Lowrance HDS7 tracking

[fishing4fun]

My HDS7 unit quit tracking correctly. Now it just zig zags my trails. Very erratic trails. I've tried new trails, deleting old trails. Nothing seems to help. I'm linked with my other HDS5 and that graph works perfect.

Any ideas? Possibly soft or hard reset? Downloading firmware again?

Thanks

[CaptainMusky]

That is really odd. Is it perhaps reading the GPS from your other unit? Check your network settings for source...

Also maybe the number of pts per track got tweaked somehow. I forget exact what its called but there is a setting to track more pts along a track and if that somehow changed it wouldn't "average" your path real well. I have never had this problem and I have a 7 and 5 networked. Strange

[fishing4fun]

My old LCx units had track smoothing that would fix this problem. I can't find it on this unit.

Thanks CapnMusky. I'll look for what your are talking about.

[CaptainMusky]

The other thing to look for is if there are an obstructions that could be interfering with the GPS on the 7. Personally I have mine mounted behind a full windshield and I can turn the unit on in my garage and it locks in less than 30 seconds every time. The internal GPS is really good in these units.

Perhaps try disconnecting the two units and see if the issue persists? I have noticed that you can get some funky tracks if you are moving extremely slow, like under .5 mph, but if you are at higher speeds you should never see a zig zagging like you described.

Do you know which "orientation" you are using for the chart? Course Up, North Up, etc? I am wondering if you are confusing the zig zag of the track with the chart rotating as you are moving? Some guys are really annoyed with specific orientations specifically "course up". But that is the one I use exclusively. What happens is the chart (assuming you are using a map chip) will rotate in some circumstances (I thought it was more with North Up).

Also check your "logging type". This is in your navigation settings area. Your choices will be "Time", "Distance" and "AUto". I use Auto, which is probably the default setting. If you use "Time" or "Distance" a "point" is placed based on those intervals. If you use "auto" a point is placed everytime you change direction.

Just some thoughts.

[fishing4fun]

Thanks, I'll check to see if my setting have changed. It's always been under my full windshield since new. (3 years). Just don't know why it changed.