How long to figure out your bird SI

[mabr]

How long did it take you Bird owners to figure out the best settings for your unit?

Went out for the first time with it this weekend. Im impressed to say the least. Hard to believe how clear things like grass and breaks are to see. BUT learning to interprite whats shown might be another thing for me.

Also are there short cuts to jump to your most used screens? Paging through takes a while when it seams I use maybe 3 screens over and over again.

Guess i need to print the whole manual and take it with me next time.

[TonkaBass]

On mine there are 3 shortcut buttons on it to jump from screen to screen. To set them just scroll through the screens and when you get to one you want to use, press and hold one of the 3 buttons to lock it in as that buttons shortcut. As far as settings I mostly have mine viewing 80ft to each side. You can always change it if you want. Also when on side imagig mode, hard bottom areas appear lighter in color and soft bottoms are darker.

[Nick Kuhn]

Just hold one of the shortcut keys to set it (the three buttons with just a dot on it). You can set 3 views, and then reorder the other views so every screen is within 2 clicks. Somewhere on sideimagingsoft there is a guide for how to do that.

As far as the settings, really I just use 12/12/10 most of the time (SI/DI/2D sonar), and I leave the enhance off. Gives a pretty decent picture, it'll just take time to relate what you see in the picture to what is actually in the water. I still have a little trouble telling certain types of weeds apart, but for the most part I can identify everything else down there.

[mabr]

I'll have to set them as short cuts for sure.

What units are you running on the bow? I hear it has to be at least a 700 series to link to my 898. Do I need SI on that unit as well? I'd like it up there but the cost might be an issue.

[Cecil]

No real need to have SI up front. You don't get a good reading when you are going that slow

[Deitz Dittrich]

If you have an underwater camera, then the learning curve can go up in a hurry.. find something on the SI.. mark it, drop the camera down.. fairly soon you will begin to see a pattern.. Thats how i learned, one long day on the water just searching stuff I both knew and looking for new stuff and I thought I had it figured out.. I have learned more since, but it was a very good start.

I see no need for SI up front.

[NTW]

I have a 788C Combo on the bow & interlinked to the console unit. I am sure a larger screen would be better up front but I can't complain. I was out yesterday and could easily pickup my crappie jig in suspended in 40+ FOW on the 788.

[Cecil]

I had an SI all year last year and still am not 100% sure what I am looking at all the time yet.

[grab the net]

I had my SI all last year also. There is a learning curve involved, I am sure that it will take me a long time to truly figure it all out. One thing I did learn, is that there is a lot of nothing out there. When I have found what looked like it should be "the spot" I have yet to catch a fish on it. Other tradtional places, that seem to always have fish on it look less attractive to me, but the fish seem to like it. Fun tool, I seem to have a sweet spot, speed wise that gives me the best picture on SI.

[CHM]

FWIW - There is a Humminbird forum on Bass Boat Central. Very helpful!

[delmuts]

habr. Go to the Humming bird web site and register. Lots of great info from the comapny and other owners.

[TurnUpTheFishing]

I went out tonight and cruised around a lake for the first time with my 798, wow is this thing sweet! I went to a pretty plain jane lake, well atleast I thought so, and still was seeing some cool things. Got to take your advice Dietz and bring the camera next time That should help my learning curve a lot.

[thatoneguy]

i'll be rigging my new 898 this weekend (hopefully). can't wait to try it out!

[TurnUpTheFishing]

You'll love it. Im more excited right now to go drive around my favorite lake and watch my SI then I am for opener.

[mabr]

i'll be rigging my new 898 this weekend (hopefully). can't wait to try it out!

Your gonna love it. Look at docks with SI. Amazing is all I'll say. Every post, shows all the way to shore. Seen a few fish in front of them as well. Pretty neat stuff for sure.

Question for the experienced, When in map mode, are you able to see depth from the down imaging as a read out? I wasnt able to when navigating with the map up. I looked at the settings and depth was selected to show but didnt when map is on.

[reddog]

Your gonna love it. Look at docks with SI. Amazing is all I'll say. Every post, shows all the way to shore. Seen a few fish in front of them as well. Pretty neat stuff for sure.

Question for the experienced, When in map mode, are you able to see depth from the down imaging as a read out? I wasnt able to when navigating with the map up. I looked at the settings and depth was selected to show but didnt when map is on.

[luckycrank]

I now have si at the bow now s well except the si ducer is at the transom

via interlink havent had a chance to play with it a lot yet.

[luckycrank]

you'll be spending alot more time at the wheel than you have in the past for sure

[delmuts]

You guys are killing me!!! I have a new 798 si, but due to the chance of VERY high water on the Miss. our garages are full of furniture, ( we moved everything out of the trailer. luckily it didn't get any higher than in the basement) so no room to bring the boat home yet.( course with the GREAT weather we've been having, i wouldn't have had it in the water any way. Can't wait to play with mine!