# Florida Marine Tracks on 9 inch screen?



## John Moegling (Sep 1, 2016)

Wanted to see if anyone had any video or pics of FMT running on 9 inch screen.

12's are so darn expensive.

Thanks in advance

John


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## TitanWrx (Feb 28, 2019)

I just purchased a lowrance elite 9 a few weeks back when they were on sale at cabelas and also bought the fmt chips for the whole state and it works perfect for me. The screen size is plenty big enough and it is very detailed. I can upload a few pictures when I get home from work in a few. I used in the mosquito lagoon over the weekend and can easily see everything while running full speed through skinny water. Which unit are you looking at?


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## vantagefish (Jul 16, 2014)

9” works great


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## TheAdamsProject (Oct 29, 2007)

Im running FMT on a 9" Simrad Evo3. Its great.


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## John Moegling (Sep 1, 2016)

The Lowrance Elite Ti2 9 and the Simrad GO 9


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

Ran it on a GO 9 for a year when they came out and then an NSS 9 Evo 3 after that and am totally satisfied.

On a new boat I would go with a NSS7 Evo 3 and spend the difference on an iPad in an Otterbox


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## Str8-Six (Jul 6, 2015)

https://www.microskiff.com/threads/elite-9.61434/


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## John Moegling (Sep 1, 2016)

MariettaMike said:


> Ran it on a GO 9 for a year when they came out and then an NSS 9 Evo 3 after that and am totally satisfied.
> 
> On a new boat I would go with a NSS7 Evo 3 and spend the difference on an iPad in an Otterbox



Did you notice any major advantages of the NSS over the GO. other than better screen? extra buttions?


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## 7WT (Feb 12, 2016)

I would not want to run on a 7" unless kayak or something. The beauty of using the Simrad is the quick dial enlarge/diminish capability which is key for FMT. 9" works great for me


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

John Moegling said:


> Did you notice any major advantages of the NSS over the GO. other than better screen? extra buttions?


Yes.

“My” GO 9 seemed to occasionally reboot for no particular reason, and having touchscreen only was hard to use in the rain.

Having the knob on the NSS to consistently and reliably zoom in/out while running is worth the extra cost. Although I must say much of the zooming is unnecessary because FMT tracks has thousands of curves that could be straight lines.

You can swap microSD cards out of an NSS easier from the front than the GO from the back. That’s not a big deal for most people but I’ve got so many tracks and waypoints that I started doing separate backups and restores for North versus South FLORIDA.

You can run an NSS on 12 or 24V, but only 12 on the GO.

I’m sure there are other advantages but these are the only ones I noticed from using both to fish the same area.


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## Tautog166 (Jul 7, 2018)

H


MariettaMike said:


> Ran it on a GO 9 for a year when they came out and then an NSS 9 Evo 3 after that and am totally satisfied.
> 
> On a new boat I would go with a NSS7 Evo 3 and spend the difference on an iPad in an Otterbox


How would the iPad help?


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

I can only fit a 7" on my consloe so i have a Lowrance hook 7


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

Walter Lee said:


> How would the iPad help?


You can use the Link app on an iPad to remotely operate your NSS unit via WiFi, and you can backup/restore data to iCloud, do screenshots, plan a route, mark spots, etc.

Plus you can use the iPad to take and save photos to help you remember what the rock bars looked liked at negative tides in the winter.

(Yay! Looks like they fixed the file upload problem.)


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## Tautog166 (Jul 7, 2018)

MariettaMike said:


> View attachment 62778
> 
> 
> You can use the Link app on an iPad to remotely operate your NSS unit via WiFi, and you can backup/restore data to iCloud, do screenshots, plan a route, mark spots, etc.
> ...


Ok, so no on the water benefits display wise. I can’t think of any.


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## Snookyrookie (Sep 9, 2016)

Used to Love my FMT chip in my go9, but my buddy just got a Carbon 12 with the FMT chip and what a difference, definitely easier for me to see and the details are better. Guess it’s time to start saving money again lol


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## Cam (Apr 5, 2017)

7" is workable, 9" is very good, 12" is dreamy.

On our previous boat we used an 7" Evo 2. We like the buttons particularly the zoom. On the new boat, we went with the Go7 for a bit but it broke and the warranty guys offered me an upgrade to the Go9 for $100. Now we run with the Go9.


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## Tankhead (Aug 28, 2015)

I run the GO9 with FMT and love it. The zoom knob would be nice to have though.


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## csnaspuck (Apr 2, 2013)

Like everyone else says a 9 inch is fine and yes make sure you have a zoom knob. I have FMT on a GO7 and love the FMT but regret getting the GO7. It is too small and zooming in on the touch screen is a PITA.


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## John Moegling (Sep 1, 2016)

I'm thinking the Simrad NSS 9 Evo3 or the Lowrance Elite Ti2 12 just have to go to West Marine and see how the zoom compares on the two. Leaning toward the Lowrance.

Never thought I would have $2300 (unit + FMT chip) into a GPS but have to pay to play.

Thanks for all the help.


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## formerWAflyfisher (Sep 5, 2008)

I run a FMT chip on a 7 inch Lowrance Carbon. The unit is smaller but the resolution is better than a elite 9 or GO9. I think the screen resolution matters more than the size. And I agree the Simmrad NSS 12 or 16 would be best but I wanted my wife to still talk to me after I bought a new GPS. And 699.00 for a new HDS Carbon with total scam transducer was hard to pass up. 

https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/lowrance-hds-7-carbon-gps-sonar-combo-with-totalscan-transducer


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## mmthunt (Aug 11, 2018)

Running FMT on a 9" Carbon. So far very useful in the ENP but amazing how inaccurate the base maps are. Running in a 40'creek which shows I'm in the middle of Mangroves.


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## Les_Lammers (Feb 17, 2007)

*Running FMT on a 9" Carbon. So far very useful in the ENP but amazing how inaccurate the base maps are. Running in a 40'creek which shows I'm in the middle of Mangroves.*

I'm running the FMT chip on a Carbon 9 too. Which base maps are you referring to?


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## mmthunt (Aug 11, 2018)

Nothing wrong with FMT, my newer Garmin with G2 Visions shows the same situation. I'm assuming that all the marine charts originate with NOAA or C&G Survey or some other arm of government and the GPS manufacturers and chart vendors are providing value added to the base marine charts. So if the base chart show mangroves where there is in fact a creek or part of a bay then that is what you get on your data card or SD chip. With FMT you can see a track through an area like that, whereas you need to run the creek or bay with, say a Garmin, lay a track, save it to get the same results. No quarrel with FMT or Garmin or any other user of the base NOAA charts ... You work with what you have available. With FMT you get to see all those red tracks running through all those, supposed, mangroves, when in fact you are in open water. VERY interesting, to say the least.


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## Egrets Landing (Feb 11, 2016)

mmthunt said:


> Running FMT on a 9" Carbon. So far very useful in the ENP but amazing how inaccurate the base maps are. Running in a 40'creek which shows I'm in the middle of Mangroves.


FMT was never conceived to be run only on a base map. It is designed to be run with the Imagery loaded as the Basemap and when you do that the accuracy is complete unsurpassed. If you run FMT just using only the vector base map provided you are not following the instructions provided and your experience running the product will be severely compromised compared to what it should be.


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## mmthunt (Aug 11, 2018)

Not questioning the FMT chips. Or any others for that matter. I am putting in serious time learning to use the Carbon and the FMT chip after a lifetime of using Garmin devices. I merely remark on the accuracy of the NOAA marine charts, when compared to the reality on the ground (or water), specifically in areas like the everglades. I'm sure I'm not the first person who has been amazed, while skimming down a creek, to see the chart showing you should be deep in the mangroves. I believe that the NOAA marine charts are the standard that everyone uses in developing value added products, otherwise there would be no standards. You would be hard pressed to trust charts if everyone made up their own charts without regard to a gold standard. But again, my comments are in no way intended to reflect on anyone's effort to improve on the accuracy of the NOAA charts. That is, after all, why I purchased the Carbon and the FMT chip. I hope I have made that clear.


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## JPizzle (Nov 9, 2017)

I have the FMT Chip on a Lowrance 12" screen. At times I wish I had a larger screen. The chip is awesome and gave us confidence to run around in the keys where where I have limited past knowledge.

Where I wish I had a bigger screen is running the tight mangroves in Choko. There are times you have to make a turn in a small mangrove bay and cant even see the cut till almost on it. I like to keep it really zoomed in but then I can see only limited FOV. I definitely wouldn't want a smaller screen. I would say this is really limited to very tight cuts but there are plenty of them down here.


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## Egrets Landing (Feb 11, 2016)

I am not sure why you would choose to run FMT on a vector base map in the Everglades when it is not designed to be used like that. It's like choosing to run your car on just wheels without tires and then commenting on how it is not riding so great. Thousands of hours were invested to fix the problems inherent in Garmin controlled charts that show your boat running on land when it's floating. If you use the ISLA product as intended and turn on the imagery, those problems are fixed. If you turn on the photos, your chart will show you exactly where you are in the creek and show the trees and land where it actually is. 

With respect to NOAA being a gold standard, that is certainly a very low bar as NOAA is missing many thousands of features in SFL alone and most of those they do chart inshore are not particularly accurate. I agree it is noteworthy that in so many places NOAA markers and land freatuers are as inaccurate as they are. That said, in many cases there is no other data available to use so it is used as a default in much marine cartography even though it is not particularly accurate and especially so inshore. In FL, there are no perfectly accurate base maps showing all of the detailed creeks and bars and much of what NOAA has out there was surveyed many years ago. I think most of it is not accurate in any challenging area. But aside from the land mass features, ISLA did correct the lions share of the marker and other point features so they appear where they really are. Where land features are inaccurate, when good recent imagery is overlaid, any base map land features that are not accurate become totally moot and that is the reason the ISLA product was conceived to be used exclusively with Imagery.


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## Steve_Mevers (Feb 8, 2013)

mmthunt said:


> Not questioning the FMT chips. Or any others for that matter. I am putting in serious time learning to use the Carbon and the FMT chip after a lifetime of using Garmin devices. I merely remark on the accuracy of the NOAA marine charts, when compared to the reality on the ground (or water), specifically in areas like the everglades. I'm sure I'm not the first person who has been amazed, while skimming down a creek, to see the chart showing you should be deep in the mangroves. I believe that the NOAA marine charts are the standard that everyone uses in developing value added products, otherwise there would be no standards. You would be hard pressed to trust charts if everyone made up their own charts without regard to a gold standard. But again, my comments are in no way intended to reflect on anyone's effort to improve on the accuracy of the NOAA charts. That is, after all, why I purchased the Carbon and the FMT chip. I hope I have made that clear.


I ran nothing but Garmin for years, and every Garmin I used while running down Matlacha Pass had my track line 20' outside the channel. I used to think all GPS units would do the same since they are using NOAA map data, but I was wrong. Garmin has a different mapping software than Navionics and with my new Simrad my track line is very accurate on the plotter, much, much better than the Garmin.


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## John Moegling (Sep 1, 2016)

Egrets Landing said:


> FMT was never conceived to be run only on a base map. It is designed to be run with the Imagery loaded as the Basemap and when you do that the accuracy is complete unsurpassed. If you run FMT just using only the vector base map provided you are not following the instructions provided and your experience running the product will be severely compromised compared to what it should be.


In order to get the best performance when using FMT the instructions referenced are on the chip itself, paper manual, or posted videos?

Got a okay deal on a Carbon 12 today so it looks like FMT on a Carbon 12 for me.

Thanks for all the assistance.


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## TheAdamsProject (Oct 29, 2007)

John Moegling said:


> In order to get the best performance when using FMT the instructions referenced are on the chip itself, paper manual, or posted videos?
> 
> Got a okay deal on a Carbon 12 today so it looks like FMT on a Carbon 12 for me.
> 
> Thanks for all the assistance.


The instructions are included with the chips and are typewritten on 3 pages I believe. I followed each step by step exactly as he clearly lays it out and all is perfect. You can go back in and adjust what you want it to show like boats ramps, restrooms, powerline etc... You can pick and choose and have it dialed in very quickly.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Those NOAA charts are very low resolution- particularly for the backcountry of the Everglades (and they’re only updated every ten years...).

Given how quickly the ‘glades itself can change, that notation “local knowledge advised” is particularly well advised (understatement).

Everything I’ve read and heard about FMT makes it easy to recommend to folks who are new to running those areas...


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## Egrets Landing (Feb 11, 2016)

lemaymiami said:


> Those NOAA charts are very low resolution- particularly for the backcountry of the Everglades (and they’re only updated every ten years...).
> 
> Given how quickly the ‘glades itself can change, that notation “local knowledge advised” is particularly well advised (understatement).
> 
> Everything I’ve read and heard about FMT makes it easy to recommend to folks who are new to running those areas...


There is higher res NOAA charts for the everglades but even the highest ones they have are very poorly detailed. It's just cleaner looking bad charts. NOAA appears to be best organized and set up to survey and map the deep ocean and primary inshore marked channels only. Important details inshore in challenging areas are overlooked or poorly charted by NOAA. It would seem accurate chart details for Microskiffs running around the Everglades are definitely not a priority at NOAA. They are probably busy enough just making sure the buoys are up to date for the big ships.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

and then... and then... Park officials removed all the interior markers that show the way across Whitewater and Oyster bays that most need to get to the Shark river....

Don’t get me started.


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## Renegade (Aug 30, 2015)

I run it on a 7,9, and 12. 

9 is solid. Don’t hesitate. 

7 is doable but not desirable.


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## mmthunt (Aug 11, 2018)

Renegade said:


> I run it on a 7,9, and 12.
> 
> 9 is solid. Don’t hesitate.
> 
> 7 is doable but not desirable.


Went back and re-read the installation instructions on the FMT chip. Now I see what they meant about setting up the GPS device properly. Looks great! At my age I should know better. ALWAYS read the complete instructions first!!


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Or as my Dad used to say... if all else fails-read the directions


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## mmthunt (Aug 11, 2018)

lemaymiami said:


> Or as my Dad used to say... if all else fails-read the directions


Too many times in my life I have not heeded that advice and ended up making a simple job very complicated. You’d think that after the first few hundred times I would have learned. But FMT directions saved the day. Back to Flamingo to try it again.


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## Les_Lammers (Feb 17, 2007)

mmthunt said:


> *Went back and re-read the installation instructions on the FMT chip. Now I see what they meant about setting up the GPS device properly. Looks great! At my age I should know better. ALWAYS read the complete instructions first!![*/QUOTE]
> 
> I'm guilty too. I will be doing the same thing. I should have hired a teenager to set it up.


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

Walter Lee said:


> Ok, so no on the water benefits display wise. I can’t think of any.


You can remotely see and operate the unit from the casting platform, poling platform, and even sofa at the house.

Having winter low tide pics are a big help for me to remember structure.


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## larry d whitehorn (Apr 6, 2020)

TitanWrx said:


> I just purchased a lowrance elite 9 a few weeks back when they were on sale at cabelas and also bought the fmt chips for the whole state and it works perfect for me. The screen size is plenty big enough and it is very detailed. I can upload a few pictures when I get home from work in a few. I used in the mosquito lagoon over the weekend and can easily see everything while running full speed through skinny water. Which unit are you looking at?


Any pics of it on your boat ?


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## Platticus (May 21, 2018)

Just to echo the others, I've run it on both a 7" and 9", and the extra screen space (and resolution for most models) on 9" is a game changer. 12" is nice, but 9" is plenty for reading the imagery. 

You didn't ask, but I will say my father has a GO9, and I have the HDS Live 9. The difference in speed, resolution, and ease of use is _noticeably_ different. The GO9 is hard to use without buttons, is slow to update your direction if you're following a track, and the resolution is lacking. I didn't know how bad it was until I got my HDS Live.


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## Egrets Landing (Feb 11, 2016)

Platticus said:


> Just to echo the others, I've run it on both a 7" and 9", and the extra screen space (and resolution for most models) on 9" is a game changer. 12" is nice, but 9" is plenty for reading the imagery.
> 
> You didn't ask, but I will say my father has a GO9, and I have the HDS Live 9. The difference in speed, resolution, and ease of use is _noticeably_ different. The GO9 is hard to use without buttons, is slow to update your direction if you're following a track, and the resolution is lacking. I didn't know how bad it was until I got my HDS Live.


The LIVE 9 has 240% better screen res than the GO 9. With FMT the difference is noticeable as the LIVE can pull out most of the details in the imagery. The 12" and 16" screen is even better as the 12" has 267% better resolution and the 16" is 520% better than the GO 9. With Navionics charts the display differences are not noticeable on any screen size as the better quality screen cannot turn a bad lower res photo into a better one.

I have said it for years...."You only know what you know". As you noted, looking at the GO on its own with FMT is impressive. Compared to Navionics it's not even remotely close. There are plenty of users that comment the GO works fine for them and they manage it and seem to lean in the direction that the noise about it not being so great etc etc is overblown. I guess the perspective they have is that it looks great "as is" on the GO and is manageable to operate so how much better can it really be for the extra money to buy a more capable screen? A few of those are right in this thread. But most of those are missing the appropriate perspective having not seen the other units with the GO side by side let alone run FMT with the more capable screens. In my experience, if all of those GO fans had your same first hand experience, they would be saying the same thing and avoiding the GO 7 and the GO 9. A large number of people that did have your experience running the more capable screen after using their GO have upgraded recognizing the substantive difference in how the machine looks and how much easier it is to use when running. FMT is a unique product and in most people's experience they are not able to fully relate to how it really is out there until they see it for themselves and because it does run on the GO and looks good on the GO, that limited insight is enough for many to get fully comfortable missing the potential of other side of the fence. No one running FMT inshore regrets moving away from a GO or moving away from a small screen to a bigger screen but there are plenty of regrets by those that did the opposite. For those that are more budget constrained the Elite TI2 or Carbon or HDS Gen3 would be a better choice than any GO for about the same money. There is no advantage at all provided by a GO machine vs. the others - only disadvantages. That is just the truth of the way it really is. It is not an accident GO machines are inexpensive. An entire video was posted on the ISLA website called ISLA Recommended Units which discusses all of this subject in detail along with other important information on unit sizes and mounting options.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Egrets Landing said:


> The LIVE 9 has 240% better screen res than the GO 9. With FMT the difference is noticeable as the LIVE can pull out most of the details in the imagery. The 12" and 16" screen is even better as the 12" has 267% better resolution and the 16" is 520% better than the GO 9. With Navionics charts the display differences are not noticeable on any screen size as the better quality screen cannot turn a bad lower res photo into a better one.
> 
> I have said it for years...."You only know what you know". As you noted, looking at the GO on its own with FMT is impressive. Compared to Navionics it's not even remotely close. There are plenty of users that comment the GO works fine for them and they manage it and seem to lean in the direction that the noise about it not being so great etc etc is overblown. I guess the perspective they have is that it looks great "as is" on the GO and is manageable to operate so how much better can it really be for the extra money to buy a more capable screen? A few of those are right in this thread. But most of those are missing the appropriate perspective having not seen the other units with the GO side by side let alone run FMT with the more capable screens. In my experience, if all of those GO fans had your same first hand experience, they would be saying the same thing and avoiding the GO 7 and the GO 9. A large number of people that did have your experience running the more capable screen after using their GO have upgraded recognizing the substantive difference in how the machine looks and how much easier it is to use when running. FMT is a unique product and in most people's experience they are not able to fully relate to how it really is out there until they see it for themselves and because it does run on the GO and looks good on the GO, that limited insight is enough for many to get fully comfortable missing the potential of other side of the fence. No one running FMT inshore regrets moving away from a GO or moving away from a small screen to a bigger screen but there are plenty of regrets by those that did the opposite. For those that are more budget constrained the Elite TI2 or Carbon or HDS Gen3 would be a better choice than any GO for about the same money. There is no advantage at all provided by a GO machine vs. the others - only disadvantages. That is just the truth of the way it really is. It is not an accident GO machines are inexpensive. An entire video was posted on the ISLA website called ISLA Recommended Units which discusses all of this subject in detail along with other important information on unit sizes and mounting options.


So if one were upgrading electronics and components and had a choice to upgrade to either a 9 or 12" that would help them navigate run tight backcountry turns, hurtles and pitfalls, without delays or hiccups, would it still me the NSS Gen 3 or the LIVE (or something newer that is about to be launched)??


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## Egrets Landing (Feb 11, 2016)

The EVO3 12" is the best deal right now imo.


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## jonterr (Mar 24, 2013)

Egrets Landing said:


> The EVO3 12" is the best deal right now imo.


How much can you get 1 for?


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## Egrets Landing (Feb 11, 2016)

jonterr said:


> How much can you get 1 for?


2690


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## Buffalo Bob (Aug 28, 2019)

I'm running FMT on a 9" Simrad Evo3. Really like it. The knob for Zooming is where it's at plus screen brightness is awesome. MO. Bought both Chips for FL.


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## Buffalo Bob (Aug 28, 2019)

mmthunt said:


> Went back and re-read the installation instructions on the FMT chip. Now I see what they meant about setting up the GPS device properly. Looks great! At my age I should know better. ALWAYS read the complete instructions first!!


I hate reading directions! Definitely when you follow ISLA's directions precisely everything ends up working great!


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