# Lowrance HDS5m Transducer



## AUPKT (Mar 10, 2009)

I was given one of these units as a gift for my 18ft CC and when I opened it there wasn't a transducer. I noticed that there is a model that is sold without one and this just come with a cable that I think has 6 loose wires on one end. Does anybody know what transducer I need to buy? Lowrance's website wasn't much help. Everyother gps/depthfinder I've owned has come with a transducer.


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## T-Blaze (Aug 10, 2009)

It should use the Blue connector one and I have them for $30 call me at 850-232-8396


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## badonskybuccaneers (Aug 19, 2013)

Just looking- I had a hard time getting info together about your unit, and a lot of the advertising and sales sites have confusing / conflicting info on the *Lowrance HDS5m* unit. If your is the HDS5m, it doesn't come with the transducer because it is a *m*apping navagational and GPS unit only. I have also contacted Lowrance and am awaiting a reply to confirm this. An easy way for you to (if connected) is to power it up, pull up the menu screen, and look for the "sonar" page. If it's not on the menu screen, then it doen't have the fishfinder capability. Let me know what you find- because, like I said, a lot of the web sites selling this unit indicate it is a FF and has Structure scan capabiity- and I'd like to find out if this is a Nav-GPS only unit.
Mike

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=_XbD2Z0YXYA#t=166


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## AUPKT (Mar 10, 2009)

If it's not a sonar model the what are the 6 or so wired in the blue cable that it came with for.. If it was only a gps surely it would only have a hot and ground wire.


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## badonskybuccaneers (Aug 19, 2013)

They are network ready (the black connectors) - just not sonar capable. You can get the networking hub and add satellite weather/ radio, radar, etc- I also checked the manuals- they also confirmed the Lowrance HDS5m does not have sonar available- That's what I gathered so far.
Both the sonar and power connections are blue (I don't know why)- but they are different in function and design. The _power_ blue connector has the power and programming connections for the unit. If sonar capable- you would have 2 separate blue connections on the back of the unit. These are marked "Sonar" and "Power/Data".
So it would be my conclusion that the "m" in the _Lowrance HDS5m_ stands for mapping. Just my observation.
Hope this has helped answer your questions.
Mike


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## AUPKT (Mar 10, 2009)

It is in fact a chartplotter only


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## badonskybuccaneers (Aug 19, 2013)

The response I got back from Lowrance:


> Thank you for your inquiry.
> 
> Michael,
> 
> ...


Not sure that makes sense- but the Structure Scan doesn't work off of the Sonar (blue sonar plug in back of the unit). It will access your unit by the yellow Ethernet plug VIA the LSS hub. Not really the sonar you were looking for- and the Structure Scan transducer LSS hub kit is about $500 new. I'm sure not the answer you were looking for either. 
Hope it was helpful anyway.
Mike


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## AUPKT (Mar 10, 2009)

It's going back for the HDS5, thought about just adding a sonar unit but I'm tight on space.


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## badonskybuccaneers (Aug 19, 2013)

AUPKT said:


> It's going back for the HDS5, thought about just adding a sonar unit but I'm tight on space.


Probably a good idea- PITA, but worth it, JMHO. We got the HDS10, Gen2- made those split screens a whole lot easier to see.


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