Topic: 1198 Transducer reading drops out

[bobby]

This past week I have a new issue where the transducer crashes... meaning I get a flashing depth indicator with .1 depth and no bottom lock.  To get it back I have to rest the defaults... any ideas? Currently I running a y cable with the SI and Quad beam tranducers.

[ITGEEK]

Just throwing these out there.:
Check that your connections at the back of your unit are tight.
Check the transducer cable and the y-cable for kinks/cuts.
Check your electrical system (connections, fully charge battery, load test battery).
Check that there is no debris on your transducer, and that it is not cracked
from an impact.
Check that while on the water, with your boat fully loaded,
that your transducer is more or less level.
If your software is not up to date install the newest version (at your own risk  ).

To check if it's the y-cable, by-pass it by hooking up each transducer separately
to your unit, and see if each one displays the proper depth.  You'll have to
select each tranducer type in the Sonar menu (Transducer select option).

This may not apply, but if all else fails (could have a corrupted Waypoint).
Bring your Waypoints into Humminbird PC to verify them.
Look for duplicates and invalid coordinates.
When fixed, delete NAV data from unit and reload from SD card.

Good Luck

[Humminbird_Greg]

bobby,
In addition to what ITG stated:
Is there a second sonar unit on the boat?
Does this only happen at a certain speed or faster?
Does this only happen when running the trolling motor, main motor or other device on the boat?
Where is the QuadraBeam transducer installed?

[bobby]

Happens at both times, underway - other front unit off, and while fishing with trolling motor unit down.  The other transducer, quad beam, is in the rear above and 18 inches to the right of the SI.  Running forward into a db si y cord at the 1198.  Used this set up from day one and for some time since owning the units and on the earlier software versions.  First time to run the system since having multiple unit lock ups working throught the software update / waypoint corruption issue.  Just rechecked the wiring prior to going up North as I had to make some tweaks for other things. Haven't bypassed the y cable as yet, went back to the last software version to test tonight.  It is intermittent, comes out of nowhere and if I reset to defaults both transducers comes back. 

[ITGEEK]

Maybe Ethernet problem?
I don't know if you have it, but if you do, may be a possibility.

[bobby]

No ethernet,,,, interlink only which doesn't share transducer, and which has not worked since HB sent back my units and a new interlink.."sync failure message" when you try to participate. I talked with HB this morning about both issues, 1. no interlink and 2. lost transducer signal.  They sugessted I do more troubleshooting and if it points to the unit to send it in.  I just got it back less then a month ago and it was on the bench for the sofware problem, I would have thought that would include a full bench check.  My unit is appliying for frequent flyer miles. I will check to see if I have a problem on the old software version and if so, I'll remove the Y cable to isolate transducers and test them individually.  I can tell you I am on the verge of switcing back to a "MAC"!

[bobby]

Well I went back to the last version of software and had no problems in the 4 hours of fishing last night. The transducer never dropped out causing me to have to reset to defaults to get it back and also never lost bottom lock.  I guess I'll temp fate and take it back up to the recent version for tonight fishing and see if it happens again.

[Humminbird_Greg]

Make sure and download a fresh copy of the software update when you do in case the file you have is somehow corrupted.

[bobby]

Thanks for the suggestion, I did download a fresh one and will post my findings tonight.