Marine Electronics Q&A with BOE Marine - HDS8 GPS Problems and LGC 4000

Jim,
Purchased and installed a HDS 8 with structure scan from you and unit works great with the exception of the GPS being unable to acquire a signal. The unit is flush mounted in my centerconsole and has a electronics box mounted directly above it, and then a soft top t-top. I'm guessing the issue lies with the GPS not being able to see the sky, and probably needs an external antenna. My concern is that I have a Furuno 1623 Radar mounted on the t-top and with mounting something like the LGC 4000 up there, it would be likely to get fried by the radar. Is this a real concern? If so, what are my options to get my GPS working, and not fry the add on antenna?

You can mount the LGC 4000 right on your top like a hockey puck. In this configuration it wil be below the radar beam. You can also mount the gps antenna right on top of your console. It is the horizon you need to be able to see, not straight up. We have seen flush mounted HDS units have trouble in some boats, specifically grady whites. Do you have a grady?

No I have a Sailfish 2660 with electronics box. But the part that baffles me is I've sPoken with three other owners of my boat with the same set up and same flush mount of HDS and no problem with GPS signal. So it's kind of confusing. That's good to know about mounting an external antenna like a hockey puck to keep it out of the way of the beam. Maybe that's the route I need to go, it just doesn't make sense how some work fine and mine same setup doesn't

If they also have HDS units and are boating in your area, and can't receive a position then that is strange.