Follow Contour < 5 ft

[jjnssn]

I have a pair of Solix 12G2s. For the first two years used with an Ulterra. Was able to follow contour less than 5 ft without an issue. This past summer I got target lock and changed to an Ultrex. I updated all the software. After this point any time I attempted to follow contour 5 ft or less, or selecting 6ft or more and offsetting the contour shallow, follow contour won’t work. When the shallow water warning pops up I use to be able to acknowledge the risk and continue. After Ultrex TL and software , when acknowledging shallow water risk follow contour won’t engage.

I am curious if anyone has or experienced the same issue?

I believe I have searched and read manuals both MK and HB and have not found a reason why this should not work. So either the Ultrex functions different than Ultrex for FC < 5 ft or the software updates for Solix from this past summer broke the FC <5ft function.

I have submitted multiple problem reports to HB they blame MK and MK blames HB. My gut feel is it is a known issue or is broken by new VX tech. But obviously I don’t know.

[bobcoy]

https://johnsonoutdoors.widen.net/co...ink-Manual.pdf
This is the ipilot link…link
Note on the top of page 103 says contour intervals must be turned on to FTC in 5’ or under to follow the contour. May not be your issue But maybe? I never have tried that shallow. Bob
It is actually in the middle of the page

[jjnssn]

Appreciate the reply Bob. Intervals are on because I can select the 6 ft contour or greater and it works just fine. Only a problem selecting contours 5 or less.

[bobcoy]

Sounds like it is the intervals option needs to be on. I think you are thinking the contour lines being on and not the intervals being on. 2 different settings. I have never tried FTC that shallow, just reading the manual. Good luck with your quest. Bob

[jjnssn]

Just verified on my systems. Yes Contour Intervals are on. It seems related to the warning dialogue box that pops up. Once the dialogue box appears a second or two later the system stops attempting to follow contour.

[bobcoy]

Sounds like a bug with the new mapping software in that update. Curious about the shallow FTC. My waters are clear and if I get closer the 25 or 30’ ( either lineally or vertically the fish spook) are you running a longline presentation or just highly colored water? Bob

[jjnssn]

Fishing muskies in shallow sand. Sand can run 150ft+ before inside weed edges. So whether casting into 1 ft or back to the inside weed edge I am following a contour and or offset shallow.

[bobcoy]

Shallow water muskies sounds exciting!

[jjnssn]

here is a video showing the symptoms...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/7hubh43sdj..._3982.mp4?dl=0

[bobcoy]

Just a thought, can you set you shallow water highlight to say 4 feet? When that shallow alert pops up and you confirm it is supposed to continue and FTC. The warning is posted so you travel at your own risk. But it should do the FTC. I am just wondering if the shallow water highlight prevents that and stops as if you hit cancel instead of confirm. If you send them your video they might look into this further. Good luck

[bobcoy]

Another hack might be setting the water level offset one foot deeper than it is and select the 6 foot contour?
I watched the vid closer. Your depth shows you are in 4’ or less water when your boat icon shows you are on the 6” contour. Might want to to change your depth as well.

[jjnssn]

Shallow water highlight level didn't change the result (testing this past summer). I think there is a safe depth, that didn't work either.

Water here currently has about 20" of ice on it and groundhog thinks there is 6 more weeks of winter.... expecting ice out the 2nd week of April....

I purchased a new VX card (not sure that it will have some variables in it that might resolve the issue)... I see a Solix update to 4.130 is around the corner... Definitely will try the water level offset to verify, I don't recall exactly why I didn't try it... basically make the shortline + 6 ft...

Unfortunately HB support got this video (for sure once, if not twice) and HB has pointed the problem at MK and that went in a circle back to HB, and then HB closed my ticket. I'll give it another swing when the ice melts... hopefully HB latest updates will magically resolve this issue.

[bobcoy]

That would be great. You sound like you have checked everything, but the ice is a problem you will have to live with for a while. I was going to suggest the depth offset as well. ( the depth of the ducer beneath the surface) Maybe tricking the boat and selecting 6’ might be a way to keep above the dreaded 5’ rule. Bob

[jjnssn]

This problem has been fixed by Humminbird in latest updates.

[bobcoy]

Cool!! I still have not tried it. Was it fixed with the October update or the last one? I will try looking at both, but it may just be one of those unknown bug fix’s. Either way good shallow musky fishin. Bob
I had not paid much attention, but there a host of “Follow” changes in the latest update

[jjnssn]

Hey Bob, I believe it was fix in the summer 2023 release;... they also fixed following hardness contours with VX chip, that was fixed in the October update, however appears to have been listed in the latest update here in Feb.

[secolvin]

Jay, I am having the same problem. I called HB and they reached out to MK. MK said it should work. The last SW update I did to my Solix was back in Dec so maybe a SW update will fix it. I am running Lakemaster 5.0, not VX.

[jjnssn]

Jay, I am having the same problem. I called HB and they reached out to MK. MK said it should work. The last SW update I did to my Solix was back in Dec so maybe a SW update will fix it. I am running Lakemaster 5.0, not VX.

Are the symptoms the same, you select the 5 ft contour, and when you initiate, you get the dialogue box warning you that you are choosing a shallow contour, and when you accept the warning, the FC just shuts off? The follow contour issues that HB identified as VX were following hardness contours, so I had shallow water issues with the previous LM MN smartstrike chip. The follow hardness issue behaved similar where after selecting the contour (not shallow), the process would just disappear.