Topic: 798 first time out. SI/DI not working when it is deeper than 10 meters (30 ft)

[CHOOhonets]

I've been out with my new 798 first time this weekend. SI is a perfect tool even with default settings - i'm impressed!
But the problem is that mine is not working when it is deeper than about 10 meters (30 ft).
I've attached a snapshot where a picture eliminates at certain depth...
Hope there is a solution
PS With conventional 2D view everything works fine at any depth!

[Humminbird_Greg]

CHOOhonets,
Try testing your 798 unit on someone else’s boat that has a Humminbird SI unit or their unit on your boat.  You may have a transducer problem and this will be a way that we can confirm this.

[terry0540]

Try setting your SI range to 2 to 3 times the depth.
My unit looks like your pictures when my range is close to the depth

[CHOOhonets]

Humminbird_Greg
Hardly anyone has an SI unit in my area so i won't be able to test it that way
terry0540
I've tried setting SI range to 2 to 3 times the depth - it did not help unfortunately

It would be really sad if this is a transducer hardware problem because i've spent so much nerves exchanging my stock 798 transducer to HDSI...The best is often the enemy of the good

[Humminbird_Greg]

Humminbird_Greg
Hardly anyone has an SI unit in my area so i won't be able to test it that way
terry0540
I've tried setting SI range to 2 to 3 times the depth - it did not help unfortunately

It would be really sad if this is a transducer hardware problem because i've spent so much nerves exchanging my stock 798 transducer to HDSI...The best is often the enemy of the good

Usually if there is a problem like this… it’s the transducer.  Not always but I would bet money on it being a bad transducer.  You might want to contact the Humminbird Customer Resource folks and send in both the unit and transducer for testing.

[CHOOhonets]

Thank you, Greg! I'll go this way!

[CHOOhonets]

Theoretically, may the problem be in the software?

[Humminbird_Greg]

Theoretically, may the problem be in the software?

Yes in theory it could be in the software of the unit.  It could also be in the transducer or the hardware of the unit too.  Without being able to point to or eliminate the transducer though we are just guessing as to the root cause.

[Kimi]

Looks to me that the bottom in the deeper area is plain soft mud. If it is so, it will appear at your screen as "black". Try somewhere else where you find harder bottom. 

Kimi.. 

[CHOOhonets]

I have found the solution but not shure if the situation is decent: to get the picture at 10 meters (30 ft) and more i have to set sensitivity almost to the maximum! Here are some snapshots from the same place that demonstrate this:

PS The depth is even less than 10 meters here (usually it works good at sensitivity about 10 at such depths but for some reason it was impossible to use that sensitivity level at that place), but it is the same way it works at 10 meters and more.

[CHOOhonets]

...

[CHOOhonets]

Humminbird_Greg

Would you please give your opinion whether the situation described is normal?! If it is not would you still blame the transducer in the first place?

[Del]

CHOOhonets, i'm far away from Gregs competence, but our (all) units showing a much brighter screen on sensivity 10. Sensivity 10-12 usually gives you the best picture, everything above makes it too bright. 15-20 is absolutly horrible to watch. I've been using my unit in more than 10m also, without changin the sensivity at all.

[CHOOhonets]

Thank you for your reply, Del! What do you think the problem is? Transducer? 

[Del]

I'm no technican so i cant give you a qualified advise, actually most problems coming up in this forums are solved with a new transducer. For myself i could also immagine a bad unit, for example due to too less power output, creating weak signals. But actually you better listen to Greg at this point.


Good luck mate!

[CHOOhonets]

Thanks a lot!

[Humminbird_Greg]

I'm no technican so i cant give you a qualified advise, actually most problems coming up in this forums are solved with a new transducer. For myself i could also immagine a bad unit, for example due to too less power output, creating weak signals. But actually you better listen to Greg at this point.


Good luck mate!

I’m just going to agree with what Del said and guess that it is the transducer as this is not what I would call “normal” readings for that sensitivity level in that depth of water.