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This review of the Humminbird 798ci HD Si Sonar/GPS with HD Down and Side Imaging is a perfect fish finder for the budget fisherman. It comes with features that make it about the most complete fish finder you will find anywhere on the market. Humminbird produced this impressive model to give fisherman on a budget, like you, the features you are looking for. Scroll down to learn about many of the key aspects of the Humminbird 798ci hd si that will help you spend more productive time on the water.
Features
- A newer, faster microprocessor for increased refresh times
- 5”, 640×640 pixel, 256-color TFT screen
- Sonar Coverage: 20/60/180 degrees
- Peak-to-peak power output: 4,000 watts
- Depth: 1500 2 Dimensional, 480’ Side Imaging width, 150′ Side Imaging depth
- Speed/temperature
- Navionics & Lakemaster compatible
- High-definition Side Imaging and Down Imaging
- SwitchFire downlooking sonar
- 50-channel external GPS+WAAS with chartplotting
- Dual SD Card Slot
- Video-out and Ethernet port on back of unit head – allow for future expandability
Side Imaging
Side Imaging on the Hummingbird 798c is one of the greatest technological advancements since the arrival of a combo GPS/sonar. Humminbird developed Side Imaging in the mid-2000s and captured what many fisherman had always wanted: a picture of what’s under the surface of the water. With the Side Imaging on your Humminbird 798c, your fish finder can show amazing detail of the bottom of the lake up to 240’ wide, to the left and right of the boat. Many fisherman, myself included, are curious what the cribs on our sonars look like? You will be able to cruise over them with the Humminbird 798c and get a clear view of what’s actually down there. You can even recognize fish within the structure! Cruise around your favorite fishing holes and really learn what’s down there.
Down Imaging
If you thought Side Imaging on the Humminbird 798ci HD si was cool, now they have come out with Down Imaging. Down Imaging creates “snapshots” while emitting super thin slices of high-frequency sound waves. This gives you the ability to see the structure with a side view, even though you are going over the top of it. If you turn on Narrow Mode, it analyzes the returns to verify the position of the echoes to ensure Down Imaging only shows you structure and activity beneath you, and not off to one side or another. This is a tool any new or experienced fisherman needs to have in their arsenal. Getting the picture why you need a Humminbird 798ci yet?
Switchfire
The Hummingbird 798ci HD si fish finder, features a reliable, top of the line sonar–SwitchFire. SwitchFire sonar modes let you adjust the view on the screen to the fishing conditions. You have two modes to choose from. Max Mode and Clear Mode.
Max Mode
In Max Mode, sonar returns really come to life from the screen, in amazing detail. You’ll see the tiniest subsurface object (even thermoclines and water currents) for complete underwater coverage. Since Max Mode returns so much information on the screen, it may be difficult for an unexperienced user to interpret what they see on the screen. When searching for baitfish on your fish finder, or other small structure, you will want to use and become familiar with Max Mode.
Clear Mode
In SwitchFire Clear Mode, Time Variable Gain (TVG) software sifts through sonar returns to display only fish and structure – great for fishing in shallow and rough water, or for reducing undesired clutter in the water column. Clear Mode will be very beneficial to a newer user of the Humminbird 798ci or people that have a tough time interpreting what they see on the sonar screen. This feature can be helpful when cruising around quickly on the hunt for schools of fish.
Additional Features
Screen Views
With three soft-key preset buttons on your Humminbird 798c, you can create multiple views with GPS/Side Imaging or Side Imaging/sonar or GPS/sonar, or many more. It’s easily customizable for ease of operation. Even though the screen is 5″, detail is still incredible and will give you more than your money’s worth. If you are on a budget and can’t afford a more expensive fish finder, consider the 798c’s screen plenty large enough for handling all fishing duties.
Memory, GPS, Mapping
The Humminbird 798c’s dual SD card slot expands unit memory, giving you the oppurtunity to save screenshots of your fish finder to share with friends and family. Forums on the internet are great places to meet with other fisherman to discuss and interpret your screenshots, as well as everyone else’s.
The 50-channel external GPS will keep you locked in on your location to make sure you don’t slip off the magic fishin spot. And to help you find the safe path to the fishing spot, the Humminbird 798c fish finder is also LakeMaster and Navionics compatible-giving you a great visual of where you are on the water. If you’ve never had a fish finder capable of mapping, you are in for a treat. Following contours and other likely fishing hot spots is a breeze with a mapping capable fish finder. This feature alone is worth the money to buy yourself a fish finder like the 798c.
Summary and Additional Information
Now that you’ve read all about the Humminbird 798 ci hd si, you can see and understand some of the capabilities of this unit for yourself… If you are unsure the Humminbird 798ci HD si is for you, click here for an all to often scenario that you may be a victim of.
