Humminbird 346c DI

My garmin 140 died on my last trip and i am needing to replace it. I seen the humminbird 346c down image at a local store for $260 and was wondering if it was a decent unit or anyone have any better ideas? Not looking to spend over $300. Also I have a eagle 320 on the TM which does a pretty good job, would you switch the units and have the down image on the TM and use the eagle on the transom to locate structure while idling around the lake? Or would I be better off putting the down image on the transom? Thanks for any advice..

346c DI :: Humminbird :: Down Imaging™

The DI and 2D sonar should be the same as in the other DI units from Humminbird with the only difference being the size of the screen.

get the biggest screen you can afford to be able to see the detail from the DI, as the DI shows fish as white dots, not an arch or fish symblol, just a white dot.

Greg.... This thread would be a good opportunity for information regarding the 346c DI advertised feature of being able to "turn off the 2d sonar while in full DI mode to allow twice the number of DI pings"...

While its understandable that more DI pings could plot a more detailed DI image...how does the 346 obtain it's depth reading if the unit is shutting off the 200kHz 2d beam..??

Rickie

Rickie,
It’s pretty simple really: the DI model units are unique (for our products at least) in that they use the DI sonar beams to determine water depth when in shallow type waters (though I do not know at what water depth the unit switches back to the 200kHz 2D sonar for this).

Thanks for the input I'm sure with my budget the smaller screen will do. Now for my second question. I usually idle around looking for new brushpiles with the transom mounted fishfinder and use the trolling motor unit to make sure I stay on the brush. So would I be better off putting the DI unit on the transom since It will be the one I will be using while moving the most? Thanks

It's important to realize (and you probably already do) that the 2d sonar beams are cone shaped and the DI sonar beams are thin slices....

http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/r...c/45c336a5.jpg

A discernible DI image is plotted onto the display by pinging a "new" slice of water at each ping of the sonar and then stacking those pings onto the display to "build" the DI image....therefore moving would be the optimum use of DI...

(this is not to say that DI cannot be used stationary but the DI image would be more of target echoes stretched across the screen because the the unit would be pinging the exact same slice of water each time...)

A lot of vertical jiggers use the DI to travel completely over the structure to "paint" a discernible DI image, and then reposition the boat to vertical jig with 2d or a buoy marker tossed over the structure...

Rickie

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Humminbird_Greg

Rickie,
It’s pretty simple really: the DI model units are unique (for our products at least) in that they use the DI sonar beams to determine water depth when in shallow type waters (though I do not know at what water depth the unit switches back to the 200kHz 2D sonar for this).

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Interesting...

Rickie

Thanks guys, exactly the information I was looking for.:biggrin

I've been looking at this model and don't like it's rather narrow 2d sonar coverage. 28 degrees @ 200khz....

Narrow beam gives better detail