Free GPS Guidance

Most marine GPS fish finders and chart plotters either include or need a transducer to work properly.  The question comes to mind “What is a transducer and what does it do?”  According to Wikipedia a transducer is a device, usually electrical, electronic, electromechanical, electromagnetic, photonic or photovoltaic that converts one type of energy or physical attribute to another for various purposes including measurement or information transfer (for example: pressure sensors).

There are three kinds of transducers. A sensor is used to detect a parameter in one form and report it in another form of energy (usually an electrical or digital signal), such as a tachometer. An actuator is used for the transformation of energy or in other words, it converts electrical signal into generally nonelectrical energy. An example of an actuator is a loudspeaker which converts an electrical signal into a variable magnetic field and, subsequently, into acoustic waves. The third kind of transducer has both functions — for example, typical ultrasonic transducers switch back and forth many times a second between acting as an actuator to produce ultrasonic waves, and acting as a sensor to detect ultrasonic waves.

The bottom line here is that a transducer is what helps the fish finder or chart plotter “find” the fish or the contours of the bottom of the lake, river or other body of water.