The reason these two devices can have anglers scratching their heads is simple: a fish finder can do some of the work of a depth sounder, and a depth sounder can do some of the work of a fish finder
Can you use a fish finder as a depth finder?
A “depth finder” or “digital depth finder” is exactly that–a display of depth information A “fish finder” uses the same or similar transducer and actually gives a graphic, video image of the water and bottom under the boat, as well as several seconds or minutes history
Does a transducer measure depth?
The two most common settings for your depth sounder are to measure from the transducer ( factory default) or to set an offset that accounts for the depth of the transducer and shows you the depth from the water’s surface
What the difference between a sonar and a fish finder?
The difference between a fish finder and a Sonar While Fish Finders can detect echoes under the ship, Sonars can detect schools of fish all around the ship, making it one of the most efficient way to search for fish
Can I use my phone as a depth finder?
Navionics Boating Apps for Android version 43, includes the powerful SonarPhone feature enabling you to view a fishfinder split screen with Navionics charts Then simply connect wirelessly with T-BOX and the app automatically displays the live data Jan 28, 2015
Can I test a transducer in a bucket of water?
No, you can’t use a fish finder out of water, because the transducer is unable to send or receive sonar signals in air In other words, the transducer will not work outside of water, and needs to be properly submerged into water in order to function
Should transducer be submerged?
Note: the transducer must be submerged in water for reliable transducer detection Ensure the boat is in water greater than 2′ but less than the depth capability of the unit and the transducer is fully submerged Remember the sonar signal cannot pass through air
How does a depth transducer work?
The main component of a depth transducer is the piezo- ceramic element It is the part that converts electrical puls- es into sound waves, and when the echoes return, the piezoceramic element converts the sound waves back into electrical energy
Where does a depth finder measure from?
depth finder, also called echo sounder, device used on ships to determine the depth of water by measuring the time it takes a sound (sonic pulse) produced just below the water surface to return, or echo, from the bottom of the body of water
How do you measure water depth on a boat?
Reel the float all the way down to the sinker Once you have the float tight to the sinker on the bottom, slowly feed line off of your reel until you see the float on the surface The line distance that you had to feed off your reel before seeing the float is the depth of the water at the sinker
What does CHIRP do on a fish finder?
By covering a wide range of frequencies, CHIRP produces more accurate, more detailed returns of fish, structure and the bottom CHIRP stands for “Compressed High Intensity Radar Pulse” That’s a fancy way of saying it can show you fish that other forms of 2D sonar can’t
Is CHIRP better than sonar?
CHIRP fishfinders transmit a longer pulse than traditional sonar, putting more energy into the water column, with a true broadband frequency range of up to 117kHz A traditional sonar transmits about one percent of the time, but CHIRP sonars transmit ascending pulses that are ten times as long in duration
Do fish finders actually show fish?
A fish finder is an extremely effective tool that will allow you to see fish and structure you never knew were there; however, one small misstep in the buying process can make your new device ineffective and, at times, unusable
Can you use a tablet as a fish finder?
Download the free SonarPhone app and connect with the T-Box, and your smartphone or tablet becomes a fish finder The app allows you to connect wirelessly with a Wi-Fi-enabled sonar source such as a Raymarine Wi-Fish, Lowrance HDS Gen3 display or SonarPhone
Can you use an iPad as a fish finder?
Just connect via Wi-Fi and Boating automatically displays the sonar data Any Navionics Boating app for iPhone or iPad, updated to version 73 or higher, includes the SonarPhone feature To see a demo, go to Menu>Charts&Upgrades and click SonarPhone
Is there a fish finder app for your phone?
FISHSMART™ APP This free iOS and Android app allows you to purchase, download and view 2,200+ LakeMaster HD maps on your smartphone or tablet It displays your real-time location via GPS, so you can mark waypoints, routes and tracks
Can a transducer shoot through plastic?
Mounting a transducer inside of your kayak is fine Transducers can “shoot” through the plastic as long as there isn’t an air space between the transducer and plastic
How do you test a transducer at home?
How do you check a fish finder transducer? The first thing you can do to test if your transducer is working is to turn it on and touch its surface You should be able to feel the sound pulses as vibrations, and often you can also hear them as clicking sounds
Can you mount a transducer too low?
A transducer placed too low in the water will cause water to flow over the top of the transducer creating a rooster tail and creating air bubbles that will travel over the bottom of the transducer Using a transducer mounting plate makes this easy to do 5) Avoid mounting the transducer on the port side of the boat
What angle should my transducer be at?
The transducer should be mounted nose-up about three degrees in relation to the plane of the hull bottom Sometimes a transducer mounted parallel with the hull bottom also works fine, but even the slightest nose-down angle can cause turbulence or cavitation that kills performance
Are depth finder transducers interchangeable?
Despite the transducer being old there is a chance it may be the same frequency as the new depth sounder If it’s a 200Khz transducer it will likely work with Raymarine and some others that are 200Khz The transducer frequency must match that of the display head to make it work
Can a transducer shoot through fiberglass?
In-hull transducers need solid fiberglass at the mounting location; no foam or plywood coring material, or air pockets A typical 600W transducer can transmit through 1/2″ to 5/8″ (12mm to 16mm) of fiberglass To install inside a cored hull, find a location with no coring or remove the core material