Sidescan sonar info

[ironman5371]

Our area dive team has been given $3000 for a sidescan sonar.We dont know a lot about them.No one in our area has one. If you have any info on a unit in our price range and what training is available out there. Thanks for your help.

[Fire562]

Our area dive team has been given $3000 for a sidescan sonar.We dont know a lot about them.No one in our area has one. If you have any info on a unit in our price range and what training is available out there. Thanks for your help.

ironman:

Both Humminbird and Lowrance both have good side scan Sonars in your price point. Our FD Boat has a Humminbird 1197C and it has done a good job of identifying targets. Not a full blown SS, but a useful tool At the FDIC Show, I met up with the rep from Lowrance. They have a competing product. From the scan images the rep had on his computer, I would give a slight edge to the Lowrance nit. I would really like to get my hands on the Lowrance to work with it, but I think that either unit will serve you well.

Regarding training, the 1197C SAR unit comes with a demo disk. The best thing is to simply install the unit and start doing scans. You can save the images and share them with others to help with interpretation when you are starting. Keep in mind that it is a tool in the tool box and like any tool, in the right hands, it can do some great things.

If you contact Dive Rescue International, they can offer you government pricing on the Humminbird and by now, they may also be rep'ing the Lowrance as well. That was the best pricing I could locate on the unit.

If you e-mail me @ [email protected], I can send you some scans from the Humminbird.

Dan

[ironman5371]

Thanks for the Info. I've got lots of emails with help and pics from a lot of units.

[onlocation]

To bring up this older topic again. Our combination(mostly volunteer department) has been discussing installing a side imaging sonar on our rescue one boat. We probalbly do one maybe two rescues a year out of the boat. We mostly do our recues in the river. Occasionaly we will have a stock pond rescue. With several bass fishermen in the department, we have been discussing the addition of this tool. Our only concern is that in the river with all of the debris and logs, will you actually be able to distinguish a body amonglst the debris or will it just "blend" in. I know in a lake it works pretty well becuase a lake bottom is fairly clean and uniform, but in a river there is logs and debris on the bottom plus a moving current. Whenver be do a water rescue we have to call in a game warden from a nearby county that has a sonar. Just looking for some experienced opinions on the topic. We are hoping something like this might help us more easily pinpoint areas to drag around in.

[Fire562]

Having used ours for the past two years, I can say that you can easily identify shapes. Fortunately, since we have procured the unit, we have not had to use it for any body identifications. We have Identified a number of tree and log debris piles in the river. From my experience, I do believe a body hung up in a debris pile, may be difficult to distinguish.

This is NOT a full blown, $30,000 side scan but is a VERY useful tool in the tool box. As with any tool, it takes practice and experience as to how to use it. There is some interpretation involved in evaluating some of the images and since this allow you to capture the images on an SD memory card, it allows you the opportunity to review targets and even e-mail them to others to take advantage of their experience.

As a firefighter, I equate this technology to Dive Teams what the Thermal imager is to the fire service. it allows you to see in untenable conditions and identify targets and avoid putting personnel into unknown situations.

If you respond to water emergencies and do not have an extra $30,000 sitting around, you cannot go wrong with either the Humminbird or Lowrance.

Dan

[ironman5371]

We bought a humminbird 1197c sar unit less then a month ago. Its a great tool, our dive team used it 3 weeks ago . We dont have a lot of time with it. It seems to work open water and rivers very well, works better in water that has a hard bottom like rock then soft silty floor. The set-up is important but this unit has both top and side scan with gives you a better view. We have tried scanning with divers laying on the bottom but its very difficult to see. Trees and other objects or better to locate. We found its a great tool and makes diving a little safer because you can get a idea of whats on the bottom, Trees, car, barrels, etc. If you want massage me I can give you more info.

[Doo600]

We have 2 full blown towable side scan units, a sector scan and I purchased a Humminbird 1197 a few years ago. I love the humminbird. Obviously the images are not as clean as the side scan but they are very good. Clean bottoms and it's the tool for you. You just need to set it up properly and train on it constantly to know what you are looking for. The Humminbird also has a great GPS feature that can take you right back to your target in no time at all unlike the towable fish. We have other agencies buying these units because they like the one I bought. It has identified 2 victims before the side scan was even in the water.