Replacement for airmar P66

[the butcher]

I've been using the airmar P66 on Lowrance HDS gen3 for fishing around Vancouver and over to the gulf islands... Primarily for salmon fishing. Does anyone know what's an equivalent chirp transducer to replace the P66 without having to break the bank?

 

[BCTony]

Thru-hull Airmar B75H or B75M or for transom mount look at TM165HW. Thru-hull's generally perform better than transom mount and the B75H is very much the CHIRP version of the high band of P66. I understand that the TM165HW which is also CHIRP but with an average 30 degree beam will retrofit directly into the P66 mount.

 

[the butcher]

For those who upgraded from a P66 or a traditional transducer to a chirp transducer, can you tell me if it was worth the upgrade? Did you mark more fish, specifically salmon? Thanks

 

[wildthing]

go with the TM165 -hw
think you will be happy it the best for marking fish in the water column unless you go high end 1 kw $1000 plus transducers...

 

[Tail-chaser]

Just installed the tm 165 hw. Just like the p66, except better!

 

[the butcher]

Just installed the tm 165 hw. Just like the p66, except better!

Do you have Lowrance hds unit? Would you mind giving me more specifics so that I can better understand how it's better?

 

[ericl]

 

[the butcher]

From the specs it looks like a high frequency (150-250hz) single band chirp transducer with a 30 deg cone angle. I had thought fishing salmon you wanted a low frequency and wide cone angle.. The p66 is a 50hz traditional sonar with 45 deg cone angle. It was my understanding that the lower freq and wider 45deg cone angle is better for deeper saltwater fishing. I am looking at a few airmar ads and they seem to be targeting freshwater bass fishermen. I am a bit confused.

 

[BCTony]

From the specs it looks like a high frequency (150-250hz) single band chirp transducer with a 30 deg cone angle. I had thought fishing salmon you wanted a low frequency and wide cone angle.. The p66 is a 50hz traditional sonar with 45 deg cone angle. It was my understanding that the lower freq and wider 45deg cone angle is better for deeper saltwater fishing. I am looking at a few airmar ads and they seem to be targeting freshwater bass fishermen. I am a bit confused.

Your understanding of the P66 at Low Frequency 50 kHz is correct - it also has High Frequency 200 kHz with 12 degree cone angle. All other conditions being equal, the depth capability of a transducer will be determined by its power rating and beam angle. Higher power will equate to deeper depth capability while the wider the beam angle will dissipate that capability more quickly and restrict depth. Higher frequencies will give better resolution and detail. Lower frequencies penetrate depth better. The P66 and TM165HW are both 600w transducers but I think you will find that the TM165HW will significantly outperform the P66 particularly at the depths we fish for salmon.

It would be best to see if you can find someone who uses the transducer ideally with your sounder before you commit. I use Simrad Evo3 and 1 kW transducers mainly HW and M Chirp. For its technology and price-point the P66 is an excellent transducer but technology has moved-on.

 

[the butcher]

Thanks for the insight BCTony. If anyone uses Lowrance hds gen3 or carbon on a Airmar TM165HW I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts. Thanks

 

[wildthing]

also be aware the Q- factor which will prob be a lot bettter on the tm165-Hw than the p-66 thus giving it much better signal returns..
this is where the chirp comes into its own...
get a p66 dialed in right and its a very good Transducer....
if your having issues with it then try sort that out before jumping over to chirp

 

[littlechucky]

I will add to this...

If one was to install a second transducer, in addition to a P66, which one would be recommended?

 

[wolf]

Id personally go with a thru hull one after breaking so many of them plastic mounts as they get very brittle, I went with a thu hull 1 kw B 164 and love it go top speed and still pick up bottom have had it for almost 8 years now NEVER worry about it.

http://www.airmar.com/productinfo.html?category=MT&name=Marine Transducers

 

[BCTony]

I will add to this...

If one was to install a second transducer, in addition to a P66, which one would be recommended?

If it were me in the 600W range it would be B75H or B75M. I agree with Wolf - thru hull every time preferably.

Probably the B75M which has a 16-24 degree beam angle through its 80-130 kHz frequency range. At 100' depth the beam diameter will be 42' when set in CHIRP. But you can also custom set any single frequency within the transducer range and vary the beam diameter covered. At 100' depth the beam diameter will be 42' in diameter at 80 kHz but down to 28' in diameter at 130 kHz. As you step up in frequency the beam angle and diameter will become smaller. Using this feature you can zone-in to attempt to know more precisely where targets are beneath your boat.

In the same example, at 100' depth the beam diameter with TM165HW will be 54'. You cannot vary the beam angle with TM165HW which has a constant 30 degrees although you can vary frequency.

On the other hand the TM165HW will be superior for identifying targets throughout the water column - excellent for the summer Fraser mouth fishery. Whereas for seeing targets at 200' depth or deeper and/or for zoning in and knowing more exactly where targets are I would prefer B75M or even the more tightly focussed B75H. Normally I am just happy to know that fish are in the general vicinity.

If there were just one transducer that covered everything then Airmar would not make so many.

 

[wildthing]

I will add to this...

If one was to install a second transducer, in addition to a P66, which one would be recommended?

if you have to go Tm then the 165 high wide in hull its m265-hw or thru ss-175-hw

 

[prodjsaig]

I have a garmin 8 pin p66 coming that I am going to splice to Lowrance 7 pin. from what ive read it should work out although there are no adaptor cables claiming the temperature is incompatible. However the Lowrance you can select from 5k ohm to 10k ohm temp sensor.

 

[wildthing]

I have a garmin 8 pin p66 coming that I am going to splice to Lowrance 7 pin. from what ive read it should work out although there are no adaptor cables claiming the temperature is incompatible. However the Lowrance you can select from 5k ohm to 10k ohm temp sensor.

think you'll find the spec for the garmin P66 is 10K...
but you can check on the airmar site its buried away on there pdf spec sheets