Have a lowrance 8 gen 1. A couple of years ago I upgraded to a 1kw Airmar transducer but never have really managed to get the settings right. Any thoughts as to the settings the sounder to be when fishing deep water (100-500m)? I will try all options for now.
All comments appreciated. Bottom is clear but unable to see any fish in deep water.
Thanks David
Chocolate
Yes the correct transducer is selected in the installation. Just really wondering which actual settings work best- that is is deep water the one to select, scroll speed surface clarity colourline to produce the best results
I think you need to select 50khz instead of 200khz for deep water. Also split your screen and use bottom lock on one side or zoom to the required depth on one side. This enables you to see the whole profile of the water column on one side of your screen and focus on any points of interest or the bottom on the other.
Chocomoose,
I think this was the issue. I looked up other sites and found the correct transducer is on the cord going to the sounder; it was different to the one I selected so I can only presume that to be the issue. I will water test within a couple of days and see if that was my problem
No worries wetryin. I have an HDS 10 (gen 1) with an Airmar 1kw transducer. I couldn't find the specific transducer listed on the HDS and had to choose a generic 50/200hz model.
I have updated the Lowrance software but still can't find the right transducer to select.
I think I am getting a good image on the sounder but don't really have a comparison. I wonder if it could be better if the right transducer was available to select.
Joffo
That's what was wrong with mine. I too couldn't find mine on the list with the paperwork that was enclosed so I chose a generic one, and no matter how much I adjusted it the reading was better than the 600w but no where near what it should have been. A mate of mine has a 1kw thru hull and he would see all types of fish on the sounder so I knew there was something wrong with mine seeing not really too at all. But after looking online I found someone that said that the model number for the transducer is on the cord going to the sounder, and when I looked it up on the installation tab there it was. For my Airmar TM 260 the model number on the cord was (off the top of my head) HST something. Going to water test tomorrow so I will have a better idea how it reads. I will post a reply with the results then along with my correct model number.
Off to south west rocks fishing next week so hoping it will work tomorrow for me
David
when I looked at the list, I couldn't find it either that's why I chose the airmar transducer. But the list looked as though it filled the screen, but I didn't realise I could scroll up and there is like heaps on the list instead of just the ones that appear on the first screen
When fishing the deep I don't split screen or bottom lock but rather just zoom and find I get best result at 5x or 6x and that gives me the bottom 80m which I think is all I want.
Ping speed I halve it and sit about 8 I think.
I get good pictures 500, 600 or 700m but I am using the standard transducer so I can't help you with a 1kw model.
Sensitivity I have on about +2 to +5 and just investigate clarity and what it is showing on the bottom - reduce clutter but make sure I get a good fish definition.
hey trevally, great. That's the reply I wanted to the post
On the other matter. Went for the water test. I played around with the sounder. had the HSt setting but it didn't work (see prior post) Found what I thought to be the best transducer setting for all the rest. But wouldn't you know it that after I had played around with it and was getting frustrated that when I got back to the ramp a mate of mine had a deckie on board, the qld lowrance rep. he guided me in the right direction, wouldn't you know it that I had the correct sounder on the list of all of them. B 240 is the correct one but mine only had 5k (should have been a 10K) on the list should be but it wasn't there as I hadn't ever updated the software on the sounder, so I did. There it was with the 10K and that sets temperature as well. Keen now to get it finally working to the best settings.
lowrance guy said that this sounder only works well in 300m+ so looks like I will be doing lots of really deep fishing. The daiwa tenacom bull is going to get a workout!
Thanks for the update Wetryin. I had a quick look on the transducer cord before work this morn and I found a white tag that said that it is an Airmar TM 260 but I couldn't see any other numbers that looked correct.
By the sounds of it I should choose B 240? what do you mean by 5k or 10k?
I'll have a look at my list after work and see what I can find.
Good luck at south west rocks. Forecast looks good til sunday!
Joffo
Yes mine didn't have a tag either. So go into installation tab in the sounder and choose the model. The generic is not the right model. There should be a B240 (5K) and a B240 (10K). the 5k is fine but doesn't have temperature. I thought my transducer didn't have temperature or so it said so on the box (maybe at the time it didn't but with the new software update it does) but if you choose the 10k model it does. If you don't have the 10K on the list go and download the latest software from lowrance. I think off hand if you go to settings- about- the version should be 4 something. Mine was way old at 2 something. I hadn't updated it since 2010 or so. You said you are a gen 1 so here is the link: http://www.lowrance.com/en-au/Softwa...ftware-Update/
Instructions for updating software: download the update and put it on desktop, unzip it and put it on a sd card. Have sounder turned off. Turn on sounder with card in and it will update. Once it updates the 10K should be on the list. It will ask you if you use it for 300m+ and I said yes as I normally fish deep.
Put everything in this email just to be sure you have everything as I only plan to take a phone with me and not a computer
David
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