Elite-4 IceMachine

Gone Fish'in · **Joined:** Thu Feb 25, 2010 10:42 am **Posts:** 1047

These look like great little units, any info/experience with this product would be greatly appreciated.

Radioworld · **Joined:** Tue Dec 20, 2011 1:31 pm **Posts:** 436

They sure do look great! I haven't had a chance to use one on the water/ice myself, but have used the bigger Elite 5 and it did a great job.

The Elite 4 is very similar to X-67c Ice Machine which was a huge hit for almost a decade with Lowrance but has 3 times the Peak to Peak power output. So in theory it should be even better in the deeper depths and have much better target separation.

I am sure there are a few board members who have used them this summer and can share their experience with the Elite 4 units.

-Lawren

Tylercurt · **Posted:** Wed Oct 31, 2012 11:50 pm

I have the Elite 4 Gold which is the combo sonar and GPS so I have all the data (depths and ridges and more) for the BOQ, already scoped out a few places I’m going on the ice and made a few way points. I’m looking at getting the PPP-18I Ice Pack which is the Transducer, Battery, Charger and Soft sided carry bag with a few trays. The unit has a flasher built in it and can be accessed in the menu section. Used it all summer on Hay Bay and Long Reach and it worked great. With the Gold chip I can go anywhere and know where the ridges and holes are. I have a Hummingbird 45 Flasher but I think this will be a better option cause of the GPS function. Hopefully they will be selling them at Radioworld as well at the Ice Fishing Seminar.
Tim

CanWoodsman · **Posted:** Thu Nov 01, 2012 12:09 am

On the Elite 4 Lowrance list the 83 KHz transducer angle as 120 degs but does not list the 200KHz transducer angle. With the 120 degs on 83 KHz my guess would be that at 200KHz it would be 60 degs.
I have seen the 120 deg/60 deg combo before but I've never seen a 120 deg/20 deg combo before.
The X67 had a single beam 20 deg transducer.
For ice fishing particularly if in deeper water narrower is better.
The Humminbird 345 is 60 deg/ 20 deg at the same KHz.

Gone Fish'in · **Joined:** Thu Feb 25, 2010 10:42 am **Posts:** 1047

Thanks for the input gentlemen. I'm looking forward to this product being demo'd at the seminar.

Radioworld · **Joined:** Tue Dec 20, 2011 1:31 pm **Posts:** 436

It's all in how the manufacturer measures their transducer cone angle. Lowrance measures their 200kHz at -3dB which is a 20° cone angle. Humminbird measures theirs at -10dB which translates to a 60° cone angle. Lowrance states that theirs is a 20° cone angle with a coverage area up to 60°. The 60° comes from measuring at -10dB. The reality is both Humminbird and Lowrance have a 20° transducer at -3dB and a 60° at -10dB.

So after all that technical talk...what does all this really mean? When running your unit at a higher sensitivity setting (which most do) you'll have a wider cone angle. You can see this in action by turning your sensitivity all the way down and then start turning it up. You'll see your screen clutter up with more marks. That is because you are opening up the cone angle and allowing targets from further away be picked up.

-Lawren

Gone Fish'in · **Joined:** Thu Feb 25, 2010 10:42 am **Posts:** 1047

Hey Lawren, have you heard how these machines work in the 5-12 ' range, is there a setting you need to use to fish shallow water edge with weeds?

Radioworld · **Joined:** Tue Dec 20, 2011 1:31 pm **Posts:** 436

Those units should work fine in that depth range. I have used the Elite 5 in shallow weedy water and it worked very well. You just have to keep in mind when fishing weeds that the weeds look like fish. It's even worse when your fishing weeds and there is a little current to make them move around. This really makes the moving weeds looks like fish on your screen.

I haven't found a very good setting to make this easier or work better so unfortunatly I have no help in that department. There is a "Shallow Water Mode" setting in that unit so that would be worth a try.

If anyone else has found some good settings for that please chime in because I would like to know as well.

-Lawren

Trent River Fishin' · **Posted:** Mon Mar 25, 2013 11:33 pm

Hey Randy.. I got that unit at the end of the season on sale.from radioworld. They had great sales and shipping, and I have yet to find an issue with the unit. it came with the ice pack with trays and is very handy for smaller terminal tackle. As far as learning to read the flasher... I have been having difficulty figuring out exactly what it what on bottom. The different colors are a bit to get used to and I know that it should be able.to tell you the type of bottom, but I have yet to figure that out. I got.my boat in Randy so if you wanna launch yours at all while you wait for the ice to open up in front of your place lemme know. Heck... I'd have a tipup out there lol

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Elite-4 IceMachine

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