Instruction/ maintenance manual of the product X126DF Lowrance electronic
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Pub. 988-0151-171 www.lowrance.com X125, X126DF, X135, X136DF Fish-finding & Depth Sounding Sonars Operation Instructions.
Copyright © 2003 Lowrance Electronics, Inc. All rights reserved. Lowrance ® is a registered trademark of Lowrance Electronics, Inc. Navionics is a registered trademark of Navionics, Inc. Lowrance Electronics may find it necessary to change or end our policies, regulations and special offers at any time.
i Table of Contents Sec. 1: Read Me First! ............................................................... 1 Capabilities and Specifications: X125, X126DF, X135, X136DF .. 2 How Sonar Works .............................................................
ii Depth Cursor ............................................................................... 48 Depth Range - Automatic ........................................................... 48 Depth Range - Manual.............................................
1 Section 1: Read Me First! How this manual can get you out on the water, fast! Welcome to the exciting world of digital sonar! We know you're anxious to begin finding fish, but we have a favor to ask.
2 If you're having difficulty with your sonar, you can find an answer to the most common problems in Section 5, Sonar Troubleshooting . Finally, in Section 6, we offer Supplemental Material , including a list of warranty and customer service information.
3 Transmitter: ................... X136DF, X135 and X126DF: 4,000 watts peak-to-peak/500 watts RMS. X125: 2,400 watts peak-to-peak/300 watts RMS. Sonar sounding depth capability: ........... X136DF: 2,500 feet (762 meters). X126DF: 1,700 feet (518 meters).
4 1957.) A son ar cons ists of a tran smitte r, tran sduce r, rece iver a nd d is- play. In simple terms, here's how it finds the bottom, or the fish: The transmitter emits an electrical impulse, which the transducer con- verts into a sound wave and sends into the water.
5 Instructions = Menu Sequences Most functions you perform with the sonar unit are described as a se- quence of key strokes and selecting menu commands. We've written them in a condensed manner for quick and easy reading. For example, instructions for turning on the Fish ID feature would look like this: 1.
6 Notes.
7 Section 2: Installation & Accessories Preparations You can install the sonar system in some other order if you prefer, but we recommend this installation sequence: Caution: You should read over this entire installation section before drill- ing any holes in your vessel! 1.
8 extreme care if mounting the transducer inside the hull, because once it is epoxied into position, the transducer usually cannot be removed. Remember, the transducer installation is the most critical part of a sonar installation.
9 3. If the transducer is mounted on the transom, make sure it doesn't interfere with the trailer or hauling of the boat. Also, don't mount it closer than approximately one foot from the engine's lower unit. This will prevent cavitation (bubble) interference with propeller operation.
10 quently lose bottom signal lock while running at high speed, the trans- ducer may be coming out of the water as you cross waves or wakes. Move the transducer a little lower to help prevent this. If you cruise or fish around lots of structure and cover, your transducer may be frequently kicking up from object strikes.
11 Align plastic ratchets in bracket. B. Two-piece bracket: Locate the four plastic ratchets in the trans- ducer's hardware package. Press two ratchets into the sides of the plas- tic bracket and two on either side of the transducer as shown in the fol- lowing illustrations.
12 Add ratchets to bracket and transducer. 2. Aligning the transducer on the transom. A. One-piece bracket: Slide the transducer between the two ratch- ets.
13 B. Two-piece bracket: Assemble the transducer and bracket as shown in the following figure. Temporarily slide the bolt though the transducer assembly but don't tighten the nut at this time. Hold the assembled transducer and bracket against the transom.
14 B. Two-piece bracket: Once you determine the correct position for the ratchets, assemble the transducer as shown in the figure in step 2B. Don't tighten the lock nut at this time. 4. Drilling mounting holes. Hold the transducer and bracket assembly against the transom.
15 Both bracket types: Attach the transducer to the transom. Slide the transducer up or down until it's aligned properly with the bottom of the hull as shown in the preceding and following figures. Tighten the bracket's mounting screws, sealing them with the caulking compound.
16 7. Make a test run to determine the results. If the bottom is lost at high speed, or if noise appears on the display, try sliding the trans- ducer bracket down. This puts the transducer deeper into the water, hopefully below the turbulence causing the noise.
17 TRANSDUCER ORIENTATION AND FISH ARCHES If you do not get good fish arches on your display, it could be because the transducer is not parallel with the ground when the boat is at rest in the water or at slow trolling speeds. Transducer angles and their effects on fish arches.
18 transducer installation can be made on hulls with flotation materials (such as plywood, balsa wood or foam) between layers of fiberglass if the material is removed from the chosen area.
19 cation that shot through the hull the best and follow the instructions on the following pages for a shoot-thru-hull mounting. Shoot-thru-hull transducer locations for high speed or trolling speed operation.
20 Place the transducer into the epoxy, twisting and turning it to force any air bubbles out from under the transducer face. The face of the transducer should be parallel with the hull, with a minimum amount of epoxy between the hull and transducer. After the epoxy dries, route the cable to the sonar unit.
21 Sensor Chart Two-temperature sensor installation Three-temperature sensor installation with speed Three-temperature sensor installation TS-3X temperature sensor SP-X speed sensor MY-4X Cable TS-2X .
22 Optional Speed Sensor Installation All the units in this series can display speed and distance traveled, but only the X126DF and X136DF come packed with a speed sensor. If you wish to purchase an optional additional sensor for your unit, refer to the accessory ordering information inside the back cover of this man- ual.
23 If the base of the transom has a radius, fill the gap between the tran- som and the sensor with the caulking compound. This will help ensure a smooth water flow.
24 lead, black is negative or ground. Make sure to attach the in-line fuse holder to the red lead as close to the power source as possible. For example, if you have to extend the power cable to the battery or power buss, attach one end of the fuse holder directly to the battery or power buss.
25 Sonar unit cable connections. Mounting the Unit: Bracket, In-Dash or Portable You can install the sonar unit on the top of a dash with the supplied gimbal bracket. It can also be installed in the dash or mounted on a portable power supply. If you use the supplied bracket, you may be interested in the optional R-A-M bracket mounting system.
26 Optional R-A-M mounting system. Bracket Installation Mount the unit in any convenient location, provided there is clearance behind the unit when it's tilted for the best viewing angle. You should also make sure there is enough room behind the unit to attach the power and transducer cables.
27 bracket location. This way, the bracket can be installed so that it covers the hole, holds the cables in position and results in a neat installation. Some customers, however, prefer to mount the bracket to the side of the cable hole — it's a matter of personal preference.
28 In-Dash Installation You can mount the unit in the dash with an optional FM-5 In-Dash Adapter Kit. The kit includes mounting hardware, a template for cut- ting the hole and an instruction sheet, part 988-0147-43. In-dash mounting template for the sonar unit, showing dimensions.
29 Install batteries in power pack battery adapter. Face Cover Your unit comes with a white protective cover that snaps on and off the front of the unit.
30 Notes.
31 Section 3: Basic Sonar Operation This section addresses the unit's most basic sonar operations. The in- structions presented here in Sec. 3 follow a chronological order. Sec. 4, Sonar Options & Other Features , will discuss options and other more advanced functions and utilities.
32 4. ARROW KEYS – These keys are used to navigate through the menus, make menu selections, move the sonar chart cursor and enter data. 5. ENT (Enter) – This key allows you to accept values or execute menu commands. 6. EXIT – The Exit key lets you return to the previous screen, clear data or erase a menu.
33 Main Menu. Main Menu Commands There are four "basic" Main Menu commands that you'll really want to read more about. They are: • Screen command: changes the contrast or brightness of the display screen. Use this command to adjust how the screen looks under various lighting conditions.
34 • Reset Water Distance command: resets water distance log to zero. • Sonar Simulator command: turns the simulator feature on and off. Useful for learning how to operate the unit and all its functions. • Transducer Type command (dual-frequency units only): sets the type of transducer plugged into the unit.
35 • Auto Depth Range command: automatically sets the depth range shown on the sonar chart to always keep the bottom in view. • Upper and Lower Limits command: sets the upper and lower depth limits of the sonar chart. Lets you zoom in on a specific portion of the water column.
36 The Full Sonar Chart is the main display option. This is a "cross- section" view of the water column beneath the boat. The chart moves across the screen, displaying sonar signal echoes that represent fish, structure and the bottom. Sonar Page, showing full sonar chart mode.
37 Sonar chart display options (from left) digital data and FlashGraf. You can customize how the Sonar Page pictures and other data are dis- played in many ways .
38 Basic Sonar Quick Reference 1. Mount the transducer and unit. Connect the unit to electric power and the transducer. 2. Launch your boat. 3. To turn on the unit, press and release PWR key. 4. Head for your fishing grounds. Your unit automatically displays digi- tal depth and surface water temperature in the corner of the screen.
39 Sonar Operations As you can see from the quick reference on the previous page, basic operation is pretty easy, right out of the box. If you are a sonar novice, try operating the unit with the factory defaults until you get a feel for how it's working.
40 You can change the sensitivity level whether you are in Auto Sensitiv- ity mode or Manual Sensitivity mode. The adjustment method works the same in both modes, but it gives you slightly different results.
41 NOTE: If you want to change the sensitivity in Manual Mode, first turn off Auto Sensitivity: from the Sonar Page, press MENU | ↓ to A UTO S ENSITIVITY | ENT | ↑ to S ENSITIVITY | ENT . Press ↓ or ↑ to pick a different sensitivity setting. When it's set at the desired level, press EXIT .
42 Other Free Training Aids The sonar options section discusses Fish I.D., fish alarms and other features in greater detail. If you or a friend has Internet access, you can also learn more about interpreting what you see on your sonar screen. Visit our web site, WWW.
43 Section 4: Sonar Options & Other Features Material in this section is arranged in alphabetical order. ASP (Advanced Signal Processing) The ASP feature is a noise rejection system built into the sonar unit that constantly evaluates the effects of boat speed, water conditions and interference.
44 Alarms This unit has three different types of sonar alarms. The first is the Fish Alarm. It sounds when the Fish I.D. feature determines that an echo is a fish. Another alarm is the Zone Alarm, which consists of a bar on the side of the screen.
45 5. To turn off the alarm, press A LARM | ENT | EXIT . To switch to a different depth setting, open the Sonar Alarms menu and repeat the instructions in step 3 above. To adjust and turn on the deep alarm: 1. Press A LARM . 2. Press ↓ to D EEP A LARM E NABLED | → to D EEP A LARM D EPTH | ENT .
46 ger the zone alarm. 6. To turn off the alarm, press A LARM | ↓ to Z ONE A LARM E N- ABLED | ENT | EXIT . To switch to a different depth setting, open the Sonar Alarms menu and repeat the instructions in steps 3 and 4 above.
47 when making your calculation.) After you have a correction figure, here's how to enter it: 1. Press MENU | MENU | ↓ to C ALIBRATE W ATER S PEED | ENT .
48 speed; press ↑ to increase chart speed. 3. When it's set at the desired level, press EXIT . Contrast See the entry in this section for Screen Contrast and Brightness. Depth Cursor The depth cursor consists of a horizontal line with a digital depth box on the right side.
49 1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU | ↓ to D EPTH R ANGE | ENT . At left, Sonar Page menu with Depth Range command selected. At right, the Depth Range Control Scale. 2. The Depth Range Control Scale appears. Press ↑ or ↓ to select a dif- ferent depth range.
50 the depth range. This feature lets you "zoom in" the display in almost unlimited combinations. Nearly any segment of the water column, from the surface to the bottom can be shown. This enlarges the sonar targets to best suit your fishing needs and water conditions.
51 To turn off upper and lower limits: 1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU | ↓ to A UTO D EPTH R ANGE | ENT | EXIT . FasTrack This feature automatically converts all echoes to short horizontal lines on the display's far right side. The graph on the rest of the screen con- tinues to operate normally.
52 You may see fish symbols on the screen when actually, there are no fish. The reverse is also true. The illustrations on the next page show how Fish I.
53 At left, figures 1A and 2A show Sonar Page in normal chart mode. At right, figures 1B and 2B show the same underwater scene with Fish I.D. turned on. Note how arches are replaced with symbols. To turn the Fish I.D. feature on: 1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU | ↓ to S ONAR F EATURES | ENT .
54 To turn on FishTrack: ( Note: These instructions will turn on FishTrack and Fish I.D. at the same time.) 1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU | ↓ to S ONAR F EATURES | ENT . 2. Press → |then press ↓ to F ISH D EPTHS | ENT | EXIT | EXIT . To turn off FishTrack, repeat the instructions in step 2.
55 Sonar Chart Mode command with FishReveal selected (at left, dual-frequency menu; at right, single-frequency menu). To turn FishReveal on: 1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU | ↓ to S ONAR F EATURES | ENT . 2. Press → |then press ↓ to S ONAR C HART M ODE | ENT | ↓ to F ISH R EVEAL | ENT .
56 Frequency (Change Transducer Frequency) (X126DF and X136DF only) The "DF" in your unit's name refers to its dual-frequency transducer, which operates with both 200 kHz and 50 kHz. The 200 kHz frequency has a 12 ° cone angle and the 50 kHz frequency has a 35 ° cone angle.
57 To change the frequency setting to 200 kHz: 1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU | ↓ to S ONAR F EATURES | ENT . 2. Press → |then press ↓ to 200 K H Z | ENT . 3. Press EXIT | EXIT to clear the menu. Grayline Grayline lets you distinguish between strong and weak echoes.
58 This series of figures shows how different Grayline settings can reveal more information. The "A" figures to the left show locations with Gray- line set at the factory level of 64 percent. At right, the "B" figures show the same locations with Grayline increased to 84 percent.
59 HyperScroll See the entry on Ping Speed, which controls the HyperScroll feature. Noise Rejection See the entry on Advanced Signal Processing in this section. Overlay Data To change the digital data shown on top of the sonar page: 1. Press MENU | ↓ to O VERLAY D ATA | ENT .
60 To turn off displayed data: 1. Press MENU | ↓ to O VERLAY D ATA | ENT . 2. Press ↓ or ↑ to select Data Type | ENT . The selected data type disap- pears from the top of the list and reverts to its previous, unchecked po- sition. (If you wish, you may now use ↓ or ↑ to select other Data Types to turn off.
61 Ping Speed & HyperScroll Ping Speed controls the rate at which the transmitter and transducer broadcast sonar sound waves — pings — into the water.
62 To adjust Sensitivity: 1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU | ENT . 2. The Sensitivity Control Bar appears. Press ↓ to decrease sensitivity; press ↑ to increase sensitivity. When it's set at the desired level, press EXIT . (When you reach the maximum or minimum limit, a tone sounds.
63 Reset Options This command is used to reset all features, options and settings to their original factory defaults. This is useful when you have changed several settings and want to return the unit to basic automatic operation. 1. Press MENU | MENU | ↓ to R ESET O PTIONS | ENT .
64 Screen Command, left, and Screen Menu with Contrast bar selected, right. To adjust the display's brightness: Press ↓ to B RIGHTNESS . Press → or ← to move the bar. The left end of the scale is minimum contrast; the right end is maximum contrast.
65 Automatic Sensitivity The default sensitivity mode is automatic. The unit bases the sensitiv- ity level on water depth and conditions. When the unit is in the auto- matic mode, sensitivity is automatically adjusted to keep a solid bottom signal displayed, plus a little more power.
66 To adjust sensitivity in manual mode: 1. First, turn off Auto Sensitivity: from the Sonar Page, press MENU | ↓ to A UTO S ENSITIVITY | ENT . 2. Press ↑ to S ENSITIVITY | ENT and the Sensitivity Control Bar appears. Press ↓ or ↑ to pick a different sensitivity setting.
67 1. Press MENU | MENU | ↓ to S ET K EEL O FFSET | ENT . 2. The Keel Offset dialog box appears. Press ↓ to change the plus (+) sign to a minus (–) sign. 3. Press → to the first number, then press ↑ to change the number to 3 4. Press → to the second number, then press ↑ to change the number to 5, then press EXIT .
68 At left, Main Menu with Software Information command selected. At right, the Software Information screen. 1. Press MENU | MENU | ↓ to S OFTWARE I NFO | ENT . 2. Read the information displayed on the screen. 3. To return to the last page displayed, press EXIT | EXIT .
69 Pages Menu showing sonar chart display options (at left, dual-frequency menu; at right, single-frequency menu). Full Sonar Chart This is the default mode used when the unit is turned on for the first time or when it's reset to the factory defaults.
70 Split Zoom Sonar Chart a split chart shows the underwater world from the surface to the bot- tom on the right side of the screen. The left side shows an enlarged ver- sion of the right side. The zoom range shows at the bottom left corner of the screen.
71 To adjust sensitivity in auto mode: 1. Press MENU | ENT . 2. The unit asks which you wish to adjust. Press ← or → to select the one you want | ENT . 3. The Sensitivity Control Bar appears. Press ↓ to decrease sensitivity; press ↑ to increase sensitivity.
72 Customizing the Digital Data/Chart Screen The Digital Data/Chart screen can be customized to show digital data different from the defaults first shown. To customize this screen: 1. From the Sonar Page (in Digital Data mode), press MENU | ↓ to C USTOMIZE | ENT .
73 change. When the selected window title bar flashes, press ENT | ↑ or ↓ to select data type | ENT . Repeat these steps until you're finished cus- tomizing, then press EXIT to return to the Sonar Page. FlashGraf The FlashGraf sonar page option represents a flasher style sonar com- bined with a scrolling chart.
74 Stop Chart If you are running multiple units on a boat, there are times when you may want to turn off the sonar. This command turns off the sonar and stops the chart from scrolling. Sonar restarts automatically each time you turn on your unit. Press MENU | ↓ to S TOP C HART | ENT | EXIT .
75 Sonar Features menu with Surface Clarity selected (at left, dual- frequency menu; at right, single-frequency menu). 2. Press ↓ to S URFACE C LARITY | ENT . 3. Press ↓ or ↑ to select clarity level | EXIT | EXIT | EXIT . In the illustration at left, Surface Clarity is turned off.
76 At left, Main Menu showing Transducer Type command selected. At right, the Transducer Type menu, showing your three options. Units of Measure This menu sets the speed and distance (statute or nautical miles, me- ters), depth (feet, fathoms, or meters) and temperature (degrees Fahr- enheit or Celsius).
77 ture. This unit lets you zoom the display quickly and easily by pressing the Zoom In key, ZIN . Pressing ZIN once doubles the size (2X) of all echoes on the screen.
78 Notes.
79 Section 5: Sonar Troubleshooting If your unit is not working, or if you need technical help, please use the following troubleshooting section before contacting the factory customer service department. It may save you the trouble of returning your unit for repair.
80 3. The water may be deeper than the sonar's ability to find the bottom. If the sonar can't find the bottom signal while it's in the automatic mode, the digital sonar display will flash continuously. It may change the range to limits far greater than the water you are in.
81 To eliminate or minimize the effects of electrical noise, first try to de- termine the cause. With the boat at rest in the water, the first thing you should do is turn all electrical equipment on the boat off.
82 Notes.
83 Index A Accessories, 1, 25, 26 Sec. 2, Installation & Accessories , 7 Alarms, 33, 44, 45, 46 Depth Alarms, 44 Fish Alarm, 44, 46 Zone Alarm, 44, 45, 46 Antenna, 81 ASP (Advanced Signal Proc.
84 P Pages, 32, 35, 68, 69 Ping Speed, 35, 59, 61, 62 HyperScroll , 59, 61 Pop-up Help, 62 Power, 1, 2, 7, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 31, 32, 38, 65, 79, 80, 81 Product Specifications, 2 R Range,.
85 Section 6: Supplemental Material LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS FULL ONE-YEAR WARRANTY "We," "our," or "us" refers to LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS, INC., the manufacturer of this product. "You" or "your" refers to the first person who purchases this product as a consumer item for personal, family or household use.
86 How to Obtain Service… …in the USA: We back your investment in quality products with quick, expert service and genuine Lowrance parts. If you're in the United States and you have technical, return or repair questions, please contact the Factory Customer Service Department.
Accessory Ordering Information for all countries To order Lowrance accessories such as power cables or transducers, please contact: 1) Your local marine dealer or consumer electronics store. Most quality dealers that handle marine electronic equipment or other consumer electronics should be able to assist you with these items.
Visit our web site: Lowrance Pub. 988-0151-171 © Copyright 2003 All Rights Reserved Printed in USA 111903 Lowrance Electronics.
An important point after buying a device Lowrance electronic X126DF (or even before the purchase) is to read its user manual. We should do this for several simple reasons:
If you have not bought Lowrance electronic X126DF yet, this is a good time to familiarize yourself with the basic data on the product. First of all view first pages of the manual, you can find above. You should find there the most important technical data Lowrance electronic X126DF - thus you can check whether the hardware meets your expectations. When delving into next pages of the user manual, Lowrance electronic X126DF you will learn all the available features of the product, as well as information on its operation. The information that you get Lowrance electronic X126DF will certainly help you make a decision on the purchase.
If you already are a holder of Lowrance electronic X126DF, but have not read the manual yet, you should do it for the reasons described above. You will learn then if you properly used the available features, and whether you have not made any mistakes, which can shorten the lifetime Lowrance electronic X126DF.
However, one of the most important roles played by the user manual is to help in solving problems with Lowrance electronic X126DF. Almost always you will find there Troubleshooting, which are the most frequently occurring failures and malfunctions of the device Lowrance electronic X126DF along with tips on how to solve them. Even if you fail to solve the problem, the manual will show you a further procedure – contact to the customer service center or the nearest service center
