Fishfinder - repeater and linking?

[CharlesM]

Hello all

Following on the thread on Fisfinder vs Echo Sounder....

Consensus is FF much better buy.

Now, can one link a repearer to the fishfinder - at least to indicate the depth at the Nav stn?

Thanks
Charles

 

[bruce]

not an option on any i have seen, but are cheap enough to mount more than one.

 

[CharlesM]

not sure about mounting dual depth sounders, or at least operating 2 depth sounders at the same time...

Have seen a previously accurate echo sounder suddenly tell us we have 99 meters in the marina when a fishfinder was switched on.

Might find 2 ff interfering with each other.

Also, at about £100 (min) a pop I dont feel I wish to mount duplicates... especially if I am in the process of replacing all the nav instruments...

Later
Charles

 

[bruce]

i wouldn't put 2 in either, you might put a 3 position switch on transducer and 2 outputs and add second head or base and move head as needed.

 

[philip_stevens]

Have a look at the Navman range of Fishfinders. I have one that has NMEA output. The model I have is the colour Fish 4380, that will also send info to the Navman 5500 chartplotter.

The 4380 has a log impeller transducer and sounder transducer, so you can get boat speed and depth from the one unit. The same model can be fitted with a transom mount all-in-one transducer.

regards,
Philip


www.stiveswebdesign.co.uk

 

[duncan]

I'm with the NMEA route but you may need to get a combined plotter/sonar unit for this.
However that's not necessarily a problem - spare GPS built in and you can show fullscreen sonar. Best buy currently is Walmart mailorder in the US doing an Eagle unit at 169 dollars - and it's even dual frequencyand a high resolution 16 grey screen!
Re more than one transducer/unit this really isn't a problem providing they aren't right next to each other on the hull. I have 3 within 3 feet in my hull and have ever experienced interference. If in doubt post a query with either Garmin, Lowrance or Hummingbird and their techies will confirm. Charter boats and US competition fishing craft can have quite a few running at the same time!
BTW as mentioned before the Eagle/Lowrance units will give you a 'free' digital voltmeter as well - just ask the unit to overlay the voltage data on the active screen.
You can have just as much fun with these unitsw as a chartplotter...........

sorry that's not a combined plotter unit - naughty me. Stick to 2 units like these cheap as chips .