 1 year warranty.


Pick a budget and go from there. If you don't want to spend $1500 then that will knock out a lot of options.

Your selection also depends on what you plan to fish for as well.
I only fish crappie so my needs are different from bass guys or maybe catfish guys.

For crappie fishing you need SI and DI and a good GPS, at the very least. Good 2D sonar is nice but, I could live without it if I had the other options.

For bass, I'm thinking DI might not be as important as SI? GPS, maybe as well as 2D, you'd have to talk to one of them to get better info.

As for me, the 9 Touch is great for what I want electronics for. First you don't need an extra box, the LSS 2 transducer connects directly to the 9 or 12 Touch but, not the smaller Touch units. The 2D skimmer transducer also connects direct.
And if you want to find waypoints easily, you also need the Point 1 GPS antenna with built in compass.

Call David at shut-up-and-fish and talk to him about your needs, he can help you out AND give you a good deal on any boat accessory you need.

Good luck!

I have a problem in that my sonar has stopped working on both of my units but the GPS, down scan and side imaging still work. I have a HDS8 on the console with a HDS5 at the bow. I'm thinking the transducer may be the problem but not sure. I have checked the connections and that didn't help. The sonar will come on for a few seconds and then will just quit working at all. Any help would be appreciated. I don't want to go through the trouble of replacing the transducer if its not going to solve the problem.

Numbers, so you only have a transom mounted transducer? You don't have one on the trolling motor?

Yes the trolling motor has a transducer built into it.

So you are saying both transducers quit reading? Do you by chance have the "network" option turned on?

Well, I bought a elite 7 combo with a 83/200 and 455/800 transducer. I hope I got the right unit for gps,sonar,DI

Yep

Maybe someone can help me out here. I have a gen 2 hds 8 with a lss1 box and transducer.. my side scan seems to be working but the right side image is really dark. You can hardly tell whats showing up. I tried going to right side only and bumping up the contrast and that helped until I put it back on left and right and my left side was way to bright.. I guess my question is , are my setting wrong or is my transducer bad. I have it mounted on the right side of the jack plate . Thanks