Great Lakes Bass Fishing Forum

Warning!!!!
             I need to post this to save anyone else from making the same mistake. Every yr I like to update something on my electronics. This yr I saw and thought the SpotlightScan feature might be a neat addition to my HDS 10 on the bow. Boy did make a mistake. It was installed on May 4th during my annual trip to KY lake. The installation went ok. The problem is there is a software or hardware glitch with Spotlight. The Spotlight feature is a forward scan much like the HB 360 but you need to turn the trolling motor back and forth to see the image. The problem is I now don't have any sonar as there is something going on. Lowrance has sent me a new transducer to try which I have yet to try. They said they would make it right but I sure wish I had not been test case. It appears they rushed this product to market without enough testing. I wish I had waited a yr before buying.
             I will provide more updates as I work with them on resolving the issue.
                 

I never updated my solution to the Spotlight nightmare. I spent all summer and fall going back and forth with Lowrance on my Spotlight Scan problems. I requested they refund my money but that was turned down. Finally in Sept a Lowrance tech had me send my Spotlight Scan transducer and my Sonar Hub back to Lowrance for diagnosis. ( I should clarify that the Sonar Hub module is needed on HDS Gen II units. It is not needed for HDS Touch units. ) Lowrance spent about a month reviewing my Transducer and Sonar Hub. The end result was they sent me a new Spotlight Transducer and returned my Sonar Hub as there was nothing wrong with it. So I ended up with two brand new transducers along with the Sonar Hub returned and I have no confidence in the system.

While I was working with Lowrance I was also working with the outfit that installed my unit back in May while I was on vacation. Bass and Gas in Benton, Ky is a great outfit. What they told me was this. The Spotlight Scan feature is a great tool but it only works well with the HDS Touch units. My HDS 10 Gen II unit needs a software update along with the Sonar Hub. The software screws up the units with the main problem being Sonar issues.

I was very fortunate as Bass and Gas had me send my two Spotlight Scan transducers and the Sonar Hub back to them. They are selling them on consignment for me and have already sold and sent me a ck for one of the units. They also had me send my HDS 10 back to them for repair. The removed the software update and reset the unit up to what I had before the Spotlight system purchase. In addition because I have been a very good customer over the yrs gave me an HDS 9 Touch unit along with an HDI transducer for my trolling motor at a very deep discounted price. The end result is I will most likely have around $500 invested for the Touch units after my remaining Spotlight consignment items sell.

As it turns out Lowrance knows about this issue and is working to resolve it but they don't like to admit that they probably rushed this item to market. The same thing goes for the HB Onxy units. They are having issues as well.

My units arrived this past Mon just in time for Christmas. The Touch unit is going on the bow. The HDS 10 is going to the console. My HDS 5 and HDS 8m currently at the console are going up for sale. They work together as a team and have served me well for several yrs.

It is good to have friends and work with great people such as Bass and Gas.

Sounds like the folks at Bass and Gas are great to work with
And it only confirms that the next unit will be a HB (I'll be happy to just get a SI on the bow)

I really like the Lowrance units that I have
But I know there's NO service if I need it.