Just Can't Get Rid Of Interference. Thinking Of Mounting Ducer Elsewhere

[iceintheveins]

I fish in a 12 foot aluminum boat, so a shoot through the hull or transom mount transducer really isn't an option. I mount mine to the trolling motor. But I continue to get interference (both screen going blank at higher speeds or a series of constant dots/clutter at the same depth, even with the sensitivity lowered. I'm keeping the cord away from other cords, and not taping it to the shaft of the motor. Still get the same interference.

 

Has anyone here ever found any ways to mount a transducer somewhere else in the boat, such as say making some type of contraption to keep it level and clamping the contraption to the side of the boat?

[GPtimes2]

Look at Cabelas for "portable transducer bracket".

[Wayne P.]

I fish in a 12 foot aluminum boat, so a shoot through the hull or transom mount transducer really isn't an option. I mount mine to the trolling motor. But I continue to get interference (both screen going blank at higher speeds or a series of constant dots/clutter at the same depth, even with the sensitivity lowered. I'm keeping the cord away from other cords, and not taping it to the shaft of the motor. Still get the same interference.

 

Has anyone here ever found any ways to mount a transducer somewhere else in the boat, such as say making some type of contraption to keep it level and clamping the contraption to the side of the boat?

What sonar unit?

What brand/model trolling motor?

What power source?

[iceintheveins]

Look at Cabelas for "portable transducer bracket".

 

That looks like it will do nicely.

[iceintheveins]

What sonar unit?

What brand/model trolling motor?

What power source?

 

It's an Eagle/Lowrance FishMark480 sonar, powered by a small gel cell sealed 12 volt battery, and a sealed deep cycle 12 volt battery for the trolling motor, which is a Minn Kota Endura 50lb thrust transom mount trolling motor. I'm careful to keep the cords for the sonar/ducer and the power cords for the motor away from each other.

[Wayne P.]

Try connecting the NEGATIVE ( - ) battery terminals together with a 18 guage or 16 guage wire.

 

That is called a ground loop and is one of the possible remedies for RFI.

[iceintheveins]

Try connecting the NEGATIVE ( - ) battery terminals together with a 18 guage or 16 guage wire.

 

That is called a ground loop and is one of the possible remedies for RFI.

I will do that if the problem continues.

[Scott F]

Does the interference only happen while the trolling motor is running?

[Comfortably Numb]

And why is the TD not mounted on the transom?

 

That is a fairly old black and white unit, but I have installed quite a few of them and never had an interference prob with them

[Wayne P.]

And why is the TD not mounted on the transom?

 

That is a fairly old black and white unit, but I have installed quite a few of them and never had an interference prob with them

 

A proficient fisherman has his bow unit's transducer attached to the bottom of the bow trolling motor.

 

For removal convenience, the transducer on a transom motor is preferred also

 

 

 

 

[Wayne P.]

I fish in a 12 foot aluminum boat, so a shoot through the hull or transom mount transducer really isn't an option. I mount mine to the trolling motor. But I continue to get interference (both screen going blank at higher speeds or a series of constant dots/clutter at the same depth, even with the sensitivity lowered. I'm keeping the cord away from other cords, and not taping it to the shaft of the motor. Still get the same interference.

 

Has anyone here ever found any ways to mount a transducer somewhere else in the boat, such as say making some type of contraption to keep it level and clamping the contraption to the side of the boat?

 

Yes you can use a shoot-thru transducer on an aluminum boat. 

Vexilar has one called Alumaducer and is specifically made for that purpose.

[iceintheveins]

Does the interference only happen while the trolling motor is running?

 

Does the interference only happen while the trolling motor is running?

 

Yep, only when the trolling motor is running.

[iceintheveins]

And why is the TD not mounted on the transom?

 

That is a fairly old black and white unit, but I have installed quite a few of them and never had an interference prob with them

 

The reason being I have to hand launch it in small lakes without a boat ramp, so if it's on the bottom of the transom or even close, it runs risk of getting all scraped up. Transom mount would be no issue if I just had lakes that had boat ramps (which most of mine do but my favorite lake that's electric/hand launch only doesn't.

[iceintheveins]

 I will let you guys know how the suction cup mount elsewhere on the boat for the ducer works, since it will be isolated from the trolling motor.

[Comfortably Numb]

I made a temp TD mount by screwing TD to a 2x4 and c-clamp to transom. Ugly but worked well.

[iceintheveins]

I made a temp TD mount by screwing TD to a 2x4 and c-clamp to transom. Ugly but worked well.

 

I was thinking of something like that. If I still have interference with the ducer mounted on the suction cup I'll know it's from the unit itself.

[iceintheveins]

Mounted it with a suction cup on the transom. Problem solved, no more interference. It was the trolling motor.