Electronics

[Jim T]

Looking for some advice and opinions on which electronics to purchase. My choices for fishfinders are Raytheon Large Screen 750 and Lowrance LCX-15MT. Choices for GPS are Garmin GPSMAP 168 Sounder, Lowrance GLOBALMAP 3000MT and Raytheon Raychart 420.
Looking for durability, readability, resolution and ease of operation. Are any new updates or innovations coming in this area for 2002? Thanks.

[buzbait9]

You may want to wait awhile to check out what you see at the Sportsman shows coming up. I know from some new products on Garmins website that they have a big combo unit (same size as the Raytheon 750 screen)called the 238 and another smaller one in color called the 188c. I saw that both can take the Fishing Hot Spots CD to download FHS maps onto the GPS. Both units have a built in gps sensor so you only mount one unit. Thought you might like to know!

[Kaz]

Jim: It's good advice to wait for the sport shows this time of the year. But I run the LCX15MT and it's a great unit. I have one season under my belt and I'm still learning. The X15MT can also include the GPS module, so you don't need two units on the dash. At the shows they will have maybe something new or a least an update. The GPS screen clarity is great and the detail on the graph is fantastic. With the X15 you can insert the MMC chips that have all of the mapping and depth info you will need for any area. Hotmaps chips are very complete, even to call out the resorts on the river where I fish, LOTW. All of the reefs are pointed out but Mike M is on here too and he can give you more info about them than I can. Look them over at the next show you go to and question them well (be ready with a list) and I'm sure you'll come up with the right unit. Good luck SHOPPING....Kaz

[Chris G]

Jim, My recomendation would be to get two Lowrance x15s. They are excellent units. You can run one as a sonar, one as a mapping unit. That way if you do have sonar trouble on one or GPS trouble on one you can use the other for both and not spoil an outing. The extra cost I feel would definetly be worth the peace of mind.
Lowrance has also has come out with several new models that offer excellent performance for the price. There is too many to name here but check out their websight for more info. www.lowrance.com If you cant find anything, feel free to contact me. I would be glad to help. If your in the WI area, I will be doing several shows for Lowrance, I would be glad to show you whats out this year.
Good luck with your decision!

[Ray]

Jim,
You won't my opion, Raytheon 750 is the best fish finder on the market right now. You would save some money over the new lowrance. I don't like the new x15, because the screen is to small. Also lowrance did not take there time to get the bugs out of there system, before it hit the market. All lowrance is doing is sitting on there good name. The old x15 paper unit is still the best they ever built. RAY