Printable View
Just installed H10 SI. Really kinda lost with where to start. Looking for instruction or operational PDF's or YouTube videos that teach how to use rather than promote these units. I upgraded from an Eagle FishMark so I have lots to learn. Just trying to reduce the learning curve any any help/suggestions appreciated!
Thanks!
Ha ha ha... I am also interested... I went from the Eagle Fishmark to a Helix 7si.
Great units ..but it will take some time us both to master
the screens and what not.
Just google Doug Vahrenberg you tubes for helix units. Also go over to BBC board. These units work really good right out of the box.
I ordered this "cheat sheet" for my Helix units was big help
http://www.technologicalangler.com/h...nce-cards-onix
There are a number of guides who will tailor a trip in your boat with your electronics to teach you how to use your units. One of the biggest things is that the newer units are capable of much more than we actually use. A guide who specializes in your brand - HB in this case - can hide the screens that are of no interest to you and then show you how to set up and read the screens that are. Here in West Kentucky I know we have two that offer this service for HB and one that does it for Lowrance. While their services are not cheap, I believe it is worth it to get the most out of a large ($ wise) investment.
There may be others also in the area of which I am not aware. Check you local shop that sells your specific unit and ask if the service is available.
Rickie (rnvinc) offers on-the-water-in-your-boat lessons on Humminbirds. The $$ spent will come back to you several times over in the knowledge you will acquire.
If it came with CD, like my Helix 5 unit, I took the CD to Office Max and had a manual printed. Black and white was 15.00, or just print the pages you need. I have had very little time or good weather to view mine on the water.
Lots of reading on these boards and lots of time on the water is the only answer. Playing with the fishfinder constantly and trying all the options while on the water or in simulation mode is a huge help. You'll be surprised how quickly you will understand all the menus.
These setting will pretty well get you set up and going, they did for me anyway.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e6...ps4xcuozrw.jpg
First off.. I don't recommend letting someone charge you, to help you learn your unit. U less you think that's the only way for you. It's really not that co complicated. For side imaging, just leave the unit on 455khz.As far as the scroll speed, matching boat speed, well just leave that alone to. I've never ever seen the need to go lower than 3,on scroll speed. Try not to turn your sensitivity up to much. By turning the sensitivity up. It makes the screen brighter, but you will not see the bottom structure/shadows, as well. Down imaging, on a side scan unit, isn't all that great. I recommend a down imaging unit for that. But if you want to torment yourself, trying to use the si unit for di, then I recommend to use only the 455khz for this and definitely, don't slow the scroll speed down, while viewing di. If your scanning a hard bottom, you'll get much clearer/stronger returns. Soft bottom, will not look near as good. If you see something on si. Mark it and go to get a closer look. If you see Rf noise while running other electrical equipment. Read about ways to fix it, here or over at BBC boards. (don't run your unit with Rf noise going on. That will just make your fishing days miserable) subscribe to Doug Vahrenberg utube Chanel. All info is free. Just don't slow your scroll speed down and don't pay for on the water help, unless you really think there's no other way.Quote:
Originally Posted by scrat
Good info, guys.
I have to admit the DI on an SI unit is pretty much worthless, just turn it off or leave a split screen with 2d and di available just for comparison. Not sure why I get such clear detailed SI views but computer generated DI is so poor. If they would just pick a side from Si and flip it the DI would be 10 times better.
Yes and no. Somebody suggested, what your referring to. Flipping, the two si views to show which si view the structure was on, left or right. Seems like e everybody, disagreed with him. Actually, (imo) his ideal is better than the blended ideal.your si isn't any clearer or better. What's happening is what's actually in the DI view is to week of a return, to give your unit the ability to display it clearly. The better di images that you see, will generally be off to one side or the other. (so really, the to downward turned si views would be better. For some reason, most people say that it's because two views are blended, that's causing an issue, but really it's just to weak of return that's the issue.(the 455khz will overlap better than the 800 kHz. This is why I don't recommend using the 800khz from a SI unit, for your di)Quote:
Originally Posted by Zippy
GO FIND A BRUSH PILE AND THROW OUT A MARKER ON IT THEN GO OVER IT ,STOP SCREEN AND ADJUST TILL IT LOOKS AS GOOD AS YOU CAN GET IT,NOW PASS IT AGAIN AT ABOUT 10 FEET TO ONE SIDE,THEN PASS IT AT 20 FEET AND GET A MENTAL PIC OF WHAT YOU ARE SEEING ,THEN DO IT AT 30 FEET KEEPING SI IN A SHORT RANGE LIKE ABOUT 50 FEET EVEN USE ONE SIDE OF IT,NOW GO BY IT SEVERAL TIMES FROM OTHER DIRECTIONS ,STOP AND GET MENTAL PIC OF WHAT U ARE SEEING. KEEP THIS UP UNTIL U CAN GET IT IN YOUR MIND AS TO WHAT U ARE SEEING. DON'T BE LOOKING FOR THOSE PIC PERFECT VIEWS ON SI ,THOSE PIC ARE RARE,THE MACHINE IS TELLING U MORE THAN U THINK BUT U MUST ADJUST YOUR EYES AND MIND TO WHAT IT IS TELLING U,LIKE A DOCTOR LOOKING AT WHAT I WOULD CALL A SCRAMBLE PIC BUT HE WOULD TELL U WHAT WAS WRONG WITH U BECAUSE HE TRAIN HIMSELF TO LEARN WHAT HIS UNIT WAS TELLING HIM,NOW ARE U WILLING TO LEARN?
Good advice. Thank you!
Cannot speak for what works for others. But from teaching others about computers I learned this. If shown how to do by others the lesson is soon forgot. If it it learned by self instruction it never leaves ones memory.
I used to fish with a guy that bought the most expensive GPS/FF combo he could find. For sport fishing he was employing something you would only see on a commercial fishing rig. During an outing he revealed that he just left everything in the " auto " setting. Spending about 15 minutes with the settings I set it up much better than the "auto " settings. The improvement was dramatic. Next trip with him I noticed all the settings were back to "auto ". His explanation was it was just too confusing to him.
He was just too lazy to learn. He tried to make up for that defect by spending piles of money on his equipment. Needless to say this process never did one thing to improve his fishing acumen. He has since moved and we no longer fish together. I would venture to guess if we ever did happen to go out on his boat in the future.
I would bet the ranch that things won't have changed much if at all. Big shiny head turning boat and rig. Biggest baddest most expensive FF custom in dash installation and not a clue as how to operate the thing.