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Marcum LX-3 IR?


Bob Horn

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Does anyone know if this issue was addressed over the summer months and changed for this year? From what I have read alot of people are making the switch from vexilar. I am thinking about it but this issue is definitely keeping me from buying a marcum. Also is there a suppression button on the Marcum? I fish in weeds alot and this would help. Fish On

[This message has been edited by bhorn (edited 11-22-2003).]

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I picked up an LX-3 late last year and have never had a problem with interference. I had less interference with this unit than I did with my FL-8. I also ran this along with an FL-8 with no interference on the LX-3. You'll be very happy with an LX-3 if you decide to go that route.

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Pete Riola did a demo in the Cabela's electronics dept. at the Nov 14th FishingMinnesota.com Family Night Meeting.
I heard him say that the new LX-3 had noise rejection that eleminated interference from a near-by Vex. and/or even another close by MarCum.
On the MarCum LX-3 lititure it says this about interference,
" Interference? The LX-3 has a multilevel interference rejection feature that knocks out interference from all nearby sonsr units (including ours) so effectively we'ld like to challenge you to do your own side-by-side comparison".

That is what I want... is to be in the same shack sittin next to my kid-o's... and have two units running.

I have a new LX-3 on order.

Pete also mentioned the new MarCum VS560 underwater viewing system. This years 2003 camera claims to be radically improved. Lights are no longer placed round the camera lense, which resulted in reflection from particles in the water. On this model, the lights are positioned up and above the lens like a rack of spotlights on a pick-up truck cab... like "fog lights" for your underwater camera!
And the lights are a new special BLUE light that minimizes reflection. Pete says it makes viewing picture quality up to 100 times better!
The camera inside the housing of the VS560 turns... not the cable! It has a motor inside the camera housing that is run from a infrared hand-held remote or the key-pad in the display.
REMOTE...yes!
I have a VS560 on order too!
This unit is to be available the first week of Dec. 2003.
Catch'n
Dave Hoggard

------------------
Fishermen are catch-n on
Catch'n Tackle
For Bass, Walleye, Pike, Lakers, Trout, Panfish
Used by FishingMN Family

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I fished with a guy who was running a LX3 last year.He never had any interference problems.I think you might be confusing the FL18 with the Marcum unit.I have an FL18 and have a lot of problems with interference.(I fish the crowded metro lakes)Sometimes all I could do is just give up amd try to read through it.Thats one of the big reasons I am getting a Marcum this year.

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The one thing that I'll never be without again on the LX-3 is the adjustable zoom feature. Until Vex catches up in that department, the MarCum has a clear advantage in my opinion. The LX-3 is the most advanced system on the market.

That VS560 looks like it will be quite revolutionary... I have one on order as well that I can't wait to try out.

fa952058.jpg

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Dan Wood, can you explain the advantages of the adjustable zoom? How would this help me? I'm considering a new flasher but dont understand how this adjustable zoom will make a big difference.


thanks

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Cropeye - Having an adjustible zoom amplifies your target area while in zoom mode... I can explain it this way if your fishing with an LX-3 say for lake trout.
Your fishing off a bluff in say 160' of water and the lake trout and baitfish are running 100-120' down. The LX-3 allows with one push of the zoom button to have a 20'zoom window, tap the zoom button again and you now have a 40'zoom window and this is the criticle point especially for lake trout and salmonoids. When you tapped the zoom button your unit will split screen and on the right you'll see to yellow flashing lights one at zero and one at 20' and tapped again will show a yellow flashing mark at zero and 40'. These lights will stay flashing for approximately 2 seconds so go directly to the down arrow key and hold it down until you get to the desired prey and forage depth. It moves down 1' at a time but it goes fast while holding the button so you'll be down there in less than 9 seconds (remember your leading edge of your zoom on the way down starts at 20' or 40' whatever you selected for zoom window). You can place that zoom right where the fish are thus amplifying the target area and reducing your target separation, more detail in the productive area.
I emphasize the zoom feature as the difference between these two unit's. I love zoom.. use it all the time but I have run into situations with my FL-18 that has rendered the FL-18's zoom useless. For example on Oneida lake which is my favorite for perching, these fish will come way up off the bottom to hit at any given time you can mark perch from 1-3' off the bottom. These perch will chase an offering 7'to 9' off the bottom at times. With the FL-18 only giving you 6' I have had to switch the zoom off and use it like an FL-8. The MarCum LX-3 will give you a 10' zoom in the same situation which allows me to see from attack to inhale the whole picture.
If zoom is your thing than the LX-3 will serve the purpose and then some. It's truly evolutionary this capability.
FL-18's a good unit but it will suffer in comparison to the LX-3 in regards to zoom, really you cant compare the two. I guess you have to ask yourself do you want your zoom to be adjustable and adaptible to any given fishing situation like you have with the LX-3. Or do you want no control and just 6' from the bottom with the FL-18? Whatever you decide good luck with your unit...

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Backwater, I have a Fl-8 dual beam and in water 30ft.+ I love being able to switch from the two. I will start with the 19 degree when I first start at a hole and then switch when I know the fish are there. I went to Devils Lake last year and the perch were in 40+ feet of water at that depth with the 9 degree the smaller cone angle worked great. If it`s red I want to know that the fish are under me not out to the side 6ft or more. Vexilar or Marcum it`s going to be a hard decision.

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CNY,. I dont fish lake trout nor any other fish that deep so thats a poor example, sorry. Are you saying if i'm fishing perch or any other game fish that are suspended 7-9 feet off the bottom that i will only be able to see them with the zoom of the Lx-3?.

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I own the Lx-3 and love it. I used a vex for years and thought they were awesome. I purchased the LX at the BEG. of last ice fishing season. I usually don't buy the newest gear that has not been tested or used for a few seasons. I went ahead and purchased the Lx and after two weeks of fishing I sold my vex and bought another LX. I have NEVER had interference and am extremely happy with the Marcum's. The only complaint I have is in one of the LX's the battery was fried at the end of the year. I do understand that gel batteries very and you may get lucky and have one for many years or for one year.

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Cropeye - I must have misunderstood your question I thought you wanted to know how an adjustable zoom would help. I thought I explained it well and I apologize if I confused you... In zoom mode any suspended fish above 6' off the bottom will not be seen with the FL-18 on the left side but can be seen by the LX-3 unless it's outside of the MarCum's zoom parameters. On the right side of both the FL-18 and LX-3 you will have the entire water column condensed, thus you will see those fish above 6'on both units. Now if your fish all stay within 6' of the bottom than the FL-18 will be perfect for you. I haven't really checked out the Lowrance X67C however a buddy of mine is getting a demo so I can check it out and play around and see what that unit offers.
It's hard to explain this zoom process without really having you on the ice and showing it to you but one look on the LX-3 in zoom mode and your hooked. I like my FL-18 too the display colors are incredible but to me it's just my old FL-8 but brighter. The LX-3' thin line display cuts the clutter but the display colors could be slightly improved.
Does everyone need zoom to catch fish, Heck no... But for the comparable amount of money your spending on either unit why not have options in regards to zoom. If Vexilar develops a better zoom I'll be the first in line and that's the truth. If I were you I would read and talk to as many people that you can before you make a decision it's alot of money to spend on a fishfinder. I own both units and I prefer the LX-3.

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Cropeye,
CNY Tim provided a lot of good information on your question.

I'll try to add some to your question... With an FL-18 you will still see perch suspended 7-9' off the bottom (above the 6' zoom window). You'll find if your in deeper water that the zoom will allow you to narrow down the window and give you much better target separation (target separation improves from 2.15" to 1" using the zoom feature).

If your fishing 40' of water and the fish are suspended 7-9' off the bottom, with the LX-3, you can center your zoom window at whatever depth range the fish are at (in this case 7-9' off the bottom). This will give you the target separation as if you were fishing shallow water (10' window). In this case you would be looking at a window centered 32' down (window of 27-37 ft.). You'll see this window no one side of the unit and the full unscaled area on the other side (so you can see if another school of fish comes in outside of that window). When your trying to follow your jig and decipher between fish and your jig, it makes it a lot easier when your window is scaled down to 10'. The movement of the jig vertically in the water column can be seen much easier when you have a 10' window, vs. a 40' window as well.

The FL-18 is a great unit, but my major gripe with the unit is that it doesn't offer this adjustable window. The FL-18 only allows you to zoom into the bottom 6'. The LX-3 offers an adjustable window where you can center anywhere in the water column.

If you fish crappies or anything that suspends in deeper water, you will definitely appreciate having this feature.

Another feature that I really like is the automated battery charger - plug it in and forget about it.

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From MarCum HSOforum:
www.marcum.com
"The most sensitive and powerful flasher ever manufactured. With 1500 watts of output power, the LX-3 provides superior target separation. the LX-3 is the only system that features an adjustable zoom that allows a 5 to 10 ft. zoom window in the 20 & 40 ft. scale, a 10 to 20 ft. zoom in 80 ft. scale and a 20 to 40 ft. zoom in 160 ft. scale. Target separation improves from 2.15" to 1" in zoom mode. Surface to bottom zoom window adjustability allows user to display suspended as well as bottom hugging fish. The LX-3 also offers a multi-level "interference rejection" feature allowing user to knock out interference from other nearby sonar units."

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Funny thing is, I've caught just as many suspended fish with the old Micronar 18 years ago as I do today with the FL-18. Zoom or not, If there are suspended fish in the angle of the cone, your going to seem them. The only zoom that I have seen so far that has really worked was the FL-18 that marked walleyes and perch that were laying on the bottom. The old Fl-8 would not target these fish.

I fish big bluegills in shallow stained water, water that is 6 feet deep with about 6 inches of water clarity. Using the FL-18 in LP (low power mode) I can use a flasher without spooking them and get great target seperation in shallow water.

Another thing to consider if your going to use your flasher for open water fishing and run it off the bow, the FL-18 has the bottom lock feature that works excellent in windy conditions.

------------------
Mille Lacs Guide Service
651-271-5459
www.millelacsguideservice.com

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If you guys keep talking like this I am going to be buying a Fl-18 dual beam vex. There has to be something else to the Marcums to get me to switch. Has anyone heard if vexilar is coming out with a newer version? Rumor is there is a Fl-28 or something like that, don`t know if it`s true thought I would ask.

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From what I know (Not Much Usually) the answer to the new Vex. is a NO. They were going to get rid of the FL-8 and come out with a new unit, but that has seem to been a rumor or they may wait till sometime in the future. Instead they made the portable box fancier. During the late summer months the Fl-8's were reduced in price.

I was talking to the Vex. rep yesterday and of course he said the mid range zoom on the Marcum is useless. I disagreed and love using the zoom.

Both Vex. and Lx units are awesome. I like the Lx for the power and zoom features. Just personal preference.

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The only zoom that I have seen so far that has really worked was the FL-18 that marked walleyes and perch that were laying on the bottom. The old Fl-8 would not target these fish.

I saw the true bottom better with my colorpoint than on my FL-8.

On my FL-8 you had to look for variable changes in the bottom and below bottom movement via rolling color changes and flickers. You couldn't necessarily read those fish but you knew they were down there.

The FL-18 has been improved no doubt, the colors are amazing but I just don't think they went far enough.

The zoom on the MarCum LX-3 is the best right now.

There is always room for improvement and refinement in the flasher world I would like to see each company keep pushing each other for years to come.

[Note from Rick: I took out personal references that could be construed as an attack]

[This message has been edited by Rick (edited 11-23-2003).]

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CNY Tim hit her right on the head: "There is always room for improvement and refinement in the flasher world I would like to see each company keep pushing each other for years to come."

It was about time that someone trumped Vexilar in the world of flashers. No doubt (at least in my little mind) that Marcum has done that. And, no doubt, Vexilar has untied their holsters and will fire right back. All Zercom did a few years ago was create a copy of an FL-8. Marcum has raised the standard. We'll all benefit from the Marcum vs. Vexilar competition.

------------------
-----------
Ray Esboldt
www.marcum.com

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Ray - and boy did zercom put up a poor attempt to top the FL-8. However, I know some history on why the colorpoint never had a chance to top the FL-8. The engineers whom designed the unit were not complete in there work and Zercom wanted it now., well before it was truly ready and tested. Hence it was a quick whip-up and on to the market and basically it got whipped up by the Vexilar FL-8 and why was that Because Vexilar has history, exceptional reliability and a crack customer service department, all the makings of a successful business.. Two things came out of that Colorpoint unit that intriqued me and that was the thin line display and it's ability to see bottom. The rest you could chuck in the trash.
The FL-8 I had was my favorite between the two but I was really missing the thin line display and bottom capabilities in the Colorpoint especially for low lying species. The interference was bad sometimes on the Colorpoint even when there were no flashers around, it was miserable on a couple of outings. I could bring my FL-8 anywhere and fish with anybody and it was great when I had to use I.R. I was amazed by how that worked.
Bottom line in all this is both companies are doing what they have to to be on top and the fisherman are the winners in the end. Just sit back and watch I am eagerly awaiting what the future in sonars holds it's gonna be great....

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Sonars are for identifying fish plain and simple the LX3 ID's more fish with no interference. It has better target separation and you do not need dual beams. Why not dual beams? Target separation. The LX3 has the ability to define the target without narrowing your view. I want to see the fish on the outside of the cone. I want to know that they are there. Many times I've coaxed that little yellow flicker near the bottom into plain view and then converted that into a bite. Go test them side by side and see for yourself. In fact throw the features out...do you want to ID targets better? Do you want less interference? That's what the MarCum units have. I own vex a and a MarCum LX3. My vex stays home.

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For those that fish suspended fish in deep water, your missing out if your not using the zoom capabilities. I've fished the 18 and LX-3 and there is really no comparison for deep water suspended fish. To narrow down from a 40'+ window to a 10' window on a school of suspended crappies is a major advantage when you need to see fine movements in your jig and work the school. If all of your fishing is near the bottom, the 18 would do fine.

And no, the zoom capability is one of the major differences, but not the only advantage over the vex. The bottom line is improved target separation in the entire water column. Both are fine units, the LX-3 just offers more for your money.

[This message has been edited by Dan Wood (edited 11-23-2003).]

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bhorn,
Go for it, both units are top notch and you will be happy with either. I honestly don't feel interference will be much of an issue with either unit if that is the determining factor for you. I fished many years with an FL-8 with no major issues. To answer your original question, no, interference will not be an issue with the LX-3 (or with the 18).

[This message has been edited by Dan Wood (edited 11-23-2003).]

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Dan Wood, the reason I posted this question was what when I was in Devils Lake last year and reading the boards since, they are trashing the Marcums. I don`t know if they are getting major sponsership there or what but the Marcum is not welcome by most and the Vexilar is king there. I talked to the resort owners, bait shop workers and owners, and just the people in town they are vex diehards period. When you are going to spend 4-5 hunderd on something you just want to do it right. When I bought my Fl-8 the very next season the 18 and Marcum came out, now I am looking to upgrade but wanting to do it right, I can`t afford all of the changes but the changes are welcome. Fish On

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