The Lowrance HDS Gen3 Series is Lowrance's latest release for 2015 packed full of Lowrance's latest technology! Built-in Down Scan, Side Scan, CHIRP, Wifi and more. We can help you pick out the right system for your boat. In fact, Lowrance has recently instituted a new pricing structure, so these units will be offered at the same price no matter who you buy from.
You might as well buy from the dealer that will advise you on how to properly outfit your boat for your needs, and the dealer that will pick up the phone after the sale to answer your questions once you start using the new system. BOE is that dealer, we have the deepest knowledge base of any marine electronics retailer. We'll be glad to help you!
If you ever find a lower price, whether it is a dealer rebate, or package deal or whatever, just let us know and we'll match it if able. And you'll still be able to get our World Class support. This 'Buyer's Guide' is intended to give a brief overview of the units. It should serve to answer basic questions.
Most inland water boats are fitted with a transom or a shoot-thru-hull broadband sounder™ transducer as well as a second broadband sounder transducer on the bottom of the trolling motor, if equipped. Today, a transom mounted StructureScan HD® transducer can be found on most inland fishing boats. Warning: It is your sole responsibility to install and use the instrument and transducer(s) in a manner that will not cause accidents, personal injury or property.
You are welcomed to call or email us for a more thorough discussion. The Basics: Lowrance started the HDS Series in 2010, and it has been their most popular series to date. It first started as units with buttons, then they released the Gen2 Version. Then a Gen2 Touch version which offered touchscreen and a few buttons.
And now they have Gen3! Gen3 units feature a multi-touch touch screen, and a full keypad. The units have almost everything built right into them including a digital sounder, CHIRP sounder, Sidescan, Downscan, internal GPS antenna, Bluetooth and Wifi!
These units are are available in 7', 9' and 12' screen sizes. Lowrance has owned the fresh water market forever. These units are no exception however they do also cross over to saltwater. They will be a great addition to any near coastal and inland saltwater boat.
While they will work offshore just fine, most poeple would opt for their sister brand, Simrad, for offshore use. Model Numbers: Lowrance keeps their model numbers very simply. Basically, it is 'HDS' followed by the screen size. So the HDS-7 is a 7' unit, HDS-9 is a 9' unit and so on. In years past they offered an 'M' version that did not have the built-in fishfinder, like the HDS-7M, but they no longer do this.
It is basically 3 different models and the only difference is screen size. All of them have the exact same features and capabilities. Simple would be too easy, these manufacturers love to take simple and screw it up with multiple sku's.
The HDS Series is no exception. These 3 units are available in various versions, but all that changes are the transducers included in the box. So no matter what the base model is, like HDS-7 Gen3, it will be the same HDS-7 Gen3 that comes in any of the variants that include transducers. The 3 HDS models are sold 4 ways.
Without transducer - ideal if you want to add a CHIRP ducer or a thru-hull ducer. with 83/200 Transom Mount Transducer - ideal for fishing up to about 150' on small boats up to about 28'. with 50/200 Transom Mount Transducer - ideal for fishing beyond 150' for small boats up to about 28'. With 83/200 Transom Mount and LSS2 Side/Down Imaging Transducer - best way to get both the 83/200 and side imaging ducers, great value Capabilities: The new HD Gen-3 unit's capabilites are nearly endless. They are capable of doing just about any technoogy that is currently known to man. To start with they have an internal GPS Antenna.
So there is no need to mount an external antenna unless the unit is buried in a pilothouse or metal electronics box. They have multiple built-in fishfinders. These include their best-in-class Broadband sonar which utilizes traditional transducers, their single band CHIRP sonar capability that can utilize CHIRP Transducers, their SideScan/Downscan sonar which utilizes the Lowrance LSS transducers and paints a 3D picture of the bottom, and their new SpotlightScan Sonar which can view a full 360 degrees around the boat! These units are also fully networkable meaning, among other things, that you can have several of these units on the boat and they can share the transducer connected to just one of the units. Popular on bass boats that want to have a unit at the bow and one at the helm for example. These units can also do radar, AIS, Video, control an autopilot, even map the bottom.
The HDS Series is cutting edge for sure! Sonar:. Broadband Sonar - this is the traditional sonar that offers a scrolling color picture of what is under the boat and the bottom. The image we all associate with a FF. The output power is 500W, although any Transducer up to 1kW are ideal. Any Airmar traditional ducers that have a part number that ends in '-BL' will work with these units. Lowrance's 83/200 and 50/200 Transom Mount ducers work well too.
Popular Transducers:. 83/200 Transom Mount. 50/200 Transom Mount.
Airmar B60-20 Through Hull 20 degree - also available in 0 degree and 12 degree. Airmar P66 600W Tansom Mount. CHIRP Sonar - CHIRP is the latest technology in fishfinding. It creates a similar picture to the Broadband Sonar, however it is much more refined with less clutter.
CHIRP is a combination of the CHIRP technology in the unit used in conjunction with a CHIRP transducer. We recommend using a CHIRP transducer with the HDS Series in lieu of a traditional transducer. These transducers also have the Blue plug that the traditional ducers use.
A HDS unit can only use one or the other, both can't be plugged in at the same time. The HDS Gen3 Series uses single band CHIRP, meaning it can only operate at one frequency range. Popular CHIRP Ducers. TM150M Transom Mount 300W. B150M-20 Thru Hull 300W 20 degree - also available in 12 and 0 degree. B75M-20 Thru Hull 600W 20 degree - also available in 12 and 0 degree, and Hi or Low Freq.
Sidescan/Downscan - The new HDS Gen3 units have Sidescan and Downscan built right into them. Sidescan is a relatively new technology that paints a 3D image of what is under the boat and what is out to about 150' on each side. Downscan is a view similar to what a traditonal fishfinder creates, however it better defines the structure of things. So trees and brush look like trees and brush on the screen. A very helpful tool for getting right on top of structure, while the Sidescan is great for finding structure. Popular Sidescan/Downscan Transducers.
LSS2 Transom Mount. LSS2 Thru-Hull. LSS2 Thru-Hull Pair (ideal for boats with a keel or deep vee that need to see to both sides). All new Totalscan Transducer. SpotlightScan - A whole new technology from Navico that literally enables an angler to look wherever they want under the boat. The transducer mounts to a trolling motor. Just rotate the motor to take a look around.
Almost like putting on a set of goggles, dipping your head underwater, and seeing whatcha got. Great for small boats with trolling motors. Spotlightscan Transducer Radar: HDS Gen3 is also a sophisticated radar unit, utilizing Lowrance's 3G and 4G Broadband Radar Domes. These are the absolute best short range radars available. Ideal for Navigation.
The 3G radar is great if you are on a budget. If you want long range performance similar to a traditional radar then you'll want to consider the 4G. These radars are very easy to install, and connect to the HDS units via ethernet. If a radar is connected to one display it can be viewed on any HDS unit connected to the Lowrance ethernet network. These radars and HDS units are also capable of radar overlay when used with a heading sensor like the Point-1 GPS, and capable of vessel tracking (MARPA) when connected to a gyro compass like the Simrad RC42. Lowrance 3G Radar.
A fish finder dramatically simplifies the process of locating and targeting large schools of fish to catch. Sophisticated finders even indicate the type of fish sitting just below the hull of the boat. Fish finders can only work properly if you correctly hook up the Lowrance transducer in the right location. The transducer sends a signal deep into the water to identify obstructions, such as fish and other sea creatures, by bouncing off their surface. The signals also find the bottom of the lake, ocean or river to record the total depth of the water below.
With the right tools and know-how, you can set up your own transducer and start finding fish today. Parts The right combination of parts keeps the transducer firmly attached to the boat even while moving at high speeds. Here are the main supplies needed to complete the Lowrance transducer install:.
Lock nuts. Metal washers. Marine epoxy. Cable ties. 3-Amp fuse Tools The transducer utilizes a specially designed bracket to sit tightly against the surface of the boat when installed with the right hardware. Here are the tools that will facilitate a secure attachment between the boat and bracket:. Drill.
Socket set. Safety goggles.
Permanent marker Find a Mounting Point The transducer cannot send a signal without being fully submerged beneath the water. The second the sensor hits air, the signals fail to travel in the direction necessary to produce a picture on the fish finder screen. Furthermore, the water traveling across the sensor surface must remain smooth, not bubbly or choppy.
Installing the transducer sensor in line with the bottom of the hull ensures the device remains submerged in relatively calm waters. The transducer should not sit in line with the tracking beam at the bottom of the boat to prevent disruptions to the steering trajectory.
When installing the transducer, it's important to keep the bottom edge level on a horizontal plane to perfectly align the device. Mount the Bracket The bracket installation starts with drilling holes through the outside of the hull. Boat owners can use a to display the correct hole location while using the bracket as a guide. To protect the eyes, boat owners must always wear while drilling through solid objects. After using a to make the holes, boat owners can attach the bracket to the boat by using a single bolt, lock nut and two washers per hole. The nuts and bolts should be tightened down snugly using the socket set.
The inner and outer surface around the bolt needs a layer of to seal up the hole and keep water from leaking inside the boat. Attach Transducer The transducer also attaches to the bracket using a single bolt, and several washers. A is required against every bracket surface to ensure the transducer can move out of the way of obstructions in the water. Otherwise, the transducer could break upon hitting a solid object, such as a log or rock, sitting just beneath the water's surface. The bracket includes ratchets on the inner surface that assist in adjusting the transducer face to sit parallel with the ground. Boat owners should start by test fitting the transducer with setting A and observing the installed angle of the device face. If the device points away from the ground surface, test fitting should continue with settings B through E.
Upon finding the correct installation point, you can safely snug down the lock nut to complete this step. Run Cables The transducer sends information to the display screen through specially designed cables. The insulated communication cables also contain a separate power wire that provides the transducer with juice from the boat's battery. The main set of cables run directly from the screen to the transducer.
The screen utilizes a separate cable to pull power from the battery. The cables must run through the inner panels of the boat to prevent damage or moisture accumulation. To run the cables, simply pull up the bottom edge of the panels and push the cable into the cavity, leaving either end poking out for quick connection to the devices. Use the to secure the cords at various junctions to prevent them from moving out of place. Finishing the cable install is as simple as plugging the ends into the right connection points. After connecting the system, it's important to install the in the battery line.
The fuse will protect the equipment if power surges unexpectedly. Upon turning on the system, you can check for system recognition of the transducer to confirm installation went as expected. How to Buy a Lowrance Transducer on eBay You can buy a Lowrance transducer on eBay by searching through the fish finding equipment. To pinpoint the right transducer for the given fish finder model, it's possible to input the associated serial number into the search box. You need to make sure the plug on the transducer cable matches the female connection on the side or bottom of the fish finder by examining the pictures in the listing.
You should make sure the transducer comes with a mounting bracket and hardware before placing the item in the cart and checking out.