Chirp

[Cheng-Tot]

Hi All,
Wanted to get you ALLS feedback on "CHIRP" Feature on FF. How important is it??? I mainly do River, Reservoir, and occasional Bay Fishing.

Is it a must have?
I know the difference could be a few hundred, depending on Model.

Appreciate feedback.

Cheers!

[Rhino]

I researched this a bit 18 months or so ago and concluded it wouldn't make much of a difference with smaller FFs fishing at typical depths less than 30-40 ft.

[dasher]

I researched as well & my previous lowrance was chirpless.

My new one does have chirp & it has phenomenal resolution. I can see my lure while jigging on the bottom with chirp & never could without it. What you really need to do is see one in action. I'd love to say i can see flounder on the bottom & though perhaps someone could with a unit 100% dialed in, I can't. But I can see fish off the bottom.

[clm]

I have a Garmin striker 4 in the box and plan on installing it tomorrow. The plan is to hit smallwood state park on Tuesday. I will let you know how it is, even though I know it won't show much in the shallows. I primarily want it for depth, and to find the channel in the Potomac when I'm hunting cats. $105 on Amazon. FF and GPS, with Chirp. The product video on Chirp and the price sold me.IMG_20160425_173615291.jpg

[D3NAL1]

Absolutely makes a difference, ive seen a fish on my downscan and hook up right after. Downscan and side scan is the way to go. I have the lowrance elite 5 tiIMG_20160429_183058.jpg

[Skidsteer]

I have downscan but not chirp. I understand from the marketing literature that the chirp units provide downscan image quality (plus color) at higher boat speeds. Downscan is limited to around 6 mph boat speed. So for a kayak-only unit, downscan may be all you need.

[D3NAL1]

I have downscan but not chirp. I understand from the marketing literature that the chirp units provide downscan image quality (plus color) at higher boat speeds. Downscan is limited to around 6 mph boat speed. So for a kayak-only unit, downscan may be all you need.

I have downscan at 455 khz

[Grilled]

does anyone know if the lowrance chirp transducer is the same size as the hdi?

I was looking at the chirp units for my second kayak but ended picking up an elite 4 hdi with navionics pro card for $160 at west marine. I read online that chirp didn't really make a difference on the smaller fishfinders, now im second guessing my decision.

[silasvirus82]

Chirp definitely has more detail than without, although I'm not sure about the claims of seeing things on the bottom. I find bouncing up and down on the waves makes any detailed information on the bottom irrelevant. Maybe on a calm day you might distinguish a fish.

[D3NAL1]

does anyone know if the lowrance chirp transducer is the same size as the hdi?

I was looking at the chirp units for my second kayak but ended picking up an elite 4 hdi with navionics pro card for $160 at west marine. I read online that chirp didn't really make a difference on the smaller fishfinders, now im second guessing my decision.

The transducers are the same size, they are blue in color now. I did all the research before buying the elite 5 ti. It is definitely worth the money. Yes, the downscan is limited to calm waters due to our kayaks being able to go over waves and not through them as in a boat

[Oldbayrunner]

Yes afaik the chirp and hdi are the same.. From what I can gather a lot of the chirp capabilities or short comings can be from the way it is mounted. On my old kayak I used a ram side mount for the transducer, which allowed some movement, opposed to my newer kayak mounted at the bottom outside of the electronics pod I definitely receive better imagining.

[clm]

Tested the Garmin striker 4 out today. First serious FF I've had. I duct sealed the transducer in the hull, used a 5000mah 3s lipo for power. Pretty impressed. Clear images, good read on the speed...sadly, it did not help me catch any fish...but a guy gave me a snakehead...I technically caught it from a livewell...so I caught it. IMG_20160503_112512419_HDR.jpg
IMG_20160503_115239130_HDR.jpg
IMG_20160503_115246200_HDR.jpg
IMG_20160503_070416838.jpg

[D3NAL1]

Tested the Garmin striker 4 out today. First serious FF I've had. I duct sealed the transducer in the hull, used a 5000mah 3s lipo for power. Pretty impressed. Clear images, good read on the speed...sadly, it did not help me catch any fish...but a guy gave me a snakehead...I technically caught it from a livewell...so I caught it. [ATTACH=CONFIG]18864[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]18865[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]18866[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]18867[/ATTACH]

Looks good, clean install.

Here is my side by side comparison. 200 khz on the left and 455 on the right.

20160502_190622-1.jpg

[D3NAL1]

Yes afaik the chirp and hdi are the same.. From what I can gather a lot of the chirp capabilities or short comings can be from the way it is mounted. On my old kayak I used a ram side mount for the transducer, which allowed some movement, opposed to my newer kayak mounted at the bottom outside of the electronics pod I definitely receive better imagining.

I dont think i can agree, chirp and hdi are not the same.

[D3NAL1]

After dialing in my FF, here are some better pictures.

On the left is your traditional 200khz sonar, on the right 800khz
20160510_101540.jpg
As you can see. The old FF would have you at a spot with no fish.

20160510_111717(0).jpg
These marking would be fish on both FF