The sidescan is perfectly useable, although I think that's the one area I really wish I had a higher screen resolution for. You can upgrade to the 'ultra' mapping card which allows you to specify +/- offsets for depth if that's a situation you're facing. Maps are accurate with a few exceptions - in some bodies of water, there's water level shifts. I do a lot of what you are describing in terms of either sidescan / down imaging / sonar, marking waypoint, then positioning myself & fishing the offshore spot or structure w/the map. As far as upgrading to an Echomap Ultra, competing units from Lowrance/Hummingbird, etc, I think you quickly start paying a lot more $ / per bit of improvement so unless you're looking for premium, I think the Echomap 93sv should cover your needs. I paid a bit less than you ($600) - for $600, you aren't getting any better than that. I think you'll be able to do all the typical stuff in terms of maps/sonar/DI/Side Imaging. I use the Echomap 93SV w/GT56 although I've used it with a GT54 as well in other contexts. Useful however if you want Mega360 down the line. The other option is Hummingbird Helix which is superior SV/DV imaging but you pay out the ass for screen size, and no touch screen. Otherwise for the price it's still pretty nice, especially if you want Panoptix down the line. Faster processor, actual HD resolution, and you get better mapping capability. Looking back if you can swing the Echomap ultra it might be a better option. Homeport (PC software) just crashes and you can only view sonar playback in activecaptain with the GPSmap series IIRC. For instance depth shading, it's an option but it never tells you it only applies to certain lakes and Quickdraw maps.Ĭhartplotter software/recording sonar and playback to homeport/activecaptain is impossible with Echomap UHD series. The options are also immensely confusing. Sure they update but you only get depth shading on certain lakes, not all, and I've found the depths to be misleading. I have not had good luck with the in built charts. Be aware that the cone angles are not that great either on the 54UHD, something like 52 deg off each side. I have not had good luck with CV at all, quality is not there for me, so I stick with SV. Switching over to lower frequencies will help but you'll suffer more quality loss. If you're using it for fishing under 25ft of water you'll be fine, any deeper and SV starts to lose significant quality/view. Is there anything else I should consider? I can just return the Garmin if it's not. I'm just wondering if the screen and chart updates alone are worth the $700 price tag right now. The Echomap is roughly the same size in spite of the larger screen because the controls on the Hook2 take up so much real estate. The Navionics map packs don't have a reservoir I'd like to fish more often and the Garmin does. Haven't had issues with the Hook2 but my home lake recently got a resolution update on the depth chart that I would need to pay for a map update to get and that's not cheap. I like the idea of being able to see features on side scan and drop a marker then navigate there using the chart. The only immediate benefit is the screen being bigger and a touchscreen. I got it for three main reasons but 2 out of 3 are upgrade pathways for stuff I'm not planning on adding for awhile, namely Livescope and a trolling motor with GPS capabilities. I purchased the Echomap on sale at Cabela's online but have yet to pick it up from the store.
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