Topic: WHAT to do ???

[boatman2]

I have a 1198c si being shipped, and I have been reading on forums about it. I called HB about a swap for the AS GPS HS  They will swap out new for new for 50.00 That sounded great to me!  (UNTILL) I started reading all the problems with firmware.     I have always used Raymarine and was looking at lowrance but decided on HB. I hope I didn't make a mistake. I'm one of the few who only salt water fish and some people around me have HB and love them. I like the concept of the AS GPS HS, But now I don't know what to do. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I put this on another post and decided to do one myself.

[Humminbird_Greg]

Depending on when your 1198 was built, it may already have the current software version in it.  There are many who also have not had any problems with their units and the current software.

[LittleGazoo]

The only two models I would consider running the new S/W release are the 1198 and marginally the 998.

[boatman2]

I should receive my new 1198 tomorrow or the next day. I'll see what FW is in the unit. The best GPS I ever had was a northstar 951 I could zoom in on a wreck, if I drifted off the spot I could steer the boat cursor to the spot it didn't jump all around. I think it had some kind of heading sensor in it. I was hoping to swap out the GPS receiver for the HS and see how that works. If I swap with HB and their FW is no good then what do I do. I have never used a Humminbird, but I have heard some very good reports. I just don't know about that "donut thingy" it seems that would make it very hard to hold up to a spot. Maybe someone can enlighten me. Thank you, Bob

[Humminbird_Greg]

boatman2,
The “donut thingy” is a round circle that appears on the display whenever the GPS Receiver cannot reliably determine the course of the boat.  The unit does not guess what course the boat is moving rather it communicates this to the user by using the circle (aka: “donut”).  Standard GPS cannot determine the direction of travel for the boat unless it is moving.  The GPS-HS has a built-in compass and will allow the unit to display the heading of the boat even when the boat is not moving.

[matt@reefmaster]

Greg,
Does the HS puck completely replace the calculated course with a compass heading, or does the unit somehow combine the existing calculated heading?
I often drift and jig, and probably for me this is the time I am most interested in my projected heading, as I want to be able to see if I am going to hit my mark, or cover the same area I just went through etc. In this case, if my boat is drifting sideways (i.e. not moving in the direction of the bow), what does the HB unit show as my course?
 
just curious,
Matt

[Humminbird_Greg]

Matt,
You will have the option of showing a Heading Line on the Chart display of the unit.  This does not replace the Course Projection Line, so if you are drifting the Heading line will be pointing one way while the Course line will be pointing another.  I believe at very slow speeds, the unit uses the Heading information for its Course Projection Line.

[TroyBoy30]

boatman2,
The “donut thingy” is a round circle that appears on the display whenever the GPS Receiver cannot reliably determine the course of the boat.  The unit does not guess what course the boat is moving rather it communicates this to the user by using the circle (aka: “donut”).  Standard GPS cannot determine the direction of travel for the boat unless it is moving.  The GPS-HS has a built-in compass and will allow the unit to display the heading of the boat even when the boat is not moving.

maybe this will help

before the gps puck with HS



after

[TroyBoy30]

Matt,
You will have the option of showing a Heading Line on the Chart display of the unit.  This does not replace the Course Projection Line, so if you are drifting the Heading line will be pointing one way while the Course line will be pointing another.  I believe at very slow speeds, the unit uses the Heading information for its Course Projection Line.

[boatman2]

Well here's what I've done...Called HB and sending the standard puck back in exchange for the HS receiver. He said to download the new firmware 6.740 he said it is good. SO I DID !!  I'll just wait for the new HS, and see what happens. Somehow I feel like I'm walking the plank. LOL

[strawdg]

Well here's what I've done...Called HB and sending the standard puck back in exchange for the HS receiver. He said to download the new firmware 6.740 he said it is good. SO I DID !!  I'll just wait for the new HS, and see what happens. Somehow I feel like I'm walking the plank. LOL

What you have to realize is that HB has said EVERY firmware is good initially.... even the infamous 6.57 (which they admitted was bad a couple of weeks after release).

6.74 was released only yesterday so it is untested, at least not beyond the feeble testing HB has been noted for with the last 4 releases, and many on various forums are already reporting they are NOT about to load it up. If you want to see what a joke recent HB firmware updates have become check out http://www.bbcboards.net/humminbird-sonar-gps/408835-6-740-software-1198-a.html#post3965386 .

Another problem is that whatever version your new unit comes with will probably be one of those previous 4 questionable versions, so you will not have a known stable version (as reported by actual users not receiving perks from HB) to compare to.

The HS puck has been out long enough that it might work with whatever version a new unit will ship with.... So try it BEFORE updating. If not update only after you have your previous version backed up so you can at least go back that far.

Some people are reporting that they have moved newer units back to 6.49 with success, even though they came with later versions. That will not work with the HS puck AND is not recommended because HB says officially NOT to back out beyond what the unit was shipped with.

Straw