Topic: best settings for high speed 2D sonar

[jimmythegreek]

I have a 998 and 958 and use the 998 at the console.  does anyone have experience using Hbirds at higher speeds?  I been doing research online and see the simrad NSE units are $5k BUT these guys are going 30 mph+ and scanning clear as day and finding schools of stripers etc very easily, they cover LOTS of water quicly.  I have a Y cable on the 998 w seperate 2D coming from a dual beam next to my HDSI ducer on transom.   Im wondering if putting the 998 into saltwater mode will increase the power letting me set my scroll speed to max and search much faster.  I see theres a shallow and deep setting, whats the difference?  right now I have to check the usual spots and do like 4-5 mph w sidescan/2D split screen on lookin for either obvious schools or baitballs and then further investigating.  Seeing this newer technology which is associated w lowrance it seems makes me very envious.  Id rather have 1 of those HSE's than all 5 of my birds

[Nitro78]

scanning in 2D or side at 30mph? Have you link to that ?

[Humminbird_Greg]

The saltwater mode uses a different set of algorhythms for water depth and for filtering, especially for surface clutter.  This differs for the deep and shallow settings.  Using the Saltwater (deep) setting could possibly help with your high-speed depth reading problems but it will not increase the power that the unit uses.

Is your problem that you are not getting any sonar readings at high boat speeds or that you cannot see fish ate those boat speeds?

Why didn’t you install the 2D transducer inside of the hull?  Do you have a fiberglass boat?

[jimmythegreek]

heres the link, the guy is using SIMRAD NSE broadband and he has structure scan.  His highspeed 2D is 30mph, sidescan i think is regular. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zo8lWPK1nR0

greg i have an aluminum walleye boat.  Ive installed lots of the Hbirds, I have 998 at console w Y cable for seperate 2D/SI and I get good readings up to 10-12 mph that I can mark fish w no problem.  At around 17mph the boat planes and I get some turbulance fuzz the screen.  I still read bottom at 47mph WOT but its all dots/fuzz but the depth is right.  I guess Im gonna have to find a school next time out and then make some runs over them once I KNOW they are there and see what it does at high speeds.  If you watch that video, he doesnt say if his is glassed in or on the transom, but the posts below the vid the guy mentions his unit an he talks about it in the video.  The guys in the saltwater game have alot of this newer technology, esp the bigger commercial charter fleets, time is money.  Its just amazing how clear his 2D is at high speeds

[mako101]

Awesome! Greg, can Humminbird high speed fish finding performance be improved with software updates?

[Humminbird_Greg]

heres the link, the guy is using SIMRAD NSE broadband and he has structure scan.  His highspeed 2D is 30mph, sidescan i think is regular. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zo8lWPK1nR0

greg i have an aluminum walleye boat.  Ive installed lots of the Hbirds, I have 998 at console w Y cable for seperate 2D/SI and I get good readings up to 10-12 mph that I can mark fish w no problem.  At around 17mph the boat planes and I get some turbulance fuzz the screen.  I still read bottom at 47mph WOT but its all dots/fuzz but the depth is right.  I guess Im gonna have to find a school next time out and then make some runs over them once I KNOW they are there and see what it does at high speeds.  If you watch that video, he doesnt say if his is glassed in or on the transom, but the posts below the vid the guy mentions his unit an he talks about it in the video.  The guys in the saltwater game have alot of this newer technology, esp the bigger commercial charter fleets, time is money.  Its just amazing how clear his 2D is at high speeds

jimmythegreek,
If you could locate the transducer on your boat so that you did not get any air bubbles flowing under the transducer than you could do the same thing.  For that clear of a display you would either have to be on a clear lake (not a lot of floating debris or zooplankton, etc.) or run the SwitchFire menu on the Clear Mode setting.  If air bubbles are getting under the transducer when you are on plane, the first way they will present themselves is by adding turbulent fuzz as you call it to the display.  They will also decrease the strength of the returned sonar signal and will eventually make it very hard to mark fish and finally the bottom reading.

[Humminbird_Greg]

Awesome! Greg, can Humminbird high speed fish finding performance be improved with software updates?

Mako101,
We make sonar improvements through software updates all the time.  I’m not sure what you are looking for here though.  With a properly installed transducer you should be able to mark fish at high boat speeds now.