Well...got to thinking...I have a 1198 unit...so I took it from the console to the front...plugged in the power, gps and transducer wires.....everything works fine so that tells me...my BRAND NEW 898 unit is heading to Eufaula Alabama Monday morning....unit has not even been on the water and only in my hands for 4 days....pretty sad. I plan to call back to customer service at the Bird Monday early just to make sure but when one unit will work with transducer and other won't and they are both the same transducers...tells me it is the unit head.