gimruis wrote:

You don’t necessarily need a separate pole. I’ve seen some people mount them directly to their bow mount.

Obviously if you intend to use it for open water and ice fishing you’ll need a separate pole because I don’t think you’ll be lugging around a bow mount while ice fishing.

No ice around here. I’m thinking a separate pole since the bow mount trolling motor has spot lock so it will be adjusting its position on its own to hold the spot and might point the transducer away from what I want to see.

Ripjiggen wrote:

Yes it has to be aimed.
3 in 1 would be mounted on back of boat and plugged straight into head unit.

I wouldn’t want active target as my only source of sonar I know that.

I already have a conventional fish finder on the boat’s console but I still might want the extra capability of that 3-in-1 especially since I can’t see the console-mounted one from the fishing position, just when I’m driving the boat. Still debating that with myself. I’m wondering if the 3-in-1 transducer cable will be long enough as it’s a large pontoon boat and the cable from the rear of the boat to the bow will be something like 20 feet minimum, probably a little more since I’m sure I won’t be able to run the cable in a straight line.

Ripjiggen wrote:

Yes compatible.
If you want active target you need the transducer and the blackbox hub. A pole mount system to turn the transducer.
You won’t get any other kind of sonar side imaging down imaging 2D sonar without another transducer like the 3in1. 3in1 is side imaging down imaging and 2d sonar in one transducer.

Thanks for the response. Just want to clarify a couple of things though. If I’m understanding you correctly if all I want is the live sonar then I don’t need the 3-in-1 transducer, just the ActiveTarget Live Sonar transducer and blackbox, right? Also, again, if I’m understanding you, it has to be “aimed”, thus the pole system, correct? Now, if I do want to have the 3-in-1 transducer in addition to the Live Sonar does that have to be mounted somewhere else or does it go on the pole with the Live Sonar? If I’m using the 3-in-1 also, does it hook up to the HDS Live unit or does it hook up through the blackbox? Thanks in advance again.