# Vexilar Sonar Phone



## Riverrambler (Dec 5, 2015)

Just thought I post a little review of the Vexilar Sonar Phone. I recently bought a Vexilar T-box and installed in a NMZ Gheenoe. So far it has surpassed my expectations. I have only used in the Keys last week but, was very impressed. I run it an iPad Mini. I bought a ram Mount, lifeproof case and mount to mount it on my grab bar. This thing is awesome for the $125 plus about $100 for the mount and case, off amazon, I couldn't beat it.

I've had many bottom machines through the years from the old Lowrance flashers, to the x-70's, to a $4,000 touch screen Garmin. The resolution on this bottom machine is a good as any of those. It was very easy to install, weighs nothing and easily removed for those flats trips were everything but the motor, fly rods and push pole get removed. Only thing that remains is the Ram ball mount. Its much lighter than a traditional sonar and runs flawlessly with Navionics, which will show bottom machine and chart. It also will allow you to run it on multiple phones or pads. My son loved that, he had running in the front of the boat on his phone so he could see the depth and water temp. This is the perfect setup IMHO for a micro skiff since it doesn't take up a lot of space or weigh anything.
I just wanted to let anyone in the market for a new sonar/chart plotter know, I don't think you can't beat the price. A sonar/GPS chartplotter with this good of resolution would cost 3-5 times this much. If anyone has any questions I would be happy to try to answer them. I'm no expert nor am I a salesman for Vexilar LOL, I just like to pass on info on a good product that does what it says it will do.


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## fjmaverick (Sep 18, 2015)

A always wondered about these. May be a good option for the few times I need a bottom machine. Can you post pics of what you do with your transducer?


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## Riverrambler (Dec 5, 2015)

I have a Bob's Machine Shop Mini jackplate on my NMZ, so I mounted the transducer to the bottom of a piece of 1 inch square aluminum bar, using a scrap piece of starboard. I then mounted the aluminum bar to the jackplate using the slots that allow me to run the motor at a lower setting. That way I didn't have to drill holes in the hull and I can easily remove it. It worked good on my NMZ even at WOT. I will send you photos this evening.


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## Riverrambler (Dec 5, 2015)

View attachment 3714
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View attachment 3711


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## Riverrambler (Dec 5, 2015)

Sorry, got busy this wee weekend and forgot to post you some photos.


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## lsunoe (Dec 5, 2016)

Seems pretty awesome. But does it have GPS capabilities as well as sonar?


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## Riverrambler (Dec 5, 2015)

It does if you use the Navionocs APP, which I also highly recommend. But only on a device that has an internal GPS, like an iPhone. The one bad thing I discovered with my iPad is that since, it only has Wi-Fi, no cellular signal, I can either hotspot from my phone to get the Navionics GPS to work on the iPad or tie to the Vexilar Sonar Wi-Fi but, not both. I don't know if there is a solution to this other than running my phone as the bottom machine and the iPad as the iPad as the GPS. I think that will work since the iPhone receives the Wi-Fi from the sonar and the iPad uses my hotspot to get the GPS. I've not tried this because I just switched back and forth b/w the 2, which was really easy to do. Thanks, for the question this is one thing I forgot to mention.


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## fjmaverick (Sep 18, 2015)

I have been interested in this setup for a while but hadnt seen any real feedback. 

- ipad mini (have but never use it)
- garmin glo bluetooth gps (for the ipad)
- lifeproof case
- Vexilar sonar
- ram mount


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## lsunoe (Dec 5, 2016)

Have you tried using Navionics outside of cell phone service? Im curious to know if the GPS will still work if I'm off network.


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## Riverrambler (Dec 5, 2015)

I have not navionocs used it outside cell service. However, I have used my iPhone with other map apps, outside cell service specifically, use Trimble and a app called topo maps turkey hunting. I think these use the internal GPS to track your movements. I used these up in middle Tennessee in very rugged ridge and valley country with no service. It's been very helpful when trying to drop off a ridge to come up under a bird. Makes it a lot easier to know where the bird is gobbling. So I assume navionocs will work in a similar way when there is no service.


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## lsunoe (Dec 5, 2016)

Okay awesome thanks for all the info. I have a 13" iPad pro that I think would make a pretty sweet GPS for the boat but I didn't want to have GPS crap out on me when I'm miles deep into the marsh with no service.


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## Riverrambler (Dec 5, 2015)

Just did a little test. Put phone in airplane mode and navionica tracked me driving home. So it works using the internal GPS.?


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## lsunoe (Dec 5, 2016)

Sweet. That must be what it is.


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