Humminbird Down Imaging Mounted Sideways? Sidescan??

[ctf58]

I was reading in another post and came across this post.

"Basically Down Imaging is nothing but Side Imaging in a verticle or traditional 2D view. The two SI images are combined and filtered to give you the view under the boat. Some people have a harder time understanding SI and for them the DI is more of what they are use to with traditional sonar. I think there are some very good advantages to DI, especially for fishermen, but as I have stated before, you really are not gaining any new data from the DI view. "

So it made me think, could I in theory mount my DI transducer say 45 degrees on my trolong motor and have Side scan imaging on a swivel to "Look around"? Just wondering if anyone else every thought of it or tried it. I know it sounds odd?

I was also wondering if manually setting the depth would limit the distance, sort of like on a SI unit setting to read 100 ft to the side.

The whole reason for this post is two fold.

1. I like to tinker with stuff.

2. DI is great if the water is deep enough. I typically fish in less than 20ft of water so I'm not seeing a large area. If I were jigging under the boat that would be fine, but I bass fish and thought if I could "see" to the side out, say 75ft then I could cast to something without having to first drive directly over it to find it and possibly disturb the fish. I understand the depth reading would be off but I think a person could learn to adjust for that. I also thought about manually setting the depth to see if the unit reacted somewhat like setting a SI unit to scan 100ft out to the side.

I have my ducer mounter to the trolling motor so I was in theory thinking as Alex_under. angle it about 30 degrees off vertical plus with it being on the trolling motor I could literally look around 360 degrees by slowly turning the motor..

I'm not having buyer remorse, I just did not think about the area I could see in DI under the boat and I bought the unit for "Finding" structure. I can not afford a SI unit and thought this might be a "poorboy's" solution.

Thanks again

Clint

[Wayne P.]

That would be similar to just using one side of a Side Imaging view. Each SI beam covers the water from the surface to past vertical under the transducer.

[redboat]

I2. DI is great if the water is deep enough. I typically fish in less than 20ft of water so I'm not seeing a large area. If I were jigging under the boat that would be fine, but I bass fish and thought if I could "see" to the side out, say 75ft then I could cast to something without having to first drive directly over it to find it and possibly disturb the fish.

I may not be fully understanding you: Are you saying your SI isn't effective in shallow water? Mine works out to the side pretty well on low frequency (455 Khz as I recall); on the higher 800 Khz frequency it's not as effective in shallow water.

Here's one I shot in 3 feet of water at 455 Khz:

[J Francho]

I may not be fully understanding you: Are you saying your SI isn't effective in shallow water?

No, he's saying he has a DI, not an SI unit.

[redboat]

I thought DI was a function of a SI unit? Didn't think 'bird made a unit that had DI that didn't also have SI.

[J Francho]

You're the only one that mentioned Humminbird specifically. Lowrance has several DI units.

So does HB, apparently: http://store.humminbird.com/products/410760/788ci_HD_DI_Combo

[redboat]

You're the only one that mentioned Humminbird specifically. Lowrance has several DI units.

I assumed he was referring to Humminbird specifically based on the name of the thread.

Interesting that they'd make a DI that isn't also SI. Wonder what the rational for that is? Easier to mount? Less expensive?

[Wayne P.]

Humminbird has several units that are Down Imaging and dual frequency 2D sonar. Their models with DI in the model name are the ones. There are three larger screen versions in the 2012 line. 858c DI, 958c DI, and 1158c DI. A total of 10 units with the Down Imaging feature.

Another note "Down Imaging" is a Humminbird product.

"Down Scan" is a Lowrance product.

[Wayne P.]

It

I assumed he was referring to Humminbird specifically based on the name of the thread. Interesting that they'd make a DI that isn't also SI. Wonder what the rational for that is? Easier to mount? Less expensive?

It's even more "interesting" that Lowrance has units that are Down Scan only. They have DSI in their model names.

That catagory of units give the consumer the imaging technology at a lower cost.

[JIGFISHERMAN.]

It

It's even more "interesting" that Lowrance has units that are Down Scan only. They have DSI in their model names.

That catagory of units give the consumer the imaging technology at a lower cost.

Check the post above yours. Humminbird has the same thing.

Even their largest unit is now going to be offered in down imaging only for a reduced cost compared to the SI/DI unit.

[Wayne P.]

Check the post above yours. Humminbird has the same thing. Even their largest unit is now going to be offered in down imaging only for a reduced cost compared to the SI/DI unit.

I don't get what you post is about. The post above the one you quoted is mine also.

[JIGFISHERMAN.]

I'm curious if what your asking is possible as well.

Can you turn a DI transducer sideways to use it as a SI unit?

[JIGFISHERMAN.]

I don't get what you post is about. The post above the one you quoted is mine also.

Ahhhh I didn't even notice that for some reason.

Ya, looks like they both offer them. Of the two, to me it seems the Humminbird would be the better unit because you can switch between Down Imaging, and regular sonar, The Lowrance is Down Scan only.

[J Francho]

Communication breakdown, lol.

[FD.]

Can anyone actually answer the OP's question? I have thought about aiming my TM transducer to the side but have never tried it. In theory it should work, just the interpretation would be a challenge to master.

[ctf58]

@ redboat

That statement came from a Humminbird forum and I beleive it was an employee at Humminbird.

[ctf58]

I have a Humminbird 570DI

Sonar

Down Imaging® w/ DualBeam PLUS™

• w/SwitchFire™
  
• 200 kHz / 25° @ -10db
  
• 455 kHz / 16° @ -10db
  

• 455 kHz / 75° @ -10db
  
• 800 kHz / 45° @ -10db
  

• Depth: 250ft (DI)/500 ft
  

Still wondering if my original question could work? On Humminbird forum some say yes.

[ctf58]

[Wayne P.]

The answer is simple, try it to see if you can get the results you want.

[ctf58]

WayneP

I will give it a try. I just did not want to reinvent the wheel if someone else had tried it and said it was a waste of time. I just popped in my head one night and seemed to simple.

[J Francho]

Get some screen captures if you can, I'd like to see it myself.

[Wayne P.]

WayneP

I will give it a try. I just did not want to reinvent the wheel if someone else had tried it and said it was a waste of time. I just popped in my head one night and seemed to simple.

It's never a waste to time to experiement and you may help others with their equipment.

I have a SI transducer that one if the SI beams stopped working (I think I damaged the cable with the trollling motor mount). I can still use the 1/2 of it for SI and DI.

[weezy109]

It's never a waste to time to experiement and you may help others with their equipment.

I have a SI transducer that one if the SI beams stopped working (I think I damaged the cable with the trollling motor mount). I can still use the 1/2 of it for SI and DI.

I don't think there is nething special in the wiring, like its not fiber optics or nething, so you can probably fix that in a matter of minutes if you can find where the connection broke. Actually never seen one myself but wiring is wiring generally speaking.

[Wayne P.]

I don't think there is nething special in the wiring, like its not fiber optics or nething, so you can probably fix that in a matter of minutes if you can find where the connection broke. Actually never seen one myself but wiring is wiring generally speaking.

Thanks, I have spliced transducer cables before. With the new stuff, getting the shielding back in place so RF interference is not an extra issue would be a chore. With this particular transducer, it was made before extra shielding was part of the mfg and is a RF magnet anyway. It has been replaced for over a year.

[weezy109]

Thanks, I have spliced transducer cables before. With the new stuff, getting the shielding back in place so RF interference is not an extra issue would be a chore. With this particular transducer, it was made before extra shielding was part of the mfg and is a RF magnet anyway. It has been replaced for over a year.

I was actually not trying to be a smarta@@. Hmm that is interesting, like I said i've never actually seen inside transducer cable. What type of shielding do they use, in guitars we sometimes use shielding tape to cut down on RF interference too, is it something similar, like just copper shielding?