North Australian FISH FINDER TM forums

As above - I got my HDS5 gen 2 from bias in S.Park. Pretty good in there. Can't use a US model here in Aus, when I was looking you could get the international model from Singapore on ebay but at only 100 bucks cheaper its not worth the risk and stuffing around.

CHSMIH Marine - Best online and cheapest I could find. Just purchased a HDS 10 Gen + structure scan and a new elite 7 HDI.
Did a lot of shopping around and best price that I could find.
I think if you spend over $400 you get free shipping to.

Thanks for all the info. It took a while to compare apples to apples, with Imports, Gray Imports and OZ dealers, and then the HDS, the elete, and then different map cards.

I went in to IOB. They were pretty helpful, and explained it all to me and answered all my stupid questions. I did find it a bit strange that they had a large display with all the different sounders that they sell. And what it would cost if you wanted to flexi rent them, but did not have the prices on them. Every time I asked what was this one worth she had to go to the computer and add up about 4 prices to get a total price.

Any way I decided I would get the HDS5. They gave me a total price of about 1250ish. I went back out to my car and checked how that price compared to the CH Smith website. Added everything up (map cards Etc.) and it was much the same price as IOB. I thought I would just buy local, its not very often that they are competitive. Walked back it to purchase and it was 5 mins past 5 and was shut up shop.

Will go pick one up tomorrow, but I have another question for you. What Nav card did you get.
I have been told that you don't need a navcard, and they come with basic mapping on them all ready.
I was given the option of a silver card which I was told maps everything up to 10m deep, I think they were around $170 or $200 but not 100%
Gold which was all of Oz, for around $400
or Platinum, North Australia. Mapped everywhere, and has the ability to over lay google earth on the maps. I think it was $370

What do you have, do you use the features of gold or Platinum, or did you buy silver and wish you went with one of the others??

MICKKK,

Not sure about the Silver. Gold map is Australia wide. The Platinum maps are zoned (there are a number of different types and range in price) these will give you 3D mapping and allow you to create your on structure maps if you have structure scan with you HDS.

Did CHSMITH have the Gold map with there HDS 5? I looked at this and thought that it came with it. Check and confirm 'cause you could save yourself $400. Remember free shipping and only takes about a week.

From what I can tell going off the web page it does not come with the Nav card.

http://www.chsmith.com.au/Products/Lowr ... otter.html

I did find this page that was pretty helpful to me about picking a map card, (in case any one else has the same question)

http://www.chsmith.com.au/News/What-is- ... 26-42.html

Thinking I will go platinum, like the idea of 3d. Mind you I wont be getting the structure scan (well not straight away anyway )

This was bias price, ($1049)

http://www.biasboating.com.au/Lowrance_ ... /6081x.htm