Lowrance hds 9

[thbouro]

Hello,

Just installed a Lowrance HDS 9 Gen2 Touch, which has built in (internal) GPS receiver. According to the manual it can be connected also with external GPS receiver for more accuracy. Any feedback concerning the navigation accuracy with and without external receiver?


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[IslandTime]

Hello,

Just installed a Lowrance HDS 9 Gen2 Touch, which has built in (internal) GPS receiver. According to the manual it can be connected also with external GPS receiver for more accuracy. Any feedback concerning the navigation accuracy with and without external receiver?


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I have same unit on my 260 with internal gps and flush mounted in dash .
Works like a champ all over the bay .i use the navionics chip in the unit .
Also have the Sirius weather module connected with data overlay on the gps and buy the seasonal weather package and love it .

 

[2000SEARAY280SS]

Are you replacing your A65?

It does not look like the external gives you much better accuracy unless you can get the Russian constellations on [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Microsoft Yahei, 微软雅黑, STXihei, 华文细黑, Heiti, 黑体, sans-serif]GLONASS. Even then the accuracy is not much better than WGS84. [/FONT]

 

[kaz911]

The HDS GPS receiver is good. But the Lowrance Point-1 external GPS receiver is a lot better.

It is a 10 Hz GPS where the HDS is 5 Hz (10 updates / sec vs 5 updates / sec) - and it has built in heading sensor that points your boat chart in the "right" direction at all times. If you have radar it will also work as a heading sensor for radar overlay.

For $200 it is a steal (in marine terms)

 

[2000SEARAY280SS]

The update rate is great for all the reason's Kaz911 gives. And it would be easy to add it to the HDS 9.

Since he has an AP and a Chart plotter he must have a heading sensor already. The location accuracy is not much better than the internal unit on the HDS 9. Plus to get the improved accuracy he will need a future software upgrade per the lowrance web site.

 

[thbouro]

Are you replacing your A65?

It does not look like the external gives you much better accuracy unless you can get the Russian constellations on [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Microsoft Yahei, 微软雅黑, STXihei, 华文细黑, Heiti, 黑体, sans-serif]GLONASS. Even then the accuracy is not much better than WGS84. [/FONT]

I kept the A65 and replaced the obsolete Raymarine RN-300. I have not removed yet the RN-300 GPS antenna and I was wondering if it could be connected to the LOWRANCE and work as external antenna for the HDS. I have a friend who is a GPS genius and he already replaced the defected (original) A65 GPS antenna with an antenna he was using for small UAVs (!!!); he reprogrammed it and worked perfectly. May be he can do the same with the RN-300 antenna...


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[thbouro]

The update rate is great for all the reason's Kaz911 gives. And it would be easy to add it to the HDS 9.

Since he has an AP and a Chart plotter he must have a heading sensor already. The location accuracy is not much better than the internal unit on the HDS 9. Plus to get the improved accuracy he will need a future software upgrade per the lowrance web site.

I have also installed a Raymarine EV-200 autopilot which has its own heading sensor. I think I have connected the AP with the HDS. If I understood correctly, you believe that I don't really need an external antenna for the HDS and just use the internal one?


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[2000SEARAY280SS]

The internal GPS antennas are more powerful than they were a few years ago. If all you have is fiberglass above the HDS unit it should work fine. If not or it does not prove reliable add the external. You should only have one GPS source on your network so make sure you turn off the one you are not using. Is the HDS 9 the only source for GPS on your network? What is feeding the A65? it needs an external antenna feed does it not?

It looks to me that neither of the two Raymarine MFD's have a networked GPS antenna. Maybe your friend can fix you up, but if you want an external that bad go with a new one for the HDS 9. less chance of an oops.

 

[thbouro]

My existing setup consists of a Raymarine A65 GPS and a Lowrance HDS 9, which are not networked (not connected each other in any way). The A65 has its own external antenna which is standalone (not connected to any other device) and the Lowrance HDS 9 is supported only by its internal antenna. Above the dash, where both devices are installed, there is only fiberglass and the camper top. The second external GPS antenna, that I mentioned in my previous email, belonged to a Raymarine RN300 GPS which I replaced with the HDS. I have not removed yet that (RN300) antenna and I am just wondering if it make sense to try to connect this antenna with the HDS. Probably your suggestion to leave it as it is and assess HDS accuracy with the built in antenna only, is the best option...

The internal GPS antennas are more powerful than they were a few years ago. If all you have is fiberglass above the HDS unit it should work fine. If not or it does not prove reliable add the external. You should only have one GPS source on your network so make sure you turn off the one you are not using. Is the HDS 9 the only source for GPS on your network? What is feeding the A65? it needs an external antenna feed does it not?

It looks to me that neither of the two Raymarine MFD's have a networked GPS antenna. Maybe your friend can fix you up, but if you want an external that bad go with a new one for the HDS 9. less chance of an oops.

 

[2000SEARAY280SS]

Keep us posted on how it works out. I am especially interested in the quality of the HDS 9 down and side scan capability you experience.

 

[BOEMARINEBRIAN]

Any time you add an external antenna you cant help but have better reception

 

[thbouro]

Could you please be more specific? Does this mean that the accuracy will be better? Or more uninterrapted reception?

Any time you add an external antenna you cant help but have better reception

 

[IanBat]

GPS needs a clear view of the sky to pick up satellites. Any structure in the way of that clear view will interfere. Dash, radar arch, hard cover etc.

Thus an external GPS antenna / module mounted on the radar arch clear of obstacles will give you better reception/accuracy.


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[Henry Boyd]

GPS needs a clear view of the sky to pick up satellites. Any structure in the way of that clear view will interfere. Dash, radar arch, hard cover etc.

Thus an external GPS antenna / module mounted on the radar arch clear of obstacles will give you better reception/accuracy.


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Not necessarily. The GPS from my iPhone works just fine sitting under the steel roof of the wife's A6, or my Silverado pickup.

Henry


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[kaz911]

Not necessarily. The GPS from my iPhone works just fine sitting under the steel roof of the wife's A6, or my Silverado pickup.

Henry


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you cannot compare phone gps reception to marine gps reception. Phones uses both surrounding WiFi and Cellular signals to help pinpoint position. And then they average signals a lot and guesses a lot more. If you are in a navigation app for cars - it uses roads and estimates which road you are on - despite the real position being maybe 5-100 meters off. Some GPS programs can be switched to "off road" mode and then they usually disable the "glue to nearest road" function.

If I sit outside on my balcony - my phone GPS often thinks I'm about 70 meters further out where the marine gps (Simrad GS25) is true within 3 meters. That is because the signal is spotty where I sit but the GS25 handles it with ease where the iPhone does not. And if I go into the road GPS app - the GPS then shows me at the entrance to our building (where the road ends)

So just because your phone does show a location - it does not mean it is always right

But the internal GPS receivers ARE a lot more sensitive than they used to be - and it might work great. But it is always greater to use an external GPS with full view of they sky. I would say if you put the receiver in the dash - I would consider adding an external receiver dependent on precision readings I get. But if you mount it in the open on a stand you are fine.

If you do collect data for Sonarcharts or make your own charts with Reefmaster - get the best GPS receiver you can put your hands on.

Where I am it is not fun if you GPS is 15 meters wrong - that might land you in the 1' marsh and not the dredged canal

 

[Banagy]

Like my touch 7.

 

[dpmulvey]

I have an SH 190. It has an internal antenna. I bought it in a pinch as my SH 150 died. The power leads are the same. The mounting brackets are the same, but the antenna connections are different on the two units. The 190 sits under my hardtop in the same place and in the same mount as my 150 and gets fine reception w/o an external antenna.

 

[Thornton69]

Lowrance came out with a new software update a few weeks back that offers some cool screen and other update/features if you haven't heard. Can transfer from pc to head unit with an sd card.
Also offering a new autopilot system for outboards as well with the addition of their external pilot 1 antenna and steering motor. Would be nice to hear some feedback on it if anyone has any experience with it.