Two sounders

[grant]

I have an old Matrix sounder which is excellent in the shallow and fresh and I was wondering if there are any issues if I mount both. Do you think there will be any interference?

g./

[triman]

I really can't offer a definitive answer but I'd suggest mounting the transducers as far apart as possible and running the cabling down opposite sides of the boat to inimise the possi bility of any interference.
The more modern unit could possibly be wired down the same side as the normal boat wiring as shielding technology, etc, should have improved since the arix unit was built.
As I mentioned in opening, nothing definitive but it's how I would tackle a similar task.
Regards and compliments of the season.

[fishing_dave]

Mate has 2 sounders on his prostrike, one on the bow for when he using the elctric to crawell, has no probs with both operating at the same time.

dave

[grt1]

I don't know if it is of any help but I am running a matrix 27 in my 4.2m stacer and find it is pretty good. The matrix 27 can be set for salt or fresh water but the good thing about some of the matrix's is you can get add on's, at the moment I have my hand held gps connectted to the matrix and you are able to store waypoints etc in the gps. With another cable you can connect it to your pc and change the firmware and start up etc, but what might be of use is that you can get a box that allows you to share a transducer between two head units or so I beleive. Guess it all depends on the model, try the Hummingbird web site, but the models are limited on the site. :?

[hillbilly]

Ive had enough trouble trying to run one sounder, its drained my battery within minutes and even had to be towed in once. so now I have had to set up 2 batteries, a new one for the motor and nav lights and the old one for the sounder and radio and I also bought a batterry pack just in case.
Kaz

[grt1]

From reading your post, if it was your sounder that drained your battery within minutes I think you might have a bit more of a problem then what you might think. I like to know what sort of battery your running.

grt1 :roll:

[triman]

Kaz, I agree with grt1, if your sounder drains a battery in minutes you've got a whole world of trouble. May I suggest the next time you're towing the boat past an auto-elec you ask them to put a tong-meter on the sounder leads just to check the current draw. It's more than likely you've got a couple of dodgy connections somewhere with what is almost, but not quite, a dead short. If it was a short you'd probably notice smoke coming from somewhere it shouldn't.

[hillbilly]

Thanks for that info guys,
I have had the boat for a couple of months and this trouble only started at Xmas so I went to the boat place in Dromana to have it checked out and they replaced the car battery that was running it with a proper marine battery and rewired the sounder and radio to a second battery up the front and it has made the world of differance, Ive got a 50 hp Merc red band o/b that was being powered by a car battery so they put in a 120 hp battery for me to run the motor and nav lights with a plug for the spot light so now Im more confident I will do some night fishing.

Kaz

[oldfisher]

Ah! I still enjoy exercising the old arms !! although I may have to upgrade if the years continue to motor by the way '06 did !! I run a good quality car battery for the sounder, GPS, VHF nav lights, bilge pump and water pump for the live bait tank, and a larger deep cycle battery for the 'leckie bow motor. Never had any prob's, just put em on the trickle the night before an outing.