is this normal

I have had a 898 for 3 years the si view on the older unit shows a black screen on both left and right side with boat on trailer , I just purchased this new 898 si hd unit the image below is what I am getting on the screen with boat on trailer I haven't had time to check it on the water yet , I would think they should be the same any ideas http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps28c4db07.jpg

I would try it on the water first.

Did you check the right side for fire? Just kidding, keep us posted, that is a unit I been thinking about.

I read somewhere that the unit shuts the pinging off if it doesn't detect bottom for a certain length of time (to protect the xducer....)

And the it's definitely not gonna detect bottom out of the water...

Either way...like Superx10 mentioned...test it on the water and then post back ...

Rickie

call h bird, they are good on the phone

It is true, after a certain revision 6.something, you won't get a reading with the transducer out of the water. If this is really bothering you, fill up at bucket and put the transducer in.

Hope you were able to test your unit on the water.
Let us know the results.

However, you can't damage a transducer by running it out of water. Had heard you could, but finally ran that dog to ground. I think this belief got started when folks left their old flashers on for days and burned up the flasher motor. If the depth is out of the range of the depth finder it simply does not see a returned ping. No damage to the unit, it is all electronic data, it either reads or it doesn't.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Humminbird_Greg

Hope you were able to test your unit on the water.
Let us know the results.

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took the boat to the lake today, as soon as I put the trolling motor down the unit started reading both left and right side as it should, when I pulled the trolling motor up the screen went to a black screen on left and right side just like my 3year old 898 unit, I guess the transducer just needed to get wet to start working properly

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ljones

took the boat to the lake today, as soon as I put the trolling motor down the unit started reading both left and right side as it should, when I pulled the trolling motor up the screen went to a black screen on left and right side like my 3year old 898 unit, I guess the transducer just needed to get wet to start working properly

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Yup..sonar doesn't read thru air very well...

I'm glad that's all it was...:ThumbsUp

Rickie