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Surface interference Humminbird Ice-55

fisherman-andy

By fisherman-andy
in Ice Fishing

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fisherman-andy Mentor

fisherman-andy

Posted
Posted

So I had my Ice 55 for about 1 year now and it has been a good unit. However the surface interference on the Ice 55 is becoming annoying to look at on screen. I dont know if its some issue with the unit being defective or not that is bothering me. Aside that the Ice 55 works well just fine. Used it all day today no problems.

The surface interference is almost always visable when on the wide beam. Its less visable on the narrow beam. Turning up the gain makes it worse.

I get the surface interference regardless if the transducer is in water or not when the gain is set to at least 18-20+, and if on narrow beam its has to hit 38+ on gain to show the surface interference.

I've looked at retail display models on the floor and they all seem to function differently which got me confused.

In the operators manual seems surface interference may be normal as per the description.

What I want to know is are other Ice-55 users or any Ice 35/45 experiencing the same thing and does this seem normal?

Surface interference on Wide Beam on gain 21+

photo2ml.jpg

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Surface interference on Narrow Beam at gain 38+

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fisherman-andy Mentor

fisherman-andy

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Is your transducer below the bottom of the ice?

Yes, I make sure of this. Whether the transducer is hanging in the air, in water, at the bottom of the ice I get the surface interference. The higher the gain turned up, the bigger blotch of surface interference will appear.

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piker007 Contributor

piker007

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Yeah mine does it too. I just got mine thurs so getting used top it but it always has the surface clutter. Also I noticed I have to have the gain up to the point it almost clutters my screen sometimes to see my jig. I like the screen and colors but its a different beast from my LX5.

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fisherman-andy Mentor

fisherman-andy

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Also does yours flicker everyonce and awhile?

Flicker, depth fluctuate, surface clutter interference, having to turn gain up high occasionally to just pick up small jigs, even medium jigs too! You name it i've had it.

I no longer use the support cable either cause it just keeps getting in the way and getting caught up on the fish.

I also own the LX5 & an LX3tc so I know exactly what your talking about. When it counts the most, I will pull out the Marcum and put the bird away.

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Feathers Rainin Collaborator

Feathers Rainin

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I get surface feedback and I also get interference from other units amoung a few other issues with the h-bird 45. Sent my unit into warranty and it will be most likely be sent back in again after this season. Functions enough but not how its supposed to and like other bird units I've fished with. Wishin I went with the FL-20 but didn't have the do-re-me at the time. The feedback does make it a lil more tough in 5fow or less.

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SFC Mentor

SFC

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I have a 45& also have the surface clutter. I also posted a similar thread on the equip. forum about the depth fluctuation. Used the unit friday and that was the first time I have seen the depth fluctuate from the actual depth 24' up to 12 and varying depths.

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DTro Grand Master

DTro

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If it is what happens to mine, the fluctuation is only on the digital display right? I think that is sometimes caused by a school of fish tricking the flasher into thinking it's the bottom. I don't see anything change on the flasher part, but yes it will fluctuate on the digital display.

This will also happen with the surface clutter. I was getting all irritated yesterday because my digital display would constantly read 1.2 and I couldn't figure out why. Well, it turns out that my transducer was floating too high in the hole. I simply lowered it and everything was fine.

Surface clutter gone and digital readout correct. It will however still fluctuate when a tight school of fish swims through. Really doesn't matter to me though as the readout has no effect to the actual flasher part of it.

The more I use it the more I REALLY like the 55, especially in zoom mode. Yesterday I was kind of wishing for some sort of sun shield though as during high sun, I found it a little hard to see. Not impossible, but for sure more difficult to see than the Marcum.

I have both and given the choice I'd now grab the 55 heading out the door.

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Surface Tension Grand Master

Surface Tension

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Surface clutter is normal and I'll tune the flasher to whats happening down below and not be concerned about the clutter up high.but there are some things you can do to eliminate it.

Switch to Narrow Beam

Proper Gain setting

Get the ducer below the bottom of the ice.

Press Noise and then use your Select dial 1-10.

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piker007 Contributor

piker007

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If it is what happens to mine, the fluctuation is only on the digital display right? I think that is sometimes caused by a school of fish tricking the flasher into thinking it's the bottom. I don't see anything change on the flasher part, but yes it will fluctuate on the digital display.

My flasher part flickers off for a split second. Its not like the flasher goes blank very long but it does catch your attention. And it does it every once and awhile. I assumed that it was just re orientating everything since there was a ton of activity below me.

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Ed Carlson Grand Master

Ed Carlson

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Do you see this surface clutter in the "A" Mode as well as in the Manual Depth Mode? Any noticeable difference between the two setting when you see the clutter on the dial?

My first guess was "Sonar Ringing" in the hole. As that is the most common cause for surface clutter in most instances.

Bubbles, bugs, or oil on the ducer can also do it.

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fisherman-andy Mentor

fisherman-andy

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Do you see this surface clutter in the "A" Mode as well as in the Manual Depth Mode? Any noticeable difference between the two setting when you see the clutter on the dial?

My first guess was "Sonar Ringing" in the hole. As that is the most common cause for surface clutter in most instances.

Bubbles, bugs, or oil on the ducer can also do it.

Whether its Auto or manual its the same. As I said the surface clutter is there regardless of the position of the transducer in water or not once gain is turned up.

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fisherman-andy Mentor

fisherman-andy

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OK, if you unplug the ducer, do the marks remain, or vanish?

Reason I ask, I did hear of some calibration issues on some units, and if the top clutter marks still remained it could be that too.

It vanishes Ed if I unplug the transducer. If I plug it back in it appears. On very low gains the clutter disappears but that means you wont be able to pick up your lure on the flasher without proper gains.

Really the flasher works fine aside the minor flaws that everyone on here is having too. And it seems that everyone is also having the same clutter. Unless your saying that your unit does pick up any clutter at all?

Otherwise im thinking this is normal for the bird ice flasher units unless on otherwise someone says its defective. When the Marcum & Vex guys look at my unit they keep thinking there's something wrong cause of the surface clutter. frown

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bk_MN_iceman Enthusiast

bk_MN_iceman

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I hadn't noticed this but mine does this as well. I've only seen it in shallow water 7" so far. Otherwise I've never had an issue. I'll keep notes of where it does and doesn't show to see if there is a common trend. (Like ice thickness? Depth, Bottom structure, etc...).

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DTro Grand Master

DTro

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Don't all sonars have surface clutter/interference?

This is from the owners manual:

Sonar return signals close to Zero--These lines indicate minor activity close to the surface of the water such as air bubbles, algae, seaweed, or turbulence.

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Ed Carlson Grand Master

Ed Carlson

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Yes, most sonar units will show some surface clutter to some degrees. It is not a big concern as long as you can get a good read on the bait and all else bellow.

As we touched on already ringing of the sonar in the ice hole will make it worse, but I overlook it if I am wishing a very short cord in the hole.

If it does not decide to grow into many feet of clutter, I would not get too concerned with it.

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fisherman-andy Mentor

fisherman-andy

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Don't all sonars have surface clutter/interference?

This is from the owners manual:

Sonar return signals close to Zero--These lines indicate minor activity close to the surface of the water such as air bubbles, algae, seaweed, or turbulence.

Yes and no. My bird has interference no matter what, if its just sitting at home on my table turned on it shows surface clutter when gains are turned up like I said. the clutter can be anywhere from 2-4 ft in sizable blotches when on water. From the pictures I took those were not in water otherwise you see several more large blotches of indication.

If I sat my lx5 right next to the bird in nearby ice hole it will be a clean, not a single clutter on surface interference.

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DTro Grand Master

DTro

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Ok, you made me go look smile

I assume you are using the 3 color pallete green/yellow/red?

I do have the same green line as your picture, but (out of the water) I don't get any green line until the gain is at 39 or 40, yellow starts appearing at 45 and it is mostly yellow at 50.

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fisherman-andy Mentor

fisherman-andy

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Ok, you made me go look smile

I assume you are using the 3 color pallete green/yellow/red?

I do have the same green line as your picture, but (out of the water) I don't get any green line until the gain is at 39 or 40, yellow starts appearing at 45 and it is mostly yellow at 50.

Your results are similar to mines, I assumed you tested it on narrow beam as the surface clutter didnt appear until gain is way up to 39. I am also going to assume that if on wide band your surface clutter would appear at around 18 to 22.

Typically the more gain you give it the larger the blotches become cover 2-4ft depths. I had a crappie chase the jig and hit it in 4ft fow. So yes this surface clutter can be a nuisance epecially when fishing shallow water with the wide beam. Once again less apparent on the narrow beam.

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