Topic: Thoughts on the new 899

[bgump24]

Just bought it and got the upgraded transducer but haven't got to use it yet the snow won't stop long enough 

[rnvinc]

I think you will be well pleased with the 899 and the upgrade HDSI xducer...

If the internal antenna setup works for your application...then you probably still saved some $$..

If you think an external antenna would better serve your application...I would definitely look into the AS GPS HS antenna with heading sensor...

This antenna is the berries...

Here's my writeup from right after it came out...
http://forums.sideimagingsoft.com/index.php?topic=5109.msg32045#msg32045

Rickie

[bgump24]

Is there that much difference in the upgraded transducer and also I mostly fish smaller lakes I live in wv so we don't have real big lakes but what would be the advantages of adding the external antenna

[castle rock clown]

My biggest gripe is boat movement when spotlocked on a waypoint with the Terrova. Now this is last year with the I-pilot. I just upgraded to the I-pilot Link for this year. I fish current and wind on flowages and get this drifting back and then the trolling motor pulling forward. I assume the gps sensing is done with the trolling motor head, but with the link system does the fishfinder have any effect on keeping the boat from drifting back and forth? finally, would adding the HS GPS antenna minimize this condition. Right now my Link is ethernet connected to a 999ci si.

[rnvinc]

Is there that much difference in the upgraded transducer and also I mostly fish smaller lakes I live in wv so we don't have real big lakes but what would be the advantages of adding the external antenna

The advantage in the upgrade XHS 9 HDSI 180 T xducer is the added capability of the 800kHz frequency that can be utilized with the 899ci HD SI Combo...

Here is a comparison shot of the 455kHz and the 800kHz...



I use the 455kHz for finding new structure because the image is brighter all the way to the edges of the display ...with the tradeoff of the image being a little fuzzier...

I use the 800kHz to scan closer to structure because the image is more detailed...with the tradeoff of the edges of the image being darker ...

Upgrading to the XHS 9 HDSI 180 T gives this added advantage of scanning closer objects with more detailed and crisper images...
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The AS GPS HS antenna allows the boat icon on the chart views to always show as a boat icon without turning into the round circle...

This allows the user to know which way the boat is pointing on the chart at all times...even while stationary ...

Rickie

[rnvinc]

My biggest gripe is boat movement when spotlocked on a waypoint with the Terrova. Now this is last year with the I-pilot. I just upgraded to the I-pilot Link for this year. I fish current and wind on flowages and get this drifting back and then the trolling motor pulling forward. I assume the gps sensing is done with the trolling motor head, but with the link system does the fishfinder have any effect on keeping the boat from drifting back and forth? finally, would adding the HS GPS antenna minimize this condition. Right now my Link is ethernet connected to a 999ci si.

I would not think the AS GPS HS antenna would improve the functionality of the iPilot features...

The heading sensor is nothing more than a magnetic compass that provides the unit with info related to "how many degrees from magnetic north" is the puck pointing...

"Spotlock"... "GOTO"... "Follow the Contour" and such iPilot and iPilotLink features are function derivitives of the GPS ...which is basically the Earth's orbiting satillites recognising where the GPS antenna physically "is" ...not which way the antenna is "pointing"]...

Rickie

[Bob B]

I think Rickie is correct about the heading sensors.......especially since the I-pilot uses it own GPS.

There were some updates to the I-pilot link that helped with the spot lock....This is one of the advantages of the link.....The I-pilot software can be updated.