Author Topic: Salvaging 917c After Buying 998 DI/SI  (Read 4584 times)

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Offline nwifishnut

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Salvaging 917c After Buying 998 DI/SI
« on: August 18, 2013, 12:02:04 PM »
I am new to the Forum and have several questions.  I currently have a 917c with a Humminbird dual beam transducer, a Humminbird GPS antenna and a Minnkota Maxxum 65 that is not connected to the Humminbird.  The 917c is currently mounted at the console and the dual beam transducer is on the transom.   I want to upgrade this system to a  998 HD SI/DI,  a Minnkota Terrova with I-Pilot link and US2.  I know that the existing 917c is not Ethernet compatible so it will not interface with the I Pilot link or the new 998.  What I would like to do is find a way to continue to get utility out of the 917c perhaps by mounting it in the bow and running it with the US2 transducer on the Terrova while the new 998 would be installed at the console connected to the Terrova/IPilot link via the Ethernet cable.  The new down/side imaging transducer would be mounted on the transom.  Here are my questions:  1. Can the 917 and the 998 both run off of the existing Humminbird GPS antenna and if so what cable and software do I need to link these up?  2. Is there a downside in connecting both units to a single antenna?   3.  Can the 917c run with the Minnkota US2 transducer independently from the new 998 and the Ethernet and I Pilot link system?  4. What cable or adapter do I need to get the Terrova US2 and the 917c to make love?   5.  Can I connect the existing bird dual beam transom mounted transducer that I have been using on the 917c to the 998 and use it in conjunction with the new imaging down/side ducer?   6.  Will using the old dual beam as a second unit with the new down/side imaging ducer actually give me an added benefit over using just the new down/side transducer.  7.  If using both is possible and adds value, what do I need to link both up to the 998? 
Lots of newbie questions.  Would appreciate your combined wisdom!


Offline Humminbird_Greg

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Re: Salvaging 917c After Buying 998 DI/SI
« Reply #1 on: August 20, 2013, 04:30:50 PM »
Welcome to the Humminbird Side Imaging Forums nwifishnut.

1.  Yes they can if you want to do that.  You will need the As-SysLink cable.  It’s like a long Y-cable in that one arm is 20 feet long.  The GPS Receiver plugs into the bottom of the “Y” and each unit plugs into each “arm”.  However, if you mark a waypoint with either unit the resulting waypoint will be off as the unit assumes that the GPS Receiver and transducer are at the same location.  It is possible that when you try and come back to the same waypoint that you will be off by up to twice the linear distance between the GPS Receiver and transducer (Example: if there is 6 feet between the GPS Receiver and the transducer, you will be up to 12 feet away from it even though the GPS Receiver shows you as being on top of it).  This is in addition to the normal inaccuracy of the GPS system.

2.  Oops… I already answered that.  In addition to this is that if that one GPS Receiver ever fails you have no GPS at all.  Having a second GPS Receiver on the boat will give you a backup.

3.  Yes.  The US2 transducer has nothing to do with the i-Pilot Link system.  Be sure and select the US2 option in the Transducer Select menu when you do this.

4.  I’ll choke back all the smart aleck comments that I wanted to post and just tell you that you need the MKR-US2-8 Humminbird 7 pin Adapter Cable ( http://store.humminbird.com/products/437277/MKR-US2-8 ).

5.  Which transducer would this be?  Is this the 200/50kHz Dual Beam transducer or  the 200/83kHz DualBeam transducer?  The 998 can use either transducer with the right menu settings but to use one in combination with the HDSi transducer it needs to be the 200/83kHz DualBeam transducer (XNT-9-20-T).

6.  Again, depending on which transducer you were using with your 917 unit there may or may not be an advantage.  If it is a 200/83kHz DualBeam transducer you could mount your HDSi transducer where the Si sonar will work best and possibly in a more protected area.  Many mount their HDSi transducers up higher on the transom or on the jackplates so that they will be more protected and install an inside-the-hull DualBeam transducer for the best high-speed depth readings (fiberglass hulled boat only).

7.  AS-Si-DB-Y cable.

8.  What, no eighth question?  I was on a roll here…
 ;D
Greg Walters at Humminbird
gwalters@johnsonoutdoors.com

Offline nwifishnut

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  • Joined: Aug 2013
  • Location: Northwestern Wisconsin
  • Posts: 29
  • Unit(s): Onix 10 si, Onix 8ci
  • Software: 2.3
  • Accessories: I-Pilot Link,ASGPS HS,Lakemaster WI v5.0
Re: Salvaging 917c After Buying 998 DI/SI
« Reply #2 on: August 21, 2013, 03:40:49 PM »
Greg,
Thank you so much for your response!  Two more questions:  My transducer on the 917c is the dual beam 200/83khz unit and the boat is aluminum,  so thru the hull use is not an option.  Is there any other advantage in using this unit in conjunction with the hd si/di unit other than the hd si/di unit might be more protected and can be mounted in a way to produce better si/di images.  More specifically, is there any performance advantage to the dual beam 200/83khz unit in terms of normal non imaging operation vs the HD si/di ducer like high speed operation or some other performance based attributes?   
Also, relative to the GPS antenna,  if mounted in the same location, will the antenna included with the new 998 si/di  (I think there is an antenna packaged with the unit)  provide any additional accuracy vs my existing 917c Humminbird antenna which is probably 6 + years old.  Based upon your post, I will likely use 2 antennas, but am curious to know if there has been any improvement in the antennas since I bought mine.
Thanks again for your support

Offline Humminbird_Greg

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Re: Salvaging 917c After Buying 998 DI/SI
« Reply #3 on: August 22, 2013, 01:43:10 PM »
nwifishnut,
You are stating “unit” in your first question but I think you mean “transducer” and that is how I am answering.  The HDSi transducer has the same internal elements within it as does the 200/83kHz DualBeam transducer.  So there should be no difference in sonar performance.  The 200/83kHz DualBeam transducer should be the smaller XNT-9-20-T transducer, so with it being smaller it is a smaller target to getting knocked off the transom of your boat plus it may be easier to install it in a location that will allow for high-speed depth readings where the larger HDSi transducer may not be.

That really depends on which GPS Receiver you have.  If it is the GR50, than you will probably not see any or very little difference.  If it is the older GR16 than you should see better accuracy out of the new GPS Receiver, which I am guessing is the GRP model.
The GR16 states: “GPS ACCESSORY SYSTEM” under the “HUMMINBIRD” on the top housing.
The GR50 states: “AS-GR50 GPS MODULE” under the “HUMMINBIRD” on the top housing.
Greg Walters at Humminbird
gwalters@johnsonoutdoors.com


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