MarCum Explained

[Surface Tension]

While fishing I came upon a dead time(imagine that ) and I thought I'd take a pic of my MarCum and describe a couple scenarios as to what I was reading. This may answer a few of the questions like, "how can I tell if I'm in soft or hard bottom" and "if Vex needs a suppression cable or Low Power mode in shallow water, with 1500 watts how well does MarCum perform in shallow water?"

The pic is of low quality for web purposes but if you look close you'll see an example of what great target separation the MarCum has and how it excels in shallow water.

I'm in 12' of water. You can see the weaker return in a broad yellow band which indicates a soft bottom. Above at 11' you see my 1/8 oz Go Devil, OK keep in mind I'm not using the zoom, look close you can see the separation of another blip. Thats the minnow head that I tipped the Go Devil with. We're talking a fraction of an inch but still the MarCum shows the separation of the Go Devil and the minnow head. Imagine those bottom hugging eyes or a school of suspended crappies and how that target separation might be useful. I have one last tip, note the bubble wrap the transducer was shipped with in the transducer tray. I use that wrap to protect my ducer when in transit.

I hope this helps to answer some of the questions about using a MarCum.

[Mr Special]

That is pretty kewl. Your not making it easy for us Vex guys I tell ya. Now if I only had the extra cash.

[Kodiak]

yeah, them marcums are nice, i have a marcum ovs 500 camera they have good products too bad i bought a new vex last year. It works good for me but the accuracy of the marcum is top notch.

[Hemlock]

Well done ST. That helps people like me, that are new to the LX3.

[Stratosman]

I have an FL8 that is starting to go on the blink, both my brother in laws own a Marcum, they sure are awesome, although I have never studied the FL18 too closely, I know the Marcum has 1500 watts of power, what does the FL18 have? I think it is less. Also the adjustable zoom feature is nice.

[Ray Esboldt]

There's several times I've sat thumping a jigging spoon while looking at my LX-3 wondering why that "green fish" wouldn't become a "red fish". Then I realized, like mentioned above by ST, that was my minnow head hanging there.

Also, that finer target seperation is why I like the LX-3 (or LX-1) better than the other units when fishing in the weeds. There's still lots of clutter in the weeds, but it's not just one big glob. You can pick a moving fish out, and keep a decent approximation of where your bait is.

The power of the LX-3 is 1500 Watts and the Vexilars are roughly 400. The power difference doesn't necessarily show you more stuff, it just allows the unit to translate the transducer signal into something of finer detail.

[MT Net]

Thanks for the info, I just might have to upgrade to the LX3 next season.

One thing I noticed on my FL8 on Burntside, at 40 feet down, I need to have the gain up near 6. Lots of clutter showing up just so I could see my S. Pimple. Seemed kind of high to me, but then again, this is my first flasher.

When I'm fishing around 10 to 12 feet, the S cable is needed, and is kind of a hassle to take on and off.

[Jim W]

It's also very helpful in stealing fish right ST?lol

Jim W

[hanson]

MT Net-

I had a problem with my transducer that came with my LX-3. I had to crank the gain up to see anything and like you are saying, the screen clutters up. I got a new transducer now and things are fine.

In 60' of water on B-side last week, I had my gain on a 2 at the highest to pick up my swedish pimple steadily. This was definitely a good test for my new 'ducer and it worked flawlessly.

[BD110]

Surface Tension,

Very good post there young man. I'll still take all the one on one hands on training your willing to give. Thanks for all your help with my LX3. I forgot to take it with me a couple of days ago out on Rice. I wasn't sure if I would still know how to catch fish without it . But I guess it's like riding a bike.

Thanks again,

Tom (BD110)

[Ed Carlson]

Good post Frank, and from my most recent experiences with my new MarCum LX3 you’re right on the mark with a couple of exceptions. My perceived exceptions mostly deal with environmental challenges for a sonar and are not intended to point out any discrepancies in your evaluation.

Shallow water is a point of perception as well as a variable to many folks, and shallow river water is not the same as shallow dead water on a lake. I have been on a shallow water walleye bite on the Red and for me in this situation "Shallow Water" is 5' of water under 6"-24" of ice. With this in mind, I will share some constructive observations on tuning and gain in Shallow River water.

If you have a very soft bottom and current you experience far more suspended particles in the water that will clutter up the display, and effect the ability of any sonar to find the right combo of gain and ping-speed to hold a reliable lock on a target. A very hard bottom with current will also cause complications in tuning for sonar. The more power that is being emitted also produces more sound waves that bounce back and forth all that much more between the ice and the bottom, and in the process it picks up even more of those pesky suspended particals that cluttering up the sonar display. Turning up the gain further irritates the situation and a lower gain setting with the same amount of watts being emitted may not allow for a good lock on a lure in the current...a frustrating Catch-22.

For the above reasons I feel I can make a strong case that in shallow water the ability to reduce the power and slow the pulse rate of a sonar allows for a better/cleaner lock on your target area, with far less clutter. In comparison in the same test situation on the same hole a my FL-18 with the LP mode engaged was able to clean up the excessive clutter and lock in on the same lure and track it. The FL-18 was also operating with the 19 deg ducer setting and the LX3 was using the 20 deg. (Estimated cone area coverage at 5’ with a 20 deg ducer is 1.5’ in diameter. The cone angles are close but not identical...yet close enough for the girls I date anyhow..Eh)

The further capacity to adjust the cone angle from wide to narrow has further benefits in shallow and/or deep water on rivers. Focus being a major one, and sharp breaking structure or flooded wood/snags being another. Tight structure with complicated features will cause the "Dead Zone" effect on a beam set too wide. A narrow beam may be too narrow for proper coverage in current on a flat...so the ability to use either is a very handy tool in a sonar unit.

On the other hand, the extra power of the MarCum LX3 comes in handy here. It can burn through minor snags and still acquire a dependable lock on the bottom and/or on fish in or very near complicated snags. In the identical situation the FL-18 had difficulties with the complicated structure and would not burn through the scattered obstructions as well as the MarCum LX3 did. If the obstacle is too dense, and too close, it will effect the cone angle and may cause a "Dead Zone" effect on both units.

So far, I am very happy with the performance of the MarCum LX3; it is crisp and runs smoothly. The extra power comes in handy in some situations and the overall package design is well thought out.

What I would like to see is a "LP mode" feature or something offered as an add-on capability. I would also like to see a "Duel Beam" capability on the MarCum LX3. I feel that for many MarCum LX3 users these added options would only enhance an already great sonar package to a truly outstanding and highly flexible sonar package.

I have not had enough time tinkering with the Variable Zoom feature to comment much on it just yet...but it is a nifty feature. Once I get a few more days on the Zoom, I will be more comfortable with reporting my thoughts on it.

[Surface Tension]

Ed, I have limited experience with current situations using the MarCum. The few times I have the suspended particles weren't a problem. The biggest problem was figuring out how much drift I had to account for when drilling a hole for my ducer. I posted this same topic in the Equipment forum because I didn't know how many folks visit both forums. Problem when you do that information gets scattered.

About the LP mode, we know how important that is for a Vex.

In shallow water you turn the gain down to 0 and your jig is lit up bright red and weeds are hard to decipher from the bottom and as you were saying about suspended partials cluttering the readout. As for the MarCum I haven't felt the need for LP mode.

klbowe asked the question in the other thread. "Could the yellow also indicate weeds or do they show up differntly ?"

Here is my reply. "klbowe, good question, to answer it we have talk about gain levels. We plop the ducer in the hole and fire up our flasher.

In this case I know the depth so I'm set at the 20' scale.

Time to set the gain, start at 0 and slowly increase the gain till we just start to read bottom, take note of the depth at the at time. Now again slowly increase the gain and see if the bottom comes up and look for targets above the bottom. Here I have a soft bottom and I increased the gain just a bit, the bottom came up when I started to read all the sediment on the bottom. Any weeds would start to show at this time and would look like a suspended target. If I increased the gain a little more those weeds would turn from targets to what would look like bottom. I'd verify this by reducing the gain back to 0 and start over. I did have a few weeds below me here but had the gain down so they didn't clutter my MarCum. Anyway its time to send my jig down and see whats up. The Go Devil was easily marked which is another reference I use when setting the gain. I turned the gain down a tad and then the separation of the jig and minnow showed. I now know I have a soft bottom, there are weeds 1' high and I know where my jig is in relation to all of that.

I'm also assured that any fish coming in will be marked because I can still read a minnow head. "

Ed, while I don't think the LP mode would be any benefit to the MarCum because it handles these situations easily, the dual ducers could add even more versatility to the MarCum.

[chunkytrout]

MT, that was my experience on Burntside with my FL8SE as well. Here's my guesses. When fishing North Arm or Dead River in 40-60FOW, I noticed the same clutter as I brought the gain up so I could see my pimple. That clutter is exactly that. Hatches of critters swimming around, smelt, bubbles and the like. When we make our receive hotter on our units, we're going to pick that clutter up in deeper water. So I constantly was adjusting my gain to filter that stuff out. The extra power and seperation offered by the LX series seems to have taken care of that. By the way, nice laker! We'll be on the arm Sunday. Hope any of my tips helped you get on fish last weekend.

[swalleyi]

I love my Marcum,but i hate my battery. The thing might last 6hours at the most. Then the flasher starts going goofy.

[Trouthunter]

Can someone comment on interference? I just bought a FL18 this year, and am already looking for a 2nd unit. It'd be nice to have another so if I take friends or most importantly - the GF - they wont get bored not staring at all the colors...Figured since I have the vex i should get an LX3 - but using 2 vexes I have to work to tune out Interference, what about using the LX3 and vex within a few feet of each other? I'm happy with the FL18, but my thoughts are why not have 1 of each? I'm also waiting to hear about a low power or dual beam ducer.

BD

[Surface Tension]

Trouthunter, Both flashers IR will take care of any interference. Its when you add a third flasher to the mix is where the MarCum's IR seems to handle interference better. As far a LP mode for the MarCum, In the last two years of using the LX3 I've never found that I needed one. Even in water as shallow as 6' I've never had the gain down all the way and was able to get ride of weed clutter.

[Northlander]

I also love my LX-3 and after being very happy with my Vexilars for over 12 years that says something.

As long as we are making up a wish list for the Marcums here would be mine.

1) A longer ducer cord by 12-16"

2) Deep water capability! This weekend I had my unit darn close to maxed. I was in 155' of water and the Marcum only reads to 160'. A unit that would read 250' would be nice. I realize not everyone fishes Lake Superior Trout in those depths but some people stick with Vex for just this reason.

3) Dual degree ducer.

4) Make the unit so it fits in a 5 gallon pail. This isnt a big deal but its so nice knowing your unit is safe tucked in your bucket when your zipping across the lake.

Ok these are not gripes by any means. Just a "Marcum Wish List" of sorts. The LX-3 is already top of the line but I think these features would make it "untouchable". Hopefully these features wouldnt drive the price threw the roof!

[LMITOUT]

Do they offer a floating transducer? If not, I'd add that to the wish list as well. I rarely have a locator located right near the hole and the little robotic arm Marcum has doesn't appeal to me. I always figured if I went to a Lowrance ice machine or a Marcum I'd have to rig up a float anyway.

[riverrat56]

really it wouldnt be that hard to make a floating ducer, first step would be stealing your buddys piece of styrofoam from his vex and then just cut a slit in it to put the cord through and then take that little stopper on the marcum arm and spread it out with something so that you can take the cord out, or just leave it on and slide it all the way up, then take and rig some kind of alligator clip thing to keep the cord from sliding through the styrofoam.

On the marcum topic, i have an LX-3 and love it, i have caught many more fish because of being able to mark them and jig at that depth, also i would like if the stopper on the coard was a bit larger ( the hole in the middle ) because when i try to slide it up the cord farther to get the ducer lower it is a pain to slide and alot of times it wont even move, then i usually end up using a pocket knife to spread the stopper apart farther and then it slides really easy. Other than that i have no complaintes and really that isnt that big of a deal. Its a great unit, i would recommend it to anyone.

[iffwalleyes]

No Marcum doesn't have a floating transducer. I never though I would like the little ice arm on the Marcum but after using it I like it much better than any floating transducer.

[wellsupplyguy]

A fellow at one of the sportshshop were I bought my lx-3 told me to use apiece of 1" pipe wrap that you use on your water pipes.You cut to the lenght you want and the stopper fits perfect in the hole and the slit is already on the side.

[cliffy]

I am with Northlander on this one. I have had a FL-18 for the past three years and I just bought a LX-3 a month ago. Both units are great. If I could make couple of changes to the LX-3 it would be:

Longer transducer cord...need about 5 or 6 feet more.

Make so it fits in a 5 gallon bucket.

Floating transducer.

I fixed my LX-3 by taking an extra vex float and stopper and adding it to the unit...works like a charm

[Moose-Hunter]

Lmitout...

Here's a "quick fix" for a floating 'ducer...

I took an old styrofoam cooler (+/- 1" thick styrofoam) and cut out a few "circles" using a 1.5" dia. hole saw. Makes a nice shape and the drill bit of the hole saw clears clears a path for the cable. After cutting 4 or 5 of these, I slit the foam "circle" using a utility knife to make access for the cable. I attached as many circles as needed to float the 'ducer using a cable "zip" tie as a stop. This multi-piece configuration make it easy to pack away. Cheap, easy to build and works great...

[hanson]

Cliffy & Northlander-

I agree with the longer transducer cord. My fix was to order up the transducer cord that Marcum sells. I now have enough cord to go through 8+ feet of ice if I have to.

The longer cord is also nice if you rig up the 'ducer float so your flasher unit doesn't have to sit right next to the hole. It can be on a shelf, chair or whatever and you still have enough cord to get it to the bottom of the hole.

[Ed Carlson]

We fished all weekend side by side in a Frabill Tri-Plex with a Vexilar FL-18 and a MarCum LX3. Neither of us had any issues with interference in the 9’ to 28' of water we were fishing.

So far, I have had no situations where either the Vexilar FL-18 or the MarCum LX3 could not adjust for either units generated interference. By cycling through the IR feature either on one or both units or by adjusting the depth of the ducer in the hole you can eliminate most cases of interference.