Old Bird 700 series c si unit and Fortrex 101

[ChooChooSnakeMan]

Ok, I know I'm way, way behind in my electronics but I just can't seem to muster up the cash or the nerve to splurge for new units. My FX21 is a 2010 model (first year for FX21!) and it was a Skeeter factory demo unit for a short time before it was purchased at a boat show. At the time I suppose it had top of the line stuff. It has a 700 series non internal gps c si bow unit and a 900 series internal gps c si helm unit. They are linked with the interlink box. I use Lakemaster S.E. map cards in both. My question is related to the side scan capability. I don't use the side scan much from the bow and to be honest I never could quite figure out what the bow unit was showing. I can pull up the side scan view but as I said it never seemed to make much sense. I've had no problem interpreting the side scan from the helm unit. I just figured since the trolling motor pivoted so often that the bow side scan picture was always getting distorted. Now I'm wondering if the fortrex 101 with the built in transducer even supports side scan at all. I'm sure a long term Bird guru will come along to set me straight and thanks in advance for the help. Also my bow unit is giving me some problems with the buttons. Sometimes I can't switch views or even turn the unit off and then later those buttons will work just fine. Anybody experience this and is it something that can be fixed easily or is the unit on its last legs. If last legs what would you suggest I replace it with that would be in the 7" or 8" size range and use the same transducer and be a good unit to have in place when I upgrade the helm unit. I like side scan and am intrigued with the 360 view stuff which I might add later. Any help / advice is greatly appreciated.

[Real L]

The Fortrex built in transducer is for 2D only. It does not offer Side Imaging. From where do you get side imaging in front ? From a added on transducer from the 700 series ? Yes the button on a 700 series get used with time and can become difficult to use. Maybe you can get the unit repaired but I don't think it's worth it. I would get a new unit for the front that can support 360 and keep the 900 unit if it works well. Interlink is not use anymore. What do you mean by use the same transducer ? Do you mean the US2 built-in transducer ?

[ChooChooSnakeMan]

The Fortrex built in transducer is for 2D only. It does not offer Side Imaging. From where do you get side imaging in front ? From a added on transducer from the 700 series or from the Interlink box? Yes the button on a 700 series get used with time and can become difficult to use. Maybe you can get the unit repaired but I don't think it's worth it. I would get a new unit for the front that can support 360 and keep the 900 unit if it works well. Interlink is not use anymore. What do you mean by use the same transducer ? Do you mean the US2 built-in transducer ?

I appreciate your input. I don't know where the side imaging on the front unit is coming from! It has to be from the transom transducer and coming across the interlink box but it doesn't look the same as the helm unit. By same transducer I meant that what would be a good unit in the 7" to 8" size range that I could use the existing Fortrex US2 transducer. I now understand that the bow unit wouldn't need to be a si unit if I wasn't going to upgrade the trolling motor / transducer on the bow. Thanks for your help!

[Wayne P.]

I appreciate your input. I don't know where the side imaging on the front unit is coming from! It has to be from the transom transducer and coming across the interlink box but it doesn't look the same as the helm unit. By same transducer I meant that what would be a good unit in the 7" to 8" size range that I could use the existing Fortrex US2 transducer. I now understand that the bow unit wouldn't need to be a si unit if I wasn't going to upgrade the trolling motor / transducer on the bow. Thanks for your help!

AS INTERLINK only shares waypoints and GPS. It takes Ethernet to share sonar data.

Your 798c SI Combo is not Ethernet capable.

[ChooChooSnakeMan]

AS INTERLINK only shares waypoints and GPS. It takes Ethernet to share sonar data.

Your 798c SI Combo is not Ethernet capable.

This is helpful and interesting. My bow unit shows a side image and the image changes. It is a mystery where it comes from. I now think it has nothing to do with reality. I'll have to make a decision soon about the bow unit. I could just put up with the nagging button problems or replace it with a used unit or new but as I said, funds are limited. Thanks for all the input.

[Wayne P.]

This is helpful and interesting. My bow unit shows a side image and the image changes. It is a mystery where it comes from. I now think it has nothing to do with reality. I'll have to make a decision soon about the bow unit. I could just put up with the nagging button problems or replace it with a used unit or new but as I said, funds are limited. Thanks for all the input.

If your bow unit was installed correctly, you would have a SI trolling motor puck transducer on the trolling motor XTM 9 SI 180 T.
It is 4" long and attached by a stainless steel hose clamp.