fl-18 HELP!

[Pig_sticka]

i was using my fl18 brand spankin new, used it about a hour maybe, and right when the crappies were about to start my vexilar screen went nuts. the colors were spinning like crazy and i couldn't get it working again. What da heck happened? i checked all the cords and the battery what is wrong????? i cant even use it, till i figure this out.

[CNY Tim]

pig_sticka - Is the battery a vexilar battery? My buddy and I have always had good luck with there batteries. What battery is it if it's not vexilar? You may wan't to contact vex. Check there web site too. So far I am very pleased with the MarCum LX-3 and it comes with the best battery on the market PowerSonic.
I hope it's just a battery issue for your unit and nothing more. Good Luck...

[Pig_sticka]

im calling thorne bros about it that is where i got it about 2 weeks ago, the battery came with their blue box package so i dont know, anyone else know what is up?

[Slow Jigger]

Did you try clicking the IR button? It sounds like some interference from something. It was on the video tape I got with mine.... I believe it has 10 total settings you can set it too....

[Guest]

It does sound like interference of some kind, as I get this often when my buddy fires up his FL-8 anywhere near me. The IR reduction is hidden - - push the GAIN knob. Like someone already said, it has 10 settings I think. Push it once, and if it doesn't go away, push it again and again until it does. To go back to the original setting (like if you lose count), turn the unit off and back on again. Also, just make sure you don't have your gain set higher than you need. I usually turn mine down so that my bait is just a green line. Anything bigger that comes by will be red then.

[Guest]

The IR button is the top one. Rather than twisting for sensitivity, push the button. It makes all the difference when fishing close to a FL-8.

[Pig_sticka]

i will try that tonight if it doesn't work ill try thorne bros. thanks for the help. much appreciated

[Pig_sticka]

thanks for the help i think i got it figured out, i hit that button about 50 and it really started spinning, after about 20 more times it cleared up perfect lol. what would i do without u guy.

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Good luck sticking pigs this year!

[Guest]

pig,
Sounds like interference. you were fishing close to someone who put their locator down and it messed yours up. Happens all the time. Turn your gain down as far as possible and hit the IR a few times. clear thingsright up

[Pig_sticka]

where is the ir button located? i was looking for anything to push on the vexilar and i couldn't find anything. during all of this i was trying to get my sunflower working right, something with the air intake. fun day out fishing last night nobody was within a half football field from me with a vex though.

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Good luck sticking pigs this year!

[red bricks]

That happened to me the first night I used my FL18. Extremely frustrating!! The next day it worked fine. Someone at Vex told me that on some lakes at dark that these little insects come up from the bottom. The Vex is acyually marking the little creatures. It sounds a little far fetched. But my unit did work fine the next day in the same spot I was fishing the night before. It has not happened again and I have fished that same spot at night several times.

[Guest]

It was some type of interference. No need to push the IR button 50 times. If remember right it only has 10 different settings. It starts over after that.

If it happens again and there are no other units around that could be giving you the interferences shut the unit off, pull the transducer out of the water and wipe the bottom with your hand and put it back in the water, then start it again. Then go through your IR settings if that doesn't work.

Suspended "little creatures" in the water can cause interfernce but they won't cause a spinning effect. They can also be minimized by turning the gain down.
Scott Steil

[Surface Tension]

Yep there are litle creatures that come off the bottom at night. They're either zooplankton or photoplankton.
As Scoot said they wont make make your Vex
spin. I think you had your gain to high.

[Cyberfish]

Pigsticker, If you would tell me how to get to this monster crappie hole, I would gladly come out and look at your vexilar for you

Cyb ><>

[fishtrap2]

Boy, Vexilars sound great

[Pig_sticka]

for some reason the fish are liking me lately n i am having alot better luck. must be all this great advice from the forum lol.

[Pig_sticka]

no it really was going nuts lol. it was just spinning like mad, not flashing spinning. it was interference from something, which i donno what there was no vexilars near me, maybe a vexilar sank in lake n bothered it it is perfectly fine and caught me n my friend a huge mess of monster craps and sunnies yesterday.

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Good luck sticking pigs this year!

[Fish Toys]

If you think it is all the good advice then it isn't luck it is skill!

"FISH"

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http://www.icesaws.com/

[Guest]

Cyberfish,
Just use your FL-18 to home in on that sunken Vex if you want to find his crappie hole! Might as well try to hook it and bring it up too, since it's still working! Can never hurt to have a backup!

[Pig_sticka]

must have some battery on dat thing, the crappies are attracted to that transducer though. the only way i could get em is if i bounced the jig off it

[Guest]

Try a heavier jig, then bounce it off the IR button. Maybe you'll solve your interference problem! The only risk is that the crappies might lose interest and leave the area.

[Pig_sticka]

ill try it next time out to that spot. if the crappies scatter ill just have to hit the transducer a couple more times n create some electronic vibrations down there. weird how the big crappies just like the transducer, if i accidentally hit the gain the small ones come in. weird i tell ya

(it really was the ir, kinda weird i wish i would have known right away, i get brain farts dealing with electronics)