can sonars cause interference with each other?

[riverhunt]

I just purchased a boat with two sonars.  A console mounted, with transom mounted transducer, and a bow mount, with a trolling motor transducer.  A friend told me if both are running they could cause interference with each other.  Any truth to that?  New to the forum, thanks for the help.

[fourbizz]

They most certainly can!

The stronger the units, the closer the transducers are together, the shallower the water and the harder the bottom, the more they will interfere.  Most typically the interference shows up as solid vertical lines, spaced out and running from surface to bottom.

Welcome to the forum!

[Glenn]

They're brand new - as long as they have different pulse rates, you should be fine.

[Jig Man]

Most modern units no matter what brand seem to run at 200 kHz.  Yes they will interfere with each other as the cone gets bigger in deeper water.  The typical transducer has a 20° cone which produces a field whose diameter is roughly 1/3 of the depth.  So if you have a 30 depth each transducer will have a cone with a 10' bottom and will probably start interferring with each other.

You can change sensitivity and ping rates on the units and do a lot to nullify interference.  Set the console ping at 100 and the bow at 50 and see if that helps.

[cart7t]

I have a pair of Garmin 160's on my boat.  One at the front with the transducer on the TM and the other on the console with a skimmer on the transom.  At least once or twice a day the two units will synch up and eventually lock up when I run them at the same time.  I have to shut them both down and restart them.  I've never had that problem when running units from different brands though.

[NBR]

My boat is 18'11" and I run an Eagle off the console and an eagle off the trolling motor with no problems. If you have a problem you will see it clearly. I'd bet you will be okay.

[Rick Cargo]

I just installed a Humminbird 585c on the bow and a Humminbird 787c2i on the console.  Everything was installed dead nuts level. First trip out I got some interference while running both of them at the same time. I think it was JigMan that suggested tilting the rear transducer back. I tilted the rear transducer rearward 1 notch and everything is fine.

[HesterIsGod]

They most certainly can!

The stronger the units, the closer the transducers are together, the shallower the water and the harder the bottom, the more they will interfere. Most typically the interference shows up as solid vertical lines, spaced out and running from surface to bottom.

Welcome to the forum!

I agree and have seen this happen

[WV_Eagle]

I have two Humminbirds mounted (a Matrix 17 and a Matrix 27).  One transducer is mounted on the TM and the other on the transom.  Haven't had a problem yet though I operate mostly in shallower water (under 20') so that may be a factor.

[HPBB]

on my 17'6" boat I run a Humminbird Matrix 87c and a 787c and have never had any problem with them intertfering with each other. On my 15 footer I run 2 Humminbird 300TX and have no problem, however when I used to have a humminird wide Eye on the transom of the 15footer I would get interferance.

This is even in deep water I fish one lake that is averge 75 to 125 feet and have no problem