Airmar tranducer on lcx-19c or HDS-7??

[ComfortZone]

heres my situation...

I have a lcx18c & lcx19c units in perfect working order from my previous boat, but stopped using them due to the gps antenna/module failing to pick up signal...now my new boat "chubby" has an hds7 unit at the main helm, this runs off internal antenna...but I noticed it still had an external antenna installed, sure enough, its the right one for my lcx's...find the cable, plug it in to the lcx19 and bingo position aquired!!

so for now to save some $$$ I will use my lcx as my rear unit (@ rear helm) the only thing I need/want to purchas is a transducer as the one off the lcx's was slow to pick up bottom towards the end...

so my questions are...

1) are the airmar p66 actually as good as I read???...or should I scick with lowrance skimmer???

2) will the lcx's do the p66 justice???(as this is the unit that will be fished from the most)(the lcx18 has kinda poor reselution but the lcx19 is substantially higher reselution)

3) if not should I use the p66 on the hds and transfer the lowrance skimmer to the lcx's?? (I realize I will lose surface temp reading)

let me know what you guys think...

 

[pescador]

I've got a P66 connected to my Garmin 720S. I am not impressed and am considered going thru hull Airmar. Not sure what model yet. I've been doing research and haven't concluded what's best yet for salmon fishing.

 

[casper5280]

I've got a P66 connected to my Garmin 720S. I am not impressed and am considered going thru hull Airmar. Not sure what model yet. I've been doing research and haven't concluded what's best yet for salmon fishing.

Is it the transducer that you are not impressed with or the transom mount vs the thru hull? And if the transducer itself will you be going to the 1KW? I to had head good things about the P66. I've got the HDS-10 and was thinking about up grading to the P66. I would be interested to hear what model you are upgrading to.

 

[tykkyt e blue]

I used the stock Lowrance skimmer with a lcx 16 and then another one with a lcx 25. The skimmer died on the lcx 25 and I changed to a airmar p79 in hull since it was mid season and I didn't want to spend the time re routing trans cables thru the hull. The p69 thru hull worked better than the skimmer ever did!!!
Last year I got a HDS 10 ( sans trans ) and installed the P66 for it. The p66 is WAY better at tracking bottom at speed even at offshore depths ( exact same location as the orig Skimmer ) and the detail is better too. To compare, I swapped trans between my old lcx 25 and the new HDS 10 and I would say the p79 only loses about 5-6% clarity installed in hull ( I did the flat grinding and sanding of inner fibreglass surface, as recommended in the install inst. )
So, for me, I will never use the stock transducers again

 

[ComfortZone]

pescador, what exactly are your complaints with the p66??

tykkyt e blue, so you think the p66 would improve detail on the lcx19?? my concern is that with older, poorer reselution units that the p66 detail wont be shown, I have read a bit on this being an issue...the p66 on units like your lcx25 are raved about for the detail improvement...correct me if Im wrong, but thru the hull is not an option for me because the boat is aluminum

 

[pescador]

In my case. I'm comparing my new 720s Garmin matched to a p66 against my old Humminbird 1057 Fishfinder. With the Humminbird, I could see the downrigger weights in detail being lowered, raised and static in the water. I can't with the p66 and Garmin. I don't find contour detail with the Garmin/p66 as good. I can only put that down to the p66 as the Garmin MFD, based on performance data, is the superior unit. Just my view. I'm searching for better options.

 

[tykkyt e blue]

CZ - the P66 is a better trans. in my opinion... partly because it has better 'flow' at speed ( I spent quite a bit of time getting face washed with my head hanging off the swimgrid ) The skimmer unit always had spray coming off the front edge no matter how I adjusted the angle and depth. The p66 took one adjustment and it just worked and the spray is gone. Each boat is diff so this was just my experience. There is definitely a diff between the display in my old lcx 16 ( I still have it in my alum river boat ) and the lcx 25, but I think thats due mostly to the change in pixel count in the screen - don't know where the lcx 19 fits in
The p66 is a transom mount unit, the p79 is an 'in hull' unit that mounts inside the hull and shoots thru the hull material( and alum hulls are not well suited for it ) but a 'thru hull' is installed though a hole in the hull and contacts the water directly, that style unit would work for you...
Pescador - have you messed with your sonar settings? I'm not familiar with Garmin units, but once I adjusted my settings with the HDS and the p66, I can see cannonballs easily to about 100-120 feet if I'm trolling slow enough, AND, I can even see jigs or a spreader bar going down to about 70-80' drifting for hali if the drift is slow.

 

[ComfortZone]

alright thanks for the input, that is also one of my goals is to be able to track cannon balls, what did you need to adjust to acomplish that , sensitivity??

 

[tykkyt e blue]

No amount of adjusting the settings will guarantee cannonball tracking...First thing that has to be correct is the angle of the transducer face relative to the ocean bottom when your boat is at rest/trolling speed. Getting good bottom tracking at speed often means tilting the trailing end of the trans down so water flows smoothly across it while on plane...Best angle for tracking cannonballs is actually slightly to the rear, but you will prob have poor bottom tracking at speed.So you have to compromise between the two angles. For tracking bottom at speed - if that angle is too steep ( not parallel to the water at rest, then you are shooting the sonar beam too far ahead. Your downrigger lines always hang to the rear as you troll. So the combination of foward angle with transducer face AND the rear angle of you rigger lines MAY cause the sonar 'ping' to miss the balls entirely. Using the 200khz has a very narrow cone ( most 8-12 degrees ) so at 40 -50feet, the dia of the beam is only 10-12' or so. If you can find calm water? and reach your trans while boat is in the water? Then leave the bracket slightly loose and aim the trans by hand until you 'see' the cannonballs ( at whatever depth you typically fish )
The 50 kHz beam is usually 20 degree cone so it has a much bigger diameter. Start with the 50 kHz if the 200 doesn't 'see' the cannonballs.
There are several online videos on adjusting the sonar settings. I like a fast ping speed, lots of 'colorline' contrast so there's many colors being displayed and leave the sensitivity on auto unless you are aiming at specific depths. Then I over-ride the auto sens to give me the best return for the depth I want to target.
Hope that helps...

 

[ComfortZone]

thats perfect, what I m going to do is set my rear sonars tranducer slightly back to pick up the cannon balls, as this unit will be what Im watching while trolling and the front units transducer set to keep tracking bottom at speed...there is no throttle control at rear helm so there is no reason to be looking at that sonar up on plane