Humminbird 200 Mhz in shallow water?

[10point]

I just converted my humminbird from my boat to be used on the ice by purchasing the XI 9 20. It's all set up and I have learned that it will not operate on 83 mhz since it's a down imaging model. Is this going to be difficult to use in shallow water like 8 -10 feet?

[Royalwapiti]

I converted my 688 with DI and am in the same boat as you.  It' ok in 8-10 but if you go shallower your cone gets pretty small. 

I loved my HB in chart mode.  Skip the flasher circle view.  The chart mode is the same but vertical and gives you the history, so you can turn your head and look at something else and not miss a "flash". 

[mvanhank222]

Typically the 83mhz is for very deep water like a few hundred feet I don't know that it has a lot to do with cone width.

[Royalwapiti]

Frequency has a lot to do with the cone of the sonar area of detection.  In shallow water a wider cone base will see more.  The narrow cone or 200mhz might only be picking up a 1 foot wide cone in 4 feet of water.  Switch to wider beam and see more coverage area.  But we can't, because HB's with DI can not go to 83mhz.

[ice dawg]

Looks like the narrowest cone angle would be 20° that would be the widest on my LX5. The wide cone angle on my FL18 is 19°. Those are the cone angles I use in shallow water.

[DFresh75]

20 Degree should be ok in shallow water.

Just possible dead zones but thats possible at 18ft too

http://www.vexilar.com/blog/2014/08/28/choosing-a-transducer-beam-angle

[mvanhank222]

That's good to know

[matzilla]

20 degree cone is fine in shallow water, use graph mode if the line is too thick on the flasher. The 83khz 60 degree cone is nice in less then 5' but crap in deep water

[Kevin23]

I can see my jig a foot below the transducer with my ice35, with a 19 degree. I've been using it in water less than 3 feet this week, can't see the fish unless they are right below the hole but it definitely helps.