Hey guys,
I am about to purchase 2 HB 898c si combo units.
Where do you guys recommend mounting the console unit transducer?
I have read that you have to be careful that there are no obstructions but I'm not sure what people are referring to maybe motor or jackplate I guess the skegg on my lower unit comes down pretty far (not the original) just wondering if you guys might have any tips.
Thanks
ImonBass on Youtube has some very good videos on set-up and operation. The transducer has to have a clean shot straight across the boat and down to the bottom with nothing in the way. If anything is in the path of the beam, in will block out that area. Also, for side imaging to give an accurate picture of the bottom, the boat needs to be going in a straight line at a constant speed and the speed should be set on the unit also. In other words if you are idling 5mph, set the units scroll speed to 5mph also. If you turn the boat to the left, the speed of the beam on the right will be traveling fast than the beam on the left, giving a distorted view of the bottom. That is why side imaging in the front is marginal. I would get just a good depth finder with GPS like the 788 combo for the front and use the money you saved to get a bigger SI unit for the console. I would also link them and get units with the external antenna which get a lot strong satelite signal than the built antenna models. Next, learn as much as you can as far as the difference between the frequency settings, how to record and playback, how to take snap shots, etc....Try to learn how to navigate the software before you get on the water so you won't be overwhelmed with all its capabilities.
I went to the HB Seminar at D & R Sports today in Kalamazoo, and I agree 100% with you. The Seminar was informative and gave you input on different options you could do with units. They explained features and showed slides. What wasn't talked about was the problems of installation with different Trolling Motors. Most guys had their systems installed by a company and still had problems such as TM interference or not doing homework and picking units not compatible. The 360 that HB is coming out with is compatible with some units, not all. You need to join HB Select online also to register units and get updates.
with the new units, why not buy one 1 SI and one DI and get ethernet? you should be able to view the SI on both units (just from 1 transducer).
to answer your question - mount the SI ducer just below your jack plate. it should be clear of the lower unit, but also be out of the water while on plane. Think about investing in a y-cable and a through hull transducer and the unit will automagically switch to a standard transducer while on step. mount the GPS puck as close to the transducer as possible
Mount it to the jack plate if you have one, no holes in the boat and gets it away from the boat. I used some aluminum stock to drop my trasducer below the jackplate and used on the the transducer shiled and saver mounts in the link below. The transducer shield is money well spent, it will save you a few transducers.
http://www.transducershieldandsaver.com/home/transducers?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=11&category_id=5
-Matt
Justin, SI won't work on the DI even with a ethernet connection. I need to look at my information and figure out what the advantages are concerning the ethernet. At the Humminbird seminar I learned that you can waypoint on one graph and the same point will show up on the other. However it won't save it to the second unit. It will disappear after you power off the units. To save it, you'd have to enter it manually, or save it to a SD car and transfer. I thought it would save to the second unit.
They are a little pricey but I used Transducer Shield and Saver mounts on the jackplate and trolling motor. They are good and sturdy and worth the investment.
All the ethernet is is a way to connect multiple units so they can share information such as use the same transducer, antenna, waypoints , etc.... You have to buy an ethernet hub which is Humminbirds Interlink, and the different components, graph, antennas, and so on plug into it. Then you have to go into the menu on the individual units and set the settings like: share waypoints, use antenna a, b, or c. Again, all it is is a device that allows the different components to link together so you can share things between units by way of an ethernet connection.
According to humminbird if both units are HD units all you need is the ethernet cable to share.
I have SI on both my jackplate and on my TM. I do like having it up front. Not useful all the time, but when fishing scattered rock for example (like east Pelee) I can see exact rock locations 30' away from me and hit them every time. If you turn fast it will blur, but if you hold it straight you get a good picture, or if you turn with even speed you can even "sweep" the area in front of you, similar to what the new HB 360 will do.
If I could only have SI in one spot i would put it on the console unit, but if you can swing both, why not?
My thoughts exactly on what a Si unit should do.
In my previous post I mentioned how a waypoint plotted at the dash will show up front if you have ethernet. It will not be saved to the front graph. It will however show up at the front if you have the dash unit on. So it doesn't save it to the front but will be there as long as you have the other unit powered up. So, you really don't lose the ability to have that waypoint on the front graph after shutting the front graph off. Clear as mud??? lol