Transducer and sounder questions

rmenendez

Furuno Fan
I am having 2 different issues with my DFF1-UHD/B265LH combo that hopefully can be sorted out without requiring a new transducer. I have 2 sounders, DFF3 and DFF1-UHD and the DFF3 is working very well- The DFF1-UHD is installed using 2 transducers, the above mentioned B265 and a B175HW using a selector switch. Both high frequency portions using the selector switch are working well. The low frequency portion is quite poor, something it was beginning to do with the previous Raymarine chirp that I replaced. It works relatively well to 300' although one quite a bit of gain for reach, and from there on it becomes worse with depth. When first installed I read bottom all the way to 3300' and quite good to 1500'. Could the cable be the problem or is it something else requiring transducer replacement?

The other issue is different and relates to the bottom discrimination. I have attached 2 pictures which show the problem. One is using the TZT14 and the other with Nobeltec TZT. The bottom discrimination is correctly represented in the Nobeltec while it is not working right on the TZT. Any suggestions? Forgot to mention that the software update on the TZT is that the latest done a couple of months ago.

Thanks.
 

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Rmenendez,
Thank you for your screen shots. It looks like the UHD is displaying the bottom classification but only in the A-Scope window, not the sounder history. Does this happen all the time or only in shallow water?

Snips
 
Hi Snips,

This happened last Monday all the time - from about 50M depth to the 6M where I took the photos. I decided to try seeing if I was getting the same problem with Nobeltec to compare which was strange. Do you have some thoughts about the transducer problem?

Thanks
 
Rmenendez,
If you were starting to have performance issues using the B265 with the Raymarine I would suspect the transducer. However double check that the power setting on the UHD is still set for Auto. I was just on a system a couple of days ago that was set to Min thus giving the UHD weak returns.

Snips
 
Will check the power setting but my guess is that the problem comes from the transducer. What I was wondering is if this means transducer elements or could it be that the cable has a problem as sometimes there is a somewhat strong return while bottom fishing in a given location and a couple of hours later, in the same place, the returns are weaker.
 
Rmenendez,
Could it be the cable? There is a slight chance since the B-265 has a bronze stem I have seen cable issues after somebody has stepped on the top of the transducer which damaged the cable. Are both frequencies acting the same? The B-265 uses two set of elements. Normally if the element(s) have a problem the performance will be weak on a consistent basis, not intermittent.

Snips
 
Snips,

Its impossible for someone to step on the wire coming out of the stem as they are located underneath the floor. Maybe some other location as the wire runs up to the black box so I'll check where visible. The problem is not consistent. Sometimes it seems more powerful yet I don't perceive it as being as strong a return as last year. Also, It seems that only the low frequency is affected as the returns from high chirp have good reading to at least 1000 feet. Did not get out this weekend to do more tests to see if the bottom discrimination is now working well on the TZT. Will let you know.

Thanks,

Rolando
 
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