Simrad evo 2 - transducers - bsm3

[foulhooked]

My family is getting a new stabicraft 2400 in the beginning of 2017 and I've been tasked with doing all the research regarding sounders. So far I've decided on either a simrad NSS9 evo2 or NSS12 evo2. However I'm confused as to whether we need the bsm3. We want to run a 1kw transducer as well as a structure scan 3D transducer. Is anyone running a similar setup that could give me some information? I've read conflicting posts on different forums that you need the bsm3 if you want to run 2 transducers, but cant find any information from simrad to back this up. Thanks in advance!

[amkr]

If you're running 1kw you'll need the bsm to run it at it's potential, the nss range can't output 1kw

You'll also want a bsm if you're planning to use chirp functions properly.

It will operate direct off the nss, and there's a good chance you'll never have an issue, it just won't be at its max potential.

[foulhooked]

If you're running 1kw you'll need the bsm to run it at it's potential, the nss range can't output 1kw

You'll also want a bsm if you're planning to use chirp functions properly.

It will operate direct off the nss, and there's a good chance you'll never have an issue, it just won't be at its max potential.

Thanks for your reply amkr! I think we've decided on the NSS9 evo2 + BSM3 + 1kW transducer for now, as we have a roughly $5k limit on the sounder. Then later on we could always add the 3D structure scan transducer.

Now I'm wondering what 1kW transducer to get. We'd like a thru-hull transducer for the ability to see bottom at high speeds but would love recommendations. The hull is 6mm aluminium if this helps..

[amkr]

B164 Would do you well, but its not a chirp transducer (Airmar don't have many Thru-Hull chirp's) - otherwise something like the a B265LH, it sticks out of the hull through so not ideal for a trailer boat.

Ideally a through hull version of the TM267LH would be perfect.

Another option to look at is the Simrad S2009 or S2016, they are dedicated sounders (no nav but have 1KW output onboard so you don't need the BSM).

Link that up with an NSS7 for maps and it might come out a bit cheaper than going about it the other way.

[foulhooked]

B164 Would do you well, but its not a chirp transducer (Airmar don't have many Thru-Hull chirp's) - otherwise something like the a B265LH, it sticks out of the hull through so not ideal for a trailer boat.

Ideally a through hull version of the TM267LH would be perfect.

Another option to look at is the Simrad S2009 or S2016, they are dedicated sounders (no nav but have 1KW output onboard so you don't need the BSM).

Link that up with an NSS7 for maps and it might come out a bit cheaper than going about it the other way.

I like the sound of that second option. Researching it now. Regarding the b265LH, it says its suited to boats over 8m. Would this be a major issue? The boat would be parked at marina its whole life so there would be no damage caused by a trailer, except for when its put into the water for the first time.

Thanks for all your help by the way, hard to find the right information online.

[Captain Spanner]

Try to get someone who understands how water and air move under a boat hull at different speeds to figure out the best place to mount your tranny on your particular hull. This might push you to either a transom mount or through hull. Having a fancy sounder and transducer can be a waste if you can't get the tranny somewhere it is not badly effected by an air stream under the hull at speed.

[JonD]

I was in a similar situation trying to decide on upgrading my Lowrance hds 8 and was considering the evo 9 or 12. I spoke with navico on the comparison of the Simrad to Lowrance, who told me that both were virtually the same unit and neither had the edge in terms of reliability. In the past Simrad units seemed to have a slightly better reputation for reliability.

With a that in mind I opted for a Lowrance hds 12 gen 3 which I'm blown away by. My main reasons sticking with the same is that I'm very familiar with the hds units, another very important factor for me was the down resselution which Lowrance has more of over Simrad.The 9 inch screens have gone backwards if you ask me as a fish finder by reducing the all important down res.

My old hds unit would clearly hold bottom in 600m of water with lowrances standard 200/50 htz transducer, from what I've seen out of my new unit the 12 will go well past those depths on the same transducer. I found a report by Dr Sonar comparing that same transducer with one of the new chirp models. To him he could barely see any difference between chirp and non chirp which is why I'm staying with my old transducer setup.

Sidescan on my new unit blows what I used to have away, we were like kids in a loly shop yesterday checking out fish and dive sites. We could clearly view out to 80 m either side of the boat, even out in deep water we set the sidescan to 60 m either side so we could scan just over the size of a footy field. At these widths we clearly found krill with pilchards down beneath, at one point I told my daughter whales were about to surface to our port side where as she turned her head up they popped.

We drifted in 70 m with a split zoom in the sonar set on zoom, as we watched a soft plastic onscreen at 50m a large fish came up from 70 m and grabbed the plastic ( turned out to be a 75cm snapper).

My sidescan transducer is the lss2 which plus straight into the the unit, it's so good I'm not going to go ahead with 3 d and stick with what I have.

Just my view on a very similar product. I'm extremely impressed.

Jon

[JonD]

Just to add I didn't head to the shelf yesterday but we were running in 100m of water at 40 kmh and holding bottom clearly ( as I always have). I did do a few screen shots but haven't downloaded them yet but here's a photo my daughter took in shallower water around Motague island.

Jon

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[foulhooked]

Just regarding bottom holding abilities, The bigger transducers aren't only for extra depth reading - they are heaps more sensitive and have better target separation.

I've got a screenshot of a 50/200 reading bottom at 1100m, it can find bottom, but good luck getting it to reliably mark fish after about 400m. My totalscab transducer read bottom at 200m, but bait fish sitting at 85m were just a big blob indiscriminate from the bottom.

Regarding chirp, dr sonar only tested the standard navico system with their transducers - which isn't true chirp. The lowrance transducers are 50/200 (or 83/200) and it chirps those. The airmar transducers are something like 40-60/180-210 and it chirps within those ranges.

That said, I run medium chirp and 83 side by side on my totalscan and find the chirp to have better target separation. I wouldn't upgrade my setup to get that small advantage though.

What kind of fishing will you be doing and at what depths?

A combination of kingy snapper fishing in 20 - 100m, trolling beyond the shelf and some deep dropping 300-500m

[foulhooked]

I was in a similar situation trying to decide on upgrading my Lowrance hds 8 and was considering the evo 9 or 12. I spoke with navico on the comparison of the Simrad to Lowrance, who told me that both were virtually the same unit and neither had the edge in terms of reliability. In the past Simrad units seemed to have a slightly better reputation for reliability.

With a that in mind I opted for a Lowrance hds 12 gen 3 which I'm blown away by. My main reasons sticking with the same is that I'm very familiar with the hds units, another very important factor for me was the down resselution which Lowrance has more of over Simrad.The 9 inch screens have gone backwards if you ask me as a fish finder by reducing the all important down res.

My old hds unit would clearly hold bottom in 600m of water with lowrances standard 200/50 htz transducer, from what I've seen out of my new unit the 12 will go well past those depths on the same transducer. I found a report by Dr Sonar comparing that same transducer with one of the new chirp models. To him he could barely see any difference between chirp and non chirp which is why I'm staying with my old transducer setup.

Sidescan on my new unit blows what I used to have away, we were like kids in a loly shop yesterday checking out fish and dive sites. We could clearly view out to 80 m either side of the boat, even out in deep water we set the sidescan to 60 m either side so we could scan just over the size of a footy field. At these widths we clearly found krill with pilchards down beneath, at one point I told my daughter whales were about to surface to our port side where as she turned her head up they popped.

We drifted in 70 m with a split zoom in the sonar set on zoom, as we watched a soft plastic onscreen at 50m a large fish came up from 70 m and grabbed the plastic ( turned out to be a 75cm snapper).

My sidescan transducer is the lss2 which plus straight into the the unit, it's so good I'm not going to go ahead with 3 d and stick with what I have.

Just my view on a very similar product. I'm extremely impressed.

Jon

The boat is currently coming with a lowrance hds 12 gen 3 so instead of switching it out for the simrad we might stick with it. Few questions, does the hds 12 allow mulitple transducers to be connected unlike the simrad? Or would i need an additional module?

[foulhooked]

The Lowrance HDS has 2 ports on the back, a 'Transducer' and a 'Structure'. the LSS2 (side / downscan transducer) goes in the structure port.

To utilize the 1KW you'll nead a sonarhub though as the HDS doesn't output 1KW.

ok so with the addition of the sonar hub its getting a bit too expensive again just like the simrads. Is a 1kW transducer completely necessary? What about if I went for the HDS12gen3 with a 50/200 lowrance 106-77 with a 3d structure scan? Would the 106-77 do everything I want to do offshore if I ran it at 50Hz? Also does the gen3 allow a 3D transducer without a sonar hub?

[JonD]

Both the structure and either chirp or standard can be plugged in together. In regards to deepwater transducers I also bought an airmar tm 260 for deepwater separation of fish deep dropping. That transducer caused so many headaches I ended up selling it on ebay, most of the time I would lose bottom at 300m or less. Even with the Lowrance tec team helping out and replacing 3 hds head units we never got anywhere near what the cheaper one could do.

In 330m of water I could clearly see my 5 lb sinkers and seperate fish most of the time. To do this I used the upper and lower depths settings alowing me to use all the screen reselution for just a small part of water. By setting the upper limit at 290 and the lower at 340 I was then viewing only 50 of water rather than 350, this then alowed me to find fish that would otherwise not be shown unless in a large school what ever transducer I used due to the simple lack of screen res. The new unit with more res should be even better for deep dropping when used that way as it has more downward res.

Here's a couple of shots from my old unit showing 200 htz still showing bottom at 40kh in 250m and a few dropping off deeper, sorry can't find any of the deep drop shots but will try to find them. These are from the old unit.

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Jon

Edited September 19, 2016 by JonD

[foulhooked]

Thanks Jon, I think I'll be going for the 50/200 transducer and the LSS2-HD. Thanks for all your help! Now I've just got to ask some stabicraft owners about using a transom or through hull

[NaClH2OK9]

I can only speak from my own experience. I've got an evo 2 12 with an airmar 150. Chirp is MUCH clearer than single frequency. I've also got lss2 which is good for down imaging but only so so for side. You can't run CHIRP and Di at the same time. I'd love to switch to 3d at some point but don't know with the additional 3dbox if you can chirp at the same time.

A 12 inch display is the dogs. If money is limited get the best head unit and upgrade the trains later. They seem to hold their money well second hand when your ready to upgrade.

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

[CaleKee]

Hi..as per my knowledge B164 can do well, but its not a chirp transducer and something like the a B265LH, it sticks out of the hull through so not ideal for this.Ideally a through hull version of the TM267LH would be perfect.

http://percentagescalculator.com/

Edited July 16, 2018 by CaleKee