Old icefishing flashers

[rickl1968]

I have an old portable Hummingbird flasher that runs on a 12v battery aren't these the same as the new ones? I know there are some differences with the led's and the transducers but dont they do the same thing....but cheaper?

[bobbymalone]

just throwing a guess out there, but i suspect they don't have the sensitivity to see things like fish and jigs and are more just for telling you how deep the water is.

[Jim Uran]

I'd say they would get the job done!!!

[Mr. Wizard]

Look at the power output on it. If it's less than 800W it's not going to do what our vexliars do. My guess is that it's around 200-250W and it will pick up "big" fish in "shallow" water.

[minneman]

just for comparison vexilars Power output: 400 watts peak-to-peak (50 watts RMS)

[lovebigbluegills]

I used to do pretty well with my old green box.

[Mr. Wizard]

mman's right on the 400W for the vex. I just checked it out online. I just assumed it was the same as the Lowrance I use which is 800W. Maybe that's why I think I can see better with it than the vexlars or maybe it's just because I'm used to mine. I don't remember ever "seeing" a fish on the old Green Box,I was just happy to not be finding the depth at 6' intervals by stretching my arms out as I dropped the anchor.

[Ed Carlson]

I have an old portable Hummingbird flasher that runs on a 12v battery aren't these the same as the new ones? I know there are some differences with the led's and the transducers but dont they do the same thing....but cheaper?

If it is operating properly, and in good condition, it will work.

The trick is to rig the ducer so it will read level. With the absence of a self leveling ice-ducer the old standby is to rig up an arm with the hi-speed ducer at the bottom with a tiny level glued to the top so you can get a level read on the target fishing area below. You can skip the level and just calibrate it upon your jig...but that is often a hassle to do.

[rickl1968]

Thanks Guys

I normally don't use fish finders in the winter, because I usally scout out the areas in the summer. I was given this flasher by a friends dad and thought it might work for me. I am normally one of those guys that go fishing and catches all the fish even when my buddies surround my holes.

But, I have been looking around on this site and reading the reviews of others. The new Hummingbirds sound pretty nice, for when I decide to wander out of my usual spots.

Thanks

[Hawg]

I don't think it has anything to do with the power, the technolegy is just lightyears superior.

[motley man]

Still have one of my own, that I use alot in the winter. It works great to find depth without drilling, and does pick up fish pretty good. Not a Marcum or Vexilar but still does it. What the heck did we do back when?????

[Shack]

I don't think it has anything to do with the power, the technolegy is just lightyears superior.

Basically they are the same concept/principle, but with added features like zoom, color(s), interference rejection, more watts (Marcum is around 2000-2500 watts).

I had one of the older Humminbird Silent Sixty flashers. After I had got it, I had Action Fish Electronics in Anoka MN do a tune up on it. After this, the only difference from my LX-5 was the lack of zoom, multiple colors, and the super-duper fine line the LX-5 displays when the feature is activated. Besides that, the flasher showed my jig as a fine little yellow bar (in 2' or 20' fow) and fish as a little bigger yellow bar.

[mikemac]

I guess that I am a little old school, but I still use a Eagle Silent Sixty by Lowrance. It was handed down to me from my dad. He got it in the 80's. We used to use it in the old backbreaker Lund with a suction cup mount on the transducer and the portable box with 2-6 volt batterys. Really never saw fish, just depth. To update it so I could use it, I mounted it to a Genz Blue Box with a 12 volt battery. Rigged up a arm to mount to the Blue Box and put a bubble level on the transducer. I still use the suction cup mount when going to Canada and use a cabin boat, but I mostly use it in the winter. It really puts out the power at 200 watts peak to peak. I am sure that that was huge at the time, but when I use it on the ice, if I have it turned way up, I can see my crappie jig and splitshot in 30 feet of water. I can also see crappie and sunfish swim right up to the jig and I can also see what I think is air bubbles start at the bottom and go all the way to the top. All red display on the lines, no fancy colors or zoom. Still works for me.

On a side note I just upgraded from a Kluge ice auger (really old school) to another brand. And if you were wondering, I don't line up the 2 large oak trees with the green house on the west shoreline, I am high tech now with a GPS. I guess that I just enjoy using stuff that my dad used to use.

[Hawg]

If we want to get technical, I can't remember all of Physics class but isn't it impossible to get 2500 watts of power from a 12 volt battery? OK techies whats the formula?

[JCR]

If it was 2500" continuous it would be, however the 2500 watt rating is only for a very short period of time, corresponding to the short "ping" the unit sends out. The continuous power usage is many times less, probably around 25 watts.

[Hawg]

The point I want to make is-don't believe all the souped up power ratings these companies claim. It's voo doo math. I have a super 60 and a 2330,as well as a couple early(X5)graphs, and none of them work for much more than depth thru the ice. In a pinch use them but they are in no way comparable to the cheapest Vexilar or Bird. Just my opinion though.

[LightningBG]

How about some pictures of the old beasts?

Here is the oldest I have. Never been used, still in the original box. Also have an old Micronar in the arsenal.

[deadeye]

Thats awesome.

[mikemac]

Oh my gosh!!! That Green Box is beautiful. I have never seen one in that condition. How old is it and where did you get it? I would bet that Lowrance would love to have it on display. Thank you for posting the photo!!! What is a Micronar? I don't know that I have ever seen one. Is it a flasher from the same era?

[LightningBG]

Micronar is a flasher (I have a FL-8). Same as a Vexilar. Looks identical at least.

Here is what they say on the Vex HSOforum:

Q: I have a SiTex, Micronar, or Hondex FL-8. Is that your product too?

A: Vexilar was not involved with the FL-8 before 1990. Any product manufactured under the other names was not made by us, nor did we "buy out" those manufacturers. We can, however, provide parts and service for all of the older FL-8 models.

I got the green box from my grandma. She bought it for my Grandpa in the early 80's. He never wanted it, never used it. When they heard I was in the market for a new flasher a couple years ago they sent it to me. I've never used it. Still has the original box and receipts. Looks like it came from a place in Alexandria. They shipped it to an implement dealer in IA for my grandma.

[Shack]

mikemac, you are right. I had a Humminbird Super 60. I also had an Eagle Silent Sixty. Did exactly the same thing for ice fishing as you did.

I am not sure of the exact number, but I would assume an New LX-5 is around 250 watts (RMS), but 2500 watts watts peek to peek when operating around the 12v mark.

[Mr. Wizard]

I'm trying to let some of this go but HAWG's "VooDoo math" comment is killing me. The formulas are quite complicated so now there will be falacies in these generalizations. It's not uncommon to find sonars now with upwards of 4000W of output. BUT that's at the top of the sine curve (it's really square) on the ping. RMS is for "Root Mean Square" which is a calculation of a lot of flucuating values over that power curve. Now the improvements in sonars is certainly not just because of increased power, and I agree, to an extent, that the target defination and other electronic features are just as important, if not more so than the peak power. But I'd compare the Green Box to and old black and white TV on rabbit ears. It would work but there are better options!