Wayne P.

Yea, I kind of use Humminbird Side Imaging for bass fishing. Bass fishing is the only fishing I do. I have broken the plastic transom mount of the 798ci SI a couple of times, but I expect that since I fish in trees and stumps a lot. That is a good contraption but there is a custom spring loaded mount commercially available made by Transducer Shield and Saver.

Are you getting recreational sonar and military sonar confused in a fishing conversation? The frequency range and power is very different between the two.

The only one I know of to accomplish what you want are these from RAM http://www.ram-mount.com/SearchResults/tabid/38/searchBy/description/criteria/084082079076076073078071032077079084079082032083084065066073076073090069082/Default.aspx

There you go interjecting myth and superstition into this subject. This is on the Lowrance web site: "Although these frequencies are in the sound spectrum, they’re inaudible to both humans and fish. (You don’t have to worry about the sonar unit spooking the fish - they can’t hear it.)"

Lowrance has a good tutorial on their web site to help you learn the LCD display sonar technology. http://www.lowrance.com/en/Support/Tips-and-Tutorials/Sonar-Tutorial/

Good analogy, I use Side Imaging to "sight" fish all year no matter what the depth or water color is.

Don't use a knot on the rig at all. Tie a 100# coastlock snapswivel to your line with your favorite knot and attach the rig to the snapswivel.

Make your own for less than $2. "It ain't rocket science"

Humminbird owners, check your Humminbird account for the latest update. The software to move the left side data boxes on the SI view with the 898c SI and 998c SI units is available as well as the new unit Waypoint Management that matches the HumminbirdPC 4.2. for those models and the 1198c SI. There a few more features also.

I just bought the Tactical swimbait rod for throwing the umbrella rig. Haven't used it yet. It feels sort of heavy but it is 7' 11' long and is rated for 1-6 oz baits so I didn't expect a feather weight.

The larger ones are the 1198c SI units. Your 1197c SI is Platinum compatable. The background mapping has no affect on the added map chips. It may be operator error in using that feature. It does not show in all zoom levels in the Birdseye View. Uni-map is basically a color background with no water detail. ContourXD has about 3,000 lakes country wide with contours. That is less than just a regional Navionics Card. No, you cannot upgrade the background map, it is a map chip attached to the unit circuit board.

The backgroud mapping can be Uni-map or ContourXD depending on the actual date of mfg. Mine has the ContourXD and was made on October 26, 2009. I would guess that a lot of small time dealers gave up their old stock for new stuff rather than take a loss on a sale price. Those units could be 2007 models depending on how long they were in somebody's stock. You can call and ask for a serial number, or check it yourself to see when it was made. The first 5 or 6 digits of the serial number is the mfg date. Year/Month/Day====80712XX-XXXX would be July 12, 2008 100115XX-XXXX would be January 15, 2010. edit: forgot to answer your other question---it is a great unit and has every feature of the newest one except the Ethernet capability to share data with another Ethernet compatable unit.

That model is one I have on my dash. The $770 is less than that unit was sold at BPS on Black Friday in 2010 ($799), but is still higher than Cabelas had them at the same time for $699. Both had them on clearence for the upcoming model. The 798ci HD SI unit was the new model for the 2011 model year and still is the current model.

You still got it wrong and didn't use the whole model name. All three have 798si Combo in the name.Others that may be interested may want to know exactly which one is on sale.

dag623, be aware of the complete model number when shopping for sonar equipment. Several model series have the same number but different suffixes. The one that BPS has on sale I think is the discontinued model. Only the 798ci HD SI Combo is the current model. Any unit without that complete model number is a legacy unit. There is a 798c SI Combo and a 798ci SI Combo. There are four units in the 788 series.

You are correct, that is some powerful stuff. Puts all that other stuff to shame when it comes to staying power. It allows your lure slip through vegetation very well also.

First of all the 798ci HD SI unit does Side Imaging, Down Imaging and Switchfire dual frequency 2D sonar. The 788ci HD DI does Down Imaging and Switchfire dual frequency 2D sonar. No question Side Imaging is a lot more useful than Down Imaging due to the coverage it has. Regular sonar and Down Imaging has very little bottom coverage in shallow water, but Side Imaging works as far as you have the range set as long as the transducer is not buried in bottom mud. Both units will work great at the console with a transom mounted transducer or at the bow with a trolling motor mounted transducer. I rarely even use DI or 2D sonar any more. I have three SI units on my Tracker:

I don't know about the groove difference. My knowlege about the setup comes from some that have done it. I don't remember which models were involved. I use Motor Guides and wouldn't have an electric steer motor if someome gave it to me.

Additionally be aware of the cable getting wrapped up so don't do the 360 degree plus motor turns. When you make a complete turn, Rotate the motor back in the opposite direction each time for steering corrections.

Yes you can. I just described the procedure recently to another person. Here is what I sent: You can with any Humminbird model, but no Lowrance models due to the transducer cable diameter. That shaft groove is not used for any motor functions. Guys that put a Humminbird SI or a DI unit on the bow, take the motor head apart, disconnect the wires, take the head off, pull the shaft out of the mount, and put the transducer cable plug through the mount. They then re-assemble it all with the cable in the shaft groove. A very little adhesive along that groove to secure the cable in a few places will give you an easily functioning setup. If you choose the Humminbird 798, exchange the supplied transom tranducer for the trolling motor puck version (XTM 9 SI 180 T). Just call Humminbird for the exchange and don't open the package in the box.

I have the FIt-Overs in amber and gray plus a Cocoon with gray lense, but they hurt my head/nose after a few hours so I recenty purchased some perscription models that have the seals like the Wiley-X sunglasses have.

No, I haven't. That would be some interesting technology that couldn't involve mapping since GPS has nothing to do with mapping. Mapping on a chart plotter is just an overlay on the plotter screen. It could only relate to similar depths if the unit recorded depth as part of a waypoint data file. Humminbird and Lowrance units do that. What you describe would be classified as a fairy tale.

The best advice you can get for trolling motor consideraton is get the most powerful one you can afford. There is no such thing as "enough" but there is such a thing as "not enough". You can operate a more powerful motor at a lower speed setting than a lesser motor at a higher speed setting for the same boat speed and use less battery power=more time on the water. Along with that is get a variable speed model. Those have electonic circuitry to regulate the voltage use and your battery/s will last longer. I have a 16'2" aluminum bass boat and I use a 105# thrust 36V bow trolling motor all the time and add a 80# 24V transom trolling motor when fishing electric-only waters. When I push the "go" button, I want to go regardless of wind, current, or load.

You need an adaptor cable with a plug that matches your sonar brand.

Yes, you have the Ethernet port, BUT your unit is not listed as one being compatable with the 360 sonar. That may have been an oversite with only the latest models being shown.