Transducer upgrade

[FWA]

Hey guys.  Im looking to do a transducer upgrade for my Simrad GO9.   Currently have a lowrance skimmer which isnt the greatest. Im looking to upgrade to an Airmar TM150 or the  Airmar TM165HW.

 

Has anyone used either of these?  Thoughts?

 

Thanks

 

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[shawn393]

I have a  go series hooked to a tm 150. It is a good ducer that gives clear sonar readings. It doesn't have a really wide cone angle and that is the reason a lot of guys don't run them for trolling. I have always liked it and do well with it. If you go on the airmar website you can look at the cone angles for their different transducers. 

[Yankee Troller]

If you think going to another transom mount transducer is going to make things better I think you're mistaken. AIRMAR makes great ducers, but the ducers that come with your MFD's are great too. Most of the time people not happy with a ducers performance is due to poor location/installation, or sonar settings.

 

If you have a fiberglass boat my recommendations are B60 if you trailer, B45/B744v if you don't trailer. I'd also talk you out of CHIRP if all you do is troll. If you jig for fish CHIRP can have some advantages with target separation. For trolling you're loosing 20* cone angle and getting a "prettier" picture. Not worth the 2-3 times the cost IMHO.

 

Not sure where you are from, but I do a TON of this at Krenzer Marine and can help you out with your set-up. I can get anything you need, and I have a great installer. 

[mudflat]

I agree with Rick

 

I have both a B60 and a TM150  with Lowrance HDS 9's installed on my PennYan and I use the B60 98% of the time when trolling.

 

On my small boat I'm using the Lowrance OEM 50/200 transom mount transducer and get a picture just as good as the B60.

 

 

[FWA]

The transducer will be going on an 18 ft aluminum boat.

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[Earl28]

I can agree with Rick. I run a Garmin 7600 with a B60 and a GT 51 transducer. Primarily use the b60 and run the g51 in sidescan to turn on fish that pass to the sides... I am considering a Panoptix live view to tell me went the fish dont like what I have out. I am interested in feed back on that. 

[Yankee Troller]

37 minutes ago, FWA said:

The transducer will be going on an 18 ft aluminum boat.

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A thru-hull ducer isn't an option then. P66 would be my recommendation if you want to go to an AIRMAR. I'd check your current install vs what SIMRAD suggests. Sometimes the multi-function ducers (ones with SI and DI) aren't great ducers while on plane when you're trying to use traditional sonar. On my Lund I have a Y cable for my HELIX that takes traditional sonar from a traditional only ducer, and SI/DI from my MEGA ducer. I can read bait at 20-25mph with my transom ducer on that set-up.