Garmin Echo 200 (revised) Headed back to Sears

[user 7806]

Anyone have any experience with a Garmin Echo 200 FF. I have been looking at a FF for the front of the tin & was drawn to the Echo 200 because it came with a trolling motor mount. The Hummingbird & Lowrance the trolling motor mount is extra and from $15-$20

Another reason was that the Echo 200 had dual scan (dual beam). Does dual scan really gain you anything or is it just a marketing hype? Seems that other FF in the price class aren't dual scan.

I basically has have around a $160 budget for a FF and I would also like a 5" screen because I have old eyes. I would also be open to suggestions for a FF for the front of the boat.

 

[TNtroller]

no experience with the Garmin, but HB will exchange a skimmer TD for a TM style (puck mount) for the cost of postage if you end up with a HB. I will assume (danger danger danger) you mean dual beam when you say dual scan. The dual beam has its advantages and gives you the option of a slightly different view of the same structure from each frequency. 83kz is for deeper water, and is a more narrow beam to go deeper and does not cover as much bottom or as much of the water column in the scan. 200kz is a wider beam and will cover more bottom and more of the water column but will not go as deep. I may have the kz reversed but don't think so. I use 200kz more than 83kz as I usually fish in 30' or less of water trolling for crappie.

I have been using a Low Mark 5 pro dual beam and like it, they are closer to $200 but you can find 'em a bit cheaper if you look. This one has a 5" b&w/gray scale screen, but the fish icons are somewhat small for a 5" screen imo, you can "review" recent history of what you have covered (think 15-30 sec recording that you can rewind and see again but cannot save), split screen for the 83/200kz's, old school flasher screen, water temp, depth, and various other options. The fish icons on my old Low x37 (3.5" screen) were bigger than the Mark 5 imo, same for a Cuda 300 I used for a while. You also determine the depth of the fish by a numbered line on the right side of the screen, which is visible from 4-5' for me, but I wear glasses. BPS and cabelas have 'em on line, and other places do as well.

 

[user 7806]

no experience with the Garmin, but HB will exchange a skimmer TD for a TM style (puck mount) for the cost of postage if you end up with a HB. I will assume (danger danger danger) you mean dual beam when you say dual scan. The dual beam has its advantages and gives you the option of a slightly different view of the same structure from each frequency. 83kz is for deeper water, and is a more narrow beam to go deeper and does not cover as much bottom or as much of the water column in the scan. 200kz is a wider beam and will cover more bottom and more of the water column but will not go as deep. I may have the kz reversed but don't think so. I use 200kz more than 83kz as I usually fish in 30' or less of water trolling for crappie.

I didn't know that good to know. I wonder if BP would do it? Guess it woudn't hurt to ask.

Thanks

 

[TNtroller]

believe you have to send the NEW/UNUSED TD to HB, don't think any store will xchange it, but you can mount a transom mount TD on a TM with a $15-20 mount that works very well. I've use these type mounts several times, no issues at all. It consists of a large clamp very similar to a radiator hose clamp, just larger, this clamp holds the mount on the lower unit/motor of the TM, and run your wire up the shaft and secure with wire tires, just watch out for pinch points when running the wire. I've read where you can splice the TD wire back together but have been lucky and never cut or damaged one.

 

[user 7806]

The other day when I was at BP I ask the guy working the FF counter about the quality of the Garmin units. He told me their main issue was that they didn't work well at speed. He said according to all the specs that they should work when under power but for some reason they don't do well. He said on a TM they were a great unit.

Was Googling the Echo 200 the other night and found it at a Sears on a online sale for $121 so I ordered one. It came today, but I was gone and besides they just sealed my driveway so I can't get the boat out, well I can probably get it out but not back in. :roll:

Won't have time to play with it til next week. I may have to mount it on the old TM to test it out.

The Garmin Echo 200 uses the same mount for both the transom and trolling motor mount. The top is curved to go on a TM with a tie strap (included) or a 5" worn gear clamp. You place a included rubber pad on top of the motor and secure with the clamp or tie wrap. They also include several smaller tie wraps to secure the wire to the TM shaft.

 

[TNtroller]

GL, hope it works well for you

 

[user 7806]

Till I get the new TM mounted I'm not sure where I want to mount the FF so for now I mounted it on a 6"x6" piece of 5/8" plywood. The mount for the Garmin is both tilt and swivel. Just twist it and it swivels with a click at each position. The unit will also tilts and does this without having to loosen and knobs or screws, there is a locking leaver on the back, flip it up tilt up or down and press the lever and it locks.

I also like the idea that you can take the head unit off the mount without messing with any wires, they stay connected to the mount.

Photos of the mount to follow.



















More to come once I get out on the water with it

 

[bduffel]

Got one. Like it. Love that I can pop the unit out without unplugging wires. Don't like the lack of battery voltage display. Overall very satisfied. I have 2 Garmins-one in the front of the boat with a TM transducer and one in the stern with a stern tansducer. Can perate both at the same time and they don't interfere with each other.

 

[hkmp5s]

I have one and mine reads at speed unless it's reel rough. It also displays the battery voltage I think.

 

[user 7806]

After finishing the TM mount install today I proceeded to install the new FF. The instructions suggested that if you install the transducer on a TM that you should fill up the front facing opening so that they don't fill up with junk. I didn't like this idea so I took a piece of thin plastic and glued it to the front that using sandpaper I shaped it to the contours of the mount, I then painted it black.



Loop in wire so the motor can turn or reverse without pinching the wire


Ran the wire down the mount inside of some split loom. Then ran it down the the base back towards the bow. Can now raise and lower the TM without pinching the transducer wire.


The only thing that remains is to bring some power up for the FF, the only power currently at the front other that the bow light is the TM power. From what I understand it's not a good idea to power the FF from the same source as the TM.

 

[user 7806]

Finally got a change to go out and do a little fishing. Powered the FF off the TM plug as I didn't want to take the time to run any more wire. Figured it would work fine as long as the TM wasn't running. Well it worked fine I couldn't see any difference wither I had the TM on or not.

I ran it all at the default setting and it worked just fine. After I had been out for a while the screen got real dark and was hard to see. Not sure if it was backlight or contrast related. Appeared that the LCD screen had gotten hot. At the same time the TM decided not to work so there was too much going on to mess with the FF. Other than that issue the Echo 200 worked fine.

 

[TNtroller]

might need a new battery, or at least charge up the one you have and see if its good. Can take it to a parts store and they will test 'em for free. Some FF are voltage sensitive, and if the battery is low, then they don't work well. Suggest you check the backlight and contrast settings as well when possible.

 

[user 7806]

Had it out again today when I 1st went out it was fine I could see it without a problem, as the day wore on the display got so dark you could not see it. Contrast and backlight made no difference. Took it off and stuck it under the seat out of the sun for awhile, then hooked it back up. The display looked fine as it sat in the sun I could see the screen to continually get darker and darker until you couldn't see it any more. My old Eagle was sitting in the same sun and connected to the same battery and it was fine.

Took it off the boat when I got home and it will be going back to Sears tomorrow. Guess I'm looking for a FF again. :roll:

The battery was reading 13v and had a fresh full charge when I left this morning.

Guess I will look at Lowrance and Humminbird this time

 

[hkmp5s]

Sorry to hear that. I run mine in the Texas heat all last summer with no problem. I hope you find one that fits your needs.

 

[JaxJonBoat]

some lcd screens are susceptible to heat and will totally turn black if they get too hot. My handheld gps will do this along with a lot of the displays where i work that are outside. Not sure if it all lcd are this way but every one i have ever seen do this if they get too hot. hope this helps as i am trying to decide on a gps/FF combo and this would be a deal breaker too.

 

[user 7806]

I know my GPS will do that sometimes when it's sitting in the hot sun through the winshield sometimes. Not a good feature on a FF as it is in the sun most of the time unless it's night. I think I had a bad unit but I couldn't replace it for what I paid for it as I got it at an online sale at Sears. So I had to return it and order another one. Convienced the CFO that I probably should buy a little better unit. :lol:

So I to am looking

 

[RydForLyf]

LCD screens turning black in the sun is a problem as old as LCD screens themselves. I used to have the same issue with HB units. Eagle unit I had did not do that. I just got the Garmin 200 and will give it a run when it cools off down here in GA.

-RFL