Seeking GPS advice

[nsyhunter]

I've decided to shell out the bucks for my first GPS. I have pretty much decided on the new Lowrance 334c with the built-in antenna. If anyone out there has input on GPS I would appreciate it. My concern is mounting the unit inside the wrap around windshield and if it will work with the soft top up. The Crestliner factory has assured me that any unit will work when mounterd behind the windshield and will recieve with the soft top up as well.

Thanks in advance!!

[bucketmouth]

I just got the Lowrance 332c. its antenna is external and not built in like your unit. You should have no problem receiving though. Regardless of soft top position.

Reading through the manual, its obvious there is alot to learn about the GPS. Maybe we could gettogether some time this year and compare notes.

[StickFish]

Get the newer 337c has more power output and an external antenna. I've got the 480 which is monocrome and they are great units.

[Hunt'nFish]

nsyhunter,
Color is nice. Red cans are red and green cans are green.

Be advised that Lowrance/Eagle is having a problem with their external anttenna's (NEMA 2000 units). I haven't heard if it includes the internal models. They're getting blown out by radar. My uncle has blown out 2 antennas on his Bayliner (which has radar). I have a LMS330c on my Crestliner which I bought used from Fishplay, a fellow Ifisher, and I found out he blew it out and had to return it to the factory as well. I don't have radar on my Crestliner so I haven't had a problem...YET. But my concern is about the barge tugs which run high power radar.
Lowrance has been tight lipped about the problem and we've gotten no info as to the repair but a conversation with the Lowrance folks at the Sportsman's Show this last week indicated it was a shielding issue in the attenna unit, not with the main unit. My uncles 1st attenna was exchanged by Fisherman's Marine, but his second attenna went back to the factory and they sent the same attenna back atleast it the same serial number. Fishplay also sent back my attenna to the factory 2yrs ago and got back the same attenna. A conversation w/ the folks at Westmarine said they got back two attenna's justy the other week, so I question the validity of the fix. Since both our uinits are off warrenty, we are hesitant to put them around radar so who knows if they are truely FIXED. We do know that both ours have been back to the factory and have worked fine since. I know of no way to tell if an attenna has had the proper shielding mod.

Stickfish, Could you see what you can turn up. I suspect your unit is at risk and I would make darn sure your's has been mod'd BEFORE it goes off warrenty. (I think you have a few more months.) I would also be interested to know how a fella can tell if his attenna has been mod'd to fix this shielding issue.

nsyhunter,
Both our pucks (attenna's) are mounted on the dash and both recieve good signal strength to work fine. I don't think you'll have a problem mounting yours behind the dash either.
I like my LMS330c but the attenna issue has me spooked, If I go off shore I'm taking a handheld for a backup.
Unless their is a reason why you would want your unit to be NEMA2000 compatible (Navman fuel flow meter or dual displays, for instance), I would seriously consider staying away from the external attenna models until all this is settled. As I said two brand new units were returned to WestMarine just this month, so just because you bought it new doesn't mean it has had the shielding mod,... if that's really the problem.

As for me, I'm just gonna use it and pray mine's fixed. I have been toying with getting another unit for the rear of the boat, a 337cDF. I can hook both up to the same NEMA2000 attenna and share the GPS info between the two units. This will also give me a back up anttenna. But I don't want to make that purchase until I KNOW THEY HAVE THE PROBLEM FIXED!
Good luck with your decision,
Hunt'nFish

[shalom]

Thank you for the tip . Now i have something new to worry about . I am just kidding .

[StickFish]

Here is what I could find out about the issue. First off the external antenna is more than an antenna. It is the GPS receiver module and antenna so there is a bit more to it than must a passive antenna. The module is called an LGC-2000.

I just spoke to a technician at Lowrance and they have several versions of module in circulation and can only tell which module you have when they look it up on their records. The S/n can be found on the bottom of the LCG unit next to a bar code. I found mine on the lid of the box.

I purchased an LMS-480M in August from Cabelas and Lowrance told me that my LCG module has the shield but isn't their final Radar modified LCG module. Since I still have warranty left, I'll send mine off to be replaced.

Why are these still on the shelves - inventory rotation - not like they are going to send them all back in to replace something that my not effect the end user. There are folks who will use these on boats and never be near a radar installation. With several versions of the fix in circulation it also explains why someone had it fixed and it broke again.

The Tech did say that the units are not damaged by the radar unless they are extremely high powered Military radars and the no signal instance can be reset by powering the unit off and unplugging the LCG unit and plogging it back it and powering it back up, but don't trust that.

Lowrance Tech Support can be reached at 800-324-1356

Hope that helps.

[Hunt'nFish]

Thanks Ted. Per our offline conversation I'll be calling them. Unfortunately even though mine's been in once already, they probably won't upgrade it w/o $$$ since it's now off warrenty. :whazzup: :pray:
Great. :smirk:
Hunt'nFish


"The Tech did say that the units are not damaged by the radar"


This seems consistant. Mine is the same s/n that was sent in and my uncle got the same s/n back as well. Whether they are truely fixed or not??.....who knows. Actually I know a way, but I'm unwilling to do it on my "out of warrenty" anttena.

[StickFish]

All I gotta say is at least they are trying to fix it. If Lowrance was Chevy - you'd be stuck. Most likely the latest mod is a low frequency band pass filter set for 1600mhz - this can be done with inductors (air wire wound) and other parts depending on the design - thus blocking the sympathetic harmonic from the radar even getting into the mixer circuit, or IF front end of the GPS receiver. The shield mod which is the one on my receiver - probably is a foil shield over the receiver components that is grounded to the ground bus in the radio or power supply circuit - all valid mitigation strategies

Any receiver even $10,000 ham radios will loose all their sensitivity when strong RF fields are present - its called front end overload and if the electronmagnetic field is high enough it will damage equipment, cook your sandwich and generally ruin your day