Topic: new update

[drawde]

Since I updated to newest version I noticed in shallow 5-8 ft. that I have fish icons that are below the bottom of the river.  The unit has also taken to go to 100 or 300 ft depths when in shallow water. Adjusting the sensitivity does not help.  I wish I had not updated, first update since buying the unit last year in January.  The update also did not solve the problem of a deeper depth in shallow water of the depth box, so I will continue to eliminate that box.

[RGecy]

drawde,

Sorry to hear you are having some issues.  what version did you update to? 

You can always go back to the previous update if it was performing better than the newer one.  Thats why we keep the older software updates here on the forum in the Download Section.

Greg may be able to step in and offer some advise on settings to help with the depth issue.  I know we had someone else who was having similar problems recently.

Good Luck,

Robert

[sonar2000]

Drawde,
You might try setting the lower range instead of default..Same goes for SI
Also the surface clutter..
As Robert suggested you may want to go back level on code.
Shallow water does create some issues with the strength of the signal.
Multiple bounce backs from the bottom of the boat to the shallow depth and back to the transducer can be interpreted as signals.
I dont know of any fixes out yet for these issues but Hb should be working on shallow water problems..(hopefully)
there are enough postings to warrent some investigation into this inconvenience.
Chuck

[Humminbird_Greg]

drawde,
Are you running a second sonar unit at the same time?  If so, try shutting it off and see if that helps or not.

Does this only happen when the trolling motor, main motor or some other electrical device is powered on?

You can try setting the Lower Range menu as well as the Surface Clutter menu.  Some have even had success in setting the Water Type menu to the Salt (deep) menu setting (even if they are in fresh water).

[jgollihar]

Robert,
It's funny you say that it's OK to go back to an older version.
I have been having issues with my units since the last update, so I contacted Humminbird Customer Service, and the Customer Service Representative that I spoke with to absolutely NOT go back to an older version once that I have updated to a newer version. When I asked her why, she told me that the programmers had informed them to advise customers NOT to go back to older versions, because it would damage the units and this damage could be irreversible.
SO, my question is, can you or can you not go back to older versions?
Thanks,
Jason.

[RGecy]

Jason,

If so, this is the first I have ever heard of it!   I have successfully done this numerous times, not to mention the dozens or hundreds of other usres who have done this as well.

Maybe we can get Greg or one of the Humminbird CRC to chime in on this.

Lets see what they have to say!

Robert

 

[drawde]

Ihave a tracker 16CS, I was out today with update 5.500 had same problem with motor shut off, set to shallow salt,surface clutter on 1, sensitivity 2 to 11, no other fishfinder on boat.  Never had good readings in 2 to 5ft.  Problem even happened in 12ft.

[ITGEEK]

I do understand why Humminbird tells people to never go back to older
updates.  Probably, having the latest software is a must for the techs to
troubleshoot problems.
But, I don't believe for a second that the units can be physically
damaged by an older update.

drawde:
Maybe where you were fishing had an extremely hard bottom which
caused multiple signal bouncing as Greg described.

[Humminbird_Greg]

Ihave a tracker 16CS, I was out today with update 5.500 had same problem with motor shut off, set to shallow salt,surface clutter on 1, sensitivity 2 to 11, no other fishfinder on boat.  Never had good readings in 2 to 5ft.  Problem even happened in 12ft.

You should have used the Salt (deep) menu setting for this.
Also try the newer 5.840 software update for your 997 unit. .

[Humminbird_Greg]

Jason,
Depending on the model unit you have and when it was built: going back to a software version that is earlier than what was originally built into the unit could cause it not to function correctly – in effect damaging the unit.  The unit can be recovered but this would have to be done here at the Service Department.  So if your 998c Si unit was originally built with the 5.700 software; going back to an earlier software version could “brick it” (if I am using that term correctly – someone younger help me out here if I am not!).  This is all due to the components that we sometimes have to change in the units that we produce: not all of the replacement components will work within the same parameters as the original components did.

[sonar2000]

In the age of computerization and the way that electronics are built today I can see the concern here.  However, software being what it is and programmers being intelligent, the process of downgrading should be handled by the software and protect the unit from incorrect levels of code.
In the interest of money I can see why lines of code are not written to make functional and user friendly code.
So less code equals less function..
Chuck

[drawde]

Now when I go to shallow water (5-8 feet) the depth will jump to 100 feet or more and I have to make maximum depth 10 feet.  Never had this problem before the update.  Even in 15-18 feet it will show fish below the depth of water.  If fish are shown do to there air bladder why would a hard bottom cause false readings.  Hate to adjust settings when going shallow from deep.

[Humminbird_Greg]

drawde,

1. Are you running a second sonar unit at the same time as the one that is showing the wrong depth reading?

2. Did you try loading the 5.700 version software for your 998c Si unit (sorry, but I just saw the 998c Si listed in your profile)?  This software version has changes to help with shallow water readings.

3. Did you try the Water Type menu with the “Salt (deep)" menu setting and it still read the wrong water depth?

Sonar gets reflected off of more than just a fishes air bladder, but since you brought up why a hard bottom reading would cause false readings (and I am assuming that you are implying that fish should cause the same problem due to their air bladders): While a sonar return from a big fish that has a fully inflated air bladder would be a strong sonar return – the sonar return from a hard bottom would be even stronger based on the fact that the bottom is physically larger than the fish.  The fish would only reflect a portion of the sonar beam while the bottom would reflect the whole sonar beam and would be returning more energy back to the transducer.

[drawde]

Greg, Thanks for the replies.  I am only running the 998 with update 5.500.  I tried the salt water and had no change, lowered the sensitivity and no change.  I don't think 15 ft. is shallow water when I get mutiply fish ID's below the bottom.  Maybe the Allegheny River is filled with lost gold or probably old steel wheels.  I will have to update to 5.700 although I never had below bottom fish ID's before the 5.500 update.  Once again thank you for your concern.

[stillbear]

Drawde are you using a y cable with xp920 transducer? What I would like you to try is Set the surface clutter on 2
Please let me know how it does.   Thanks Gary

[drawde]

Stillbear, I am using no splitters only a straight cable from transducer to 998.  I tried turning down surface clutter but saw no difference. Need to update with what I think is the 3rd update that is suppose to clear-up shallow water problems.  As I said I am even getting false fish ID's in water as deep as 15 ft.  It has been a bad year on the river as the heat dispersed the fish and never saw concentrations like previous years.  Thanks for your reply.

[stillbear]

Yes I recomend keeping up with all new updates.Make sure you take cards an chips out unhook everything but the power cord
start unit in normal mode reset defaults an leave unit on put new update chip in an when finished reset defaults again. Gary

[sonar2000]

Something to consider when we make updates.  Keep copys of your downloaded code.  Build a little library for these.  then if you upgrade the code and it has problems you have a copy of back level to restore..

Chuck