Helix mega 10 si issues with depth reading

[godsdozer]

I'm actually not expending useless effort tracking what you are writing, as you can't even have the decency to quote.

You referred to an old post on multiple echos, and when I actually *read* the whole thread, there was the OP questioning multiple echos, and about a dozen replies all telling him it was normal. Not anywhere near what your post here implied.

And your reading comprehension is near zero. I never said "And to say that you need second echoes to determine bottom hardness is dumb too." I said that second/third echos offered *more detail* in bottom hardness than just a palette of 8 or 16 colors.

I get it- you're bored, tipsy, don't want to work, whatever. Just try a little harder to make it interesting for me, too.

multiple echoes are NOT NORMAL, they may be a preference too some people , but not the norm. If you buy any lowarance they will not show 2 or 3 bottoms in 2d sonar mode.

[godsdozer]

I had this exact depth issue, it's rf interference. Run wire from battery negative to trolling motor. Please try it and report back.

That is not a recommended procedure for many modern day trolling motors or you will end up with more problems than you want to deal with. Maybe Jones Trolling Motor (board sponsor) will respond and give us some advice .

[godsdozer]

I'm actually not expending useless effort tracking what you are writing, as you can't even have the decency to quote.

You referred to an old post on multiple echos, and when I actually *read* the whole thread, there was the OP questioning multiple echos, and about a dozen replies all telling him it was normal. Not anywhere near what your post here implied.

And your reading comprehension is near zero. I never said "And to say that you need second echoes to determine bottom hardness is dumb too." I said that second/third echos offered *more detail* in bottom hardness than just a palette of 8 or 16 colors.

I get it- you're bored, tipsy, don't want to work, whatever. Just try a little harder to make it interesting for me, too.

Hey bro, you may be bored, tipsy or not have job, whatever.......................................... .....................Ill make it as interesting as you like. what a dumba***** post.

[godsdozer]

Hey bro, you may be bored, tipsy or not have job, whatever.......................................... .....................Ill make it as interesting as you like. what a dumba***** post.

I just sent you via PM my personal phone number, and business number. If you have any constructive ways to resolve the many depth problems I'm all ears.

[smallykiller]

It's a simple test and it could lead to the answer. Do you have a ground fuse in your trolling motor head? Check it.

[skid00skid00]

I just sent you via PM my personal phone number, and business number. If you have any constructive ways to resolve the many depth problems I'm all ears.

Check my PM. I've tried to help. Good luck.
If you want screenshots of my settings, let me know mid-week.

[archerj]

skidoo, I guess i was wrong, you are "unable" to pay attention, just thought you were lazy. You are wrong and everyone else here can see it. I'll give you the last word as to not wreck the importance of this thread. flame away.

[Wayne P.]

multiple echoes are NOT NORMAL, they may be a preference too some people , but not the norm. If you buy any lowarance they will not show 2 or 3 bottoms in 2d sonar mode.

ANY 2D sonar unit will show a second bottom echo if the depth range is more than double the depth. It will show a triple bottom echo if the depth range is more than three times the depth and the Gain/Sensitivity is high enough.
Even a simple flasher sonar unit will do that. That is how you manually set the Gain/Sensitivity to properly show fish.

They may never be displayed if Bottom Track/Auto Depth Range is turned on and there is no depth change from shallow to deep to cause a depth range change with a LCR unit.
Auto Depth caused this triple bottom recording:


There is a Lowrance double bottom recorded in post #404 here:
http://www.bbcboards.net/showthread....174231&page=21

[TroyBoy30]

multiple echoes are NOT NORMAL, they may be a preference too some people , but not the norm. If you buy any lowarance they will not show 2 or 3 bottoms in 2d sonar mode.

totally normal. lowrance will def show double and triple bottoms as will garmin.

[archerj]

theres always at least one on every board... nope not just a bored new poster, just googled the issues and ended up here after my disbelief at hearing the response I got. The person sitting right next to me in my boat heard the same thing as I was on speaker phone. To be honest I have had misinformation before from the operators when I call in. "Some are not very familiar with the units". I have always gotten more accurate info through email.

After the response I got on the phone I emailed cust service to ask if what she told me was correct. Today i got a response "Thank you for contacting Humminbird Customer Service. They are working on a software update to fix this issue one has not been released yet."

Well this could be true, but my guess is after looking at these boards, since its been a known issue for years that its probably just lip service and a fix will never happen. Hope I'm wrong.

You guys will love this....

Thank you for contacting Humminbird Customer Service.
Sir I do apologize about the previous reply, there is not a software update coming out for the issue that you are having. We have looked into it and we have a few tips that you can try to fix the issue: adjust the surface clutter and sensitivity and also try turning chirp off. If you are having additional deep reading issues please see link :
https://www.humminbird.com/Category/...DepthReadings/
If we can assist you further on this subject or any other Humminbird related questions please feel free email us again or contact our Customer Resource Center at 1-800-633-1468 to speak with a Customer Service Representative. Our hours are Monday thru Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Wednesday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Good Fishing and Boating!
Vakeela Powell
Humminbird Customer Service
Johnson Outdoors Marine Electronics
678 Humminbird Lane
Eufaula, AL 36027

LOL!

[godsdozer]

ANY 2D sonar unit will show a second bottom echo if the depth range is more than double the depth. It will show a triple bottom echo if the depth range is more than three times the depth and the Gain/Sensitivity is high enough.
Even a simple flasher sonar unit will do that. That is how you manually set the Gain/Sensitivity to properly show fish.

They may never be displayed if Bottom Track/Auto Depth Range is turned on and there is no depth change from shallow to deep to cause a depth range change with a LCR unit.
Auto Depth caused this triple bottom recording:


There is a Lowrance double bottom recorded in post #404 here:
http://www.bbcboards.net/showthread....174231&page=21

Yes I agree Wayne....................I "could" adjust all of my lowrance HDS units to show double or triple bottoms. I'm sorry if my wording wasn't exact. I meant, out of the box, none of my HDS units would produce double or triple returns without manual adjustments.

[JETA330]

Helix 10 MEGA on the console and Helix 10 SI on the front along with AS360. I'm having all the same issues with depth readings everyone else is. All this money for nothing basically. Is HB really going to ignore this problem???

[IceNitro]

You guys will love this....

Thank you for contacting Humminbird Customer Service.
Sir I do apologize about the previous reply, there is not a software update coming out for the issue that you are having. We have looked into it and we have a few tips that you can try to fix the issue: adjust the surface clutter and sensitivity and also try turning chirp off. If you are having additional deep reading issues please see link :
https://www.humminbird.com/Category/...DepthReadings/
If we can assist you further on this subject or any other Humminbird related questions please feel free email us again or contact our Customer Resource Center at 1-800-633-1468 to speak with a Customer Service Representative. Our hours are Monday thru Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Wednesday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Good Fishing and Boating!
Vakeela Powell
Humminbird Customer Service
Johnson Outdoors Marine Electronics
678 Humminbird Lane
Eufaula, AL 36027

LOL!

That is a WEAK ass response from Humminbird ! I can not believe they want us to work around their glitch. My console HELIX 10 CHIRP MEGA SI GPS G2N (vs1.61) is dong the same thing. I am NOT happy about it. I thought it was a glitch on my end the first few times out. HB will be hearing from me next week !

[skid00skid00]

I can not believe they want us to work around their glitch.

For most of the people posting here, it was NOT a glitch, but the result of using settings inappropriate for shallow water with units that are very powerful and sensitive. Save your anger for important things, like drunk drivers, terrorists, etc.

[IceNitro]

For most of the people posting here, it was NOT a glitch, but the result of using settings inappropriate for shallow water with units that are very powerful and sensitive. Save your anger for important things, like drunk drivers, terrorists, etc.

Do you have one skid?

[Tugger]

I’ve tried a bunch of settings and still get erratic digital depth readings. I always set max. depth manually but if I was running on auto then I would be going nuts by now. This is definately something from the update because I didn’t have this issue last year. Also, why should we have to change any settings to get the correct digital depth readout? Isn’t digital depth the most basic portion of a sonar? This thing whole thing is getting to be a joke! Luckily I know my main fishing lake well or this would be a dangerous situation.

I’m running a single unit, no networking.

[XingEyeballs]

So there’s a lot of “feelings/anger” floating around this post and understandably so, many of us have a large chunk of change tied up into this equipment and had the highest hopes as we should. Here’s what I’ve done with the three different boats I installed mega units in this winter and was having the same problems...
1) Added a shoot thru Hull 2d transducer
2) when less than 20FOW I run only 175/200Hz
3) Only run one unit at a time (bow or console) and put the other location in standby. What I found was that if I still had my console unit running sonar when fishing at the bow I had nothing but issues...put is in standby or turn the sonar off and everything cleaned up.
Maybe this helps someone, maybe not... thought I’d share, if nothing else it helps my post count

[Shoalcreek]

I just read this last post and maybe hes onto something. I was having this all the time on my 10di mega on front also.recently it has stopped. I started putting my 12 si mega at the console in standby just because i read it saves battery power. Might be something for you all to try..

[Corkpuller]

3) Only run one unit at a time (bow or console) and put the other location in standby. What I found was that if I still had my console unit running sonar when fishing at the bow I had nothing but issues...put is in standby or turn the sonar off and everything cleaned up.

If that solves your problem and makes you happy then that's great, but that is not an acceptable fix to me.
The person on the back deck has no visibility.

[Wayne P.]

If that solves your problem and makes you happy then that's great, but that is not an acceptable fix to me.
The person on the back deck has no visibility.

Do you share a transducer to prevent cross-talk?