Lowrance electronic SONAR X52 User Manual

Pub. 988-0151-211  
X52 and X59DF  
Fish-Finding & Depth-Sounding Sonars  
Installation and Operation  
Instructions  
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Table of Contents  
Introduction ......................................................................................i  
Capabilities and Specifications: X52 and X59DF.............................. 1  
Installation & Accessories............................................................. 3  
Preparations........................................................................................ 3  
Transducer Installation...................................................................... 3  
Recommended Tools and supplies.................................................. 4  
Selecting a Transducer Location.................................................... 4  
How low should you go?.................................................................. 5  
Shoot-Thru-Hull vs. Transom Mounting ....................................... 6  
Transom Transducer Assembly and Mounting ............................. 7  
Trolling Motor Bracket Installation................................................. 13  
Transducer Orientation and Fish Arches.................................... 14  
Shoot-Thru-Hull Preparation....................................................... 15  
Testing Determines Best Location............................................... 16  
Shoot-Thru-Hull Installation ....................................................... 17  
Speed/Temperature Sensors............................................................. 19  
Optional Temperature Sensor...................................................... 19  
Optional Speed Sensor Installation ............................................. 19  
Power Connections............................................................................ 20  
Powering a NMEA 2000 Buss (NMEA 2000 Power cable).......... 21  
Powering Your Unit...................................................................... 21  
NMEA 2000 Cable Connections....................................................... 24  
NMEA 0183 Cable Connections....................................................... 24  
Mounting the Unit: Bracket, In-Dash or Portable.......................... 25  
Other Accessories.............................................................................. 29  
Basic Sonar Operation................................................................. 31  
KEYBOARD BASICS ....................................................................... 31  
Memory.............................................................................................. 32  
Menus................................................................................................ 32  
Main Menu .................................................................................... 32  
Sonar Menu................................................................................... 34  
Pages ................................................................................................. 35  
Basic Sonar Quick Reference ........................................................... 38  
Sonar Operations.............................................................................. 39  
Fish Symbols vs. Full Sonar Chart.............................................. 41  
Other Free Training Aids ............................................................. 42  
Advanced Sonar Options & Other Features............................ 43  
ASP(Advanced Signal Processing)............................................... 43  
Alarms ............................................................................................... 44  
Depth Alarms................................................................................ 44  
Fish Alarm..................................................................................... 45  
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Backlight Level ................................................................................. 46  
Calibrate Speed................................................................................. 46  
Chart Speed....................................................................................... 46  
Grayline........................................................................................... 47  
Contrast............................................................................................. 48  
Depth Cursor..................................................................................... 49  
Depth Range - Automatic................................................................. 50  
Depth Range - Manual ..................................................................... 50  
Depth Range - Upper and Lower Limits ......................................... 51  
To change the upper and lower limits:......................................... 51  
To turn off upper and lower limits:.............................................. 52  
FasTrack........................................................................................ 52  
Fish I.D.(Fish Symbols & Depths)............................................... 52  
FishTrack....................................................................................... 53  
Overlay Data..................................................................................... 54  
Ping Speed & HyperScroll............................................................. 56  
To change Ping Speed:.................................................................. 57  
To adjust Sensitivity:.................................................................... 57  
To turn off HyperScroll:................................................................ 57  
Pop-up Help....................................................................................... 58  
Reset Options.................................................................................... 58  
Reset Water Distance ....................................................................... 59  
Sensitivity & Auto Sensitivity.......................................................... 59  
To turn Auto Sensitivity back on: ................................................ 61  
Set Keel Offset .................................................................................. 61  
Set Language .................................................................................... 62  
Software Version Information.......................................................... 62  
Sonar Chart Mode............................................................................. 63  
Sonar Page & Sonar Chart Display Options ................................... 63  
Full Sonar Chart........................................................................... 63  
Split Zoom Sonar Chart................................................................ 64  
Digital Data/Chart........................................................................ 65  
Flasher........................................................................................... 66  
Sonar Simulator................................................................................ 66  
Stop Chart......................................................................................... 66  
Surface Clarity.................................................................................. 67  
Units of Measure............................................................................... 68  
Zoom Pan........................................................................................... 70  
Troubleshooting ............................................................................ 71  
Index................................................................................................. 75  
ii  
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Introduction  
Thank you for buying a Lowrancesonar! Your unit is a high-quality  
sonar designed for both professional and novice fishermen. All  
Lowrance sonars have an automatic mode that finds and displays the  
bottom, fish, underwater structure and more – right out of the box. All  
you have to do is press the on (PWR) key.  
However, if you want to fine-tune your unit, press the MENU key. The  
X52 and X59DF have several powerful features you can control by  
scrolling through easy-to-use menus with the arrow and menu keys.  
To get started with your Lowrance sonar, first read the installation  
section. It contains instructions for mounting the sonar unit, the  
transducer and any optional accessories, such as a speed sensor.  
Following recommended installation practices will pay off in optimum  
performance of your Lowrance sonar. Improper installation can cause  
problems down the road, especially if the transducer is badly mounted.  
After you've read the installation instructions, install the unit and  
accessories. Then, read the rest of the manual. The more you know  
about your sonar, the better it will work for you.  
Take advantage of the Simulator feature. It allows you to practice  
operating your sonar before you get it in the water. And when you finally  
head for your favorite fishing hole, take this manual along for reference.  
Capabilities and Specifications: X52 and X59DF  
General  
Case size:......................... 5.2" H x 5.4" W x 2.6" D (13.2 cm H x 13.6 cm  
W x 6.6 cm D) sealed, waterproof; suitable  
for saltwater use.  
Display:............................ High-contrast Film SuperTwist LCD; 4.0"  
(10.2 cm) diagonal viewing area.  
Resolution:...................... 240 pixels (vert.) x 160 pixel (horiz.)  
resolution; 38,400 total pixels  
Backlighting:.................. White LED backlit screen and keypad for  
night use.  
Input power:................... 10 to 17 volts DC.  
Current drain: ............... 300 ma lights off; 400 ma lights on.  
Back-up memory:.......... Built-in memory stores sonar settings when  
unit is turned off.  
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Sonar  
Frequency:...................... 200 kHz (or 50/200 kHz – X59DF only).  
Transducers: .................. A dual-frequency Skimmertransducer  
comes packed with the X59DF. It has 35°/12°  
cone angles. Single frequency models for X52  
with a 20° cone angle are sold separately.  
Both models offer a wide fish detection area  
of up to 60º with high sensitivity settings.  
Transmitter:................... 1500 watts peak-to-peak power (typical); 188  
watts RMS power (typical).  
Sonar sounding  
depth capability: ........... 800 feet (244 meters) at 200 kHz; 1500 feet  
(450 meters) at 50 kHz (X59DF only). Actual  
capability depends on transducer  
configuration and installation, bottom  
composition and water conditions. All sonar  
units typically read deeper in fresh water  
than in salt water.  
Depth display:................ Continuous digital readout.  
Audible alarms: ............. Deep/shallow/fish.  
Automatic ranging:....... Yes, with instant screen updates.  
Zoom bottom track: ...... Yes.  
Split-screen zoom:......... Yes.  
Surface water temp:..... Yes, with optional external temperature  
sensor, combo speed/temp sensor or  
transducer with built-in temp.  
Speed/distance log:....... Yes, with optional speed sensor or combo  
speed/temp sensor.  
NOTICE!  
The storage temperature for your unit is from -4 degrees to +167  
degrees Fahrenheit (-20 degrees to +75 degrees Celsius). Extended  
storage in temperatures higher or lower than specified will damage  
the liquid crystal display in your unit. This type of damage is not  
covered by the warranty. For more information, contact the  
factory's Customer Service Department; phone numbers are inside  
the manual's back cover.  
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Installation & Accessories  
Preparations  
You can install the sonar system in some other order if you prefer, but  
we recommend this installation sequence:  
CAUTION:  
You should read over this entire installation section before  
drilling any holes in your vehicle or vessel!  
1. Determine the approximate location for the sonar unit, so you can  
plan how and where to route the cables for the transducer and power.  
This will help you make sure you have enough cable length for the  
desired configuration.  
2. Determine the approximate location for the transducer and its cable  
route.  
3. Determine the location of your battery or other power connection,  
along with the power cable route.  
4. Install the transducer and route the transducer cable to the sonar  
unit.  
5. Route the power cable from the unit's location to an appropriate  
power source and connect it there.  
6. Connect the transducer/power cable to the unit and mount the sonar  
unit on the bracket.  
Transducer Installation  
These instructions will help you install your Skimmertransducer on a  
transom, on a trolling motor or inside a hull. Please read all  
instructions before proceeding with any installation.  
Your Skimmer transducer typically comes packaged with a one-piece  
stainless steel bracket for mounting it to the transom of your boat. The  
optional trolling motor mount uses a one-piece plastic bracket with an  
adjustable strap. These are "kick-up" mounting brackets. They help  
prevent damage if the transducer strikes an object while the boat is  
moving. If the transducer does "kick-up," the bracket can easily be  
pushed back into place without tools.  
Read these instructions carefully before attempting the installation.  
Determine which of the installation methods is right for your boat.  
Remember, the transducer location and installation is the most  
critical part of a sonar installation.  
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Recommended Tools and supplies  
If you prefer the option of routing the cable through the transom, you  
will need a 5/8" drill bit. (If you intend to install an additional speed or  
temp sensor and route its cable through the same hole in the transom,  
you will need a 1" (25.4 mm) drill bit to accommodate all the cables.)  
NOTE:  
The following installation types also call for these recommended  
tools and required supplies that you must provide (supplies listed  
here are not included):  
Single-frequency transom installations  
Tools include: two adjustable wrenches, drill, #29 (0.136") drill bit, flat-  
head screwdriver. Supplies: none.  
Dual-frequency transom installations  
Tools: two adjustable wrenches, drill, #20 (0.161") drill bit, flat-head  
screwdriver. Supplies: four, 1" long, #12 stainless steel slotted wood  
screws.  
Single-frequency trolling motor installations  
Tools: two adjustable wrenches, flat-head screwdriver. Supplies: plastic  
cable ties.  
Shoot-through hull installations  
Tools: these will vary depending on your hull's composition. Consult  
your boat dealer or manufacturer. Other tools are a wooden craft stick  
or similar tool for stirring and applying epoxy, and a paper plate or  
piece of cardboard to mix the epoxy on. Supplies: rubbing alcohol, 100  
grit sandpaper, specially formulated epoxy adhesive available from LEI  
(see ordering information on page 20). A sandwich hull also requires  
polyester resin.  
Selecting a Transducer Location  
1. The location must be in the water at all times, at all operating speeds.  
2. The transducer must be placed in a location that has a smooth flow of  
water at all times. If the transducer is not placed in a smooth flow of  
water, interference caused by bubbles and turbulence will show on the  
sonar's display in the form of random lines or dots whenever the boat is  
moving.  
NOTE:  
Some aluminum boats with strakes or ribs on the outside of the  
hull create large amounts of turbulence at high speed. These boats  
typically have large outboard motors capable of propelling the boat  
at speeds faster than 35 mph. Typically, a good transom location on  
aluminum boats is between the ribs closest to the engine.  
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3. The transducer should be installed with its face pointing straight  
down, if possible. For shoot-thru applications: Many popular fishing  
boat hulls have a flat keel pad that offers a good mounting surface. On  
vee hulls, try to place the transducer where the deadrise is 10° or less.  
Deadrise less than 10°  
Strakes  
Pad  
Left, vee pad hull; right, vee hull. A pod style transducer is shown here,  
but the principle is the same for Skimmers inside a hull.  
4. If the transducer is mounted on the transom, make sure it doesn't  
interfere with the trailer or hauling of the boat. Also, don't mount it  
closer than approximately one foot from the engine's lower unit. This  
will prevent cavitation (bubble) interference with propeller operation.  
5. If possible, route the transducer cable away from other wiring on the  
boat. Electrical noise from engine wiring, bilge pumps and aerators can  
be displayed on the sonar's screen. Use caution when routing the  
transducer cable around these wires.  
CAUTION: Clamp the  
transducer cable to transom  
near the transducer. This will  
help prevent the transducer  
from entering the boat if it is  
knocked off at high speed.  
Good location  
Poor location  
Good  
location  
Good location  
Poor angle  
Good and poor transducer locations.  
How low should you go?  
For most situations, you should install your Skimmer transducer so  
that its centerline is level with the bottom of the boat hull. This will  
usually give you the best combination of smooth water flow and  
protection from bangs and bumps.  
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Transom  
Transom  
Transducer  
centerline  
Hull bottom  
Hull bottom  
Align transducer centerline with hull bottom. A dual frequency  
transducer is shown at left and a single frequency transducer at right.  
However, there are times when you may need to adjust the transducer  
slightly higher or lower. (The slots in the mounting brackets allow you  
to loosen the screws and slide the transducer up or down.) If you  
frequently lose bottom signal lock while running at high speed, the  
transducer may be coming out of the water as you cross waves or  
wakes. Move the transducer a little lower to help prevent this.  
If you cruise or fish around lots of structure and cover, your transducer  
may be frequently kicking up from object strikes. If you wish, you may  
move the transducer a little higher for more protection.  
There are two extremes you should avoid. Never let the edge of the  
mounting bracket extend below the bottom of the hull. Never let the  
bottom – the face – of the transducer rise above the bottom of the hull.  
Shoot-Thru-Hull vs. Transom Mounting  
In a shoot-thru-hull installation, the transducer is bonded to the inside  
of the hull with epoxy. The sonar "ping" signal actually passes through  
the hull and into the water. This differs from a bolt-thru-hull  
installation (often called simply "thru-hull"). In that case, a hole is cut  
in the hull and a specially designed transducer is mounted through the  
hull with a threaded shaft and nut. This puts the transducer in direct  
contact with the water.  
Typically, shoot-thru-hull installations give excellent high speed  
operation and good to excellent depth capability. There is no possibility  
of transducer damage from floating objects, as there is with a transom-  
mounted transducer. A transducer mounted inside the hull can't be  
knocked off when docking or loading on a trailer.  
However, the shoot-thru-hull installation does have its drawbacks.  
First, some loss of sensitivity does occur, even on the best hulls. This  
varies from hull to hull, even from different installations on the same  
hull. This is caused by differences in hull lay-up and construction.  
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Second, the transducer angle cannot be adjusted for the best fish arches  
on your sonar display. (This is not an issue for flasher-style sonars.)  
Lack of angle adjustment can be particularly troublesome on hulls that  
sit with the bow high when at rest or at slow trolling speeds.  
Third, a transducer CAN NOT shoot through wood and metal hulls.  
Those hulls require either a transom mount or a thru-hull installation.  
Fourth, if your Skimmer transducer has a built in temp sensor, it will  
only show the temperature of the bilge, not the water surface temp.  
Follow the testing procedures listed in the shoot-thru-hull installation  
section at the end of this instruction booklet to determine if you can  
satisfactorily shoot through the hull.  
Transom Transducer Assembly and Mounting  
The best way to install these transducers is to loosely assemble all of  
the parts first, place the transducer's bracket against the transom and  
see if you can move the transducer so that it's parallel with the ground.  
The following instructions sometimes vary depending on the mounting  
bracket that came with your transducer. Single frequency Skimmers  
come with a one-piece stainless steel bracket, while dual frequency  
Skimmers come with a two-piece plastic mounting bracket. Use the set  
of instructions that fits your model.  
1. Assembling the bracket.  
A. One-piece bracket: Press the two small plastic ratchets into the  
sides of the metal bracket as shown in the following illustration. Notice  
there are letters molded into each ratchet. Place each ratchet into the  
bracket with the letter "A" aligned with the dot stamped into the metal  
bracket. This position sets the transducer's coarse angle adjustment for a  
14° transom. Most outboard and stern-drive transoms have a 14° angle.  
Dot  
Align plastic ratchets in bracket.  
B. Two-piece bracket: Locate the four plastic ratchets in the  
transducer's hardware package. Press two ratchets into the sides of  
the plastic bracket and two on either side of the transducer as shown  
in the following illustrations. Notice there are letters molded into each  
ratchet. Place the ratchets into the bracket with the letter "A" aligned  
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with the alignment mark molded into the bracket. Place the ratchets  
onto the transducer with the letter "A" aligned with the 12 o'clock  
position on the transducer stem. These positions set the transducer's  
coarse angle adjustment for a 14° transom. Most outboard and stern-  
drive transoms have a 14° angle.  
Alignment letters  
Alignment  
positions  
Transducer  
Transducer bracket  
Insert and align ratchets.  
Transducer  
Transducer  
bracket  
Ratchet  
Ratchet  
Add ratchets to bracket and transducer.  
2. Aligning the transducer on the transom.  
A. One-piece bracket: Slide the transducer between the two  
ratchets. Temporarily slide the bolt though the transducer assembly  
and hold it against the transom. Looking at the transducer from the  
side, check to see if it will adjust so that its face is parallel to the  
ground. If it does, then the "A" position is correct for your hull.  
If the transducer's face isn't parallel with the ground, remove the  
transducer and ratchets from the bracket. Place the ratchets into the  
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holes in the bracket with the letter "B" aligned with the dot stamped  
in the bracket.  
Reassemble the transducer and bracket and place them against the  
transom. Again, check to see if you can move the transducer so it's  
parallel with the ground. If you can, then go to step 3A. If it doesn't,  
repeat step 2A, but use a different alignment letter until you can  
place the transducer on the transom correctly.  
Ratchets  
Insert bolt and check transducer position on transom.  
B. Two-piece bracket: Assemble the transducer and bracket as  
shown in the following figure. Temporarily slide the bolt though the  
transducer assembly but don't tighten the nut at this time. Hold the  
assembled transducer and bracket against the transom. Looking at the  
transducer from the side, check to see if it will adjust so that its face is  
parallel to the ground. If it does, then the "A" positions are correct for  
your hull.  
If the transducer's face isn't parallel with the ground, remove and  
disassemble the transducer and ratchets. Place the ratchets into the  
bracket holes with the letter "B" aligned with the bracket alignment  
mark. Place them on the transducer aligned with the 12 o'clock  
position on the transducer stem.  
Reassemble the transducer and bracket and place them against the  
transom. Again, check to see if you can move the transducer so it's  
parallel with the ground. If you can, then go to step 3B. If it doesn't,  
repeat step 2B, but use a different alignment letter until you can  
place the transducer on the transom correctly.  
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Lock washer  
Nut  
Bolt  
Flat washer  
Flat washer  
Assemble transducer and bracket.  
3. Assembling the transducer.  
A. One-piece bracket: Once you determine the correct position for  
the ratchets, assemble the transducer as shown in the following  
figure. Don't tighten the lock nut at this time.  
Metal  
washer  
Nut  
Rubber  
washers  
Metal washer  
Bolt  
Assemble transducer and bracket.  
B. Two-piece bracket: Once you determine the correct position for  
the ratchets, assemble the transducer as shown in the figure in step  
2B. Don't tighten the lock nut at this time.  
4. Drilling mounting holes.  
Hold the transducer and bracket assembly against the transom. The  
transducer should be roughly parallel to the ground. The  
transducer's centerline should be in line with the bottom of the hull.  
Don't let the bracket extend below the hull!  
Mark the center of each slot for the mounting screw pilot holes. You  
will drill one hole in the center of each slot.  
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Drill the holes. For the one-piece bracket, use the #29 bit (for the #10  
screws). For the two-piece bracket, use the #20 bit (for the #12  
screws).  
Transom  
Transom  
Position transducer mount on transom and mark mounting holes.  
Side view shown at left and seen from above at right.  
5. Attaching transducer to transom.  
A. One-piece bracket: Remove the transducer from the bracket and  
re-assemble it with the cable passing through the bracket over the  
bolt as shown in the following figures.  
For single frequency Skimmer, route cable over bolt and through  
bracket. Side view shown at left and seen from above at right.  
Both bracket types: Attach the transducer to the transom. Slide the  
transducer up or down until it's aligned properly with the bottom of  
the hull as shown in the preceding and following figures. Tighten the  
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bracket's mounting screws, sealing them with the sealant/adhesive  
compound.  
Adjust the transducer so that it's parallel to the ground and tighten  
the nut until it touches the outer washer, then add 1/4 turn. Don't  
over tighten the lock nut! If you do, the transducer won't "kick-up" if  
it strikes an object in the water.  
Bottom  
of  
hull  
Flat-bottom hull  
Deep-"vee" hull  
Align transducer centerline with hull bottom and attach transducer to  
transom. Rear view of dual frequency Skimmer shown.  
6. Route the transducer cable through or over the transom to  
the sonar unit. Make sure to leave some slack in the cable at the  
transducer. If possible, route the transducer cable away from other  
wiring on the boat. Electrical noise from the engine's wiring, bilge  
pumps, VHF radio wires and cables, and aerators can be picked up by  
the sonar. Use caution when routing the transducer cable around  
these wires.  
WARNING:  
Clamp the transducer cable to the transom close to the  
transducer. This can prevent the transducer from  
entering the boat if it is knocked off at high speed.  
If you need to drill a hole in the transom to pass the connector through,  
the required hole size will depend on the connector on the end of your  
transducer's cable. If the transducer has a manual locking collar  
connector, you will need to drill a 1" hole. If it has a push-on self-  
sealing connector, you will need to drill a 5/8" hole.  
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Manual locking collar connector  
requires a 1" hole.  
Push-on self-sealing connector  
requires a 5/8" hole.  
Caution:  
If you drill a hole in the transom for the cable, make sure it is  
located above the waterline. After installation, be sure to seal the  
hole with the same marine grade above- or below-waterline  
sealant/adhesive used for the mounting screws.  
7. Make a test run to determine the results. If the bottom is lost at  
high speed, or if noise appears on the display, try sliding the  
transducer bracket down. This puts the transducer deeper into the  
water, hopefully below the turbulence causing the noise. Don't allow  
the transducer bracket to go below the bottom of the hull!  
Trolling Motor Bracket Installation  
1. Attach the TMB-S bracket to the transducer as shown in the  
following figure, using the hardware supplied with the transducer.  
(Note: The internal tooth washer is supplied with the TMB-S.)  
TMB-S  
bracket  
Internal tooth washer  
Nut  
Bolt  
Flat washer  
Attach motor mounting bracket to transducer.  
2. Slide the adjustable strap supplied with the TMB-S through the slot  
in the transducer bracket and wrap it around the trolling motor.  
Position the transducer to aim straight down when the motor is in the  
water. Tighten the strap securely.  
3. Route the transducer cable alongside the trolling motor shaft. Use  
plastic ties (not included) to attach the transducer cable to the trolling  
motor shaft. Make sure there is enough slack in the cable for the motor  
to turn freely. Route the cable to the sonar unit and the transducer is  
ready for use.  
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Transducer mounted on trolling motor, side view.  
Transducer Orientation and Fish Arches  
If you do not get good fish arches on your display, it could be because  
the transducer is not parallel with the ground when the boat is at rest  
in the water or at slow trolling speeds.  
Partial fish arches  
Transducer aimed  
too far back  
Transducer aimed  
too far forward  
Full fish arch  
Proper transducer angle  
Transducer angles and their effects on fish arches.  
If the arch slopes up – but not back down – then the front of the  
transducer is too high and needs to be lowered. If only the back half of  
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the arch is printed, then the nose of the transducer is angled too far  
down and needs to be raised.  
NOTE:  
Periodically wash the transducer's face with soap and water to  
remove any oil film. Oil and dirt on the face will reduce the  
sensitivity or may even prevent operation.  
Shoot-Thru-Hull Preparation  
The transducer installation inside a fiberglass hull must be in an area  
that does not have air bubbles in the resin or separated fiberglass  
layers. The sonar signal must pass through solid fiberglass. A  
successful transducer installation can be made on hulls with flotation  
materials (such as plywood, balsa wood or foam) between layers of  
fiberglass if the material is removed from the chosen area. See the  
figure below.  
WARNING:  
Do not remove any material from your inner hull unless  
you know the hull's composition. Careless grinding or  
cutting on your hull can result in damage that could  
sink your boat. Contact your boat dealer or  
manufacturer to confirm your hull specifications.  
Fill with resin  
Fill with resin  
Inner hull  
Flotation material  
Epoxy to hull first  
Outer hull  
Epoxy the transducer to a solid portion of the hull.  
For example, some (but not all) manufacturers use a layer of fiberglass,  
then a core of balsa wood, finishing with an outer layer of fiberglass.  
Removing the inner layer of fiberglass and the balsa wood core exposes  
the outer layer of fiberglass. The transducer can then be epoxied  
directly to the outer layer of fiberglass. After the epoxy cures for 24  
hours, fill the remaining space with polyester resin. When the job is  
finished, the hull is watertight and structurally sound. Remember, the  
sonar signal must pass through solid fiberglass. Any air bubbles in the  
fiberglass or the epoxy will reduce or eliminate the sonar signals.  
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Testing Determines Best Location  
Ideally, the shoot-thru transducer should be installed as close to the  
transom as possible, close to the centerline. This will give you the best  
performance during high speed maneuvers.  
Transducer location  
(high speed)  
Transducer location  
(trolling speed)  
Shoot-thru-hull transducer locations for  
high speed or trolling speed operation.  
To choose the proper location for shoot-thru-hull mounting, follow these  
testing procedures: (You may need a helper to complete these steps.)  
1. Anchor the boat in about 30 feet of water. Add a little water to the  
sump of the boat. Plug the transducer into the sonar unit, turn it on,  
then hold the transducer over the side of the boat in the water. Adjust  
the sensitivity and range controls until a second bottom echo is seen on  
the display. (You'll need to turn off Auto Sensitivity, Auto Depth Range  
and ASP. Try a range setting that is two to three times the water  
depth. The harder (more rocky) the bottom, the easier it will be to get a  
second bottom signal.) Don't touch the controls once they've been set.  
True bottom  
Second bottom  
Manual range setting  
Example of a second bottom signal. Unit is in 30 feet of water, with  
range set at 80 feet and sensitivity set at 87 percent.  
2. Next, take the transducer out of the water and place it in the water  
in the sump of the boat, face down. (The transducer face is shown in the  
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figure on the following page.) Notice how the signal strength decreases.  
The second bottom signal will probably disappear and the bottom signal  
intensity will likely decrease.  
3. Now move the transducer around to find the best location with the  
strongest possible bottom signal. If you find a spot with an acceptable  
bottom signal, mark the location and move on to step 4.  
If you can't get an acceptable bottom signal, try turning up the sensitivity  
by three or five keystrokes and then move the transducer around once  
more. If you find a spot that works, mark it and move on to step 4.  
If you have to turn up sensitivity by more than five keystrokes to get a  
good signal, the transducer should be mounted on the outside of the  
hull. This is especially true if you have to turn sensitivity all the way  
up to get a decent bottom signal.  
4. Most people can get good results by following steps 1 through 3, so  
this step is optional. If you want to make an extra effort to be  
absolutely sure that your selected location will work under all  
conditions, make a test run with the boat on plane and observe the  
bottom signal. You'll need to figure some way to prop the transducer  
into position while you make your test run. (A brick or two might be  
sufficient to hold it in place.)  
5. When you're satisfied with a location, mark it and proceed with  
the installation.  
Shoot-Thru-Hull Installation  
If you are installing the transducer on a hull with flotation material  
sandwiched within the hull, refer to the subsection "Shoot-Thru-Hull  
Preparation,” beginning on page 15.  
1. Make sure the area is clean, dry and free of oil or grease, then sand  
both the inside surface of the hull and the face of the transducer with  
100 grit sandpaper. The sanded hull area should be about 1-1/2 times  
the diameter of the transducer. The surface of the hull must be flat so  
the entire transducer face is in contact with the hull prior to bonding.  
After sanding, clean the hull and transducer with rubbing alcohol to  
remove any sanding debris.  
WARNING:  
Use only the epoxy available from LEI. It has been  
formulated to work with these installation procedures.  
Other epoxy types may be too thin or may not cure to the  
right consistency for optimum transducer performance.  
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Spread epoxy here  
Sand this surface  
(unit's face)  
Orient the Skimmer  
with the nose facing  
the bow of the boat.  
To bow  
Epoxy transducer to hull.  
2. The epoxy consists of the epoxy itself and a hardener. Remove the  
two compounds from the package and place them on the paper plate.  
Thoroughly stir the two compounds together until the mixture has a  
uniform color and consistency. Do not mix too fast or bubbles will form  
in the epoxy. After mixing, you have 20 minutes to complete the  
installation before the epoxy becomes unworkable.  
Spread a thin layer of epoxy (about 1/16" or 1.5 mm thick) on the face of  
the transducer as shown in the previous figure. Make sure there are no  
air pockets in the epoxy layer! Then, apply the remaining epoxy to the  
sanded area on the hull.  
3. Press the transducer into the epoxy, twisting and turning it to force  
any air bubbles out from under the transducer face. Stop pressing when  
you bottom out on the hull. When you're finished, the face of the  
transducer should be parallel with the hull, with a minimum amount of  
epoxy between the hull and transducer.  
4. Apply a weight, such as a brick, to hold the transducer in place while  
the epoxy cures. Be careful not to bump the transducer while the epoxy  
is wet. Leave the weight in place for a minimum of three hours. Allow  
the epoxy to cure for 24 hours before moving the boat.  
5. After the epoxy has cured, route the cable to the sonar unit and it's  
ready to use.  
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Speed/Temperature Sensors  
Optional Temperature Sensor  
All the units in this series can display water temperature from a single  
analog sensor. Your unit comes packed with a transducer with a temp  
sensor built into it. If you wish to purchase an optional additional  
sensor for your unit, refer to the accessory ordering information inside  
the back cover of this manual.  
However, please note that the Sonar socket on your unit is designed to  
read only one temp sensor. Since your transducer contains a built-in  
temp sensor, attaching the optional temp sensor to your unit's Sonar  
socket will override the temperature information provided by the  
transducer's temp sensor. Your unit will only display the temperature  
provided by the optional sensor.  
Optional Speed Sensor Installation  
All the units in this series can display speed and distance traveled, but  
only the X59DF comes packed with a speed sensor. If you wish to  
purchase an optional additional sensor for your unit, refer to the  
accessory ordering information inside the back cover of this manual.  
The following instructions describe how to install the speed sensor.  
Recommended tools for this job include: drill, 7/8" drill bit, 1/8" drill bit  
for pilot holes, screwdriver. Required supplies for this job include: four  
#8 stainless steel wood screws (3/4" long), high quality, marine grade  
above- or below-waterline sealant.  
First find a location on the boat's transom where the water flow is  
smoothest. Don't mount the sensor behind strakes or ribs. These will  
disturb the water flow to the speed sensor. Make sure the sensor will  
remain in the water when the boat is on plane. Also make sure the  
location doesn't interfere with the boat's trailer. Typically, the sensor is  
mounted about one foot to the side of the transom's centerline.  
Once you've determined the proper location for the unit, place the  
sensor on the transom. The bottom of the bracket should be flush with  
the hull's bottom. Using the sensor as a template, mark the hull for the  
screws' pilot holes. Drill four 1/8" holes, one in each end of the slots.  
Mount the sensor to the hull using #8 stainless steel wood screws (not  
included). Use a high quality, marine grade above- or below-waterline  
sealant to seal the screws. Make sure the sensor is flush with the  
bottom of the hull and tighten the screws.  
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Good location  
Stern view showing good location for mounting sensor on transom.  
Transom  
Bottom of hull  
Bottom of hull  
Speed sensor mounting configuration:  
side view (left) and rear view (right.)  
If the base of the transom has a radius, fill the gap between the  
transom and the sensor with the sealant. This will help ensure a  
smooth water flow.  
Route the sensor's cable through or over the transom to the sonar unit.  
If you need to drill a hole in the transom to pass the connector through,  
the required hole size is 7/8".  
CAUTION:  
If you drill a hole in the transom for the cable, make sure it is  
located above the waterline. After installation, be sure to seal the  
hole with the same marine grade above- or below-waterline  
sealant used for the screws.  
The sensor is now ready for use. Connect the sensor to the sonar socket  
on the back of your unit and connect the transducer to the speed  
sensor's socket. If you have any questions concerning the installation of  
the sensor, please contact your local boat dealer.  
Power Connections  
Your unit comes with a power/data cable that splits into three ends,  
each with several exposed wires (shown in the following figure). The  
end with 4 wires (blue, yellow, orange and shield) is a data cable that  
connects to a NMEA 0183 interface; the cable label says "RS-232  
COMM". The end with three wires (red, black and shield) is a power  
cable that supports a NMEA 2000buss; the cable label says "NMEA  
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2000 Power". The thicker three-wire cable (red, black and white) is the  
Power Supply for your unit (and optional external speaker connection  
for some units); it has no label on the cable.  
To unit  
Power Supply wires:  
red, black and white  
NMEA 2000 Power wires:  
Blue connector  
red, black and shield  
Data Cable wires: blue,  
yellow, orange and shield  
The Power/Data cable for this unit.  
Depending on your configuration, you may not use all of these wires.  
(For example, many units cannot operate an optional external speaker,  
so the white wire on the Power Supply cable isn't functional.) The  
following segments include instructions for installing all the wires that  
you will use with this unit.  
Powering a NMEA 2000 Buss  
(NMEA 2000 Power cable)  
A NMEA 2000 buss must be connected to a power source to operate. If  
you have a pre-existing NMEA 2000 installation, it may already be  
connected to another power source. If your NMEA 2000 buss is already  
powered, you can ignore the NMEA 2000 Power cable. Never attach  
two power sources to a single NMEA 2000 buss.  
If you do need to power your NMEA 2000 buss, attach the NMEA 2000  
Power cable to your boat's battery just as indicated in the following  
segment for connecting your unit's Power Supply cable. The NMEA  
2000 Power cable's red wire should be attached (with provided 3-amp  
fuse) to the boat battery's positive terminal, and the NMEA 2000 Power  
cable's black and shield wires should both be attached to the battery's  
negative terminal.  
Powering Your Unit  
(Power Supply cable – red and black wires)  
The unit works from a 12-volt battery system. For the best results,  
attach the power cable directly to the battery. You can attach the power  
cable to an accessory or power buss, however you may have problems  
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with electrical interference. Therefore, it's safer to go ahead and attach  
the power cable directly to the battery.  
CAUTION:  
When using the unit in a saltwater environment, we strongly  
recommend that you shut off the power supply to the power cable  
when the unit is not in use. When the unit is turned off but still  
connected to a power supply, electrolysis can occur in the power  
cable plug. This may result in corrosion of the plug body along with  
the electrical contacts in the cable and the unit's power socket.  
In saltwater environments we recommend you connect the power  
cable to the auxiliary power switch included in most boat designs.  
If that results in electrical interference, or if such a switch is not  
available, we recommend connecting direct to the battery and  
installing an inline switch. This will let you shut off power to the  
power cable when the unit is not in use. When you are not using  
the unit, you should always shut off power to the power cable,  
especially when the power cable is disconnected from the unit.  
If possible, keep the power cable away from other boat wiring, especially  
the engine's wires. This will provide the best isolation from electrical  
noise. If the cable is not long enough, splice #18 gauge wire onto it. The  
power cable has two wires, red and black. Red is the positive lead, black  
is negative or ground. (There is also a white wire to power an optional  
external speaker for some units. This unit does not use a speaker, so to  
prevent an electrical short, we recommend capping the exposed speaker  
wire end with a wire nut or electrical tape) Make sure to attach the in-  
line fuse holder to the red lead as close to the power source as possible.  
For example, if you have to extend the power cable to the battery or  
power buss, attach one end of the fuse holder directly to the battery or  
power buss. This will protect both the unit and the power cable in the  
event of a short. It uses a 3-amp fuse.  
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White external speaker  
wire (not used by this unit)  
Blue connector  
Red wire with  
3 amp fuse  
Black wire  
To power a  
NMEA 2000  
buss, also  
connect  
To unit  
NMEA 2000  
Power cable  
to the boat's  
battery.  
Optional power off  
switch for salt-  
water installations  
12 volt  
battery  
NMEA 0183  
Data Cable  
NMEA 2000 Power Cable  
Power connections for the units in this series.  
NOTES:  
If you're powering a NMEA 2000 buss, you will attach both the  
NMEA 2000 Power cable and the unit's Power Supply cable to the  
boat's battery. To attach the NMEA 2000 Power cable, connect the  
red wire to battery's + and black and shield wires to battery's –.  
If you are not powering a NMEA 2000 buss, we recommend capping  
all unused, exposed wire ends with wire nuts or electrical tape and  
tucking the excess cable out of the way. This will prevent an  
electrical short.  
WARNING:  
This product must be independently fused with the  
enclosed 3-amp fuse (or equivalent), even if you connect  
to a fused accessory or power buss.  
If a malfunction happens inside the unit, extensive  
damage can occur if the enclosed fuse is not used. As  
with all electrical devices, this unit could be damaged to  
a point that it is unrepairable and could even cause  
harm to the user when not properly fused.  
CAUTION:  
Do not use this product without a 3-amp fuse wired into the power  
cable! Failure to use a 3-amp fuse will void your warranty.  
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This unit has reverse polarity protection. No damage will occur if the  
power wires are reversed. However, the unit will not work until the  
wires are attached correctly.  
An optional 8-foot, CA-4 external power cable with a cigarette lighter  
adapter is available from Lowrance.  
NMEA 2000 Cable Connections  
NMEA 2000 is a new buss network specifically designed for boats. This is  
a very young industry standard and, at the time of printing, few boats  
being built now have a NMEA 2000 buss installed. Over the next few  
years, however, NMEA 2000 will become much more common. To help  
you get the most out of this technology, your Lowrance unit is designed  
to work with a NMEA 2000 network as soon as it becomes available.  
Connecting to a NMEA 2000 Network  
Your unit can be connected to a NMEA 2000 buss, receiving sensor  
information from any Lowrance units attached to the buss. Contact LEI  
Extras (look inside back cover for accessory ordering information) for a  
NMEA 2000 buss adapter cable if you would like to do this. Simply attach  
the adapter cable's manual locking collar connector to the Network port on  
the back of the sonar unit and attach the other end to an available port on  
the NMEA 2000 buss, as shown in the following image.  
To sonar  
unit's Network  
socket  
To NMEA 2000  
network port  
Lowrance unit direct connection to NMEA 2000 buss.  
As soon as the unit is connected to the network, it will begin receiving  
shared information. Please note that the buss must be powered to  
operate. (For more on powering a NMEA 2000 buss, see the  
instructions earlier in this section.)  
NMEA 0183 Cable Connections  
NMEA is a standard communications format for marine electronic  
equipment. Your sonar unit cannot currently communicate with a  
NMEA 0183 network, so the Data cable wires will not be used. To  
prevent an electrical short, we recommend capping all unused, exposed  
wire ends with wire nuts or electrical tape and tucking the excess cable  
out of the way.  
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Sonar unit,  
rear view  
Sonar/sensor socket  
(blue socket nut)  
Network socket  
(blue socket nut)  
Power/Data socket  
(blue socket nut)  
All blue connectors  
Optional  
temp sensor  
NMEA 2000  
buss adapter  
cable  
NMEA 0183  
data cable  
(unused)  
Blue  
connector  
Optional  
speed sensor  
NMEA 2000  
power cable  
Skimmer  
transducer with  
built-in temp sensor  
Main power  
supply cable  
To NMEA 2000  
buss (network)  
Cable connections for this unit.  
Mounting the Unit: Bracket, In-Dash or Portable  
You can install the unit on the top of a dash with the supplied gimbal  
bracket. It can also be installed in the dash or mounted on a portable  
power supply.  
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If you use the supplied bracket, you may be interested in the optional  
R-A-Mbracket mounting system. This converts the unit's gimbal  
bracket to a swivel mount, which can be used on the dash or overhead  
mounting positions.  
Optional R-A-M mounting system.  
Bracket Installation  
Mount the unit in any convenient location, provided there is clearance  
behind the unit when it's tilted for the best viewing angle. You should also  
make sure there is enough room behind the unit to attach the power,  
transducer and data cables. (A drawing on the next page shows the  
dimensions of a gimbal-mounted unit.)  
Holes in the bracket's base allow wood screw or through-bolt mounting.  
You may need to place a piece of plywood on the back side of thin fiberglass  
panels to reinforce the panel and secure the mounting hardware.  
Front  
Install the gimbal bracket. Orient the bracket so the arms slope toward  
the front of your unit.  
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Drill a 1-inch (25.4 mm) hole in the dash for the power, transducer and  
data cables. The best location for this hole is immediately under the  
gimbal bracket location. This way, the bracket can be installed so that  
it covers the hole, holds the cables in position and results in a neat  
installation. Some customers, however, prefer to mount the bracket to  
the side of the cable hole — it's a matter of personal preference.  
After drilling the hole, pass the transducer connector up through the  
hole from under the dash. Pass the power cable's bare-wire end down  
though the hole from the top.  
If you wish, you can fill in the hole around the cables with a good  
marine caulking compound. (Some marine dealers stock cable hole  
covers to conceal the opening.) No matter what type of installation you  
prefer, be sure to leave enough slack in the cables to allow tilting or  
swiveling the unit. If you choose to fill in the hole, be sure to position  
the cables against the rear edge of the hole as you apply the fill  
material.  
61.3  
[2.42]  
136  
[5.35]  
23.8  
[0.94]  
147.4  
[5.80]  
132  
[5.20]  
Millimeter  
66  
[Inch]  
[2.60]  
Front view (left) and side view (right) showing dimensions of X52 and  
X59DF sonar unit when mounted on gimbal bracket.  
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Before positioning the bracket, be sure to hold the cables against the  
rear edge of the hole. Then, slide the bracket over the hole and butt the  
rear of the bracket base firmly against the cables, thus pinning them in  
place against the side of the hole. Finally, fasten the bracket to the  
dash. Attach the unit to the gimbal bracket using the supplied gimbal  
knobs and washers.  
In-Dash Installation  
You can mount the unit in the dash with an optional FM-4 In-Dash  
Adapter Kit. The kit includes mounting hardware, a template for  
cutting the hole and an instruction sheet, part 988-0147-44.  
121  
[4.76]  
Top  
47  
[1.85]  
In-Dash  
Template  
Hole  
diameter  
Millimeters  
3.5  
[0.14]  
[Inches]  
112  
[4.40]  
Cut on line  
ALWAYS VERIFY DIMENSIONS  
R 6.35  
[0.25]  
119  
[4.68]  
In-dash mounting template for X52 and X59DF sonars, showing  
dimensions. NOTE: The figure above is not printed to scale. A scaled  
template is available for free download from our web site,  
Portable Installation  
Like many Lowrance products, this sonar unit is capable of portable  
operation by using an optional portable power pack. The power pack  
and an optional portable transducer expand the uses for your sonar  
unit. The power pack makes it easy to use the unit on your boat or take  
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it to the dock, on a float tube, on an ice fishing trip or use it as a second  
sonar in a friend's boat. Look inside the back cover of this manual for  
accessory ordering information.  
Other Accessories  
Two switch boxes are available for this unit. The SB-9BL transducer  
switch box switches two transducers to one sonar unit. The SB-10BL  
transducer switch box switches two sonar units to one transducer.  
If these accessories are not available from your dealer, see the  
accessory ordering information on the inside back cover of this manual.  
Visit our web site for a complete listing of all the available accessories  
for your unit.  
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Notes  
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Basic Sonar Operation  
KEYBOARD BASICS  
The unit sounds a tone when you press any key. This tells you the unit  
has accepted a command. Numbers in the photo correspond to key  
explanations below:  
4
2
3
1
Lowrance X59DF Sonar, front view, showing screen and keyboard.  
1. MENU/PWR (menu and power)  
This key appears in the manual text simply as MENU. Press this key to  
turn the unit on and off. While the unit is on, you can use this key to  
open the two major menus that access the many features that control  
the unit's operation. Press MENU once to access the Sonar Menu, or  
twice to access the Main Menu.  
NOTE:  
You must hold the MENU key down for a countdown of five in order  
to turn the unit off.  
2. ENT/PAGES (enter and pages)  
This key appears in the manual text simply as ENT. When viewing a  
menu or adjusting a feature, use this key to select a highlighted option.  
When no menus are on the screen, pressing this key will make the unit  
cycle through the four Sonar Chart Display Options.  
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3. EXIT  
Press this key to clear menus from the screen and return to the Sonar  
Chart display. You will also use EXIT to cancel alarms, and to clear any  
information windows that may appear on the screen.  
4. UP and DOWN ARROWS  
These keys appear in the manual text as or . Use these keys to move  
through the menu options and to adjust virtually every feature and  
function on the sonar unit.  
Memory  
This unit has permanent memory that saves all user settings, even when  
power is removed. It does not require, nor does it use an internal backup  
battery, so you never have to worry about replacement batteries.  
Menus  
Your sonar unit will work fine right out of the box with the factory  
default settings. You only need to learn a few basic functions to  
enhance your viewing. We'll discuss them briefly here, then talk about  
them and all the other commands in more detail in the next section,  
which begins on page 39.  
Your unit has two primary menus that control its operation.  
They are the Main Menu and the Sonar Menu.  
Main Menu  
The Main Menu contains some basic function commands and some setup  
option commands. You access the Main Menu by pressing MENU|MENU.  
You run a command by using or to highlight the command and then  
pressing ENT. To clear the Main Menu screen and return to the Page  
display, press EXIT. (Remember, our text style for "MENU|MENU" means  
"press the Menu key twice." See a full explanation of our instruction text  
formatting on page 4, Instructions = Menu Sequences.)  
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Main Menu.  
Main Menu Commands  
There are four "basic" Main Menu commands that you'll really want to  
read more about. They are:  
Screen commands (CONTRAST and BACKLIGHT LEVEL): change the  
appearance of the display screen. Use these commands to adjust how  
the screen looks under various lighting conditions.  
Volume command: controls sound levels for key strokes and alarms. If  
you don't like to hear a beep each time you press a key, you can turn all  
sounds off by setting the volume to zero. Sound is especially useful when  
used with the Fish I.D.fish symbol feature and fish alarm feature.  
Sonar Alarms command: turns alarms on or off and changes alarm  
thresholds. The fish alarm, used with Fish I.D., is the most popular  
use. It tells you when the sonar sees a fish. You can also set deep or  
shallow depth alarms.  
Popup Help command: turns the pop-up help boxes on or off. When  
you select a menu command, these information boxes appear to tell you  
what the command does or how to use the command. The default  
setting is on, which is really handy while you're learning.  
The remaining Main Menu commands are for more advanced functions,  
mostly setting various sonar options. (They're all detailed in the  
Advanced Section.)  
Units of Measure command: selects the units of measure used for  
showing speed/distance, depth and temperature.  
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Set Keel Offset command: calibrates the unit to show depth under  
the keel or actual depth from the surface.  
Calibrate Water Speed command: adjusts how a speed sensor  
measures water speed.  
Reset Water Distance command: resets water distance log to zero.  
Sonar Simulator command: turns the simulator feature on and off.  
Useful for learning how to operate the unit and all its functions.  
Reset Options command: returns all options and auto functions to  
their original factory settings. It's a great safety net while you're  
learning and experimenting with various settings.  
Set Language command: your unit has menus in 10 different  
languages. This command switches from one language to another.  
Software Information command: tells you which version of the  
operating software is loaded in your unit.  
Sonar Menu  
The Sonar Menu contains commands for the major sonar features and  
options. You access the Sonar Menu by pressing the MENU key one  
time. You run a command by using the or to highlight the command  
and then pressing ENT. To clear the menu screen and return to the  
Page display, press EXIT.  
Sonar Page Menu. Most of these functions are discussed in the  
Advanced Section.  
Sonar Menu Commands  
The Sonar Menu contains commands for the major sonar features and  
options. Most of them are only described in detail in the Advanced  
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Section, but Sensitivity and Auto Sensitivity are important basic  
functions that are discussed both here and in the Advanced Section. The  
other Sonar Menu commands include:  
Graylinecommand: separates fish and structure near the bottom  
from the actual bottom, and defines bottom composition/hardness.  
Depth Range command: manually sets the depth range shown on  
the sonar chart.  
Auto Depth Range command: automatically sets the depth range  
shown on the sonar chart to always keep the bottom in view.  
Upper and Lower Limits command: sets the upper and lower depth  
limits of the sonar chart. Lets you zoom in on a specific portion of the  
water column.  
Stop Chart command: stops the sonar chart from scrolling. Used  
when you want to "freeze" the image for closer study.  
Chart Speed command: sets the scrolling speed of the sonar chart.  
Depth Cursor command: displays a cursor line on the sonar chart  
which allows you to accurately measure the depth of a sonar target.  
Overlay Data command: chooses what types of information (such as  
water temperature) to show overlaid on the sonar chart screen.  
Sonar Features command: launches the Sonar Features menu  
which controls many functions and options, including screen chart  
mode, auto depth and sensitivity, surface clarity, noise rejection, Fish  
I.D.symbols, the zoom bar and zone bar.  
Ping Speed command: sets the rate at which sonar pings are made.  
Zoom command: controls the display size of sonar signal images.  
Pages  
This unit has four major display options. They are the Full Sonar Chart,  
Split Zoom Sonar Chart, Digital Data and Flasher.  
You access the various display modes by pressing the ENT/PAGES key.  
As you press this key, the unit cycles among the four page options. To  
return to a previous page, simply press ENT until the desired page  
appears again.  
The Full Sonar Chart is the main display option. This is a "cross-  
section" view of the water column beneath the boat. The chart moves  
across the screen, displaying sonar signal echoes that represent fish,  
structure and the bottom.  
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Surface clutter  
Digital data  
overlay  
Surface signal  
(depth &  
temperature)  
Depth scale  
In FasTrack, fish  
arches show as  
horizontal bars.  
Fish arches  
around  
school of  
bait fish  
Zoom bar  
Structure  
FasTrack  
bar graph  
Bottom signal  
Sonar Page, showing full sonar chart mode.  
Sonar chart display options (from left) full sonar chart and split zoom.  
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Sonar chart display options (from left) digital data and flasher.  
You can customize how the Sonar Page pictures and other data are  
displayed in many ways. We'll discuss all of those features and options  
in the Advanced Section, but to show you how easy the sonar unit is to  
operate, the following page contains a simplified, 10-step quick  
reference that will cover most fish finding situations. The quick  
reference describes how your unit will operate with all the sonar  
features in their automatic modes, which are set at the factory.  
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Basic Sonar Quick Reference  
1. Mount the transducer and unit. Connect the unit to electric power  
and the transducer.  
2. Launch your boat.  
3. To turn on the unit, press and release MENU key.  
4. Head for your fishing grounds. Your unit automatically displays  
digital depth and surface water temperature in the corner of the screen.  
The auto settings will track the bottom, displaying it in the lower  
portion of the screen. The full sonar chart will scroll from right to left,  
showing you what's under the boat as you cruise across the water.  
5. As you're watching the sonar returns, you can change the display by:  
Zoom in to enlarge the chart for more detail, or…  
Zoom out to return to full chart mode.  
Press MENU||ENT to select which Zoom Mode you want to use.  
6. If necessary, adjust sensitivity to improve chart readability. Press  
MENU|ENT and the Sensitivity Menu will appear on the left of your  
screen. Use and to change the setting.  
Boosting sensitivity will show more information on your screen, which  
may cause clutter. Reducing sensitivity will filter out some information,  
but could omit important images. We recommend adjusting sensitivity  
until the background is lightly "peppered" — that is, scattered dots  
appear, but individual objects (like fish arches or bottom structure) can  
be easily picked out of the background.  
7. Watch the display for the appearance of fish arches. When you see  
arches, you've found fish! Stop the boat and get your lure or bait into  
the water at the depth indicated on the sonar chart.  
8. Gauge the fish depth by visually comparing the fish arches with the  
depth scale on the right side of the screen, or get a more accurate  
measure with the Depth Cursor. Press MENU|to DEPTH CURSOR|ENT.  
Press (or ) to align the cursor line with the fish arch. The exact  
depth appears in a box at the right end of the cursor line. To clear the  
cursor, press EXIT.  
9. If you are drifting at a very low speed or anchored, you are not  
moving fast enough for a fish to return the tell-tale fish arch signal. As  
you drift over a fish, or as a fish swims through the transducer's signal  
cone, the fish echo will appear as a straight line suspended between the  
surface and the bottom.  
10. To turn off the unit, press and hold MENU key for three seconds.  
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Sonar Operations  
As you can see from the quick reference on the previous page, basic operation  
is pretty easy, right out of the box. If you are a sonar novice, try operating the  
unit with the factory defaults until you get a feel for how it's working.  
As you're learning the basics, there is one setting you might want to tinker  
with from time to time — Sensitivity.  
Sensitivity controls the unit's ability to pick up echoes. If you want to  
see more detail, try increasing the sensitivity, a little at a time. There  
are situations when too much clutter appears on the screen. Decreasing  
the sensitivity can reduce the clutter and show the strongest fish  
echoes, if fish are present. As you change the sensitivity setting, you  
can see the difference on the chart as it scrolls.  
Fig. 2  
Fig. 1  
Bait  
school  
Thermocline  
with fish  
Fish  
arches  
Fig. 3  
Fig. 4  
These figures show results of different sensitivity levels on the same  
location. Fig. 1: Sensitivity set at 87 percent. Typical of full auto mode.  
Fig. 2: Sensitivity set at 50 percent. Fig. 3: Sensitivity set at 20 percent.  
Fig. 4: Sensitivity set at 100 percent.  
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You can change the sensitivity level whether you are in Auto Sensitivity  
mode or Manual Sensitivity mode. The adjustment method works the  
same in both modes, but it gives you slightly different results.  
Adjusting sensitivity in Auto Sensitivity Mode is similar to manually  
adjusting a car's speed with the accelerator pedal while cruise control is  
on. You can tell the car to run faster, but when you let off the gas the  
cruise control automatically keeps you from running slower than the  
minimum speed setting. In the sonar unit, auto mode will let you increase  
sensitivity to 100 percent, but the unit will limit your minimum setting.  
This prevents you from turning sensitivity down too low to allow automatic  
bottom tracking. When you change the setting with auto turned on, the  
unit will continue to track the bottom and make minor adjustments to the  
sensitivity level, with a bias toward the setting you selected.  
Adjusting sensitivity in Manual Sensitivity Mode is similar to driving a  
car without cruise control — you have complete manual control of the  
car's speed. In the sonar unit, manual mode allows you to set  
sensitivity at 100 percent (maximum) or zero percent (minimum.)  
Depending on water conditions, the bottom signal may completely  
disappear from the screen when you reduce sensitivity to about 50  
percent or less!  
Try adjusting sensitivity in both auto and manual modes to see how  
they work.  
To adjust sensitivity:  
1. Press MENU|ENT.  
2. The Sensitivity Control Bar appears. Press to decrease sensitivity;  
press to increase sensitivity. When it's set at the desired level, press  
EXIT. (When you reach the maximum or minimum limit, a tone sounds.)  
The Sensitivity Control Bar.  
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NOTE:  
If you want to change the sensitivity in Manual Mode, first turn off  
Auto Sensitivity: from the Sonar Page, press MENU|to AUTO  
SENSITIVITY|ENT|to SENSITIVITY|ENT. Press or to pick a different  
sensitivity setting. When it's set at the desired level, press EXIT.  
Important Tip:  
While you are experimenting and learning, it's possible to scramble  
the settings so that the sonar picture disappears from your screen.  
If that happens, remember that it's easy to switch back to full  
automatic operation by simply restoring the factory auto settings.  
Here's how:  
To Restore Factory Settings  
1. Press MENU|MENU|to RESET OPTIONS|ENT.  
2. The unit asks if you want to reset all the options. Press or to  
YES|ENT. All options are reset, and the unit reverts back to the  
original settings.  
Fish Symbols vs. Full Sonar Chart  
You may have noticed in the quick reference that we used fish arches in  
full sonar chart mode for our example, and not the popular Fish I.D.  
fish symbol feature. Here's why.  
Fish I.D. is an easier way for a sonar novice to recognize a fishy signal  
return when he sees it. However, locating fish by symbol only has some  
limitations.  
Your sonar unit's microprocessor is remarkably powerful, but it can be  
fooled. Some of the echoes calculated to be fish could be tree limbs or  
turtles! To see what's under your boat in maximum detail, we  
recommend you turn off Fish I.D. and begin learning to interpret fish  
arches.  
Fish I.D. is most handy when you're in another part of the boat or  
performing some task that prevents you from watching the sonar  
screen. Then, you can turn on Fish I.D. and the audible fish alarm.  
When that lunker swims under your boat, you'll hear it!  
Fish I.D. can also be useful when you want to screen out some of the  
sonar detail gathered by your unit. For example, in one case fishermen  
in San Francisco Bay saw clouds of clutter in the water but no fish  
arches. When a down rigger was pulled up, it brought up several small  
jellyfish. The fishermen switched their Lowrance sonar to Fish I.D.,  
which screened out the schools of jellyfish and clearly showed the game  
fish there as fish symbols.  
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Other Free Training Aids  
The following section discusses Fish I.D., fish alarms and other  
features in greater detail. If you or a friend has Internet access, you can  
also learn more about interpreting what you see on your sonar screen.  
Visit our web site, WWW.LOWRANCE.COM. Be sure to check out the free  
Sonar Tutorial, which includes animated illustrations and more  
pictures of actual sonar returns, all described in detail. There's even a  
"printer friendly" version of the tutorial available on our web site…it  
makes a great supplement to this operation manual!  
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Advanced Sonar Options & Other Features  
Material in this section is arranged in alphabetical order.  
ASP(Advanced Signal Processing)  
The ASPfeature is a noise rejection system built into the sonar unit  
that constantly evaluates the effects of boat speed, water conditions  
and interference. This automatic feature gives you the best display  
possible under most conditions.  
The ASP feature is an effective tool in combating noise. In sonar terms,  
noise is any undesired signal. It is caused by electrical and mechanical  
sources such as bilge pumps, engine ignition systems and wiring, air  
bubbles passing over the face of the transducer, even vibration from the  
engine. In all cases, noise can produce unwanted marks on the display.  
The ASP feature has four settings — Off, Low, Medium and High. If  
you have high noise levels, try using the "High" ASP setting. However,  
if you are having trouble with noise, we suggest that you take steps to  
find the interference source and fix it, rather than continually using the  
unit with the high ASP setting.  
There are times when you may want to turn the ASP feature off. This  
allows you to view all incoming echoes before they are processed by the  
ASP feature.  
In the Sonar Features menu, Noise Rejection is selected with ASP in the  
default low setting.  
To change the ASP level:  
1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU|to SONAR FEATURES|ENT.  
2. Press to NOISE REJECTION|ENT.  
3. Press or to select a setting, then press ENT.  
4. To return to the previous page, press EXIT|EXIT.  
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Alarms  
This unit has two different types of sonar alarms. The first is a Fish Alarm.  
It sounds when the Fish I.D.feature determines that an echo is a fish.  
The other alarm is the Depth Alarm, which has both a Shallow and a  
Deep setting. Only the bottom signal will trigger this alarm. This is  
useful as an anchor watch, a shallow water alert or for navigation.  
Depth Alarms  
The depth alarms sound a tone when the bottom signal goes shallower  
than the shallow alarm's setting or deeper than the deep alarm's  
setting. For example, if you set the shallow alarm to 10 feet, the alarm  
will sound a tone if the bottom signal is less than 10 feet. It will  
continue to sound until the bottom goes deeper than 10 feet.  
The deep alarm works just the opposite. It sounds a warning tone if the  
bottom depth goes deeper than the alarm's setting. Both depth alarms  
work only off the digital bottom depth signals. No other targets will trip  
these alarms. These alarms can be used at the same time or individually.  
The Sonar Alarms menu.  
To adjust and turn on the shallow alarm:  
1. Press MENU|MENU|to SONAR ALARMS|ENT.  
2. Press to SHALLOW ALARM DEPTH|ENT.  
3. Press or until the depth is correct, then press ENT.  
4. Press to SHALLOW ALARM ENABLED|ENT|EXIT.  
5. To turn off the alarm, press MENU|MENU|to SONAR ALARMS|  
ENT|ENT|EXIT.  
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To switch to a different depth setting, open the Sonar Alarms menu and  
repeat the instructions in step 3 above.  
To adjust and turn on the deep alarm:  
1. Press MENU|MENU|to SONAR ALARMS|ENT.  
2. Press to DEEP ALARM DEPTH|ENT.  
3. Press or until the depth is correct, then press ENT.  
4. Press to DEEP ALARM ENABLED|ENT|EXIT.  
5. To turn off the alarm, press MENU|MENU|to SONAR ALARMS|ENT|↓  
to DEEP ALARM ENABLED|ENT|EXIT.  
To switch to a different depth setting, open the Sonar Alarms menu and  
repeat the instructions in step 3 above.  
Fish Alarm  
Use the fish alarm for a distinctive audible alarm when fish or other  
suspended objects are detected by the Fish I.D.feature (Fish I.D.  
must be turned on for the Fish Alarm to work). A different tone sounds  
for each fish symbol size shown on the display.  
Sonar Alarms menu with Fish Alarm selected. The check box  
to the left is checked, indicating the alarm is turned on.  
To turn the fish alarm on:  
1. Press MENU|MENU|to SONAR ALARMS|ENT.  
2. Press to FISH ALARM|ENT|EXIT.  
3. To turn off the alarm, press MENU|MENU|to SONAR ALARMS|ENT|↓  
to FISH ALARM|ENT|EXIT.  
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Backlight Level  
The unit defaults to the maximum backlight level. To adjust the  
display's backlight level:  
Press MENU|MENU|to BACKLIGHT LEVEL|ENT. The BACKLIGHT LEVEL slider  
bar appears. Press or to move the bar. At The lower end of the scale  
backlighting is turned off; the upper end is maximum backlight level.  
The Backlight Level control bar appears automatically whenever you  
turn on the unit.  
Calibrate Speed  
The speed sensor can be calibrated to compensate for inaccuracies.  
Before you change the setting, first calculate the percentage that the  
speed is off. You will enter this percentage in a moment.  
For example, if you figure the sensor is reading 10 percent faster than  
actual speed, you will enter – 10 in the calibration window. If the  
sensor is reading 5 percent slower than true speed, you will enter + 5 in  
the window.  
Perform your test in relatively calm water free of current, if possible.  
(Unless, of course, you are taking the current speed into consideration  
when making your calculation.) After you have a correction figure,  
here's how to enter it:  
1. Press MENU|MENU|to CALIBRATE WATER SPEED|ENT.  
2. Enter the number you calculated earlier: press or to change the  
displayed number. Continue until the percentage is correct, then press EXIT.  
Chart Speed  
The rate that echoes scroll across the screen is called the chart speed.  
The default is maximum; we recommend that you leave the speed set  
there for virtually all fishing conditions.  
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However, you might consider experimenting with chart speed when you  
are stationary or drifting very slowly. You may sometimes achieve  
better images as you slow down the chart speed to match how fast you  
are moving across the bottom.  
If you are at anchor, ice fishing or fishing from a dock, experiment with  
a chart speed around 50 percent. If you are drifting slowly, try a chart  
speed around 75 percent. When you are stationary and a fish swims  
through the sonar signal cone, the image appears on the screen as a  
long line instead of a fish arch. Reducing the chart speed may result in  
a shorter line that more closely resembles a regular fish return.  
The Chart Speed Control Bar.  
If you do experiment with chart speed, remember to reset it to  
maximum when you resume trolling or moving across the water at  
higher speed. To change chart speed:  
1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU|to CHART SPEED|ENT.  
2. The Chart Speed Control Bar appears. Press to decrease chart  
speed; press to increase chart speed.  
3. When it's set at the desired level, press EXIT.  
Grayline  
Grayline lets you distinguish between strong and weak echoes. It  
"paints" gray on targets that are stronger than a preset value. This  
allows you to tell the difference between a hard and soft bottom. For  
example, a soft, muddy or weedy bottom returns a weaker signal which  
is shown with a narrow or no gray line. A hard bottom returns a strong  
signal which causes a wide gray line.  
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If you have two signals of equal size, one with gray and the other  
without, then the target with gray is the stronger signal. This helps  
distinguish weeds from trees on the bottom, or fish from structure.  
Grayline is adjustable. The factory default for this unit is 69 percent.  
Since Grayline shows the difference between strong and weak signals,  
adjusting the sensitivity may also require a different Grayline level.  
The level chosen by the sonar unit at power on is usually adequate for  
most conditions. Experiment with your unit to find the Grayline setting  
that's best for you.  
To change the Grayline level, press MENU until the GRAYLINE menu appears.  
Wider  
Grayline  
Thin or no Grayline  
At left, Grayline menu screen. Center, little Grayline indicates a soft  
bottom, probably sand or mud. At right, the wider Grayline indicates a  
harder, rocky bottom.  
Press UP ARROW to increase the level or press DOWN ARROW to  
decrease it. The percentage of Grayline in use shows in this menu.  
Echoes scrolling onto the screen will also show the effects of the  
Grayline change. If you reach the maximum or minimum level, a tone  
sounds alerting you to the limits. Press PWR to clear the menu.  
Contrast  
To adjust the display's contrast:  
Press MENU|MENU|ENT. The CONTRAST slider bar appears. Press or ↓  
to move the bar. The lower end of the scale is minimum contrast; the  
upper end is maximum contrast.  
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The Contrast control bar.  
Depth Cursor  
The depth cursor consists of a horizontal line with a digital depth box on  
the right side. The numbers inside the box show the depth of the cursor.  
Cursor line  
Depth box  
Sonar chart with the depth cursor active. The line indicates the large  
fish is 40.52 feet deep.  
The cursor can be moved to any location on the screen, letting you  
pinpoint the depth of a target.  
1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU|to DEPTH CURSOR|ENT.  
2. The depth cursor appears. Press to lower the cursor line; press to  
raise the cursor line.  
3. To clear the depth cursor, press EXIT.  
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Depth Range - Automatic  
When turned on for the first time, the bottom signal is automatically  
placed in the lower half of the screen. This is called Auto Ranging and  
is part of the automatic function. However, depending upon the bottom  
depth and the current range, you can change the range to a different  
depth. To do this:  
1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU|to DEPTH RANGE|ENT.  
The Depth Range Control Scale.  
2. The Depth Range Control Scale appears. Press or to select a  
different depth range. Range numbers in gray cannot be selected.  
3. When the new range is selected, press EXIT to clear the menu.  
Depth Range - Manual  
You have complete control over the range when the unit is in the  
manual mode. There are 12 depth ranges, from 5 feet to 800 feet.  
To switch to Manual Depth Range:  
1. First, turn off automatic depth range. From the Sonar Page, press  
MENU|to AUTO DEPTH RANGE|ENT.  
2. Press to DEPTH RANGE|ENT and the Depth Range Control Scale appears.  
3. Press or to select a different depth range.  
4. When the new range is selected, press EXIT to clear the menu.  
To turn Auto Depth Range on again:  
1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU|to AUTO DEPTH RANGE|ENT|EXIT.  
NOTE:  
The sonar's depth capability depends on the transducer  
installation, water and bottom conditions, and other factors.  
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Depth Range - Upper and Lower Limits  
Virtually any segment of the water column can be displayed by using  
the upper and lower limit feature. This lets you pick the shallow and  
deep depth range limits that are shown on the screen, provided there is  
at least 5 feet between the upper and lower limit you select. For  
example, a range from 12 feet to 34 feet could be used.  
Changing the upper and lower limits gives you far greater control over  
the depth range. This feature lets you "zoom in" the display in almost  
unlimited combinations. Nearly any segment of the water column, from  
the surface to the bottom can be shown. This enlarges the sonar targets  
to best suit your fishing needs and water conditions.  
Sonar Chart Limits menu, with Upper Limit selected.  
To change the upper and lower limits:  
1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU|to UPPER AND LOWER LIMITS|ENT.  
The Sonar Chart Limits menu appears, with Upper Limit selected.  
2. To set the upper limit, press ENT. Press or until the depth is  
correct, then press EXIT.  
Area "zoomed"  
Normal display, in auto depth range mode, left. At right, display  
"zoomed" with Upper and Lower Limits focusing on the portion  
of the water column from 10 feet to 20 feet deep.  
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3. To set the lower limit, press to LOWER LIMIT|ENT. Press or until  
the depth is correct, then press EXIT|EXIT|EXIT.  
To turn off upper and lower limits:  
1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU|to AUTO DEPTH RANGE|ENT|EXIT.  
FasTrack  
This feature automatically converts all echoes to short horizontal lines  
on the display's far right side. The graph on the rest of the screen  
continues to operate normally. FasTrack gives you a rapid update of  
conditions directly under the boat. This makes it useful for ice fishing,  
or when you're fishing at anchor. When the boat is not moving, fish  
signals are long, drawn out lines on a normal chart display. FasTrack  
converts the graph to a vertical bar graph that, with practice, makes a  
useful addition to fishing at a stationary location.  
Surface clutter  
Fish arches  
Structure  
In FasTrack, fish  
arches show as  
horizontal bars.  
Bottom signal  
Grayline  
FasTrack  
bar graph  
Sonar Page showing FasTrack.  
Fish I.D.(Fish Symbols & Depths)  
The Fish I.D. feature identifies targets that meet certain conditions as  
fish. The microcomputer analyzes all echoes and eliminates surface  
clutter, thermoclines, and other signals that are undesirable. In most  
instances, remaining targets are fish. The Fish I.D. feature displays  
fish symbols on the screen in place of the actual fish echoes.  
There are several fish symbol sizes. These are used to designate the  
relative size between targets. In other words, Fish I.D. displays a small  
fish symbol when it thinks a target is a small fish, a medium fish  
symbol on a larger target and so on.  
The sonar's microcomputer is sophisticated, but it can be fooled. It can't  
distinguish between fish and other suspended objects such as trotlines,  
turtles, submerged floats, air bubbles, etc. Individual tree limbs  
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extending outwards from a group of limbs is the hardest object for the  
Fish I.D. feature to distinguish from fish.  
You may see fish symbols on the screen when actually, there are no  
fish. The reverse is also true.  
Does that mean Fish I.D. is broken? No — the feature is simply  
interpreting sonar returns in a specific way to help take some of the  
work out of reading the screen. Remember: Fish I.D. is one of the many  
tools we provide so you can analyze your sonar returns for maximum  
fish finding information. This and other features can help you  
successfully "see" beneath the boat under varied water and fishing  
conditions. So, practice with the unit in both the Fish I.D. mode and  
without to become more familiar with the feature. The default for Fish  
I.D. is off.  
Sonar Features menu with Fish I.D. Symbols selected.  
When the check box to the left is checked, the feature is on.  
To turn the Fish I.D. feature on:  
1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU|to SONAR FEATURES|ENT.  
2. Press to FISH ID SYMBOLS|ENT|EXIT|EXIT.  
To turn off Fish I.D., repeat these instructions.  
FishTrack  
The FishTrack feature shows the depth of a fish symbol when it  
appears on the display. This lets you accurately gauge the depth of  
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targets. This feature is available only when the Fish I.D. feature is on.  
The default setting for FishTrack is off.  
To turn on FishTrack:  
(Note: These instructions will turn on FishTrack and Fish I.D. at the  
same time.)  
1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU|to SONAR FEATURES|ENT.  
2. Press to FISH ID DEPTHS|ENT|EXIT|EXIT.  
To turn off FishTrack, repeat these instructions. Turning off FishTrack  
in this manner will not turn off Fish I.D. symbols.  
Symbols with  
FishTrack depths  
Sonar Features menu with Fish I.D. Depths selected. When the check  
box to the left is checked, the feature is on. At right, Sonar Page  
showing Fish I.D. symbols and FishTrack depths turned on.  
HyperScroll  
See the entry on Ping Speed, which controls the HyperScroll feature.  
Noise Rejection  
See the entry on Advanced Signal Processing in this section.  
Overlay Data  
To change the digital data shown on top of the sonar page:  
1. Press MENU|to OVERLAY DATA|ENT.  
2. Press or to select Data Type|ENT.  
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The Overlay Data selection menu.  
When selected, a check mark appears beside the data type. (If you wish,  
you may now use or to select other Data Types for display.)  
Data list showing "Water Speed" selected to display on Sonar Page.  
3. To return to the previous page, press EXIT|EXIT.  
To turn off displayed data:  
1. Press MENU|to OVERLAY DATA|ENT.  
2. Press or to select Data Type, then press ENT until the check mark  
to the left of the selected data type disappears. (If you wish, you may  
now use or to select other Data Types to turn off.)  
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3. To return to the previous page, press EXIT|EXIT.  
To change displayed data font size:  
1. Press MENU|to OVERLAY DATA|ENT.  
2. Press or to select Data Type, then press ENT. The DATA SIZE  
(displayed in the bottom of the Overlay Data Shown window) cycles  
through available sizes. Keep pressing ENT until it shows the desired  
Data Size, then press EXIT.  
The selected data type will be displayed in the new size. (To change the  
font size for another Data Type, press ENT and repeat these steps,  
beginning with step two above.)  
3. To return to the previous page, press EXIT.  
Tip:  
If you wish, you can change the displayed data font size when you  
select a data type:  
1. Press MENU|to OVERLAY DATA|ENT.  
2. Press or to select Data Type|press ENT. repeatedly until the  
desired font size is shown.  
The data will be shown in the new font size. To return to the  
previous page, press EXIT|EXIT.  
Sonar chart with Overlay Data turned on. This example shows  
Depth, Water Temperature and the Water Speed of the boat.  
Ping Speed & HyperScroll  
Ping Speed controls the rate at which the transmitter and transducer  
broadcast sonar sound waves — pings — into the water. The unit has a  
default ping speed of 50 percent. At normal boating speeds, this  
automatically provides enough return echoes to refresh the screen and  
scroll the chart at maximum chart speed.  
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However, when you are running at high speeds, or just want the fastest  
possible screen update, you may want to use the HyperScrollfeature.  
When you change the Ping Speed to any setting greater than 50  
percent, the unit automatically enters HyperScroll mode.  
These faster ping rates allow you to maintain a high-detail picture on  
the screen, and the screen refresh rate and chart scroll speed can keep  
pace with the boat as it moves quickly over the bottom terrain.  
When using HyperScroll, you may also need to manually decrease the  
sensitivity for optimum performance. Depending on water depth and  
other conditions, HyperScroll may cause a second bottom echo to return  
to the transducer during the next ping cycle, or sounding. This can result  
in a large amount of clutter appearing on the screen. If this occurs, just  
decrease the sensitivity to a level that eliminates the clutter. When you  
turn HyperScroll off, you can return to your original sensitivity level.  
The Ping Speed Control Bar at default setting.  
To change Ping Speed:  
1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU|to PING SPEED|ENT.  
2. The Ping Speed Control Bar appears. Press to increase ping speed;  
press to decrease ping speed. When it's set at the desired level, press  
EXIT.  
To adjust Sensitivity:  
1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU|ENT.  
2. The Sensitivity Control Bar appears. Press to decrease sensitivity;  
press to increase sensitivity. When it's set at the desired level, press  
EXIT. (When you reach the maximum or minimum limit, a tone sounds.)  
To turn off HyperScroll:  
1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU|to PING SPEED|ENT.  
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2. The Ping Speed Control Bar appears. Press to decrease ping speed  
to 50 percent. When it's set at the desired level, press EXIT.  
When you boost ping speed and switch into HyperScroll, the width of  
the FasTrack bar graph display doubles in width at the right side of the  
screen. This allows you to better see the virtually instantaneous sonar  
returns, just as you would on a flasher sonar unit. For more  
information on FasTrack, see it's entry in this section.  
Pop-up Help  
Help is available for virtually all of the menu labels on this unit. By  
highlighting a menu item and leaving it highlighted for a few seconds, a  
"pop-up" message appears that describes the function of the menu item.  
This feature is on by default.  
To set up Popup Help: Press MENU|MENU|to POPUP HELP. With the  
option highlighted, press ENT to check it (turn on) and uncheck it (turn  
off). After the option is set, press EXIT to return to the page display.  
Example showing the Pop-up Help message for the Sensitivity  
command, located on the Sonar Menu.  
Reset Options  
This command is used to reset all features, options and settings to their  
original factory defaults. This is useful when you have changed several  
settings and want to return the unit to basic automatic operation.  
1. Press MENU|MENU|to RESET OPTIONS|ENT.  
2. Press or to YES|ENT.  
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3. All the menus are cleared and all options are returned to the factory  
settings.  
Main Menu with Reset Options command selected.  
Reset Water Distance  
The sonar chart's Digital Data display option includes a window that  
shows distance traveled, called Water Distance ("W Distance"). This  
information is calculated from an optional water speed sensor. The  
Water Distance window can be reset to zero using the Reset Water  
Distance command.  
Press MENU|MENU|to RESET WATER DISTANCE|ENT. The menus are  
cleared and the water distance is reset to 0.00.  
Screen Contrast and Backlight Level  
See the separate entries in this section for Contrast and Backlight Level.  
Sensitivity & Auto Sensitivity  
The sensitivity controls the ability of the unit to pick up echoes.  
Sensitivity can be adjusted, because water conditions vary greatly. A  
low sensitivity level (from zero to 50 percent) excludes much of the  
bottom information, fish signals, and other target information.  
High sensitivity levels let you see this detail, but it can also clutter the  
screen with many undesired signals. Typically, the best sensitivity level  
shows a good solid bottom signal with Grayline and some surface clutter.  
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Automatic Sensitivity  
The default sensitivity mode is automatic. The unit bases the  
sensitivity level on water depth and conditions. When the unit is in the  
automatic mode, sensitivity is automatically adjusted to keep a solid  
bottom signal displayed, plus a little more power. This gives it the  
capability to show fish and other detail.  
However, situations occur when it becomes necessary to increase or  
decrease the sensitivity. This typically happens when you wish to see  
more detail, so an increase in sensitivity is indicated. Or, wave action  
and boat wakes can create enough tiny air bubbles to clutter much of  
the water column. In that case, a decrease in sensitivity is indicated to  
reduce some of the clutter.  
The control bar used to adjust sensitivity up or down is the same  
whether the unit is in the automatic or manual mode. In automatic you  
can adjust sensitivity up to 100 percent but the unit will limit your  
minimum setting. In auto, the unit will continue to make small  
adjustments, allowing for the setting you selected.  
In manual mode, you have complete control over sensitivity, with the  
ability to set it anywhere from zero to 100 percent. Once you select a  
level in manual, the unit will continue to use that exact sensitivity  
setting until you change it or revert to auto mode.  
To adjust sensitivity in auto mode:  
1. Press MENU|ENT.  
2. The Sensitivity Control Bar appears. Press to decrease sensitivity;  
press to increase sensitivity. When it's set at the desired level, press  
EXIT. (When you reach the maximum or minimum limit, a tone sounds.)  
The Sensitivity Control Bar.  
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To adjust sensitivity in manual mode:  
1. First, turn off Auto Sensitivity: from the Sonar Page, press MENU|↓  
to AUTO SENSITIVITY|ENT.  
2. Press to SENSITIVITY|ENT and the Sensitivity Control Bar appears.  
Press or to pick a different sensitivity setting. When it's set at the  
desired level, press EXIT.  
To turn Auto Sensitivity back on:  
From the Sonar Page, press MENU|to AUTO SENSITIVITY|ENT|EXIT.  
NOTE:  
To return to the original factory setting for Auto Sensitivity, see the  
entry in this section on Reset Options. If sensitivity is in manual  
mode, the Reset Options command will switch back to Auto and  
reset the factory setting at the same time.  
Tip:  
For quicker sensitivity adjustments, try leaving the Sensitivity  
Control Bar on the screen as the chart scrolls. You can see the  
changes on the screen as you press the up or down arrows. This is  
handy when there's a lot of clutter in the water, and you are  
matching the sensitivity to rapidly changing water conditions.  
Set Keel Offset  
This unit measures water depth from the face of the transducer. Since  
the transducer is installed below the water surface, the distance  
displayed by the digital depth, chart depth scale, chart cursor or fish  
symbols is not the exact water depth. If the transducer is 1 foot below  
the surface, and the screen shows the water depth as 30 feet, then the  
actual depth is 31 feet.  
On sailboats or other large vessels with deep drafts, the distance  
between the transducer installation and the keel or lower engine unit  
can be several feet. In those cases, an inexact depth reading could  
result in grounding or striking underwater structure. The Keel Offset  
feature eliminates the need for the navigator to mentally calculate how  
much water is under his keel.  
Keel Offset lets you calibrate the digital depth indicators: chart depth  
scale, chart cursor depth and fish symbol depth displayed on the screen. To  
calibrate the depth indicators, first measure the distance from the face of  
the transducer to the lowest part of the boat. In this example, we will use  
3.5 feet. We enter this as a negative 3.5 feet, which makes the depth  
indicators perform as if the transducer's lower in the water than it really  
is.  
1. Press MENU|MENU|to SET KEEL OFFSET|ENT.  
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2. The Keel Offset dialog box appears. Press to so that the displayed  
number shows a minus (–) sign instead of the plus (+) sign.  
3. Press until the number shows – 3.5, then press EXIT. The depth  
indicators now accurately show the depth of water beneath the keel.  
NOTE:  
If knowing the exact depth of water beneath the keel is less  
important, you can calibrate the depth indicators so that they show  
the actual water depth from surface to bottom. To do this, first  
measure the distance from the face of the transducer up to the surface  
(the water line on the boat). In this example, we will use 1.5 feet. This  
will be entered as a positive 1.5 feet, which makes the depth  
indicators perform as if the transducer's higher in the water than it  
really is.  
1. Press MENU|MENU|to SET KEEL OFFSET|ENT.  
2. The Keel Offset dialog box appears with a plus (+) sign at the  
front of the box.  
3. Press until the displayed number is + 1.5, then press EXIT. The  
depth indicators now accurately show the water depth from surface  
to bottom.  
Set Language  
This unit's menus are available in 10 languages: English, French,  
German, Spanish, Italian, Danish, Swedish, Russian, Dutch and  
Finnish. To select a different language:  
1. Press MENU|MENU|to SET LANGUAGE|ENT.  
2. Use or to select a different language and press ENT. All menus  
now appear in the language you selected.  
Software Version Information  
From time to time, Lowrance updates the operating system software in  
some of its products. These software upgrades are usually offered to  
These upgrades make the unit perform better or introduce a new  
feature or function. You can find out what software version is running  
in your sonar unit by using the Software Information command.  
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The Main Menu with Software Information command selected.  
1. Press MENU|MENU|to SOFTWARE INFO|ENT.  
2. Read the information displayed on the screen.  
3. To return to the last page displayed, press EXIT|EXIT.  
Sonar Chart Mode  
Grayscale is the default setting for the sonar chart, but we offer other  
variations to suit your viewing preferences. You can select the chart to  
be displayed in grayscale, reverse grayscale, bottom black, or  
fishreveal.  
To change the chart mode scheme:  
1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU|to SONAR FEATURES|ENT.  
2.. Press to SONAR CHART MODE|ENT.  
3. Press or to Mode Name|ENT.  
4. Press EXIT|EXIT to return to the Sonar Page.  
Sonar Page & Sonar Chart Display Options  
This unit offers four chart display options. To cycle through them, press  
EXIT to clear any menus, then press ENT repeatedly until the desired  
mode appears.  
Full Sonar Chart  
This is the default mode used when the unit is turned on for the first  
time or when it's reset to the factory defaults.  
The bottom signal scrolls across the screen from right to left. Depth  
scales on the right side of the screen aid in determining the depth of  
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targets. The line at the top of the screen represents the surface. The  
bottom depth and surface temperature (if equipped with a temperature  
sensor or a transducer with a temp sensor built in) show at the top left  
corner of the screen.  
The FasTrack™ display shows just to the right of the scale. This  
changes all echoes into short horizontal bars, replicating a flasher  
sonar. The zoom bar on the far right shows the area that's magnified  
when the zoom is in use. (See the Zoom section for more information.)  
Full Sonar Chart. The Overlay Data (depth and water temperature)  
are each set to a different text size.  
Split Zoom Sonar Chart  
A split chart shows the underwater world from the surface to the  
bottom on the right side of the screen. The left side shows an enlarged  
version of the right side.  
The zoom range shows at the bottom left corner of the screen.  
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Split Zoom Sonar Chart. Image at left shows the left window zoomed  
to 2X. The right image shows the left window zoomed to 4X.  
The depth overlay data is set to the default large text size; the  
water temperature is set to the medium text size.  
Digital Data/Chart  
This mode shows six large digital boxes or windows containing: Water  
Depth; Water Speed (from an optional speed sensor); Water Distance  
(distance traveled or logged, it also requires a speed sensor); Surface Water  
Temperature; Temperature #2 and the unit's Voltage.  
NOTE:  
Temperature #2 requires an additional optional temperature  
sensor.)  
Digital Data/Chart  
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Flasher  
The Flasher page represents a flasher style sonar. A circular dial shows  
all returning echoes at a high screen refresh rate. It uses the Grayline  
feature to show weaker targets as lighter shades. The bottom depth is  
also shown as a black bar across the outer circle.  
Surface clutter  
Fish signal,  
approximately  
13 feet  
Bottom signal  
Flasher page.  
Sonar Simulator  
This unit has a built-in simulator that lets you run it as if you were on  
the water. All sonar features and functions are useable. When in  
simulator mode, you will see [Simulated] in the Sonar Page title bar. To  
use the simulator:  
1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU|MENU|to SONAR SIMULATOR|ENT.  
2. Turn off Sonar Simulator by pressing MENU|MENU|to SONAR  
SIMULATOR|ENT|EXIT.  
NOTE:  
If you turn on your unit before attaching a transducer, it may enter  
a demo mode. The words "demo mode" flash on the bottom of the  
screen and a sonar chart plays much like the simulator. Unlike the  
simulator, the demo mode is for demonstration only, and will  
automatically stop as soon as you turn on the unit with a  
transducer attached. The simulator will continue to function  
normally.  
Stop Chart  
If you are running multiple units on a boat, there are times when you  
may want to turn off the sonar. This command turns off the sonar and  
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stops the chart from scrolling. Sonar restarts automatically each time  
you turn on your unit.  
Press MENU|to STOP CHART|ENT|EXIT.  
To turn on sonar and start the chart scrolling again, repeat the above step.  
Sonar Menu with Stop Chart command selected. The box is unchecked,  
indicating that the chart is scrolling across the screen.  
Surface Clarity  
The markings extending downward from the zero line on the chart are  
called "surface clutter." These markings are caused by wave action,  
boat wakes, temperature inversion and more.  
The surface clarity control reduces or eliminates surface clutter signals  
from the display. It does this by changing the sensitivity of the receiver,  
decreasing it near the surface and gradually increasing it as the depth  
increases.  
There are three levels of surface clarity available: low, medium, or high.  
It can also be turned off. The default level is off.  
To adjust the Surface Clarity level:  
1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU|to SONAR FEATURES|ENT|ENT.  
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Sonar Features menu with Surface Clarity selected.  
2. Press or to select clarity level|EXIT|EXIT|EXIT.  
Surface clutter  
In the illustration at left, Surface Clarity is turned off.  
The right view shows Surface Clarity set at High.  
Units of Measure  
This menu sets the speed and distance (statute or nautical miles,  
meters), depth (feet, fathoms, or meters) and temperature (degrees  
Fahrenheit or Celsius). To change the units:  
Press MENU|MENU|to UNITS OF MEASURE|ENT.  
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The Units of Measure Menu.  
To set Units of Measure: Press to the desired units, then press ENT.  
After all the options are set as desired, press EXIT|EXIT to return to the  
page display.  
Upper and Lower Limits  
See the entry in this section for Depth Range - Upper and Lower Limits  
Volume  
This command adjusts the speaker volume, which controls the sound  
levels for keystrokes and alarms. If you want to turn off all sounds, set  
the volume to zero.  
To adjust volume:  
1. Press MENU|MENU|to VOLUME|ENT.  
2. The Volume Control Bar appears. Press to decrease the volume; press  
to increase the volume. When it's set at the desired level, press EXIT.  
Zoom & Zoom Bar  
"Zooming" the display is used to enlarge small detail, fish signals and  
the bottom with its associated structure.  
The 2X zoom doubles the size of all echoes on the screen. The 4X zoom  
quadruples the size of the echoes. You can also turn on a zoom bar on  
the far right side of the screen; this shows which echoes will be  
displayed on the screen when the Zoom commands are used.  
For example, turning on the 2X zoom will show all echoes that are  
between the top and bottom of the 2X zoom bar. The 4X zoom will show  
only the echoes between the top and bottom of the 4X zoom bar.  
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To switch to zoom:  
1. Press MENU|to ZOOM LEVEL|ENT.  
2. The Zoom Level menu appears. Press or to select the desired  
zoom level, then press ENT|EXIT to set the zoom and clear the menu.  
3. To select a different zoom or turn zoom off, repeat steps 1 and 2.  
To turn on the Zoom Bar:  
1. Press MENU|to SONAR FEATURES|ENT.  
2. The Sonar Features menu appears. Press  
BAR|ENT|EXIT|EXIT.  
to ZOOM  
3. To turn off the Zoom Bar, repeat steps 1 and 2.  
At left, Sonar Page, normal view. Center, same view zoomed to 2X.  
Right, same view zoomed to 4X  
Tip:  
From the Sonar Menu, you can go directly to the Zoom Level  
command with one keystroke. Instead of pressing the down arrow  
() to reach the command, press the up arrow () instead. This will  
take you from "Sensitivity" to "Zoom Level," because the menu  
"wraps" around in a circle. This trick also works on the main menu!  
Zoom Pan  
Your unit has the handy ability to quickly zoom in on any portion of the  
water column with just the touch of an arrow key. The Zoom Pan feature  
lets you rapidly move the zoomed area up and down to different depths.  
By "pointing" your zoom at different portions of the chart as it scrolls,  
you can get a good, close-up look at structure or cover below you.  
To use Zoom Pan, switch to a manual depth Range setting (see page 46)  
and turn on 2X or 4X Zoom. Then, simply press or to pan up and  
down the water column.  
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Troubleshooting  
If your unit is not working, or if you need technical help, please use the  
following troubleshooting section before contacting the factory customer  
service department. It may save you the trouble of returning your unit  
for repair. For contact information, refer to the last page, just inside the  
back cover of this manual.  
Unit won't turn on:  
1. Check the power cable's connection at the unit. Also check the  
wiring.  
2. Make sure the power cable is wired properly. The red wire connects  
to the positive battery terminal, black to negative or ground.  
3. Check the fuse.  
4. Measure the battery voltage at the unit's power connector. It should  
be at least 11 volts. If it isn't, the wiring to the unit is defective, the  
battery terminals or wiring on the terminals are corroded, or the  
battery needs charging.  
Unit operates only in demo mode:  
1. The transducer has not yet been connected or has been disconnected.  
To leave demo mode, make sure the transducer is securely connected  
before turning the unit on.  
Unit freezes, locks up, or operates erratically:  
1. Electrical noise from the boat's motor, trolling motor, or an accessory  
may be interfering with the sonar unit. Rerouting the power and  
transducer cables away from other electrical wiring on the boat may  
help. Route the sonar unit's power cable directly to the battery instead  
of through a fuse block or ignition switch  
2. Inspect the transducer cable for breaks, cuts, or pinched wires.  
3. Check both the transducer and power connectors. Make sure both are  
securely plugged in to the unit.  
Weak bottom echo, digital readings erratic, or no fish signals:  
1. Make sure the transducer is pointing straight down. Clean the face of  
the transducer. Oil, dirt and fuel can cause a film to form on the  
transducer, reducing its effectiveness. If the transducer is mounted  
inside the hull, be sure it is shooting through only one layer of  
fiberglass and that it is securely bonded to the hull. When attaching a  
transducer to the inside of a hull, ONLY use the epoxy available from  
LEI (order information is inside the back cover). Do NOT use RTV  
silicone rubber adhesive or any other type of epoxy. The LEI epoxy is  
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specially formulated so that it will cure properly for shoot-through  
applications.  
2. Electrical noise from the boat's motor can interfere with the sonar.  
This causes the sonar to automatically increase its Discrimination or  
noise rejection feature. This can cause the unit to eliminate weaker  
signals such as fish or even structure from the display.  
3. The water may be deeper than the sonar's ability to find the bottom.  
If the sonar can't find the bottom signal while it's in the automatic  
mode, the digital sonar display will flash continuously. It may change  
the range to limits far greater than the water you are in. If this  
happens, place the unit in the manual mode, then change the range to a  
realistic one, (for example, 0-100 feet) and increase the sensitivity. As  
you move into shallower water, a bottom signal should appear.  
4. Check the battery voltage. If the voltage drops, the unit's transmitter  
power also drops, reducing its ability to find the bottom or targets.  
Bottom echo disappears at high speeds or erratic digital  
reading or weak bottom echo while boat is moving  
1. The transducer may be in turbulent water. It must be mounted in a  
smooth flow of water in order for the sonar to work at all boat speeds.  
Air bubbles in the water disrupt the sonar signals, interfering with its  
ability to find the bottom or other targets. The technical term for this is  
cavitation.  
2. Electrical noise from the boat's motor can interfere with the sonar.  
This causes the sonar to automatically increase its Discrimination or  
noise rejection feature. This can cause the unit to eliminate weaker  
signals such as fish or even structure from the display. Try using  
resistor spark plugs or routing the sonar unit's power and transducer  
cables away from other electrical wiring on the boat.  
No fish arches when the Fish I.D. feature is off:  
1. Make sure the transducer is pointing straight down. This is the most  
common problem if a partial arch is displayed.  
2. The sensitivity may not be high enough. In order for the unit to  
display a fish arch, it has to be able to receive the fish's echo from the  
time it enters the cone until it leaves. If the sensitivity is not high  
enough, the unit shows the fish only when it is in the center of the cone.  
3. Use the Zoom feature. It is much easier to display fish arches when  
zoomed in on a small range of water than a large one. For example, you  
will have much better luck seeing fish arches with a 30 to 60 foot range  
than a 0 to 60 foot range. This enlarges the targets, allowing the  
display to show much more detail.  
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4. The boat must be moving at a slow trolling speed to see fish arches.  
If the boat is motionless, fish stay in the cone, showing on the screen as  
straight horizontal lines.  
Noise  
A major cause of sonar problems is electrical noise. This usually  
appears on the sonar's display as random patterns of dots or lines. In  
severe cases, it can completely cover the screen with black dots, or  
cause the unit to operate erratically, or not at all.  
To eliminate or minimize the effects of electrical noise, first try to  
determine the cause. With the boat at rest in the water, the first thing  
you should do is turn all electrical equipment on the boat off. Make sure  
the engine is also off. Turn your sonar on, then turn off Noise Reject  
[also known as the ASP feature (Advanced Signal Processing)].  
Sensitivity should be set at 90-95 percent. There should be a steady  
bottom signal on the display. Now turn on each piece of electrical  
equipment on the boat and view the effect on the sonar's display. For  
example, turn on the bilge pump and view the sonar display for noise. If  
no noise is present, turn the pump off, then turn on the VHF radio and  
transmit. Keep doing this until all electrical equipment has been  
turned on, their effect on the sonar display noted, then turned off.  
If you find noise interference from an electrical instrument, trolling  
motor, pump, or radio, try to isolate the problem. You can usually  
reroute the sonar unit's power cable and transducer cable away from  
the wiring that is causing the interference. VHF radio antenna cables  
radiate noise when transmitting, so be sure to keep the sonar's wires  
away from it. You may need to route the sonar unit's power cable  
directly to the battery to isolate it from other wiring on the boat.  
If no noise displays on the sonar unit from electrical equipment, then  
make sure everything except the sonar unit is turned off, then start the  
engine. Increase the RPM with the gearshift in neutral. If noise  
appears on the display, the problem could be one of three things; spark  
plugs, alternator, or tachometer wiring. Try using resistor spark plugs,  
alternator filters, or routing the sonar unit's power cable away from  
engine wiring. Again, routing the power cable directly to the battery  
helps eliminate noise problems. Make sure to use the in-line fuse  
supplied with the unit when wiring the power cable to the battery.  
When no noise appears on the sonar unit after all of the above tests,  
then the noise source is probably cavitation. Many novices or persons  
with limited experience make hasty sonar installations which function  
perfectly in shallow water, or when the boat is at rest. In nearly all  
cases, the cause of the malfunction will be the location and/or angle of  
the transducer. The face of the transducer must be placed in a location  
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that has a smooth flow of water at all boat speeds. Read your  
transducer owner's manual for the best mounting position.  
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Index  
A
G
Grayline, 35, 47  
Accessories, 1, 3, 25, 26, 29  
Alarms, 33, 44, 45; Depth  
Alarms, 44; Fish Alarm, 44,  
45  
H
HyperScroll, 54, 56, 57  
Antenna, 73  
I
ASP(Advanced Signal  
Processing), 16, 43  
Installation, 3, 17, 19, 26, 28  
Introduction: Specifications, 1  
B
Backlights / Lighting, 1, 33, 46,  
59  
Batteries, 3, 21, 22, 23, 32, 71,  
72, 73  
K
Keel Offset, 34, 61, 62  
Keyboard, 31  
L
Languages, 34, 62  
C
M
Main Menu, 31, 32, 33, 59, 63  
Calibrate Speed, 46  
Chart Speed, 35, 46, 47  
Communications Ports, 20, 21,  
23, 24  
Contrast, 33, 48, 49, 59  
Cursor, 35, 38, 49, 61  
N
NMEA, 20, 21, 23, 24  
Noise Rejection, 43, 54  
O
Overlay Data, 35, 54, 55, 56, 64  
D
Depth Cursor, 35, 38, 49  
Depth Range, 16, 35, 50, 51, 52,  
64, 70, 72; Automatic, 50;  
Manual, 50; Upper and  
Lower Limits, 35, 51, 69  
Display Options, 31, 35, 63, 64,  
65  
P
Page Displays, 35; Digital Data,  
35, 59, 65  
Ping Speed, 35, 54, 56, 57, 58;  
HyperScroll, 54, 56, 57  
Pop-up Help, 58  
Power, 1, 2, 3, 20, 21, 22, 23,  
24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 31, 32, 38,  
48, 60, 71, 72, 73  
F
FasTrack, 52  
Fish Depths, 53  
Fish I.D., 33, 35, 41, 44, 45,  
52  
Product Specifications, 1  
R
Range, 16, 35, 50, 51, 52, 64,  
70, 72; Automatic, 50;  
Manual, 50; Upper and  
Lower Limits, 51, 69  
Reset Options, 34, 41, 58, 59, 61  
Fish Symbols, 33, 35, 41, 44,  
45, 52; Interpreting, 41  
FishTrack, 53  
Frequency, 2  
75  
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Reset Water Distance, 34, 59  
Route, 3, 4, 5, 11, 12, 13, 18, 20,  
71, 73  
Surface Clarity, 67, 68  
T
Temperature Sensors, 2, 4, 7,  
19, 64  
S
Sensitivity, 16, 35, 38, 39, 40,  
41, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 70, 73  
Simulator, 1, 34, 66  
Software Version Information,  
62  
Sonar Chart Color Mode, 63  
Sonar Chart Display Options,  
31, 35, 63, 64, 65  
Sonar Menu, 31, 32, 34, 58, 67,  
70  
Sonar Operation: Quick  
Reference, 38  
Transducer, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,  
9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16,  
17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 27, 28, 29,  
38, 43, 50, 56, 57, 61, 62, 64,  
66, 71, 72, 73; Mounting, 7,  
13; Shoot-Thru-Hull, 6, 15, 17  
U
Units of Measure, 33, 68, 69  
Upper and Lower Limits, 35,  
51, 69  
Z
Speaker, 21, 22, 69  
Speed Sensors, 1, 2, 19, 20, 34,  
46, 59, 65  
Zooming, 2, 35, 38, 64, 69, 70,  
72; Zoom Bar, 69, 70; Zoom  
Pan, 70  
Stop Chart, 35, 66, 67  
76  
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LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS  
FULL ONE-YEAR WARRANTY  
"We," "our," or "us" refers to LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS, INC., the manufacturer of  
this product. "You" or "your" refers to the first person who purchases this product as a  
consumer item for personal, family or household use.  
We warrant this product against defects or malfunctions in materials and workmanship,  
and against failure to conform to this product's written specifications, all for one (1) year  
from the date of original purchase by you. WE MAKE NO OTHER EXPRESS  
WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION OF ANY KIND WHATSOEVER CONCERNING  
THIS PRODUCT. Your remedies under this warranty will be available so long as you can  
show in  
a
reasonable manner that any defect or malfunction in materials or  
workmanship, or any non-conformity with the product's written specifications, occurred  
within one year from the date of your original purchase, which must be substantiated by  
a dated sales receipt or sales slip. Any such defect, malfunction, or non-conformity which  
occurs within one year from your original purchase date will either be repaired without  
charge or be replaced with a new product identical or reasonably equivalent to this  
product, at our option, within a reasonable time after our receipt of the product. If such  
defect, malfunction, or non-conformity remains after a reasonable number of attempts to  
repair by us, you may elect to obtain without charge a replacement of the product or a  
refund for the product. THIS REPAIR, OR REPLACEMENT OR REFUND (AS JUST  
DESCRIBED) IS THE EXCLUSIVE REMEDY AVAILABLE TO YOU AGAINST US FOR  
ANY DEFECT, MALFUNCTION, OR NON-CONFORMITY CONCERNING THE  
PRODUCT OR FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE RESULTING FROM ANY OTHER  
CAUSE WHATSOEVER. WE WILL NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES BE LIABLE  
TO ANYONE FOR ANY SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR OTHER  
INDIRECT DAMAGE OF ANY KIND.  
Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential  
damages, so the above limitations or exclusions may not apply to you.  
This warranty does NOT apply in the following circumstances: (1) when the product has  
been serviced or repaired by anyone other than us; (2) when the product has been  
connected, installed, combined, altered, adjusted, or handled in a manner other than  
according to the instructions furnished with the product; (3) when any serial number has  
been effaced, altered, or removed; or (4) when any defect, problem, loss, or damage has  
resulted from any accident, misuse, negligence, or carelessness, or from any failure to  
provide reasonable and necessary maintenance in accordance with the instructions of the  
owner's manual for the product.  
We reserve the right to make changes or improvements in our products from time to time  
without incurring the obligation to install such improvements or changes on equipment  
or items previously manufactured.  
This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other rights which  
may vary from state to state.  
REMINDER: You must retain the sales slip or sales receipt proving the date of your  
original purchase in case warranty service is ever required.  
LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS  
12000 E. SKELLY DRIVE, TULSA, OK 74128  
(800) 324-1356  
77  
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How to Obtain Service…  
…in the USA:  
We back your investment in quality products with quick, expert service  
and genuine Lowrance parts. If you're in the United States and you  
have technical, return or repair questions, please contact the Factory  
Customer Service Department. Before any product can be returned, you  
must call customer service to determine if a return is necessary. Many  
times, customer service can resolve your problem over the phone  
without sending your product to the factory. To call us, use the  
following toll-free number:  
800-324-1356  
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Standard Time, M-F  
Lowrance Electronics may find it necessary to change or end our  
shipping policies, regulations, and special offers at any time. We reserve  
the right to do so without notice.  
…in Canada:  
If you're in Canada and you have technical, return or repair questions,  
please contact the Factory Customer Service Department. Before any  
product can be returned, you must call customer service to determine if  
a return is necessary. Many times, customer service can resolve your  
problem over the phone without sending your product to the factory. To  
call us, use the following toll-free number:  
800-661-3983  
905-629-1614 (not toll-free)  
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, M-F  
…outside Canada and the USA:  
If you have technical, return or repair questions, contact the dealer in  
the country where you purchased your unit. To locate a dealer near  
you, visit our web site and look for the Dealer Locator  
(www.lowrance.com/support/dealerlocator). Or, you can consult your  
telephone directory for listings.  
78  
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Accessory Ordering Information  
for all countries  
To order Lowrance accessories, please contact:  
1) Your local marine dealer. Most quality dealers that handle marine  
electronic equipment should be able to assist you with these items.  
To locate a Lowrance dealer near you, visit our web site and look for the  
Dealer Locator (www.lowrance.com/support/dealerlocator). Or, you can  
consult your telephone directory for listings.  
2) U.S. customers: LEI Extras Inc., PO Box 129, Catoosa, OK 74015-0129  
Call 1-800-324-0045 or visit our web site www.lei-extras.com.  
3) Canadian customers can write:  
Lowrance/Eagle Canada, 919 Matheson Blvd. E. Mississauga, Ontario  
L4W2R7 or fax 905-629-3118.  
Shipping Information  
If it becomes necessary to send a product for repair or replacement, you  
must first receive a return authorization number from Customer  
Service. Products shipped without a return authorization will not be  
accepted. When shipping, we recommend you do the following:  
1. Please do not ship the knobs or mounting bracket with your unit.  
2. If you are sending a check for repair, please place your check in an  
envelope and tape it to the unit.  
3. For proper testing, include a brief note with the product describing  
the problem. Be sure to include your name, return shipping address  
and a daytime telephone number. An e-mail address is optional but  
useful.  
4. Pack the unit in a suitable size box with packing material to prevent  
any damage during shipping.  
5. Write the Return Authorization (RA) number on the outside of the  
box underneath your return address.  
6. For your security, you may want to insure the package through your  
shipping courier. Lowrance does not assume responsibility for goods  
lost or damaged in transit.  
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Visit our web site:  
Lowrance Pub. 988-0151-211  
Printed in USA 111904  
Copyright © 2004  
All Rights Reserved  
Lowrance Electronics, Inc.  
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