Smartcast Sonar Gadgets. Any good?

Not quite right Mark. The 115khz is the transducer frequency (ultrasonic pulse). The US radio
frequency is 916.5MHz (which is not legal in the UK and will incur a £5000 fine if caught). The
UK version uses 433.92MHz which incidentally is what most radio bite alarms use...what fun!
CB


"MH" wrote in message news:Wpgkc.262$Y86.103@newsfe1-win...
You are dead right about 'Rip Off Britain'.
This gadget is now about $80 in the States and just over £100 in the UK.
The importers claim that the US Model (Green Sensor) works on an illegal
frequency which interferes with UK Emergency Services. They urge us to buy
the UK/European Spec Model (Orange Sensor). If you check the manufacturers
website and get the technical details you will find that both operate on
exactly the same frequency band (115Khz) which is no where near the
Emergency Services who use UHF anyway.
The bottom line is :
This is a great gadget especially for those fishing a new place and do not
have knowledge of swims/depths etc.
Import one from the US for a total of £60 or pay thru the nose in the UK as
usual - Take your pick
regs MH
"Gary Tomlin" wrote in message
...
Hi all

I have had one of these for about 6 months, which I bought in the US for
$90
(£60). The model I have has
the green sensor and the wrist watch. It works very well, I have used it
to
distances of 15yds with no problems,
in fact I have not yet found it's limit. The way it works is that you
cast
it in (avoiding any trees etc or you will be
diving in to retrieve the sensor) then you can see the depth of the water
and any fish that happen to be there, it
does not seem to discriminate the size of the fish. You can then slowly
retrieve it whilst monitoring the watch. You
will see the depth change, revealing any trenches, and fish come and go.

Any good? for £60 I think it is worth the money. If you have problems
reading swims or you go to a lot of different
venues then it can assist in locating the fish and help teach you how to
read waters more efficiently. You still have to
catch the little buggers, but for novices it is a real boon.

The downsides, it does not look as if you can change the batteries in the
sensor. There is only two versions of the
sensor which have a locked frequency, so you will get interference if a
number of people use them at the same time
at a venue. It will probable be more expensive in rip-off Britain. The US
sensors are green and the UK one's are blue
as they use a different frequency.

That's my 1.34675 pence worth.

GT

"Simondo" wrote in message
...
Try this link:-


http://www.fishingwarehouse.co.uk/ub...&Board=UBB17&N
umber=207105&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1

There is another good link for mods further in the thread, and some
valid
points.

Umm may explain some weird noises from my receiver at the w/e as one of
these was being used. Had a look (as you do) IMO it's not precise enough for
feature finding the range isn't anywhere near long enough and the units
sensor needs to be rechargeable at the very least. now show me one that will
give an exact depth under the sensor and bottom make up then were talking
(range of 100 yds as well). Oh and why does the sensor have to look like a
toy boat why not just a plain tube oh well probably wouldn't catch as many
fisherman with a tube.

Hairless Inc,,