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Author Topic:   Help with Sonar/Chartplotter

Mudkap1 posted 02-14-2007 08:22 PM ET (US)
I [plan to buy] a combo Sonar/GPS Chartplotter in the next month. I currently have an 8-year-old hand held GPS and a Raymarine 500DX Fishfinder on my Montauk. I would like something in the 7-inch screen size and around $1,000 with chips or hard drive included. I started to look at the Lowrance LC X-28c HD product and it seems solid. Does anyone have any experience with this model or it's previous version X-26c? Does the fish finding capabilities stack up to the Raymarine product? Are the charts that are included provide enough detail to find fishing holes? Any feedback here would be super, I need to make a decision shortly. Thank you.

boatsalltheway posted 02-14-2007 09:18 PM ET (US)
I have been looking at the 28c HD also. My friend who is an avid fishermam told me lowrance was the only way to go. I figured I could pick up the 26c HD for cheaper since it is being replaced with the 28c HD, but I cant find any on clearance and while not on clearance, I found the 28c HD to be the same price as the 26c HD or cheaper and it has 10 extra gigs on the hard drive. It should give pleanty of detail. You can download the 26c HD product emulator on lowrances website and it is a demo of the product on your computer and shows you its detail on different lakes and bosies of water. It lets you use all the functions. Let me know what you find because I would like to get one soon also.
http://www.lowrance.com/Software/PCSoftware/Install/LCX-26CHD/default.asp
Thats a link to the product emulator. The 28c HD should have just as much or more detail. Good luck.
bms1939 posted 02-14-2007 11:46 PM ET (US)
I would highly recommend the Lowrance, I have had them on my last three boats. The Navionics chips provide unbelievable chart detail, I have fished the same areas on other boats with other brands of chart plotters and there is no comparison. I was in Boaters World the other day, I saw a 5" combo unit, looked like a good size for the small Montauk console. It was about $600 and it had an internal antenna. If my pockets arent empty when I get back from vacation I'll be heading down there to pick one up for the Montauk I just purchased.
BarryGreen posted 02-15-2007 08:50 AM ET (US)
I would vote for the Lowrance as well. I have the LCX110C GPS/Sounder because my old eyes needed the 10.4" display, but I can vouch for the excellent Navionics charts as well as the solid depthsounder performance. One last major consideration is the unique Lowrance "skimmer" style transom mount transducer. I have never seen a transducer that mounted so easily, had better water flow around it with so little water resistance, and worked so well over the full range of boat speeds. FWIW.
Barry
Mudkap1 posted 02-15-2007 07:04 PM ET (US)
Guys,
Is the Navionics chips the same one that now comes standard on the hard drive of the X-28c? Or do you need to get an upgrade to get that awesome detail?
jimh posted 02-16-2007 12:13 AM ET (US)
The hard drive version comes with cartography for the entire United States. I do not think it is the Navionics premium cartography. If it were it would be a heck of a good deal.
jenkinsph posted 02-17-2007 11:17 PM ET (US)
Hi, I have an LCX 26c hd and a 25c on my boat. Bought the 26c hd about Feb of 2005 when they came out. Have used it for two years and am totally satisfied with it, especially the sonar. So last week I received a new LCX25 with the 200 transducer to alleviate a split screen [problem]. If you need more detail just add it with the chips or the new Map Create 7.0 [software] . I purchased the LCX25C with the single 200 transducer for the low price of $497.00 shipping included.

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Author	Topic: Help with Sonar/Chartplotter
Mudkap1	posted 02-14-2007 08:22 PM ET (US) I [plan to buy] a combo Sonar/GPS Chartplotter in the next month. I currently have an 8-year-old hand held GPS and a Raymarine 500DX Fishfinder on my Montauk. I would like something in the 7-inch screen size and around $1,000 with chips or hard drive included. I started to look at the Lowrance LC X-28c HD product and it seems solid. Does anyone have any experience with this model or it's previous version X-26c? Does the fish finding capabilities stack up to the Raymarine product? Are the charts that are included provide enough detail to find fishing holes? Any feedback here would be super, I need to make a decision shortly. Thank you.
boatsalltheway	posted 02-14-2007 09:18 PM ET (US) I have been looking at the 28c HD also. My friend who is an avid fishermam told me lowrance was the only way to go. I figured I could pick up the 26c HD for cheaper since it is being replaced with the 28c HD, but I cant find any on clearance and while not on clearance, I found the 28c HD to be the same price as the 26c HD or cheaper and it has 10 extra gigs on the hard drive. It should give pleanty of detail. You can download the 26c HD product emulator on lowrances website and it is a demo of the product on your computer and shows you its detail on different lakes and bosies of water. It lets you use all the functions. Let me know what you find because I would like to get one soon also. http://www.lowrance.com/Software/PCSoftware/Install/LCX-26CHD/default.asp Thats a link to the product emulator. The 28c HD should have just as much or more detail. Good luck.
bms1939	posted 02-14-2007 11:46 PM ET (US) I would highly recommend the Lowrance, I have had them on my last three boats. The Navionics chips provide unbelievable chart detail, I have fished the same areas on other boats with other brands of chart plotters and there is no comparison. I was in Boaters World the other day, I saw a 5" combo unit, looked like a good size for the small Montauk console. It was about $600 and it had an internal antenna. If my pockets arent empty when I get back from vacation I'll be heading down there to pick one up for the Montauk I just purchased.
BarryGreen	posted 02-15-2007 08:50 AM ET (US) I would vote for the Lowrance as well. I have the LCX110C GPS/Sounder because my old eyes needed the 10.4" display, but I can vouch for the excellent Navionics charts as well as the solid depthsounder performance. One last major consideration is the unique Lowrance "skimmer" style transom mount transducer. I have never seen a transducer that mounted so easily, had better water flow around it with so little water resistance, and worked so well over the full range of boat speeds. FWIW. Barry
Mudkap1	posted 02-15-2007 07:04 PM ET (US) Guys, Is the Navionics chips the same one that now comes standard on the hard drive of the X-28c? Or do you need to get an upgrade to get that awesome detail?
jimh	posted 02-16-2007 12:13 AM ET (US) The hard drive version comes with cartography for the entire United States. I do not think it is the Navionics premium cartography. If it were it would be a heck of a good deal.
jenkinsph	posted 02-17-2007 11:17 PM ET (US) Hi, I have an LCX 26c hd and a 25c on my boat. Bought the 26c hd about Feb of 2005 when they came out. Have used it for two years and am totally satisfied with it, especially the sonar. So last week I received a new LCX25 with the 200 transducer to alleviate a split screen [problem]. If you need more detail just add it with the chips or the new Map Create 7.0 [software] . I purchased the LCX25C with the single 200 transducer for the low price of $497.00 shipping included.