x67c interference (getting killed by vex) help please>?!?!

[Kodiak]

I need help with tuning out the interference in my x67c ice machine. I sold my vexilar and bought this and fishing with my buddies i just cannot tune out thier interference. As soon as they turn one on i get killed like instantly in 20fow. I messed with the ping speed but it didnt get rid of it. What can i do to be able to use this around another flasher? I looked in my manual and could not find anything to help. Is there any other Lowrance 67c owners out there that have found a solution to this????HELPPP

[Bob Horn]

Separation, if you want to see separation than the LX-5 WILL show you separation. That`s the best flasher that I have seen.

[Kodiak]

well yeah and 500 dollars will get you that separation too

[federline]

How about some x67c straight talk?

A) The upgrade to version 1.6.0 from the 1.4.0 I had before seems to have made my x67c more interference resistant. I fished in the crowd on Buffalo Lake without a single x67c interference problem. Not the case last year. I'd have to believe that almost every flasher is represented in a crowd of 50+ people on a Metro Lake in a space of less than a football field, spaced 20 feet apart. But since I do not have access to Lowrance Proprietary information on what they changed, I can't prove this - there is no listing of x67c software fixes in 1.6.0 on their HSOforum. Take it for what it is worth.

I have a working template for a procedure of adjusting an x67c for interference. I'm not going to bother posting it here, because I don't have near enough information to be sure. It involves all of these settings: Ping Speed; Chart Speed; Noise Rejection; Surface Clarity; Sensitivity. Ping Speed above 50% activates Hyperscroll, an accelerated sounding speed. Surface Clarity and Noise Rejection are digital signal processing algorithms that can be individually enabled at Low, Med, High or Off, making 16 possible combinations between the two.

The only thing I will say at this point is that I have avoided interference in the Buffalo Lake crowd twice now with version 1.6.0 and these settings: Ping Speed on high & Scroll Speed on High, Noise Rejection on high, Surface Clarity on High, Auto-sensitivity off, auto-depth off, Sensitivity about 90%. There may be other settings I am forgetting. I've had a clean screen each time with no degradation in performance with all this enabled. BTW, I run in Graph Mode not flasher emulation mode - but you can use the Sonar Options menu in graph mode and return to flasher mode, since the Sonar Options menu is not available in Flasher Mode. Honestly, I have no desire to read a flasher display again after using graph mode on ice.

C) The newer x67c hardware in stores now seems to run the program even faster then the first units - I dunno if it is the screen that is faster, or the processor. I think there is definitely something to there being a new hardware revision.

D) These units DO NOT take a chip. You have to send them to Tulsa to be upgraded, it's about a 2 week turnaround typically.

E) There is not an upgrade to the m68c GPS that allows lake contours.

F) "[The LX5 is] the best flasher that I have seen." - Bob Horn. I agree with this statement. The x67c is not a flasher. A flasher is to a graph, what a physical cockpit linkage is to fly-by-wire.

It appears that Lowrance's style of technical improvement is subtle and quiet. This is the second year I've used this unit, I am still learning about it, and they are still improving it.

[crappace]

Federline

When you say Interference Rejection, do you think that is that the same on my 332c as Noise Rejection?

I was on Red Rock last night playing with a fl 8 and my 332c. Now I cant wait to get back and try the settings you have mentioned.

The way I had it, in Graph Mode, there are dotted lines running vertically in the screen. Either way, watching the history makes it fun.

[federline]

I got my terms mixed up - I did mean "Noise Rejection". I'm going back to correct the post now. Without Noise Rejection, I too had dotted vertical lines, but setting the Noise Rejection on at any level cancelled them out for me both times I went out into the crowd.

Imagine that - an LMS-332c on ice. That is what the m68c wants to be when it grows up - use Lakemaster and Navionics chips, and 2400 watts! Too cool. Plus, you don't have to send your unit to Tulsa to upgrade it to the latest software.

email jfederline at federline dot net if you want to share notes.

[Maximo990]

kodiak-

do you think they will make a better ir next year? I have one and am experiencing the same problems you guys stated.

[Ice Cold]

Question for those who have upgraded their software. Will I lose all my GPS points in the upgrade or will they survive?

[crappace]

I will be out on a few lakes over Christmas putting the unit to the test. Thanks for the tips federline and we can compare notes next week! I put a cheat sheet in my Lowrance soft pack with your recomendations on it to go back to.

[nthomps66]

I just got a response from Lowrance customer service in regards to this issue. I asked if a software upgrade would help with interference problems. (I simply cannot use my Lowrance X67 next to my buddy's Marcum) This is what they said...

Thank you for the inquiry.

There is a software update available (1.6) that can be obtained by sending the X-67c to the factory. This update will not help with the interference from other sonar units. Sonar interference will most likely occur while using two sonar units within about 50kHz of each other simultaneously. The only way to completely avoid the interference is to use only one sonar unit at a time.

We hope this information will be helpful. If you need further assistance, please contact us.

Thank you for choosing Lowrance.

Lowrance Customer Service

12000 E Skelly Dr

Tulsa, OK 74128-2486

Customer Service: 1-800-324-1356

Lowrance HSOforum: www.lowrance.com

[Ralph Wiggum]

I haven't had many problems with intereference so far, but I haven't fished too near a lot of people. I did fish with Hanson about a week ago. He's got a Marcum (LX-3, I think). I could tell when he was near me, but I found that it works a lot better if you switch from flasher mode to graph mode. You could see a little interference on the screen, but it was no big deal. This was with him within 15 feet from me.

[smallieobsession]

I've fished right next to vex's and a marcum lx-3 with my X67c...and I mean RIGHT next to them like within a couple feet iin my Otter Cabin and aside from the first time, I have had zero troble with interference. Once you set it up right it works super. And, I have not upgraded to the new software build. I followed the info in a post by "Federline" I think it was...heck it might even be in this thread...but anywho...once I set it up as directed, it's been perfect. I love the X67 in graph mode and wouldn't consider using anything else now.

[nthomps66]

I printed out Federline's recipe for X67 success. I just haven't been out yet to try it out. I'd be thrilled if it works as you guys say. I hate fishing alone in my two man house and all of my fishing buddies have Marcums.

[markkstanley]

I've not had a problem either. Just follow Federlines steps. The other solution is to put your unit in a central spot. One of my friends doesn't have a flasher and when I do this we can see all the jigs. No need to run two units in a two man house.

[federline]

Mark's got a great point there. If you are in the same house with buddies, this unit can pick up multiple jigs if the conditions allow you to crank up the sensitivity and turn down the noise rejection. Having everyone's toys running at once sometimes just gets noisy. I mean, you are separated by only a few feet, the fish is going to bite the better presenatation at that stage.

As an update from a season on the ice: I've not had a bad time out this year when it comes to interference from other flashers. It's been a fun year!

In fact, the worst interference I've found is to have the Depth Range manually set higher than you need it, like set for 40 feet when you are in less than 20 feet. That really makes a mess of the screen!

Which brings up a good point: I've sometimes been able to cancel out interference from others with another tactic: Altering the manual Depth Range setting by a notch. Dont' ask me why this works, but it must correlate with the "having too much depth setting for shallower depths" thing I noticed.

[markkstanley]

I figured that out this winter too. Fishing for suspended crappies no need to see bottom. Lots of other units in the area. Everyone had their rejection levels to the max. I just set the range from 5ft to 30ft and no problems whatsoever. FYI the old clearcom flashers will mess up any current units. We had one and for kicks decided to fire it up. No way to get my x67 to work and the guys fishing around us couldn't clear up their Vexs either.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Are you talking about Zercoms? I fished right next to (10 ft) two of them without any problems.

[markkstanley]

Nope this is older than them. I bet the thing is 30yrs old. Maybe more. Not as old as the original green box from Lowrance but close. My friend found it is his dad's garage. And both of us are over 50 so you the idea.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Okay, I figured I could be wrong. Can't say I've fished next to one of those.