Sonar, shoot through, and Mega transducer challenge

[Hollada]

My conundrum is I want to use my shoot thru in the bilge for on plane depth and I want to use the sonar of the mega+ transducer when I come off plane. Currently, I have one solix at the console with a y cable connecting my shoot thru to my mega ducer and thus replacing the mega ducer sonar signal.

Is there any way to do what I want other than disconnecting the y cable when I come off plane (not happening) or adding a second unit with sonar only that utilizes the shoot thru?

[Wayne P.]

No

If you have two units and both have HW CHIRP broadcasting at the same time (HW CHIRP in the SI transducer and a HW CHIRP transducer), at the same end of the boat, you won't be able to use either one due to cross-talk.
You would have to put one on Standby, turn Sonar OFF, or turn the unit Off.

[bCody]

I often wish I could do this as well. You just know that the 2d coming from the Mega transducer would be better.

Because of this, I rarely use 2D on my console Solix.

Now up front, I use it all the time.

[Hollada]

No

If you have two units and both have HW CHIRP broadcasting at the same time (HW CHIRP in the SI transducer and a HW CHIRP transducer), at the same end of the boat, you won't be able to use either one due to cross-talk.
You would have to put one on Standby, turn Sonar OFF, or turn the unit Off.

I’d leave my bilge ducer as is (it’s pre HW, 2018) and run it in 83 or 200. Whichever produced the least interference. Or I’d put it in standby. It’s only purpose would be depth on plane.

As ugly as it would be, I could go back to a cheap core unit, just for seeing depth when running in plane.

[Tarheel14]

That's what I was thinking about doing. Getting an older cheap unit used just for on plane depth reading.

[bobcoy]

If all you want to see is depth get an in dash gauge and hook it to the shoot through. Otherwise a helix 5 or 7. Bob
https://www.westmarine.com/buy/hummi...nder--12961025

[Hollada]

What’s the cheapest old networkable head unit? I think I could hide an old unit in a compartment and just use it to share the depth reading of the sonar to my console unit. An Ethernet thru hull ducer would be the ideal device if it existed.

[Wayne P.]

What’s the cheapest old networkable head unit? I think I could hide an old unit in a compartment and just use it to share the depth reading of the sonar to my console unit. An Ethernet thru hull ducer would be the ideal device if it existed.

No such thing as a network transducer.
Oldest/cheapest networkable would be a HD model 700 series like 788ci HD Combo, 788ci HD DI Combo, or 798ci HD SI Combo.
Those would match your 83/200 kHz transducer.

[ezfishn]

My conundrum is I want to use my shoot thru in the bilge for on plane depth and I want to use the sonar of the mega+ transducer when I come off plane. Currently, I have one solix at the console with a y cable connecting my shoot thru to my mega ducer and thus replacing the mega ducer sonar signal.

Is there any way to do what I want other than disconnecting the y cable when I come off plane (not happening) or adding a second unit with sonar only that utilizes the shoot thru?

Are you seeing a difference between the in-hull and MEGA transducer's Dual Spectrum sonar performance?

[Kenfuel]

Are you seeing a difference between the in-hull and MEGA transducer's Dual Spectrum sonar performance?

I think I see a difference, it might just be in my mind. I had HW 2d on trolling motor and transom. When "video fishing" both units seemed identical. When I installed the y cable and in hull transducer it doesnt seem as sensitive, if jigging a small light weight jig, I can't see it dropping down on the transom but I can still see it at the trolling motor. I think its installed correctly, I never lose depth on plane.

[Dirtyeggroll]

Wow I thought the shoot thru HW transducer was supposed to be the same quality as the mega transducer.

[Wayne P.]

Wow I thought the shoot thru HW transducer was supposed to be the same quality as the mega transducer.

The HW piezo in the SI transducer is the same as the HW piezo in the shoot-thru model.
The installation of the shoot-thru affects its performance although there is some signal loss with the sound pulses passing through the hull and then the return echoes passing through the hull.
A quality shoot-thru installation has minimal signal loss.

[Kenfuel]

If I'm jigging a spoon I can see it on both units , with no problem. Only time I can see a difference is with a small light jig, so as Wayne said I think it's a minimal loss.

[Hollada]

No such thing as a network transducer.
Oldest/cheapest networkable would be a HD model 700 series like 788ci HD Combo, 788ci HD DI Combo, or 798ci HD SI Combo.
Those would match your 83/200 kHz transducer.

Re: networked ducer - I did say “if it existed”.

I don’t have the HW, yet. I’m Running regular 83/200 on bow as part of my mega SI ducer and on the shoot thru in the bilge. Transducer was installed at the factory (I would hope basscat would do a “quality install”). My bow images are vastly superior to my shoot thru images - at least as far as seeing fish goes. Both read bottom and hard structure fine. I had the same experience with two different shoot thru ducers in my last basscat. One of those ducers was factory installed and the other was replaced by a dealer. I doubt those two installs were low quality installs either. But who knows, maybe I’ve had 3 bad installs. Or maybe the amount of signal lost in the thru hull installation is more than Im able to accept.

[MichAngler]

2D xdcr’s are still a 2 wire system yes?

If you’re willing to cannibalize a couple of xdcr’s

Or buy a couple of cable extensions and cannibalize them

Might try the old transducer switch from way back

There aren’t any plugs or adapters to make it work so you would have to solder everything

And with today’s signals/chirp not sure if the switch would allow the signal to pass through without a lot of degradation

But if it does work you now have the means to do what you want for less than a second unit

Attachment 392538

[Dirtyeggroll]

Could add a second unit...

[MichAngler]

A second idea that would be much easier and cheaper

is a 2D off the transom

might get a better signal

I know the purists will say the shoot thru is the only way to go but for me getting to the bilge on a Skeeter is a major ordeal so I went with the transom mount

I run one and the one time I removed the Y cable I didn't see any difference in the image

[Wayne P.]

A second idea that would be much easier and cheaper

is a 2D off the transom

might get a better signal

I know the purists will say the shoot thru is the only way to go but for me getting to the bilge on a Skeeter is a major ordeal so I went with the transom mount

I run one and the one time I removed the Y cable I didn't see any difference in the image

I know about the Skeeter accessibility, PM sent about that.

[Hollada]

A second idea that would be much easier and cheaper

is a 2D off the transom

might get a better signal

I know the purists will say the shoot thru is the only way to go but for me getting to the bilge on a Skeeter is a major ordeal so I went with the transom mount

I run one and the one time I removed the Y cable I didn't see any difference in the image

Do you get good depth on plane at wot? How much F’ing around did you need to do to find the right skimming position?

[MichAngler]

Do you get good depth on plane at wot? How much F’ing around did you need to do to find the right skimming position?

I can get depth at any speed WOT 72mph until the water gets rough

Even in normal chop I get a good signal at 60mph

Took maybe three trips to tweak it to the exact spot I wanted but I’m picking

I had good signal up to 40-50 on first time out