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On 3 Feb 2005 20:53:43 -0800, wrote:

Recently began getting some weird messages and displays on the
who-knows-how many year old "Bottomline" fishfinder/sounder aboard the
boat. It was on the boat when I bought it in the early 90's, and wasn't
really new then. I also have a digital readout, but I don't like the
idea of having only one sounder. As I'm currently hauled out for bottom
paint and zinc, the time is right to install a fairing block and
transducer.

Don't fish much, so I thought I'd just pick up a second digital
unit...... but upon additional consideration I opted for a fish finder
with a display.

The perceived advantages, for a non-fisherman, are really two.

1) The rising or falling profile image of the bottom allows a much
faster analysis of whether the depth is increasing or shoaling. There's
no need to watch the numbers change and try to determine the general
trend.

Yes and no - depends on where the transducer is placed and how wide
the signal cone is.

Remember these are one dimensional units - you can see under the
transducer or where you have been (depending on transducer placement)
but it won't do anything for telling you what's in front of you like
you would find in a two dimensional unit.

I agree that you can see a general trend, but it won't do much for you
in a quick shoaling situation in unfamiliar territory.

Did you get the dual or single frequency transducer?

2) It's possible to draw some general conclusions about the nature of
the bottom when dropping an anchor. Echoes that indicate a
hard-surfaced bottom will generally be less desirable (with my ground
tackle) than reflections indicating something a bit muddier.

That this unit will do. I've noticed that with the "night vision"
display, the bottom detail seems to jump right out at you - pretty
amazing.

This unit is available in two sizes, and even at a price well below
retail the difference between the large screen and the small was almost
$200. I almost popped for the large screen, but then realized that I
*could* have crept by a digital unit so the smaller screen should be
just fine.

Interesting note: When in actual operating mode the text on the small
screen is almost as large as the text on the larger screen. What the
larger screen does a bit better is allow greater detail in the fish
finding mode...which is not as important to me.

I have a DS-500 on the Ranger and love it. What is really nice about
these units is that you can customize the visual display and the DSP
is very very good. To me, it's much better than it's Garmin or
Lowrance counterparts.

Get that rod out more often and really give it a workout. :)

Later,

Tom