Author Topic: New towfish  (Read 8086 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline zaccaria

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Joined: Apr 2010
  • Posts: 5
New towfish
« on: April 29, 2010, 04:05:50 AM »
Hello everyone, I am new to the forum, I'm building a towfish for my 797.
Can I get information about which cable to use and the maximum length you can use?
Thanks


Offline RGecy

  • Administrator
  • *
  • Joined: Mar 2009
  • Location: Beaufort, SC
  • Posts: 1981
    • SideImagingSoft.com
  • Unit(s): 1197c SI, 997c SI & 785c2
  • Software: 4.950 & 4.510
  • Accessories: Interlink & GRHA
Re: New towfish
« Reply #1 on: April 29, 2010, 08:48:50 AM »
zaccaria,

Welcome to the forum.

You can use Belden 9730 or Alpha 6073C or any 12 to 15pf per foot.
22 or 24 gauge with 3 individually shielded twisted pairs.

I have heard of longer cables, but most seem to keep it around 150'.  You have bump up the sensitivity quite a bit.

Good Luck and let us know how it turns out.

Robert
Humminbird Guru and Forum Administrator

Offline Rickard

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Joined: May 2009
  • Location: Mariefred, Sweden
  • Posts: 512
  • Unit(s): 999, 981, M37, LowBird-1, LowBird-2
Re: New towfish
« Reply #2 on: April 29, 2010, 02:10:17 PM »
Hi Zaccaria,

If you can't find the Belden or Alpha cables, or similar, or if you find them too expensive, it's possible to use ethernet cables like I do myself. I posted a detailed description on how that's done here: http://www.geotech1.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16307

Here is an example that shows what you can expect with 50 m (150') ethernet cable. Small power boat at 30 m (90') depth:

ila_rendered

Another example that shows an unknown vessel at 28 m depth. The towfish passed about 7 m over the seafloor.:
ila_rendered

Regards,
Rickard
« Last Edit: April 29, 2010, 02:31:04 PM by Rickard »

Offline sonar2000

  • Chief
  • Global Moderator
  • *
  • Joined: May 2009
  • Location: Kerr Lake NC
  • Posts: 5970
  • It is not lost ...it has been misplaced.
  • Unit(s): (1) 1197 (1) 1198
  • Software: 6.6
  • Accessories: Tow Fish
Re: New towfish
« Reply #3 on: April 29, 2010, 02:49:47 PM »
Hey,  good pictures.  good tow.   
question.
1) Do you have somne interference as I see a lot of short verticle lines.  I have that occassionally on some motors since my unit is portable and is used on different boats?   

Chuck 

Offline Rickard

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Joined: May 2009
  • Location: Mariefred, Sweden
  • Posts: 512
  • Unit(s): 999, 981, M37, LowBird-1, LowBird-2
Re: New towfish
« Reply #4 on: April 29, 2010, 03:57:25 PM »
Thanks and yes Chuck,

that's interference from the ignition system, I think. The vertical lines appear in both views simultaneously so they have to do with some common factor outside the SI channels. The lines can be eliminated by raising the noise setting in the instrument, but they do not disappear when you use a third part viewer like Humviewer or SiView. A long cable makes the system more sensitive to interference but I have got used to it so I do not notice the lines anymore until someone reminds me about them...

Rickard

Offline sonar2000

  • Chief
  • Global Moderator
  • *
  • Joined: May 2009
  • Location: Kerr Lake NC
  • Posts: 5970
  • It is not lost ...it has been misplaced.
  • Unit(s): (1) 1197 (1) 1198
  • Software: 6.6
  • Accessories: Tow Fish
Re: New towfish
« Reply #5 on: April 29, 2010, 04:10:01 PM »
OK, thanks.
Sorry to remind you.................... when we run our unit on some boats I see the same lines.  Wonder if I should filter or choke the power line.  Or is this interference injected into the sonar cables?
Yes the lines show up on the viewers more so than the unit. 
This was a more recent run.  this boat had a 175 hp ourboard and near the transducer.     
ila_rendered

Thanks again.  chuck
« Last Edit: May 02, 2010, 12:41:16 PM by sonar2000 »

Offline Rickard

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Joined: May 2009
  • Location: Mariefred, Sweden
  • Posts: 512
  • Unit(s): 999, 981, M37, LowBird-1, LowBird-2
Re: New towfish
« Reply #6 on: April 29, 2010, 04:46:42 PM »
I forgot the smiley after the reminder thing... ;)


I think the interference comes "through the air" - from sparkplugs or coils or something. I use a separate battery for the Humminbird to prevent from interference through the cables. That reduced interference alot but there are still lines and dots that seems impossible to get rid off.

Rickard

Offline sonar2000

  • Chief
  • Global Moderator
  • *
  • Joined: May 2009
  • Location: Kerr Lake NC
  • Posts: 5970
  • It is not lost ...it has been misplaced.
  • Unit(s): (1) 1197 (1) 1198
  • Software: 6.6
  • Accessories: Tow Fish
Re: New towfish
« Reply #7 on: April 29, 2010, 04:55:31 PM »
  Thats exactly the same here. The sonar unit is mounted in a box and that has its own battery inside. No connection to the boats system.  I seem to get more interference with the larger motors and when the transducer is near the motor. ( mounted on the transom)   :P  This same boat had the transducer mounted in the front for a couple of runs and did not have the lines.  The box unit was also in the front bow. 
Maybe Greg can get in on this and talk about filters or chokes. 
Appreciate the time to share your views and thoughts. 

Chuck


Offline zaccaria

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Joined: Apr 2010
  • Posts: 5
Re: New towfish
« Reply #8 on: April 29, 2010, 11:57:09 PM »
Thank you all, this week I try to assemble it all, I will keep you informed on how the tests.
Thanks

Offline Humminbird_Greg

  • Humminbird Helper
  • Humminbird Staff
  • *
  • Joined: Mar 2009
  • Location: Eufaula, AL.
  • Posts: 6546
  • I help because I can
    • Humminbird Web Site
Re: New towfish
« Reply #9 on: April 30, 2010, 11:32:07 AM »
Sorry to hijack your thread here zaccaria.

That’s probably RF interference Chuck.  Radio Frequency interference does not need a metal to metal connection to get into something.  Those transducer cables (and any other cable) acts like an antennae and can allow RF interference into the unit.  Only way to know if it is coming in on the transducer or some other cable is to unplug it and see if the interference is still there.  We have even seen it come in through the control head itself.  Something to try on the extra transducer cable you have (even towfish) would be to counterwrap it.  This is shown in the transducer installation guides and is supposed to help suppress RF interference.

Greg Walters at Humminbird
gwalters@johnsonoutdoors.com

Offline sonar2000

  • Chief
  • Global Moderator
  • *
  • Joined: May 2009
  • Location: Kerr Lake NC
  • Posts: 5970
  • It is not lost ...it has been misplaced.
  • Unit(s): (1) 1197 (1) 1198
  • Software: 6.6
  • Accessories: Tow Fish
Re: New towfish
« Reply #10 on: April 30, 2010, 01:45:33 PM »
Yep we kind of screwed up Zaccaria post.  I sent Robert a message asking how to split the topic so we could take the hijack out of the original post.  maybe I can get that done tonight.   

I want to get his original post back in line. 

Chuck


Share me

Digg  Facebook  SlashDot  Delicious  Technorati  Twitter  Google  Yahoo

 

Related Topics

  Subject / Started by Replies Last post
1 Replies
15371 Views
Last post February 28, 2014, 04:37:18 AM
by Rüdiger
12 Replies
20575 Views
Last post April 20, 2016, 05:26:03 PM
by Rickard
3 Replies
8845 Views
Last post September 12, 2016, 11:14:27 PM
by newkid4si
5 Replies
7716 Views
Last post October 14, 2016, 05:21:27 AM
by Rickard
4 Replies
7174 Views
Last post January 16, 2018, 01:24:53 AM
by ropesfish
3 Replies
6999 Views
Last post November 30, 2018, 02:11:46 PM
by Kving
20 Replies
10901 Views
Last post January 22, 2024, 05:17:51 PM
by nan1
1 Replies
6506 Views
Last post May 23, 2021, 04:14:09 AM
by Rüdiger


SimplePortal 2.3.3 © 2008-2010, SimplePortal