Suggestions for mounting a 2nd fish finder

[rws77]

I recently purchased an '05 Tracker Pro-Guide V16 which came equipped with a Lowrance x37 mounted on the console. I was considering upgrading to something a little better on the console and moving the x37 to the bow, with the transducer mounted on the trolling motor. My questions are...

1. Would i experience interference with having 2 different locators ( possibly different brands? ) on the boat?

2. Will I experience interference from the trolling motor from mounting the transducer on it? ( i've read some reports of this which has me concerned... )

I'm not looking to upgrade to anything too fancy at this point. I have a handheld Garmin GPS with the lakemaster maps on it, so I'm not really looking to upgrade to a GPS unit at this point. The side and down scan sonars look pretty nice, but too spendy at this point. My main objective is to have something up front so I don't have to constantly wonder what's happening down there, or ask my wife every 2 minutes what the depth is while she's relaxing in the back. I thought if I could simply upgrade my console unit, and move the x37 to the front, it would be my best bet for what i'm trying to achieve.

Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[PerchJerker]

1. You'll get interference between your units when the water is deep enough for the transducer cones to overlap. Typically this is in about 30 fow but it depends on various things like bottom content and transducer mounting angles. One way around this is to get a unit that works on dual frequencies, and if you set each unit to different frequencies you will avoid the interference.

2. Mounting a transducer on a trolling motor should not give you any interference. On my own boat I have my transducer mounted to my trolling motor. The real key is powering the unit off your starting battery and not off your trolling motor batteries, and having good grounds for each set of batteries.

3. When you say x37, are you referring to the LCX-37c, the 8 inch color unit? If so, it will take a pretty nice unit to be an upgrade to that. It really depends on how you like to fish and where you spend most of your time in the boat, but maybe you should consider leaving the 37c on your console and using your Garmin up front and adding a sonar up front? Or if you spend most of your time fishing in the front of the boat, then maybe moving the 37c to the front is the best way to go. Either way, I'd buy a LakeMaster or Nav card for the 37c so you can take full advantage of it. You don't even need to buy new, there's usually used map cards available for about half-price.

Hope this helps and good luck.

[Nick Kuhn]

The x37 is a unit specific to Tracker boats and is as basic of a fishfinder as you are going to find (pretty much the x50ds with only 1 sonar frequency). The one on my boat was a total POS, would read depth maybe 50% of the time regardless of the settings I used. Then after about 2.5 years the thing just died altogether, wouldn't even turn on. It has since been replaced.

[solbes]

I have an X-50ds that is not fancy at all, but works great for my type of fishing on the bow. I just looked up the X-37TX. Same case as the X-50ds but with lower pixel count 128x64 screen and 800 watt peak to peak. Runs on a 200 kHz freq.

Main issue with using the 37 is the lower power, but if you're mainly looking for bottom depth and not trying to find fish right on the bottom or in the weeds, it should work fine. I would try and find a console unit which is dual freq, usually they are 200/83. If you ran your console unit at 83, you would not get interference. Running at 83 Khz will show differences though.

I'd look for something on a console unit that has the following things:

- Dual Freq

- 320 pixels vertical min, 480 would be better

- At least 1500 watt peak to peak min, 2400+ better

- Color if possible.

Should be units around $230-350 that meet those criteria. I think that type of unit would be a big upgrade over what you currently have. Humminbird 586c is on the upper end $350. An Eagle Fishmark 500c is on lower end (on sale at Reeds right now for cheap), but is single freq @ 200 khz. Garmin 400c is also another option, and has really high power.

[rws77]

Yeah, the one I have is the POS that Nick mentions. From the amount i've used it so far, it seems to mark depth and fish fairly well, which is basically all i'm looking for upfront, but you're right, it's pretty basic, and the resolution sucks.

So if I understand correctly, as long as I were to get a dual frequency unit on the console, I should at least be able to set it to the opposite frequency to avoid interference?

I also have a Marcum LX-3 flasher for ice fishing. I know they make a transducer puck for this that can mount on a trolling motor. I briefly thought about mounting this up front too, seeing as all i'm interested in is basic depth and fish marking, but i'm not really sure where to begin with this, or whether they make some type of boat mount for the flasher itself. If anyone has any input on that, feel free to share.

[solbes]

Yup, setting to opposite frequencies would avoid interference. Another trick is to adjust the ping speed on the console unit to be slower, but usually you need a higher model unit to be able to adjust that.

An LX-3 is a sweet unit, lots of power and resolution. I would go that route if possible. I know a lot of guys do run them in the boat, but am unfamiliar with how to set it up for use in soft water.

[Sherpa]

Solbes mentioned the Garmin 400c. I just bought one and installed it this year. I absolutely love it. I mark way more fish than before with my older finder and the bottom detail is great. I have the dual beam not the dual frequency model. The dual beam is 3200 watts peak to peak and the dual frequency is 4000. I"m sure that I am biased because It's the unit I bought. But looking at the specs for the other ones mentioned I would probably make the same decision. I'm sure all of them would be great to have in your boat though. By the way I found mine online for just under $300.

[solbes]

I had Garmin 240 B&W which I sold on my last boat. Loved that thing, never even had a hiccup. Showed thermocline as clear as day and never hunted for the bottom. Technology kinda passed the unit by, but it seems like a really solid brand.

[Ed Carlson]

Solbes mentioned the Garmin 400c. I just bought one and installed it this year. I absolutely love it. I mark way more fish than before with my older finder and the bottom detail is great. I have the dual beam not the dual frequency model. The dual beam is 3200 watts peak to peak and the dual frequency is 4000. I"m sure that I am biased because It's the unit I bought. But looking at the specs for the other ones mentioned I would probably make the same decision. I'm sure all of them would be great to have in your boat though. By the way I found mine online for just under $300.

Garmin makes very high performing sonar units, and are top of my list for sonar/GPS combo's. Very smart units and very easy to use, and they paint true sonar readings that will omit or add nothing erroneous to highlight targets.

If you recently or have bought a Garmin 400, 500, or 7000 series Sonar or GPS combo, check the web site at Garmin for new enhancements and downloads that will update Garmin mapping and LakeMaster mapping capability's, a new update is just out.

[Rippin_eyes]

If you buy any of the HDS it will hook right into you 37 connections.... and you can share WP via the NEMA and sonar via the ENET