Wayne P.

The mount bracket may or may not match your current screw holes. If you are concerned with drilling holes, just attach a transducer mount board to the boat and then attach the transducer to that. SternMate is one option. Some use a plastic cutting board cut to size. Some marine supply companies carry mount boards too. Seal the holes and screws with 3M 4200 The main thing about mounting transducers is read the installation instuctions and understand what they mean as applied to your boat.

An additional gem. I recently purchased a Down Imaging unit just to get the Down Imaging transducer so I would have a down oriented imaging sonar crystal for Down Imaging with a Side Imaging unit. Got a good deal on it for less than the price of a DI transducer. That transducer also has 5 pins This is a single down oriented imaging crystal with a Side Imaging unit creating the Down Imaging view.

It's not about the frequencies, it's about the SI crystal length. A transducer does not add any capability that the unit does not have. That is BS about the pins, both transducers have the exact same cable plug with the exact same number of connection pins (5) in the exact same positions and the exact number of crystals. You talked to an inexperienced customer service person. The HDSI is longer and has longer SI crystals. Those longer SI crystals produce a thinner SI pulse, those thinner pulses producer sharper images. It IS an upgrade and I have been doing that with a 798ci SI Combo for five years. The 798 does not have 800 kHz capability either, but it has 455 kHz for Side Imaging just like the Helix SI unit and every other SI unit except the very first ones that used 262 kHz for Side Imaging. My 1198c SI units have both 800 kHz and 455 kHz for Side Imaging and the HDSI is the standard for them. I used to use a Compact SI transducer on the transom and a HDSI transducer on the trolling motor when I just had one SI unit. I moved the display to where I was in the boat, so I used both transducers several times a day. As a matter of fact, Humminbird gave me a HDSI transducer for my 798 to replace a Compact SI transducer when I was dealing with trolling motor RFI a few years ago. That is how I know about the protective shielding the HDSI has that the Compact SI transom transducer does not have. My first Compact SI trolling motor puck was built before the extra shielding was added to that model-that is why they gave me the HDSI transducer. I still have that tranducer and don't use it except for experimental purposes. Another fact is the Compact SI transducer can be used with the higher end SI units with both 455 kHz and 800 kHz Side Imaging frequencies. I've done it several times as a Mythbuster example to the uninformed. My 1198c SI units can be set for three different SI transducers. Hi-Def Sidescan=455/800 kHz Compact Sidescan=455/800 kHz Sidescan= 455/262 kHz. Frequencies are generated by the unit processor, not the transducer. A transducer is just a combo speaker/microphone that broadcasts sound and detects sound echos. The crystals are tuned to operate within a certain frequency range.

If you are more confortable using a flasher for on-plane navigation, just get an LCR unit that has a flasher simulator. It is much faster processing depth than a wheel flasher. Additionally Vexilar still makes flasher units. Humminbird and Lowrance stopped making them due to the motors being discontinued. My Humminbird 798ci SI Combo has two simulated flasher views. This is the regular flasher: This is the Ice Fishing view:

The best you can hope for is your equipment functions properly. BUT your depth issue is probably a mis-applied 2D transducer. That has to be installed correctly so it can perform at its best. It you get another flasher and don't install the transducer properly, you will have the same issue.

Another source is: http://mapper.acme.com/ You select the map type you want to view. With the Topo view, you can see the surrounding terrain contours and if the lake is younger than the background map, you will see what the contours were before the lake was built. You can switch between the Topo view and Satellite view to compare. For locations with land contours and satellite images showing the water, I print one of them, change the view to the other and print that on top of the other print. Sometimes I print the satellite view on regular paper and the topo on clear media and just put the clear print on top of the regular paper copy. Some locations have the contours and the water together. This is an example of the print on print method for a lake that was built after the terrain topo map was made.

The "overflow" will creat a circuit between the battery cells or posts and cause it to discharge. Take a straw, dip it into the cell, put you finger on the end to hold the fluid in the straw, and remove the straw to dispose of the excess. Do that until the level is at the indicater in the cell. Clean up the spilled fluid so the battery is dry. Rinse the caps with water and shake out the excess so they can "breathe". Keep plently of water nearby to dilute what you spill. Wearing rubber gloves is a good idea when handling battery acid. If you have one, a battery hydrometer can be used for the fluid extraction instead of the straw. "Been there, done that, have the T-shirt"

Dicks Sporting Goods is about 1/2 mile from Gander Mt.

A 36V has more rpms at the max setting. Using the same rpms with a 24V and a 36V, the 36V is 33% more efficient giving you that extra run time if you need it. I use a 36V on a 16' Tracker. I fish several electric-only waters. When I push the GO button, I want to GO>

The XTM 9 HDSI 180 T is the same as the transom model XHS 9 HDSI 180 T. You can get the transom and trolling motor mount for it and put it where it is convenient. The XTM 9 SI 180 T is a trolling motor puck and not suitable for transom mounting-- no bracket for it. Auto Charts is a computer software.that processes the sonar logs that the unit records. I don't use Auto Charts, but I do record sonar logs to create contour mapping with the Navionics Sonar Charts program. Have over 200 sonar logs.

Good question and not to be taken lightly. If you have a variable speed trolling motor, you should use a transducer that is designed for trolling motor use. Adapting the included transom transducer for trolling motor mounting may be issues waiting to happen. Do your installation right the first time. I assume you ordered the Side Imaging version instead of one of the other Helix 5 models. The trolling motor puck SI transducer is the XTM 9 SI 180 T. If you want the unit to give even better images, you can upgrade to the XTM 9 HDSI 180 T for about $70 more. When you get the unit, do not open any packages in the box that involve the transducer (mount or transducer itself). Some have stated the transducer is not in a sealed package. Contact Humminbird Customer Serice and arrange for an exchange for the trolling motor puck version of that transducer. Additionally you probably paid MSRP of $499 which is about $50 more than a marine electronics dealer's price.

I don't catch enough 8# + size bass to get my average much over 1#. 2014 total count is 2,122 bass. Previous 5 years total is 12,492 bass.

I think you would remember that since the software file is so large. I'll PM you a thread that discussed that software for your reference. Read all of it.

Have you installed the current software? That is supposed to fix all the stuff you mentioned.

If you get Humminbird units that are Ethernet compatable, you can have as many units as you want connected and share transducers and GPS data as much as you want. All the 2014 model 800, 900, and 1100 series share functions and data unlimited. You just need an Ethernet switch/s to tie them all together.

#1. Any SI is better than no SI. SI on the bow with the SI transducer on the trolling motor works very well. The unit has the adjustments to make it a useful tool there or on the transom. I took these screen shots with a couple of Side Imaging units at the bow with a trolling motor mounted SI transducer on an electric-only lake. I think they are sort of useful. There are two 859ci versions. 859ci HD Combo which is 2D sonar and GPS, and 859ci HD DI Combo which is 2D sonar, Down Imaging, and GPS. Including the 899ci HD SI Combo, all of them support the 360 Imaging accessory. There are two versions of the 360. One is a transom mount with an electric deploy system and the other is a trolling motor mount for cable/foot steer-only electric motors. Both preform the same for the 360 sonar. The transom model is $500 more than the trolling motor model. Both have had a price drop of $500 recently and can be obtained at some dealers for about $240 less than that. The Raymarine Dragon Fly is 2D and DownVision. Some don't think the image is all that superior compared to other brands and maybe even a lower quality. It's all in the preception and familiarity with use. Humminbird, Garmin, Raymarine, and Lowrance have units that have that technology. IMHO, Down Imaging, DownVision, DownVu, Down Scan is not as useful as the side looking imaging products of any brand due to the comparative lack of coverage. It's nice to be able to see "what's over there" rather than just what is under the boat. The Helix 5 series is a new product just coming out and would be a far superior unit to the 398ci HD SI Combo due to display width. With the side looking imaging, screen width is the most important. The Helix has a wider screen that the discontinued 500 and 700 series and the current 600 series.

Look at the kayak posts here: http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/forum/45-electronics/

GPS Waypoint Accuracy. Having a very accurate GPS system makes finding stuff easier and less time consuming. Being dead-on is a lot better than being a few yards off. I have my bow sonar unit's transducer on the trolling motor and GPS heading sensor antenna at the bow for the best accuracy when returning to a waypoint to check it out and fish it if the conditions are right. The heading sensor indicates the direction the bow is pointed. This is a brushpile waypoint numbered----Hr9. There are two more nearby. This screen shot shows the waypoint just in front of the boat on the Chart view, The bow position is the center of the little boat icon and where the track is drawn from. The green ring around the waypoint is called Casting Ring and I have it set to 30' radius. At the same time that brush pile is shown just in front of the boat in the 360 view. As I moved around, in this screen shot, the brush pile is shown about 45 degrees off the port side of the transom about 20' away as indicated by the chart position icon and the brushpile itself in the 360 view.

The standard transducer for the 798 is the Compact SI transom mount XNT 9 SI 180 T. The trolling motor puck version is the XTM 9 SI 180 T. It can use several others. The top of the line SI transducer is the XHS 9 HDSI 180 T. It is 2" longer and has longer SI crystals. Those longer crystals produce a thinner SI pulse which produces sharper images. I used to use the HDSI with my 798 before I got some larger display models.

Humminbird has a transducer exchange program. Call their customer service to arrange it for an unopened transducer package in the box.

Yep done that too and several other methods. A stick and C-clamp works too. If you have a transom trolling motor, you can just attach it to the bottom of that with the trolling motor adaptor bracket.

The Helix models use the same transducers as the other models. Getting all the correct cross references on the web site may be behind though. That typically happens when Humminbird as a lot of new models come out at the same time. You can even use the HDSI transducer with the Helix SI unit and get sharper images than either Compact SI transducer. It is longer, has longer SI crystals, which produce a thinner SI pulse. There are two DI trolling motor puck versions. The one that is compatable with the Helix DI unit is the XTM 9 DI 25 T.

Actually not. For the DI or SI version you would want the trolling motor puck transducer rather than adapting the transom transducer for trolling motor use. The pucks have extra internal shielding to help with possible RFI from the trolling motor. Bottom line is, use the correct parts for the application. The Imaging pucks look like the larger one. The regular 2D puck is the round one. Neither needs an adaptor for the application and come with the stainless steel hose clamp.

I have the 2009 PT 170 TX and use a 9.9 Mer four-stroke since my favorite waters are 10 HP max. I have had two other anglers over 200# with me and it is very stable, that is why I chose it over the narrower hull models in that size catagory. No, I can't get on plane with just me, 3 gals of gas, and 6 batteries, but I didn't set it up to race anyone.

Preditor/prey relationship. When the two are separated doing their own thing, all is pieceful: When it gets close to meal time, they are closer together: Then the munching starts: