Topic: Problem with 997 and sonar please help

[nrgbentall]

We have 997 with hi def transducer all worked fine until now random clicking noise from transducer and intermittent sonar signal on screen on both 83 Hz and 200Hz side imaging is working fine.

Have upgraded firmware to latest 6.3 no difference.

Anyone got and ideas of what the problem might be

Thanks in advance
Nick

[Humminbird_Greg]

The problem could be in the transducer or in the unit itself.  If there is someone else with a Humminbird sonar unit near you try testing your 997 unit on their boat/transducer.  This does not have to be another 997 unit/transducer.  Just make sure it IS NOT a 3D or DI designated unit and the 2D sonar should test without problems.

If you have a multiple transducer setup try testing each transducer plugged directly into the 997 unit (no Y-cables or switches).

[nrgbentall]

Thanks for the info unturtunatly in UK not many people with humminbird units.
Do you know if the unit has a diagnostic mode which could bring up errors on the transducer?
Thanks
Nick

[Humminbird_Greg]

It does not Nick.
The unit has no way of accurately testing the transducer.

Most of the time the problem is in the transducer and not the unit.  Still it would be best to be able to test one or the other on someone else's boat... otherwise you are making a guess as to where the prioblem really is.

[George]

nrgbentall

Have you tried checking the transducer wire to make sure it has not been pinched broken or cut making partial intermittent contact? 

If you have access to the boat out of the water, you can feel the clicking and/or may hear the transducer most of the time it is normal, you can flex the wire to determine if the wire is the issue.

Also, check the pin contacts make sure everything is clean and tight.

None of this may work but at least you can eliminate it.  My transducers have taken a beating and continue to work flawlessly.  I have extra transducers just in case I need one.  You may want to invest in a second transducer to eliminate the issue and to have a back up.

George

[nrgbentall]

Hi Greg and George thanks for your input

I have now cleaned all connections in and out of the 997 disconnected everthing except power and transducer put a scope on the supply feed all fine, reset everthing to defaults taken all memory cards out tried all frequency si and echo, tried a dedicated supply battery, moved wires on transducer but still the same.

What I did notice is when the switchmode is set to max mode things look sort of normal except for a blip which is in line with the clicking noise and a line at the top of the screen(seems like this is in the wrong place?)

But when the switchfire is set to clear mode just a blip on the screen I realy dont undrstand whats going on here I have uploaded the screen shots incase any one has any ideas

Thanks again

[Rickard]

This seems really weird. The clicking is created by the downward transmit pulses and use to be audible when the transducer is out of the water and the unit can't find the seafloor. Then the unit believes it's deep and tries with higher transmit level, more wave cycles per ping and lower and lower ping rate down to about one ping per second. It looks as the "bursts" appear at about that frequency, which indicates the unit can't find the seafloor. But, between the bursts the image looks normal and a true depth reading is shown. So it seems as if the unit both can and cannot sense depth through the 200 kHz channel!? 
Rickard