Proview Ducer

[MuskieFever]

Looking at getting a proview transducer for my fl-8, has anyone done this? How do you like it compared to the 19? Did you need an S-cable for shallow water?

[grasshopper]

I like mine. I have the fl 8. I use the 19 in shallow water

 

[Hawg]

I'm debating a 12 degree on my 28. That 9 is a small cone and I'm not sure about the low power being the answer or not, I'll wait till I try it again to decide. . If you are buying one I would go the 12 degree on a FL8, the Pro could be a little too thin for it. You'll see a big difference in the 12 over what you have for accuracy and less interference from others.

[MuskieFever]

I believe the proview actually goes from 9-20 degrees as you increase the gain. I think a higher gain and low power could work for you. I'm getting a 28 soon and let you know. I'm replacing my transducer on my fl-8 because I broke it. They tell you not to let your transducer drop on slack, don't do it. I was really bad about that last winter and after 8 seasons it gave out. My bad.

[Hawg]

Producer is 9 degrees, it doesn't change. They make a tri beam that can switch. 

[Agronomist_at_IA]

I tried a proview and got rid of it. Hated the thing. The new TRI-Beam is the nuts. 8*-12*-20*. If you get one make sure it's the new style. The old tribeam with the red cap is terrible and had issues with the potting epoxie used on it. I have the new tri beam and love it.

[JigginIsLife]

got it last year, loved it. yes the S cable is required pretty much anything under 15-20 feet. i loved it

[NCLaker]

I tried a proview and got rid of it. Hated the thing. The new TRI-Beam is the nuts. 8*-12*-20*. If you get one make sure it's the new style. The old tribeam with the red cap is terrible and had issues with the potting epoxie used on it. I have the new tri beam and love it.

Yeah, I am annoyed by the 9* performance for under 20 ft of water - too strong so everything looks like you have your gain cranked up, without putting my unit into low power mode.  My experience with having to put it in LP mode (FX-28) is that I am compromising, and don't get as good a performance as I am use to at those depths when compared to 12* or dual beam using 9*.

I have lately been just using a 12*, but am considering possibly a newer improved tri-beam ducer for more flexibility.  That is what I use to have, but it was the original and was worthless, so a little hesitant ... also not so sure I like the girth and weight of the tri-beam transduicer.

[Garett Svir]

You will love the Pro View transducer. It allows for infinite adjustment and can be used shallow or deep. It is essentially a 40/9 degree transducer, offering a 40 degree primary cone angle and a 9 degree secondary cone angle. You can adjust it simply with the gain switch. I have upgraded every unit I own to this transducer technology.

[JuanArellano]

I agree...

 

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Yeah, I am annoyed by the 9* performance for under 20 ft of water - too strong so everything looks like you have your gain cranked up, without putting my unit into low power mode.  My experience with having to put it in LP mode (FX-28) is that I am compromising, and don't get as good a performance as I am use to at those depths when compared to 12* or dual beam using 9*.

I have lately been just using a 12*, but am considering possibly a newer improved tri-beam ducer for more flexibility.  That is what I use to have, but it was the original and was worthless, so a little hesitant ... also not so sure I like the girth and weight of the tri-beam transduicer.

The new tribeam looks like the proview with a red bottom and a switch box. I have it on everyone of my units, 28,22,20,&18. I got my first one Last year.

I tried a proview and absolutely disliked it. It was way to sensitive. Nor do I like the "infinite cone adjustability" they talk of. To get a wide cone in shallow water the fricking lure mark is gigantic when turning up the gain. Then turning the gain down to get the narrow cone which they claim is a 9* is far from what I found. I had two units next to each other last year in my voyager shack. Each in a corner. one with a tribeam one proview both gains on zero. My tribeam on 12* would only the lure below it. The proview would show the lure below it and the one on the other side of the shack.  So from my experiance a zero gain on a proview isn't a 9* it's wider then a 12*. 

[Hawg]

I guess my response was a little too polite(this is the new me). My Proview sucks too, I think a straight 12 degree is the answer myself. Why screw around with a tribeam and a switchbox when we know a 9 is too thin already and why would I ever want a 20?

Edited November 25, 2015 by Hawg

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Well It depends on how you are fishing. Personally, I like to have my sonar show a good sized area when fishing. So I generally will run the wider cones. Like the 19* & the 12* cones. However, when I'm fishing two in my portable voyager shack I want the largest area I can have to show on my vexilar without having my buddies lure show on my screen bugging me. So depending on the depth we are fishing will determine which cone angle I use. We typically fish from 0-35 feet of water and I will use anywhere from the 8*,12*,&20* cone angles to show  a good area without having my buddies fishing lure on the screen. The tribeam works great doing this. When trying to adjust those cone angles with a pro view transducer it didn't work worth a dump. So that's why I disliked the proview and have a hard time believing the adjustable cone angle from 9*-20*.

[th64]

I've read that a narrow cone will do a better job of showing fish close to the bottom with structure nearby-the wide cone will show fish off to the side that are suspended. You can also wobble your ducer to get a glimpse of an even wider area around you.

I know some are thinking thank you Captain Obvious.