Lowrance 520c or 522c

Does anyone perfer one unit over the other? I have heard that the 522c has trouble keeping the gps siginal since it is an internal attenna, is this true? Has anyone used this units with the lowrance ice fishing package, and how to you like them?

[boat nut]

I have the 522c, and have had some issues. When it works, it works very well, with an epe of 20-40 feet. It would operate this way for hours or days, then loose its position, and not find it 'till I turn it off and on again. Since I downloaded the software update it hasn't lost its position, but the epe wii still go into the hundres of feet from time to time. When the epe is changing by 10s of feet/sec, it does not display the correct speed or heading when compared to my Ifinder pro. The software upgrade also allows the unit to turn on with a split screen map/sonar which it wouldn't do with the original. I have been communicating with Lowrance, and they think it may need repair. We'll see in the fall.

[SoDakMac]

Originally Posted by Mississippi Fisherman

Does anyone perfer one unit over the other? I have heard that the 522c has trouble keeping the gps siginal since it is an internal attenna, is this true? Has anyone used this units with the lowrance ice fishing package, and how to you like them?

I have the 520c and so far it has never lost the signal when I have been on the water. I do have it on a Ram mount so it does not interfere with the windshield on my YarCraft Storm. Works fine for me. I was told they had problems with the earlier internal attenna models.

[brentfrank]

I have 522cigps in my Alaskan 1800 tiller with no problems, also 2 520s in my WX2100 Skeeter with no problems. All units are loaded with operating system 2.3. I think they are great units, I know some people have had some issues but I have yet to experience any and I use one boat or the other every weekend.

[Tivo79]

On second 522c this summer: several minutes acquiring location, poor sonar performance and then "exchanged" when it skipped several hundred meters/continued to show hull offset--should have done bird homework first

[brian1785]

Brentfrank,
What year is your 522? Is it a recent purchase, say within the last year or so? I'm thinking of purchasing some new electronics and was looking at the 520 series, but now I'm not so sure after reading some of the posts on WC. Anyone else have some opinions? Don't want to spend over $750 on a sonar/gps combo.
Thanks.

I have the 522, bought it in the spring and have problems with it reading in shallow water. I don't think you should have to make all kinds of adjustments to it every time you go from shallow to deep water. The gps part works great. But wish I would have bought a humminbird.

[brian1785]

Do you have the sensitivity set on auto or manual? Just curious.

[rudy]

i have been running a 522 since may 2008 and have never had any issues.very satisfied with the fish finder and gps performance.

[brentfrank]

I bought the 522c this spring, never had a problem. I updated to system 2.3 as a precaution after reading posts. I have never had any problems and was on the Missouri River system every weekend with that boat until about 1 month ago when I bought my Skeeter with 520's and haven't had any problems with them either, system 2.3.