Prof Blake I have another depthfinder question ,please.

[fishin3]

Jerry I got a few question for you on depthfinders.
1. Thinking about upgrading my front depth finder. It will be located on the trolling motor. With that being said, the cone on it should I look for a 20°, 60° or a double cone?
2. How about the peak to peak wattage. Does it matter how high or low it is?
3. I am wanting to go to a color screen. Some have GPS with them but I have mixed feeling on getting one on the depthfinder. I don't know if I would rather have one there or get a hand held one. There is plus on both of them but wnat to know you opinion on it.

Thanks ahead of time. I will try to take notes this time in class. LOL

[Jerry Blake]

Hey Fishin3:

I’m no Professor – just lucky to be on the water nearly every day. I prefer a 20-degree cone over anything wider. With a narrow cone there's no question where an object is that you see coming on your graph - it's right under your transducer unless you're in very deep water.

I also think that with a wider cone the graph is trying to put too much information on the screen because it’s covering such a wide area, which can make it harder to identify what you’re seeing.

My Matrix 12 (narrow cone only although I have a dual angle transducer) decided to crap out on me the other day so Darryl loaned me a 565, which is dual-cone angle. I’ve tried everything but I just can’t get as detailed of a picture with the 565 and I think it’s because of the wider angle. On some graphs with a dual angle transducer you can select narrow or wide or both, which would be the best set up I guess if you want to pay for it. Apparently that’s not an option on the 565. The wider cone angle also seems to be more suseptable to electronic "noise" from my TM.

I MUCH prefer a "shoot through the hull" transducer if you have a fiberglass boat because it seems like sooner or later the transducer cord will get damaged when on the TM.

I would pay for a larger screen before I would pay for color. Color is pretty but it gives you the same information that a grayscale graph does except you have to learn which colors mean stronger and weaker sonar returns. With grayscale the darker the image is on the screen then the stronger the sonar returns are coming back from that object.

If you're only going to have one GPS I would definitely go with a handheld for several reasons.

1) Portability - you can take a handheld with you on the bank when the lake is down or in someone else's boat to save waypoints.

2) On a combo unit part of your screen is devoted to GPS, which reduces the viewing area for the sonar.

3) If a combo unit goes out you loose both your GPS and graph - I can find my condos with one or the other but pretty tough without either.

I don’t think real high power is important unless you’re fishing real deep water. The Matrix 12 touts “250 Watts RMS, 2000 Watts Peak to Peak Power Output, 2 ½” Target Separation, 800ft Depth” and it does a real good job for me - at least when it was working. I sent it off Saturday and hope to have it back real soon.

[fishin3]

Ok thanks Jerry gives me something to think on.

[Bridges]

Thank you for your professional responseto fishin3's thread. It has helped me also alot.!

You must be one h*lluva guide!!, you surely are an asset to this forum.

[Jerry Blake]

You’re Welcome.

I got my Matrix 12 back today (Friday) and just sent if of last Saturday so that's pretty fast service. They replace "PCB components". Not sure what that is but the note attached says they "were designed into our product to help protect the printed circuit board from extreme electrical charge".

It goes on to suggest checking the in-line fuse to make sure it's the proper size but I don't see how a fuse is going to protect from high voltage. A fuse will only blow if the amperage drawn through it exceeds the fuse's capacity. Maybe you can help my on this one Cane Pole.

Anyway, for a graph that has been on the water about 9 out of 10-days for 6 to 12-hours a day for nearly two years I don't mind paying the $69.95 repair fee to get it back up and running. They also gave me a 90-day warranty on the repairs.

[Cane Pole]

I agree with you about steps 1, 2, 3. However, I think the color is much easier to interpret and is worth the money. Our (human) vision is a lots keener with color than b/w. Scientific fact here.

The power ratings provided by manufacturers of these sonars is pseudo. The manufacturers "fudge" figures here. If it has 250vrms power then, no way it can have 2000 watts peak to peak. This is the "fudge" factor the manufacturers use. Peak to peak ratings are nothing but sales propaganda.

You right, you don't need big power and wide cone angle unless you are planning on fishing really deep water.

My expert opinion...ha

[Jerry Blake]

I probably should have mentioned that I've had very little experience with a color graph and I may very well prefer it once I got used to using one. But if I had to choose right now between a larger screen and a color screen I would go with a larger screen.

[Cane Pole]

When you get old like me Jerry, you need both. Large and color......haha

I would advise everyone to go by the rms ratings, not the peak to peak ratings. It is a sales gimmick similar to the gimmick stereo system manufacturers use to baffle (bs) the public.

[frank lawhead]

I Fished With A Color Unit A Few Days Ago And I Could,nt Beleive How Much It Helped Me See The Screen--both My Garmins Are 2 Yrs. Old ,but In Sunlight They Are Hard For Me To See--md Is Making It Hard For Me To See Period [haha]
Already Have A Lowrance 510c Ordered--its Replacing The 102c
Won,t Catch More Fish For Me ,but It Sure Makes It Easy To See

Btw-- Three Rivers Marine Has The Best Price I Could Find

[Cane Pole]

I Fished With A Color Unit A Few Days Ago And I Could,nt Beleive How Much It Helped Me See The Screen--both My Garmins Are 2 Yrs. Old ,but In Sunlight They Are Hard For Me To See--md Is Making It Hard For Me To See Period [haha]
Already Have A Lowrance 510c Ordered--its Replacing The 102c
Won,t Catch More Fish For Me ,but It Sure Makes It Easy To See

Btw-- Three Rivers Marine Has The Best Price I Could Find

I here ya Frank. haha

My neighbor has a 110C. It is like looking at big screen TV. I really like it. I ain't got any place left to put one of the suckers...ha