Eagle Electronics FISHEASY 320C User Manual

Download

www.eaglesonar.com

Pub. 988-0143-781

Fish-Finding & Depth-Sounding Sonar

Installation and Operation

Instructions

Eagle

FishEasy

is a registered trademark of LEI

320C is a registered trademark of LEI

Eagle Electronics may find it necessary to change or end our policies, regulations, and special offers at any time. We reserve the right to do so without notice. All features and specifications subject to change without notice. All screens in this manual are simulated.

No part of this manual may be copied, reproduced, republished, transmitted or distributed for any purpose, without prior written consent of Eagle Electronics. Any unauthorized commercial

distribution of this manual is strictly prohibited.

For free owner's manuals and the most current information on

this product, its operation and accessories,

visit our web site:

www.eaglesonar.com

Eagle Electronics

P.O. Box 669

Catoosa, OK USA 74015

Printed in USA.

Table of Contents

Introduction ............................................................................... I

Capabilities and Specifications: Fisheasy 320c........................... 5

How Sonar Works ......................................................................... 7

How to Use this Manual: Typographical Conventions................ 8

Installation & Accessories..................................................... 11

Preparations................................................................................ 11

Transducer Installation.............................................................. 11

Recommended Tools and Supplies ......................................... 12

Transom Installation ..........................................................12

Trolling Motor Installations ............................................... 12

Shoot-Through Hull Installations ...................................... 12

Selecting a Transducer Location............................................ 13

How Low Should You Go?....................................................... 14

Shoot-Thru-Hull vs. Transom Mounting ............................... 15

Transom Transducer Assembly and Mounting ..................... 16

Trolling Motor Bracket Installation....................................... 20

Transducer Orientation and Fish Arches .............................. 21

Shoot-Thru-Hull Preparation................................................. 23

Hulls with Floatation Materials......................................... 23

Testing Determines Best Location......................................... 24

Shoot-Thru-Hull Installation ................................................. 26

Speed/Temperature Sensors ................................................. 28

Speed Sensor Installation....................................................... 31

Power Connections.................................................................. 33

Mounting the Sonar Unit: in-Dash, Bracket or Portable...... 35

Bracket Installation................................................................ 35

Portable Sonar Installation .................................................... 38

Installing the Batteries .......................................................... 39

Portable Transducer Assembly .............................................. 41

Basic Sonar Operation ........................................................... 43

Keyboard Basics.......................................................................... 43

1. Menu/Pwr (Menu and Power)............................................. 43

2. Ent/Pages (Enter and Pages).............................................. 44

3. Exit ...................................................................................... 44

4. Up and Down Arrows.......................................................... 44

Memory........................................................................................ 44

Menus .......................................................................................... 44

Main Menu .............................................................................. 45

Sonar Menu ............................................................................. 46

Pages ........................................................................................... 48

Basic Sonar Quick Reference ..................................................... 51

Sonar Operations ........................................................................ 52

Fish Symbols vs. Full Sonar Chart ........................................ 55

Other Free Training Aids ....................................................... 56

Advanced Sonar Options & Other Features...................... 58

ASP (Advanced Signal Processing) ......................................... 58

Alarms ......................................................................................... 59

Depth Alarms .......................................................................... 59

To Adjust and Turn on the Shallow Alarm:....................... 60

To Adjust and Turn on the Deep Alarm:............................ 60

Fish Alarm............................................................................... 61

Backlight Level ........................................................................... 61

Calibrate Speed........................................................................... 62

Chart Speed................................................................................. 63

Colorline ................................................................................... 64

Contrast....................................................................................... 65

Depth Cursor............................................................................... 66

Depth Range - Automatic ........................................................... 67

Depth Range - Manual................................................................ 67

To Turn Auto Depth Range on Again .................................... 68

FasTrack .................................................................................. 68

Fish I.D. (Fish Symbols & Depths) ......................................... 69

FishTrack ................................................................................. 70

Overlay Data ............................................................................... 71

To Change Displayed Data Font Size .................................... 73

Ping Speed & HyperScroll....................................................... 74

To Change Ping Speed: ........................................................... 75

To Adjust Sensitivity: ............................................................. 75

To Turn Off HyperScroll:........................................................ 75

Pop-Up Help................................................................................ 76

Reset Options .............................................................................. 76

Reset Water Distance ................................................................. 77

Sensitivity & Auto Sensitivity.................................................... 77

Automatic Sensitivity ............................................................. 78

To Turn Auto Sensitivity Back On......................................... 79

Set Keel Offset ............................................................................80

Set Language .............................................................................. 81

Software Version Information.................................................... 81

Sonar Chart Mode....................................................................... 82

Sonar Page & Sonar Chart Display Options ............................. 82

Full Sonar Chart ..................................................................... 83

Split Zoom Sonar Chart.......................................................... 83

Digital Data/Chart .................................................................. 84

Sonar Simulator.......................................................................... 85

Stop Chart ................................................................................... 85

Surface Clarity............................................................................ 86

Transparency ..............................................................................87

Units of Measure......................................................................... 88

Zoom Pan..................................................................................... 91

Troubleshooting ......................................................................93

Noise ........................................................................................ 95

iii

Notes

Introduction

Thank you for buying an Eagle sonar! Your unit is a high-quality, remarkably-priced color sonar designed for both professional and novice fishermen. All Eagle 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 (

MENU/PWR) key.

However, if you want to fine-tune your unit, press the The FishEasy scrolling through easy-to-use menus with the arrow and menu keys.

To get started with your Eagle 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 FishEasy 320C. 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.

320C has several powerful features you can control by

MENU key again.

Capabilities and Specifications: FishEasy 320C

General

Case size:......................... 5.8" H x 4.3" W x 2.5" D (14.7 cm H x 10.8 cm

W x 6.6 cm D) sealed, waterproof; suitable for saltwater use.

Display:............................ 1/4 VGA color, transflective TFT display; 3.5"

(8.9 cm) diagonal viewing area.

Resolution:...................... 320 pixels (vert.) x 240 pixel (horiz.) resolu-

tion; 153,600 total pixels

Backlighting:.................. Backlit screen and keypad for night use.

Input power:................... 10 to 17 volts DC.

Current drain: ............... 200 ma lights off; 250 ma lights on.

Back-up memory: .......... Built-in memory stores sonar settings when

unit is turned off.

Sonar

Frequency:...................... 200 kHz.

Transducers: .................. A model HST-WSU Skimmer



transducer comes packed with your sonar unit. Operates at speeds up to 70 mph (61 kts). Optional thruhull, portable and trolling motor transducers are available.

Transmitter: ................... 800 watts peak-to-peak power (typical); 100

watts RMS power (typical).

Sonar sounding

depth capability: ........... 600 feet (182 meters). Actual capability de-

pends 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, built into transducer. Optional addi-

tional temp sensors for live well, bait well, etc. are available.

Speed/distance log: ....... Yes, with optional speed sensor.

NOTICE!

The storage and operation 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.

How Sonar Works

Sonar has been around since the 1940s, so if you already know how it works, skip ahead to the next segment on the typographical conventions used in this manual. But, if you've never owned a sonar fish finder, this segment will tell you the underwater basics.

Sonar is an abbreviation for SOund NA ogy developed during World War II for tracking enemy submarines. (Eagle developed the world's first transistorized sportfishing sonar in 1957.) A sonar consists of a transmitter, transducer, receiver and display. In simple terms, here's how it finds the bottom, or the fish:

The transmitter emits an electrical impulse, which the transducer converts into a sound wave and sends into the water. (The sound frequency can't be heard by humans or fish.) The sound wave strikes an object (fish, structure, bottom) and bounces back to the transducer, which converts the sound back into an electrical signal.

The receiver amplifies this return signal, or echo, and sends it to the display, where an image of the object appears on the scrolling sonar

vigation and Ranging, a technol-

chart. The sonar's microprocessor calculates the time lapse between the transmitted signal and echo return to determine the distance to the object. The whole process repeats itself several times each second.

How to use this manual: typographical conventions

Many instructions are listed as numbered steps. The keypad and arrow "keystrokes" appear as boldface type. So, if you're in a real hurry (or just need a reminder), you can skim the instructions and pick out what menu command to use by finding the boldface command text. The following paragraphs explain how to interpret the text formatting for those commands and other instructions:

Arrow Keys

The arrow keys control a horizontal line depth cursor on the sonar screen. The arrow keys also help you move around the menus so you can execute different commands. They are represented by symbols like these, which denote the down arrow key and the up arrow: ↓ ↑.

Keyboard

The other keys perform a variety of functions. When the text refers to a key to press, the key is shown in bold, sans serif type. For example, the "Enter/Pages" key is shown as as

MENU.

Menu Commands

A menu command or a menu option will appear in small capital letters, in a bold sans serif type like this: are to select this command or option from a menu or take an action of some kind with the menu item. Text that you may need to enter or file names you need to select are show in italic type, such as data type.

ENT and the "Menu/Power" key is shown

DEPTH CURSOR. These indicate that you

Instructions = Menu Sequences

Most functions you perform with the sonar unit are described as a sequence of key strokes and selecting menu commands. We've written them in a condensed manner for quick and easy reading.

For example, instructions for turning on the Fish ID feature would look like this:

1. From the Sonar Page, press

2. Press ↓ to

FISH ID SYMBOLS|ENT|EXIT|EXIT.

MENU|↓ to SONAR FEATURES|ENT.

Translated into complete English, step 1 above would mean: "Start on the Sonar Page. Press the Menu key then repeatedly press (or press and hold) the down arrow key to scroll down the menu and select (highlight) the Sonar Features menu command. Then press the Enter key."

Step 2 would mean: "Press the down arrow key to select (highlight) the Fish ID symbols command. Next, press the Enter key, then press the Exit key twice."

Notes

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 Skimmer 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 pre-

transducer on a

vent 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.

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):

Transom installation

Tools include: two adjustable wrenches, drill, #29 (0.136") drill bit, flathead screwdriver. Supplies: high quality, marine grade above- or below- waterline sealant compound.

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 the inside back cover). A sandwich hull also requires polyester resin.

Selecting a Transducer Location

Deadrise less than 10

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.

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.

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.

Strakes

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 trans-

prevent the transducer from

location

Transom

centerline

ducer cable around these wires.

CAUTION: Clamp the transducer cable to transom near the transducer. This will help

entering the boat if it is knocked off at high speed.

Good location

Poor location

Good

Poor angle

Good and poor transducer locations.

Good location

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.

Transducer

Align transducer centerline with hull bottom.

Hull bottom

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 transommounted 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.

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 lesson to determine if you can satisfactorily shoot through the hull.

Transom Transducer Assembly And Mounting

The best way to install the transducer 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.

1. Assembling the 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.

2. Aligning the transducer on the transom. 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 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 3. If it doesn't, repeat step 2, 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.

3. Assembling the transducer. 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.

Nut

Metal washer

Rubber washers

Assemble transducer and bracket.

Metal washer

Bolt

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.

Drill the holes using the #29 bit (for the #10 screws).

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. Remove the transducer from

Flat-bottom hull

the bracket and re-assemble it with the cable passing through the bracket over the bolt as shown in the following figures.

Route cable over bolt and through bracket. Side view shown at left and

seen from above at right.

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 bracket's mounting screws, sealing them with the sealant 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

hull

Deep-"vee" hull

Align transducer centerline with hull bottom and attach to transom.

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 is 5/8". (If you intend to route an additional speed or temp sensor cable through the same hole, you will need a 1" (25.4 mm) drill bit instead.

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 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 optional 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.)

Bolt

Flat washer

Attach motor mounting bracket to transducer.

Internal tooth washer

Nut

TMB-S bracket

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.

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

Full fish arch

Proper transducer angle

Transducer angles and their effects on fish arches.

Transducer aimed

too far forward

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 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

Hulls With Floatation Materials

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 i the material is removed from the chosen area. See the figure below.

ARNING:

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 polyester resin

Flotation material

Epoxy to hull first

Epoxy the transducer to a solid portion of the hull.

Fill with resin

Inner hull

Outer 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.

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)

Shoot-thru-hull transducer locations for

high speed or trolling speed operation.

Transducer location

(trolling speed)

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.

Second bo

tom

True bo

tom

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 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 floatation material sandwiched within the hull, refer to the text "Hulls With Flotation Materials" beginning on page 23.

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.

fter sanding, clean the hull and transducer with rubbing alcohol to

remove any sanding debris.

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.

WARNING:

Use only the epoxy available from LEI. It has been for- mulated 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.

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.

Speed/Temperature Sensors

The FishEasy 320C can accept as many as two temperature sensors, which can be used to monitor the temperature of surface water, a live well or some other location. These units can accept an optional speed sensor for showing speed and distance traveled. However, you can only use one accessory at a time. If you would like to use a speed sensor and a secondary temperature sensor at the same time, you will need a combination device.

NOTE:

If a second temp sensor is used, it must be the model TS-2U. This model has a fixed electronic "address" which designates it as the second of two temp sensors.

Primary temp sensor built into transducer

TS-2U secondary external temp sensor shown as T2

Full Chart page showing dual temperature display.

See the following charts for sample sensor combinations and cable connections.

Sonar unit rear view

ST-TU combination

speed and temperature

sensor

3-amp fuse

12-volt battery

Power/transducer cable

Sonar unit with external combination speed and temperature sensor.

Primary temp sensor is built into the transducer.

Temperature sensor built into transducer

HST-WSU

Sonar unit rear view

TS-2U temperature sensor

3-amp fuse

12-volt battery

Power/transducer cable

Sonar unit with secondary external temperature sensor. Primary temp

Temperature sensor built into transducer

sensor is built into the transducer.

HST-WSU

sensor

Sonar unit rear view

SP-U speed only

3-amp fuse

12-volt battery

Power/transducer cable

Sonar unit with external speed sensor.

The temperature sensor is built into the transducer.

Temperature sensor built into transducer

HST-WSU

Speed Sensor Installation

If you wish to purchase an optional 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, 5/8" 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 caulking compound. (If you intend to route the sensor cable through the same hole as the transducer cable, you will need a 1" (25.4 mm) drill bit instead of the 5/8" drill bit.)

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

Transom

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 caulking compound to seal the screws. Make sure the sensor is flush with the bottom of the hull and tighten the screws.

Good location

Stern view showing good location for mounting sensor on transom.

Bottom of hull

Speed sensor mounting configuration:

side view (left) and rear view (right.)

Bottom of hull

If the base of the transom has a radius, fill the gap between the transom and the sensor with the caulking compound. 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 5/8". (The hole is 1" (25.4 mm) if you intend to route the sensor cable through the same hole as the transducer cable.)

Caution:

The sensor is now ready for use. Connect the sensor to the accessory socket on the back of the unit. If you have any questions concerning the installation of the sensor, please contact your local boat dealer.

Power Connections

The unit works from a 12-volt battery system. You can attach the power cable to your boat's accessory or power buss or directly to the battery. If you use an accessory buss but have problems with electrical interference, attach the power cable directly to the battery. If the cable is not long enough, splice #18 gauge wire onto it.

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 in-

stalling an inline switch. This will let you shut off power to the

for saltw

ter installations

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.

To unit

Black wire

Power and transducer connections for the FishEasy 320C sonar

unit (direct battery connection shown).

Optional power off switch

12 volt

battery

Red wire with 3 amp fuse

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. The power cable has two wires, red and black. Red is the positive lead, black is negative or ground. Make sure to attach the inline 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.

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.

NOTE:

For more corrosion protection in saltwater or high humidity environments, apply a thin layer of electrical-grade grease to each end of the fuse before installing it in the fuse holder.

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.

MOUNTING THE SONAR UNIT: In-Dash, Bracket or Portable

You can install the sonar unit on the top of a dash with the supplied bracket. At the time of this printing, we do not produce an in-dash mounting kit for the FishEasy 320C. If you wish to check on the future availability of this kit, refer to the accessory ordering information inside the back cover of this manual.

Bracket Installation

Recommended tools for this job include: drill, 1" (25.4 mm) drill bit, screwdriver. Required supplies for this job include: high quality, marine grade above- or below-waterline caulking compound, three #10 stainless steel screws. Screw length and type should be suitable for the material on which you intend to mount the bracket.

Mount the unit in any convenient location, provided there is clearance 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 cable. (See the following drawings, which show the dimensions of a gimbal-mounted FishEasy 320C sonar 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 panels to reinforce the panel and secure the mounting hardware.

Drill a 1" (25.4 mm) hole in the dash for the power/transducer and accessory 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.

107.5

[2.77]

[4.23]

156 [6.26]

12.09 [0.48]

76.9 [3.03]

Front view (left) and side view (right) showing dimensions

of the FishEasy 320C when mounted on quick release bracket.

Millimeter

[Inch]

82.7 [3.26]

70.3

After drilling the hole, pass the connectors up through the hole from under the dash. If you wish, you can fill in the hole around the cable with a good marine caulking compound. (Some marine dealers stock cable hole covers to conceal the opening.)

Using the Quick Release Mounting Bracket

These units use a quick release mounting bracket. When you run the cables through the bracket's cable slots, make sure you allow enough slack for tilting the unit and attaching the connector. (The snug fit of the push-on waterproof connector requires some force to attach.)

Align the bracket over the cable hole with the cable slots facing away from you and fit the cable through one of the slots. Fasten the bracket to the dash using the three screw holes.

Power/transducer c

ble

Ratchet

Rear (away from viewer)

Screw hole

Cable slot

FishEasy 320C quick release mounting bracket. Slots in the base allow

routing the cable from beneath the mount.

Attach the unit to the bracket by first connecting the power/transducer and accessory cables. Then, hold the sonar unit vertically and slide it onto the bracket from above. (The back of the unit should be touching the front of the bracket as you lower it into position.) As you push down, the unit will lock into place with a distinct click.

To adjust the viewing angle, pinch the ratchets with one hand, then tilt the unit with your other hand. Release the ratchets and the unit locks into the new position. To dismount the unit for storage, press the ratchets and lift the unit off the bracket.

Bracket front

Mount the sonar: slide the unit onto the bracket from above.

Depress ratchets to release

Adjust viewing angle: use one hand to press and release the spring-

loaded ratchets while you move the unit with the other hand.

Portable Sonar Installation

Like many Eagle products, the FishEasy 320C sonar is capable of portable operation. It uses the optional PPP-12 portable power pack.

The power pack and portable transducers expand the uses for your sonar. You can use your FishEasy 320C sonar unit on your boat or take 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.

The PPP-12 package includes the power pack, battery adapter and a portable transducer. The transducer can be stored inside the power pack. The PPP-12 requires eight AA alkaline batteries. Batteries are not included.

To use a portable power pack, you simply install the batteries and then attach the sonar unit to the power pack's bracket. Plug in the power/transducer cable and you're ready to fish.

The PPP-12 has a quick-release mounting bracket built into the case.

Installing the Batteries

Release the latch on the front of the power pack case. Open the compartment and install eight AA batteries into the adapter. For the longest life, we recommend you use alkaline batteries.

NOTE:

When the unit is not in use, we recommend you unplug the power connector to reduce the possibility of corrosion or battery drain. When you store the unit, always remove the batteries because dead batteries can leak and corrode the contacts.

After installing the batteries, close the case and plug the sonar unit's power cable into the socket on the power pack case.

PPP-12 Portable Power Pack with FishEasy 320C stowed for transport.

Turn the sonar unit on. If it doesn't work, make sure the battery terminals are making good contact against the battery contacts. Also check the wiring connections on the battery adapter. The red wire on the power cable should be attached to the red wire on the battery adapter and the power cable's black wire should be connected to the black wire on the battery adapter.

If it still doesn't work, check the battery voltage. Most of the complaints we receive about portable units result from stale batteries. Make sure the ones you buy are fresh.

In cold weather the efficiency of dry cell batteries drops with the temperature. We find it a good idea to have the sonar unit good and warm along with the batteries before we leave home.

If the batteries do lose a charge, you can sometimes restore them by placing them in a warm room or car interior. A better way is to replace them with batteries that have been kept warm.

WARNING:

Never heat the batteries over an open flame or direct hot air onto them. A fire or explosion could result.

Portable Transducer Assembly

Recommended tools for installation include a slotted screw driver and two adjustable wrenches.

Assemble the transducer and bracket as shown in the following figure. Attach the transducer to the bracket with the supplied hardware.

Make sure there is one washer on each side of the transducer, inside the bracket. Slide the other washer over the end of the bolt and thread the nut onto it.

Screw the suction cup onto the bracket using the supplied screw and flat washer. Tie the nylon cord through the hole in the top of the bracket. When using this transducer, tie the other end of the nylon cord to the boat. This will help prevent the loss of the transducer if it comes off the boat.

Tie nylon

cord here

Screw

Bolt

Washer

Suction

cup

Nut

Washer

Transducer

Portable transducer assembly: rear view (left) and side view (right.)

Clean the chosen area of the hull before attaching the suction cup. Locate the transducer on the hull as shown in the following figure. Don't allow the bracket to extend below the hull, because water pressure against it can cause the suction cup to come off at speed.

Moisten the cup, then press it onto the hull as firmly as possible. Tie the nylon cord to the boat and route the transducer cable to the sonar unit. Your portable sonar is now ready for use.

Suction

cup

Hull

Portable transducer installed on boat transom.

Bracket

Transducer

NOTE:

For optimum operation, the portable transducer should be adjusted so that it is parallel to the ground. For more information on this, see the earlier segment on Transducer Orientation and Fish Arches.

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:

FishEasy 320C 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 twice to access the Main Menu.

NOTE:

You must hold the to turn the unit off.

2. ENT/PAGES (enter and pages)

This key appears in the manual text simply as 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.

3. EXIT

Press this key to clear menus from the screen and return to the Sonar Chart display. You will also use 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.

MENU once to access the Sonar Menu, or

MENU key down for a countdown of five in order

ENT. When viewing a

EXIT to cancel alarms, and to clear any

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 58.

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 play, press

ENT. To clear the Main Menu screen and return to the Page dis-

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 9, Instructions = Menu Sequences.)

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, BACKLIGHT LEVEL and TRANSPARENCY):

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.

• 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 lan- guages. This command switches from one language to another.

• Software Information command: tells you which version of the op- erating 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 Page display, press

ENT. To clear the menu screen and return to the EXIT.

Sonar Page Menu. Most of these functions are discussed in the Ad-

vanced Section.

Sonar Menu Commands

The Sonar Menu contains commands for the major sonar features and options. Most of them are described in detail only in the Advanced 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:

• ColorLine command: 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.

• 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 color 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 Level command: controls the display size of sonar signal im-

ages.

Pages

The FishEasy 320C has three major display options. They are the Full Sonar Chart, Split Zoom Sonar Chart, and Digital Data.

You access the various display modes by pressing the As you press this key, the unit cycles among the four page options. To return to a previous page, simply press pears again.

The Full Sonar Chart is the main display option. This is a "crosssection" 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.

ENT until the desired page ap-

ENT/PAGES key.

Digital data

Surface signal

overlay (depth & temperature)

Surface clutter

Depth scale

Fish arches around school of bait fish

Structure

Bottom signal

Sonar Page, showing full sonar chart mode.

FasTrack bar graph

Zoom bar

In FasTrack, fish arches show as horizontal bars.

Sonar chart display options: full sonar chart (left) and split zoom.

Sonar chart display options: digital data.

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 next two pages contain 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.

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.

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.

Bait

chool

Thermocline

with fish

Fish

arches

Fig. 2

Fig. 1 Fig. 2

Fig. 3 Fig. 4

These figures show results of different sensitivity levels on the same

location. Fig. 1: Sensitivity at 87 percent, determined by Auto Sensitiv-

ity. 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.

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.)

Display showing Sensitivity Control Bar.

NOTE:

If you want to change the sensitivity in Manual Mode, first turn off Auto Sensitivity: from the Sonar Page, press

SENSITIVITY|ENT|↑ to SENSITIVITY|ENT. Press ↓ or ↑ to pick a different

sensitivity setting. When it's set at the desired level, press

MENU|↓ to AUTO

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 recom-

mend 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 Eagle sonar to Fish I.D., which screened out the schools of jellyfish and clearly showed the game fish there as fish symbols.

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.EAGLESONAR.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!

For the ultimate training aid, be sure to download the free emulator software for your unit. Aside from being just plain fun, this program can help you learn both basic and advanced operations without burning boat fuel! Eagle is one of the first sonar manufacturers to provide this type of training tool for customers.

This PC application simulates the actual sonar unit on your computer. You can run it from your computer keyboard or use your mouse to press the virtual keys. Easy download and installation instructions are available on our web site.

Free training emulator is available for your unit on our web site. To

run it, click the buttons with your mouse pointer.

Advanced Sonar Options & Other Features

Material in this section is arranged in alphabetical order.

ASP (Advanced Signal Processing)

The ASP feature 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

2. Press ↓ to

NOISE REJECTION|ENT.

3. Press ↓ or ↑ to select a setting, then press

4. To return to the previous page, press

MENU|↓ to SONAR FEATURES|ENT.

ENT.

EXIT|EXIT.

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.

At left, Main Menu and Sonar Alarms command.

At right, the Sonar Alarms menu.

To adjust and turn on the shallow alarm:

1. Press MENU|MENU|↓ to SONAR ALARMS|ENT.

2. Press

3. Press ↑ or ↓ until the depth is correct, then press

4. Press ↑ to

5. To turn off the alarm, press

ENT|EXIT|EXIT.

ENT to access depth feature.

ENT.

SHALLOW ALARM ENABLED|ENT|EXIT|EXIT.

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

3. Press ↑ or ↓ until the depth is correct, then press

4. Press ↑ to

DEEP ALARM DEPTH|ENT.

ENT.

DEEP ALARM ENABLED|ENT|EXIT|EXIT.

5. To turn off the alarm, press to

DEEP ALARM ENABLED|ENT|EXIT|EXIT.

MENU|MENU|↓ to SONAR ALARMS|ENT|↓

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

3. To turn off the alarm, press to

FISH ALARM|ENT|EXIT|EXIT.

MENU|MENU|↓ to SONAR ALARMS|ENT|↓

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.

Backlight Level Command, left, and Backlight Level control bar, right. The 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

2. Enter the number you calculated earlier: press ↑ or ↓ to change the displayed number. Continue until the percentage is correct, then press

MENU|MENU|↓ to CALIBRATE WATER SPEED|ENT.

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.

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.

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

2. The Chart Speed Control Bar appears. Press ↓ to decrease chart speed; press ↑ to increase chart speed.

MENU|↓ to CHART SPEED|ENT.

3. When it's set at the desired level, press

EXIT.

ColorLine

ColorLine lets you distinguish between strong and weak echoes. It "paints" a brighter color 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, colored line (dark blue tinged with red or a little yellow.) Since fish are among the weakest echoes, they show up mostly as blue arches. A hard bottom or other relatively hard target returns a strong signal which causes a wider brightly colored line (reddish yellow to bright yellow.)

If you have two signals of equal size, one with red to yellow color and the other without, then the target with brighter color (yellow) is the stronger signal. This helps distinguish weeds from trees on the bottom, or fish from structure.

ColorLine is adjustable. Experiment with your unit to find the ColorLine setting that's best for you.

ColorLine control bar.

To adjust the ColorLine level:

1. From the Sonar Page, press

MENU|↓ to COLORLINE|ENT.

2. The ColorLine Control Bar appears. Press ↓ to decrease ColorLine; press ↑ to increase ColorLine.

3. When it's set at the desired level, press

Thin or no ColorLine

EXIT.

Wider ColorLine

At left, little ColorLine indicates a soft bottom, probably sand or mud.

At right, the wider ColorLine indicates a harder, rocky bottom.

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. When contrast is set at the desired level, press

EXIT.

Contrast Command, left, and Contrast control bar, right.

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.

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

The Depth Range Control Scale.

MENU|↓ to DEPTH RANGE|ENT.

2. The Depth Range Control Scale appears. Press ↑ or ↓ to select a different depth range. A blue bar highlights the selected 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. A horizontal blue bar highlights the selected range.

4. When the new range is selected, press

To turn Auto Depth Range on again:

EXIT to clear the menu.

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.

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.

FasTrack

bar graph

Surface clutter

Fish arches

Structure

In FasTrack, fish arches show as horizontal bars.

Bottom signal

ColorLine



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 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 on.

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

2. Press ↓ to

FISH ID SYMBOLS|ENT|EXIT|EXIT.

MENU|↓ to SONAR FEATURES|ENT.

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 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:

FishTrack depths

(Note: These instructions will turn on FishTrack and Fish I.D. at the same time.)

1. From the Sonar Page, press

2. Press ↓ to

FISH ID DEPTHS|ENT|EXIT|EXIT.

MENU|↓ to SONAR FEATURES|ENT.

To turn off FishTrack, repeat these instructions. Turning off FishTrack in this manner will not turn off Fish I.D. symbols.

Symbols with

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 show-

ing 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

2. Press ↓ or ↑ to select Data Type|

MENU|↓ to OVERLAY DATA|ENT.

ENT.

Overlay Data Shown selection menu. In this example,

we scrolled down the data list to highlight "Water Speed."

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.)

3. To return to the previous page, press

To change displayed data font size:

1. Press MENU|↓ to OVERLAY DATA|ENT.

EXIT|EXIT.

2. Press ↓ or ↑ to select Data Type, then press

ENT. The DATA SIZE (dis-

played in the bottom of the Overlay Data Shown window) cycles through available sizes. Keep pressing Data Size, then press

EXIT.

ENT until it shows the desired

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, be-

ginning 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

2. Press ↓ or ↑ to select Data Type|press desired font size is shown.

The data will be shown in the new font size. To return to the previous page, press

MENU|↓ to OVERLAY DATA|ENT.

ENT repeatedly until the

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.

However, when you are running at high speeds, or just want the fastest possible screen update, you may want to use the HyperScroll feature. 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.

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.

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 its 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 option highlighted, press

ENT to check it (turn on) and uncheck it (turn

off). After the option is set, press

Main Menu, left, with Pop-up Help command highlighted. At right,

this example shows the Pop-up Help message for the Sensitivity

command, located on the Sonar Menu.

MENU|MENU|↓ to POPUP HELP. With the

EXIT to return to the page display.

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

2. Press ↑ or ↓ to

MENU|MENU|↓ to RESET OPTIONS|ENT.

YES|ENT.

3. All the menus are cleared and all options are returned to the factory settings.

At left, Main Menu with Reset Options command selected.

On the right, Yes is selected for Reset all the options?

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 cleared and the water distance is reset to 0.00.

MENU|MENU|↓ to RESET WATER DISTANCE|ENT. The menus are

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 ColorLine and some surface clutter.

utomatic 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 o 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 ad-

ustments, 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.

To adjust sensitivity in manual mode:

1. First, turn off Auto Sensitivity: from the Sonar Page, press to

AUTO SENSITIVITY|ENT.

2. Press ↑ to

SENSITIVITY|ENT and the Sensitivity Control Bar appears.

MENU|↓

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

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 indicators now accurately show the depth of water beneath the keel.

NOTE:

MENU|MENU|↓ to SET KEEL OFFSET|ENT.

EXIT. The depth

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

2. The Keel Offset dialog box appears with a plus (+) sign at the front of the box.

MENU|MENU|↓ to SET KEEL OFFSET|ENT.

3. Press ↑ until the displayed number is + 1.5, then press depth indicators now accurately show the water depth from surface to bottom.

EXIT. The

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

2. Use ↓ or ↑ to select a different language and press now appear in the language you selected.

MENU|MENU|↓ to SET LANGUAGE|ENT.

ENT. All menus

Software Version Information

From time to time, Eagle updates the operating system software in some of its products. These software upgrades are usually offered to customers as free downloads from our web site, www.eaglesonar.com. 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.

At left, Main Menu with Software Information command selected.

At right, the Software Information screen.

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

The default color scheme for the sonar chart is white background, but we offer other variations to suit your viewing preferences. In addition to white, you can select the chart to be displayed in grayscale, reverse grayscale, blue background, night view, ice view, or bottom color tracking.

To change the chart mode color scheme:

1. From the Sonar Page, press

2.. Press ↓ to

SONAR CHART MODE|ENT.

3. Press ↓ or ↑ to Mode Name|

4. Press

EXIT|EXIT to return to the Sonar Page.

MENU|↓ to SONAR FEATURES|ENT.

ENT.

Sonar Page & Sonar Chart Display Options

The FishEasy 320C offers three chart display options. To cycle through them, press the desired mode appears.

EXIT to clear any menus, then press ENT repeatedly until

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 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 zoomed 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.

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 five large digital boxes or windows containing: Water Depth; Surface Water Temperature; Temperature #2; Water Speed (from an optional speed sensor); and Water Distance (distance traveled or logged; it also requires a speed sensor).

NOTE:

Temperature #2 requires an additional optional temperature sensor.)

Digital Data/Chart

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 occasionally see the word Simulated in the Sonar Page at the bottom of the screen. To use the simulator:

1. From the Sonar Page, press

2. Turn off Sonar Simulator by pressing

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.

MENU|MENU|↓ to SONAR SIMULATOR|ENT.

MENU|MENU|↓ to SONAR

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 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.

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.

Transparency

Use the transparency menu to adjust the transparency of menu windows. A high transparency allows you to continue monitoring the sonar chart while adjusting feature settings, though the text of the menus

may fade until it is unreadable. A low transparency will usually make menu text easier to read, at the cost of watching your sonar returns.

Experiment with this feature until you find the right level of transparency for your eyes.

Main Menu with Transparency command selected.

To adjust Menu Transparency level:

Press

MENU|MENU|↓ to TRANSPARENCY|ENT. The TRANSPARENCY slider bar

appears. Press ↑ or ↓ to move the bar. The lower end of the scale makes the menus opaque; the upper end is maximum transparency. Press

EXIT

to remove the slider bar from the display.

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.

Main Menu, left, Units of Measure Menu, right.

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.

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

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

MENU|MENU|↓ to VOLUME|ENT.

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.

At left, Sonar Page, normal view. Center, same view zoomed to 2X.

Right, same view zoomed to 4X

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

2. The Sonar Features menu appears. Press ↓ to

BAR|ENT|EXIT|EXIT.

MENU|↓ to SONAR FEATURES|ENT.

ZOOM

3. To turn off the Zoom Bar, repeat steps 1 and 2.

Illustration at left shows Zoom Bar and 2X zoom level, at right, 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!

Tip:

If you don't mind giving up a little screen space, you can zoom the display faster if you leave the Zoom menu on. That makes it easy to very quickly switch back and forth among the zoom settings.

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 67) and turn on 2X or 4X Zoom. Then, simply press ↑ or down the water column.

↓ to pan up and

Notes

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 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.

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.

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 certain 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 certain 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 certain 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 that has a smooth flow of water at all boat speeds. Read your transducer owner's manual for the best mounting position.

Accessories, 5, 11, 35, 36 Alarms, 45, 59, 60, 61

Depth Alarms, 59

Fish Alarm, 59, 61 Antenna, 96 ASP (Advanced Signal Processing),

24, 58

Backlights / Lighting, 6, 45, 61, 62, 77 Batteries, 11, 33, 34, 39, 40, 44, 93, 94,

Calibrate Speed, 62 Chart Speed, 47, 63 Contrast, 45, 65, 66, 77 Cursor, 8, 48, 52, 66, 67, 80

Index

Interpreting, 55 FishTrack, 70 Frequency, 6

HyperScroll, 71, 74

Installation, 11, 26, 31, 35, 38, 39 Introduction

Specifications, 5

Typographical Conventions, 8

Keel Offset, 46, 80, 81 Keypad Description, 8

Languages, 46, 81

Depth Cursor, 8, 48, 52, 66, 67 Depth Range, 24, 25, 47, 67, 68, 83, 91,

94, 95 Automatic, 67 Manual, 67

Display Options, 44, 48, 82, 83, 84

FasTrack, 68 Fish Depths, 70 Fish I.D., 45, 48, 55, 59, 61, 69 Fish Symbols, 45, 48, 55, 59, 61, 69

Main Menu, 44, 45, 46, 60, 76, 77, 82,

88, 89

Noise Rejection, 59, 71

Overlay Data, 48, 71, 72, 73, 74, 83

Page Displays, 8, 48

Digital Data, 48, 77, 84

Ping Speed, 48, 71, 74, 75

HyperScroll, 71, 74 Pop-up Help, 76 Power, 6, 8, 11, 33, 34, 35, 37, 38, 39,

40, 43, 44, 51, 78, 93, 94, 95, 96 Product Specifications, 5

Range, 24, 25, 47, 67, 68, 83, 91, 94, 95

Automatic, 67

Manual, 67 Reset Options, 46, 55, 76, 77, 79 Reset Water Distance, 46, 77 Route, 11, 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 27, 31, 33,

42, 93, 96

Sensitivity, 24, 47, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55,

75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 91, 95 Simulator, 5, 46, 85 Software Version Information, 81 Sonar Chart Color Mode, 82 Sonar Chart Display Options, 44, 48, 82,

83, 84 Sonar Menu, 44, 46, 47, 76, 86, 91

Sonar Operation

Quick Reference, 51

Speed Sensors, 5, 7, 28, 31, 32, 46, 62,

77, 84 Stop Chart, 47, 85, 86 Surface Clarity, 86, 87

Temperature Sensors, 7, 12, 16, 20, 28,

29, 30, 83 Transducer, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15,

16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25,

26, 27, 29, 30, 31, 33, 34, 35, 37, 39,

41, 42, 51, 52, 58, 68, 74, 80, 83, 85,

93, 94, 95, 96

Mounting, 20

Shoot-Thru-Hull, 23

Units of Measure, 46, 88, 89

Zooming, 6, 48, 51, 83, 89, 90, 91, 95

Zoom Bar, 89, 90, 91

Zoom Pan, 91

Eagle Electronics FISHEASY 320C User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual