Lowrance point-1 puck

I’ve got a Lowrance Elite Ti at the console (center console boat) and recently added a TI2 up front. I also have Garmin Livescope up front and basically just use the TI2 for mapping and saving waypoints.

It drives me nuts watching the map spin around and having to watch the shoreline to confirm position when I’m sitting on a waypoint.

Will adding a Point-1 puck solve the issue? If you’ve added one, did you install on the transom or console?The console would be easier since I already have an NMEA connector there.
Any tricks/tips on the install?

When you save waypoints on a unit, the antenna is the reference point, not the display unit or the transducer. So, if you like to mark waypoints on the front unit based on what you see at the front unit with the most accuracy, then you want the antenna to be horizontally close to the transducer you're using. (How high doesn't really matter.) If the front unit receives a good GPS signal now, you could select the internal GPS antenna (if the TI units have that option as the HDS units do). That would keep the "is the spot where you think you are" problem at bay.

What actually stops the spinning map issue is the magnetic heading sensor that is a separate function of the Point-1. On HDS units, I can select the internal GPS antenna for a unit while selecting the Point-1 accessory for magnetic heading. If TI units have those two separate settings, you can mount the Point-1 where you wish. If it does not have those two separate settings, and it's Point-1 all or nothing, then it needs to be close to over the transducer for the best accuracy.

If a Point-1 is at the console, it's not too useful for waypoint (GPS map location) accuracy as the transducers are often at one end of the boat or the other. It will help resolve the map-spin via magnetic sensor (not GPS antenna), and sensor location doesn't matter for that.

Thanks for the input.

is there a setting that makes the map always put North on top on your unit ? I hate the map that spins. This setting does make travelling
south counter intuitive . You need to steer right to approach way points on the left.


good luck

Mo

Does anyone EVER look at that book that comes in the box with MFDs (mutifunction displays)? Or press a few buttons to explore? Under Chart Options, there is an entry for orientation. If you can deal with "North Up" that's where you set that choice.

North up sucks, buy a point 1 and set it for heading/coarse up and it will work like a dream.



And NO, nobody reads the instruction manuals!

I don't count? LOL..... I've always wanted to "be special"

I love North-Up BTW. I can't stand when the map moves, but I do understand the ease to figure out left & right when you are using heading up. Old-School, I just like North Up...

Just realized I did not address your question, I am not the expert , but I don't think adding an antenna will help you, You need to configure as
north up on the chart. I do have point one on my transom , because I wanted to be able to mark things I was seeing under the back of the
boat more accurately . Using the internal antenna on my console unit , waypoints are 10 ft off.

good luck

Mo

Agreed

Ok, 2 of us non-prostaffers have read it.

It was hell for me trying to use North up and then the map would start spinning from not having a heading sensor. I guess I haven’t tried North up after adding my point1, maybe it’s better that way. I used to get all kinds of spun around offshore without a point1, best money ever spent!

I also try the "what's this do?" approach to buttons/selections when sitting with a unit attached to a battery out of the boat. I call it "quality time" with my unit. When I get a new one, I try to go through every single option in the settings tree. I tinker with every choice for every setting, if it's not something I've seen before. It's also important to try them in the boat when connected to the networks. That's the only way some of what matters will show up.

The point-1 arrived today. My boat is an 18.5 fy Ranger aluminum center console.
I had planned to install in on top of the console, but the I-Pilot sensor is mounted there. From the brief reading I did online the I-pilot sensor Is magnetic, so I assume that option is out.
There’s not a great place at the back- I don’t want it to be stepped on/ in the way and Ranger fills both sides with foam. I don’t want to be top close to the outboard.
The pamphlet that came with it was pretty skimpy and the diagram recommended against mounting at the transom. How far would it need to be from the trolling motor to avoid interference?
Where did you guys mount yours? Does it need to be midline?

Get a cheap compass and move it around your potential mounting locations, if the needle moves, don’t mount the point1 there. If you’re going to use it for a GPS receiver, it’s best close to your transducer. If you’re just using the heading sensor feature, stick it anywheres. (That the needle didn’t bounce at)

Mine is on the transom, left of center , right over the transducer.

Mo

I ended up mounting it on the transom over the transducer. With the setback plate it’s over 3 feet to the motor. I also added my front graph to my NEMA network. Both graphs recognized the point-1. I set the console graph to use it for gps and heading, and the front graph to use it for heading only.

The arrow seems to be pointing where my boat is facing now in comparison to the map, we’ll see what happens on the water.

Did you guys have to calibrate yours? Lowrance says I will, but I’ve seen some stuff online where people said it was dead on with no calibration.

Mo, maybe you will learn from this. The puck provides a magnetic sensor, not just a GPS antenna. This can sense orientation even if the boat is not moving. When the boat is moving along a course. the GPS trail gives an indication of course heading, but when the boat stops, that line of points comes to an end. So, you're wrong on the puck not helping. It will stop the map spin on a dime because of the magnetic sensor.

You have done it correctly so far. The calibration is no big deal to do. (As in not difficult.) You'll get a magnetic reference regardless, and the map will stop spinning almost certainly. However, it's nice to have the course number it provides to be accurate, and the only way to do that is to calibrate. If you take the boat a long way from home, the natural magnetic north deviation from true north could dictate that a new calibration is in order. In aviation, we make such corrections over the course of a flight at times based on those variations.

I ran to Calaveras this morning to try the point-1. It worked great. Spinning issue is fixed.
Caught a few reds while I was there.

DId you do the circling calibration?

Yes, but not sure I needed to. It seemed to work perfectly before that- I used it to go to a rock pile I have marked before calibrating and it seemed to be dead on.

The calibration is only for the magnetic heading. It has nothing to do with the puck receiving the GPS signal.
Where the calibration comes into play is if you head in a direction of magnetic North (as an actual magnetic heading), you want the electronic heading sensor to also indication North, not, for instance, 350 degrees.