Lowrance LMS 520c Specifications

Here are the specs on the LMS 520C. First off, it featured a brilliant five inch, 480x480 pixel screen that produced remarkable images and high speed screen updates. It was Lowrance radar compatible and it featured a 12 parallel channel GPS+WAAS satellite antenna.

The screen is easily viewed from any direction in the Sun and has several color choices. Something that can't be said for many other units in this category. As if that wasn't enough, it also has advanced cold-cathode screen and keypad backlighting. This comes in handy when you're out doing some night fishing!

It also came with a high speed ethernet connection to link multiple Lowrance units together.

Other features that made this unit so popular with its owners are depth penetration to 900 feet (275 m); 2,400 W peak-to-peak power, high-performance transom-mount 200 kHz Skimmer transducer with high fish detection coverage and a built-in temp sensor. Also an adjustable ping speed with automatic HyperScroll for high speed sounding. This comes in handy for you offshore folks when zooming along. A FasTrack vertical flasher bar tops out the list of features.

Standard sonar features include advanced Signal Processing (ASP), Colorline Advanced Fish Symbol I.D., FishTrack, multi-zoom options, sonar alarms, backup memory and much, much more.

On the GPS maps side, the Lowrance LMS 520c features an expanded, built-in enhanced background map of the continental U.S, and Hawaii with over 3,000 lakes with depth contours and additional features.

The LMS 520c weights a little under 5lbs and measures 2.5 inches thick by 6.8 x 6.5 inches. When bought new, it came with a one year warranty.

What accessories are available for the LMS 520c?

Fortunately for Lowrance 520c owners, there's still a lot of available accessories and those who've used it will tell you it's still a great sonar/gps combo. Some will even say that these older units are more durable than the newer ones, but I have no way of proving that. I can say I know more than a few fishermen with older Lowrance units who will not part with them!

Click on the link to see a full line of Lowrance LMS 520c Accessories

One thing I highly recommend is a RAM mount for the LMS 520c. RAM mounts are great and will absorb a lot of sonar damaging vibration. Not only that, but they allow the LMS 520c to be turned so it can be viewed anywhere in the boat.

An anti glare screen protector like the Lexerd TrueVue Crystal Clear screen protector is worth every penny you pay for it.

For enhanced GPS accuracy from the Lowrance LMS 520c, you should get you a Lowrance LGC-4000 WAAS GPS Antenna. It refreshes 5 times per second and has 16 channels available.  What's great about this accessory is that it fits so many other Lowrance sonar/gps combos, you can take it with you if you decide to buy another Lowrance unit. Just check for compatibility. If memory serves me correctly, this antenna will fit some of the newer HDS models.

If you bought a Used LMS 520c, then you may new cables. You can find everything from new transducers, speed and temp cables to power and ethernet cables at Amazon.Com

Where Can I Find A Used Lowrance LMS 520c?

Other than your local classifieds, I've found the best deals on Lowrance LMS 520c units on ebay. If you're buying one for the first time either make sure it comes with a power cable, ethernet cable and transducer or plan on buying  new ones when you get the unit. Here are some used ones I found on ebay.

LOWRANCE CVR 2 PROTECTIVE COVER 113 05 NEW LMS 520C    US $29.95

Lowrance LMS 520C GPS Receiver only head No Accessories    US $199.99

Lowrance LMS 520C GPS Receiver only head No Accessories    US $248.00

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Click Here To Get The Best Deal on a HDS-5 With Lake Insight and StructureScan

Installation of the HDS-5 with StructureScan and Insight Map

The installation was a breeze for us. Probably because we've done quite a few installs over the years. The instructions were easy to read and follow and in no time (which was less than 45 minutes total), we had the unit rigged up and ready to head to the lake.

I will mention that it does pay to pay close attention to the instructions. You also want to make sure you know what you're doing if you end up having to drill some mounting holes either for the unit or the transducer. Whether you drill into fiberglass or aluminum, if you make a mistake it's going to be hard to fix! So make sure everything lines up if you must drill.

My buddy chose to mount it to the dash and run the transducer at the transom. There was already a transducer mounting plate there so the only holes we had to drill was into the plate itself.

On the Water Field Test of the HDS-5 with StructureScan

We headed out to a small municipal lake close to his house to see how well the unit would perform. We chose this lake for several reason.

1. It was close to his house and we wouldn't have to drive far
2. We knew this lake and knew where a lot of bottom structure was located.
3. It was close to his house

Since I'm currently a Humminbird user, I was anxious to see how well this Lowrance unit would handle itself. I'll be honest with you right now. I love the way Lowrance GPS works. If you use a Humminbird equipped GPS locator at all, you're probably well acquainted with the "Donut". I am and I tell you I don't like it!

But it's the ability of Lowrance GPS units to quickly and accurately always tell you which way you're heading, no matter how fast you're going, that I've always admired. The HDS-5 was no exception. The GPS performed flawlessly.

I also loved the screen resolution. The colors were bright and sharp, just like I like them. I couldn't tell no difference between them and my Humminbirds. I think both companies make exceptional screens.

The screen is a 5" SolarMax 480x480 high resolution display.

The StructureScan is just awesome. Just like the SideScan on the Humminbirds, it's still amazing to me to be able to see objects off to the side of the boat. The images were sharp and clear. Brushpiles were easily distinguished from surrounding structure such as ledges, rocks or other objects put into the lake.

What I was most interested in is the separation of objects that are really close. Like a big Crappie from the brushpile or even a school of bait fish hanging close to the bottom. The HDS-5 had good separation, but not near as good as my Humminbird 798 in my opinion.

Overall I was pleased with the performance of the HDS-5 with StructureScan and Lake Insight maps. It performed well and we spent hours out on the lake getting acquainted with the unit. The instruction manual is easy to read and understand and the buttons and menu on the HDS-5 are laid out so that it's very easy to use. My non-Techie buddy had little problems figuring it out with me reading from the owners manual and giving him advice.

Problems with the HDS-5 with StructureScan

Although my buddy hasn't owned his HDS-5 very long to have had any major problems, I've talked to a gentleman at the boat ramp one day that said his HDS-5 leaked on him. So after I went home I pulled up some reviews from retailers and saw that a few people did have problems with the seals leaking in their units. Supposedly this problem was caused by the seal vendor and  Lowrance has since fixed this problem. My best advice for anyone considering buying a HDS-5 or any locator for that matter is to ask around on one of the many fishing forums. You'll find out real quick whether a product is liked or not.

I've also heard from more than a few problems with Lowrance customer service. I myself experienced something similar in the past. A few years back when I was in the market for a 10" locator/gps combo, I seriously looked at the Lowrance HDS-10. I visited the boat show that year in Tulsa where they had a booth set up. There were three reps there when I walked up and two were busy with ONE customer. The other guy walked around and never would come over and talk to me but engaged several people who were walking by in the aisle and looking at the units. Occasionally one of the two who were talking to the single customer would look up at me and then turn away and continue talking. After standing there 20 minutes waiting for help, I left and the next day, ordered the Humminbird 1197.

From what I've learned since, I'm glad I did. Apparently I was not the only  one who's had issues with poor customer service. Fishing and boating forums as well as reviews from outdoor retailers like Cabelas and Bass Pro have quite a few complaints from customers who have to wait months to get their units back after sending them in for warranty work. This is really uncalled for from a company like Lowrance.

I had to send my Hbird 1197 back because the backlight went out of the screen. Not only did they fix it for free when it was a month out of warranty, they had it back to me within a week!

Where to Find The Best Price on a HDS-5 with StructureScan and Lake Insight Map?

I've looked all over the Internet and at the local Outdoor retailers trying to see who had the best deals on a HDS-5 with StructureScan and the Lake Insight map. The lowest prices I found were consistently at Amazon.com. In fact, here's a comparison of the prices on the HDS-5 from several retailers. At the time of this writing, Amazon had the HDS-5 with StructureScan AND Lake Insight Map for $1280.01. In comparison, Cabelas has the same unit for $1348. Bass Pro doesn't appear to even carry this particular combo.

Plus, this unit qualifies for FREE SHIPPING from Amazon. You'll have to pay shipping at Cabelas.

Click Here To Visit Amazon.Com and Discover a Good Deal on a HDS-5 With Lake Insight and StructureScan

Already decided the Garmin echo 550c is for you?  Click Here to get the best deal on a Garmin echo 550c!

The Garmin 550c fish finder is a color sounder with a dual beam transducer that allows you to see up to a 120 degrees of viewing angle. What does this mean to the Average Joe angler like myself? It means I get a wider cone on the signal sent out from the unit. A wider cone means I get to see more fish or other good things under the water! When you see more under the water, you generally catch more!

One feature that I really liked with the Garmin 550c is that it has a Smooth Scale feature. What this means is that whenever there is a big change in depth, like a ledge or river channel, I don't lose the history that was on the screen. I get to see the whole thing without the screen changing and screwing up my view.

Speaking of the viewing history, another feature that simply blew me away was the ability to rewind the history to see what you missed, or didn't miss! This is so cool! It's a feature that I think more and more fishermen will love once they've used it and realize how valuable it is.

Garmin 550c - On The Lake Performance

Recently I was watching an episode of the G3 Sportsman where they were catching transitional crappie. The crew were using a Garmin 550c to locate Crappie along ledges and brush piles. I was reminded how sensitive these units are when the guys 1/16th oz jigs were showing up on the  screen. Not only that, but you could actually see fish come out of the brush piles and hit the jig. Now that is what a powerful 500 watt modern electronic fish finders can do for you!

When I'm up front fishing, one thing I don't like to do is mess with a bunch of buttons to get to see what I want to. The Garmin echo 550c is very simple to use and user friendly. That was one of my main gripes when I had the Humminbird 798 up on the front. I was always bending over to adjust the unit so I could get a better view of something I wanted to see. Whether you a techie or not, you'll love the simplicity and power that the Garmin brings to your boat.

I don't have no way of proving it, but the graphics and screen on this Garmin seem to be brighter and sharper than on my Humminbird or my buddies Lowrance units. I plan on a future head to head review to see if this is actually so, but right now, it just seems to be true.

The 5", 640v x 480h 256 color screen is just brilliant in the sunlight . Something I can't say for other fish finders out there. It's also easy to see with my fishing glasses on. That's another gripe I've had about some other brands of fish finders I've used.

This was the easiest fish finder that I had ever installed. Installation was quick and effortless with no hassle.

To say I like this fish finder is an understatement. It won't be my last Garmin and now I'm looking forward to trying their other fish finders from Garmin.

What Comes With The Garmin echo 550c?

Here's what will come in the box when you buy a Garmin echo 550c

• Echo 550c
• Quick Release Mount with Tilt and Swivel
• Power Cable
• Dual beam 77 kHz/120 degree - 200 kHz/60 degree transducer mounting bracket, hardware and trolling motor clamp
• Documentation including User manual and installation instructions

Where To Find The Best Price on a Garmin 550c Fish Finder

I've compared the prices at several retailers on the Garmin 550c and none of the local Big Box retailers can touch the prices you can find online. The best price I've found on the Garmin 550c is at Amazon.com. Click Here to find the best price now. In fact, it was a whopping $60 cheaper than BassPro or Cabelas plus the Garmin qualifies for FREE SHIPPING from Amazon! Don't try that at BassPro or Cabela's!

What's the Difference Between a Humminbird 1197 and a Humminbird 1198?

I was a little put out with Humminbird when I saw they came out with a new model called the Humminbird 1198. I wanted to know what the difference was between it and my less than one year old 1197 model. I mean, I had just dropped 3 grand on a "fish finder" when the company comes out a few months later with a new model. What's up with that?

As it turns out, I had nothing to fret about. The difference between these two fish finders are minimal. I was told that the Humminbird 1198 has a slightly faster processor in it and a different screen. The people who I've talked to that have owned both locators say they can't tell the difference between the two. (this was 3 people I know, not a crowd!)

Installing the Humminbird 1197

One of the things I did right after ordering my new fish locator from Amazon.Com is to go to Humminbirds website and read all I could about this fish finder. I downloaded the user manual and tried to become familiar with it before it arrived. I knew I'd be wanting to get this bad boy installed on my boat and in the water and I didn't want to spend that precious time reading a manual. I guess you could call me a little impatient on things like that. Kinda like a kid at Christmas!

When the unit finally arrived, I took it out of its package (which it was packaged very well) and checked for any damage. I then took out the bag of brackets and bolts and familiarized myself with everything. I had determined that I would use the RAM-D-111U-C for the Humminbird 1197 to mount the unit in my boat. So I had that already mounted to the boat and waiting for the bracket from the new 1197.

Once I had that mounted, I then chose the location for the transducer. After mounting that, I chose a location for the GPS receiver. I mounted this as near as I could to my transducer, which ended up being on the corner slightly above and to the side of the transducer. Why do you want the GPS receiver near the transducer? Because when you're marking structure with your locator, you want your waypoints to be as accurate as you can get them. If you had the GPS receiver on the console, you could be 8 to 12 feet off depending on the length of your boat. That can put you off the fish on some structure.

First Impressions of the Humminbird 1197

From start to finish, the installation took about an hour. I'm not the fastest worker. I tend to fit things several times before drilling a hole or taking something apart. So your installation time could be more or less if you decide to do it yourself.

That afternoon, I headed out to a river about 15 minutes from my home. After I got on the water, I turned the unit on and allowed it acquire all of its information.

I have to tell you, that first screen view of the side imaging feature was a beautiful site. It nearly brought tears to my eyes! (sorry for the water spots on the screen)

I ran back in a cover, down the river, up the river and back into another cove. All the while watching the 1197 and fiddling with the controls. It was a lot more user friendly than I had expected. Probably because I had taken the time to read the user manual before the unit arrived.

As I motored around, I kept playing with all the buttons. I twas truly amazing to see what this unit could do. The images on the screen were sharp and very clear. Since I knew where some old rubble was, I headed out to check it out. I've seen this rubble pile on traditional fish locators for years but I was shocked to see it with the down imaging and side imaging feature of the Humminbird 1197.

The drop down menus were a thing of beauty as well. They made operating the unit and changing a range of features very easy while motoring along (by the way, do as I say, not as I do. You shouldn't adjust the unit while moving, keep your eyes on where you're going )

To say I felt like I had wisely spend my money smart was an understatement!

That was the Spring. I used the unit quite a bit throughout the Summer, Fall and even Winter (to find big Blue Cats).

The Humminbird 1197 Review - One Year Later

Over the past few months, I've learned a lot about this unit. One thing I did so I could use it at home was to buy a Black & Decker VEC026BD Electromate 400 Jump-Starter. Why? Because this is nothing more than a portable 12v battery pack with 12v cigarette sockets. I wired up an extra power cord and added a cigarette plug end to it and then used an extra transducer (standard, not side imaging) and plugged everything in. With this setup, I could sit at my desk and run the 1197. I learned a lot about this machine sitting at my desk fiddling with it!

The more I used this machine, the more fish I found and the more structure I located and learned to read. I was amazed at all the stuff I had been running over in order to get to my "hot spots". Now I have many more "hot spots" that no one knows about! Another benefit I found with the side imaging is that I could slowly motor by docks and see which ones had brush piles beneath them! I would then mark these and come back and remove some nice fat Slab Crappie from them!

I also used this unit during the Fall and  Winter to locate holding areas where big Blue Catfish loved to hangout. It was responsible for some of the best Blue catfishing I've ever had in the Fall & Winter! Not to mention the good Bass action I had over the brushpiles I located back in the Summer. The GPS unit on the 1197 makes it easy to mark brush piles, or anything else for that matter, and come back to them later on.

I do have one complaint and that is the notorious "donut" glitch on the GPS maps. Whenever you get below .5 mph, instead of the boat icon on the GPS screen, you'll get a circle, indicating that you're not moving when in actuality you are. From the rumors I've heard Humminbird is suppose to be working on this. But for me, it was really a none issue because I rarely go anyplace less than half a mile an hour.

To end this Review of the Humminbird 1197, I'm going to try and run down many of the features of the unit for you.

Features Specifications of the Humminbird 1197

Humminbird 1197 Specifications

• 1500 ft maximum depth. If you're fishing deeper than this, you'd better have a bigger boat!
• 10.4 inch 4:3 LCD screen. It's like having a Big Screen TV in your boat! You should see the heads turn when other boats pass. But it makes it easy to see the screen without straining your eyes.
• Temp & Speed Sensors built in. The menu bar at the bottom of the screen is customizable and you can set it to show the items you want such at water temperature, depth, time of day, location via GPS, Speed, Heading and probably a few things I'm forgetting!
• Waterproof design. I've been caught in several storms and this unit hasn't leaked even a little bit
• High definition side imaging and dual beam plus. The amount of detail this unit will show you is downright scary. I can now actually see individual large fish as well as schools of individual Crappie. Even after a year of hard use, it amazes me!
• 50 Channel GPS. If you fish on a large lake, or visit unfamiliar lakes, then you can rely on the built in GPS with the UniMap feature to get you home. My unit came with the Navionics Premium maps as well and I think they're worth every penny. You can set waypoints, or just follow your route back to the ramp. It really gave me a peace of mind on large lakes and rivers that I'd never been to before. Getting lost on a huge lake sucks and now I don't worry about it anymore!
• Drop Down Menus. These are nice and big so they're easy to read for people like me with aging eyes! The control button is very easy to use and you don't have to be a techie to understand how to operate this unit. Humminbird has went to great lengths to ensure that people like me can operate it!
• Dual SD Card Slot. Something I haven't mentioned yet is that you can perform screen captures on these units, which are saved to the SD card, and then take them home and review them on your computer! How freakin' cool is that? I have to tell you, it's sweet! If you decide you want to upgrade your maps, you can buy premium maps and use the SD card slots to use them.

There are a lot of other features that come with this unit. I'm sure I'm missing many of them.  But the biggest benefit that I've had from this unit is the amount of time I actually spend catching now and not 'guessing' where the fish are at.

Where's the Best Place To Buy the Humminbird 1197 or Humminbird 1198?

I bought my from Amazon.com because their prices beat those of any other places I found, including Bass Pro and Cabelas. And I don't mean by just a few dollars, I mean by a LOT! Amazon was quick to ship the unit. I had it in a few days and was out on the water the same day I received it. Their customer service is second to none. If you're on the fence about whether to upgrade to a high definition side imaging unit, I can't tell you enough how much it has helped me find and pattern fish. My freezer hates the extra fish, but I love it. And I can't recommend the larger screen size enough either. Trust me folks, it's worth the extra money in every way!

What I found was the RAM Mounting Systems RAM-D-111U-C heavy duty RAM Universal Mount mount. This thing is massive and it certainly looked like it could hold the 1197 with no problems. This powder coated marine grade aluminum mount consists of a double socket short arm mount, one 2.5" diameter round base with 2.25" rubber ball. It's the rubber balls that dampen vibration and shock, thus the whole point in purchasing it to protect expensive marine electronics.

Mounting was simple and straight forward. Just mark the holes that need drilled in your console by laying the base down where you want it, drill the holes and use stainless steel mounting bolts and you're ready to attach your 1197.

I found that the mounting bracket that comes with the 1197 aligned perfectly with the holes on the RAM Mount plate. The plate is a 11" x 3" plate contains different combinations of pre-drilled holes which will match up to many electronic devices and mounts. I'm not sure if this mount will work for the Lowrance HDS-8 or the HDS 10, so check them out before buying. RAM also says this mount will fit other electronics including Marine GPS, CB Radios, Ham Radios, Gimbal Brackets and more.

The first thing you'll notice about this RAM mount is that the adjustment knob is huge! Make sure when you're mounting that nothing will be in it's way and that you'll have enough room to loosen and tighten this knob. Also, make sure that before you drill, that the RAM mount as well as the 1197 is where you want it. When I dry fitted the installation, I found that it would block my cup holder and the other side would hit my Tachometer. After some tweaking, I found the place where I wanted it.

RAM-D-111u-C Field Test

One of the main reasons that I wanted a sturdy mount like the RAM 111u-c was because my boat is a 20 foot Fisher All Welded Modified V. Which means it's somewhere between a flat bottom boat and a V-bottom boat. Which means it doesn't ride well in rough water. I had already experienced a few rough days out on the water and I knew I didn't want to subject my Humminbird 1197 to that torture!

The first few times out, the RAM mount did very well. But it also wasn't very rough out. So I had to wait for a rough day to really see if the RAM mount was up to task.

It wasn't long before I had a day where the wind was blowing 15 to 20. As I was making my way back to the loading ramp, I, along with everything in the boat, was taking a beating! Although I had tightened down the RAM mount, my 1197 started flopping over. Slowly, with every bump it would move more. I kept having to reach up and straighten it back up.

So although I do feel the RAM mount for the Humminbird 1197 is the best on the market as I write this, I have to tell you that you'll probably experience some movement when encountering rough water. Even still, I know without a doubt that it's better that the Hbird is mounted on the RAM-D-111u-c than mounted just on the bracket that comes with the unit.

By the way, after shopping around, this is the best price I found on the RAM Mounting Systems RAM-D-111U-C heavy duty RAM Universal Marine Electronic Mount.

Fish finders are not getting any easier to use. If you're not a computer nerd, then chances are some of the functions are Greek to you. And that's unfortunate! Today's fish finders are so sensitive and accurate it's scary. Some of the units are so sensitive, you can watch a Walleye eat your jig in 60 feet of water!

So if you've had questions about your new fish finder, or you want some more hands on information about the units currently on the market, then you came to the right place. I can't promise you that I'll have all the answers, because I don't, but I bet we'll be able to get you an answer or figure it out between us!

Thanks again and I hope you enjoy your time here on Fish Finders Guide.