Lowrance electronic X86 DS, X86 TX User Manual

www.lowrance.com
Pub. 988-0151-411
X86 DS & X86 TX
Fish-finding & Depth Sounding Sonars
Installation and Operation
Instructions
Copyright © 2006 Lowrance Electronics, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Lowrance® is a registered trademark of Lowrance Electronics, Inc.
Lowrance 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. On the cover: X86 DS shown.
For free owner's manuals and the most current information on
this product, its operation and accessories,
visit our web site:
www.lowrance.com
Lowrance Electronics Inc.
12000 E. Skelly Dr.
Tulsa, OK USA 74128-2486
Printed in USA.
Table of Contents
Section 1: Introduction....................................................................1
Specifications: X86 DS and X86 TX ....................................................1
How Sonar Works.................................................................................2
Preparations .........................................................................................3
Section 2: Installation & Accessories..........................................5
Recommended Tools and Supplies ..................................................5
Selecting a Transducer Location .....................................................5
How low should you go? ...................................................................6
Shoot-thru-hull vs. Transom Mounting ..........................................7
Transom Transducer Assembly and Mounting ..............................8
Trolling Motor Bracket Installation..............................................11
Transducer Orientation and Fish Arches.....................................12
Shoot-Thru-Hull Preparation ........................................................13
Shoot-thru-hull Installation ..........................................................15
Power and Cable Connections ....................................................... 16
Mounting The Sonar Unit: In-Dash or Bracket ...........................18
Portable Installation ......................................................................21
Portable Transducer Assembly .....................................................22
Section 3: Operation.......................................................................25
Keyboard Basics .................................................................................25
Memory ...............................................................................................26
Menus.................................................................................................. 26
Display ................................................................................................26
FasTrack..........................................................................................27
Pages ...................................................................................................28
Full Chart ...........................................................................................28
Depth Range .......................................................................................29
Zoom ....................................................................................................30
Sensitivity...........................................................................................31
Grayline ..............................................................................................33
Chart Speed ........................................................................................ 34
Frequency ...........................................................................................34
Fish I.D. ...........................................................................................35
FishTrack™ ........................................................................................36
Alarms.................................................................................................37
Fish Alarm ..........................................................................................37
Depth Alarms .....................................................................................38
Shallow Alarm ....................................................................................38
Deep Alarm.........................................................................................39
Battery Alarm.....................................................................................39
Noise Rejection and ASP ................................................................40
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Depth Display.....................................................................................41
Temperature Display .........................................................................41
Voltage ................................................................................................42
Units....................................................................................................42
Backlight.............................................................................................43
Contrast ..............................................................................................43
Simulator ............................................................................................44
Set Language ......................................................................................44
Software Information.........................................................................44
Reset Options......................................................................................44
Troubleshooting..............................................................................45
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Section 1: Introduction
Thank you for buying a Lowrance sonar! Your unit is a high-quality sonar designed for both professional and novice fishermen. All Lowrance sonars have an automatic mode that finds and displays the bottom, fish, underwater structure and more – right out of the box. All you have to do is press the on (
To get started with your Lowrance sonar, first read the installation sec­tion. It contains instructions for mounting the sonar unit, the trans­ducer and any optional accessories, such as a speed sensor.
Following recommended installation practices will pay off in optimum performance of your Lowrance sonar. Improper installation can cause problems down the road, especially if the transducer is badly mounted.
After you've read the installation instructions, install the unit and ac­cessories. Then, read the rest of the manual. The more you know about your sonar, the better it will work for you.
Capabilities and Specifications: X86 DS and X86 TX
Case size:........................... 5.4" H x 6.9" W x 3.4" D (13.8 cm H x 17.6 cm
Display: ............................4.5" (11.4 cm) Film SuperTwist LCD display,
Resolution: ......................240V x 240H pixel resolution; 57,600 total
Backlighting: ..................Incandescent backlit screen and keypad for
Input power: ...................10 to 17 volts DC.
Current drain: ................110 ma lights off; 250 ma lights on.
Back-up memory:...........Built-in memory stores sonar settings when
Languages: ......................11 International languages.
PWR) key.
General
W x 8.6 cm D). Sealed and waterproof; suit­able for saltwater use.
4-level gray scale definition with GRAYLINE
pixels.
night use.
unit is turned off.
.
Sonar
Frequency: ......................83/200 kHz
Transducers:...................A compact Dual-Search Skimmer
ducer with built-in temperature sensor is packed with the unit.
Watts:................................1,500 watts peak-to-peak; 188 watts RMS.
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trans-
Depth capability: ...........To 1,000 feet (305 meters) with 83 kHz. Ac-
tual capability depends on transducer con­figuration and installation, bottom composi­tion and water conditions. All sonar units typically read deeper in fresh water than in salt water.
Depth display: ................Continuous display.
Audible alarms:..............Deep/shallow/fish/battery.
Automatic ranging: .......Yes.
Auto bottom track: ........Yes.
Zoom bottom track:....... Yes.
Surface water temp: .....Yes.
NOTICE!
The storage temperature for your unit is from -4 degrees to +167 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 degrees to +75 degrees Celsius). Extended storage in temperatures higher or lower than specified will damage the liquid crystal display in your unit. This type of damage is not covered by the warranty. For more information, contact the fac­tory's Customer Service Department; phone numbers are inside the manual's back cover.
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. 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 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.
vigation and Ranging, a technol-
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Dual Search Transducer
Your unit is packed with a Dual Search Skimmer Transducer that can transmit at 83 kHz and 200 kHz.
A new innovation, the 83 kHz frequency offers superior sonar perform­ance at all depths from very shallow up to 1,000 ft and provides up to 120º of fish-finding coverage.
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 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. Install the power cable and route it to the sonar unit.
6. Mount the sonar unit.
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Notes
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Section 2:
Installation & Accessories
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 pre­vent damage if the transducer strikes an object while the boat is moving. If the transducer does "kick-up," the bracket can easily be pushed back into place without tools.
Read these instructions carefully before attempting the installation. Determine which of the installation methods is right for your boat.
Remember, the transducer 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. The following installation types also call for these recommended tools and required supplies (supplies 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 below­waterline 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. Supplies: 100 grit sandpaper, good quality epoxy adhesive.
Selecting a Transducer Location
1. The transducer must be placed in a location that has a smooth flow of water at all times. If the transducer is to be mounted inside the hull, then the chosen location must be in the 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.
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transducer on a
NOTE:
p
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 location on alumi­num boats is between the ribs closest to the engine.
2. The transducer should be installed with its face pointing straight down, if possible.
3. 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.
4. If possible, route the transducer cable away from other wiring on the boat. Electrical noise from engine wiring, bilge pumps and aerators can be displayed on the sonar's screen. Use caution when routing the transducer cable around these wires.
CAUTION: Clamp the trans­ducer cable to transom near the transducer. This will help
revent the transducer from
entering the boat if it is knocked off at high speed.
Good location
Poor location
Good location
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.
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Transducer centerline
Align transducer centerline with hull bottom.
Transom
Hull bottom
If you want 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 want, 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 "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.
The shoot-thru-hull installation does have its drawbacks, though. 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.
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Lack of angle adjustment can be particularly troublesome on hulls that sit with the bow high when at rest or at slow trolling speeds.
Third, a transducer CAN NOT shoot through wood and metal hulls. Those hulls require either a transom mount or a thru-hull installation.
Fourth, if your Skimmer transducer has a built in temp sensor, it will only show the temperature of the bilge, not the water surface temp. Follow the testing procedures listed in the shoot-thru-hull installation section at the end of this instruction booklet to determine if you can satisfactorily shoot through the hull.
Transom Transducer Assembly and Mounting
The best way to install 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.
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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 posi-
tion for the ratchets, assemble the transducer as shown in the following figure. Don't tighten the lock nut at this time.
Metal
Nut
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).
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Transom
Transom
Position transducer mount on transom and mark mounting holes.
Side view (left) and shown from above (right).
5. Attaching transducer to transom. Remove the transducer from
the bracket and re-assemble it with the cable passing through the bracket over the bolt as shown in the following figures.
Route cable over bolt and through bracket. Side view (left) and shown
from above (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
of
hull
Flat-bottom hull Deep-"vee" hull
Align transducer centerline with hull bottom and attach to transom.
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6. Route the transducer cable through or over the transom to
r
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".
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. The internal tooth washer is supplied with the TMB-S.
Bolt
Internal tooth washer
Nut
TMB-S bracket
Flat washe
Attach motor mounting bracket to transducer.
2. Slide the adjustable strap supplied with the TMB-S through the slot in the transducer bracket and wrap it around the trolling motor. Po­sition the transducer to aim straight down when the motor is in the water. Tighten the strap securely.
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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
Transducer angles and their effects on fish arches.
Proper transducer angle
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.
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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 Flotation 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 if the material is removed from the chosen area. See the figure below.
WARNING:
Do not remove any material from your inner hull unless you know the hull's composition. Careless grinding or cutting on your hull can result in damage that could sink your boat. Contact your boat dealer or manufac­turer to confirm your hull specifications.
Fill with
Fill with resin
Flotation material
Inner hull
Epoxy to hull first
Epoxy the transducer to a solid portion of the hull.
Outer hull
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, 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.
To choose the proper location for shoot-thru-hull mounting, follow these testing procedures. You may need a helper to complete these steps.
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