Biting the bullet: Lowrance Antenna
- Thread starter ntsqd
- Start date
articulate
Expedition Leader
Do you have to get the proprietary antenna? Someone turned me on to Gilsson for my Garmin GPS. It was about 1/5th the retail price of the Garmin antenna and perfect performance.
:beer:
:beer:
robert j. yates
Explorer
Call PCI Race Radios in Signal Hill...they have been pretty helpful with me on my Lowrance crap.
http://www.pciraceradios.com/
http://www.pciraceradios.com/
ntsqd
Heretic Car Camper
My sentiments exactly.robert j. yates said:
PCI is where this unit came from. I don't begrudge them much, but I do blame them for making Lowrance the standard in desert racing. Maybe when they made the decision it was the best one available, but it sure isn't now.
Gilsson is looking into this.
robert j. yates
Explorer
Dude...are you always so curmudgeonly LOL. :beer:
ntsqd
Heretic Car Camper
Lowrance stuff particularly gets my goat. I've not been happy with the company since I bought this unit in 2001. When it works I'm happy with the unit. Prior to MC7 I couldn't even say that. If I have to buy a Lowrance antenna at list price I'll have $1000 dollars in a unit that current $500 units out perform, and do it in color. It irks me to keep spending money at Lowrance, but I'm stuck with their BS proprietary stuff. What caused Apple to lose market share again?
I'm really hoping that Gilsson can make something work.
I'm really hoping that Gilsson can make something work.
ntsqd
Heretic Car Camper
I'm still interested in recomendations for on-line vendors of GPS epuipment. I see that the LGC-12W antenna that I need is listed by quite a few. I'm looking for those vendors with whom forum members have have an exceptional transaction. So far PlanetGPS has the lowest price that I've found, but I do not mind paying more to get the part from a company with integrity. Not to say that PlanetGPS does not have any, but that I've never dealt with them.
adventureduo
Dave Druck [KI6LBB]
Got my Baja 540c at Kartek, they may know too.. try calling them as well.
As far as online websites, i've ordered my map cards from http://www.gps4fun.com/ and never had any problems. I would recommend them.
As far as online websites, i've ordered my map cards from http://www.gps4fun.com/ and never had any problems. I would recommend them.
eepwall:
24HOURSOFNEVADA
Expedition Leader
Did I miss why you need a new antennae? How's the search going for one? I was hoping you would find one that doesn't have a huge T-connector so close to the actual puck. I think mine looks like hideous with the junction so close.
robert j. yates
Explorer
SOCALFJ said:
While Kartek will sell you a Lowrance, they are not all that interested in supporting it which is how I ended up at PCI...Kartek told me to call them.
ntsqd
Heretic Car Camper
Didn't see this until just now. IMO it would be much better if the puck had the connector built into it rather than dangling in space on a leash.24HOURSOFNEVADA said:
As best as I can tell the overgrown branches in Pleasant Cyn in the Panamints took their toll on the antenna. (Maybe I shouldn't have forced a full size Sub thru a 4rnnr sized hole? Nah, that couldn't be it.)
The antenna itself was mounted about as low profile as possible without cutting a huge hole in the roof of the Suburban to feed the wire though. Since Lowrance uses what appears to be a proprietary connector (that they won't sell me) a small hole wasn't possible so the wire was forced to trail off the side of the roof through a door opening. I did place the antenna as close to the opening as possible, but.....
I think with that proprietary connector and the 12VDC power supplied to it that we're stuck using their product. Based on previous experience that isn't an accident. Gilsson was surprised at the 12VDC, all of their products use 5VDC.
I did call them and the guy that I talked to was willing to order it for me. I need it to be in place and functioning by the 20th for Vegas to Reno and he did not sound like they could do that. All of my wanking cost me too much time. It is on the way, should be here tonight.robert j. yates said:
I can't tell for sure, but it looked like a new antenna may come with an extension lead. If it does I will be dissecting the connector to see how and if it comes apart.
Last edited:
JeepinBear
Explorer
I don't know if they can special order any Lowrance "crap" for you, but this site is where I have bought ALL my garmin stuff, best prices i have found anywhere...
www.gpsnow.com
no affiliation.
www.gpsnow.com
no affiliation.
ntsqd
Heretic Car Camper
Thanks J-B, as I was editing you probably couldn't see that it's on the way.
Further thinking: When I got this unit way back in the Pleistocene I was scared of that connector. The supplied cable is fairly long. Wanting to shorten it is how I found out that Lowrance won't sell the connector. Today I would have no issue with cutting the fool thing off and using a 4 pin square Weatherpack or Metripack in it's place. I'd just save the OE connector for connecting to the GPS unit itself. Then the wire could be fed through a much smaller hole. And removed if need be.
Further thinking: When I got this unit way back in the Pleistocene I was scared of that connector. The supplied cable is fairly long. Wanting to shorten it is how I found out that Lowrance won't sell the connector. Today I would have no issue with cutting the fool thing off and using a 4 pin square Weatherpack or Metripack in it's place. I'd just save the OE connector for connecting to the GPS unit itself. Then the wire could be fed through a much smaller hole. And removed if need be.