Depth Transducer Testing Out Of The Water

[bottomscraper]

We are replacing the instruments on Mahalo with Raymarine ST60+ instruments. After several emails and phone calls I was able to locate a long stem bronze transducer that is a close match with the old Datamarine transducer in size and shape but should work with the Raymarine ST60+ instruments. Since it's a thru-hull transducer I was hoping to test it before I install it. I filled a large plastic garbage can with water and mounted the transducer on a piece of 2x4. I hooked up the instrument and transducer to one of those portable battery jump start things (it has a 12V socket). I get very erratic readings mostly 15+ feet. The instrument also came with a short stem plastic transducer so I figured I would try that. I also get the same type of behavior. Melissa suggested a big rock in the bottom to give it a better surface. That only made it worse! I suspect that garbage can testing has some technical problems with side reflections.

I guess we will need to take the dingy out on the local lake and try it there.

[Bob L]

Rich,

Where did you find such a beast? And how did you find out it was compaitable with the ST60+?

Bob

[Boyd]

Whats wrong with haning it over the side of a dock in a real body of water? I tested my transducer that way.

Boyd
s/v Tern
CD30 MkII
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

[bottomscraper]

Gemeco Marine Accessories LLC
1141 S. Ron McNair Blvd.
Lake City, South Carolina 29560

Phone 843-210-7000

Fax 843-210-7170

Gemeco is the distributer (owned by Airmar) but they also sell other brands. The transducer I purchased is a "Radarsonics Model 205". They also sell a Airmar B3 (not listed on the Airmar site). There seems to be a bit of confusion about the dimensions of the B3. They said that the B3 had better shallow water performance but the head diameter was larger. Troy Scott purchased a B3 and his matches the dimensions of the 205.


Radarsonics Web Site

Airmar Web Site

Rich,

Where did you find such a beast? And how did you find out it was compaitable with the ST60+?

Bob

[bottomscraper]

Great idea but we don't have a dock handy! We normally keep Mahalo about a 2 hour drive from our house. The small local lake is only about 2 miles away but it only has a launch ramp, no dock.

Whats wrong with haning it over the side of a dock in a real body of water? I tested my transducer that way.

Boyd
s/v Tern
CD30 MkII
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

[bottomscraper]

Today we took the dingy out. Both transducers work just fine. My conclusion is garbage can testing just doesn't work!

[Duncan Maio]

Whats wrong with haning it over the side of a dock in a real body of water? I tested my transducer that way.

Boyd
s/v Tern
CD30 MkII
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Up here in the world, water is often a little more distant than down in the land of back-yard 'gators.

Heck, we can get to 9 feet above sea level without taking the stairs!