Quinte Fishing

Just reading up about networking fishfinders. I'm planning to have something like a 10" FF at the bow and another 10" at the helm. Ideally I would like Side Imaging, GPS, 2d and Down Imaging available in both spots. So I was thinking I had to purchase 2xHDS 10" or 2xHelix 10" SI GPS for example to accomplish that.

Doing some reading, I found that I can have, for HB Helix units as an example, 1 full featured HB Helix 10 SI GPS and one Helix 10 Sonar GPS unit, and if networked, the basic unit can display the side imaging and down imaging from the other one.

1. is that true?
2. if so, are there any disadvantages to that?
3. Is this only true of the imaging or is it also true of the GPS? How about the Nav+ chip?

The price difference is not astronomical but it's significant enough that I thought I had better ask first.

thanks

Yes you are correct. Humminbird and Raymarine use several SKUs on the same size screen. for example Helix 10, Helix 10 Down Imaging, Helix 10 Side Imaging. They are all the same unit, but have different software loaded and come with a different transducer. Lowrance and Garmin (for the most part) have 1 unit GPSMAP 7610XSV or HDS12 and then you pic your transducer to go with it based on what you want to see.

The only disadvantage to the Humminbird and Raymarine model is that if you have a SI unit on the back and a DI unit on the front you can interchange them should one go down on you. They will however network all the info when connected with Ethernet. You have a Helix 10 DI up front and a Helix 10 SI at the back. You'll be able to see SI from the back unit on the front DI only unit when networked together

Lowrance, Garmin and Raymarine will all share Navionics+ maps over the network, while Humminbird Helix will not. You'll need two chips with a Helix unit.

_________________
Radioworld 4335 Steeles Ave W, Toronto, Ontario M3N 1V7 - www.radioworld.ca

Check out our blog at www.blog.radioworld.ca