Topic: Wreck scanning settings

[nasdaqsam]

New to the 1198 and this forum. This forum looks like a great resource for this new toy.

I am on Lake Champlain and bought this unit primarily to look for wrecks or what ever I can find. I have it set up for use on both of my boats but my primary dive platform is my 24' triple pontoon boat because it is so stable in the water it cuts down on wave movement significantly.

What is the best initial set up for scanning for wrecks? Assume most of the scanning will be in water 60' or less and mostly in 30' to 40'. I will do some deeper stuff later but for now this will be my focus.

On a side note the unit has found a few things that where within several hundred feet of my bay that no one knew where there. I would include a screen shot but I have not had the unit long enough to figure that part out yet. Anyway we found a full size boat hoist sitting up right in 27' of water after diving that for ten minutes and getting bored we decided to just search the area while we were done. Not 50' to the east we found an old steel what would appear to be a barge of some sort. Apporx. 15' wide 50' long, really cool find. Once I figure out how to get better images and record them I will post these items.

[sonar2000]

Initial scan setting suggestions for width is 2 1/2 times the depth.
Other settings are best accomplished by trying out settings changes.
Try doing some searching on this forum and also look into the forum catasgories for issues/suggestions with setup.
A new feature of this forum is at the bottom of a topic are suggested related postings. you might look into some of those..
While these units will turn on and display right out of the box it is the  experience you will get from trying different settings
and the time spent learning the operational characteristics of the unit..
Before conducting serious wreck scans spend some time just playing and trying different settings..

Chuck

[ITGEEK]

The only thing I can suggest is to
scan in a straight line.

Also, I read where the chart speed is critical
to clear images.
Match the chart speed to your boat speed.
Someone posted that one setting lower than
your boat speed is best for the clearest images.

Each unit, body of water, and conditions will be a little different.
You'll have to experiment to see what works best for you.

Good Luck.

[nasdaqsam]

Hi chuck, Thank you for the reply. I have been playing a little but it seems my changes end up causing the image to be worse not better most of the time. I just have to play with it more. The scanning I have done has been in 30' to 40' with the range set at 164. The images are not bad after seeing some of the images on the forum I see they can be a lot better. If I change it from the 164 the image is terrible so I have to figure out what to change the other setting to, to clean it up. Like you said I am going to have to play with it.

[nasdaqsam]

Geek, I have found the slower I go the better I have done most scanning in the 8 to 10 mph range and set the chart speed to the same. I will try slowing down a but and setting the speed to lower.

Thanks

[NickO]

Geek, I have found the slower I go the better I have done most scanning in the 8 to 10 mph range and set the chart speed to the same. I will try slowing down a but and setting the speed to lower.

Thanks

Sam,
The better snapshots you see will almost all be taken at about 3 mph. You're lucky that you can see the bottom at 10 mph. I lose contact S/I & D/I at about 6-7mph. Take your time and don't be in too much of a hurry.

[sonar2000]

Besides unit settings, the best SI images are at less than 3 mph. Screen speed the same .
Also best viewing of sonar is in the review mode using an  external viewer.
Playback provides a better control of scroll or playback speed.
It is easier to move around in the recording in viewer than in the unit playback.
Better detail on larger computer screen.
Better color control on computer..
One of the most important pieces of scan is a straight line for normal use.
For depths below 60 feet a tow fish greatly helps.
Chuck

[nasdaqsam]

Thanks for the reply's. I was able to get out for a little bit last night. Slowing down definitely helps. I got a few good snap shots but no recordings yet.

These are a few shots of the hoist and the wreck we found.

[RGecy]

The best settings for wreck scanning will depend on the size target you are looking for.  The larger the target, the bigger the range setting you can use.  I try to keep to the 3 to 4 times your depth theory unless I am looking for smaller objects, and then its usually bewteen 2 to 3 times the depth.

The best thing to remember is to record all your runs.  The unit stores the raw data coming from the transdcuer and when you get home, you can play them back and adjust the range and other settings to get the best images.  The unit processes the saved data just like its real time.  You can actually pause a recording and change the settings on the fly to get better images.

As for the images you posted, it looks like the sensitivity may be a little high.  Maybe tweak the contrast as well.  I like to keep sharpness either off or on low for wreck hunting.  The med and high get very grainy, but can be good for bringing out more fish in the water column sometimes.

You may also want to try different colors.  Sometimes different bottom hardness can obscure targets in one color, but they seem to pop out in another. 

Best thing to do is make some recordings and come home and play with the settings!  This will help tremendously!

You will also be amazed at what you see when you play the recordings back on the computer! 

Good luck and welcome to the forum!

Robert

[sonar2000]

Nasdaq...have you downloaded a viewer yet? 
More detail and objects are found during a review most of the time.
Check the download tab at the top of main menu and go to the downloads.
You can install several of the viewers and then compare recordings.

Sometimes one viewer shows a target better than another..

Chuck

[Humminbird_Greg]

Grab some screen snapshots of Champ while you are out there next time Sam!
By the way: you may want to remove the coordinates from future posts, unless you want everyone to know where you are finding this stuff!

[nasdaqsam]

Robert, Thanks for the help I will try your advise next time out. I do like the blue for our bottom compared to the amber but I at least wanted to give that a shot. The bottom here is either a massive amount of silt or ledge.
The days are getting shorter so running out of scanning opportunites. I want to try and get a bunch then play with them to get a handle on what this thing is capable of. I will ber recording everything now that I know how to do that.

Chuck, Yes , I downloaded the humviewer but it does not seem to work with snapshots. Is there a program for just snapshots? I do not have any recordings yet to work with.

Greg, Nothing of Champy yet but I will keep looking and keep you posted..........BTW, whats the best setting for recording a lake monster?

Thanks for the tip on the coordinates. I fixed that.

[sonar2000]

Nasdaq.  Snapshot is a picture taken on the HB unit and placed on the SD Card. When you remove the card and put it on
your computer you can view the snapshot with almost any picture program.
Paint, Pro, or others.
If you plan on posting here, then refile the picture as a .JPG ------ as it is smaller in KB size and does not take as long to load or view..
and less space on thne server..
Chuck

[nasdaqsam]

Chuck, Thats how I was viewing these snapshots I wasn't sure if there was an editing program set up just for the snaphots. I am going to have to get out and get some recordings to play with them.

I changed the pics to jegs. Thanks.

[sonar2000]

No special viewer needed.  It just depends on how you want to add into the picture with comments, etc.
For basic needs paint work well..
I always try to refile the picture in a JPG format..
Since you have found the snapshots on the sd card you are already more than halfway there...
Chuck   

[nasdaqsam]

"The best thing to remember is to record all your runs.  The unit stores the raw data coming from the transdcuer and when you get home, you can play them back and adjust the range and other settings to get the best images.  The unit processes the saved data just like its real time.  You can actually pause a recording and change the settings on the fly to get better images."

Chuck, I was just rereading what you said here. Is this done on the 1198 itself or can this be done with a program like humviewer?

[sonar2000]

Nasdaq.....just snapshot the pictures on the unit and it will record them to the SD Card, then you can take the SD Card to any computer..
Remember that you cant take a snapshot while you are recording..
Recordings: Try to keep them to times of 20 minutes or so. they can get big and unweildly when they get larger.
Playback on the unit is slow and the forward/reverse is very slow.
So viewers are the best way to review.
Unless you are wanting to play with settings......then the recording is fine...

Chuck