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Posts: 2378
| On units that come with an internal antenna can you still connect to an external antenna if you want to?
Is there an option to choose internal or external?
I've been looking around, but not finding anything.
Looking at Humminbird specifically |
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Posts: 2323
Location: Stevens Point, WI | For the Lowrance units, HDS's to be specific all have an internal antennas. However, if you choose, you can get the external antenna which is the LGC-4000. The LGC-4000 updates 5 times per second, making it the fastest antenna offered for any unit. |
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Posts: 676
Location: Wisconsin | I am pretty sure you can connect a HB puck to a unit and run it. |
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| with the Humminbirds that you're looking at, you'll be able to select which antenna you want to use.
the default is auto select which prioritizes them:
1) Interlink, 2) External, and 3) Internal
but you can manually do so instead:
- Main Menu
- Navigation
- GPS Receiver Override
-- InterLink GPS
-- Local External GPS
-- Local Internal GPS
-- Remote External GPS
-- Remote Internal GPS
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| Baldy ... i'm curious why you are wanting to run it externally?
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Posts: 2378
| sled - 8/25/2010 2:24 PM
Baldy ... i'm curious why you are wanting to run it externally?
I'm looking at a combo platter with a couple units that I can network together. The combo platter comes with at least one unit with an internal antenna. I want to run two pucks in the boat and have the network toggle between them depending on the situation.
To do it the way I want I will need to run at least one external antenna. |
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| on the Humminbirds, adding a new external puck is also a less-expensive way to upgrade an older unit if you're often in low-signal areas. for example, if you have an older 16-channel internal antenna, you can get a new 50-channel external antenna and use that instead (along with upgrading your unit's software) - better accuracy (8 feet) and faster lock-on time as well. the new Humminbird internal units do have the 50-channel built in.
if you're networking more than one Humminbird unit, you can run one single puck through the Interlink and have both units use that signal. the upside is that you don't have two pucks mounted on your boat; the downside is that the puck is a half-boatlength away from your unit when marking waypoints, which makes for a slight built in location error.
if you're running two units with antennas as you describe wanting to do, you will be able to toggle either unit to use either puck - external or internal...but you'll have to go in and set that manually b/c the default is to use the local antenna, not the remote (other unit's) one.
Edited by lambeau 8/26/2010 8:48 AM
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | can you guys describe the plusses and minuses of networking for me? i've always had separate stand-alone and want to understand more of the capabilities and limitations of networking. thanks! ... |
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Posts: 2378
| jonnysled - 8/26/2010 8:51 AM
can you guys describe the plusses and minuses of networking for me? i've always had separate stand-alone and want to understand more of the capabilities and limitations of networking. thanks! ...
sled,
I've always run seperate antennas too, but since I'm starting from scratch on the new boat I'm going to run a network.
The biggest benefit I see is for mapping out structure like BN (and many others) are doing. I generally do that kind of mapping while running the big motor and using the unit at the console to lay down waypoints or icons. When I want to fish those spots I marked I will be at the bow, and I want to see those icons on that unit. With two units networked, I can see waypoints/icons that I lay down on the console unit while I am looking at the bow unit. Right now, I have a single unit setup as portable that I move back and forth depending on what I am doing. Again, since I'm starting from scratch on this boat I want to do it the easy way and setup a network.
Beyond that I don't know enough about networking to list any more pros or cons.
Edited by BALDY 8/26/2010 9:25 AM
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Posts: 2378
| lambeau - 8/26/2010 8:43 AM
on the Humminbirds, adding a new external puck is also a less-expensive way to upgrade an older unit if you're often in low-signal areas. for example, if you have an older 16-channel internal antenna, you can get a new 50-channel external antenna and use that instead (along with upgrading your unit's software) - better accuracy (8 feet) and faster lock-on time as well. the new Humminbird internal units do have the 50-channel built in.
if you're networking more than one Humminbird unit, you can run one single puck through the Interlink and have both units use that signal. the upside is that you don't have two pucks mounted on your boat; the downside is that the puck is a half-boatlength away from your unit when marking waypoints, which makes for a slight built in location error.
if you're running two units with antennas as you describe wanting to do, you will be able to toggle either unit to use either puck - external or internal...but you'll have to go in and set that manually b/c the default is to use the local antenna, not the remote (other unit's) one.
I actually plan to do something a little different than that even. I'm planning on running two external pucks and switching the entire network back and forth between those two pucks depending on the situation. Although now that I think about it, I may not need to go to those lengths to accomplish what I want to...
Maybe you don't know, but I'll ask anyway...
If I had a network setup with an external antenna and one unit with an internal antenna when I layed down an icon with the unit set to read from the internal antenna would that waypoint be shared with the other unit on the network? I'm thinking not since the internal antenna is not on the network. |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | BALDY - 8/26/2010 9:23 AM
jonnysled - 8/26/2010 8:51 AM
can you guys describe the plusses and minuses of networking for me? i've always had separate stand-alone and want to understand more of the capabilities and limitations of networking. thanks! ...
sled,
I've always run seperate antennas too, but since I'm starting from scratch on the new boat I'm going to run a network.
The biggest benefit I see is for mapping out structure like BN (and many others ) are doing. I generally do that kind of mapping while running the big motor and using the unit at the console to lay down waypoints or icons. When I want to fish those spots I marked I will be at the bow, and I want to see those icons on that unit. With two units networked, I can see waypoints/icons that I lay down on the console unit while I am looking at the bow unit. Right now, I have a single unit setup as portable that I move back and forth depending on what I am doing. Again, since I'm starting from scratch on this boat I want to do it the easy way and setup a network.
i smell what you're steppin' in Baldy ... and that's the same thing i've got on my brain. keep us posted on what you come up with as you get everything put together.
thanks ... jon |
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Posts: 897
| Anyone know if you can set up your networked units to share icons that are dropped while mapping out structure? Currently, when I'm mapping out structure i have to use waypoints because the icons don't share to my bow unit. I think there may be a way to upload that data to the bow, but I'm not sure how to do that either...does that require an ethernet cord or SD card? I have a 27C and 520C that are networked.
I don't think running two pucks is necessary, works fine with one, but maybe someone else will feel differently.
I would think the internal antenna data would transfer just the same as an external antenna, either way you're recording the position at one of the units and running it through the network to the other unit. |
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Posts: 2378
| whynot - 8/26/2010 10:57 AM
I don't think running two pucks is necessary, works fine with one, but maybe someone else will feel differently.
two pucks may not be necessary, but it will definitely improve the performance of the system that I am planning to put in |
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Posts: 897
| well, it will improve the accuracy of your waypoints by about 10-15' when you're mapping stuff out from the bow. what will it improve performance-wise? |
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Posts: 2378
| whynot - 8/26/2010 11:32 AM
well, it will improve the accuracy of your waypoints by about 10-15' when you're mapping stuff out from the bow. what will it improve performance-wise?
better accuracy is better system performance in my book |
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Posts: 897
| gotcha |
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| can you guys describe the plusses and minuses of networking for me? i've always had separate stand-alone and want to understand more of the capabilities and limitations of networking. thanks! ...
sometimes i'll map out a spot driving the big motor at the console, but with the trolling motor in the water and the bow combo turned on so that i see the depth and bottom content both at the bow and at the stern. in my current boat, that's a 19' difference between the gps pucks, and over that distance the bottom can obviously change quite a bit.
if i want to enter a waypoint related to the location of the trolling motor, i just select the bow gps antenna for my console display and when i enter the waypoint (at the console) it's recording the location of the bow...it's easier than running back and forth between units while also trying to drive the boat.
and then when you're done, you just share all the data across the network and both units have full sets of data so you've got it all driving as well as fishing from either the front or the back of the boat.
If I had a network setup with an external antenna and one unit with an internal antenna when I layed down an icon with the unit set to read from the internal antenna would that waypoint be shared with the other unit on the network? I'm thinking not since the internal antenna is not on the network.
yes, you can. my current network has an internal on the bow and an external in the stern.
when you enter a waypoint, it saves to the unit. since the unit is on the network, it can share that data with the rest of the network. it will record the location of the antenna that the unit is currently reading. ie., if unit A is reading the internal antenna of unit B, the waypoint will record into unit A based on the location of unit B's antenna.
with a Humminbird Interlink, you can share waypoints in a number of ways.
1) you can store all of your data on the Interlink itself, and just have both of the units read it off of there. as you enter new waypoints on either unit, you just push them to the Interlink and then both units have them.
2) you can save both sets of data on both units. at powerup the Interlink will notice any differences between the two units and ask you if you want to update them; it will then push the different data to the other unit.
3) you can share data in real time. any waypoint you enter in unit A is immediately pushed up to unit B.
Edited by lambeau 8/26/2010 12:06 PM
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Posts: 247
Location: Uxbridge Ontario | What are the limitations of the Interlink?
I was hoping the interlink would allow the use of 1 transducer to share between units as well.... but to the best of my knowledge, the Interlink is just a GPS portal and mass storage center from unit to unit.
Please correct me if I am wrong.
I was really hoping that I could run one transducer, as I have had too much interference between the bow and stern transducers and the filters haven't helped much. (788ci on bow/ 586c at console... which I many change to another 788 soon).
One other question regarding the Interlink. Can you run one detail map card for 2 units or does each unit require its own card?
Edited by HomeTime 8/31/2010 7:36 AM
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| to the best of my knowledge, the Interlink is just a GPS portal and mass storage center from unit to unit.
yes, it does those things plus allows for sharing of accessories across the network. for example you only need one WeatherSense and can view it at either unit.
I was really hoping that I could run one transducer, as I have had too much interference between the bow and stern transducers.
you do need separate transducers. you might try going in and manually setting them to different frequencies, that should eliminate any interference. or if you don't need one of the sonar's actively running, you can go in and turn one of the transducers off. (i think you've got to be in Advanced User mode to do so.)
One other question regarding the Interlink. Can you run one detail map card for 2 units or does each unit require its own card?
you need a separate map card for each unit.
lots of Humminbird answers are available here:
http://www.xumba.scholleco.com/
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Posts: 2323
Location: Stevens Point, WI | HomeTime - 8/31/2010 7:31 AM
I was really hoping that I could run one transducer, as I have had too much interference between the bow and stern transducers and the filters haven't helped much.
The Lowrance units can be ethernetted together so you can actually pick which transducer you want both units to read. So, if your at your bow, you simply tell the unit to read the bow transducer and both units get the same reading. Or, if for some reason your at the bow and want to read your transom transducer, all you have to do is tell the unit to read the transom ducer. Definitely feature I use a lot and eliminates all interference.
You don't have to run both transducers if you don't want, just run the one to your transom, then run the ethernet cable from the console to the bow and you will read that ducer on both units. |
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| that ethernet connection adds some nice features. the new Humminbird units come with an ethernet port that's described as "for future expansion" or something like that, but as of yet there's nothing for it to use.
along with networking more fully to other Humminbird units, i'm assuming that they're building the ports into the units now so that you'll be able to connect to the MinnKota iPilot once that software is fully developed...yowza!
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| I have a lcx 27 and a 112 networked. I think it is most useful for having your waypoints show up on each unit, no matter which one you mark it at. I have the ethernet cable too, and picking the transducer you want is handy and could be a trip saver if you had a transducer go bad on you.
One word of caution, as I read through these posts there is a lot of comments on the accuracy of the waypoints in relation to the puck at the front or back of the boat and the need for two pucks to keep the accuracy. You may want to watch your "position error" for awhile and then make a decision on the two pucks. Mine jumps all over the place and many times is within 20', and many times a lot over that, even 100'-300' depending on the strength and quality of signalo at the time. Just saying, if your "position error" is usually around 20' or more, the distance between the front or back of the boat, or console, may be negligible. I have my puck about the center of the boat and am happy with one on the network for both units. A lot of people forget about the "position error" when planning or talking about the accuracy on the gps.
pmv |
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Posts: 247
Location: Uxbridge Ontario | Thanks for the Interlink help guys |
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Internal GPS antenna