What major changes has Vexilar taken from the FL-8 to the FL-22

[peterson999]

I bought a FL-8se® Genz Pack, in about 2006. When I bought it, I didn't do any research. I was headed to URL for a weekend, and I needed a Vexilar. I have never had any problems with my FL-8, it still works great. But, I am always looking to stay up to date with technology. So I went to Vexilar's HSOforum. As far as technology goes the FL-22, does exactly what the FL-8. The main difference is the FL-22 had a LCD screen. Is there something major that I am missing here?

[My_Key]

I'm not a Vex expert, but I believe it has zoom, dual beam sonar and a low power mode. You get ALL THAT for the extra $200

[hawkeye43]

Its a 3 beam transducer, 6 and 12 zoom

[HANS76]

The zoom is off the hook! couldnt fish without it.

[peterson999]

The zoom is off the hook! couldnt fish without it.

So what does zoom do exactly? Is the new transducer compatible with all FL transducers?

[Big "T"]

The zoom lets you see just the bottom 6 or 12 feet.

[Wimbie]

It has the tri beam transducer, makin your cone a 19, 12, or 9 degrees. It also has the bottom 12 and 6 foot zoom. It's HD, and the target seperation is 1/2" instead of just about 2" like the rest of the models.

[Esox_Magnum]

!/2" ID not speration 2 totaly different things. All but the 22's have a 2.68" seperation, never have got an honest answer on the 22 yet but hear it's roughly around 1.5"

Take an 8 put a flatscreen on it add a tri beam, give it a little better seperation ( not close to 1/2") and you have a 22

[rkpolaris]

The Zoom feature is the top selling point on the newer models. Thats the main difference from The fl-8 and 18, 20 and 22

[Wimbie]

When you can put 3 split shots on a line half an inch apart and see each one, isn't that seperation? Mr. Know it all Marcum Rep.?

[Esox_Magnum]

When you can put 3 split shots on a line half an inch apart and see each one, isn't that seperation? Mr. Know it all Marcum Rep.?

Not a rep for anyone, but I did stay in a Holiday Inn Express once.....

[My_Key]

The zoom is either the bottom 6 or 12 ft? So if I'm in 45fow and the fish are suspended in the water column around 25 ft, it does me no good? How is that any better than the zoom they had on the fl-20? And it's HD? As in High Def? So they 'improved' the resolution of the spinning disc?

[slurpie]

Good one ESOX The difference is 8 to the twelve you get a flat screen. 8 to 18 you get zoom same screen. 8 to 20 flat screen and zoom flat screen and night and day option. never had a need for a middle column zoom if bottom 12 did not do it i use in regular mode and catch fish just fine.

[Beast26]

Wow, some in here are biased obviously. Not naming any names.

The FL8, still have my old one as a spare, is pretty basic and doesn't have any bells and whistles on it.

The FL-18 is pretty much the same but it has the zoom feature.

The FL-20, which I own, has the zoom feature (bottom 6-12 feet only), day/night backlit, flat screen readout, battery life indicator. I personally use the zoom about 100% of the time and love it. I also find the new screen 100% easier to read.

The FL22 is pretty much the same but I believe it has the 3 different cone angles and I think, correct me if I am wrong allows you to zoom into any portion of the water column?

[dougger222]

I have all of them less the FL12. The new 22 won't allow you to move your zoom throughout the water column, your stuck to the bottom 6 or 12 feet.

You can interchange the new tri beam with all vexilar models and it looks like Vex is making a move to only produce the tri beam ducer.

One thing I can tell you about the 22 is this,

Last month up on LOW ran the FL18,20, and 22 in one area. For some reason the 18 and 20 had no interferance issues but the 22 was full of it. I spent the first hour or so with my brand new vex bent over pushing the IR buttom while the other two were catching fish. Going to call Vex to see if that's normal running the three. Keep in mind while I was spending an hour trying to clear out the interferance the other two units had next to none. Finaly I made my broter turn off the 18, then it was ok.

[clownshack]

Hey, please let us know what you find out. I have been having similar issues. I thought I was the only one. I can only fish with one other vex at the same time. If I run 3 in the same shack the fl22 don't play nice.

[dougger222]

Hey, please let us know what you find out. I have been having similar issues. I thought I was the only one. I can only fish with one other vex at the same time. If I run 3 in the same shack the fl22 don't play nice.

UPDATE!!!

The dual beam ducer was dropped out of the Vex line up being replaced with the tri beam ducer. Vex does still offer non multi beam ducers.

The Vex guys said the FL22 gives off a different signal than the other FL models. That being said when you run three units in one small area the 22 will have issues. He recommended next time drilling one hole for the ducer between two holes and have two guys fish with the 22.

If I had to sell either the 20 or 22 I would have to let the 22 go knowing what I know now. It's a great unit don't get me wrong.

He also said to use the 20 degree when fishing 15ft or less, and the 12 degree the rest of the time. He said the 8 degree is good for 70+ ft of water which the FL22 is not even made for! Seems like Vex should have made a dual beam just for the FL22??

He confirmed no movable zoom with the FL22 but he said it's something they are "looking into".

[herefish101]

Wow! So the unit to and all units is a peice of junk when run with more than one of the other older vex units. So if you own a FL22 and you go to a sleeper or even a day house on say Lake Of The Woods, you might as well leave your unit home or bring a stack of five dollar bills to keep paying your buddies to shut theirs off. I just cant belive the engineers at Vexilar let this kind of thing happen. And the best part is I almost bought one.

[fishwater]

The Vex guys said the FL22 gives off a different signal than the other FL models. That being said when you run three units in one small area the 22 will have issues. He recommended next time drilling one hole for the ducer between two holes and have two guys fish with the 22.

He also said to use the 20 degree when fishing 15ft or less, and the 12 degree the rest of the time. He said the 8 degree is good for 70+ ft of water which the FL22 is not even made for! Seems like Vex should have made a dual beam just for the FL22??

I've used the 22 in a large fish house with 5 other vex units, was working around a few 18's a 12 and a 20 in 30+' of water. I left my marcum in the truck as not to peeve off the crowd. The 22 ran cleanest of all the units, I fished a couple of different holes in the house too. Everyone was commenting on how it ran the cleanest too?

I wouldn't be afraid of running the narrow beam, it WILL help alleviate some of the interference and it will still show fish on your bait. I use the 9 degree on the marcum 80% of the time in 30' or less.

So now the fl22 is for people that fish in 10' of water by themselves??

[clownshack]

Wish I would have known that I get to leave my most expensive flasher at home every time the wheelhouse goes out. I have been out a lot in the wheelhouse but always in 18' of water or less. Maybe deeper water helps it, but no excuse for the poor IR on my 22. Early season fishing in portables I thought this was the greatest flasher ever. I think my tune is quickly changing.

I would like to hear from other people with this unit to see if this is common behavior for the fl22. Send it in or sell it?

[munchy71]

The zoom is either the bottom 6 or 12 ft? So if I'm in 45fow and the fish are suspended in the water column around 25 ft, it does me no good? How is that any better than the zoom they had on the fl-20? And it's HD? As in High Def? So they 'improved' the resolution of the spinning disc?

If I'm catching crappies suspended at 25', I don't need a zoom. Using a 6" zoom at 25' means I then miss fish coming through at 15' and 35'.

And as always, you can still see the entire water column on the right hand side of the dial.

-Munchy

[My_Key]

As I said, I'm not a Vex expert in any way. I was asking questions, which I felt were legitimate.

And if you're just zooming 6" you're missing alot of the water column.

I just think it's sad what they charge for the FL-8, and subsequently the FL-12, 18, 20 and 22. I'm not saying that Marcum or Humminbird are any better, or worse, but their entry level flashers offer alot more features for the price.

[Hardyboy]

I think ill just stick with my Showdown and not worry about it!

[peterson999]

With how fast technology changes in the electronic industry, I am just surprised that the FL-8 I bought in 2006 hasn't changed for the most part in 4 years. I suppose with all the smart phone apps for gps, fish on, etc there is no need to add the extra battery draining add ons to the fish finder.

With that being said how long do we have to wait until we don't even need to by a Vexilar, and we can just buy an adapter for the transducer and attached to a droid and buy a $12 app just like the lake contour navionics app...

[fishwater]

With that being said how long do we have to wait until we don't even need to by a Vexilar, and we can just buy an adapter for the transducer and attached to a droid and buy a $12 app just like the lake contour navionics app...

The technology to implement this is certainly available. The Avia software through Fugawi currently has interfaces for networks and iphones that allow all sorts of marine instruments including depth sounders to be run by computers. Obviously it wouldn't work for hooking fish, but certainly a step in that direction.