Help with side imaging, one side much brighter

[Ikantski]

I've been noticing this year that my one side element is quite a lot brighter than the other. I tested it out on a mudflat to get some pictures and this is the result. The outboard was off, I was using the bow mounted electric. At the top of the image is outboard is trimmed all the way down, the rest is with the motor all the way up. The transducer is mounted to the right side of the boat. There is another transducer mounted to the back but it's a good 4" higher and 3 feet to the left. I mounted it level and it doesn't change if I put all my weight to one side of the boat or the other. Any ideas on how to figure this out would be appreciated.

[Larry3215]

Can you get a pic of the stern and how its mounted?

Does it look the same way when you reverse and go back over the same exact track in the opposite direction?

Try a factory reset and be sure you are running the newest software. You might also try unplugging the transducer and plug it back in - in case there is a bad connection.

If none of that works, time to call support.....

[Hollada]

Is your boat level or is port or starboard lower? Can make a big difference.

[puhlw]

I have a similar issue on mine. Also cant get the gain turned down enough to get the center portion black. Everything just looks blown out like it has too much gain but even on low gain I get it.

[puhlw]

im wondering if my issues are from moving my airmar TM150 from the trolling motor to the transom next to my side finder transducer. The TM150 should be out of the direct path of the sidefinder beam but maybe the sonars signals are interfering with one another. Ill try unhooking a few things next time I am out to isolate it.

[puhlw]

Anybody have any "good" screenshots of some side imaging they could post so I have something to compare to. I am running a GT30 through a GCV network hub.

[coachallen]

How is you DI? On mine it's still works great.

[Larry3215]

Anybody have any "good" screenshots of some side imaging they could post so I have something to compare to. I am running a GT30 through a GCV network hub.

Can you get some screen shots that show what you are talking about?

You might also try connecting the transducer directly without going through the GCV and see if that makes any difference. When you did your software up-dates - was the GCV also plugged in and powered up? If not, then it didnt get up-dated.

It doesnt sound like the TM150 is in the way and even if it was, it shouldnt cause what you are describing - but we really need to see some screen shots to tell for sure. Also a pic of the stern showing how everything is mounted would help..

[coachallen]

Mine is doing the same thing. It started after the update. I am running the GT30.

[puhlw]

I'll have to check my di next time I am out. Mainly use the di on my front transducer.

[catmantwo]

For the original poster,
The images (side and map), the dark shading on the left side appear to be shoreline/bank on the SI. I am basing this based upon your boat position and range (80 feet about 1 inch on map).
80 feet from the port side is "bank" - thus the dark shadow, while the starboard side bank is more than 160 feet away.
Verify this by running the same track while setting SI range to 50.

[Ikantski]

For the original poster,
The images (side and map), the dark shading on the left side appear to be shoreline/bank on the SI. I am basing this based upon your boat position and range (80 feet about 1 inch on map).
80 feet from the port side is "bank" - thus the dark shadow, while the starboard side bank is more than 160 feet away.
Verify this by running the same track while setting SI range to 50.

Yeah, Larry has it, the white area is just unmapped but it's all a big mud flat. I believe my issue was a combination of motor, my transducer on the other side fell down a few notches angled down and I lowered the garmin transducer another 3/4". It's a little deep so I lose bottom at 25mph+ but the left side is looking okay now.

[Larry3215]

I think what you are calling bank is just the edge of the QuickDraw path.

Also, bank or shoreline doesnt show up as black. It will almost always be brighter rather than darker. A dark to black area like what is on his screen is normally associated with a deep drop off or some area where there is no sonar return. Black = no return.

[puhlw]

There is a good chance I didn't have my gcv 10 on last time I did and update. I will try it again with it on.

[Larry3215]

It should show up in the device list. On my 7610 its under

Settings/System/System Information

Scroll through the pages till you see the GCV - it should tell you the software version.

[Larry3215]

Ah, so you were getting shadowing. Glad it was an easy fix.