Digital Echo Sounder

 

 

SPECIFICATION

Radio range : 200 meters

Radio type: 418mHz fm conforming to MTP 1340

Echo range : 0.8 - 20 meters

Battery life (alkaline PP3) : 36 hours / 15 hours (day / night)

Trend range :>10⁰

Fish detect : 40mm contact width.

Accuracy: +/- 1 digit.

 

 

 

DESCRIPTION

The echo-sounder is a radio-linked ultrasonic device driven by the onboard batteries of the Baitboat. It is activated by operating the boat and has very low power consumption and will not significantly reduce the operating time of the boat.
 

The echo transducer is located in the well at the rear of the boat and is well protected. The receiver consists of a handheld battery operated unit with a transflective liquid crystal display, which has the option of being backlit in low light.
 

Both the transmitter and the receiver are controlled by microprocessors with custom written software.
 

The echo sounder is capable of displaying depths of between 0.8 to 20 meters and can detect objects appearing beneath the boat (usually fish). The device will also determine the trend of the bed, that is whether the depth is increasing or decreasing.

 

 

 

 

 

OPERATION  

 

1.  Attach the boat transmitter aerial, then switch on the boat.

 

2.  Switch on the echo receiver to either day (left) or night (right) settings. Switch the units control to either meters (left) or feet (right).

 

3.  Operate the boat as normal.

 

4. The trend indicator will indicate a ‘+’ if the bed of the water is shelving at a rate greater than 10⁰ and similarly if the depth decreases by greater than 10⁰,  a ‘-‘ will be displayed. The angle of triggering is based on the boat travelling at average speed. A slower than normal boat speed (high wind or low battery) will decrease the sensitivity proportionally i.e. half speed = 20⁰ trigger point.

 

5.The numerical display will indicate the depth in feet or meters depending on the switch position.   

 

6.  The lost echo symbol will be displayed if reception of a number of  return echos are lost (usually because the boat is not in water or the echo beam has been deflected.) The display will show the last depth calculated before the echo was lost until the link is re-established.

 

7.  The fish detector will operate if there is a sudden decrease in the apparent  depth of the water. It will detect objects which are wider than 40mm and will give an audible ‘beep’. The figure on the display immediately following the ‘beep’ is the depth of the contact (usually a fish).

 

8. With practise the +/- indicator can be used to define areas on the bed as weed or solid. With weed the indicator will rapidly  fluctuate, with solid it will be more stable.

 

9. Interference from and to the system is unlikely but extremes of range and or low transmission power will cause the fish detect sounder to ‘beep’ repeatedly and the display will show erroneous information. Many popular radio bite alarms when triggered, may interfere with the signal.

 

 

 

CARE OF THE SYSTEM

The echo-sounder receiver must not be exposed to water and should  be stored in a warm dry area when not being used.

The unit should not be exposed to extremes of temperature or direct sunlight. The transducer may be run out of water without damaging the unit.  Low batteries will cause a loss of range and make the device more susceptable to interference.