Short Wave Sportfishing Feb 4, 4:59 am show options

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From: Short Wave Sportfishing - Find
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Date: Fri, 04 Feb 2005 12:59:27 GMT
Local: Fri, Feb 4 2005 4:59 am
Subject: New depth sounder
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On 3 Feb 2005 20:53:43 -0800, wrote:




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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?


****************************

I considered going with forward scanning sonar. I have used that on
other boats and it is really nice. I never go anywhere without a chart,
I have the plotter I put on about a year ago that shows charted depths,
so I'm not relying on the sounder *too* heavily- it's essentially the
third informant in coordinating where I think I am (chart) where
satellites indicate I actually am and (by extension) how deep it "ought
to be" (plotter), and how deep my sounder says it actually is.

I have to confess I don't know whether I got the dual or single
frequency transducer. I spent about ten minutes discussing my needs and
application with my friend who supplied the sounder, and trusted him to
order exactly what I'd need. He did recommend the larger screen at
first- but ultimately agreed that since it was an upgrade in an
application where a digital readout would have been sufficient the
small screen was OK.