Dual GPS/Chart Plotter Install?

[Hector Leiva]

Wondering if anyone out there has two independent GPS/Chart Plotters installed on their boat, and if they do how are they utilized. I currently have a Simrad GO7 installed on my 2017 190 FSH and have a brand new Garmin echomap 42DV that I purchased a year plus ago for my old boat but never got around to installing. Wondering if it would be beneficial in any way to also install it on the 190 FSH. Would appreciate any and all comments.

 

[Mike Courterier]

I'm in the same boat... I have my old Lowrance HDS 5 Gen 1 that I'm thinking about networking with my HDS 9 Gen 3 but can't come up with a good enough reason yet.

 

[Frank Marshall]

I have Lowrance and Garmin chartplotters installed, along with a sunlight readable map display. Instead of centering the transducers, I have them mounted farther out to each side of the boat at a slight angle, trying to widen my view. They do overlap some, but I think they have also spread my view. I don't think I would bought 2 chartplotters, but I make maps for Lake Powell (LakePowellgpsMaps.com @ http://www.lakepowellgpsmaps.com/index.html) and needed to be sure the maps worked on each brand.

 

[ClemsonTiger]

Yes and No depending on what you intend to do with it.

Case for No:
Most boat that have multiple units do so in order to display all options. Example, chartplotter & radar overlay on 1 screen with transducer (s0me times multiple), auto pilot and engine diagnostics on the other. In the case of jet boats, auto pilot and engine diagnostics are not available and multiple transducers are also highly unlikely, so the need for 2 displays are minimal...unless you want chartplotter on one and the transducer on the other.

Case for Yes:
Most units purchased for the FSH (Go, HDS, etc) only have 1 sounder input. Most people use the transducer supplied which has basic function. Typically a 50/200 chirp. If you want multiple chirp frequencies in order to read multiple columns/depth of water, you would need to purchase an additional unit and/or a NMEA chirp sounder which range in the $2,000 area. So in order to add an additional transducer you would need an additional MFD.

 

[Hector Leiva]

I have Lowrance and Garmin chartplotters installed, along with a sunlight readable map display. Instead of centering the transducers, I have them mounted farther out to each side of the boat at a slight angle, trying to widen my view. They do overlap some, but I think they have also spread my view. I don't think I would bought 2 chartplotters, but I make maps for Lake Powell (LakePowellgpsMaps.com @ http://www.lakepowellgpsmaps.com/index.html) and needed to be sure the maps worked on each brand.

View attachment 70801

Cool looking setup

 

[highanddryinco]

...but I make maps for Lake Powell...

Nice. You can't be too careful on that lake.
(My avatar)

 

[Liveto99]

As I get older and can’t see as well, one for the chart plotter and one for the fish. What’s nice about them now is they do everything so if your GPS goes down. You can have a GPS on your sonar.

 

[subysti]

I've heard of issues with multiple transducers interfering with each other so you have to make sure they are far enough apart. They can pick up each other's sonar returns and it goofs them up. Better off getting network compatible chartplotters that can share the info from one transducer and share it on multiple screens.

 

[Liveto99]

I was going to just hook up one to the transducer, and one to the radar. But if one failed I could switch the cables over, they both have Gps. I’m going to see how 1 works but always thinking ahead.

 

[Sbrown]

NMEA2000 network is the way to go, then everything can display and share all the info available for multiple redundancy

 

[Frank Marshall]

I was concerned about interference, so I tested them with zip lock water bags before installation. I haven't seen any interference before or after final installation.

 

[ClemsonTiger]

I've heard of issues with multiple transducers interfering with each other so you have to make sure they are far enough apart. They can pick up each other's sonar returns and it goofs them up. Better off getting network compatible chartplotters that can share the info from one transducer and share it on multiple screens.

Only if you use the same frequency transducer...which would be (to say politely) foolish. Transducers have many variations...

• Low, Med, Hi kHz
• Narrow or Wide Beam
• Single or Dual kHz ranges
• Fixed or Chirp kHz

All have different applications and uses

 

[Hector Leiva]

Thanks to all for the stories examples comments. Hopefully more members will continue to offer more information.

 

[Liveto99]

I got the NMEA2000 to hook up because I needed a Gps antenna to overlay the radar on the chart plotter. I’ll let u know how the engine data hooks up to it. It looks like people were having trouble on the 19.

 

[ClemsonTiger]

I got the NMEA2000 to hook up because I needed a Gps antenna to overlay the radar on the chart plotter. I’ll let u know how the engine data hooks up to it. It looks like people were having trouble on the 19.

Can’t connect engine data/diagnostics via NMEA on jet boats....

But good luck trying

 

[Liveto99]

I heard that about last year, I was hoping they changed it for 2018. I’ll be in Jupiter for brunch Easter Sunday, Cafe Des Artistes I hope it is good.