Fisher Impulse AQ Limited Launch!

[Steve Herschbach]

1 hour ago, vive equinox said:

well let me say that i find all your congratulations "bravo rick, well done steve ..." indecent! it seems to see a small group of privileged people gargling with the disappointment of users outside the US.

of course it is the fisher strategy that is to blame.

It’s as if it would have been said, well the designer  is French so it will only be sold a few units in France at half price and the rest of the world will have its "improved" version a year later twice as expensive. What would you have thought?

Either we sell for everyone or we continue with confidential testers, this whole circus makes no sense.

I do not dive and I can be content with 3h30 4h of battery. Are you serious to tell me that I cannot get this AQ after all this waiting?

Well, since you asked what I'd think, I'd not think people who have no control over the situation are "gargling with the disappointment of users outside France" or wherever. I'm certainly not pleased with anybody being left out on this and have no control or say in that matter. I can however take the future owner discussions to a private forum so as to not be shoving it in the face of others, if that is what people prefer.

[bklein]

Thanks for the link to the battery thread, Steve.  Didn't see that.  It starts off erroneously saying the battery life is 5-6 hours though - you might want to edit that.  Although you say the battery is easily replaceable, it isn't clear to me how that elliptical pod is removed.  Is there a manual on this published yet that discusses it?  I think the majority of purchasers will be anxious to obtain a lithium-based solution with integral Bluetooth audio in place of that pod. The risks I see with lithium-based batteries are expansion problems if overcharged or overheated -or even just due to ageing. Probably not recommended for underwater.  I would think 4 18650's (L-ion) could go inside the shaft, for us above ground guys. 

 

[Steve Herschbach]

20 minutes ago, bklein said:

It starts off erroneously saying the battery life is 5-6 hours though - you might want to edit that.

Yeah, the life kept getting shorter over time, settling at 3.5 hours in the final NiMH version. So I have to do some search and cleanup editing - thanks for letting me know. Fixed.

I know there is a downside to this but must note that NiMH eliminates many shipping and airline issues. It is not all bad.

The battery is slotted on top, and there are two big knobs on the side just under the armrest that tighten clamps that fit into the channels on top of the battery. Just slide it in, tighten two knobs, attach cable, done.

Manual is in progress and will be available soon. I just posted charger information here. Photos below courtesy Rick Kempf

Fisher Impulse AQ Limited battery attachment clamp/knob

Fisher Impulse AQ battery top showing attachment channels

[Rick K - First Member]

Apologies for sticking this in here, but I’m a bit rushed these days and I thought I posted it earlier - if in fact I DID post it earlier today - then 2 apologies. Here

 

is a link to my Vimeo site - it is the Hardelot beach video which Alexandre and Co. did several years ago with a Manta prototype. I added some captions in English to sot of guide you through it (assuming you don’t speak French) The AQ is many development versions later than this, but it operates just the same (except even better)

 

[Rick K - First Member]

About the battery run time. Their early figures were calculations based on battery capacity and detector consumption. When more in the field testing was carried out, it became apparent that the early numbers were not reflective of in the field use.  Now they have good test data to support this conservative number.

[Whitbey]

6 hours ago, Sting Ray said:

I have been lurking in the various threads about this machine for quite awhile!  It has been very frustrating with the on again, off again production release.  I must say that Fisher did not send out any Minelab type hype media as a teaser and for that I congratulate them.  Yes, I have watched the YouTube Impulse videos but it didn't appear to be a Fisher promotion only examples of performance.  Although I am reluctant to dive into something new on the market, it is my hope this machine will be a joy to use along the Atlantic beach coastline.  I rarely hunt more than 3 hours before needing a break and the waves are usually too strong for me to jump in deeper than knee level.  I threw my name into the hat and hope to be part of the lucky group of USA first users!

 

Well Fisher just had a difficult birth with the AQ, but it's not to late if they follow up Steve H. advice, start with the Wader version, and naturally the Land version, and the last but not least the Dive version which is harder to make and more expensive due to water pressure for diving.

But you never know Fisher still can see the light, and change !!! And I hope they will.

[cjc]

It's a sad day when basic detector care (rinsing, cable care) have to be layed out for customers.  Manufacturers shouldn't have to "idiot proof" their products.   One things Jimmy Pugh (Anchor Electronics Barracuda) told me" "...your cables are like your veins".  Very good advice.   This sounds like a very exciting machine. 

cjc

 

[Tony]

I wonder if Fisher has 100 people to sell the AQ to within the USA........Rick ??

[Rick K - First Member]

that will be no problem. The problem is that NORMALLY they want to sell several hundred per month or even per week.

It is a niche machine and only a fool would have spent what they have to bring a beach detector to market. BUT

The Impulse AQ is  just the first of a line of detectors which will change first one, then another detecting “job” At least that what Fisher is convinced of.

And knowing Alexandre, I’m betting (literally) that they are right.