First let me start by saying I’m new to boating. Long time fisherman, but I just picked up my first boat last year. When I bought the boat, it was completely outfitted with some really nice equipment; HDS 9 (I believe, going from memory) at the console and an HDS 12 at the bow. It has active target at the bow as well.

 

my question is, when using active target, I lose maps/2D scanning - yes, I know I can split screen it but the AT is too small at that point to accurately see in the sunlight. So, would adding say another HDS12 on there solve this problem and allow me to have maps or 2D on one screen and AT on the other? Or would the additional graph also need another transducer?

 

After reading what I just wrote, I realize the first world problems in this 🤦‍♂️

The second screen can operate as a GPS screen on its own without a transducer.

 

If you want 2D sonar, you’ll need a transducer for it.

 

You didn’t mention what model bow mount you have. If it has a built in transducer you might be able to use that.

Thanks! That’s what I thought. And honestly, I’m not sure which transducer I have on the bow. Thanks for your reply though. 

If you have two head units and live imaging already, I am going to take a guess that there is a network hub.  If so, you don’t need another transducer to share the sonar that’s already there.  You just need a head unit and Ethernet cable to plug it into the hub.  Then you have all of your features from all of your units available to you.

 

If you truly just want it for maps (and not sharing waypoints) then a cheaper GPS and 2D unit without transducer will do that.  You’d only need to run power to it.  But if you’re going to get another head units anyway, you might as well network it if you have a hub.

Yes, maybe maps was the wrong word. I want to set my waypoint at console, then find it from the bow once I’ve got my trolling motor down (and realize once I’ve been blown away from the spot)

 

So right now, I have a network cable running from the bow until to the console. Would I need something different? You mentioned network hub, I’m assuming I can follow a cable somewhere and find if I have that or not?

28 minutes ago, Cletus said:

Yes, maybe maps was the wrong word. I want to set my waypoint at console, then find it from the bow once I’ve got my trolling motor down (and realize once I’ve been blown away from the spot)

 

So right now, I have a network cable running from the bow until to the console. Would I need something different? You mentioned network hub, I’m assuming I can follow a cable somewhere and find if I have that or not?

When you mark wpts from a stern unit then look for it at the bow there will be several feet difference os you might have to search for it.

37 minutes ago, Cletus said:

Yes, maybe maps was the wrong word. I want to set my waypoint at console, then find it from the bow once I’ve got my trolling motor down (and realize once I’ve been blown away from the spot)

 

So right now, I have a network cable running from the bow until to the console. Would I need something different? You mentioned network hub, I’m assuming I can follow a cable somewhere and find if I have that or not?

 

Yes, you’ll need to network them.  I assume that’s not a Bluetooth network unit.  Follow the Ethernet cable back.  Probably under the console or in a starboard side storage box.  It will look like the box below.  You might not have one if the two units are just networked to each other.  I don’t know garmin well enough to say, but if you find a box like the below then you have a network already.  Then all you need is a control head only HDS and a network cable.  If you don’t have a network box then for 3 FF you’ll need one.  

 

6 minutes ago, Jig Man said:

When you mark wpts from a stern unit then look for it at the bow there will be several feet difference os you might have to search for it.

 

It shouldn’t.  When you mark a way point on the screen the head unit calculates a GPS position for where you dropped it, not where you were sitting when you dropped it.  Certainly on my HBirds I can be 100’ past a pile and still chugging along but touch the pile on my screen and it will mark that GPS point.  I’m pretty sure all three of the majors current units are the same.  The accuracy of where you touch on the screen might be a few feet off if you have the screen zoomed way out and one pixel represents 2’ in real time.  Then fat fingering the display will make it inaccurate.  But you can solve that my zooming in on the pile first and then marking the waypoint.

 

 

9 hours ago, Cletus said:

So right now, I have a network cable running from the bow until to the console. Would I need something different? You mentioned network hub, I’m assuming I can follow a cable somewhere and find if I have that or not?

The two units also need to be compatible with each other. I looked at your initial post and you stated they were both HDS units so that would work.