Is Broad Band Sonar Right for You?
With the addition to the Vexilar line-up of the FLX-30 Broad Band sonar, anglers are wondering if this new technology is the silver bullet to make them catch more fish! Well, if you consider better target ID, increased display performance, and unlimited versatility to fish any waters covered in ice, then this new sonar technology would be the right choice for you… MAYBE.
First off let’s talk about what Broad Band sonar is all about. So let’s start at the beginning with a little Sonar 101…
When you think about a sonar sound that is transmitted from the transducer, FIVE things come into play to maximize performance.
#1 Display Resolution
#2. Frequency of Sonar
#3. Transmit timing
#4. Beam Angle
#5. Output Power
#1 Display Resolution: This is simply the ability of the display to have enough pixel elements or positions on a round spinning wheel to show you what you need to see. If it is only the bottom, then a digital readout is all that is needed, if you want to see tiny perch in 40 feet of water, you need enough space on the display to show those tiny features. Vexilar sonar offers the highest display resolution in the ice fishing world, making any target simple to see.
#2 Frequency of Sonar: The higher the frequency number, the better the resolution, but the shorter the signal range can penetrate the water. Some of the side scanning sonar use 800 or even 1200 kHz sonar systems. Conversely, the lower the number, the greater the depth penetration but lower resolution. The higher the frequency number, the narrower the beam angle the system will display. Scanning sonar, for example, samples a very thin area of coverage and requires the angler’s boat be moving to create an image like a cartoon being drawn one page at a time. Standing still is not how this technology is designed to be used. The transducer needs to be moving to give the angler something they understand. This can be also be done by rotating the high frequency transducer like you see on a radar display or using an array of several crystals that fire in sequence to create an image of what is below.
For the last 50 years, the most popular systems in freshwater are based on a 200/83 kHz frequency range. This is commonly used in 2-D sonar for down viewing. The 200 will be a narrower beam than the 83 which has better depth penetration. Some companies may call it a dual beam system, but it is really a dual frequency system that gives you a 20 degree and a 50-degree signal return from the same single transducer crystal. This is a benefit of the 200 kHz crystal that is still one of the most common frequency ranges. By simple coincidence, the crystal “rings” at a primary frequency of 200 kHz but is also capable of receiving a 50 kHz or 83 kHz sound as well, so companies have taken advantage of this unique property. However, the secondary frequency is never as efficient as the primary one.
#3 Transmit Timing: Thus is also called Pulse Length, which has a lot to do with display performance. The faster the timing between sonar “pings”, the better resolution you have. The negative is as you go deeper, the signals bouncing back cross paths, unless you increase your transmit timing. Vexilar flasher systems match their 525 lines of display resolution with the transmit timing at each depth setting to maximize target ID and image sharpness.
#4 Beam Angle: There are two factors that control beam size; the diameter of the crystal and frequency of the crystal. A 1” diameter, 200 kHz crystal will give you a 20-degree beam angle, and a 2.5” diameter 200 kHz crystal will give you a 9-degree beam angle. Note, you cannot put a 300 kHz transducer on a 200 kHz sonar system, because they are simply not compatible.
#5 Output Power: Some manufacturers want to design new systems with a very high level of power output. 800, 1,200 or even 3,000 watts of output power are displayed on the box and anglers get fooled into thinking the higher number means better sonar performance. However, in most cases they will never truly transmit at 3,000 watts is because the transducer required to handle that much power would have a 6” diameter and weigh 10 pounds! The higher the watt number, the shorter the pulse length to prevent the crystal from vibrating apart!
If a sonar manufacturer does not consider the first four items on the checklist all at one time, the sonar system will have a short lifespan or not perform well at all.
Now that we have a little background in sonar 101 technology behind us, lets add a technology that simply didn’t exist for anglers even a few years ago; the creation of the digital Broad Band transducer crystal.
Don’t confuse “CHIRP” technology, with Broad Band. a “CHIRP” transducer sends out a wide spectrum of sonar sound at one time and the receiver allows the anglers to target what they want to see. In the world of ice fishing, “CHIRP” systems simply have no traction since interference from other sonar will always bleed into the “CHIRP” receivers, making It difficult to fish around other anglers.
The all new Digital Broad Band sonar from Vexilar allows anglers to select specific receiver frequencies from 150 kHz for applications where a wide 20 degree beam angle is needed or one of seven other frequencies all the way up to 300 kHz that hosts a 7 degree beam angle. In many ways it is seven sonar systems because each frequency has its advantages and disadvantages. Fit the first time ever, anglers will be able to have seven ways to optimize the sonar display for their specific application at their fingertips. For starters, take a few minutes to run through the different options in the FLX-30 Broad Band to see what gives you the best display for your angling application and stick with it!
The sonar industry and Vexilar have used the 200 kHz frequency as the benchmark for sonar performance and for that reason, many anglers may never see a need to try a different frequency. The FLX-30 is the only sonar system in the world that can adapt to ANY fishing situation by adjusting your frequency to remove unwanted clutter, any form of interference and integrates variable output power to control the strength of the signal. This is a huge advantage if you are the kind of angler who fishes in very shallow water one day and is out trout fishing in very deep water the next.
So, will the Broad Band FLX-30 allow you to catch more fish than ever before? Well, if you demand the best target ID and display resolution in any fishing situation, then the advantage of Vexilar’s new Broad Band technology is right for YOU!
