Sounder Settings - What Settings Do You Always Change

[Hweebe]

Hi All,

Prompted by @ellicat what are some of the default sounder settings you have changed immediately and recommend:

List your sounder model and the recommended setting changes:

Sounder: Lowrance HDS Live 12

Chart settings I have changed:

• Created default page view split with downscan, chart and structure 
• Chart Map North Up
• Added heading extension
• Chart Look ahead On
• New colour Trail for each Month. (Can then open trails for the same time last year)
• SonarChart on when prospecting. Sonarchart off when travelling.
• Shallow depth alarm 1.0m
• Low voltage alarm 10.5v
• Data overlays: Depth, Speed over ground, Time (always handy), Voltage (paranoid about flat battery)
• Shallow water fishing mode (not sure what this does)
• Most of my fishing is inside the bay so I turn off autorange at set at 30m (down) and 40m (structure) that way i get used to fish arch sizes and don't have to adjust to how far zoomed in the image is and a smaller fish looking larger than it really is
• For structurescan: In the bay 455khz when prospecting and 800khz when i'm zeroing into a spot

I'm sure there are other settings and will add more in later posts.

 

[ellicat]

Good thread/topic.

Not much point to me saying much as my unit is new, but a couple of things (Lowrance Hook Reveal 5SS Splitshot) -

Shallow depth alarm - 1.8m. I figure that would give me plenty of time to slow down before it gets to 0.5m. Probably annoying down the Pin so would change it for those times.

Chart Map - I like heading up.

I'll be interested in picking up some more tips as this thread evolves.

[GregOug]

Hi Hweebe,

I bought a couple of those Bluetooth battery monitors after my flat battery incident on my second trip out. There’s a topic on here somewhere about that. Anyway, installed them today and guess what? They work! So long as you are within ten metres of the boat they show the current voltage, and percent full, which I’m happy to say were 97% and 100% charged. 

Highly recommend, at least after one day.

cheers
 

Greg

[Hweebe]

9 hours ago, GregOug said:

Hi Hweebe,

I bought a couple of those Bluetooth battery monitors after my flat battery incident on my second trip out. There’s a topic on here somewhere about that. Anyway, installed them today and guess what? They work! So long as you are within ten metres of the boat they show the current voltage, and percent full, which I’m happy to say were 97% and 100% charged. 

Highly recommend, at least after one day.

cheers
 

Greg

Hahahah thanks Greg.....pretty sure I'm the poster that got you on to them.

Glad you are happy with them after one day. You will find with a couple of more days connected you will also be able to see a battery voltage history chart giving you a view of the voltage changes between use/charge.

[Hweebe]

15 hours ago, ellicat said:

Chart Map - I like heading up.

I started out this way (as it is similar to how my car GPS works) however bit the bullet and made a change to North up because I find it slightly easier with getting my bearings for drifts and anchoring up to spots.

There was a definite learning curve and my partner still doesn't quite like the view. If she starting handling the boat more i may well have to change back.

 

[Hweebe]

Other Settings:

• Genesis Live - Typically is off unless glassed out conditions as the peaks and troughs of chop makes it appear as though the ground is variable when it is actual fact clat.
• Depth Shading - Have played with this so i can easily spot shallow ground
• Waypoints - When marking bait I use the school of fish icon and for good fish shows the big fish icon
• Trails - For moreton bay i have marked bright green marks and trails for green zone
• Scroll speed - Still playing with this one - have had recommendations to increase the scroll speed on standard sonar to elongate arches (easier to spot fish)

 

[ellicat]

Have you downloaded any Genesis Live maps ?

[Old Scaley]

Shading of green zones.

[Hweebe]

1 hour ago, ellicat said:

Have you downloaded any Genesis Live maps ?

No I haven't - I have a login to Genesis Live - but  the moreton bay chop makes the genesis live maps appear to be lumpy ground everywhere.

It does show up some more detail around ledges but these ledges or all charted anyway.

Genesis Live i think is more suited to the USA lake fishos.

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

On 24/06/2020 at 6:07 PM, ellicat said:

I'll be interested in picking up some more tips as this thread evolves.

Hey ellicat

Yep, there is some good information on here so far. Even though my sounder won't do them all, it is good the thread is now a sticky so it is easy for people to come back to it. 

Hweebe, for our yak, we have a Lowrance Hook 2, and we're still figuring out how to use it. 

Cheers Hamish  

[shakey55]

On 24/06/2020 at 11:18 PM, GregOug said:

Hi Hweebe,

I bought a couple of those Bluetooth battery monitors after my flat battery incident on my second trip out. There’s a topic on here somewhere about that. Anyway, installed them today and guess what? They work! So long as you are within ten metres of the boat they show the current voltage, and percent full, which I’m happy to say were 97% and 100% charged. 

Highly recommend, at least after one day.

cheers
 

Greg

Hi Greg,  if you have te time could you explain or provide a like about these Bluetooth battery monitors. I’m interested. 
 

thanks Mick

[Hweebe]

7 hours ago, shakey55 said:

Hi Greg,  if you have te time could you explain or provide a like about these Bluetooth battery monitors. I’m interested. 
 

thanks Mick

I posted some info about here:

 

[gungadin]

Not so much of a sounder setting, but rather something I have found out over time. If you leave your sounder/gps on board your boat  with the connections still plugged in the back(rather then physically remove it) you should consider installing a switch to cut off the power to the unit. My units  have direct connections to the battery, and of course I turn them off when not in use. However because there is still power going to the head unit,  the pins that connect are susceptible to corrosion (that green stuff). Yes I use dielectric grease, but the corrosion can still occur. Adding a toggle switch on the power in side, cuts the power to the head unit and this corrosion no longer occurs.

[shakey55]

On 24/06/2020 at 11:18 PM, GregOug said:

Hi Hweebe,

I bought a couple of those Bluetooth battery monitors after my flat battery incident on my second trip out. There’s a topic on here somewhere about that. Anyway, installed them today and guess what? They work! So long as you are within ten metres of the boat they show the current voltage, and percent full, which I’m happy to say were 97% and 100% charged. 

Highly recommend, at least after one day.

cheers
 

Greg

Greg - I know this is a few months old, but can you tell me what brand Bluetooth battery monitors you purchased and where from. Thanks Mick

[GregOug]

Hi Mick,
Theyre called Oricom I think. Funnily enough there is a review of them in this week's Club 4x4 here:

https://www.club4x4.com.au/bluetooth-battery-monitor-review/?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Bluetooth+Battery+Monitor+Review&utm_campaign=New+Campfire+Template+Send+205
 

I just ordered them online.

cheers

Greg

[GregN70]

I used to catch a lot more fish before I even had a sounder.

I have a humminbird I use for creeks and estuaries, but will get rid of it and just go back to reading the river and sandbanks to try actually catch something from now on.