898c si Double echo or noise?

[Random guy]

I installed two new 898c si units on my boat. Networked together. After having to replace one unit right off the bat as it was possessed, I had to update the sonar in both brand new units to 6.1 to get the network to work and finally after a day of phone calls I hit the water. Now I have a bad echo or band of color from 2 feet to 3 feet and nobody at home at Hummingbird and the rep won't answer and I need this boat working correctly! All of the settings will not remove it. I tried for an hour to tune out that band of noise with no luck. Any ideas what is causing it? Pretty bad when you are fishing four feet of water and 1.5- 3 is blocked out in all the views. Even in deeper water such as 12-14 that band hangs around at 2-3 feet.

So far I am not very impressed with my first Humminbirds units.

Help please.

[Random guy]

The ducer is directly in between two strakes, in what I would think would be the smpotthest water.

Today I will pull the cable and see what happens.

[Random guy]

Ok, after getting in touch with Jennifer and techy at Humminbird the problem has been isolated and parts are on the way. The 83 side of the ducer has a problem as does the 433. This is causing compounded problems with the display along with a few other quirks I adjusted out that I shouldn't have.

I do have to say Humminbird's staff is very knowledgeable and very good about getting me fixed up. In fact the operator or whoever the gal at the front desk is was running around the building gathering people to help trouble shoot my sonar, and I'm just a little guide in northern Minnesota. Pretty cool.

Basicaly what has happend is the wholesale company that sold my units to the boat dealer must have had a mix up and sent out a returned unit or some deal that should have never been sold. Hence the old software and multuple problems.

[goose89]

Good to hear you're getting taken care of. I haven't used them (yet), but I've never heard anything but good about 'bird CS. Good luck...

[reddog]

Good to hear Jonny, Like Goose, Ive had my birds since 08 and havent had to call CS..

Post an update when you get them up and runnin on all cylinders..

[Chris Haley]

Johnny

If you haven't found this site yet. Check it out.

http: //forums.sideimagingsoft.com /index.php?action=forum

Take the spaces out after you cut and paste.

[Random guy]

Ok, what I learned from this.

1)DO NOT trust the dealership to rig your boat. That was my first mistake.

2)Make sure your dealership is buying NEW/good accessories from good sources.

3)If you have the ability do it yourself or have a recommended shop/rigger do it.

4) Humminbird customer service kicks butt. I give them 5 gold stars or two thumbs ups good, whatever is better. They have been great to work with.

The units now work well. Hummingbird had to send me two new power heads and one new transducer as I got somebody’s reboxed junk. I moved the ducer the recommended 15" away from the prop, adjusted the height and angle of the ducer per instructions when I did the reinstall. I then took my brand new boat completely apart and ripped out the wires that had the sonar pulling power from bilge pumps, well pumps and other noise generating accessories and gave them dedicated circuits. I also fixed the shorted out horn and light switch while I was in there then replaced the stripped out screws on the re-install. I followed this with a few phone calls about rigging costs on my boat bill.

Test runs yesterday gave me sonar reading WITH 2D DISPLAY to 38 mph…the top end of the 20 foot Alaskan. How cool is that!? Side imaging is crystal clear with great 2-D resolution. Down imaging needs some tweaking and learning yet but I can see it is working. I still have the mystery return at 2.5-4 feet on the 83kh side. I even turned everything in the boat off and fired the Marcum LX-7 into the water on a open water test run and sure enough it also shows a solid return from 2.5-4 feet when run on a 83kh ducer, 200kh is clear as a bell. It has become the new “what the heck” at Humminbird R&D…my vote is either and evil spirit in my boat or a monster pike that lives 2.5-4’ under boat and follows me from lake to lake.

[clKiekhafer]

Johny P,

Have found out the source to your problem? I have the same thing going on this year. I don't remember having that wide of band at the top either. I have two units in my boat that are linked together using Ethernet. I've thinking it might be related to the major software that I updated them to this Spring. (version 6.250 for 788CI HD and version 6.180 for 998) If you find out the source please post for others to read.

Thanks

[TruthWalleyes]

It has become the new “what the heck” at Humminbird R&D…my vote is either and evil spirit in my boat or a monster pike that lives 2.5-4’ under boat and follows me from lake to lake.

Don't worry about trying to "fine tune" DI...It's a gimmik and a waste of your time. Might be more useful on lowrance units.

Everything and nothing more is on your SI screen. No Need for DI...I don't even have a DI screen turned on. Ba who needs it.

Now go catch that pike!!!

Or tell us how you fixed it when HB gets back to you.

[Random guy]

Ya the Side Image is dooms day machine for shallow water walleye. Now I'm like a cat chasing a laser pointer. Walleyes port side 50 feet CAST! Walleyes starboard 75 feet turn hard and cast! Walleyes 93 feet port, circle and flank them!

[TruthWalleyes]

Pretty amazing isn't it!

Flank em!! Ha