Is there something wrong with my Vex?

[homerj]

I have a two year old vex fl8. I've been fishing a little deeper that I have previously (26') and have noticed something unusual. When I first set up, I have the gain set at 0-1 and can see things nicely. After a while (~30 minutes)I'll lose all contact and have to increase my gain, sometimes up to 4 or 5. Then after a while, I can reduce it back near 1. Do you think this is the vex, or some factor in the water? I know it isn't a battery issue because I always fully charge it when I'm done using it - and the display is bright.

[pikerliker]

I had a similar issue with my Marcum LX 1 last year and it turned out to be a bad transducer. You might want to check that.

~piker

[bobO]

I hAD THE SAME THING HAPPEN, ITS THE TRANSDUCER. I REPLACED MINE AND THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY.

[igotem]

If it is your transducer, you could easily test that by swapping with a buddy and see if his works. Any fl8 or fl18 transducer will work. They are all compatible. Also, there is a good test you can do at your home to see if your transducer is functioning properly. It is explained well on the vex HSOforum (FAQ), but it goes something like this:

Let your transducer hang off a table at home (assuming you have an iceducer) about two feet above a solid floor. Don't do it over carpet, something like hardwood, tile, concrete. etc. Turn your vex on the first range and put the gain at zero. You should get at least a green reading at about nine feet. Sound doesn't travel as fast in air as in water so that's why it will read about nine feet. This test still won't ensure that it is the transducer, but will determine if there is a sensitivity problem. The transducer would be the most likely cause of this problem, but it could be the unit.

igotem

[Surface Tension]

As mentioned above, it could be your transducer. Whats puzzling is it worked fine then didn't work and then worked again. Makes you wonder if there was any current or your ducer may have been tilted from leaning on the side of your hole.

[homerj]

This is the first time I've used it this year on the s2 range. I've always fished at 20' or under prior to this using the s1 range. Hope this doesn't point to more of a possibility with the unit itself. I've had it less than two years and haven't abused it.

[efgh]

Check your transducer cable for cracks or small cuts, water will enter the cord and give you funky reading, the cuts or cracks can be fixed by coating the area with silicone, dry the area,ruff up the area and put on silicone or liquid rubber, this comes in a small can and cures in 12 hrs.