Greg Walters...Matrix Question ????

[Steve Rizza]

Greg,so far I am loving the new Matrix 37's.

I am experiencing a little "cross talk" when the depth is over 20 ft. I am figuring out how to clear it up without cranking up the filters,by switching one of the wide beams off if both F.F.'s are in use.



The gps works like a champ,and I am using it 100 times more than I thought I would.Having some tracks saved to my favorite spots has gotten me to my spots on those foggy mornings instead of fishing near the dock, while waiting for the fog to clear.







--Now the question..I am having trouble in shallow water.If I am over soft bottom,it will shoot through to the hard bottom underneath.(I think)Here's what happens.



If I am over sand,and actually see the bottom 5 ft down,check the depth with my rod tip,here is what I see on the screen.



There will be a soft bottom line across the screen at 5 ft,,,then there will be a hard bottom line across the screen at ,say,12 ft down.The depth display number will also read 12 ft.

Is this a normal reading over a soft bottom ?



I found this out while on a gin clear lake,looking at the different bottom types,and learning what they look like on the screen.







---Also while over hard bottom in under about 5 ft of water,it will lose bottom and read 20 ft or so.And then have trouble picking back up when I move into deeper water.



I have both depth offsets set to read the actual depth from the surface instead of from the transducer.(nice touch )



Any updates that may be of help,if there is I will get the cpu cord and update it.

Or do you think it may just be my settings are too high.I do have the sensitivity cranked up pretty high,but there is very little snow if any.



Sorry to ramble on so long.



Steve

 

[Steve Rizza]

Whoops...stupid fingers.:wacko:

 

[Michael Snow]

Try this...http://humminbird.com/public.asp?ID=264



I know Greg has mentioned that there have been some updates regarding shallow water operation. When you turn your unit on, I believe it will show you the software version.
http://humminbird.com/public.asp?ID=264

 

[Humminbird Greg]

Snow,



You have to register your Matrix/900 Series in order to show what version software download is available for it. Even than it is model specific

 

[Steve Rizza]

Huh ? :wacko:



Gimme' a few hours to decipher what you said and I'm sure it will help me out.



Both units are running version 2.430.





Thanks again (I think)......:blink:



Just kidding,as usual you are willing to go the extra mile to help out a customer.



I'm going out Saturday,I'll let you know if I learn anything.



Steve





P.s- please don't send me the information on how to get into the Engineering Mode,no matter how much I should ever ask.If it is possible to screw it up,I can guarentee that I will do it.

 

[Steve Rizza]

Ok,

after thinking about it at work (slow day),I figure having it shoot through the soft bottom to the hard bottom isn't really a problem after all.

It just makes it easier to tell when I come to the sweet spot where the soft and hard bottoms meet (when the two lines come together).

I really couldn't think of any time where having the digital readout come from the hard bottom would be a problem,because of the depth lines running across the screen would give me the true reading to the soft bottom.

It actually seems kinda' normal for it to happen,such as over deep weeds,the beam would shoot through the weeds to the bottom,giving you the depth from that point,not the tops.

Am I making sense so far ?

If so,then I will go on...



Losing reading in shallow water over hard bottom..

I am running version 2.430 on both units.I guess untill I get the cord,and install the updates from the website,and see what happens,there's really no use in getting excited over it.

Gotta start with the basic things first...untill then,don't worry about that.







Cross talk..

here is where I got kinda lost.

In the words of Forrest Gump,"I'm not a very smart man"



First things first..my boat is only a 17 footer,so I realize that in deeper water the beams will eventauly cross over each other.

It starts in about twenty feet of water,by showing "spikes" on the display.

If I turn the filters up to max,it will clear up some,but not completely.



Would I be correct in thinking that it is mostly the 83 khz beams that are crossing over? Since they are wider (bigger cone).

If I turn on the split screen,and see them (spikes) on only the 83 khz side,would that give me my answer?

And if they are also on the 200 khz side,then they are both crossing ?



Here's where I started to get lost..If I go to the beam select menu,and select 200 khz only,whill it shut off the 83 khz beam,or just not display the 83 khz return ?



The reason I ask this,is now that I know that the 200 beam is always on (for the digital display),can I simply shut off the 83 khz beams,or the readout from them,to find out if it is only the 83 khz beams crossing ?



Or does none of this make any sense at all ?:huh: I type so slow,it's hard for me to get what's in my head out in writing.







I'm not worried about having a perfectly clear screen,I just want to make sure everything shows up that is down there.



I better stop now before I confuse myself any more.:wacko:



Sometimes I just simply shut off the console unit,but I need it to power the gps to the front unit,or if there is somebody fishing out of the back of the boat.





See,I warned you I would have a MILLION questions for you...



Whew....



Steve

 

[Humminbird Greg]

Steve,



Don

 

[Steve Rizza]

Ok,with the slow typing I am starting to understand.



This weekend I set the console unit to 200 khz only ,and it cleared up the display on the front unit .I forgot to turn off the filter after doing this to see if the display was still clear,but it's a great start.

I also powered it (console) up in "simulator mode" to power the gps,and then can crank the front F.F. settings up the whole way. And by doing this,I can also freak out the person fishing out of the back of the boat.





I need to get the cord anyhow to load gps stuff back and forth to the computer.I don't have the patience to name tracks and waypoints on the F.F. screen.

This will just give me a good excuse with Momma.

Once I get it updated,I'll let you know what I find out.





Thanks a million,

Steve