Solix G1, G2, G3 useable SI depth?

[puhlw]

Here are some pictures
http://www.bbcboards.net/showthread.php?t=1090635

[puhlw]

I did tinker with the angle some but could check that again next time im out.

[bobcoy]

Essentially may not be level enough. Sounds like something to try. Wayne's examples looked very good to me. Hope it works for you. Bob

[puhlw]

Yeah the level thing kind of makes sense its like the transducers only getting half the information back that it should. With the thin sliver of SI/DI beam i suppose it could be very sensitive to this.

Is trying to measure it compared to the waterline the best method or does trial and error give the best results? I can leave it slightly loose and reach down to make small adjustments but going to be chilly in 40 degree water.

[bobcoy]

The waterline is going to be close for side to side level which is the most important. Bob
You could also use your phone to match the angle of the waterline while on the trailer as well.

[SLYDoggie]

Here are some pictures
http://www.bbcboards.net/showthread.php?t=1090635

At these shallow depths, you should be getting a much better image. I definitely see what you are talking about in comparing the 2 images. I would still make sure that the transducer is totally level but it sure looks like something else is going on as well. At first, I thought it might be the combination of Sensitivity and Contrast, and that might be contributing to the lack of quality, but I don't think that's the root of the problem. It's almost like the wrong transducer type is selected in your sonar settings. I don't even know if that is possible but worth a check. The other setting I have played around with a lot is the "water column sensitivity". I typically have mine set to +3 for both SI & DI as I'm really looking more for fish than structure. Having a higher water column sensitivity will make the fish "pop" more but shouldn't degrade the structure and bottom images.

Really wish you luck in getting this figured out. Something significant is definitely amiss on the DI quality.

[SLYDoggie]

Yeah the level thing kind of makes sense its like the transducers only getting half the information back that it should. With the thin sliver of SI/DI beam i suppose it could be very sensitive to this.

Is trying to measure it compared to the waterline the best method or does trial and error give the best results? I can leave it slightly loose and reach down to make small adjustments but going to be chilly in 40 degree water.

There are several good YouTube videos on transducer leveling techniques. Some of them use levels and coins to determine the angle of the boat when in the water. You then put the boat at that same angle on the trailer on dry land and put the transducer level with the ground. I've tried those techniques but, again, like to use the "bridge validation" to make sure it is totally level from a DI standpoint. My boat stays on a lift at my lake house so I can come back to the dock and make fine "tweaks" to the transducer to get it tuned in.

One other thing that will happen if the transducer isn't level is that the depth readings will be off because the beam is having to travel further than it should if it was shooting straight down. Won't make much difference in shallow water but will in deeper water.

[SLYDoggie]

The SOLIX G2 has more power than a G1=that + thing along with a longer transducer, and a G3 has more power than a G2 and has same transducer as a G2. Thus the three different coverage specs.

Never had a G2 SOLIX but when the G3N Helix came out with the same + power and longer transducer, I went to a deeper lake just to test it and it DI images were fantastic. The SOLIX SI+ and Helix SI+ transducers are the same, just the circuits are different=use the same trolling motor adapter.

Wayne, those are great images but they give me a sinking feeling. This is the type of terrain I can get my U-Rigs hung on the bottom. On the second image, although the bottom depth is 80' you are obviously on the edge of a major drop-off. The cone is covering from about 55 feet to something deeper than 80'. I assume on this image the area just below your 75' line on the DI is what's directly under the transducer. The area above and below that is the right and left area which is within the cone. I've always had a bit of trouble wrapping my head around these big depth swing images.

I troll with 2 lines on Downriggers and 2 lines on Planer Boards so the Planer Boards are traveling about 20' or so outside the boat. That would put one of them in the shallower water and more subject to snags. I make my own U-Rigs (using the Captain Mack's frames) and hate to loose them because of the time I have invested in building them.

Sorry for getting off the thread topic a bit.

[puhlw]

Yeah I have tried about every combination of setting possible (contrast/gain/sharpness). I feel like reset to factory defaults should even give me a better image than I am getting. Last time I was out I did jack the water column sensitivtiy to +3 and this made fish and bait schools stand out a bit better. (closer to my garmin). But the structure was not improved much.

I had the same thought on maybe the wrong transducer was selected but didnt see anyway to change it? Is there somewhere I can check this?

I guess its still possible I have a second bad transducer? Seems unlikely but.. Very slow communications but have been getting emails back from Humminbird every day or two so we will see where that goes. Ice will be here soon so thats going to make troubleshooting tough!!!

Thanks for all the feedback from everyone.

At these shallow depths, you should be getting a much better image. I definitely see what you are talking about in comparing the 2 images. I would still make sure that the transducer is totally level but it sure looks like something else is going on as well. At first, I thought it might be the combination of Sensitivity and Contrast, and that might be contributing to the lack of quality, but I don't think that's the root of the problem. It's almost like the wrong transducer type is selected in your sonar settings. I don't even know if that is possible but worth a check. The other setting I have played around with a lot is the "water column sensitivity". I typically have mine set to +3 for both SI & DI as I'm really looking more for fish than structure. Having a higher water column sensitivity will make the fish "pop" more but shouldn't degrade the structure and bottom images.

Really wish you luck in getting this figured out. Something significant is definitely amiss on the DI quality.

[Wayne P.]

Yeah I have tried about every combination of setting possible (contrast/gain/sharpness). I feel like reset to factory defaults should even give me a better image than I am getting. Last time I was out I did jack the water column sensitivtiy to +3 and this made fish and bait schools stand out a bit better. (closer to my garmin). But the structure was not improved much.

I had the same thought on maybe the wrong transducer was selected but didnt see anyway to change it? Is there somewhere I can check this?

I guess its still possible I have a second bad transducer? Seems unlikely but.. Very slow communications but have been getting emails back from Humminbird every day or two so we will see where that goes. Ice will be here soon so thats going to make troubleshooting tough!!!

Thanks for all the feedback from everyone.

The default transducer setting is the transducer that comes with the unit. When you use a Y cable to split off the 2D piezo in a SI transducer to add a remote 2D transducer, nothing is changed except the physical location of the 2D piezo=no transducer selection change.

If you use the User Mode setting Custom, you get more menu items. One of those is Connected Transducer in the Sonar main menu. That is where you can match the transducer to the unit IF you use other than the standard transducer.