Humminbird SI….just took the plunge

Screwed up. Some how got the same picture in twice and can’t clear it.

WarrenMN

Old roadbed?

Not sure but the lake was down over 15 feet 60 years ago. The south end of Chisago and half of Little Green were potato fields back then.
WarrenMN

Warren, I think I know the answer to this question, but I’ll ask it anyways….

Have you had any trouble recording position/depth data on your HB and transferring it to Dr Depth (or similar program) to generate your own maps? Are the maps that you generate readable with your HB?

Try this again, hit the wrong button. As of yet Humminbirds don’t have a way to store coordinates and depths continuously like the Lowrance SLG files and I can’t make contour maps to run in Humminbirds like I do for Lowrances but seeing I always have the laptop in the boat with me, for me that doesn’t matter. With the laptop and DrDepth hooked to the Humminbird, I can record the depth data from the vertical sonar all day long and compile perfect depth maps. You can’t do it with the side scan as all its really showing is the reflectivity of the bottom out to each side, no real depth data. But the side scan shows me areas I might miss so it’s still the best thing since sliced bread to me.

DrDepth makes a map for me to watch as I go along and then when I’m happy with what I got I compile it with a commercial software called Surfer and I load it into Fugawi to view. DrDepth could make the map too but seeing as I have Surfer I always use it. In fact thats what I use to make the maps I sell to the bait shops.

WarrenMN

P.S. I should have added that Per made a version of DrDepth that can do all this on one of those pocket PC’s, like a Garmin IQue? Forget what they call it.

Yesterday was my first trip out with the SI unit. I had clients along so I couldn’t spend a lot of time sonar-gazing, but what I did see was pretty impressive.

Some initial impressions:

(1) I need to reset the transducer to be a little bit higher. I was throwing quite a rooster tail yesterday from a transducer that was set too low.

(2) I was surprised by the lack of cross-talk between the SI unit and my other locators. Even fishing in 20+ feet pulling leadcore, I had very good sonar performance from my HB and my console Lowrance (x25C), even though their transducers are about 8 inches apart. I had actually unplugged my X25C ducer for about half the day, thinking that it would be worthless, and was pleasantly surprised whrn both units started happily collecting data and simultaneously marking structure and fish.

(3) The HB install is much cleaner than the lowrance install. None of this double power connection stuff (power the unit and power the network) that the lowrance units have. One power connection and everything is up and running.

(4) With my two GPS antennas set about 3 inches apart, with equally good looks at the sky, the lowest estimated position error displayed on the HB was 9 feet. At the exact smae time, the position error on the lowrance was 19 feet. Is someone fibbing, or does the HB really have a better GPS location system?

(5) I fish a lot of rocky flats with deep holes for eyes and smallies up in our river system. The rocks show up like CHAMPS in the SI unit. Just absolutely plain as day. Major cool factor!

(6) Other unusual structural features show up well too, like fish cribs. I like the ability to freeze the screen and then move a cursor around to drop waypoints on individual elements that the SI unit picks up. ANother major cool factor!

Next trip out is Thursday, and I hope to have the chance to tinker with the settings and options a bit between fish.

A suggestion if you want to try of things next time you go out. Depending on how wide a path you’ve got the side scan foot print set too, when you find some thing using the wide setting, ( 100 to 150 ft) way point it and swing around and set the unit to one side and half the distance then run back by it just to the side. You’ll be surprised at even how much more detail you can see.
Some thing that came up in the users group again, when you use the arrow keys, don’t use much pressure. I think pressing to hard closes three of the four contacts under neath the pad. This means the machine can’t tell which way you want to go and just sits there.
Ex. You push too hard on the right arrow. That shuts the contacts under North East and South arrows and that isn’t a direction. Or, pushing NE should close the East and North contacts and the machine says, ah ha, E & N = NE but N & E & S = ??
Pressing lightly will make a big difference.
WarrenMN

Quote:

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Yesterday was my first trip out with the SI unit. I had clients along so I couldn’t spend a lot of time sonar-gazing, but what I did see was pretty impressive.

Some initial impressions:

(1) I need to reset the transducer to be a little bit higher. I was throwing quite a rooster tail yesterday from a transducer that was set too low.

(2) I was surprised by the lack of cross-talk between the SI unit and my other locators. Even fishing in 20+ feet pulling leadcore, I had very good sonar performance from my HB and my console Lowrance (x25C), even though their transducers are about 8 inches apart. I had actually unplugged my X25C ducer for about half the day, thinking that it would be worthless, and was pleasantly surprised whrn both units started happily collecting data and simultaneously marking structure and fish.

(3) The HB install is much cleaner than the lowrance install. None of this double power connection stuff (power the unit and power the network) that the lowrance units have. One power connection and everything is up and running.

(4) With my two GPS antennas set about 3 inches apart, with equally good looks at the sky, the lowest estimated position error displayed on the HB was 9 feet. At the exact smae time, the position error on the lowrance was 19 feet. Is someone fibbing, or does the HB really have a better GPS location system?

(5) I fish a lot of rocky flats with deep holes for eyes and smallies up in our river system. The rocks show up like CHAMPS in the SI unit. Just absolutely plain as day. Major cool factor!

(6) Other unusual structural features show up well too, like fish cribs. I like the ability to freeze the screen and then move a cursor around to drop waypoints on individual elements that the SI unit picks up. ANother major cool factor!

Next trip out is Thursday, and I hope to have the chance to tinker with the settings and options a bit between fish.

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Thanks for the report Jason! That is VERY helpful. I’m glad to hear you’re enjoying the new humminbird!