Flasher depth finders

[tpmdraw]

My 31 year old Lowrance flasher gave up the ghost. Does anyone know if there's a maker or seller?

 

[gm280]

Re: Flasher depth finders

My 31 year old Lowrance flasher gave up the ghost. Does anyone know if there's a maker or seller?

Actually I have two or three old Hummingbird flashers presently. I bought them off EBay. I even built one from Heathkit a long time ago. Their operation is quite simplistic. They just use a rotating disk with a florescent type slender tube that is connected via slide type brushes to a commentator at the center of that disk. And once the transmitter ping the transducer the disk is spinning in an absolute predictable and controlled speed that is in sync with the ultrasonic transmitted wave. So as it is spinning once the receiver receives the return ultrasonic signals back it lights the florescent tube which just happens to display the depth...very simple operation. So in essences it is a precision timed mechanical/electronic setup. If yours is not working it is probably the tube not lighten anymore. And the way they changed depth capabilities was to slow the spinning disk down or speed it up... You could check with the manufacture for any available parts. I?m sure no manufacture would still repair them anymore... Or you could watch EBay for a cheap one too...

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Flasher depth finders

Buy a new fishfinder with an LCD screen and for as little as $100 will work a hundred times better than your old flasher unit.

 

[gm280]

Re: Flasher depth finders

Buy a new fishfinder with an LCD screen and for as little as $100 will work a hundred times better than your old flasher unit.

Bruce58, I do understand what your're saying....BUT, many folks that have used both types have come to like the flashers for their ability to display the depth while running the lakes and rivers better then the new LCD types. So while you are correct in the new LCD screen abilities, the old ones have their place... That is why you will see new ultra-modern LCD high dollar sounders along side of old type flasher models these days...

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Flasher depth finders

... display the depth while running the lakes and rivers better then the new LCD types...

Did you use your Flasher while moving?
I believe they are primarily used in Ie Fishing.
The transducer isn't mounted, just hanging in the hole in the ice.

They are Still Available.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Flasher depth finders

Bruce58, I do understand what your're saying....BUT, many folks that have used both types have come to like the flashers for their ability to display the depth while running the lakes and rivers better then the new LCD types.

The speed of sound has not changed and the new processors are far superior to anything on the market in years past. Its a mental thing. It's what they have confidence in. A flasher can’t come close to the capabilities of a modern fish finder.

 

[gm280]

Re: Flasher depth finders

The speed of sound has not changed and the new processors are far superior to anything on the market in years past. Its a mental thing. It's what they have confidence in. A flasher can’t come close to the capabilities of a modern fish finder.

Again I do understand what you are saying. Electons haven't changed ever. But a flasher displays the bottom near real time while unless you have your LCD running in fast mode, it lags behind as it scrolls by. So I've seen both in very new boats.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Flasher depth finders

For the price of a dedicated Flasher unit you can get an LCD unit with GPS maps, Boat Speed, Depth, Water Temp, Wide Imaging, Narrow Imaging and CIRCULAR FLASHER DISPLAY!

You truly CAN have it all!

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Flasher depth finders

My fishfinder has a pseudo flasher display on the side if you want. Not only is it annoying but it doesn't give you anymore information about than the chart

 

[dingbat]

Re: Flasher depth finders

But a flasher displays the bottom near real time while unless you have your LCD running in fast mode, it lags behind as it scrolls by. So I've seen both in very new boats.

Interesting. It must be cheaper to buy two units. Most of your better sounders have "A-scope" which is a step up from a flasher since is shows you the spot size as well.

I have A-scope on my Furuno and rarely if ever turn it on. Granted, it is easier to see detection with A-scope, but I find the audible alarm works just as well for me and I don’t have to watch the screen.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Flasher depth finders

I have A-scope on my Furuno and rarely if ever turn it on.

I believe that is similar to what I was referring to as well on my Lowrance. To me, its just very annoying.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Flasher depth finders

Most of the new units have the A scope option, I never use it, I grew with flashers and disliked them then.

 

[tpmdraw]

Re: Flasher depth finders

Buy a new fishfinder with an LCD screen and for as little as $100 will work a hundred times better than your old flasher unit.

I've never seen or had (3) a LCD fishfinder that would keep showing depth at planing speeds. I generally run narrow channels and need to constantly monitor depth - the flasher is perfect for that.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Flasher depth finders

I've never seen or had (3) a LCD fishfinder that would keep showing depth at planing speeds. I generally run narrow channels and need to constantly monitor depth - the flasher is perfect for that.

I have never seen any depth finder that I trust accuracy at speed, especially a flasher. they all show you where the boat has been. a good chart plotter with GPS shows you what is charted, then gives you the read depth.

however if you have your heart set on 30 year old technology, then ebay.

 

[gm280]

Re: Flasher depth finders

I see this has become a "my fishfinder is better" thread now. I see it as to each their own. Some like the old flashers and I've seen very new boats (bass boats specifically) with the latest GPS/chart/colored display units installed and an old flasher sitting aside of them as well. So everybody has their own idea what works the best for their needs... I’ll just leave it at that... And I will have to say that knowing how those old flashers and the new LCD screened units work, they all do that exact same things with different displays. They use a single transducer that is pinked (energized) by the transmitter/receiver circuitry as both the transmitting and receiving antenna (for lack of a better word) to achieve the results. So the general theory has not changed in all those years...

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Flasher depth finders

I've never seen or had (3) a LCD fishfinder that would keep showing depth at planing speeds. I generally run narrow channels and need to constantly monitor depth - the flasher is perfect for that.

Mine has a display on the side that does exactly what a flasher does. Like I said before, I generally turn it off or ignore it.

Since both LCD units and flashers use the same type transducer, how they work on plane or not is an identical issue with either.

 

[TerryMSU]

Re: Flasher depth finders

A few years ago, I had one on a boat. It went bad and I opened it up and cleaned and adjusted the rotating contacts. That was all it took to fix it. That said, there are flasher type displays on most fish-finders. On the other hand, I did get used to the old fashioned flasher and found it easy to quickly adapt to its analog display. For most of us, analog is second nature. Digital is more precise, but it takes some small thought processing to adapt to it.

TerryMSU

 

[dingbat]

Re: Flasher depth finders

For most of us, analog is second nature.

Only if you grew up in the analog age and haven?t evolved.

Me think the one on the right is easier to read

 

[TerryMSU]

Re: Flasher depth finders

I grew up in the analog age, but I work and design electronics in the digital age. There are still some things where analog is more useful. BTW, the 46.5 is DIGITAL. Both displays shown have more info to sort thru than a boat underway needs to have. More information than you really need is not always a good thing.

TerryMSU

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Flasher depth finders

Me think the one on the right is easier to read

Very funny!!:lol: