# Megahertz Side Scan Expectations



## dgfidler (Sep 22, 2014)

I’m currently using a Garmin Echomap Plus 93SV. I have the GT52 transducer. I’ve always felt the sidescan on this to be mediocre. I bought the unit for LiveScope. Garmin has introduced two upgrades to the transducers and I’m considering upgrading to a unit with their new GT56 which is 1000khz (HB mega is 1200 kHz for comparison)

I’ve seen countless images where the operator drives over a flat and fish show as white streaks on the side imaging. These are almost always ‘mega imaging’ pictures. Is it reasonable to expect to be able to do this if I upgrade to a unit with this transducer which people are saying is close to the quality of HB mega? I really have four specific use scenarios:
1) Drive over the flat in front of the Alum creek beach and be able to tell if there are saugeye or Muskie on it
2) Drive along north of 36/37 on Alum Creek and see if there are saugeye or catfish present
3) Find wipers or saugeye on O’Shaunessy. The entire lake is a ‘flat’
4) Find saugeye on either Indian or Buckeye Lakes which are also almost entirely ‘flat’

I can kind of do this now with perspective mode on the LiveScope by sitting still and looking for ‘movement’, but it really only is effective for me while sitting still and only up to about 50ft range. I want to drive over a flat and pick out pockets of fish on sidesacan then turn around and target them with LiveScope of troll if they’re everywhere. 

Are these reasonable expectations if I upgrade to the ultra high def system? I’m looking at the Garmin GPS 943 XSV for LiveScope and the latest generation of Echomap 93SV for the console. I want the iPad sharing of the screen for two person LiveScope jigging which is why one unit will be GPSMap. I see my version of the 93SV going for around 500 on eBay, so it seems reasonable to
Upgrade now, but I only want to bother with it if I’ll have reasonable expectation for my four use cases. 


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## dgfidler (Sep 22, 2014)

I pulled the trigger on the Echomap UHD 93SV with Gt-56 transducer. I’m comparing screen resolution of this Garmin to HB Helix & Solix and questioning whether the Echomap has good enough resolution to come close to the HB on side imaging. I think the GPSMap 943 xsv needs to go in the console if my goal is better side imaging. Even with 1ghz side scan transducer, the 800x 400 resolution of the Echomap is significantly lower than the HB units. I suspect a combination of high screen resolution and ghz side/down transducer is the secret sauce. I’m going to wait to see what this UHD Echomap looks like before I buy the GPSMap unit. An extra $1400 is a lot to pay to gain dual LiveScope displays via iPad. My hope is this Echomap satisfies my needs in the console. If so, I’d rather use the GPSMAP 1022 for LiveScope (it’s not compatible with GT-56). It has 10 inch display and has a knob to adjust depth and forward range. I change these settings often and it’s clunky with touch screen. 


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