GPS Chartplotters - Suggestions!!!

[chase5004]

It's been awhile since my last post but I need some input.

Looking at getting a new chartplotter this year. Not a combo, just the chartplotter. I really like the lowrance 5200 and 5300. I found a Humminbird 785c2, but I cannot find anything about the bird. I would like to keep the price around/ under 500 bones. Any idea out there.

Thanks
Pat

[chase5004]

Will the humminbird 785c2 read hd lake maps?

thanks
Pat

[BryanP]

Yes, the 785c2 will take the Navionics map cards.  I'm assuming by "HD" you mean the High Def (1 foot contours) lakes on the Hot Maps Premium chip?

[chase5004]

Ya, that's what I mean by HD. Anyone out there using the Humminbird Chartplotters? I would like to get some feedback on the bird chartplotters. I'm can't even find any customer reviews for 785c2.

[BryanP]

Yes, that unit is the same as the popular 787c2 minus the sonar.  The GPS features are the same as the 700 series combo units, and functions the same.  It's really easy to operate.  I've run a 787 for the past 3 years.  And I know Dan Kimmel has a 767, maybe he can chime in.

[Erie660]

Bryan I also have a 787c2i. Have you upgraded to the new software yet? Is it really going to make a big difference over the old software? I bought my unit last fall so I really have not used it that much. Thanks

[rufus]

I updated my software in both my 797SI and my 997SI 3 days ago. I couldn't take it and I took it out in the warm rainstorm on Tuesday afternoon to see if it worked and of course to fish. It really did seem to make a difference to the positive. I will say that there is more surface clutter with the TVG turned off and the beam select changed to 200/83 khz, but it did not seem to effect the screen and it definitely had more detail. You can leave it set on the default settings and it works the same as it used to as far as I could see, although I did not have it on those settings long. It only took about 5 minutes total to update each unit.
Oh, and we did catch a few fish, too. (NE Indiana no season  )

[canvsbk]

rufus is my hero