[lastupdated]
IMAGING
FREQUENCIES
DURABILITY
PRICE
SUMMARY:
This fish finder features a 3.5-inch screen, a color display, and dual beam and imaging technologies. One of the crucial elements of this product is its affordability. The adjustable LED backlight is a neat feature because it allows you to use the device by day as well as by night. The down imaging technology allows you to get a fish-eye view of what’s happening underneath your boat. It also features a temperature sensor and a straightforward menu interface. It’s easy to use, and it can be installed onto the vessel without much hassle.
PROS
- Color LCD screen with LED backlight
- Easy adjustment
- Simple to use
- Affordable
CONS
- No navigational features
- No split-screen function
Review
This fish finder is equipped with the DualBeam sonar technology. It has a 3.5-inch 256-color display. This is an affordable fish finder with great features and quite accurate readings thanks to the high-quality sonar. The design also allows drop-in replacement for in-dash models.The resolution might not seem impressive at 240 x 320-pixels, but bear in mind, the screen is considerably smaller than average 5-inch screens.
Whether you’re a fishing enthusiast of you simply want to have a good time with some friends and go out fishing, this fish finder might be the thing you’re looking for. This device is a simple yet powerful gadget which can help you catch fish with ease. Although it doesn’t come with GPS, it’s not a necessity. However, some people heavily depend on GPS. If you’re one of them, consider buying an additional GPS unit.
The Specifications
Display size – 3.5 inches
Display resolution – 320 x 240-pixels
Display type – 256-color (grayscale) Color TFT
Sonar type – Dual Imaging and Dual Beam
Sonar coverage – 28, 16, and 74 degrees
Sonar Frequency – 200 kHz, 455 kHz, and 455 kHz
Target Separation: 2.5"
LED backlight
Display Size and the Resolution
The display is 3.5 inches diagonally, which is lower than some of its 5-inch close relatives. The resolution is okay, it’s not impressive, but it’s far from bad. The 256-color display offers distinguishable images and readable data. Dual Imaging and Dual Beam technologies integrated into the sonar provide aquality visual representation of what’s happening below the vessel. The LED backlight is adjustable, so you can fine-tune it depending on the time of the day you’re using it. It’s equally effective by day as it is by night, thanks to the adjustable LED backlight.
The Frequencies
This fish finder operates on various frequencies depending on the angle, coverage, and depth. Higher frequencies work better in shallow water because they send signals more often and receive feedback quicker. That being said, lower frequencies are better for deeper water. The variation of frequencies and the user’s ability to quickly switch between allows accurate readings and precise data. High frequencies are also optimal for making second passes over areas you want to inspect further.
Dual Imaging and Dual Beam
Dual Imaging and Dual Beam are latest technologies integrated into the sonar of this fish finder. These two parameters combined give top-quality readings and produce great images.
While Dual Beam takes care of the raw data, Dual Imaging makes sure the readings come out as best as they can be. These commodities are quite important, because even though they seem as expensive technologies, you can find them in affordable products like this one.
Down Imaging sonar will also allow you to get a fish-eye view of what's happening below your boat. Incredible images are created with high-frequency sound waves.
This fish finder also reads temperature, and you can change the depth settings. This device is capable of generating two distinct sonar beams emanating from a transducer secured below the water line on the transom of the boat. On this particular device, the narrower beam forms a 16-degree cone. This beam is designed to supply sharp details of items beneath the boat.
Each sonar pulse is turned into a narrow vertical plane that’s displayed on the right side of the screen. The layers of these vertical planes represent the terrain below your vessel. Using 10 to 20 volts with 220 mA supplied by the boat, the unit generates an average of 300W of energy that reaches a peak-to-peak output of 1600W.
The Effectiveness and the Quality
This fish finder is well-made, as all fish finders that come from Humminbird. Although it’s not a high-end fish finder, it’s extremely practical and useful. The installation is quite simple; by following the manual, you should have no problems whatsoever installing this fish finder onto your vessel. It’s effective regarding quickly identifying different terrain and allowing you to clearly distinguish individual objects from fish, bait, and other things in the water. It’s compact and small, so you can carry it in a bag wherever you go. It’s also quite straightforward; there are no complicated and advanced features. By pushing few buttons, you get a functional fish finder in a matter of minutes.
The Positive
The best thing about this product is its affordability. For a very reasonable price, you get a 256-color display fish finder with impressive hardware and technology. It’s, as we said, easy to install and use. Straightforward menu and simple settings offer an easy navigation. The quality of production is also quite good, so it’s an upside as well.
The Negative
There are a few downsides as well. First of all, it doesn’t have a split-screen function. You cannot do multiple operations at once with this fish finder. It can only show one sonar frequency at a time. The other thing is that there are no navigational features and there are very few options for an upgrade. Not having GPS nowadays is a drawback, although it’s not a necessity. It does not support temperature graph nor temperature alarm.
The Conclusion
This is a fish finder for anyone who doesn’t want to spend too much money on a fish finder. This device is pretty well-made, and it won’t let you down in the middle of fishing. Although it doesn’t have many fancy features, it still serves the purpose.
