LCDs Freezing

[huskiesplayer15]

I am looking at buying another flasher/lcd for this winter, I have always used the fl8 but was looking to get one with the gps built right into just to keep things a little more compact, does any one know of these getting so cold the liquid crystals freeze? This will pretty much be used in the winter only, thanks guys and gals.
Best Fishes
Chris

[jrsue]

I dont believe freeze up is much of an issue with the newer lcd's especially the x67c which is designed for ice fishing. I am still undecided though if the x67's flasher mode is as effective as a vex or marcum's. If it is this would be a very effective tool, because having a reeltime flasher and also the ability to see history would be very cool. I wish someone would post that has used this unit in the winter.

The x68 has a gps built into it, however I wouldnt opt for a all in one unit (GPS built in ). It is much easier to have a handheld unit running as your heading to your spot, I have my gps mounted to the handlebars of my quad or snowmobile, as I get closer to the mark I continue to zoom in on the gps until i'm right on top of it. If I find another good hole and want to mark it, just walk over to the quad and mark the spot. I use the same gps in the summer and easily find the same areas winter and summer, it also sits on my quad, snowmobile, and truck dash for easy navigation on trail and road. The easiest to use gps I've found is the garmin 176 ,its got huge screen redraws very fast and allows you to switch to water mode, this means it turns all water into a light color on the screen , making it much easier to follow tracks, and see waypoints. My second choice for a winter gps is the garmin vista its small lightwight, fits in a shirt pocket, but a little harder to operate in the cold. By the way the 176 has been replaced by the 276 garmin ($700) which has auto routing,color screen and other unnesicerry options for quads, snowmobiless, and ice fishing. You can still find the 176 for around $300 but their selling out fast. I just bought a second one from bass pro because I feel its by far the best all around gps for my needs.

jrsue

[joshb]

the new lowrances are NOT lcd's.......it is a tft - i believe, go to lowrance page and read up. maybe give the emulator a try to. i have the m68c, use it in the boat so far and on the ice this winter for the first time. i got the combo because i really hated trying to keep track of my handheld and the batteries never lasted very long. this way you can have it running all the time, love those trails!. the cool part about the flasher is that it has like 5 different display options that i can't wait to use on the ice. really cool stuff!. and then you have the gps which has tons of great bells and whistles and then the graph, i have been using mine all summer and still have a lot to try out. the one thing that i had problems with was some interfrence from my vex running off the bow, but i think if i change some settings it will be fine. i've heard from others that they do not have this problem, and it only does it to me once in a while?.

i would have to say i'm very happy with it.

- joshb

[Matt Johnson]

The x67c will hold up in cold weather. I haven't spent a lot of time with the x67, so my opinion on those is rather limited.

I'm a three-color flasher guy myself. Hard to beat the LX-3 in my opinion. I fished with a FL-8 for years and after trying the LX-3 I was hooked. Don't get me wrong, you will still catch fish with FL-8 and it gets the job done just fine. I fish suspended crappies a ton, and that adjustable zoom feature with the LX-3 is very nice to have. Same goes for bottom hugging perch and the added target separation. Schooling fish tight to the bottom show up as more than just one mark as well, you can actually see that there are more than one fish down there with the LX-3. The new Vexilars are more sharp and clear and they are a lot different than the FL-8 I was used to, but the MarCum is soft on the eyes and still number one in my book.

Either way, MarCum or Vexilar, you can't go wrong. There's just something about dropping that transducer down the hole and seeing suspend red lines

Good Fishin,
Matt Johnson

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Matt Johnson Outdoors
Metro Area Ice Fishing and more...

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[This message has been edited by Matt Johnson (edited 08-05-2004).]

[Lost]

Any clue where I can get one of these gadgets really inexpensively? I'm tired of guessing when I'm out on the ice.