Multiple transducers for a Hummingbird 998c?

[Fancy Seats]

I have a 998c mounted up front on my stick steer boat with the transducer on the rear transom. I am interested in mounting another transducer up front to make it easier to jig fish sunken brush with more accuracy. Thinking about mounting an old trolling motor shaft near my seat with another transducer. Is it possible to switch between transducers? I don't think it is wise to mount a transducer for side imaging on the trolling motor?

Any suggestions would be helpful.

[CrappiePappy]

Fancy ... check this out : Amazon.com: Humminbird Transducer Switch TS3: Sports & Outdoors

It says it will work with a 998c SI unit.

You may also want to read thru this : Transducer Switch will DAMAGE your unit!!!! and see if your setup would be affected by the addition of a "switch box".

I have no experience with HB/SI units, and only found this info thru Google. You may want to talk to HumminbirdGreg (site member) or the Humminbird Service people ... before proceeding.

... cp

[Humminbird_Greg]

Fancy,
It is possible to switch between transducers even with the Si units. Rethink the non-Si transducer up front as you can set the unit to display only one side of the Si sonar and than rotate the transducer and use it like an underwater spotlight.

I’ve spoken to one of our Design Engineers as well as one of our R&D Engineers. There should not be a problem with using the Transducer Switch (TS2-W or new TS-3) with one of the Si units. Even if you are switching between a Si and 2D only transducer.

[Fancy Seats]

Thanks Greg, you are very helpful as always. If I go with a transducer on the trolling motor which one do you recommend for SI and or just 2d? Also, is there a port on the back of the unit for another transducer connection? I suppose the switch you mentioned above will work on the 2d and di?

[Humminbird_Greg]

Fancy Seats,
Personally I would use the big HDSi transducer, but than I seem to spend more time fooling around with the sonar versus fishing… You need to decide if having Si sonar up front will be helpful to you or not and whether it is worth the extra money that the HDSi transducer will cost you.

No, there is only one transducer connection on the back of the 998c Si unit.

Yes the TS3 Transducer Switch will work for all of the sonar.

[rnvinc]

This is an option for mounting the xducer at the front of the boat without mounting it to the TM...

http://www.crappie.com/crappie/spons...ideas-com.html

[Fancy Seats]

Greg,

I'm going to order the big HDSI transducer for the trolling motor. Want to be sure I order the right one. What is the model number??

[Humminbird_Greg]

That depends on how you want to mount the transducer to the trolling motor. We sell a trolling motor version of the HDSi transducer but it is the same as the transom mount version but comes with our trolling motor adapter bracket. It works but there are aftermarket companies that sell adapter brackets for the trolling motor that also help protect the transducer. So if you fish around structure that you sometimes bump into it may be best to look at getting the transom mount version HDSi transducer plus one of their protective adapters. Considering the cost of one of the HDSi transducers the protective type trolling motor adapter brackets could be well worth the cost.

Transom mount version: XHS-9-HDSi-180-T
Trolling Motor mount version: XTM-9-HDSi-180-T

Companies that sell protective adapter trolling motor adapter brackets:
Transducer Shield & Saver Transducer Shield and Saver - See More Fish, Catch More Fish! - TM-HDsi

Transducer Armor Transducer Armor :: Home of the "Wee Vee" Guard :: Protection for your transducer

Raptor Raptor TransMount

[Fancy Seats]

Greg,

I am going to go with the XHS-9-HDSI-180T, the TS3 switch and the transducer shield and saver.

I will probably spend all my time playing with this thing and not fishing.

I think having the transducer on the trolling motor will be handy and will help me fish brush more accurately and will find some interesting spots to fish while watching the H-bird while spider rigging!!!

Thanks for the help!!