Humminbird 597ci HD DI Internal GPS Problem

[bawbag]

Hit lake Ontario last night after work to do some salmon fishing. Turned my unit on and it said no gps fix location... figured it would pick up a signal on the ride out. Made it out to where we wanted to fish and still no gps or speed reading. Updated the software today and still nothing. Any one else ever had the internal gps in there unit crap out? Everyone thing else works fine I just have no mapping gps or speed now.

[mike rousseau]

I have this unit... Every so often it takes 10-20 minutes to get a signal.... Not often... But 1/10 trips maybe...

 

So what I do is turn the unit on at home.... But turn off the sonar feature... By the time I get to the launch its always got the signal.... Works for me....

 

As far as I know there is no external antenna for this unit... But the internal can be replaced...

 

 

How long was the unit on when you were looking for signal... ??

Edited July 26, 2013 by Mike Rousseau

[bawbag]

We were out for a few hours and it never picked up the signal. Now it doesn't even show or give me the option to show the chart screens. On the system diagnosis you can run it shows gps and speed as "unconnected". Not looking good from what ive read online. Great timing too fishing the GOSD and now I have no way to watch my speed for trolling.

[BillM]

Restore defaults and try it again.

[Angler management]

My external did the same thing.. I made arrangements to go to radioworld for exchange when suddenly it worked again. I have the 998c HD unit, and i read about same issues online. It never worked for 2 outings, then suddenly worked again and i havent had any issues since. WEIRD!!

[irishfield]

I had a similar problem with my airplane GPS.. older unit and on the flight North it never initialized. Noticed it last year too.. taking longer and longer to come on line. Have found out the issue with GPS these days is the algorithm clock only updates every 4 hours off the satellites and it use to be only 15 minutes. So try throwing a trickle charger on the boat in the laneway and leave your unit turned on.. see if it initializes after a couple of hours. I did this a few weeks back when I was up North and it took my airplane GPS 2 hrs and 45 minutes to come on line.

[bawbag]

Thanks for the tips ill try that tomorrow.

[lookinforwalleye]

My Humminbird crapped out the other day at first it wouldn't turn off and then it wouldn't turn on.

From what I have read it's common for this brand to have a various problems after a few years.

Never really liked the humminbird never seemed to work well.

[Sinker]

My lowrances work great. one of them. Is over 10yrs old and its my favourite one......go figure!

 

I never liked the birds either.

 

S.

[BillM]

Never an issues with any HB I've had (747C for bowmount/ice duties, 788ci and the new 898c HD SI I've currently got).. I've heard Lowrance customer service leaves A LOT to be desired.

[DRIFTER_016]

I've heard Lowrance customer service leaves A LOT to be desired.

I wouldn't know.

The 35 years I have been using Lowrance I've yet to have an issue.

I can't say the same about Humminbird though.

[Sinker]

Yep, couldn't tell ya about customer service. I haven't needed any. I know back about 20yrs ago, when I first starrted using lowrance, the birds were a joke. Sure, they've come a long way, but lowrance is decades ahead of them in the sonar/navigation game.

 

S.

[BillM]

Yep, couldn't tell ya about customer service. I haven't needed any. I know back about 20yrs ago, when I first starrted using lowrance, the birds were a joke. Sure, they've come a long way, but lowrance is decades ahead of them in the sonar/navigation game.

 

S.

 

If Lowrance was that good, people wouldn't be buying HB's

 

 

Food for thought.

[lookinforwalleye]

Everbody has a preffered brand but after having both my HB'S die on the Stratos recently I will be looking at another brand for replacement.

Edited July 29, 2013 by lookinforwalleye

[bare foot wader]

if minn kota partnered with lowrance wouldn't that be a perfect world....people (like me) are buying HB's mostly because of minn kota

[davey buoy]

Looking at Terry's fish finder in another thread,I really don't think I can afford to fish anymore ,lol.What a set up !!On a side note I use two humminbirds,grant you not as good as yours but still work OK.Good luck getting your's fixed up!

[bawbag]

Thanks for the feedback guys, still no luck getting it working in the driveway. Fingers crossed it figures itself out on my next outing. If not i'll most likely wait out the season and send it away for repair. As for trolling speeds ill have to just go by the hummm from the rigger:P or maybe theres a phone app I could find?