Thread: Best FF I can get for $350 or less

Need ideas on best depth finder that I can purchase for $350 or less....any good deals right now? When's the best time of year to purchase depth finder?

For the best deal anywhere check with our sponsors. They have the best prices.

check at BBG Marine

Originally Posted by "G"

check at BBG Marine

Call Brian at BBG. (888-570-0916) He is one of our sponsors and a top notch fellow to deal with. Ask about the new Humminbird Helix models that are just coming out. They are really value priced for all the features they have and Brian will beat most anybody on price including the big box stores.
Good luck.

"Best" is a relative term, that means absolutely nothing unless comparing two near exact objects.

That being said, you'd need to know what capabilities a unit must have ... that's in that price range. And to know that, you'd need to determine how you were going to use the unit, what fishing methods were going to be used, and what capabilities of the unit would be the biggest help factor.

Once you determine that ... and/or have some units in mind ... then I'd check on both of the classifieds forums to see if any of those particular units are available.

... cp

I am waiting to see how the new Helix units are but this a really good unit in your price range. Yes they have fixed the problem they had reading Navonics on the GPS.
bbgmarine

Originally Posted by cray

I am waiting to see how the new Helix units are but this a really good unit in your price range. Yes they have fixed the problem they had reading Navonics on the GPS.
bbgmarine

This is also an excellent unit. I paid way more than this for mine. Lowrance swapped mine out before they fixed the problem. but this is a heck of a unit for the price. The graphics are excellent and keep in mind, this unit has DI and 2D which is really good to put side be side on the screen to help interpret what you are seeing.

I have the HDS 7 touchscreen which is also a good unit. It is the one they swapped out to me because the transducer and all mounts were the same so all I had to do was unplug and plug in new one. I had to pay some difference but Lowrance really stepped up to the service issue and I am loving this unit.

I am leaning toward saying this is a better deal(Elite7HDI) than the new HB Helix at this price. I think I paid nearly $600 for this unit when it first came out.

Originally Posted by SeaRay

This is also an excellent unit. I paid way more than this for mine. Lowrance swapped mine out before they fixed the problem. but this is a heck of a unit for the price. The graphics are excellent and keep in mind, this unit has DI and 2D which is really good to put side be side on the screen to help interpret what you are seeing.

I have the HDS 7 touchscreen which is also a good unit. It is the one they swapped out to me because the transducer and all mounts were the same so all I had to do was unplug and plug in new one. I had to pay some difference but Lowrance really stepped up to the service issue and I am loving this unit.

I am leaning toward saying this is a better deal(Elite7HDI) than the new HB Helix at this price. I think I paid nearly $600 for this unit when it first came out.

does that unit you listed in the link have gps and chartplotter? im not seeing it anywhere

2d broadband sonar is the old format sonar that sends the sonar ping/signal down in a cone shape.
Depending on the degree of the signal, you get a wider shaped cone and therefore greater coverage area. A 20deg cone angle signal will show a circle on the bottom that is 1/3 as wide as the depth of water ... so in 21ft of water the cone will be 7ft wide on the bottom. A 60deg cone angle will show the same width of the circle as the depth ... so at 21ft deep, the cone circle on the bottom will be 21ft wide. But, you have to understand the shape of a cone is /\ so it's not going to cover/show as much in the upper portion ^ as it does in the bottom portion.
Also of note : a 2d screen image is going to look like a "finger painting" compared to a DI screen image, which will look much more like a photographic image.

DI signals are not circular or cone shaped, like a 2d signal ... they are oblong fan shaped signals that are only a few degrees thick (~6deg front to back) but extend out at greater angles than a 2d cone. The 800kHz signal is 45degs to each side, while the 455kHz signal is 75degs to each side. They're somewhat like SI sonar signals, except they do not extend to 90degs on each side, like the SI signal does.

This chart will give you an idea of shape & coverage area/angle of the different sonar types :

newDIbeams.png Photo by kosmo012 | Photobucket

... cp

I just upgraded to a lowrance elite 4 hdi and love it . dual band color sonar with down imaging all for under $ 200