GP1971F Transducer Upgrade 1kW
Submitted by Browndog on Mon, 2023-01-09 16:57
Hi FW Crew.
Currently running a GP1971 with transom mounted P66, and looking at doing some deeper work in 200-250m depths. Due to hull arrangement will need to be transom mounted, so thinking TM260 will be the go. Anyone running a set up like this and can comment on performance in those sort of depths? Or should I be looking at something that offers Chirp, and why?
Cheers,
BD.
still trying
Posts: 1078
Date Joined: 27/06/17
Interested in this too
Interested in this too running same sounder, but not doing any deep fishing yet, still building spots 50-70m
rather be fishing
Browndog
Posts: 595
Date Joined: 10/04/12
GP1971
How are you finding the sounder?
I'm loving it, big improvement being able to find ground at cruise and then go back over slowly to have a look in detail. Definitely a game changer for me, not sure how she will go in the deep stuff or if you need to look at 2-3kw units.
Cheers,
BD.
still trying
Posts: 1078
Date Joined: 27/06/17
Liking that you can mark on
Liking that you can mark on the go too. Anytime I find good arches in 50m or so produces fish. But when I'm not finding good arches try find bait and drift that. Have found some areas that seem to hold fish. Have been switching between using 165hw and just 50/200 tranducer in the settings, which do you use get a much clearer picture when travelling when using 50/200 transducer setting , is this basically turning chirp off?
rather be fishing
Tim
Posts: 2497
Date Joined: 26/09/06
Upgrade
Just did this upgrade on a mates boat.
He is very happy and much better picture.
Browndog
Posts: 595
Date Joined: 10/04/12
Depth
Thanks Tim.
What sort of depth is he getting a good return at? Did he go TM260?
Cheers,
BD.
Tim
Posts: 2497
Date Joined: 26/09/06
200m
From memory only out to the FAD's so far and could see bottom.
Is planning deeper once we get some better weather
Lefty 44
Posts: 169
Date Joined: 04/12/17
1Kw
It will find bottom at 250m if set up perfect but finding fish it may struggle unless conditions are perfect.
Up to 150m you'll be fne.
I recomend getting one still unless you are prepared to go 2-3kw.
Browndog
Posts: 595
Date Joined: 10/04/12
1kW
Thanks Lefty, good info.
2-3kW would be ideal, however from what I can see on Furuno USA website these are not compatible, and there isn't a "black box" that you can run on the GP1971, so I'm limited to the 1kW range.
Thanks for your input, like I said good info.
Cheers,
BD.
scubafish
Posts: 963
Date Joined: 15/08/12
save your pennys
https://www.bluebottlemarine.com/products/furuno-525t-ltd-20-bronze-1kw-flush-mounted-depth-temp-20-tilted-10-pin-plug.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxfyOoe67_AIVpZVLBR0ihAClEAQYCCABEgLsUPD_BwE
Bigger is always better .
http://img.gg/BQ91Sys
Browndog
Posts: 595
Date Joined: 10/04/12
Thru Hull
Thanks Scubafish, but unfortunately hull will not allow an in hull or thru hull transducer, so I'm limited to transom mount. But yes, you are correct, that would be best way to go.
Cheers,
BD.
tot
Posts: 1168
Date Joined: 31/01/10
From my understanding
Most of the 1kw transducer's are actually 500w@50 and 500w@200, including the TM260. Happy to be corrected about that.
I have asked if going 2kw on a 588 is possible and the reply was go a 50/200-1T which I was told is 1kw@50 and 1kw@200.
https://chsmith.com.au/Products/Furuno-CA50-2001T-1kw-Transducer.html
These can still be transom mounted using a custom mount, I think most through or in hull ones can.
The examples below are 2 and 3kw
https://fibreliteboats.com.au/fibrelite-marine-accessories-image-gallery/
Edit, I have a 1971 and 588 using the B164. It works well on both units and have seen ok images up to 400m + however I have only been out deep a couple of times and am still dialing it in.
Reverse cycle a/c supply and install - Ducted and wall splits
Browndog
Posts: 595
Date Joined: 10/04/12
Thanks
Thanks Tot, I like the transom mount "adaptors", these could be a good option if TM260 isn't gonna do the job. Still think I'm limited to 1kw though as that's all the 1971 will support, and I can't see a compatible "module" to allow for a 2-3kW unit.
Cheers,
BD.
Frank F
Posts: 482
Date Joined: 17/03/09
What do you prefer picture
What do you prefer picture wise 1971 or 588?
tot
Posts: 1168
Date Joined: 31/01/10
Hard to answer
Resolution, the 1971.
The height of the screen is the biggest win for the 588 as its better for bottom fishing.
I have some issues with the touch screen marking spots close to the track but that may still be user error.
I have the 1971 flush mounted so dont always need the 588 on the boat which is handy when not just fishing.
Also the 1971 is CHIRP capable if I ever go that way.
Reverse cycle a/c supply and install - Ducted and wall splits
scubafish
Posts: 963
Date Joined: 15/08/12
???
not allow an in hull or thru hull transducer.
http://img.gg/BQ91Sys
Browndog
Posts: 595
Date Joined: 10/04/12
Cat
Hi Scubafish.
Boat is a Powercat 2500, and hulls have a very sharp deadrise that runs all the way to the transom, so there is no "flat" section. Also have a trailer with skids that the bottom of the hulls rest on. Have had Taylor Marine and others look over it several times and by far the most practical method is a transom mount t/d.
Nothing is impossible, but it certainly wouldn't be straightforward.
I like the transom mount "adaptors" that Tot posted links to from Fibrelite boats allowing a thru-hull t/d to be transom mounted - that might be an option.
Cheers,
BD.
Browndog
Posts: 595
Date Joined: 10/04/12
Update
Hi all, just thought I'd post a bit of an update on this.
Went for the TM260, had the first trip out deep on the weekend. Seesm to be performing quite well, was holding ground at 26 knots in 200m plus depths no problems, so was happy with that. I need to figure out how to set up the bottom lock (I think it's called "range" on the 1971 units) as the display was showing the whole water column so not much detail on the bottom. Didn't see much activity in the 130-220m range at the FADS we visited, but by all accounts nobody was seeing any fish (at least according to the other boats we spoke to out there). Unit was picking up what I thought were bait schools, just no predators around.
On the way back in I marked several spots that looked good at 22-28 knots, all in less than 100m. Picked them up at speed and marked them, than came back around slowly and every one that I had marked at speed looked the goods, was frustrating not being able to drop a line down that's for sure.
Stopped in the 30's for some whiting on the way back in and picked up some tuna that were busting up 50 m from us. For the next hour kept seeing the bait schools and clearly seeing the tuna hanging around them. Obviously don't need a 1kW t/d for this but was good to see anyway.
Overall pretty happy so far, a bit of fine tuning (only factory settings so far) and still would like to see some activity at depth, but so far so good. Very happy to be clearly picking up ground/fish at good speed for sure. Alex at All Marine Services did a great job on the install again, with a great picture at speed without any adjustments to angles etc - they obviously know what they are doing.
Cheers,
BD.
still trying
Posts: 1078
Date Joined: 27/06/17
Good to hear you are happy,
Good to hear you are happy, would be very annoying to find them marks and not be able to drop only afew weeks now though.
rather be fishing
ratt27
Posts: 30
Date Joined: 05/01/13
Update
Hi Browndog,
chasing an update on how you're finding the combo..
I have same set up down south
reads bottom at speed great and picking up fish ok, but weaker fish showings over 60m..
Im losing bottom at 140m on high and even <140 on low freq.
im finding low freq to be of not much value. Not sure if its a set up issue or what..
Any feedback be appreciated
Browndog
Posts: 595
Date Joined: 10/04/12
GP1971
Hi ratt27.
Still got the combo and still working well. Haven't done much deep water stuff since that first trip, but been playing around in the shallows with bottom zoom. Seems to work really well in the 40/50m range, but it's a bit frustrating that you need to split the sounder view window in half and still show the "standard" sounder image. If you are running half GPS & half sounder, you only end up with a quarter sized bottom zoom display. There might be a setting buried in there somewhere to get around this, but I haven't found it yet.
Not sure if that helps you at all?
Cheers,
BD.
ratt27
Posts: 30
Date Joined: 05/01/13
Yeah that is a frustrating
Yeah that is a frustrating feature.. I don't think there is a setting for it, qtr of the screen is quite small, luckily I've got my old combo I use as a plotter so I can use the full screen for the sounder.. then just mark as I need to..
my biggest issue is I can't get usable info from the low freq. I know it has a fairly wide cone and maybe my settings aren't allowing a detailed reading.. I thought it should be more useful in the deeper areas but I lose bottom before the high freq does..
Cheers
Browndog
Posts: 595
Date Joined: 10/04/12
100%
100%, I was hoping I just hadn't found the setting yet to make it a larger window, but sounds like you have the same issue. My understanding is that the low frequency works well in shallow water and shows a larger target area - useful for finding structure in the shallows. As you get deeper the target area becomes so large that you struggle to get any definition. I usually just run mine in HF.
Cheers,
BD.
ratt27
Posts: 30
Date Joined: 05/01/13
Development
Ok Browndog, found a setting.. swipe up in the sounder side and go to mode, then select single btm zoom..
this will show just the zoom mode as a whole on side sounder "half" screen, if that makes sense..
unfortunately you can only view as high or low but should improve the visual..
Browndog
Posts: 595
Date Joined: 10/04/12
LIKE
Love your work ratt27, thanks for the tip.
Cheers,
BD.
sea-kem
Posts: 15099
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Following this thread with
Following this thread with interest as I'm just setting this exact unit up on my boat. I'm still going to use my HDS 9 as a plotter and maybe this as the new stand alone fish finder. I have my old 585 as an option too so lots of pondering to do lol.
Love the West!
Browndog
Posts: 595
Date Joined: 10/04/12
Linking Plotter
My partner in the boat wants to add another unit so there is a large screen to display the sounder, so he can see it from the back of the boat while fishing. In theory it sounds easy, but I believe the GP1971 is quite limited in it's networking capability, so it's not straightforward to have another unit there and be able to run one as a sounder and one as a plotter, and them being able to talk to each other. (One of the features I love on the GP1971 is being able to "rewind" the sounder and easily mark ground that you have gone over - so helpful)
I'd be interested to see how you go with linking your HDS9 or 585.
Cheers,
BD.
ratt27
Posts: 30
Date Joined: 05/01/13
Linking
I have spoken to Mike from Micmac electronics..
he says you can def link a 588 to the 1971, although I think it is a splice arrangement not a plug and play..
the obvious feature here is a large screen on the 588 and ability to mark a spot on the 588 and it transfers to the 1971 plotter...
Alan James
Posts: 2256
Date Joined: 30/06/09
...
Not sure if this will work. My mate in Vanuatu runs a P66 transducer. Here is a pic in 315m. I've seen it operating deeper than this and showing fish, impressive.
https://imgur.com/a/0pGteF7
Browndog
Posts: 595
Date Joined: 10/04/12
P66
Impressive!
I've got the original P66 mine came with sitting in the shed, maybe I won't throw it out!!
Cheers,
BD.