Field notes from the workbench
Practical guidance for SAR, dive recovery, and water-rescue teams reviewing Humminbird sonar.
Jul 13, 2026 · 7 min read
Humminbird
Can a Humminbird Fish Finder Be Used for Underwater Search and Recovery?
A practical look at when Humminbird Side Imaging fits an underwater search, what the recording can show, and where training and target confirmation still matter.
Jul 13, 2026 · 9 min read
Target Verification
How to Verify a Suspected Sonar Target Before Sending Divers
A review procedure for checking a suspected sonar contact across channels, measurements, GPS data, repeat passes, and the operational handoff.
Jul 13, 2026 · 9 min read
Side Imaging
What Submerged Vehicles Look Like on Side-Imaging Sonar
How vehicle geometry, orientation, acoustic shadows, bottom type, and partial burial affect a side-imaging sonar return during underwater search and recovery.
May 21, 2026 · 11 min read
Buyer Guide
Choosing Sonar Review Software for SAR and Dive Recovery Teams
How SAR coordinators, dive team leads, and fire-rescue captains can choose the right sonar review software — a buyer's framework keyed to team size and case workflow.
May 21, 2026 · 10 min read
Workflow
Replacing a Three-Tool Sonar Review Workflow With One Workbench
Most SAR and dive recovery teams review Humminbird recordings across three separate tools — a vendor scrubber, a spreadsheet for contacts, and Google Earth for maps. Here is what that workflow actually costs and how a single workbench changes the math.
May 21, 2026 · 10 min read
Side Imaging
Side Imaging vs. Down Imaging vs. 2D Sonar for Underwater Recovery
A plain-language guide to the three Humminbird sonar channels SAR and dive recovery teams use — what each one actually shows, when to choose which, and how to think about coverage, range, and shadows during a real search.
May 21, 2026 · 11 min read
GPS
Why GPS Stairstepping Ruins Side Imaging Reviews — and How to Fix It
Humminbird side imaging recordings show GPS stairstepping at slow speeds, which throws off mosaics, contact coordinates, and pass coverage. Here is what causes it and how a two-pass smoothing approach fixes it.
May 21, 2026 · 11 min read
Offline
Working a Case Offline — Sonar Analysis at Remote Launch Points
Recovery work happens at lakes with no LTE. Here is what offline sonar analysis has to actually do, what the field laptop needs, and how HumVision handles licensing and multi-operator sync when the launch point has no signal.