Transducer upgrade

[Earl28]

I am considering a transducer upgrade from a traditional Altmar B60 to a Altmar B175L.

First is anyone using a B175L?

Second do you consider the B175L an improvement over a traditional 50-200 B60?

Thank you for your time. I will value the feedback from anyone willing to share.

[Yankee Troller]

Depends on what kind of fishing you do. If you troll Salmon, Trout, and Walleye you are actually losing more than your gaining going to this transducer. Your B60 in low frequency gives you a 45 degree cone angle. The B175 in Low or Medium gives you < 25 degrees. You're essentially cutting your sonar cone in half which will result in you not seeing as much.

 

The B175 CHIRP ducer really comes into play when your jigging up fish, or looking to separate out fish hugging bottom.

[Earl28]

I agree. Have you used it and is the clarity improvement significant. I have a medium chirp and I am considering a low chirp. There a big ticket item and I do not want to regret the purchase. 

[Earl28]

I am looking for bottom clarity in deep water.

[Yankee Troller]

I don't know what you'd gain going from Medium Chirp to Low Chirp. For the fishing I do CHIRP doesn't help me so I haven't pursued it.

[Sk8man]

As far as bottom coverage goes this may help illuminate that particular issue: http://www.airmartechnology.com/bottom-calculator.html

It may be worth mentioning  that the transducer is an important component; but only half of the total equation. The unit being used, its capabilities, and how it is adjusted accounts for the other half. An additional factor in the bottom clarity (and target from bottom discrimination) is the type of bottom itself and the signal power of the unit (e.g. signal strength returning from the bottom) which is related to the type of bottom and structure as well. A CHIRP unit should give you increased resolution and better discrimination of target and bottom separation and discrimination between targets, but it needs to be properly adjusted and fine tuned (e.g. sensitivity,etc.) to get the best result regardless of transducer. To get the most from the unit and the transducer it has to be properly matched and located as well. Even a standard unit transducer can excel in some cases when these factors are properly set. Airmars are top notch transdducers.  It is unclear what exactly is meant by "deep water" as some may think 100 ft is deep water while my fishing buddy thinks that 600 is where we start fishing in his boat

Edited November 18, 2019 by Sk8man

[Earl28]

Thank you the airmar calculator.  👍