H2O or new locator???

[Coach1310]

I am looking at getting some kind of device to have a mapping feature for use when fishing, boat and ice. I have an old locator and a flasher on my boat. They both work fine at giving me depth and a look at bottom structure, but I would love to have some mapping too. Is it worth spending all the money for a new locator with the mapping feature or would I be better off just buying the H2O?? I really can't justify the funds needed for the locator I want, but I think I can talk her into the funds for the H2O. Thoughts????

[Cbreeze]

Hey Coach,

I'm in the same boat right now! Trying to figure out if the color locator/GPS unit is the way to go or H2O with chip and use it summer/winter...? Oh the pain!!! My gut is telling me the H2O is better at his time... Hope you figure it out soon, it's been bothering me for months!

Breeze

[muskyjim]

i'm still undecided if i like the h2oc or not. i like the colored unit w/chip, but as far as working, it doesn't work like my old trusty magellan used to[i still have it and use it]. when i troll down really slow or drift, w/h2oc, it doesn't register the speed sometimes and it doesn't plot my EXACT trail[ sometimes it is very critical to go back over the same exact spot]. i'm pretty sure magellan makes a colored unit that takes lake chips. i know a few people that aren't to impressed w/h2oc and are switching back to their old units. i see alot of em for sale in the paper already too. i don't know how the bigger lowrance units work[dash mounted for boats] i've never owned one. i don't know what you guys are looking for or how serious about equipment you are. these are just some things to consider.

[Coach1310]

Thanks for the replies so far. Anyone else???

[PerchJerker]

 Originally Posted By: muskyjim

it doesn't register the speed sometimes and it doesn't plot my EXACT trail

Do you know how frequently your unit is updating? There is a menu option to set this where you want it.

Less frequent updates = longer battery life but also the situation you're talking about with speed and position.

More frequent updates, like every second = more drain on the battery but more accurate speed and position reporting.

Coach1310 - if you already have working electronics, I think I'd go for the mapping gps next. Not knowing what your budget is, if you haven't already done it you could look into Eagle color sonar/gps combos. Essentially all the features and performance of Lowrance units but at a better price. Maybe that would be a good option for you.

[anyfishwilldo]

I was in the same boat 2 y/a and went with the H2OC. I have never regreted the decision. I use the handheld on the wheeler, boat, in my hand while hunting and also in the truck. Try doing all that with a depth/GPS combo unit. Also I have had poor luck with combo units of any kind. In my case, one of the 2 things usually takes a dump.

[muskyjim]

are u talking about the one where it goes to continuous?

strike that, i was looking at screen light delay.

[wannaeye]

That's a tough question!! Faced with the same decision a few years ago I went with the H2O. It is great for hunting, traveling in a vehicle, ice fishing and simliar jobs. It has really opened up a new world of structure to anyone with $250.00-$350.00.

But the biggest complaint I have is, when boating it is difficult to see such a small screen. Try trolling plugs, watching rods, looking out for boats, and watching the H2O with the sun in your eyes!!! UUUGGGHHH!!

Depending on your use the H2O is great for an inexpensive hand held, but there is no comparison to a 5 inch screen, or anything larger for that matter.

Size Matters in the boat!!

[muskyjim]

perchjerker - it was on three sec., but it don't register my speed consistently say when i'm trolling down to .7 mph. that shouldn't matter when i'm tolling on a flat calm lake and i'm not messing w/ the throttle and i'm not turning the steering wheel. i've had both my gps units running side by side and the magellan always registers the speed down to .6 or.7 mph. i'm saying the speed does not register steady if you are going below about 1.5 to 2 mph. i just put it to 1 sec and it still jumps from 1.5 to 0 to 2.1, while i'm walking around without stopping. what good is the speed feature then when i'm slowly backtrolling and my speed won't register? i would understand if this was happening in 3 ft rollers but glass calm water?

[muskyjim]

wanneye - do you have that speed registering problem with the bigger units? i always wondered if it was a power problem or a better antenna problem? i've been dealing with this since the day they came out with this h2oc. it has a lot of great features, but the ones i pay most attention to are not some of them[speed and track]. i have 2 lowrance depthfinders in my boat and i think they are great, but i think the jury is still out on the h2oc.

[PerchJerker]

muskyjim

In my boat I have Lowrance fixed mount gps units with external antennas. Just for kicks I have compared my h2o speed reading to the reading I get on the other units. The other units with the external antennas give me much better, much smoother readings than the h20. But when the h20 is set to the shortest update interval possible (I don't recall what that is right now) the h20 wasn't too bad ...... definately not as good, but not too bad. Personally I think it has to do with the external antenna getting a better signal but that's just my opinion.

I can use my h20 live bait rigging down at 1 mph or less ---- I haven't done it much with my h20, just a couple of times to check it.

One thing that might be happening differently between your units is the display algorithms. I haven't used a Magellan for years but used to have a couple and they were all I used at that time. As I recall, when they lost a good signal they displayed the same speed for several seconds, then the speed updated when the unit regained the signal or finally started flashing if the unit didn't regain a signal. Not sure if that's what you're seeing with your Magellan or not but it's possible.

Another possibility, depending on the age of your Magellan, could be how the receiver reads the satellites, does its calculations, and then updates. Older units were slower to cycle through the satellites, calculate, and update --- the result being that they displayed a constant speed reading for a longer time. The newer parallel channel receivers track the satellites independently and calculate faster with more current info, the result being that your speed jumps around more. Again, I don't know if that's what you're seeing but it's also possible.

Good luck, I hope you get it working like you want.

[muskyjim]

perchjerker - on h2oc the lowest setting is 1 sec. i've got the map 330m magellan. when i've got my elec motor in the water i can bump down the speed little by little. the magellan will read 1.1. 1.0, .9, .8, .7 for example. this happens instantaneously as i'm slowing the boat so i know it has signal and is updating fine. it is getting old, but its not affecting its performance. the only problem i have with the magellan is the buttons are getting hard to push, that's just from me using thr he** out of it for 10 plus years. the h20c speed just doesn't seem to work like that. it seems like it wants to jump all over the place. what model of fixed mount gps do you have? how low does the speed register on that?

[GoFish4]

Coach, I have 2 debth units in my boat and the one at the helm also has a maping 50/50 screen. I still use my H2OC because it is very accurate for trolling ridges/humps etc. The h2oc is great because I can take it out ice fishing and also land right where I want too. I use it on trips in my truck also as with the Lakemaster chip the roads are accurate as well. IMO the h2oc is much more versatile and useful if you are limited on the cash. Good luck Fish

[PerchJerker]

I have 2 Lowrance 332s on my boat, networked together and to 1 antenna. I can't say for sure how low the speed goes but I've never had a complaint with them not giving me a good speed reading.

As I was saying, I've played around with my h2o compared to the 332s and although the h20 was jumpier, it seemed to work okay and be usable.

Do you know if your software is up-to-date on your h20c, maybe that would make a difference??

[muskyjim]

software should be okay, how long have they been out? 3 years. i didn't know they already had an upgrade for the h2oc software. i'll have to check into it.