Sctructure scan tranducer location

[seeranger]

Anyone with both the structurescan tranducer and normal tranducer have suggestions for mounting locations? Not a whole lot of space with trim tabs down there as well. How has it been working out?

Thanks!

[AlAdams]

I'm having the same dilemma.  I've talked to Lowrance, installers, folks at West Marine and Sportco.  I think I've gotten as many opinions as people I've talked to.  The one that makes the most sense right now is to buy the Bennett M80 trim tabs (8" I believe) which gives more room toward the center line to install the transducers.  They need to be no more than 12" apart - not gonna be a problem - and the Structure scan transducer needs to be positioned a little lower than the other.  I'll be mounting my transducers to a piece of Starboard in case I have issues and need to move them around. 
I'll be interested to see some other ideas - maybe some pictures! Al

[Hydroman]

There is a telescopic short pole that I have seen that mounts on the transom.  You only lower it at slow speeds.  For older guys it works like a old power radio antenna on you 60's ride.

[Chuck Jones]

I just installed a Lowrance Elite 7 that goes along with my HDS 5.  The Elite 7 has downscan but now the expanded structure scan...it does show the bottom structure but doesn't go out to the side as far.  The big issue seems to be running the transducers on the same frequency.  I run the HDS 5 and the Elite on different frequencies, or you'll poetntially get interference.  The Lowrance transducers currently run on 50; 83, and 200 Htz...you just have to run them on different frequencies according to your depth and environmental requirements. (shallow, fresh water, salt water, depth etc)  Each frequency also has different angle of cone coverage of the bottom.  The narrower the cone, the deeper it will penetrate. 

With regard to where they're placed on the transom, I run trim hydraulic Instant Trim tabs so each transducer is roughly 4 to 5 inches off the center line of the main motor because of the space taken up by the trim tabs on the transom.  I don't get good bottom coverage at high speeds, and have to slow down to around 5 mph to get good bottom clarity...otherwise the turbulence distrupts the signal except for the depth indicator.

[DSCS]

I have had structure scan for about three years now. Don't use it all that much, but I am finding I use it more often as I am expanding my fishing horizons.

I have my "normal" transducer mounted under the gas tank as a "shoot throught the hull". Works great. I'll sometime loose bottom cruising in over 750' of water, but at trolling speeds it holds bottom fine and I'm marking more fish than I could ever hope to catch.

The structure scan transducer is mounted inboard of my Lenco trim tabs that are tucked up tight to the corners of the sponsons. If I had to do it over again I think I would mount it out on the sponson. I get some "shadow" from the main engine. It helps to tilt the main up a little, but I can't tilt it too much because I am using an EZ-Steer to control the kicker. I have thought some of putting it on some kind of sliding or kick up bracket or pole like Hydroman mentioned but it hasn't been a high enought priority to actually do anything about it.

The no more than 12" apart instruction that Lowrance still puts out in their installation instructions has been pretty much debunked. It only applies for overlaying SS on the 2D sonar and even then users are reporting excellent results with the transducers mounted much further apart.

For more information than you ever wanted to know about the installation and operation of Structure Scan check out the Bass Boat Central forums. http://www.bbcboards.net/lowrance-garmin-sonar-gps/.

Alan

[croaker stroker]

Chuck,

Now that you can see the fish so clearly....are you going to try and catch them ???   

[LvrWurst 21 SR Skip]

Croaker...a word of caution about Chucky & Da Fish....Lately he is where dey ain't....when he moves to where dey was...dey move to where he ain't! Kinda sucks...except for the comradarie and excercise of constantly changing lures. Respectfully submitted, J W

[Chuck Jones]

UUFF Da!  Borscht....Schnitzled....Mierda....Taie'....In other words...JW's rendition of my recent experience in pursuit of the wiley strpers is highly accurate.  So accurate in fact that I parked the boat and spent the time organizing the cuddy....no pictures needed kuz it never happened.