Author Topic: Lowrance Ice Machine, Interference, and Vexs (Read 6113 times)

MSUICEMAN · « **on:** Mar 14, 2005, 06:43 AM »

Hi fellas, new here, though I do frequent a few other boards. Anyways, I was wondering if any of ya have any experience with running a lowrance ice machine near a vex and does it give the lowrance problems with interference? or does the filtering do a good job of getting rid of the clutter?

Most of my friends have vexs, but i have a tendency of being a little different from the crowd, and from what i've seen of the lowrance, i would like it, also its versatility to be put in a boat and run in normal LCD mode is nice.

anyways, anybody have any experience like this? Thanks for any input you have.

steve

trapperdirk · « **Reply #1 on:** Mar 14, 2005, 07:21 AM »

MSUICEMAN .Welcome to the board . I can't tell you from personal experience how the icemachine acts with the Vex but I did have the chance to see how it reacted with a Marcum LX-3 on the weekend . The Icemachine got cluttered in 50 ft of water when I was a fair distance away with my Marcum and my Marcum was clear and crisp . I just adjusted to help out and Ice Machine cleared .

TD

MSUICEMAN · « **Reply #2 on:** Mar 16, 2005, 05:46 PM »

thanks for the welcome. Is it true that the marcum is assembled in the US? I was just trying to be a bit different than all my buddies, plus i liked the multitude of color depth of the lowrances, but if clutter is going to be a problem, then it isn't worth it, as i'm going to be fishing with 3 or 4 guys pretty commonly each with a vex going.

I've heard some good things about the Marcum, but haven't seen the newer one up close and personal... would you mind givin me the lowdown or a website i can check out the features? also, your personal opinion on em. Do they offer a dual ducer? battery status indicator? interference rejection? and the zoom..... is it a bottom zoom like the vex? or is it like an adjustable window zoom like the lowrance is?

steve

Fishrmn · « **Reply #3 on:** Mar 16, 2005, 08:43 PM »

Since the Vex has 400 watts, and the Lowrance Ice Machine has 800 watts, I'd be more inclined to worry about the Vexes having interference. The Marcum has 1500 watts. It may be the least likely to experience problems of the three, if those are the only three that you are dealing with.

Fishrmn

trapperdirk · « **Reply #4 on:** Mar 17, 2005, 02:10 PM »

Well MSUICEMAN . I did alot of research regarding Vex and Marcum and read 100's of posts and my final decision was on the Marcum LX-3 and I couldn't be happier . The zoom size window is adjustable and can be put anywhere in the water table . The Marcum has 6 different Interference Rejection settings .It comes with only a 20 degree transducer but who knows what the future holds . So far ,,,,and I fish many different species and bodies of water and only having one transducer has not become an issue . The crispness of the display is mind boggling . A 1/32 ouce jig shows in 50 fow the same as it does in 5 fow without using any gain adjustment at all . Hole jumping and using the LX-3 is a breeze . If the depth is in the same range no adjustment is required and I have found that I have yet to adjust the gain setting no matter what depth I am fishing . I have read where the other two brands have issues with interference with the Marcum ,,,,yet the Marcum doesn't with them . Hmmmmm . I have seen this myself happen yet the LX-3 remains crisp and clear of clutter . I prefer to be in the drivers seat , so not having to worry about interference from other sonars is a plus . LOL

. I'm not a tech geek but that 1500 watts the Marcum has must be an overpowering zap to the other units .
Also the Marcum is very,very quiet in comparison to the Vex .The Marcum also is simplicity at its best in regards to user friendly . The charger that comes with it shows you the discharge and also the charge of your battery . There are no concerns as far as over charging your battery ever . You can leave it plugged in forever if you want . Also the LX-3 comes standard with a soft pack durable protective case .The Marcum is also made in the good ol USA and the service I received in getting my unit north of the border would be the envy of any company . My friends are going to switch over to the Marcum LX-3 next season and I will be ordering another unit as well as the handheld LXi . A great quality tool that just has so much more bang for your buck in comparison to the others and it has absolutely no issues that I have seen in my short time with it other than I'm hooked and will never icefish without it .

TD

Jack Magnum · « **Reply #5 on:** Mar 22, 2005, 08:39 PM »

Quote from: trapperdirk on Mar 17, 2005, 02:10 PM

Well MSUICEMAN . I did alot of research regarding Vex and Marcum and read 100's of posts and my final decision was on the Marcum LX-3 and I couldn't be happier . The zoom size window is adjustable and can be put anywhere in the water table . The Marcum has 6 different Interference Rejection settings .It comes with only a 20 degree transducer but who knows what the future holds . So far ,,,,and I fish many different species and bodies of water and only having one transducer has not become an issue . The crispness of the display is mind boggling . A 1/32 ouce jig shows in 50 fow the same as it does in 5 fow without using any gain adjustment at all . Hole jumping and using the LX-3 is a breeze . If the depth is in the same range no adjustment is required and I have found that I have yet to adjust the gain setting no matter what depth I am fishing . I have read where the other two brands have issues with interference with the Marcum ,,,,yet the Marcum doesn't with them . Hmmmmm . I have seen this myself happen yet the LX-3 remains crisp and clear of clutter . I prefer to be in the drivers seat , so not having to worry about interference from other sonars is a plus . LOL . I'm not a tech geek but that 1500 watts the Marcum has must be an overpowering zap to the other units .
Also the Marcum is very,very quiet in comparison to the Vex .The Marcum also is simplicity at its best in regards to user friendly . The charger that comes with it shows you the discharge and also the charge of your battery . There are no concerns as far as over charging your battery ever . You can leave it plugged in forever if you want . Also the LX-3 comes standard with a soft pack durable protective case .The Marcum is also made in the good ol USA and the service I received in getting my unit north of the border would be the envy of any company . My friends are going to switch over to the Marcum LX-3 next season and I will be ordering another unit as well as the handheld LXi . A great quality tool that just has so much more bang for your buck in comparison to the others and it has absolutely no issues that I have seen in my short time with it other than I'm hooked and will never icefish without it .

TD

Trapper,
You think your unit is better than the Vex 18

?
Wow, I've only heard good things on the ice about the Vex.
How does your unit perform in shallow 5-10' of water ?

trapperdirk · « **Reply #6 on:** Mar 22, 2005, 09:33 PM »

Yes I do honestly believe its better than the FL-18 because the Marcum has shown no issues regarding interference with ANY unit and the larger zoom window and it being adjustable in any part of the water table make it better . Price the two and look at the features ,, Jack,,, and it becomes obvious in a hurry which offers more bang for your buck and who is more advanced in their tech . Don't get me wrong the Vex FL-18 is a fine unit but why limit yourself when your dropping that kind of money . Why drive a 2 wheel drive when you can have a 4 wheel drive for the same bucks ?. The Marcum will remain crisp and clear in any depth of water and does not worry about interference from any unit in the short time I have owned it . It's also very quiet as it goes about its job . Marcum has raised the bar and its VEX's turn to play catch up . I also fished it for Brookies on the weekend in shallow water of 4 ft to test it and it worked flawlessly .I believe I did my homework and my decision in the end was the right one for me and I'm satisfied .

TD

Fishtrap26 · « **Reply #7 on:** Mar 27, 2005, 08:47 AM »

The shallow water performance of the LX-3 has been flawless, yesterday my son and I were fishing in 8' of water with about 6" of laid down weeds in the bottom. The ability to adjust the gain to see a size 14 marmooska and capture that in a thin line I could tune out 75% of the weed ticks. The LX-3 allows you the ability to clean and enhance your display and adjust your presentation accordingly. We caught a ton of small gills and crappie yesterday. What I didn't like about my FL-18 is you could never clean up the screen as well as you can on the MarCum. No guess work with the LX-3. When the fish is there he's right there. The 6' zoom on my 18 was not enough and the LX-3 gives you more user friendly options in zoom. It's a fun little unit and I recommend it to anyone that's looking to get more for there money.

bigredonice · « **Reply #8 on:** Mar 27, 2005, 12:02 PM »

the LX-3, FL-18, and the lowrance are all quite capable units that will catch you fish...they have their little nuances and such, try them personally before you make your decision...one unit will not catch you more fish over the other, as long as it works for your conditions.

mushroomsd · « **Reply #9 on:** Mar 28, 2005, 08:58 AM »

Hello,I have been researching the marcum lx-3 for a time now.I am very interested in them.I read on a post that some people witnessed the powerful marcum actually scaring fish in shallow water.Another stated that he could feel a very strong thump from the transducer.I emailed marcum about this.The response was that this could be true especially in heavy pressured areas.I see some of you don`t find it a problem in shallow water.I guess I`ll think about it some more.Thanks for the posts.

slabmaster-p · « **Reply #10 on:** Apr 15, 2005, 10:36 PM »

If you have a boat,and have use for an excellent finder/flasher on it,and don't have anyone in your crew using a marcum,one would be foolish to buy anything other than a lowrance multi-season kit 67c,or a 68c which has gps built into it. These units also have many more screen options than any other flasher! If you are interested go to www.lowrance.com. get the 1-800#,they should have no prob sending you a dvd on these units,I got one enclosed in my Frabill ice shanty earlier this year. Ive used mine all season,and honestly could not be happier. I got the 67c,no gps,but a 100$ cheaper.Lowrance multi-season kit 450$ I'm not knocking these other units, just saying this one is far more versitile,and for the price-it is better!

Rock Bottom · « **Reply #11 on:** Apr 25, 2005, 09:20 AM »

I too have a Lowrance x67c I just recently used it on my Laker trip northern manitoba. I was using a 4 inch tube jig in any where from 20 - 120 ft of water. The x67 has a noise feature for filtering out interfearance from other units I was not able to try this as there were no other units in our group. I am pretty happy with the x67, I was a little dissapointed in the marking of my hook in the deeper water I feel that 40 ft is the max if you are using small jigs. I could mark a 1oz bucktail in 100 ft of water, One thing not mentioned in here is the lowrance colorline option I really like. You can adjust the colorline so it paints larger or moving targets a brighter colour so you are able to distinguish fish and your hook in weed cover due to the fact the weeds are black or blue and your hook when moved turns red or yellow. this I really like. overall I am verry happy with the lowrance also because of the all season use lcd/flasher combo with a multitude of split screen zoom and variable zoom data screen built in temp to detect thermoclines, and the flasher of course, If only it had more power.

Jack Magnum · « **Reply #12 on:** Jan 10, 2006, 08:03 PM »

Quote from: trapperdirk on Mar 22, 2005, 09:33 PM

Yes I do honestly believe its better than the FL-18 because the Marcum has shown no issues regarding interference with ANY unit and the larger zoom window and it being adjustable in any part of the water table make it better . Price the two and look at the features ,, Jack,,, and it becomes obvious in a hurry which offers more bang for your buck and who is more advanced in their tech . Don't get me wrong the Vex FL-18 is a fine unit but why limit yourself when your dropping that kind of money . Why drive a 2 wheel drive when you can have a 4 wheel drive for the same bucks ?. The Marcum will remain crisp and clear in any depth of water and does not worry about interference from any unit in the short time I have owned it . It's also very quiet as it goes about its job . Marcum has raised the bar and its VEX's turn to play catch up . I also fished it for Brookies on the weekend in shallow water of 4 ft to test it and it worked flawlessly .I believe I did my homework and my decision in the end was the right one for me and I'm satisfied .

TD

Trapper,
just ordered an LX5 Marcum from Cabelas--- It's on back order but should be getting them in in a day or so. 307.com was going to sell me a Vex 18 ultra for 450.00 but I will actually be paying less for the Marcum after my 20.00 gift cert. Lonewolf was instrumental in my decision do to him owning both units and favoring the Marcum. Thanks for the input as I was close to purchasing the Vex.
jack

billybono · « **Reply #13 on:** Jan 10, 2006, 10:42 PM »

the lowrance will act super goofy next to a vex.....and obviously thedeeper the water the further you have to have the units apart.....over 15 feet in 20 foot of water this weekend

billybono

bigredonice · « **Reply #14 on:** Jan 10, 2006, 10:53 PM »

An interesting thing happend today. A friend of mine was using a Marcum lx-1, right next to him was me using my vexilar fl-18. We were fishing a rocky area in around 30 feet of water. I was using my unit on Low Power mode...now you would think with all the more power that Marcum unit has, that I would be getting really bad interference. Nope. None. AT ALL Funny thing is, my buddy couldn't even barely see his jig the interference was so bad.

billybono · « **Reply #15 on:** Jan 11, 2006, 12:05 AM »

eh im thinking its just an special chip vex puts in to render its opposition worthless

billybono

tommy-n · « **Reply #16 on:** Jan 11, 2006, 09:24 PM »

I had a freind of mine build me a gadget that makes alot of interferance for everyone else, you just stick it in the water and turn it on. You know how it is when you get a crowd in a small area and everyone is fishing the holes you just drilled. we just quit fishing forawile and turn it on, after a little time everone is complaining and can't figure it out. the people either move to another area or just leave, then we start fishing again.

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