too much signal on my Dragonfly 5 Pro

[crusader]

Hi,

I get too much signal on my newly installed Dragonfly Pro 5 Pro (see attached pictures). It does not look as a correct behavior and I am looking for an advice to what might be a cause and how to fix it.

Notes:
- it is installed on a kayak (transducer is in depression in hull and wire goes up the scupper h-ole)
- I've added some di-electric grease on a plug that goes into the unit
- transducer is fixed in place using hot glue gun (as seen on picture below)
- default settings were used (gain/contrast=auto, noise filter=0%)
- as you could see transducer is not "professionally installed" and is not precisely parallel to kayak. But when you paddle it does not move in straight line anyway...
- I think this noise got worse after I've updated firmware to latest version (but this could be just my imagination)
- I've also attached syslog -- it contains few error messages, but I lack knowledge to interpret them

P.P.S. Added missing syslog

[crusader]

Can't attach syslog -- forum software drops the file. Here is the excerpt:


Mar 29 01:16:50 [EthRxTask] EthRxTask:LOSS_OF_NETWORK_TRAFFIC (-126) @ Tue Mar 29 01:16:50 2016 in CSonar4HeartbeatStateMachine::ActionSonar4HeartbeatStateLost because Sonar4 Heartbeat lost (Release Build)
Mar 29 01:16:50 [EthRxTask] EthRxTask:NETWORK_TRAFFIC_FOUND (-134) @ Tue Mar 29 01:16:50 2016 in CSonar4HeartbeatStateMachine::ActionSonar4HeartbeatStateFound because Sonar4 Heartbeat received (Release Build)
Mar 29 01:16:50 [MFDApplication] [INFO] ArchivingFacade.cpp:1111 (_SerializeGroupsToVector): Serializing 1 groups
Mar 29 01:16:50 [MFDApplication] [INFO] ArchivingFacade.cpp:1122 (_SerializeGroupsToVector): _Serializing group:UNSORTED:
Mar 29 01:16:50 [MFDApplication] [INFO] ArchivingFacade.cpp:1256 (_PopulateGpxPoint): ___Serializing Waypoint:Waypoint 1
Mar 29 01:16:50 [MFDApplication] [INFO] ArchivingFacade.cpp:1256 (_PopulateGpxPoint): ___Serializing Waypoint:Waypoint 2
Mar 29 01:16:58 [MFDApplication] [INFO] ArchivingFacade.cpp:1189 (_WriteStringToFile): Filename:/raymarine/SDCard1/Raymarine/My Data/Archive_--_--_----Qq.gpx
Mar 29 01:17:21 [MFDApplication] [INFO] Singleton.cpp:42 (CDestroyable): Constructing Singleton CFileExplorerPresenter, 0x0x3902b18
Mar 29 01:17:21 [MFDApplication] [INFO] Singleton.cpp:42 (CDestroyable): Constructing Singleton CExtensionData, 0x0x38f2fb8
Mar 29 01:17:21 [MFDApplication] [WARNING] GraphicalAssetLoader.cpp:366 (GetAssetDetailsList): Failed to find an asset named data_archive_menu_icon
Mar 29 01:17:21 [MFDApplication] [INFO] Singleton.cpp:47 (~CDestroyable): Destructing Singleton CExtensionData, 0x0x38f2fb8
Mar 29 01:17:21 [MFDApplication] [INFO] Singleton.cpp:42 (CDestroyable): Constructing Singleton CExtensionData, 0x0x3862ff8
Mar 29 01:17:21 [MFDApplication] [INFO] Singleton.cpp:42 (CDestroyable): Constructing Singleton CVideoPlaybackPresenter, 0x0x38e5c60
Mar 29 01:17:32 [MFDApplication] [INFO] Singleton.cpp:47 (~CDestroyable): Destructing Singleton CVideoPlaybackPresenter, 0x0x38e5c60
Mar 29 01:17:32 [MFDApplication] [INFO] Singleton.cpp:47 (~CDestroyable): Destructing Singleton CFileExplorerPresenter, 0x0x3902b18
Mar 29 01:17:32 [MFDApplication] [INFO] Singleton.cpp:47 (~CDestroyable): Destructing Singleton CExtensionData, 0x0x3862ff8
Mar 29 01:17:32 [MFDApplication] [INFO] Singleton.cpp:47 (~CDestroyable): Destructing Singleton CGPSPresenter, 0x0x3844930
Mar 29 01:17:32 [MFDApplication] [INFO] Singleton.cpp:47 (~CDestroyable): Destructing Singleton CToggleAdjustControlProvider, 0x0x34f6678
Mar 29 01:17:34 [MFDApplication] [INFO] Singleton.cpp:42 (CDestroyable): Constructing Singleton CToggleAdjustControlProvider, 0x0x3665d18
Mar 29 01:17:38 [memlogger] Overall stats: MemFree: 41672 kB Cached: 120636 kB 01:17:38 up 2 min, load average: 2.12, 0.86, 0.32
Mar 29 01:17:38 [memlogger] MFDApplication (1222): VmPeak: 397556 kB VmSize: 365508 kB VmHWM: 119348 kB VmData: 183360 kB VmRSS: 106304 kB VmStk: 136 kB
Mar 29 01:17:38 [memlogger] Rx5TileServer (1217): VmPeak: 51428 kB VmSize: 50404 kB VmHWM: 10464 kB VmData: 4300 kB VmRSS: 10464 kB VmStk: 136 kB
Mar 29 01:17:39 [memlogger] X (1080): VmPeak: 30180 kB VmSize: 14456 kB VmHWM: 23172 kB VmData: 3076 kB VmRSS: 22556 kB VmStk: 136 kB
Mar 29 01:17:39 [memlogger] PingTask (2019): VmPeak: 5088 kB VmSize: 5084 kB VmHWM: 2560 kB VmData: 1184 kB VmRSS: 2556 kB VmStk: 140 kB
Mar 29 01:17:39 [memlogger] EnvironmentMonitorTask (1958): VmPeak: 3448 kB VmSize: 3444 kB VmHWM: 1160 kB VmData: 208 kB VmRSS: 1156 kB VmStk: 140 kB
Mar 29 01:17:39 [memlogger] EthRxTask (1921): VmPeak: 3636 kB VmSize: 3632 kB VmHWM: 1200 kB VmData: 224 kB VmRSS: 1200 kB VmStk: 140 kB
Mar 29 01:17:39 [memlogger] EthTxTask (1888): VmPeak: 3628 kB VmSize: 3624 kB VmHWM: 1180 kB VmData: 224 kB VmRSS: 1180 kB VmStk: 140 kB
Mar 29 01:17:39 [memlogger] ErrorHandlerTask (2066): VmPeak: 3296 kB VmSize: 3292 kB VmHWM: 908 kB VmData: 204 kB VmRSS: 908 kB VmStk: 140 kB
Mar 29 01:17:41 [EthTxTask] EthTxTask:File Access Denied (-140) @ Tue Mar 29 01:17:41 2016 in EthTxTask::Start because TransmitAllSonar4PeriodicMessage failed, ignoring error (Release Build)
Mar 29 01:17:42 [MFDApplication] [INFO] Singleton.cpp:42 (CDestroyable): Constructing Singleton CDiagnosticsPresenter, 0x0x38e5748
Mar 29 01:17:42 [MFDApplication] [INFO] Singleton.cpp:42 (CDestroyable): Constructing Singleton CDiagnosticsHTMLPresenter, 0x0x35d2740

[Jim_MI]

Crusader -
I, too, have a DF5Pro on my kayak. I am in a Hobie Pro Angler, and rather than attaching the transducer to the hull as you have done, I have it mounted over the side using a Ram transducer mount so it is completely surrounded by water. I am typically fishing much deeper than your pics show, and in extremely clear water, but don't see nearly as much "noise" in the water as you are showing. That said, the echoes look real based on their arched shape. Is there a lot of sediment in the water you fish? I was out today and by leaning over, I could clearly see things on the bottom 30 ft below and had no similar noise on my display. In deeper water I came upon baitfish schools and invertebrate hatches that showed up at depths of 100 - 200+ ft with no noise above. If nobody has a better suggestion, troubleshooting may involve ungluing the 'ducer and manually holding it over the side just to eliminate hull vibration or reverberation as a source of the problem.
Good luck!
Jim

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Crusader,

As has been suggested by Jim, the returns from the images shown within your screen captures appear to be real. It the water clear of organic (bait, jellyfish, aquatic vegetation? Have you tried using the boat in other areas or other bodies of water which may have greater depth?

[crusader]

Jim,

My transducer is definitely immersed (about 4-5"). Yes, noise looks arched, but when real fish shows up -- they have much longer and more pronounced arches (it is not my first fish finder). It gets better in deeper water, though. I fish very muddy waters (with like 1" of visibility) -- so I can't verify what DF5 shows me. But I also fished relatively clear lake (~2' visibility) and it showed quite a bit of noise too. It also depends on speed of the boat.
Thanks for suggestion. I'll do that next fishing trip.


Chuck,

It is a muddy freshwater lake, somehow I doubt it has so much organic stuff suspended in it (plus I've seen this picture at multiple water bodies). I'll try to detach transducer from the hull as suggested by Jim and see how it changes the picture.

One thing that concerns me is that almost 2' wide "band" of red noise at the top of the water -- is it normal?

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Crusader,

A1. We have not received and similar reports and the imaging is peristent within both the DownVision and CHIRP conical sonar. See the image from the DownVision sounder onboard my own boat attached to this response. All of your images attached within this thread appear to have been generated from very shallow water.

A2. The approximately 2'-3' band extending from the surface of the sonar plot is known as the sounder's main bang. This area is representative of the depth associated with the ping (transmission) of the transducer. While pinging (transmitting), the transducer cannot receive. Essentially, it is the blind region for sonar imaging and is representative of the minimum depth that the sounder may report a depth value.

[crusader]

Thank you. Yes, I get similar picture when I am in deeper water. Right now I am chasing crappies (hence shallow water).

I am not saying anything is wrong with the unit -- I was wondering maybe I did smth wrong during transducer installation.

Today fished clearer lake and stayed mainly around 8-12' fow, picture was much better. Apparently muddy water hides some plants or bugs.

Did not know about 'main bang'. Thank you.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

You're welcome.