Humminbird Side Imaging Forums
General => General Discussion => Topic started by: redgotee1206 on April 14, 2015, 03:32:34 PM
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Hello all, thank you for approving my application.
I own Tracker P/T 175 TXW and have upgraded my electronics to a pair of Helix 5's - the DI-GPS at the console and a SI-GPS at the bow. I have the DI unit installed, mounted, and working great at the console, but since I bought a new trolling motor and a quick change mounting plate last year, I'm hesitant to mount the SI transducer to the TM. I really don't want to deal with figuring out a way to wrangle 20' of transducer cabling that would come with the TM when I take it off the bow. As such, I purchased EC-W10 extension so that the SI transducer would reach the transom.
Here're some questions:
- Will the DI and SI transducers interfere with one another if they are mounted too closely?
- How much space do the transducers need between them on the transom to prevent said interference?
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Welcome to the Humminbird Side imaging Forums redgotee1206.
Both the DI and Si transducers use the same 200kHz and 455kHz frequencies. Anytime they are both running either of these frequencies at the same time there is the chance of having sonar-to-sonar interference. You will not have enough room on your boat to mount them far enough away from each other to prevent this. It may be possible to mount them so that the 200kHz 2D sonar does not interfere in shallow water but consider that the Si transducer radiates the 455kHz Si sonar directly out of the sides of the transducer; the Di transducer would have to have to be inches ahead of or behind to not have 455kHz interference.
You may instead consider a second deployable mount at the bow for the Si transducer as this is where you will be fishing and this will help minimize the chance for interference. This would also allow you to rotate (or not rotate) the Si transducer when you want to and not just when the trolling motor is turned.
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Thanks for the quick reply and info Greg,
I saw on the Humminbird site some transducer mounting locations/ideas for SI transducers. This one is the same boat as mine (http://www.humminbird.com/uploadedImages/Content/Category/Support/FAQ/TrackerProTeam175TXW.jpg). Do you think that if I mounted my SI transducer on the step under the transom (similar to the image in the link) and then mounted the DI transducer in on transom itself, it would be enough to reduce any potential interference?
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No I don’t redgotee1206. The Si sonar beams that radiate out of the XNT-9-SI-180-T Compact Side Imaging transducer that comes with the HELIX 5 SI-GPS unit needs almost five inches of clearance and I don’t think that the step is that deep. Adding a spacer between the DI transducer and the transom would give you this room but you would still have to contend with the 2D 200kHz sonar possibly interfering but to a lesser extent. The HELIX 5 DI-GPS unit does not always use the 200kHz sonar but this is water depth dependent and so is not under your control. You may be able to mount these transducers like this and turn on and up the Noise Filter menu and be fine or you may have so much sonar cross-talk that the units cannot track the lake bottom correctly. The only way to know how good/bad it may be would be to mount and test the units/transducers. Even then it could change based on water depth and conditions.
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sounds like my only real option is to place the SI transducer either on the trolling motor or on an alternate, deployable device at the bow and then figure a way to manage the excess cabling so that its neatly out of the way while making it all removable for when I take the TM off for storage and towing.
thank you very much for the knowledge and insight.