Side scan explained (hopefully)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...042/creek1.jpg


This is what you see while running the unit. Top center is the boat location heading up. Everything below is behind the boat. Screen scrolls from the top down. The bottom of the screen is the furtherest behind. Whatever is shown in the dark blue area is directly below the boat. The lighter area is a birds eye view of the bottom out to the side.







http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...1042/demo1.jpg

This is the same image rotated and folded so it shows a better idea of the situation. The boat at top right, headed to the right with the blue area below and the lighter area out to the right side all the way to the creek bank. (The left side is hidden in this view.)

You very quickly adjust to the vertical format once you understand it. Also when you set the side scan to 50', for example, in 20' of water it will display 20' of blue + 30' of bottom for a total of 50'.

(Actually I turned the picture backwards accidentally but you get the idea)

Hey Ernest
Very good explanation. I have had mine for a year now but never had it explained like that. This may be a dumb question, but how do you determine the best range for a particular depth. Like maybe double your depth or maybe set the range at 1.5 the total average depth for the best reading.
Tim

I usually set it at about 3 times the average depth while searching and then narrow it down to get a better look at what I find.

I'm just learning too.

are you sure about subtracting the depth from your range?

Took mine out for first time today. Pretty amazing that on first trip not really knowing what to look for or what you're looking at or what to set anything to that right out of the box you can "see" a sunken boat, but I did. Can't wait to go back. I think I need to adjust trans. angle just a little because sonar returns are skippy. Any ideas?

Man I almost bought one this past weekend...Just couldn't do it... I don't fish tourment so I figured there was no point... And we have our first youngin on the way

Yes, pretty sure.

Try setting your range the same as your depth and see what you get. An all blue screen (the water column directly under the boat. Drive directly over a brush pile this way and it will knock your socks off. You see every detail and fish. I usually set the distance about twice the depth in case I miss the pile.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ERNEST PATY

Yes, pretty sure.

Try setting your range the same as your depth and see what you get. An all blue screen (the water column directly under the boat. Drive directly over a brush pile this way and it will knock your socks off. You see every detail and fish. I usually set the distance about twice the depth in case I miss the pile.

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Ernest is 100% Right If the SI is set at 30ft and your in 30ft of water you only see what is under the boat.
If I am running 20ft of water, I put my SI on 60ft and its perfect.
Thanks for that shot and the picture. It will help out a lot of people.
Pete

Thats a great explanation of SI, particularly for someone like me who has trouble operating a microwave.

Tweeked the transducer angle a little last night and maybe go try it today before bad weather hits. I'll let you all know. Thanks for clearing up setting the range because I knew every time that I bumped it up it got more white in the margin. Also, does it matter which slot you put sd card in? Hb didn't explain anything about sd except that it has slot. Not much info for someone who didn't know what sd card was until I bought this thing.

Do the 900 series SIs come with intrenal gps receiers.Or just the 797c2i SI combo do.

thanks for that info. I sure didn't know that depth was subtracted from the range. hadn't noticed it anyway. and I love the picture of the boat!!!!

Ernest, your not wearing a life jacket.

I need money! I want one!:eek:

Ernest have you ever thought about making a DVD with instructions on the 700/900 series? If it was half as good as your 101 DVD it would be great.

You'll find a lot of fall off of the signal past 120' to 150' where your image is dark off to the sides in shallower water. For general searching I set mine to that and then when I want more detail I mark the spot so I can cruise back in close with the sides set shorter. I'll even adjust it a second time from there. Earnst is right, some times you'll see more interesting detail if you can get the object in the water column but you have to find it first.
This is going to seem contour intuitive but in deeper water, 50 or 75 plus, I think you might get good side readings even further out cause of the geometry but I'm not going to go into it here.

WarrenMN

So your saying if i am in 17' of water,It should be set at 35' to 40'.

Yes or even 60'-70'. Just remember that the wider you set the scan the smaller the objects will be on the screen. Once you get used to the scale you should not have a problem.

Yes, I have considered doing a DVD on graph reading, and a lot will be SI use. Still in the planning stage.

Thank You Ernest.