Author Topic: Vexilar FL-18 v Marcum Lx3 (Read 10334 times)

Tricky · « **on:** Dec 08, 2003, 11:44 AM »

Vexilar FL-18 v Marcum LX3. Which is best and why? Also, can the LX3 play nice with other FL-8's and FL-18's in a fish house - I have heard that the units may interfere with each other.

Thanks much,

Pete in Minnesota.

Gillles · « **Reply #1 on:** Dec 08, 2003, 12:03 PM »

I've had a vex fl-8 for years and love it. But yes whenever I have had two vexlar units near each other they do interfere with each other. I could only guess that the marcum would do the same.

Fishinfreak · « **Reply #2 on:** Dec 08, 2003, 12:59 PM »

Keep pushing the ir button on the vex.It should get rid of any problem.

Bean · « **Reply #3 on:** Dec 08, 2003, 02:47 PM »

Do a search and you will find plenty on this question. It has been discussed numerous times before.

Tricky · « **Reply #4 on:** Dec 08, 2003, 03:22 PM »

Thanks everyone. I'll do a search for info, particularly on the Marcom flasher.

crappie_kings · « **Reply #5 on:** Dec 08, 2003, 04:06 PM »

i just got a marcum lx3 this year and love it! the thing that had me sold was that you can use the zoom in any section of the water column where the vex fl-18 you can only zoom in on the bottom 5 feet. as for interference just a couple nights ago i was fishing in a 6x8 house with my marcum and my two buddies had fl-8's. i just turned up the IR and mine worked fime where theirs were goin nuts and were hard to read anything. the one downside i have found is that its kind of hard to tell the difference between the red/orange/yellow marks on the lx3 where vex uses red/yellow/green. but im a little bit colorblind too so it might be just me.

Hope this helps!

FishDeepCreek · « **Reply #6 on:** Dec 08, 2003, 05:41 PM »

The FL18 has 10 modes of interference rejection (press the gain knob in). I think Marcum advertises high wattage (more power) but thats not always an advantage, as you tend to pick up more junk on the screen. In fact Vexilar made an S cable for reducing output for the FL8 even with the gain set on lowest it could still pick up smallest of unwanted things. It used mostly for shallow water fishing.

crappieloo · « **Reply #7 on:** Dec 08, 2003, 07:16 PM »

Tony B, i think your being generous in saying Marcum deserving recognition in 5 years. I don't think they will be around that long with the other competitors. I could be wrong, but i doubt it. I never needed a '' zoom'' with my fl-8, and really don't need any wasted features. Hey, if we warm this up a little more maybe we will get moved to the GOMS threads

swalleyi · « **Reply #8 on:** Dec 09, 2003, 03:19 AM »

That was one of the reasons why i bought the marcum was for the power output. I'll be taken a month off of work soon and i hit alot of lakes up north that i'm not familiar with. I figuire that i'll be able to see through the ice with it with out drilling a hole. As for the zoom it's adjustable big deal.

LoneWolf · « **Reply #9 on:** Dec 09, 2003, 04:44 PM »

Tony I have to disagree with you on the low power output/less distortion theory. The Vexilar units are using low power output and very sensitive recievers . The Marcum unit is using high power output and less sensitive recievers.
Before I go on I have the Vex FL-18 and I am very happy with it. I'd also have to say Vexilar has one of the best customer service departments I have ever dealt with. My fishing partner bought the LX-3 last season and it seemed to work great. Last season I was getting alot of what I thought was interferance in shallow water and I had the Vex on low power,tried the IR and tried adjusting the gain. The interferance came on all of a sudden. I couldn't get rid of it so my buddy turned his Marcum off and it didn't make a difference (he was about 75' away). He had no intereferance at all. He tried his Marcum in my fishing hole and again was OK - slight interferance. Thanks to my friends underwater camera we saw what it was - plankton. I think the Vex was too sensitive.
I agree that Marcum is in its infancy but so was Vexilar at one point. As for adjustable zoom I can't say that I need it but it's a nice option if you did. If nothing else Marcum will keep Vexilar on their toes.
After reading your post above I would be delighted if it was an unbiased test- "Another scam by Marcum".

Fishrmn · « **Reply #10 on:** Dec 09, 2003, 05:13 PM »

Tony B,
If you're right then I want to get FRS radios with just 1/2 watt transmitters. Right? No need for the 2 watt GMSR radios, if less is better.

I like Lowrance products too. I don't think anybody evens comes close to their products. They still make a flasher. It's only got 150 watts peak to peak. They don't even market it for fishermen though. It's mainly sold to people with waterskiing boats. A cheap depthfinder to keep people from ruining their propellers. They make LCD units with as much as 8,000 watts of peak to peak power. And they put 800 watts peak to peak in the X67. That's twice as much as a Vexilar. If they are the pros, why do they make a flasher with almost no power that they don't market to fishermen, and then make their top of the line units with 3 or 4 or even 8,000 watts of power?

And judging by everything else I've seen in your posts, unbiased ain't in you vocabulary. LMAO.

Fishrmn

crappieloo · « **Reply #11 on:** Dec 09, 2003, 07:09 PM »

I've been watching plakton for years with lowly undesireable fl-8. Radio transmissions from low power outputs Can be vastly better than high power outputs. It depends on Freq. and or antenna. A lot of people would like to transmit 25 or 30 miles with there hand held low power FRS but don't like the idea of carrying a 18 foot moonraker around. Also A high percentage of people don't need 800 or 8000 watts of power, cause there not fishing 1000 feet down or fishing Great Salt Lake.

richstick · « **Reply #12 on:** Dec 09, 2003, 09:34 PM »

You guys ever hear of Genetron? Widely regarded as about the best sonar ever produced. Power output = 15 watts. Power output is a great marketing tool, one half of the equation, and a great way to grab a sucker.

crappieloo · « **Reply #13 on:** Dec 09, 2003, 09:58 PM »

Thanks richstick. In a couple of years these guys will have to dump thier high tech units for ''New and improved'' units with MORE POWER. Maybe they will be making them with 1, 2,3, 4,5,6,7,8,9or 10,000watts of power and 1/64 inch of target separation. That way they can catch their 3 inch perch 3/4 of a inch off the bottom, with a perch below that one.

LoneWolf · « **Reply #14 on:** Dec 10, 2003, 07:32 AM »

All sonars are basically doing the same thing - sending out a signal and recieving a signal. It then shows what it encountered (markings) by depth and how dense it was.
The Marcum and Vexilar are doing the same thing but going about it in different ways. Vexilar is using low power and a sensative reciever. Marcum is using high power and a less sensative reciever. What is the point ? They both work.
I don't think you can go wrong buying either of these units, it would boil down to personal preference. You certainly wouldn't be a sucker.

richstick · « **Reply #15 on:** Dec 10, 2003, 08:14 AM »

No, but the sucker is the guy who keeps yelling how he bought the unit with more power, and how it must be so much better because it has more power, have better target definition because it has more power, etc.

LoneWolf · « **Reply #16 on:** Dec 10, 2003, 08:53 AM »

There are going to be brand loyalists in all industries : Chevy/Ford. If someone is happy with the Vexilar (I am) than more power to them. The same goes for Marcum, Lowrence, etc.
If the unit ,regardless of what brand, is aiding you in your fishing quest and you are happy with it, than that's all that matters.

Hard_H2O · « **Reply #17 on:** Dec 10, 2003, 09:40 AM »

About the only things that I would like in my "old" tried and true FL-8 SLT is the new brighter display and the bottom lock and zoom. Other than that you can keep all the new units. My "old" FL-8 works just fine.

richstick · « **Reply #18 on:** Dec 10, 2003, 09:40 AM »

Well said Lonewolf!! Can we now stop talking about it? I'm SO SICK of the debate!!! LOL!!

Fishrmn · « **Reply #19 on:** Dec 12, 2003, 12:56 AM »

Richstick,
I did a search for Genetron and came up with no website, and just a few articles and comments about them. They look like they would be good units, and have some very loyal fans. I didn't see any flashers made by them though. Here's my question to you. If 15 watts is the way to go, why does Vexilar put 27 times as much power in their flasher?

Crapieloo,
Okay, if you put that 18 foot moonraker on the two radios, which is going to broadcast farther, and allow a person miles away to hear them better. The 1/2 watt unit or the 2 watt one? Also, remember that a sonar signal doesn't travel one way to the receiver. It has to go to the bottom, or fish, or tree, and then return an echo. Which signal is going to be easier to receive an echo from. The 1/2 or 2 watt?

You are getting pretty close on the comparison of resolution though.

TONY B,
If you are having difficulty with cell phones and other interference, why wouldn't you just raise the threshold for the signal that actually shows on the fishfinder. By increasing the wattage of the sonar signal, the receiver can ignore the weaker signals that are not of the same power level of the transmitter. Since the sonar uses inaudible frequencies, why not use more power. You aren't going to scare fish with more of something that they cannot detect. Does a deaf man care how loud your stereo is? Would a blind man complain about the wattage of your lamps, or ask you do dim your headlights from high beam?

And if you like the 6 foot zoom window, so be it. It's a good thing, because the Vexilar can't be zoomed in to any other size or location. I guess there's never going to be a time when you would like to see the bottom 4 feet or 3 feet? Lets say that you are in 30 feet of water and using the bottom track and zoom feature of the Vexilar. If you're using the 30 foot scale, and go just a little bit deeper, does the Vexilar keep track of the bottom in the zoom portion of the screen? What about the unzoomed portion? Or do you have to change the depth scale manually? The LCD units adjust the screen to keep the bottom in both the zoomed and unzoomed parts of the screen.

Lowrance has been in the sonar business for 46 years. They have chosen to move away from flashers, unless you call the flashgraf feature a flasher. And it is still shown on an LCD screen. They build units with more features, more power, more resolution, more options, than almost any other sonar manufacturer. Garmin and Magellan are moving in the same direction.

Which has better frequency response, 33 1/3 rpm records, 8 track, cassette, reel to reel, cd, dat, or sacd? Trick question. For all intents and purposes the 33 1/3 rpm vinyl record is capable of tracking the sound wave better than any of the other mediums, but it is also the weakest way to keep music in the real world. SACD and DVD audio are capable of nearly the same reproduction, and are infinitely more durable and practical. Yeah flashers are fast. So are the new LCDs. You guys can keep the flashers, I'll take the LCD.

Lone Wolf,
Hear hear.

Now, I think I'll just go fishin'

Fishrmn

FishDaddy09 · « **Reply #20 on:** Dec 12, 2003, 09:37 AM »

If Nentendo ever comes out with a fish locator some of you guys will never even make it to the ice! LOL

Da_Roc · « **Reply #21 on:** Dec 12, 2003, 09:40 AM »

Hi Gang!
Here is my 2 cents worth. I think any unit that isnt easy to use or easily adjustable isnt worth looking at. The lorance and marcum come with only one transducer. They are both only 20 degree. In most cases 20 degree ducers read but read out to far to be any good to a person who is fishing thru an 8 inch hole. You need to see whats near your rig not twenty feet away. Vexlair is king and the others arent as good period. The only option lorance has that is nice is the GPS. But get a lorance in the cold and below 15 degrees and the screen will not read!!! Read the fine print on there units it will not read below 15 degrees. I dont know about you guys but I fish when it is cold and I do it on a bucket outside. I would buy a vex I know they work and work well!!!! It doesnt matter what kind of power you have if you cant read the screen its worthless!
Da-Roc
P.S. Who is loyal to ice fisherman Vex is I think why not be loyal back!

crappieloo · « **Reply #22 on:** Dec 12, 2003, 05:50 PM »

I don't want to argue. Hey more power is better. What i was trying to say is a lot of low power units( any type of electrical devises) can work better than higher power units.Example is a 100watt cassette stero system with cheap paper speakers cannot compare to the low power Bose CD Acouistic system i bought last year for my wife for Christmas.What we want people to realize is not to be sold on any old brand of electronic devise because of advertised power rating.I could turn the frs example around. Of course the 2watt radio will transmit farther. But a 18 foot moonraker on a 1/2 watt transmitter will blow the 2,3,4,or5watt transmitter away.
I like Lowrance, i'm looking for gps and frs stuff now(hmm maybe for christmas) but i am a little confused and don't know what to get( ask for)

Fishrmn · « **Reply #23 on:** Dec 14, 2003, 01:51 AM »

Da Roc,
Lowrance says that their LCD screens are good down to -20 degrees. I've used mine at ten below without problems. The thing that I find curious about the transcucer question is this. Lowrance makes several units that are dual frequency, and therefore have two cone angles. But everyone seems to think that you need to get their transducer below the level of the ice. Not with my Lowrance. I've shot down through a 10 inch hole through 36 inches of ice. The transducer was only two inches under water. Can't you shine a flashlight through a short section of a pipe and see what's on the other side?

Crappieloo,

I tend to agree to a point, that some devices are more eficient than others, but I've fished side by side with a Vexilar fl8, and my LCD. I wouldn't give you two cents for the Lowrance X55 that my friend has. I don't know if the extra power is the only reason that my X85 does so much more than the X55, or if the microprocessor is that much better in the X85. But I'll take the LCD every time, and keep right on telling everyone who'll listen that flashers are 45 year old technology, and have reached just about the end of innovation for the system. If you look at the advances in microprocessors in the last 10 years or so, then you'll have a good idea of how far the LCD fishfinders have progressed.

Lowrance is coming out with a new GPS iFinder Pro that will support 512 meabyte mmc cards. It has two microprocessors, and a much improved screen. I haven't seen the price, but I've been impressed with my iFinder.

Good luck,

Fishrmn

JerryofWNY · « **Reply #24 on:** Dec 14, 2003, 08:58 AM »

Lonewolf, Richstick, - you guys hit the nail on the head. I think this whole debate is more about ego than product. I think a some of us folks reason that "Mine is better than yours, Therefore I am better than you."

What's good for the goose isn't always good for the gander. I have the FL18 and it's best for ME, he has the Marcum and it is best for HIM, she has an LCD and it's best for HER (did I leave anyone out). And, hey it's a good thing that we're Product Loyalists, it makes us happy folks, content with what we have - until someone spoils it and convinces us theirs is so much better. ( By the way, I don't care if you think mine is crap. I didn't buy it to please anyone but myself.. and by the way if you borrow it don't complain about it!)

It's a good thing we're all different. What a horrid world this would be if everyone were like me!!

When I ask for advice before making a purchase, I separate fact from opinion and trash the latter. (Glad I taught that reading skill for 37 years).

Why do I even open this thread? The truth is I open it to get rid of the "NEW" notification in the contents list and then am too nosey not to read it - but enough already.

That's it - I'm not only getting off my soapbox, I'm gonna burn it. Hope I haven't offended anyone.

crappieloo · « **Reply #25 on:** Dec 14, 2003, 08:20 PM »

Jerry, you hit the nail on the head.
What the heck to i care about seeing fish 60 feet down for?
I fish lakes with 15 to 20 foot max. depths.
Only insecure people have to have the best.
I payed less than $140.00 for my unit brand new, so it can't be the best.
But its cost efiecienty is the best to me and who the heck cares about target separation? If you can't figure it out ok then spend 3,4,or 5 hundred dollars.
What ever floats yer boat.

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Author Topic: Vexilar FL-18 v Marcum Lx3 (Read 10334 times)

Gillles

Fishinfreak

crappie_kings