The only type of outdoor activity that you can devote all your time to is fishing. It does not depend on the time of year, weather and time of day, therefore it is not surprising that fishing tackle and additional equipment are in great demand and are actively discussed in the media. And if everything is clear with equipment (for each type of fishing its own method and tool), then things are more complicated with equipment. The topic of this article is the echo sounder "Practitioner ER-6 Pro". The reviews of professionals and amateurs will allow the reader to get acquainted with the device, without which in the XXI century it is simply impossible to imagine real fishing. A review of the model, technical characteristics and functionality of the device will help all fishermen to decide on the best fishfinder on the market.
Dotting
Naturally, the reader will ask why the “Practitioner”? Indeed, this market is simply full of other equally interesting brands, each of which promises an interesting and very useful functionality to the buyer. It's quite simple - choosing equipment, many beginners prefer to purchase inexpensive fish finders. Indeed, in the case of refusal to use sonar, any buyer will not be so offended to lose finances due to an incorrectly completed transaction.
The second, also important criterion is the country of origin. The official manufacturer, the Russian company Praktik-NTs LLC, is probably versed not only in fishing, but also in the weather conditions in which Russian fishermen have to catch. There is hardly a device in a budget class that can work in the temperature range from 20 degrees below zero to 40 degrees, not to mention decent functionality.
Specifications
You need to start with the fact that the device, like all expensive fish finders for fishing, has a housing that is resistant to moisture and shock. Accordingly, accidental impacts, falls from a height and getting into a humid environment will not do any harm to the equipment. In their reviews, all owners note the convenient power of the device, because the user can install both batteries and disposable batteries. By the way, the echo sounder does not consume much, because the manufacturer provided it with an economical monochrome display with a resolution of 64x128 dpi.
The device is equipped with only one scanning beam, which operates at an angle of 40 degrees, the maximum depth of the sonar - 25 meters. True, there is a minimum depth with which it is recommended to measure, it is half a meter. The black and white screen has only two shades (gradations), but this is enough to deal with the image in the picture.
Fishing characteristics
Fishfinder "Practitioner ER-6 Pro", the price of which does not exceed 5000 rubles, is more interesting to fishermen with other characteristics. We are talking about the scanning process itself, identifying objects and transmitting images to the device’s display. Firstly, the technique copes with the construction of the landscape of the bottom - the construction of a graphic image is very acceptable. The second advantage is the detection of moving objects between the sensor and the bottom. Yes, the budget representative shows the fish, both lonely swimming and a school of small fish.
The device, like all echo sounders for fishing, has a built-in speaker, and therefore is able to notify the owner of any significant changes at the bottom of the reservoir (the functionality regarding sensitivity is fully customizable by the user). The monochrome screen is equipped with adjustable backlight, which allows you to use the echo sounder without problems in the evening and night. An air temperature sensor is built into the device - a trifle, but nice.
Lack of headache
A pleasant bonus that the echo sounder "Practitioner ER-6 Pro" has is an instruction. It was written by people for anglers. Judging by the numerous reviews of the owners, it is really easy to understand. This is very difficult to believe, given that the device is controlled by just two buttons. When you first turn on the user is invited to see a demonstration of the health of the gadget. It is produced without water, but the indication on the screen is understandable. Further it is offered to choose one of the modes: “Fish ID”, “Pro”, “Depth gauge” or “Flasher”, each of which is briefly described in the instructions.
Having decided on the mode, the user can familiarize himself in detail with the functionality of the selected setting. The instruction is accompanied by pictures that show the owner even an indication on the screen with a detailed description. Additional functionality of the device, which fishermen call "multimedia", can be found at the end of the user manual, it is described briefly, but in an accessible language.
Small oddities from the manufacturer
Quite strange have echo sounders "Practitioner ER-6 Pro" reviews regarding the operation of the sensor. The manual says in black and white that the sonar works only in a humid environment, but nothing is said about taking it outside the boat (for example, about placing it on the transom, as is realized by other manufacturers). This, apparently, by default should be clear to the owner. But craftsmen made a breakthrough in the field of electronics - they thought of leaving the sensor in the boat, abundantly filling it with water, or placing it in a plastic bag with the same liquid.
What gives the owner such a solution? The sensor, like the echo sounder itself, will never be lost - it will always be either in the boat or on the ice, if we are talking about winter fishing (the focus with the room in the liquid also works in winter). Accuracy - it is no different from immersion of the sensor in water, that is, the signal passes perfectly through the bottom or ice.
A bit about winter fishing
The advantages include the fact that the cable between the device and the sensor does not freeze in the cold, as is often the case with competitors - the brand of echo sounders, such as Garmin and Lowrance, suffer from this in a 20-degree frost. Accordingly, you can not be afraid of the owner that he might accidentally crush the cable by stepping on it with his foot. The fish finder is able to show not only depth, troughs and elevations at the bottom of the reservoir, but also show fish. This is undoubtedly a plus for any angler who does not want to waste time.
But then, judging by the numerous reviews of the owners, the disadvantages begin. In cold air, the echo sounder freezes and turns off, respectively, you need to warm the device’s case by hand or constantly hide it in a pocket for warming. The second disadvantage is the sonar’s work in cold water - the sensor refuses to perform an accurate scan if the depth of the reservoir is less than five meters (the error is colossal, not to mention the artifacts that the fishfinder can "think of").
In pursuit of schools of fish
If everything is clear with a large predator - having determined the pit and the presence of fish, there is no doubt that prey is somewhere nearby, then there are some problems with schools of small fish. However, do not blame the "Practitioner ER-6 Pro" echo sounders for this. Responses of owners assure that the problem is more hidden in the human factor. Having identified a large joint, the fisherman immediately throws the tackle, forgetting about the sonar. Firstly, fish tend to move, and secondly, the echo sounder has a small scanning angle. Accordingly, the sensor could fix the “tail” of the school of fish or exaggerate the number of several small fish. Professionals recommend performing an additional scan to make sure that the school of fish is in place.
Hidden features
What the user will not meet in the instructions is a detailed description of the fish’s approach to the bait, and this is exactly what the sounder sensor is capable of. During operation, the fisherman will certainly notice such an interesting functionality, but it is better to get to know him in advance. In their reviews, many Praktik owners recommend a series of tests, namely, throwing a large object (the size of a fish) in one place at the bottom of a pond, and then placing a couple of meters that should not touch the bottom.
Further, a matter of technology - the object rises from the bottom and pulls itself to the gear. It is not only interesting to observe changes on the fishfinder, but also very informative. Although the equipment is not visible on the display, a large object moving and changing depth is very clearly detected by a sensor, which joyfully alerts the user with a sound signal about large fish.
Problems and their solution
In the “Practical ER-6 Pro” device we are considering, breakdowns are more of a domestic nature. Accordingly, professional anglers recommend repairing echo sounders with their own hands, without wasting time traveling to service centers. So, the constant shutdown of the device during long operation in most cases is associated with the battery compartment. The springs pressing the battery have low stiffness, respectively, which often leads to disconnection of the contact during operation. By the way, this spring also has the property of oxidizing, so it is recommended that the owner clean the contacts once every six months.
The sensor itself has a plastic container, so it is not recommended to heat it with a burner in winter from ice. Although the sensor housing has protection, it nevertheless lends itself to deformation during improper operation. Any damage leaks water inside and quickly destroys the electronics. This problem is solved only by buying a new sonar.
Feedback
Depth sounders "Practitioner ER-6 Pro" do not spare user reviews in the media - they describe minor flaws of manufacturers with great passion. First of all, the control buttons got it, they are really very tight, it takes a lot of effort to press them. It is clear that the technologists tried to make a durable device, but not all fishermen have powerful power. And if we talk about buttons, then the third one is clearly not enough, because making a choice of functions in a circle with one button is somehow inconvenient (the second is analogous to "Enter").
Many users complain about the lack of memory - the best echo sounder in a budget class lacks the required functionality. You can understand them, because it is extremely inconvenient to constantly take measurements to determine the topography of the bottom in one pond. True, this raises a question with reference to the coordinates, because the device has no navigation, respectively, there are only two solutions: buy an expensive echo sounder or create your own pilot map and put measurement data on it.
Finally
A rather interesting product was obtained by Russian masters. Affordable price, excellent functionality, clear instructions, decent technical specifications - the entire list of requirements of any fisherman who needs a good helper on the pond. Even minor flaws of the manufacturer do not spoil the general idea of the device, because most of the problems are fixed on the spot, and users repair their echo sounders with their own hands without wasting their valuable time that can be spent on fishing.