I'm going to be buying my first GPS unit. I'm wanting to stay with Eagle or Lowrance and want to stay at around $500 for the unit. A color unit isn't a must - but something I'm leaning towards.

I'm leaning towards the Eagle FishElite 502C iGPS for about $450. The GPS antenna for is is internal as I understand it and the unit will be as easy to install as a normal sonar unit. Has anyone used this or have a better suggestion?

Also - I'm going to be fishing Missouri lakes- primarily Lake of the Ozarks and Pomme de Terre. Is there one map card that is better than another (closer contour lines, etc) for this area??

Anything anyone can add is appreciated.

Thanks

I have heard good reports on the Eagle.I also thought that they did away without having to have the card.But that is only heresay.

As for map detail, ie contour line intervals, the lakes were surveyed before being flooded.  What you find on the paper maps of those lakes if most likely all you're going to find available for any GPS.  If they were only initially surveyed at 20' intervals, you won't find a 5' interval map

Save your money till you have enough to buy a Lowrance 332C. Don't buy an internal antenna, you can't mount it in a dash, which you'll eventually want to.

Other than the screen resolution and power is there much of a difference in Lowrance and Eagle.  Is everything else on the units made from the same parts?

I don't think I have room betweeen the guages to mount on the dash.  So I'll be mounting it beside the dash.  I've heard that the internal antenna is less likely to have to be replaced than an external.  Anyone know for sure?

I have an Eagle FishElite 502c ff/gps combo unit.  I would reccomend the unit with the external antena.  The internal antena is a bit weak, takes several minutes to get the signal.  I've actually lost the signal on a bluebird sky day in open water, usually it comes right back, but annoying regaurdless.  I've heard much better things about the External antena.  Other than the Antena, I have no complaints about the unit. In fact, for the money I think it's the best you can get.  

I talked to a tech from Eagle/Lowrance on the phone about the internal antenna.  She said she had done some experimenting with the internal unit and found that the actual case of the unit starts to block the GPS signal at a tilt of about 10 degrees.  Just some information to pass along I guess.

I bought the Eagle FishElite 500C yesterday with the external antenna.  Anybody have any suggestions on the best spot to mount the antenna?  Is it best to have it as close to the transducer as possible?