The Outdoor Line Forum

Now you can make your older Gen1, Gen2, and Gen2 Touch sonar's "Chirp" by adding a Lowrance sonar module to your system. The module will even allow your standard 50/200 transducer to chirp. Chirp provides a much more crisp and clear sonar image on your Lowrance unit. I thought the images I've been seeing on my Touch Gen 2's were great until a friend sent me these images off of John Keizer's Saltpatrol.com boat. The fish arches on these images are a lot more defined using Chirp technology.


Here's a link for more details about the sonar module, also called the Sonar Hub. Good stuff
http://www.lowrance.com/en-US/Products/ ... en-us.aspx

The sonar hub is bad ass...
No doubt about it!

Here's a great explanation of CHIRP technology from Lowrance/Simrad Navico!

CHIRP Technology
What’s new on the sonar market? Many of you have heard the new buzz word CHIRP. What is it, how does it work and what will it do for me and my fishing?
CHIRP technology was originally developed for radars. The term stands for” Compressed High Impact Radar Pulse.” Its development dates back to classified work and use during WWII era. The technique became declassified around 1960 so its use became widespread including application in sounders. The needs of the two domains are very similar as radars and fish finders both care about discriminating between targets and having good distance performance.
CHIRP technology allows a sounder to sharply reduce its effective pulse length and with it, gain much higher resolution with respect to determining the position of a target. That gives it resolution down to sub inches vs. feet for traditional sonars. Importantly, the range resolution does not depend on pulse length anymore allowing it to get more power into the water. More power means deeper penetration and better quality target returns. The improvements here are very significant.
Navico has taken CHIRP technology down a whole new road. The SonarHub module can take a standard Navico Simard or Lowrance transducer and produce CHIRP pulse from it. This pulse gives greater target separation and definition even on small targets.
I have been testing SonarHub for the past few months on a standard transducer and have found the target separation is excellent as is the definition of the fish it displays. You will see clear defined fish aches. Even the smallest targets produce great returns.
Now you can make your older Gen1, Gen2, and Gen2 Touch sonar's "CHIRP" by adding a Lowrance SonarHub to your system. The module will even allow your standard 50/200 transducer to CHIRP.
The SonarHub module is the same size as a standard Lowrance Expansion Box, uses the same power plug and has three extra connection ports for additional Ethernet connections. It also has a port for the Structure Scan to plug into. If you have a current Structure Scan box you can replace it with a SonarHub and use the same connections.
You can order the SonarHub as just the Sonar Hub Module and use with you standard transducer or with an additional Airmar TM150M single channel CHIRP transducer.
CHIRP is the way ahead in sonar development and when you see it in operation on a Lowrance or Simard sonar you will agree there is nothing that will compare to it.
For more information on the SonarHub Module or any Lowrance products visit Lowrance.com

I am about to mount a new Lowrance 9 touch with Structure Scan on a new sled. Is the "Chirp" technology advantageous in Shallow freshwater 0-50' where I will be fishing?
Thanks

Howdy W,
I know the CHIRP technology is a depth-penetratin', target-separatin' marvel but I have not had the personal experience with a CHIRP unit to comment on it's shallow water capabilities.

However, if shallow water sonar is your desire, then Lowrance's Structure Scan could possibly be more advantageous and here's why:

Most transducers have fairly narrow beams (20 degrees or less) at 200 kHz. at 50 feet you are only covering about 15 feet of the bottom under your boat.

Structure Scan covers 180 degrees or literally the entire water column with two distinct sonar beams, one scanning port, one scanning starboard and this information is displayed on your screen with the clarity of a black & white photograph.

Here's a Structure Scan Video so you can see the the amazing target resolution of a Structure Scan equipped unit!

Good luck out there!