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HawkEye Fish Finder Review
HawkEye FT1PXC or simply 1C is the most powerful unit within the company’s FishTrax series, offering a lot of premium fish finding features packed in a portable and lightweight casing.
Keep reading this HawkEye fish finder review to learn more about the 1C model and find out what separates it from the rest of the series.
Pros & Cons
- VirtuView HD color display
- LED backlighting
- Dual Beam Intelligent Sonar
- 100 sensitivity settings
- Ice-mode digital flasher
- Numerous sonar functions (fish/depth alarms, Bottom Zoom, Fish ID...)
- Mountable/trollable/floatable transducer
- Numerous optional add-ons
- No unit cover
Specifications
| Specifications | HawkEye Fish Finder |
|---|---|
| Type | Down Imaging |
| Sonar | Dual Beam |
| Transducer | Mountable/trollable/floatable transducer |
| Display (size, resolution, backlit, color) | Polarized VirtuView TFTN color displaywith LED backlighting |
| Dimensions | H x W x D - 6" x 3" x 2" |
| Weight | Not Specified |
| Batteries | 4 x AAA |
| Depth Capability | 240ft |
| Frequency | 83 and 200 kHz |
| Power Output | Not Specified |
| Power Input | Not Specified |
| GPS | No |
| Maps | No |
| Routes, Waypoints, Tracks | No |
| Waterproof | IPX7 |
| Wi-Fi Connectivity | No |
| MicroSD card slot | No |
Display/Screen
HawkEye 1C comes with a premium polarized VirtuView TFTN color display and utilizes a series of indicative icons to depict sonar data. The screen also has powerful backlighting, which makes readings easily observable even in direct sunlight or at night.
The unit is IP-X7 waterproof, which means accidental splashes or rain cannot cause any damage to it, but the unit should not be immersed in water deeper than 3.3ft for more than 30 minutes. On the other hand, the device has not been tested against other outside influences like dust and dirt, for example.
1C has 3 viewing modes, including:
- Fish finder mode – This mode identifies the presence of fish, determines the overall depth of the water, and provides you with info regarding bottom composition and contour.
- Data mode – This mode simply enlarges your battery voltage, depth, and temperature readings so that you can see them from several feet away.
- Ice-mode digital flasher – 1C enables you to target suspended fish while you are ice fishing thanks to its ability to produce real-time FishTrax sonar echoes like a traditional flasher.
The unit can express measurements in either feet or meters. Note that 1C does not come with a touchscreen and is operated via the keypad underneath the screen.
Sonar & Transducer
HawkEye FishTrax 1C utilizes the Dual Beam FishTrax Intelligent Sonar, which allows you to adapt the unit to your fishing style with 100 sensitivity settings at your disposal. Lower settings remove clutter from the screen while higher sensitivity provides you with smaller sonar returns and enables you to detect more fish.
The sonar can operate at 83 and 200 kHz and the manufacturer states that you can observe both readings at the same time, which is a feature reserved for Dual Beam Plus units, so you should take this claim with a grain of salt. Lower frequencies have a much better depth penetration capability, but they provide less definition. On the other hand, using 200 kHz allows for more details, but it is unable to reach the same depths as 83 kHz. The beam angle is 14° for 200 kHz and 26° for 83 kHz. The optional Side Scan adapter allows the sonar to find a direction under docks, weeds, and ice.
The provided transducer can be used as a transom mounted unit (the required accessory is sold separately), a trollable unit or a floating unit using the provided float. The transducer also has a temperature sensor that allows you to measure the temperature of the surface layers. The maximum depth is capped at 240ft.
When it comes to traditional sonar features, HawkEye FishTrax 1C includes several depth and fish alarms, Fish ID, FishArc, and Bottom Zoom.
What's In The Box
- HawkEye FishTrax 1C
- Sonar sensor (transducer) with 15ft cable
- Play transducer connector & waterproof plug
- Sonar sensor float
Verdict
This HawkEye fish finder review focused on the company’s FishTrax 1C model, revealing a pretty competent unit packed with numerous premium features and designed to fit the needs of experienced fishers. The unit is lightweight and highly portable, which makes it an ideal option for kayak and canoe fishing. The model has a wide variety of optional add-ons designed to optimize the installation process for optimal usability.
Bottom line, FishTrax 1C is an excellent unit that will serve your well in depths up to 240ft and it can even double as a reliable ice flasher.