Does anyone use one of these fishfinders,what do you think about it,is it a good investment,I have always wanted the color screen.my buddy just got one and he is having a hard time getting it to see his jig,I haven't been out with him yet and try to dail it in for him.
pro's and con's of this unit would be apprecaited.
he has the dual beam transducer that is recomended for inland lakes.I'm having no luck finding reveiws on this unit,except three on the cabela's website?
thanks for any imfo.
fnf[cool]
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Why was he recomended to get the dual beam ducer?
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here i the info on it Jason.
Dual Frequency:
The dual frequency transducers were designed for coastal waters as well as deep, off shore use. The 45 degree cone angle is sent out on a 50 KHZ signal which is best when used in deeper depths (500-600 feet or more). The 50 KHZ cone angle requires the depth so it can open up and give a better signal. If fishing in salt water, it is recommended using the dual frequency transducer instead of single frequency transducer. On a unit with Dual Frequency capability, it can switch between the dual frequency, 200kHz, or 50kHz settings.
Single Frequency:
The single frequency transducer is mainly used in fresh water, inland lakes and can be used in shallow coastal/intercoastal areas. This type of transducer has a narrower cone angle (typically 12 to 14 degrees). The single frequency transducer is used for depths up to around 300 feet.
Dual Beam:
Dual element transducers or dual beam transducers are great for shallow waters and fresh water lake environments. Transducers with more than a single beam provide multiple angles and/or multiple views. Multiple beam transducers have one ceramic element for each beam and are usually housed within a single housing. One of the elements transmits while the other receives. Active elements can be chosen for their sending and receiving capabilities providing a transducer with a cleaner signal. Our Dual Beam sonar units are optimized to show the greatest bottom definition using a narrow (15°) beam yet can still indicate fish found in the wide (45°) beam when manually switched. Dual Beam is ideal for fresh water lakes allowing a wider cone angle while in shallow water.
Please note that boat speed, wave action, bottom hardness, water conditions and transducer installation can all affect the depth capability of any transducer.
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Nobody ownes a Garmin?even the 300 series?
there pretty much the same unit.
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I had a Garmin unit on my boat for about five years. Loved it. It was a 320 DF I think. I never had a problem seeing my jig if I wanted to.Most of the time, I don't want to see my jig.I want to see a real good picture of the bottom, so my sensitivity is adjusted for that. If he spends alot of time vertical jigging from a fixed position and really feels the need to see his jig, he should be able to with that unit. If not, I would look for other problems. Bad transducer mounting or running his wires too close to other wires. Or maybe he has it in cartoon mode(looking at little fishies), instead of looking at sonar signals.
I have a Lowrance 525 color at the console now.Easier to see in direct sunlight.
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Thanks or the reply WB.I figured he shouldn't be having this problem,but like anyone that has owned a fishfinder there are little tweaks we all make to see what we want,I like to see my jig and have been messing around with mine for years now and have a good feel for the unit I have,He just got this this last fathers day and I helped him install the unit,I know that running the transducer cable near any power cables is not a good idea and we routed it with plenty of clearence from them.I haven't been out on his boat since we put it in,but he said that he got frustrated and just turned fish id back on.I was looking for some input from the garmin users on here to show him that the fish ID feature is rarely used from fisherman that really know how to use there sonar and if he would trust what he is seeing is fish he would get better at adjusting and messing around tell he could dail it right in.He also has a hard time seeing the fish with all the clutter,I told him he would get use to that and would be able to see more detail with whats under his boat if he left the gain up.I will keep working with him he wll come around.
Thanks for your input
Thanks for the reply.
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