This review of the Humminbird 1198c Sonar/GPS with HD Down and Side Imaging
The Humminbird 1198c’s Side Imaging is so large and in such detail, that it is truly one of the greatest achievements in fishing technology-right along with the 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 1198c, your fish finder can show amazing detail of the bottom of the lake up to 240’ wide, to both the left and right sides of the boat. Side Imaging with also show to a depth of 150 feet. One of the best features of owning the Humminbird 1198c is to 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. The 1198c will really impress you with it’s ease of viewing.
If you thought Side Imaging on the Humminbird 1198c was cool, Down Imaging will give you a clear image below the boat. 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. The size of the screen on the Humminbird 1198c gives you the best Humminbird can offer, showing the greatest details.
Of all the amazing aspects of the Humminbird 1198c fish finder, SwitchFire sonar helps give Humminbird is great reputation. 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.
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.
Humminbird’s Switchfire sonar display in Max 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 1198c or people that have a tough time interpreting what they see on the sonar screen.
Humminbird’s Switchfire sonar display in Clear Mode
On the Humminbird 1198c, three soft-key preset buttons help you can create views with GPS/Side Imaging or Side Imaging/sonar or GPS/sonar, or many more. It’s easily customizable for ease of operation. With the huge screen, the 1198c is still very readable when screens are split multiple ways.
The Humminbird 1198c has dual SD card slots which expand unit memory, allowing you to save screenshots off your fish finder to share with friends and family. Hundreds of fisherman save screenshots and post them on forums, on the internet, to discuss and interpret what their images show.
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 1198c fish finder is also LakeMaster and Navionics compatible-giving you a great visual of where you are on the water.
Now that you’ve read all about the Humminbird 1198c fish finder, you know the capabilities of this unit for yourself. Click here (Humminbird 1198c
