Depth sounder and fish finder with separate transducers on same boat?

[TheRussian]

Good day everyone,

Last season I installed an in-dash depth sounder with a transom mount transducer. I originally bough the boat without one but quickly learned the importance of having it. I am happy with it's clean look and performance so far.

This season I am hoping to invest in a fish finder/chartplotter combo unit that will include a separate transducer. I am mainly looking for the chartplotting capability but I am planning on fishing once in a while.

My question is regarding having two separate transducers emitting a signal simultaneously. I am worried that the two signals will interfere with each other and that this setup will not work. I am hoping that I am incorrect and that there will be no need for a switch to be wired.

Does anyone have any experience with this setup?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Georgesalmon]

Re: Depth sounder and fish finder with separate transducers on same boat?

If the transducer frequency's are close you will get interference. Find out the frequency of your current fish finder and when you get a new unit make sure it is different. I have a Lowrance with 192 KHz and a hummingbird with a 200/50 KHz. If I use both at the same time I have to run the Hummer at 50Khz to avoid interference.

 

[gm280]

Re: Depth sounder and fish finder with separate transducers on same boat?

And even though they are at different frequencies they still can interfere if those frequencies are harmonics of each other. Just wanting to let you know...

 

[blackhawk180]

Re: Depth sounder and fish finder with separate transducers on same boat?

And even though they are at different frequencies they still can interfere if those frequencies are harmonics of each other. Just wanting to let you know...

+1
Ran into the same problem with a buddy's boat. Dual FF and only one would read accurate. Took us a while to figure out even after we had them on different frequencies.

 

[K-2]

Re: Depth sounder and fish finder with separate transducers on same boat?

I have 2, and have no problems. The transducers are about 5' apart.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Depth sounder and fish finder with separate transducers on same boat?

My question is regarding having two separate transducers emitting a signal simultaneously. I am worried that the two signals will interfere with each other and that this setup will not work. I am hoping that I am incorrect and that there will be no need for a switch to be wired.

Does anyone have any experience with this setup?

Thanks in advance.

No need for a switch . Get rid of the deep finder. It becomes redundant with the ff install

 

[TheRussian]

Re: Depth sounder and fish finder with separate transducers on same boat?

What I have is:
Humminbird HDR 650 Depth Gauge
- 200kHz, 20? cone

What I would like to get is:
Humminbird 597ci HD DI GPS/Fishfinder Combo
-DualBeam PLUS sonar - 200 kHz / 25?, 455 kHz / 16?
-Down Imaging sonar - 455 kHz / 75?, 800 kHz / 45?

While it will perhaps indeed become redundant, I do NOT want to remove the sounder from my dash. I am planning on taking the GPS unit out of the boat when not in use and I do not want to be forced to take it out on every trip.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Depth sounder and fish finder with separate transducers on same boat?

What I have is:
Humminbird HDR 650 Depth Gauge
- 200kHz, 20? cone

What I would like to get is:
Humminbird 597ci HD DI GPS/Fishfinder Combo
-DualBeam PLUS sonar - 200 kHz / 25?, 455 kHz / 16?
-Down Imaging sonar - 455 kHz / 75?, 800 kHz / 45?

While it will perhaps indeed become redundant, I do NOT want to remove the sounder from my dash. I am planning on taking the GPS unit out of the boat when not in use and I do not want to be forced to take it out on every trip.

My opinion - A 597ci HD DI Combo is overkill and a lot of of money for very occasional use. It will make pretty pictures when you use it and it takes a fair amount of use and playing with it to figure it out. Again - my opinion.

 

[TheRussian]

Re: Depth sounder and fish finder with separate transducers on same boat?

GA_Boater, thanks for the reply. I am planning on using it mostly for the chart plotting capabilities. Fishfinder is secondary.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Depth sounder and fish finder with separate transducers on same boat?

GA_Boater, thanks for the reply. I am planning on using it mostly for the chart plotting capabilities. Fishfinder is secondary.

Now if you were heavy into fishing, that would be a great unit. You can get a 2D combo for $200 or less and for plotting primarily, color isn't needed. Watch ebay/CL for a used units.

 

[TheRussian]

Re: Depth sounder and fish finder with separate transducers on same boat?

Thanks for the advice, I will now consider spending way less on a unit.

However, my original question was regarding having two transducers mounted on the transom. I have researched Humminbird cable accessories and found that there are two switches - one if you want to have two head units connected to a single transducer, and one that allows you to connect two transducers to a single head unit. The transducer that I have currently is not compatible with most of the fishfinders that I found. I will, therefore, need two transducers and two head units.

 

[Starcraft5834]

Re: Depth sounder and fish finder with separate transducers on same boat?

http://www.************/Humminbird-581i-HD-DI-GPS/Fishfinder-Combo/product/12090705082022/

I installed this....... chart plot, gps, fishfinder, depth,,, all in one

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Depth sounder and fish finder with separate transducers on same boat?

Thanks for the advice, I will now consider spending way less on a unit.

However, my original question was regarding having two transducers mounted on the transom. I have researched Humminbird cable accessories and found that there are two switches - one if you want to have two head units connected to a single transducer, and one that allows you to connect two transducers to a single head unit. The transducer that I have currently is not compatible with most of the fishfinders that I found. I will, therefore, need two transducers and two head units.

How about this - When using the combo unit for fishing, you don't need the depth gauge since it has depth built in, so add a simple power switch to turn off the depth gauge when fishing.

 

[TheRussian]

Re: Depth sounder and fish finder with separate transducers on same boat?

Thanks GA, that idea actually crossed my mind last night as I was trying to fall asleep. I am glad that it make sense. I'm fairly new to boating and the electrical systems so I will have to fool around a bit to get the setup correct. I couldn't figure out how to tap into my boat's DC power (so many wires behind the dash!) to I had the power hooked up to the back of my battery gauge. I know that this is an incorrect way of doing it but it worked! I will figure out the correct, definitive way after I take my boat out of storage in the spring.