Wayne P.

Ones that use the other versions of the Fishin Buddy would have to answer that. It just does more than the others.

"follow the contour" is a feature with iPilot Link and Lakemaster or Auto Chart mapping. Any Humminbird unit that is Ethernet capable will do that. Either version of the 998 is included. The Ultrex will have an iPilot and iPilot Link version. The Link version may be out around January.

Save all your recordings in a file and you can use them if you want to try the Lakemaster Auto Chart software. I keep all of mine on USB thumb drives.

Two things have to be avoided or you get corrupted recordings. 1. The depth readout has to be real, not affected by quick changes in depth caused by the transducer being kicked up by some object like a stump, loosing water contact, or hull rocking/large waves. 2. The depth has to be actual depth, not a readout that is caused by being too shallow with the Sensitivity set too high, and the unit can't figure out what the depth is. That can also happen when above thick vegetation also. Sometimes you get a depth readout that is hundreds or thousands of feet or no depth reading. At a minimum adjust the Sensitivity to the lowest setting that will produce a depth reading and use the Switchfire Clear setting. When recording, do it in 15-30 minute segments so it any of the above happens, you don't loose a lot of recorded data. I have uploaded way over 200 recordings (stopped counting) to the Sonar Charts program, so I have experienced just about everything that can go wrong when collecting the data. Additionally if you are collecting data on a body of water that has no outline on Navionics data base or the shoreline is not accurate and your track is shown on land, it takes longer to produce the contour map since Navionics has to create or re-draw the shoreline (zero line) to apply all your data.

From the Humminbird website and it includes the Helix, ONIX, and ION series now since this was published before those units were created: http://www.humminbird.com/Category/Support/FAQ/SDHC_Compatability/

IF the battery is lead/acid there will be "sloshing around" since it has liquid inside whether it has been submerged or not.

32 GB is the largest you can use.

The Max version has Down Imaging and 2D sonar: http://www.humminbird.com/Products/Fishin--Buddy-MAX-DI/

It is called common sense and no. It has to remain stationary. The bow 360 is designed to clamp to the UPPER NON-ROTATING shaft of a foot control CABLE steer trolling motor. Specifically the Fortrex and Maxxum. It fits an Edge also. With a Motor Guide, the new X3 and X5 will work, but the older motors need a custom adapter for the shaft size difference. I use one with my Motor Guide Tour. The new Ultrex has a special mount for it under the steering housing. Look at the bottom picture above. In all cases, it stows and deploys with the trolling motor. The only way to use it attached to an Ulterra is a custom apparatus made by a third party mfg called Cumberland Crappie. Other choices are custom mounts that are not attached to the trolling motor and attach to the hull. The crappie community has invented those custom mounts to have the 360 at the bow with their preferred trolling motor type.

They are being testing big time now. This is two of them: Another one:

The Terrova does not have the feel feed back that a cable steer motor has or the quick response for BASS fishing around docks and timber that the Ultrex has. With the Ultrex, there is less of a chance falling overboard when stowing or deploying the motor. It has the same mount as the Fortrex--folding with lift assist. The Ultrex does NOT have power trim and stow, that is the Ultrerra. The Ulterra is more like the Terrova and Powerdrive. The Ultrex is also Humminbird 360 compatible.

My question wasn't intended as an insult, sorry if it came off that way. This is what you posted. This is suggesting aiming the wide end of the transducer forward, no? This would also indicate the opposite of the picture I posted, showing the narrow, more streamlined end of the transducer facing forward. If that isn't what you meant, I'm genuinely sorry, but your above quote sounds a lot like facing the transducer backwards. Wayne P.. well heck I'm pretty sure I have always been putting that narrow end forward and wide end rear-ward I will have to correct that thanks! I you would have read the transducer installation instructions and attached the transom bracket, you would have seen it would be physically impossible to attach it to the transom of a boat with the transducer backwards. Turkey sandwich, your picture is irrelevant, obviously you don't know what a Down Imaging transducer looks like. I posted a picture of a Down Imaging transducer XNT 9 DI T from the Humminbird website that bchase44 has for this Down Imaging unit stated in the second paragraph, second sentence of the OP. I have one on my boat and one on my desk.

No, reading and comprehension 101.

IF the imaging technology is within your budget, that is a good way to learn "what is down there". Look through the posted screen shots above and see what technology you would like. You can get pretty much color display, imaging, 2D sonar, temp. plus GPS for under $500. The less the display size and the less the technology, the lower the cost. $120 would get you depth, temp, and 2D sonar. This is 2D sonar showing what a creek channel looks like when crossed perpendicular:

What is your budget? That would determine how much sonar technology or other features are available within that constraint.

Your 200 kHz 2D sonar coverage is a little more that 1/3 the depth. That would be about 3' in 10' of depth. The 455 kHz sonar coverage is about 1/2 of that. The sonar pulse is sort of an inverted cone shape, more depth=more coverage. Using 455 kHz DI, your left to right coverage would be a little more than the depth or 10' of left to right coverage in 10' of depth. The Imaging pulse is very thin front to back, a few inches, and wide to the sides. Think of it as a CAT scan that hospitals use. If you use 800 kHz, its coverage is about 1/2 of the 455 kHz coverage. For the Imaging to work correctly the transducer wide end has to face forward and narrow temp sensor end facing rearward. Turn FishID on and take advantage of that fishing tool. You will get symbols for fish that are about 1# and larger.

None of those three lines are braided superlines. Nanofil and Fireline have fused filaments. I have not figured out what Monotex means, but the filaments don't look fused and stay in a thread bundle that is not rough feeling like the fused lines are. Fireline and Nanofil will fray just like Gliss does. When you see that, cut off the frizzies and retie. I purchase superlines by diameter, not breaking strength. The weakest Gliss I use is 24# for light to ultra-light. My other setups have 40#.

No, just the opposite. Stuff is recorded on the right side and then moves left as history. Current data is the first vertical row of screen pixels on the right side. It displays what is directly under the transducer in a somewhat inverted cone shaped pulse.

I used a HDSI transducer with the 798ci SI Combo I used to have. BIG improvement.

Power fishing reminds me of an incident a few years ago. I was fishing an offshore contour change catching numerous bass with finesse presentations. There was a boat with two guys going along the shoreline about 75 yards away and they saw me catching. They trolled over and asked what I was doing, they had not caught any all morning. I described how and why I was catching and offered them some hooks and baits. The reply was "no thanks, we are power fishing", then they headed back towards the bank again. As they were moving away I caught a couple more that they heard splashing. They turned around a looked, then kept on going to the bank. I could see them for a long time as they covered about a half mile of shoreline and never saw them doing any power catching.

Yep, need a AS EC QDE Ethernet adapter. If you have a Gander Mt. near you, they have those in stock.

When I fish there (been a few years), I just fish the actual attractors or near them. Also the trees in the part of the lake past the dam ( those are submerged). No problem catching bass there. This time of year you have to fish the depth that is at top of the thermocline.

Yes somewhat, would not be without one.

The 500 and 700 series were discontinued when the 600 series came out. Both of those are more desirable than the 600 series for Side Imaging due to the wider display.

If you want a smooth bottom readout, don't be on the water in waves. You will get the same with a transom mounted transducer, just not as much due to the weight at the transom.. Your boat floats and reacts to the surface water conditions.