Chartplotter capabilities

[Tylermsawmiller]

I'm not very familiar with the higher end features of boating electronics and have have a question about the sidescan/chartplotter and gps.

When the unit is on and I'm running across the lake at 60 mph, can the unit continue to perform side scan, and save everything that I go across, to later be uploaded to my computer, carefully looked back through, identify structure, then mark it to have the gps take me back to the exact location the item is marked at?

[Tavery5]

No

[Tylermsawmiller]

Okay, so what are the capabilities?

[Tavery5]

Okay, so what are the capabilities?

Your question is too general, what unit are you interested in?  There are several mfg's each with many different models and capabilities.   Try narrowing down your query and others can help with the capabilities.

[Tylermsawmiller]

A humminbird onix with chartplotter pro and the zero lines SD Memory card.

What is the top speed for chartplotter?

Once an area has been charted, will it always be charted every time I turn the unit on?

The pro offers "side scan mosaic," how exactly does that work? I've only seen an image in the catalog for it.

I'm asking these questions because the lakes I fish most are not offered on lake map chips, so I want to be able to build my own map over time and be able to view it on my pc at any time, and base my fishing dicisions from that map.

[Tavery5]

A humminbird onix with chartplotter pro and the zero lines SD Memory card.

What is the top speed for chartplotter?

Once an area has been charted, will it always be charted every time I turn the unit on?

The pro offers "side scan mosaic," how exactly does that work? I've only seen an image in the catalog for it.

I'm asking these questions because the lakes I fish most are not offered on lake map chips, so I want to be able to build my own map over time and be able to view it on my pc at any time, and base my fishing dicisions from that map.

If he does not respond try sending a PM to member Wayne P., he is extremely knowledgeable and very helpful when it comes to these type questions.   

[Humminbird Greg]

Let me see if I can shed some light on this for you...
To begin with, the ability to generate a custom map is not limited to the ONIX units and their AutoChart Live feature.  This can be done with many Humminbird units and the AutoChart or AutoChart Pro software (for your computer).  All it takes are some Sonar Recordings that many Humminbird model units can do.  The water depth (and bottom hardness) data comes from the 2D sonar which can potentially work at top speed on some boats.  However, the units cannot transmit, receive and record the sonar data fast enough to get any high level of detail at these speeds.  If your intention is to get a very accurate map of an area you will need to slow down.  One of the nice things about AutoChart is that you can always go back later and add more sonar recording data to your custom lake map that will help refine the detail it has.

Side Imaging sonar cannot transmit/receive fast enough to give any sort of great detail much above about 6mph.  The faster you go the larger the space is between each transmit/receive cycle and the less detail you will see in your Si image.  For highly detailed Si you will need to slow down.  To be able to do this at 60 mph you will also have to be able to mount the Side Imaging transducer in such a location that it gets a constant flow of air bubble free water flowing across it at that speed while also not upsetting how the boat travels across the water.  One of the first Side Imaging transducers I mounted was on a test boat for the company (Humminbird). I got lucky with the install and it would read at WOT which was about 46 mph for that boat.  It would show the Si sonar at that speed but there was little detail in it.  I could see larger drop offs and large trees but no singular stumps or small drops were seen do to the lack of detail at that speed and absolutely no fish were seen.

Now, slow things down and make sonar recordings and you can play them back on your Humminbird unit (or your PC using an aftermarket software) and you can mark waypoints for those interesting looking structures you want to fish later on.  You can also take those same sonar recordings and make your own more detailed custom map of the lakes you fish by using AutoChart or AutoChart pro.  The ONIX unit has the ability to do this with up to only 8 hours of sonar data.  By using AutoChart PC software you are limited on the number of hours of data you can record and use for your lake map and so could have the potential to make a more detailed map – which can still be used with an ONIX unit.

Once you have the map made, you will always have it (and can add to it) until you erase/delete the data.  If you are using the AutoChart PC software you will load the map(s) onto the ZeroLines mapping card which will be just like a LakeMaster mapping card.  Want to keep the map?  Just don't erase/delete that maps data on the ZeroLines mapping card [Note: you do not have to use the ZeroLines mapping card to record the sonar data but it does have to be used for the completed map so that your Humminbird unit will see and display it].

Side Imaging Mosaic is basically overlaying what you see on your Si Sonar View on top of the contour map you generate from the 2D sonar data.

AutoChart Pro also has the ability to overlay bottom hardness data which may help in determining where the fish might be.


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[Tylermsawmiller]

Greg, thank you for your detailed response and taking the time to answer my questions, which you did a great job with. You mentioned units other then the onix that may offer what I am looking for out of a si unit. With your answers I now have a dozen other questions that I think would be easier explained and answer ed with a phone call. If you don't mind taking time out of your day to help me come to a decision please give me a call at 567 644 2204. Again, thank you very much for your time.

[Humminbird Greg]

Called but had to leave a message on 'the machine'.