Help me out on Electronics upgrades for my Classic

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Shap from La	Help me out on Electronics upgrades for my Classic	Lead	[-]
Posts: 607 (05/27/08 10:51) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Tags : None I posted this over on BBC and got some good info there. Just thought I'd get as much input as possible. I tend to research and analyze stuff a little too much before I buy. Any suggestions on where to buy and what to buy would be appreciated. Well folks, Its time to upgrade and put some new electronics on my 2001 model Pantera Classic. I have my Bow fishfinder already. I'm looking for a nice color GPS/Fishfinder combo for the dash without breaking the bank. Does anyone know where I might find the best prices. I appreciate any info you may offer. I'm also going to be putting a replacement flasher in place of the broken zercom that is in the console now. Or, Maybe I'll find a different guage to fill the hole. If I get a new fishfinder and mount it on top of the console, I don't see the need for a flasher as well. I wonder what type of guage I could get to cover up the hole that the flasher will leave. It would be nice if they made a round radio. Then I could put that in place of the broken flasher. That would be perfect since I want to install one of those as well. I guess the other option would be to leave the flasher there and just diconnect it so it isn't parasiting any battery power. I hate to have a broken piece of equipment stuck in my console though. Just kicking around some ideas. Hope you all can help. Chris Coupel Paulina, La. Last Edited By: Shap from La 05/27/08 10:53. Edited 1 time.
Tideman		#1	[-]
Posts: 809 (05/27/08 06:28) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I HOPE SOMEONE WILL ANSWER OLE SHAP..........HE BE A GOOD GUY.... AS FOR ME I HAVE THE 520 LOWRANCE IN THE CONSOLE AND 510 UP FRONT... IF I DID IT AGAIN I WOULD KEEP THE 510 ON THE FRONT AND GET A TAD LARGER UNIT IN THE CONSOLE... LIKE THE 27 OR 28..... FOR THE MONEY THE 520 AND 510 ARE GREAT......ROBIN
john1112		#2	[-]
Posts: 349 (05/27/08 06:50) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Try Hodges Marine on-line. Or ebay.
Shap from La		#3	[-]
Posts: 609 (05/27/08 07:45) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	It seems like the 520 and 522 from Lowrance are good bets, especially with the free mapping card that is offered right now. The other one I was looking at was the Eagle counterpart which is about 150 dollars less but you don't get the free card. I believe the Lowrance is the way to go after a pretty good bit of online comparing. Now I just have to find a good price. I have looked at many sites and it seems as though most places are pretty much the same. Atleast within 20 dollars or so. Thanks for the info Guys. I'll let yall know what I end up with. Chris Coupel Paulina, la.
john1112		#4	[-]
Posts: 350 (05/27/08 08:08) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I owned an Eagle and I was told it was the exact same as the comparable Lowrance except for the color of the casing.
Basstar		#5	[-]
Posts: 299 (05/28/08 07:20) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Chris, I can give you some definite help here. IMHO, I would go the Lowrance 520 for the dash and would replace my Zercom (junk....LOL) with a Vexilar FL-10. Both are excellent units and ironically I replaced my Zercom (did I say junk?...LOL) with the Vexilar and was pleasantly impressed.
Bass Cat Boats		#6	[-]
Posts: 11749 (05/28/08 09:08) Registered User Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Well Guys, Our suggestion would be the 787 HumminBird with GPS receiver. YTD on our service, HB Units have been almost superb, and that we can't say about other brands we have installed. The Vexilar FL-10 unit is a nice piece and if you need or want an in dash, it is the best out there. BCB
Shap from La		#7	[-]
Posts: 610 (05/28/08 09:55) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Interesting input BCB. I have a humminbird on the bow already. I will check into the 787 and see if they are cost competitive. Basstar, I have looked at the Vexilar unit you are refering to and I do like it. I just have to decide to get off of some of that Turnaround money and buy what I need to make my Boat right again. Thanks very much folks for the input!! Chris Coupel Paulina, La.
CoCat		#8	[-]
Posts: 3 (05/28/08 02:14) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I just upgraded my 2004 Classic with 520C's front and back. It was not hard to do at all, I used the original transducers. I have an external temp sensor mounted too. Cabela's has a good deal on two units, GPS antenna, transducer, NMEA 2000 backbone, and an ethernet cable to joint the units. With a few extras, I did this for about $1250.00. Someone might be interested, but I also added a radio while working on it. I used a power boost antenna meant for inside an auto windshield use. I put it under the gunnel forward of the rodbox taking power off one of the courtesy lights. It gives good reception, and I have no antenna to break off when casting or putting on the cover.
Allbright2120		#9	[-]
Posts: 57 (05/28/08 09:36) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Shap, I have the 522 up front on my boat and I hate it, maybe cause I don't know much about it. It is mounted on the tm and supposed to be more accurate that way. Don't know if that is true, cause mine never seems to work right. I would like to sell mine and switch to hummingbird. I wanted to to put the 520 in the dash and the 522 up front but now I would rather take my rods out of the box and sink the boat. lol I was told that would be a great combo for about $1300.
NELA COUGAR		#10	[-]
Posts: 167 (05/28/08 09:46) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Allbright2120 wrote: Shap, I have the 522 up front on my boat and I hate it, maybe cause I don't know much about it. It is mounted on the tm and supposed to be more accurate that way. Don't know if that is true, cause mine never seems to work right. I would like to sell mine and switch to hummingbird. I wanted to to put the 520 in the dash and the 522 up front but now I would rather take my rods out of the box and sink the boat. lol I was told that would be a great combo for about $1300. Tell everyone your 522 symptoms and maybe someone on the board can help. It could be a simple fix. Glynn Last Edited By: NELA COUGAR 05/28/08 09:52. Edited 1 times.
Basstar		#11	[-]
Posts: 300 (05/28/08 10:00) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	BCB, I will bow to your expertise on the HB units. I know Judd likes his as well. I have used the Lowrance and the Garmin over the years but haven't owned any HB units and didn't want to recommend anything I wasn't familiar with. I do agree with you that the Vexilar unit is a nice one.
Allbright2120		#12	[-]
Posts: 59 (05/28/08 10:15) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Sounds good!! To name a few things 1. I lose signal all the time. ( Not sure why, about 30 times in a days fishing) 2. Doesn't read accurate. I can see fish and structure and all I pick up is a flat bottom. (tried auto and manual senseativity) 3. The fish symbol (arch) has only worked one time. I was told I could pick up my bait ( drop shot ) not on this one. Maybe I expected more from it, don't know!!!! It seems like the tranducer is bad. I took my boat to the dealer to have a few things done and while I was there we looked at it and seemed to work fine for the 20mins on the water, but the very next day it was back to the same thing. I have read the manual and spent about 10 hours on the water playing with it and still no luck with it. I have cleaned the transducer, make sure it is level mounted, reset it and went back to factory settings, everything I can think of. I just don't trust it. Thanks for any help. Billy
toledobasser		#13	[-]
Posts: 36 (05/29/08 05:09) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I gave Cabela's my "economy stimulating" check. I put a Lowrance LMS 520c on the dash of my Sabre 2 weeks ago. I played with the GPS in my drive after installation and I've only had the chance to be on the water with it once since then, but the short time I used it I thought it was great. I read all the customer feedback on the internal antennae and the external and decided to go with the external for more accuracy. I run Toledo Bend Lake and we still have plenty of standing timber to stay glued to the marked boat lanes, so I wanted to have all the accuracy I could because not all the markers have stayed in place. I'll have to have more time on the water to know for sure how well the sonar itself works but it seems like a sound system to me so far. Billy, you said you lose signal all the time....are you talking about sonar signal or GPS signal?
Shap from La		#14	[-]
Posts: 611 (05/30/08 12:28) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	O.K. You guys have steered me away from the 522. It sounds like everyone is happy with the external gps 520. It will be between the 520 lowrance and the Humminbird. Both are priced the same so its pretty much a toss up. I'll let everyone know how it works out. Going fishing now. See yall later Chris Coupel Paulina, La.

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