MEGA SI issue

[MickD]

Thanks, I'll start there with mine and see how it goes.

[Further North]

3 minutes ago, MickD said:

Thanks, I'll start there with mine and see how it goes.

I wish you luck - boats are so different, even when they are the same - something as simple as how the weight is distributed can make a difference.

 

Have a different deadrise angle, transom angle or a couple strakes down there and you're looking at a completely different kettle of fish.

 

Just keep fiddling, adjusting and keep decent notes.

[MickD]

Thanks, I'll start there with mine and see how it goes.

Yes, I understand that boat differences will affect it, but think your spot is a good one to start with.  It is going to be shallower than mine was originally installed, and deeper than the Humminbird location.  Something near it has a chance of working, IMO, since it appears that what you are getting at speed is a fully wet underside of the transducer, possibly without the high turbulence that my deeper original location probably had.  The Humminbird high location doesn't have a chance of working since it will be above the water coming off the bottom of the boat.  

[Further North]

Mick, I forgot something - when I hung the 2D transducer, I wanted it to the outside and slightly above the MEGA transducer...didn't want it potentially interfering with SI...So I put it where the MEGA was origonally.

 

The MEGA is now probably 6 - 7 inches closer to the center of the boat, but straight across from where it was to start.  I'm busy as heck the next few days and will struggle to get a picture taken, but imagine it mounted just outboard of the inside screw holding the transducer plate to the transom...maybe 1/2" to 1" to starboard of the screw.

[MickD]

9 hours ago, Further North said:

Mick, I forgot something - when I hung the 2D transducer, I wanted it to the outside and slightly above the MEGA transducer...didn't want it potentially interfering with SI...So I put it where the MEGA was origonally.

 

The MEGA is now probably 6 - 7 inches closer to the center of the boat, but straight across from where it was to start.  I'm busy as heck the next few days and will struggle to get a picture taken, but imagine it mounted just outboard of the inside screw holding the transducer plate to the transom...maybe 1/2" to 1" to starboard of the screw.

 

My 2D is outside, and since it is outside, it is naturally above a SI Mega transducer mounted so that it is close to the level of the water coming off the back of the boat (at speed).  Since the 2D is working OK now, I will leave it alone for now.  I'll lower the SI Mega to start close to your location and go from there.  I have other obligations this week, hope to get back on the water next week.  Thanks for your help.

[PeterJohn]

Hi...i am a new user here. As per my knowledge the mega transducer is incapable of giving depth at over about 6-10 mph.  What Humminbird doesn't mention in their advertising, and what the sellers don't even know is that you need another $100 bucks in hardware to get that depth reading at speed.  Search for "high speed," as if 10-20 mph is "high speed," and you'll find the extra transducer and Y cable needed to get the depth reading at speed.  The Y cable doesn't tie in at the stern; it ties in at the unit, so the new Y cable has to be run all the way from the unit to the stern where the new transducer will be mounted next to the mega transducer.

 

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[Wayne P.]

1 hour ago, PeterJohn said:

Hi...i am a new user here. As per my knowledge the mega transducer is incapable of giving depth at over about 6-10 mph.  What Humminbird doesn't mention in their advertising, and what the sellers don't even know is that you need another $100 bucks in hardware to get that depth reading at speed.  Search for "high speed," as if 10-20 mph is "high speed," and you'll find the extra transducer and Y cable needed to get the depth reading at speed.  The Y cable doesn't tie in at the stern; it ties in at the unit, so the new Y cable has to be run all the way from the unit to the stern where the new transducer will be mounted next to the mega transducer.

 

 

Which MEGA SI unit do you have?

Evidently you did not read Further North's report of his installation where he gets 2D and SI with the MEGA SI transducer at 33 mph.

[Further North]

37 minutes ago, PeterJohn said:

Hi...i am a new user here. As per my knowledge the mega transducer is incapable of giving depth at over about 6-10 mph.  What Humminbird doesn't mention in their advertising, and what the sellers don't even know is that you need another $100 bucks in hardware to get that depth reading at speed.  Search for "high speed," as if 10-20 mph is "high speed," and you'll find the extra transducer and Y cable needed to get the depth reading at speed.  The Y cable doesn't tie in at the stern; it ties in at the unit, so the new Y cable has to be run all the way from the unit to the stern where the new transducer will be mounted next to the mega transducer.

 

15 minutes ago, Wayne P. said:

 

 

Which MEGA SI unit do you have?

Evidently you did not read Further North's report of his installation where he gets 2D and SI with the MEGA SI transducer at 33 mph.

Correct - it works just fine, see the screen caps above.

 

I think there's a lot of willingness to buy into what folks are saying without doing the work to find out if it's really true.

 

I can tell you that how high the MEGA transducer sits to get the readings at speed is not what I expected based on years of running Core units.  It's a different animal and needs different adjustments.

[MickD]

I now have my Mega SI 9 with the second transducer as Humminbird recommends and the Mega transducer set up as close to further north's setup as possible, and it appears to  be working well on SI at all speeds. The Mega transducer is toward the center of the boat, so lower than the second one.   I may not have needed the second transducer.  However, I notice two things, which I have to figure out.  The SI works fine on most views, but on the combo view I would like to use, I get a good looking return on the left side, but one that shows much deeper water on the right. (The digital depth reading appears to be correct.)  The SI image is not asymmetrical in the SI full screen view and at least some of the other views.  I can't figure that out yet.  Since it is view sensitive it cannot be that the Mega transducer is being blocked by the second transducer.  If it were getting blocked I would think it would be an asymmetrical image in all views.

 

Second, I go by docks with it and they don't look anywhere as detailed or prominent as in the advertising screen shots.  I see the bright spots from the vertical supports, but barely.  

 

Still a lot to learn about these units.

[Further North]

Cool...sounds like progress!

[MickD]

This forum seems to be operating like my helix, missing some posts. I got on the water to day and have images to show the differences in SI image in different views.  Note that my Helix 7 up front is tied to the 9 at the helm and shows identical images as the 9.  Sometimes the view will be fine, then it will switch to the asymmetrical one which seems to indicate that the water on the right side is about twice as deep as the water on the left.

 

09 shows what it looks like when you switch views from one that works to one that is "flawed."  

 

Software is 1.35.

[Wayne P.]

2 hours ago, MickD said:

This forum seems to be operating like my helix, missing some posts. I got on the water to day and have images to show the differences in SI image in different views.  Note that my Helix 7 up front is tied to the 9 at the helm and shows identical images as the 9.  Sometimes the view will be fine, then it will switch to the asymmetrical one which seems to indicate that the water on the right side is about twice as deep as the water on the left.

 

09 shows what it looks like when you switch views from one that works to one that is "flawed."  

 

Software is 1.35.

 

 

Turn off Sharpness until there is a software update to fix it.

[Further North]

That's weird...

[Wayne P.]

I think the current software version is 1.400, check your Humminbird account.

 

I have installed 1.400 on both of my Helix units, but neither is a MEGA unit.

[MickD]

That's the plan.  This looks like a software issue to me.  thanks for your help.  

 

1.4 is current software for both 7 and 9 . Just checked.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

[MickD]

Software update to 1.4 solved the defective view problems with my unit.  I think everything is working as designed finally, and I'm now able to concentrate on learning to interpret it better and use its features more effectively and efficiently.