Overkill, but what happens?

[rfr]

looking to buy new sonar sounder by Lowrance model<br />LCX-104C, does any body have any experience with this unit?<br />Specs say the 50/200khz transom ducer gives 1KW-RMS at the 50khz. and 500 watts RMS at the 200khz.<br />Fishing in 75 to 500 water depths most of the time. WHAT HAPPENS with these powerful signals in these water depths, or shallower water?<br />Does it produce distortion, shows a big blob, or what ? Maybe nothing, except equipping you to go out and find the 3,000 ft. water ?<br />Do you think one can adjust the sensitivity down to give you great readings? Don't want to blow the fish bladders, just want to see them well !<br />TX for any input.<br />rfr

 

[Bondo]

Re: Overkill, but what happens?

I have several units that have 200khz... works to a stated depth of 250'.... I understand that the 50khz works down beyond the 250' mark....<br />Sounds like a great unit for your app......

 

[Boatist]

Re: Overkill, but what happens?

Rfr<br />Great unit with plenty of power for depths you are talking about. Need a lot of room for unit and no beter resolution than LCX-19C just bigger screen. Have not seen in actual use but have seen the older unit LCX-16C and it is great. Can see unit from back of the boat and so bright never have trouble seeing fish. Also 16C did not seem to have trouble in shallow water like older lowrance units. Sensitive auto adjust pretty well. Where I saw it was on a party boat is San Francisco bay and ask Skipper how he liked it and he was very happy unit but he never go to water deeper than about 150 feet.<br /><br />Only a couple of thing I think they could have done better. 1: Unit only has a 4 times zoom so when go out to 500 feet with a 4 times zoom you are looking at 125 feet of water. With a resolution of 480 it means each pixel is 3.12 inches. To display two pixel fish need to be 6.24 inches high so pretty big rock fish. Now you can improve that in manual mode but have to manualy adjust water depth. RayMarine has a 6 times zoom and Furuno has a feature called bottom lock where you can lock on botom and up 10 feet or 20 feet ect. This makes much eaiser to see Small fish on bottom like rockfish. Still the way Lowrance adjust range when changes eaiser to follow than Furuno.<br /><br />2: Lowrance's transducer is 12 degrees at 200khz or 35 degrees at 50khz. This will work very well in deep water but for water under 100 feet I would rather have a 20 degree 200khz unit to be able to see a little bigger area. You can buy a 20 degree 200khz transducer for unit.<br /><br />3: Last thing is if want to add a second temp sensor then have to buy two as one in transducer can not be used. You can add a third also. I really like two one for water temp and one for live well temp. They are not cheap.<br /><br />Overall one of the best units out there and I would have bought one last year except for the the bottom resoultion problem in deep water. Display brighter than Furuno last year but this year Furuno has new display and I think about the same.

 

[rfr]

Re: Overkill, but what happens?

TX for the input fellows.<br />Hey Boatist, if you go to 20 degree 200khz unit<br />to see a bigger area, do you lose definition or clarity of fish in scope? On the Furuno units are you speaking of the FCV-582L, or what units with new display?<br />TX again<br />rfr

 

[Boatist]

Re: Overkill, but what happens?

Rfr<br />I have both a 8 degree and a 20 degree transducer and the 20 actually shows fish much better. They make much better arches as in the cone longer. Fish are nice and sharp but it fishing a slope or drop off can get covered by bottom signal from higher up on the slope. Unit your are looking at you can due a dual screen with the 50khz/35 degree and the 200khz/12 degree. My unit is only 3000 watts peak to peak or 375 RMS and 192 khz. The 20 degree transducer only good for rock fish to about 150 feet of saltwater while the 8 degree works out to 350 feet. Only bad thing about 50 khz unit is do not see as many fish in a group. Like bait fish look more like a big ball than a group of small fish.<br /><br />Furuno actually changed LCD on many if not all of their units but could still be a lot of old units in stores. Bad thing is I do not think they changed model numbers, just upgraded LCD. Furuno great deep saltwater units. Only things I do not like about them is when they change ranges jumps to a whole different scale so hard to follow. Lowrance slides history and current to new level so no jump. Other thing is not made in USA.<br /><br />Have you check out the Totoral on Lowrance's web site and also down loaded the simulator for unit your are looking at. Both very well done.

 

[rfr]

Re: Overkill, but what happens?

thanks for the help, Boatist, I'll check out the Site.<br />rfr