Up grading to the new color units

[Wall@y@]

I want to upgrade to the new color sonar/gps units and have been looking at the new Lowrance HDS7 or 8 model. These units come with the internal antenna and that's one of my concerns about buying either of these. I have heard of problems with the internal antenna so that is why I am relunctant to buy one. Have any of you out there use either of these units and possibly have had problems with the internal antenna? I would assume that placement of the unit so there are no obstructions directly over the internal antennal. I would be installing the unit on my console but my windshield would cover much of the unit. Would this make a difference in GPS operation? I would appreciate any imput that would help in my decision about getting a unit with internal antenna and also installing the unit under the windshield. Thanks

[VaGuy]

have not used one but, the new internal antenna is 16 channels, and is
super sensative, compared to the current internal antennas.
An external antenna can always be added. Either the LGC 2000,
LGC3000, or the new LGC4000. So if you already have a current
Lowrance gps unit, it can be networked to a new HDS model with
nmea 2000, and all can use one external antenna.
I would love to have one of the new HDS's but with all the current
Lowrance stuff I have a new one is not in the budget (yet!).

Lowrance says you can flush mount the new units, that is how much improved the new internal antennas are!!

[yarcraft91]

Internal antennas are not necessarily bad in a GPS. I have a Garmin 162 that's made that way, approaching 10 years old and works flawlessly- only reason I replaced it was to get color units that would read and display map chips.

In the case of Lowrance, I advise against being one of the first to buy an HDS unit. The last 2 generations of Lowrance sonar/GPS combo units have had software problems as well as some internal antenna problems frequently described on this site. I'd wait until the early-adopters start reporting their experience with these new HDS products before investing big bucks in one.

[ozarkeyes]

Lowrance moved the internal antenna to the top/front of the new HDS units. Which allows for flush mounting, bow mounting(turning screen skyward) and other partial obstruction and does not lose signal, and the new antenna is more sensitive (16 channels). The older internal units had the ant. more in the back of the unit.