Please explain Broadband Sounder

usngsm2 · 10-01-09, 09:23 AM

I have been reading up on broadband and my number one question is do you need it if you have a current Lowrance unit? What is the purpose of broadband any way? I read that is is for old units but I still have not found what specifically it does. Please help also do you need a broadband sounder for a HDS8?

nofearengineer · 10-01-09, 09:44 AM

Look at it this way.

Older Fish-finders and chartplotters did not network at all. If you wanted to know the water temperature while at the bow of the boat, you had to have an additional sensor installed apart from the one feeding the helm readout.

Along comes the NMEA 0183 standard, and certain information could be transmitted from one device to the other. For instance, depth, speed, water temp could be measured by one unit, and read and displayed at another. This did not require a lot of bandwidth to transfer these relatively small amounts of information.

There came a need (want?) for additional information such as engine parameters, fuel flow, radar displays built into the chartplotters, etc. So they created a new standard, NMEA 2000, with increased bandwidth to handle this increased flow of information. However, some information, such as fish finder readings, are still not able to be passed from one unit to another, because there is a huge amount of information coming in every microsecond. So separate transducers must still be used for each display.

My understanding is that the new broadband sonar units are going to have enough bandwidth to allow true multiple sourcing for each display, giving true flexibility. While this may not be a big help in shallow water craft such as bass boats, it would seem to be a big boon to deep water fishermen, since in deep water, the return from both a bow and a stern transducer would be basically identical. Of course, broadband connectivity would allow other techno goodies beside better sonar flexibility for bass fishermen, so it might still be fun to have.

Bender · 10-01-09, 10:16 AM

I think you are wondering about the Lowrance Broadband sounder: http://www.lowrance.com/en/HDS-Revol...dband-Sounder/
It is just a term for Lowrance's new system that is supposed to be very clear and defined. The HDS8 has it built in as do the other new ones, but you can buy a box to add it to the older models.
I have not tried one on the water myself but as with everything some people love it and some people don't.

10-01-09, 09:23 AM	#1
usngsm2 BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: jacksonville, floriida Posts: 86	Please explain Broadband Sounder I have been reading up on broadband and my number one question is do you need it if you have a current Lowrance unit? What is the purpose of broadband any way? I read that is is for old units but I still have not found what specifically it does. Please help also do you need a broadband sounder for a HDS8?

10-01-09, 09:44 AM	#2
nofearengineer BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southwest IN Posts: 5,630	Look at it this way. Older Fish-finders and chartplotters did not network at all. If you wanted to know the water temperature while at the bow of the boat, you had to have an additional sensor installed apart from the one feeding the helm readout. Along comes the NMEA 0183 standard, and certain information could be transmitted from one device to the other. For instance, depth, speed, water temp could be measured by one unit, and read and displayed at another. This did not require a lot of bandwidth to transfer these relatively small amounts of information. There came a need (want?) for additional information such as engine parameters, fuel flow, radar displays built into the chartplotters, etc. So they created a new standard, NMEA 2000, with increased bandwidth to handle this increased flow of information. However, some information, such as fish finder readings, are still not able to be passed from one unit to another, because there is a huge amount of information coming in every microsecond. So separate transducers must still be used for each display. My understanding is that the new broadband sonar units are going to have enough bandwidth to allow true multiple sourcing for each display, giving true flexibility. While this may not be a big help in shallow water craft such as bass boats, it would seem to be a big boon to deep water fishermen, since in deep water, the return from both a bow and a stern transducer would be basically identical. Of course, broadband connectivity would allow other techno goodies beside better sonar flexibility for bass fishermen, so it might still be fun to have. __________________ Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after.

10-01-09, 10:16 AM	#3
Bender BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Brighton, MI Posts: 2,414	I think you are wondering about the Lowrance Broadband sounder: http://www.lowrance.com/en/HDS-Revol...dband-Sounder/ It is just a term for Lowrance's new system that is supposed to be very clear and defined. The HDS8 has it built in as do the other new ones, but you can buy a box to add it to the older models. I have not tried one on the water myself but as with everything some people love it and some people don't.

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