What Kind Of Fishfinder For..
- Thread starter Seafever
- Start date
aheny
Well-Known Member
I've never really looked closely into it but I seem to find that it depends what gear I'm pulling. I think that if you had a solid metal dummy flasher behind your ball that it would be a lot more reflective and you have a lot more success seeing it.
All that aside, for me the obvious choice is the airmar p66. It's a great intro transducer for when you want to get into the higher end.
All that aside, for me the obvious choice is the airmar p66. It's a great intro transducer for when you want to get into the higher end.
Alex_c
Well-Known Member
I had a Garmin 500c that would show gear really easily, even in deep water. My new Garmin 5dv shows the gear in shallower water, and not so much deep, but that's more a result of crappy transducer placement than the unit. Where is your transducer currently located? I also found that using the lower frequency setting(77kHz) in deep water helps.
Seafever
Well-Known Member
Its at the back end off the transom, about a foot and a half from the engine leg. I usually use 83hz setting.
As far as depth is concerned, are we talking 300ft or less?
You need a transducer either pointed back or a transducer with a wide beam angle.
If your cable angle is close to 45 degrees, you will be at 75 ft of depth for every 100 ft of cable out, and 25 ft behind the boat.
I'd contact Airmar on this issue. I prioritize seeing fish as I can roughly calculate ball depth.
You need a transducer either pointed back or a transducer with a wide beam angle.
If your cable angle is close to 45 degrees, you will be at 75 ft of depth for every 100 ft of cable out, and 25 ft behind the boat.
I'd contact Airmar on this issue. I prioritize seeing fish as I can roughly calculate ball depth.
Seafever
Well-Known Member
On average 250 ft or less.
Don't think the Airmar P66 will fit mine. Supposed to be a seven pin blue plug, which mine isn't.
My unit puts out 250 watts. I can get it to read to about 600ft in the chuck.
I belive 83hz is the narrower beam and 200hz is the wider beam but I can't get a straight answer from the dealer on that.
Seafever
Well-Known Member
Yep. Starboard side. My "sensitivity" setting is at 84%. Anything higher than that and I get strange readings.
I'll play around with settings more...
I notice all the new units seem to contain a CHIRP element...even in the cheapos.
Mine is plain jane and doesn't have any of that.
ziggy
Well-Known Member
They make an adapter, maybe check it out. I have an Elite 7 paired with an Airmar TM150 and had to use a small adapter cord for my setup.
Wild Bill
Well-Known Member
I'm wondering too. I have a bunch of old crap that came with the boat. And I found they cut a hole and dug out foam to mount a through hull transducer, I imagine its old and I don't think It was wired up anymore. Would I find identification if I removed it for a look?
Seafever
Well-Known Member
Talked to the person at Harb Chan. You're right, they make an adapter that will fit my unit for the Airmar P66. The adapter is about 50 bucks.
After a lengthy conversation it was determined that I wouldn't probably wouldn't be much further ahead if I did this to my unit.
He felt the money would be better spent by just getting a better unit.
To get what I want I'd be in the one thousand dollar plus range by his reckoning.
Hi Seafever. Lower frequency equals wider beam angle. a 200 Khz transducer has a 20 degree beam angle. A 83 Khz transducer has a 60 degree beam angle. If your DR cable is at 45 degrees, the 60 degree should see the ball. The latest in F/F technology is CHIRP. There are 3 frequency ranges of CHIRP; low, medium, high. Within each of the 3 frequency ranges, CHIRP will transmit a range of frequency's versus a single frequency that traditional sonar uses. Using this range of frequency's results in better target detection.
By today's standards 250 watts is low power, but is probably fine for Salmon fishing. I was at the boat show a few years back & the guy's from Simrad were showing their system with an expensive Airmar transducer showing Halibut on the bottom. Some CHIRP transducers will transmit 2 frequency ranges but I doubt $1K will even buy the transducer.
According to Lowrance you have a CHIRP unit & it can have a 50, 83, or 200 Khz transducer.
I would call Lowrance support to see how to determine what frequency your transducer is, then perhaps change transducers.
By today's standards 250 watts is low power, but is probably fine for Salmon fishing. I was at the boat show a few years back & the guy's from Simrad were showing their system with an expensive Airmar transducer showing Halibut on the bottom. Some CHIRP transducers will transmit 2 frequency ranges but I doubt $1K will even buy the transducer.
According to Lowrance you have a CHIRP unit & it can have a 50, 83, or 200 Khz transducer.
I would call Lowrance support to see how to determine what frequency your transducer is, then perhaps change transducers.
Seafever
Well-Known Member
My understanding seafever - is that frequency is the primary factor in depth penetration (besides power) - lower frequencies (i.e. 50khz) are therefore better for saltwater with deeper and more dense (saltier) water...
That is true but as I recall it is trade off as the 50k will penetrate deeper and give you bottom lock at much greater depth and may (I am not certain about this) have a wider cone angle (covers more area). However, the 200k will give you more detail and pick up more on what is often important to us like fish arches and bait. I usually run my 50k/200k set on 200k..
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A few jokes come to mind wrt that comment...
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