showdown question?

[Mooncricket]

Thinking of buying a showdown but don't know the difference between single and dual beams since this would be my first piece of electronics any answers would be great
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[OCF]

The dual beam transducers give you a wide beam and a narrow beam. I use the wide beam 95% of the time. I only use the narrow beam if I am fishing adjacent to cliffs. If you use the wide beam adjacent to cliffs, you get a false bottom reading from bouncing the sound waves off of the submerged cliff walls.

Invision the beam from your transducer being conical in shape. The diameter of the wide beam is about 1/3 of the depth (i.e. the water is 21 feet in depth, the cone diameter at the bottom is 7 feet). The diameter of the narrow beam is approximately 1/6 of the depth (i.e. water is 21 feet deep, cone diameter is 3.5 feet) Obviously, you do not see as many fish swimming through the narrow beam as you do in a wide beam.

Hope this makes sense!
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[wiperhunter2]

There are a few guys on the site with a Showdown, TubeDude is one of them. If I remember correctly the different cones have to do with the cone angle of the beam. The single beam is narrow, the dual beam has the narrow and the wide beam.
The narrow beam is better when fishing in deeper water.
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[Dr.Lumber]

I have the single beam and I love it. It is very portable and I often drill a buch of holes and look around for fish. It works well through the ice of you pour a little warm water on the ice. It's easy to use the first time out there is no learning curve.

Hope this helps
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]The 5.6 Showdown has optional 8 degree or 20 degree beam...not both at the same time. You can switch back and forth easily on the menu.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]You may be confusing the Showie with my Humminbird 565 which DOES have continuous dual beam display. That shows targets within the 20 degree beam as solid marks....but those outside the 20 and inside the 60 degree beam as outlines. It is ideal for float tube fishing...in mostly shallower water. The wider beams shoot a bigger area under my tube in shallow water.[/#0000ff]
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[Mooncricket]

Does the showdown show structure? Thanks for all the info I plan on getting the dual beam next week
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]No structure. Strictly a "bottom line" and anything that swims through between top and bottom. But if you are using an LCD display sonar while ice fishing (stationary) it will not show much either. It only provides info on bottom structure if you are moving over a variable bottom.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]One anomaly I have noticed is that when a large group of fish swims through above the bottom the digital reading for bottom depth may change. That's a good problem.[/#0000ff]
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[IrwinFletcher]

If you are going to fish deep water, you want the dual cone transducer. It will let you narrow in a little on the fish in deep water. IE if you are fishing splake in 60 ft of water, the 20 degree cone is going to show you fish in an area that is 20 ft radius on the bottom. The 8 degree would show you 12 feet radius on the bottom at the same depth. That can be a big difference when you are trying to narrow fish down on your jig itself. Knowing the fish are close to your jig is really what you want. (in my opinion).

In shallow water, you want the widest cone you can get, because when you are fishing in 10 ft of water, even the 20 degree cone is only going to show you 3 ft of radius at the bottom. If the fish are coming through suspended, say at 5 ft, you are only going to see them if they pass through the 18" beam under the transducer at that depth.

Hope that makes sense. Bottom line, you have more flexibility with the dual cone transducer.
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[TopH2O]

I've had a single beam model Showdown for three ice fishing seasons. I am totally impressed with the performance of the unit and I've had a chance to make use of Marcum's customer service when I had a problem.
When I called their Minnesota offices I got an immediate response with a real human being.

I think if you are going to purchase a current model, you'd be crazy not to spend the little extra and get the dual beam model just because of the flexibility it will provide to you on a variety of fishing situations. Deep water such as the Gorge or Fish Lake require the narrower beam to limit the area you're viewing near the bottom. In shallow water the wide angle beam gives you the best performance.

Since the actual cost is really just a little more, go with the dual beam and you'll never worry that you bought the wrong one.

After you get your Showdown, you might want to make a [#0000ff]TubeDude[/#0000ff] inspired stand to use while ice fishing. Mine is great because it keeps the unit at eye level and out of the slush.

[url "http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc127/topwater52/Showndownonstandresized.jpg"]http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc127/topwater52/Showndownonstandresized.jpg[/url]


[url "http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc127/topwater52/Showdownfinderwithbluetext-1.jpg"]http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc127/topwater52/Showdownfinderwithbluetext-1.jpg[/url]


The second photo shows my stand before I added a piece of 1/8" hardboard for a base. If you add a base plate of some kind, you don't need to go crazy with the PVC cross pieces. It must have been that [#0000ff]Prince of PVC[/#0000ff] mindset I get once in a while

Mike
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[Mooncricket]

One more question I've been told the x67 ice machine by Lawrence is a good unit what unit would be easier and more accurate? I'm leaning towards the showdown. But just thought
I would get a few reviews
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[TopH2O]

I am not familar with the unit you mentioned, so you'll have to get some imput from an owner. However, I don't think you can go wrong with the Showdown. It's easy to use right out of the box and you don't have to listen to the spinning parts of a flasher. Many ice fishermen swear by the flashers, my brother being one of them.

I've used flashers and the Showdown and in my not so humble opinion, the Showdown is an easier unit to see the fish and adjust your presentation accordingly. I've been very impressed with the extra long battery life. I used my Showdown during a two day trip to the Gorge last winter and the battery held up for at least 20 hours of constant use.

Mike
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[Mooncricket]

Sweet I really appreciate the insight I just got done ordering the dual beam online can't wait to receive it will let you guys know how it works for me once I get it on the ice thanks again
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[sundancekid]

you will be very happy with yours, i bought a lx 7 this year which also display's a vertical screen with dual beam tech and have also had exellent support from marcum. i love the vertical screen its so easy to understand no guessing what your depth is.
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[AERO63]

I bought a Showdown 5.6 Dual Beam this year and have really enjoyed it...my first and only "fish finder" so in fairness I don't have a lot of basis for comparison, but I've been really happy. It's easy to use and works well...pretty much all I was looking for! Get ready to catch a BUNCH more fish!


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[muskycoop]

"So what do you do for a living Mr. Fletch?"

"I'm a Shepherd!"

Welcome to the board Fletch! It's all ballbearings these days. Hey!
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[Hookinup]

Irwin, I have been wondering where you have been hanging out. It is great to have you on the board. I think I saw you on the ice recently in your long white robe and roller skates..... with all your disguises, you are hard to pick out sometimes!

[url "http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000833/"]Chief Karlin[/url]: So, what's your name?
[url "http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000331/"]Fletch[/url]: Fletch.
[url "http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000833/"]Chief Karlin[/url]: Full name?
[url "http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000331/"]Fletch[/url]: Fletch F. Fletch.
[url "http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000833/"]Chief Karlin[/url]: I see, And what do you do for a living, Mr. Fletch?
[url "http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000331/"]Fletch[/url]: I'm a shepherd.

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