Lowrance 3G Radar

[turbor2]

I am thinking about upgrading my radar this winter. Has anyone owned or used the Lowrance HDS with 3G radar? If so what are your thoughts about the HDS & 3G radar. Thanks in advance Jesse.

[Gadaluvit]

Being respectful of others choices... but I don't really care at All for Lawrance products! (Spent to much time swearing at them)

[LurkerCharters]

Being respectful of others choices... but I don't really care at All for Lawrance products! (Spent to much time swearing at them)

Roger that, Navico is the parent company of Lowrance and Simrad and they have a questionable future according to a friend in the electronics business, if you want a bullet proof radar from a company that has been at it from the beginning get one of the new furuno digital machines, they are more expensive but you get what you pay for.

[lowlands]

The 3g is still available, but they are now also shipping the 4G.

Panbo (marine electronics blog) just did a review of the 4g. http://www.panbo.com/archives/2011/1...ands-on_1.html

I wouldn't worry too much about simrad going anywhere. They have some of the best products and tech on the market now. And no, I don't have business relation to them or their products. I don't even own their products.

If I had to buy a new system tomorrow, it would be simrad, and I'd look very closely at the 4g.

[wild1]

From my experience with Lowrance products. I would not waste my money on any of their products.

[gcredle]

Navico (Lowrance/Simrad) as a company, are very large and well funded--do not let this turn you off of the product --the company is solid.

The 3G radar is pretty neat in the fact that it emits radiation levels compared to a cellphone and has amazing close in target discrimination.
The radar signal from the 3G radar is constantly on vs. the pulse type emission from your standard Furuno/Sitex/etc. This is where the real issues are from my understanding. If you are in a fleet of boats where everyone is using a typcial Furuno/Sitex/etc magnatron set up----and you have a 3G dome---each time the Furuno unit pulses, it creates a blank spot/black spot in the 3G radar's viewing field. Enter a busy harbor with a lot of traditional radars firing off--and you are basically blind (as far as your radar is concerned). The lesser issue is that it does not reach out as far as other radars of its size--but on a small boat mounted on the hardtop--its almost a not an issue as there is not enough elevation for most units to achieve their maximum potential.

[stew]

I have the new Raymarine 4kw HD dome on my boat and I love it. The ease of use and definition is the best that I have ever used. I just spent over two weeks running a boat from Plymouth down the coast and out to the Turks and Cacaos which had the 4ft open array and that was really nice to use for distance and for weather. My expierence has been that the Raymarine products have been very easy to use and tune. I had the standard C80 screen with a 2kw non-HD dome before and found it to be very good also so depending upon your budget you should be able to find a model that would work. Running out of Chatham I HAVE to HAVE a good, clear, and reliable radar. Capt. Eric

[turbor2]

Stew is yours the Digital HD or the regular HD.

[stew]

Mine is the regular HD. My buddies is the HD digital. capt. Eric