# Lowerance Total Scan transducer



## springer76 (Dec 22, 2012)

I have this along along with a hdi transducer....
main graph is my hds carbon 9
bow is a hds 7 gen 2 
right now have the hdi on transom...and for the bow I have that graph reading off my terrova us2 sonar...
So my question where would the total scan transducer be best suited to mount rear transom or on the terrova,
I bass ,walleye and perch fish..any feedback would be appreciated.


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

I guess it would depend on what you'd be trying accomplish by having the total scan transducer on your bow mounted trolling motor? If you're wondering how effective side imaging would be with it mounted on your trolling motor, my guess would be that it wouldn't be very effective at all.

The reason I say that is, while I don't have total scan, I do have and use structure scan with my Gen2 7, touch unit. When using structure scan (side imaging) you get the best pictures and sharpest images, when the boat is moving. In my case, I get the clearest pictures when I'm moving anywhere from 2 - 5 mph. When the boat is stationary, or near stationary, the side imaging images become blurry. 

Also, if you're hoping you can scan out to the side in different directions simply by turning the trolling motor, that probably isn't going to work too well either. When I am running side imaging and make a sharp turn to go back over something to take a closer look at it, the images blur as I make the turn. Once I straighten out and start moving, the images clear right up, but during the turn they become smudged looking. 

If you're thinking about using it up front for the 2D and down imaging views, then sure, it will work beautifully. I will say this though, and it's one thing I don't like about the newer units, in the push to have sonar cover more and more water and bottom area, units are losing precision. It used to be that if you had a transducer with a 20 degree cone angle, you were seeing a circle of the bottom with a diameter 1/3 of what the water depth you were in. 15' deep .... 5' diameter circle of the bottom. Some of the newer units have 40 and 50 degree cone angles. What you think may be right under the boat, could be, depending on water depth, 10 - 15- off to either side of directly below the transducer.

For me personally, I want the sonar on the front of my boat to be as precise as it can be in showing me what is directly under the trolling motor. One of my favorite things to do is "video game fish" a drop shot rig. See the fish on the screen of my front unit, drop the bait down to it, catch the fish. Of course it doesn't always work out that way lol But when it does, and you see your bait going down and you see the line that represents the fish coming to your bait and you feel the bite ..... it is a blast.

In other words .... my long way of saying, I'd put the total scan on the back. The main problem, I guess it's a problem, with the total scan transducers, is that you need the face of the transducer sitting below the bottom of the boat in order for them to read depth at speed. I have read a lot of people are mounting them higher because they are larger in size (and more expensive) and people fear they may get damaged by debris that goes under the boat, because of their need to be mounted lower. 

So I guess it's up to you. Of course all of what I've talked about with blurry images and what not mayy not be the case with total scan, but it is with structure scan. And I would think side imaging, is side imaging.


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