handheld gps questions...

[red ice]

Looking to get a unit to use for ice fishing. Leaning toward the Lowrance iFinder H20 and getting the HotMaps North chip. Is there any problems with this unit? Any suggestions of other brands or models to look at? Where could I find the best deal on one? Was at Scheels in St. Cloud this past weekend and the H2O was $170 and the chip $150 with a $50 mail in rebate on the chip. I passed on it for now cause I just started looking and like to do research first. Thanks in advance for any help sent my way!

RED

[LMITOUT]

I have the H20 with the MN Lakemaster chip and I really enjoyed having it last winter for ice fishing mounted to the handlebars of my ATV. I didn't have any problems with either item. The Lakemaster is compatible with my X-15 on the boat so I went that route....not to mention the number of lakes included on that particular chip.

[cliffy]

I also have the H2O with the lake master chip....love it!!!!

[Bobb-o]

I found my H2O online for $130 and then i got the lakemaster chip in the Cabelas bargain cave for $40. make sure you look around before you buy.

[braves57]

here's a questions for you all...

I just bought the H2O C with a lakemaster chip.

How come when I am sitting on my couch in the living room, it shows that I am at my nieghbors house down the street around the corner and down that street... That seems a little too far off when I am zoomed in all the way. That would be about 200 feet (or more) off.

Is there something I am missing? Kinda hard to find the edges with that kind of accuracy.

hmmm....

[Bobb-o]

go into the advanced menu, go to customize, then click the checkmark next to EPE, this will show you how far off the GPS is at any given time. This will vary greatly, when you first turn it on is generally when you will have the largest EPE. Also, you probably aren't getting that great of a signal inside your house. Mine averages around 30-40 feet when in the woods, and 19-25 when driving, it just seems to get better reception the longer it is on and the faster i am going.

[cliffy]

Bobb-o took the words right out of my mouth. I would assume the clearer view of the sky...the better the reception. I supppose I average about the same..no matter if I am on the ice, in the boat or driving down the road.

[braves57]

so how is the accuracy on the lakes?

does that vary also?

[LMITOUT]

Another thing to consider is that you more than likely are not getting a WAAS signal in the house. You need a good line of sight to the southern horizon to lock on to the WAAS signal. This is what makes the GPS shine. Out on the lakes it gets down to 20ft or so and is pretty darn accurate. Imagine drawing a circle and standing in the middle where the line is 20ft from you....that's not too shabby.

[red ice]

I looked at the lakemaster chip, that doesn't have all the lakes on it that I fish. The navionic hotmap premium seems to have pretty much every lake on it and in pretty good detail too. Does it get any more accurate than a 20 foot circle?

RED

[eurolarva]

even with WAAS I doubt you will get more accurate then 20 feet with any GPS. I noticed the bouys were right on the mark on both Mille Lacs and on Minnetonka. I fished Yellow lake in Wisconsin and the detail followed the fish finder almost exactly. Navonics is an awsome chip.

[Bobb-o]

The most accurate i have seen on mine is 16 feet. I have heard that if you have mapcreate you can upload the DNR .TIFF files for the lakemaps onto a chip? does anyone know if this is true?

[kunk]

When I first got my H2O I got the Freedom Map. Later I bought a Lakemaster chip. I found that on the highway the Freedom Map was more accurate. I tracked right down the highway with it. But with the Lakemaster chip, I ran just off the highway. The Lakemaster chip is still tops on the lake, but on a trip I will put the Freedom map chip in.