test a depth sounder out of the water?
 

In article ,
ahoy wrote:

ahoy. I have a new2me, never been wet boat on the hard. Is there a way
to see if the depth sounder works? The readout thing powers up if you
hook 12v to it. Can you somehow test the transponder widget? thanks as
always and smooth sailing.

Stick your ear up to the transducer while it is running and listen for
the "clicks". If yes then "OK on Transmit" if no then "maybe no workie"
While unit is running, have another person watch the readout, while you
vigorusly rub your hand across the face of the transducer. If readout
shows lots of flashes, or sparlkles, the "receiver Ok", if not, then
"maybe no workie". More than that you need some specific test equipment.


Me lets hope this doesn't digress into another "Flame War"....

Another test that may work is to place a hard, flat reflecting object on
the ground with its plane perpendicular to the ray from the transducer.
A 2-foot square of plywood should do. This might be 3-4 feet from the
transducer. If the depth sounder is working, you should get a reading
although it is certain to be incorrect due to the differences in
velocity of propagation between water and air. I guess it ought to read
a greater distance than if it were immersed in water.

If you get nothing at all, or get just gibberish, you may have a problem.

Let us know.

Good luck.

Chuck


Me wrote:
In article ,
ahoy wrote:


ahoy. I have a new2me, never been wet boat on the hard. Is there a way
to see if the depth sounder works? The readout thing powers up if you
hook 12v to it. Can you somehow test the transponder widget? thanks as
always and smooth sailing.


Stick your ear up to the transducer while it is running and listen for
the "clicks". If yes then "OK on Transmit" if no then "maybe no workie"
While unit is running, have another person watch the readout, while you
vigorusly rub your hand across the face of the transducer. If readout
shows lots of flashes, or sparlkles, the "receiver Ok", if not, then
"maybe no workie". More than that you need some specific test equipment.


Me lets hope this doesn't digress into another "Flame War"....

Forgot to mention that some sounders have a "simulation" test mode. I'm
not sure how it operates, but it may function when the boat is on the
hard. The manual should give more info on that mode if it has one.

Chuck

In article ,
Me wrote:

In article ,
ahoy wrote:

ahoy. I have a new2me, never been wet boat on the hard. Is there a way
to see if the depth sounder works? The readout thing powers up if you
hook 12v to it. Can you somehow test the transponder widget? thanks as
always and smooth sailing.

Stick your ear up to the transducer while it is running and listen for
the "clicks". If yes then "OK on Transmit" if no then "maybe no workie"
While unit is running, have another person watch the readout, while you
vigorusly rub your hand across the face of the transducer. If readout
shows lots of flashes, or sparlkles, the "receiver Ok", if not, then
"maybe no workie". More than that you need some specific test equipment.


Me lets hope this doesn't digress into another "Flame War"....

Years ago, the Ross Labs Service Tech used a 4Ft 8" PVC Pipe that was
glued to a 1 Ft Square piece of Telfon as a Transducer test stand.
It was calibrated at some depth, (which I don't recall) for their
200Khz Transducers. He would just place the transducer across the top
of the pipe, and measure the return signal at the detector diode on
his Shop Standard Transceiver. Ross would reject about 2% of the OEM
Transducers due to lack of receive sensitivity.


Me