Topic: JUst bought a 981C SI - How do I add GPS? Transducer Mounting!

[SPLMAXSAM]

I am a newbie to the forum.  Any help would be appreciated.  I fish Lake Erie, some rivers and reservoirs

I am "rebuilding" a 1984 Mirror Craft  16 foot center console.   I just bought a Humminbird 981c SI (should arrive any day). 

I want to upgrade to add GPS.  Any suggestions on parts needed (antenna , firm ware and mapping)
I am really worried about transducer mounting .  I have 2 outboards.  What should I look out for?



Center console location for the 981c


Outboard and kicker motor


Clearance of the outboards

[LocDown]

add gps to the unit?
You could prolly make a mount to mount the gps receiver onto the tube rail.

as for gps mapping, I'm not sure if the 981 supports it.

[SPLMAXSAM]

Clarify my question - what GPS antenna and antenna adaptor will work 981C SI.  I believe the AS-GR16 will work.  Does anyone know if the AS-GR50 will work?  Or is there any other antenna supported.  I do my own work, so I can figure a way to actually install the antenna

I have no clue on what software or firm ware needed to upgrade the mapping.  I do not think 981C supports SD cards.

Any help?

[Jolly Roger]

Clarify my question - what GPS antenna and antenna adaptor will work 981C SI.  I believe the AS-GR16 will work.  Does anyone know if the AS-GR50 will work?  Or is there any other antenna supported.  I do my own work, so I can figure a way to actually install the antenna

I have no clue on what software or firm ware needed to upgrade the mapping.  I do not think 981C supports SD cards.

Any help?

Hi there,
The AS GR 16 will work as well as the AS GR 50. No worries there. The 50 channel is a bit faster in the update rate.
The 981 is supporting the SD cards. It just has ONE instead of two SD card slots. You can use the SD card for recording, safe snapshot and NAV data on it. You can also update the unit by using the SD card.
For the GPS receiver mount: Get it as close as possible to the transducer. Then you have the most precision on the targets. On a 16 footer it might not seem to be a big deal, but if you're looking for an object in the water, you want to get as close as possible you can.

The 981 is still a good unit for the Sonar business. it just has it's down side on the navigation side, because it isn't supporting maps.

Good luck with it and keep us posted!

Harry

[lcookie]

You should not have any issues with the transducer if you put it on the left side of the boat.  If the motors are all the way down in the pic they should not be in the way.  If they do just trim up a little.

[SPLMAXSAM]

So I made some progress.  It has been raining everyday and forever. 
I got the 16 channel GPS puck and mounted it ontop of my console.  I installed and ran the cables for the 981c SI.  I  mounted the transducer.








Have not got the boat into the water yet., but the unit powers up and I get GPS latch and see 2 ft depth in the drive way. 

What else should I do or get?  What firmware works good?  Has anyboady been able to add charts?

[SPLMAXSAM]

I am finally going to launch the boat on Sunday.  I went to insert a SD card into the 981c.  It does not reconize it.  I did install into the top slot.  Is that correct?

[sonar2000]

You may have to format the SD card..
Also, consider an update to the gps puck location.  You might want to put it on a slightly taller pole. Maybe one that swings out of the way.
The 16 channel puck is fine but you want to consider any blocking of signal.....
Chuck
Nice work....

[Humminbird_Greg]

What size SD card did you try?  I ask because your 981c Si may have old software in it that does not work with the newer higher capacity SDHC cards (larger than 2GB).  With the current software available for the 981c Si units (version 4.950) it will work with the larger SDHC memory cards.

[Jolly Roger]

I agree with Chuck about the location of the GPS receiver and would get it up from the dash. At the current location it will be blocked by the wind shield, the unit and your body if you're at the helm.

Regards from the sandbox / Harry

[SPLMAXSAM]

Finally got the boat in the water  (running) and got to test the 981c si unit

(1) GPS antenna works good.  No apparent blockage from the plexiwindshield. 
(2) No accurate depth  reading  when runnig greater than 20 mph.  So I will try "dipping" the end of the transducer down a little bit on the next trip.
(3) 981 did not reconize the 1 gig SD card.  I was using a used card that had some photos on it.  FIXEDI formatted the  SD card FAT and It NOW works good.  NOTE make sure the card is blank.
(4) Fishing results have been good.  First fish was a crazy 28" walleye (trolling).  2 trips later, my buddy caught a huge 14" perch (anchored).  I am very impressed in the details I am getting from the 981c.  While anchored, you can see you sinker go all the way to the bottom (40 plus feet of water).  I could mark suspended fish.  I caugh a small 7 inch perch.  Too small to keep.  I gently placed it back into the lake.  Several minutes later I could see image of soming moving from 40 feet towards the surface.  It was the injured perch.







my next tests are for depth at speeds greater than 20 knots , gps trolling, and start playing with side and down imaging