FCV800 and TM185HW Marlin/Tuna settings

[Natebrej]

Has anyone any experience sounding the water column for bait/marlin/tuna etc with these units? I’ve got a tm260 plugged in as well and get perfect bottom images fishing with it but am yet to trial the HW for our upcoming Blue Marlin season.
I usually fish between 500-1000m of water so what would be the ideal settings to sound the top 80m of water as that is all im interested in, Scroll speed, TX power/rate, tvg depth and power, CHIRP frequencies etc

Cheers

 

[Johnny Electron]

@Deep Blue ?

 

[Deep Blue]

Natebrej,

Here are some basic FCV800 settings that will get you started. But you will need to adjust accordingly to the sea conditions:

FCV800
Pic Advance: ......1/1
Range: .......Manual
Interference: ......OFF
Color Erase: .......20%
Clutter: ..............10%
White Line: ..........OFF
Smoothing: .........OFF
TVG: ...................300 ft
TX Power: ...........10
TX Rate: …………. 10

- Deep Blue

 

[Natebrej]

 

[Natebrej]

I marked a fish on a small bait ball yesterday on my way out to the grounds, the image seemed reasonable. Fishing was slow with only the one 400lb Blue Marlin that came in on the surface so I’m yet to mark a fish out wide

 

[Deep Blue]

Natebrej

The noise that you are seeing on your screen is because of some sort mechanical or electrical noise source on your vessel that is caused by bearings, pumps, or shafts. Or the electrical interference could be from generators, electrical motors, or from another fish finder operating nearby.

Here is an example:

- Deep Blue

 

[Natebrej]

The thing is when I’m in say 30m or less I can get the image sounding perfectly even doing 20 knots, that picture i was still doing 15knts. When i lose the bottom and i it seems the unit can’t get a return ping the image goes terrible, if I leave it exactly the same without touching the settings when i get back inshore as soon as i get back into say 40m and less the picture becomes perfect..
I have a tm260 on the opposite side of the transom in the exact position that sounds perfectly on High frequency at any speed up to 120m it seems the tm185hw is what i have the issue with

 

[Johnny Electron]

Like DeepBlue says, the noise can come from all types of sources. You would want to look for a pattern when it goes south. (like when baitwell pump turns on, or refrigeration compressor etc.. etc.) If you feel the sounder it self has an issue it could always be sent in for evaluation so you know for sure.