Basic GPS - Garmin 158 or Lowrance Elite 4m

chal

chal

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My old Garmin GPS has died and I want to replace it. I don't really need much more than the basics and don't have a large budget (ie I need to spend as little as possible). Looking around, the 2 most common options seem to be these 2 units.

The cheapest I can find the Garmin is about £200 incl external antenna. It looks like it does pretty much the same as my old one, though with a map view. However, at least in the instruction manual, the map view looks very basic and can't be upgraded.

The cheapest for the Lowrance is not much more than half that price, at £111. It has a nicer looking colour display, and the option to add a chart in the future if I decide I want to. I already have a GPS antenna on the boat (an Evermore unit, currently connected to the VHF, which seems to work fine) so I could presumably connect that to the Elite and then connect the VHF to the Elite's NMEA output.

Overall, the Elite seems like so obviously better value that I'm wondering if I've missed something. Anyone got any experience of either/both units and able to offer any advice?

Incidentally, I have considered 2nd hand and looked on ebay, but quite old units seem to fetch surprising sums and I don't want to pay that sort of money for something that might not have all that much life left in it.
 
Hi Chal,

I have just purchased the Lowrence Elite 4M with a Navionics Small area chart for £199, so far I'm impressed. I needed a plotter which was thin as the space on my bulkhead is quite narrow. The screen is not fantastic i'll admit and it is quite small, however for the money it was a good deal and does me for what i need. My view was i can upgrade the unit in a couple of years time and i already have the charts to put in the new unit. I have heard the 4M HD has a much better screen but it is more expensive.

I have connected the Lowrence Elite 4M to my Silva S15 VHF and it seems to work well together.

I got the unit from PRS Communication in Harwich and they included the NMEA lead for free, i also got the flush mount kit for £15 - it looks good on my bulkhead.
 
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chal said:
I already have a GPS antenna on the boat (an Evermore unit, currently connected to the VHF, which seems to work fine) so I could presumably connect that to the Elite and then connect the VHF to the Elite's NMEA output.
Click to expand...

The Lowrance 4m has a built-in GPS antenna and as far as I know no external input. It's a standalone unit you just need to feed 12v to. I have one on my binnacle for pilotage use in addition to the main radar/plotter under the windscreen. As a basic plotter either for a small/simple boat or as a second unit on a more sophisticated one, it's a good choice.

Not sure about your idea of using it without a chart card. Presumably in that case you'd just want a nice big lat and long to plot onto paper? I'm not sure it has such a mode, instead it will just show you a boat icon against a very low-resolution "base chart".

Pete
 
Thanks both for the feedback, and Tigglestiger for the info about PRS - looks like a good deal and I have gone ahead and ordered one (with a chart!). According to the manual downloaded from Lowrance website you can connect an external antenna and I've seen a picture of one that has 2 connectors on the back, lots of pins in total, so fingers crossed on that one. Not a big problem if it's not possible.

Cheers!
 
I got a Garmin 152 to replace a 128 when it died. It has been quite disappointing. It looks just the same shape as the 128 but no it isn't so it wouldn't quite fit without surgery. The model of 152 that I got has an integral aerial so that bit of the installation was easier.
In use it is less intuitive to this old brain than the 128. It has lots of features but few that I want.
A big let-down is the Anchor Drag alarm. It gives 4 beeps then nothing further. The 128 would keep on beeping until cancelled; better for heavy sleepers.
Derek
I just noticed you asked about the Garmin 158. I don't know how that compares to the 152.
 
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Do you have an iPad? You don't need to buy a new GPS if your iPad accepts a sim card. To recharge the unit, get a Yoobao charger. Will recharge an iPad 3 times before running out of charge. Recharge the latter from either inverter or mains.

GL
 
chal said:
The cheapest I can find the Garmin is about £200 incl external antenna. It looks like it does pretty much the same as my old one, though with a map view. However, at least in the instruction manual, the map view looks very basic and can't be upgraded.
Click to expand...

For another £35 (if you escape duties) you can get a Matsutec HP-33A ... colour GPS and AIS transponder thrown in.
 
The Lawrence elite 4m is plotter but does have various screens that can display position, cog, sog etc. Its worth buying the chart cards. My one didn't have AIS input but could output nmea to radio etc.
 
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