depthfinders

[djarrett]

Hello, i am having a problem with my depth finders and i hope you guys can help. I currently have an eagle finder on the front with the transducer mounted on the trolling motor. I put another eagle on the back recently that i could watch as i idle around. They work great if only turned on one at a time. If both are powered up together they both start showing deeper and deeper, as in 30 ft of water they'll show 290ft. I don't what i'm missing here but any suggestions are welcome.

 

[JB]

Re: depthfinders

Howdy, djarrett.

Welcome to iboats.

You are in the wrong forum. I will move this to the Electronics forum.

 

[bogggar1]

Re: depthfinders

I have had a similiar problem and believe the sonar beams wil interfere w eachother... Run one at a time!!!

 

[djarrett]

Re: depthfinders

Sorry, didn't see this forum.

And i probably need to add that both depthfinders have their own transducers. one on trolling motor and the other on the back of the hull.

Boggar1 thats i've been doing but i have been on other boats with this setup that haven't had this problem but those guys aren't sure whats causing mine to do this neither.

 

[Sorrento 25]

Re: depthfinders

If the transducers are on the same frequency they will only work together in very shallow water. You have no choice when they interfere but to turn one of them off or replace one with a depth finder that uses a different frequency.

 

[Boatist]

Re: depthfinders

Friend I fish tournments with has a 19 foot bass boat with depth finder on the trolling motor opinted a little foward and a second unit at the helm with transducer on the transom pointed a littl aft. Works good to ablut 30 feet then have to turn one unit off. When cone over lap on the same frequency neither will work correctly.

 

[djarrett]

Re: depthfinders

OK, great. I never thought about the frequency. Looking back thru the catalogs they all have the frequency listed, so i'll just get a different depth finder.

Thanks for the help, i thought it might be where i powered them off the same battery or a grounding issue with it being a fiberglass boat.

 

[Boatist]

Re: depthfinders

Before you go buy a new unit with a different frequencys you need to know that the frequency also effects what you see. The reason you see mostly 200 Khz units on single frequency is it give you the most detail. While they both will show the bottom and fish the 200 Khz will do a much better job showing a fish laying on the bottom. Also will show more single fish in a schools of fish. 50 Khz will show the fish laying on the bottom but will likley look like a high spot on the bottom. In a school of fish be more llike a big blob and will not see single fish.

200khz the standard tranducer is 20 degee and you can get ones that are narrow like 8 degrees or 12 degrees.

50 khz transducer the standard is 45 degrees and you can get narrow ones down to about 35 degrees. 50 Khz transducer will read much deeper and is used mostly in salt water. Trollers with down rigger offten use 50 Khz transducer for the wider cone angle because it makes it eaiser to see see their down rigger ball. You may want to check out Lowrance's tutor before you start to look.


http://www.lowrance.com/Support/Tips_Tutorials/Sonar/sonar_tutorial_04.asp

 

[tnduc]

Re: depthfinders

Off topic- but I see you are in Monterey, TN. I lived just outside Cookeville on HWY 70 in Dry Valley. My kids went to Monterey schools. I've been here in TX for about a year and a half. I miss the deer hunting and mountains in TN, but love the saltwater fishing (I grew up on the coast in SC) and the beaches here in TX.