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Garmin Echo 550c: This is one heck of a Product from Garmin. I wasn’t going to do any more reviews on Garmin’s Products as they were to difficult to get any decent Information to give a good Review. This Garmin echo 550c seems to have so many features that researching it was a pleasure.
This was, I believe, the first Garmin made for freshwater fishing, but can be used in salt water also. Take a good look at this one that bounds with great features to help you catch the big one!
Garmin Echo 550c Features
- 256 Colors.
- 1,900 ft Max Depth Performance
- 5″ display size.
- Mount & Go
- Get the Clearest Possible Picture
The Garmin echo 550c turns fish into sitting ducks. That’s because of its powerful sonar with 500 watts (RMS) power with Garmin’s exclusive HD-ID target tracking technology. A video-quality 640×480-pixel VGA screen provides you an amazing level of detail on fish returns, structure and bottom contours.
Don’t Miss A Fish: For an uninterrupted view of the sonar image, 550c boasts Garmin Smooth Scaling™ technology, which means you won’t lose sight of the sonar history as the unit changes depth ranges. It also features the ability to rewind your sonar history in order to ensure that you haven’t missed a thing.
Sonar Options
- Dual-Beam
- 60 and 120 Degree
Transducer
- With Garmin echo 550c, you can see well beyond the sides of your boat thanks to a dual-beam transducer with up to 120-degree viewing angle. Plus the powerful sonar lets you see as deep as 1,900 ft.
- Everything included in the box.
Depth Capabilities
- Depths to 1,900 ft (579.12 m) in fresh water
- 700 ft salt water
Display
- Display Size…WxH: 2.9 X 4.0
- Water temperature Log and Graph
- Water temperature sensor included
- 80 x 640 pixels
- A video-quality 640 x 480 pixel VGA 256 colors, Screen provides you an unbelievable level of detail on fish returns, structure and bottom contours.
- Split screen zoom.
- Dual Beam Cone angle is 60 degree/120 degree
- Fish Symbol ID..(Helps Identify fish targets)
Controls
- Three push buttons and a 4-way cursor pad are located on the right side of the front panel. The main menu is reached with a simple touch of the Menu key, then a selection is made with the cursor pad arrows, and finally, the selection is accepted and executed with a press of the Enter key.
- With limited push buttons, you’ll find nearly all controls, functions, and selections of the 550c will be somewhere in a menu. You can choose pages to display either through a menu or by pressing a left/right arrow key on the cursor pad. Page choices include full screen, split zoom, flasher, split frequency, log, and numbers.
- Other main menu selections include choosing your range settings, gain, zoom, depth line, pausing or rewinding the sonar, or going deeper into the setup menu.
Frequency, Watts, Power, and Cables
- 500-watt transmit power
- with 20′ Cable
Alarms and Alerts
Does have audible alarms for Shallow and Deepwater, Battery Voltage, Fish and drift alarms
Mounting System
Mount & Go: Garmin Echo 550c is one of the most intuitive fish finders on the market. Installation takes only moments using the quick-release tilt mount and versatile transom-mount transducer included in the box.
Dimensions
Product Dimensions: 1.8 x 6 x 5.9 inches ; 1.1 pounds
In the Box
- Garmin echo 550c
- Quick release mount with tilt and swivel
- Power cable
- Transducer w/ mounting bracket, hardware and trolling motor clamp
- Documentation
Garmin Echo 550c Pros & Cons
Garmin echo 550c Pros
- Very easy to use and set up
- 60 and 120-degree Sonar was a big selling point.
- User-friendly menu
- Easy to see even in bright sunlight
Garmin echo 550c Cons
- One user mentioned it popped out of the holder in choppy water.
Seems like just about everyone that is actually using this Garmin echo 550c FishFinder is very happy with the many features and also the simplicity of using it.
