Axiom not marking fish

[JimBognr]

I have been trying to locate fish with the sonar, but cannot see any fish. I also have a third party fishfinder at the helm and it shows fish as well as the other features below the boat. The Axiom is at the front of the boat with a transom mount transducer. I see features as I do on the third party fishfinder, but no fish. Bottom, bait [censored], etc. are clear.
Also, I was fishing in about 30 ft. of water and the axiom went crazy. Lost bottom, full of interference, etc. I rebooted, reseated transducer connection, and powered off the third party fishfinder. Nothing helped. As I moved from the location, the symptoms dissappeared. When I moved back over the same location, the symptoms reappeared. I was in a strip mining pit the varied from 10 to 50 ft. depths. Could have an underwater object be the cause? All sonar settings are on "auto".

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome to the Raymarine Forum Jim,

The RealVision3D and DownVision features excel in locating and providing detailed images of structure. As with other products supporting High CHIRP (conical) / DownVision fishfinder sonar (ex. ax8/eSx8 MFDs, CP100), it is recommended that the HIGH CHIRP (conical) fishfinder sonar channel be used when seeking to mark fish. Are you using the HIGH CHIRP (conical) fishfinder sonar channel or have you been primarily using the RealVision3D fishfinder sonar when seeking to mark fish?

We haven't received any similar reported of the bottom loss and interference reported. I would recommend continuing to monitor the Axiom MFD's performance and also await the next Axiom MFD software update. This software update will include enhancements to the product's fishfinder features which may address the reported issue.

[JimBognr]

Thanks Chuck. I am aware of the benefits of the downscan vs high chirp. I don't have realvision, just downscan and high chirp. I am looking for fish with the high chirp sonar view. My experience has been with third party fishfinders in the past and I am excited to explore the added features of the Axiom. How should I expect the fish to be displayed. Will they be arches, fish symbols or something else? I have revisited the area where the unit went crazy last week and did not experience the same problem. However, I experience bottom loss at random times at random depths. I am experimenting with transducer placement and angles. So far, it's been frustrating.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Jim,

Please click here to view a FAQ addressing this subject.

[JimBognr]

Thanks Chuck. This is exactly the information I needed. I see now that I have been marking fish. It just displays much differently than any fishfinder I have experience with. I revisited the same area where the Axiom went wacky before and had no issues. It may help you to know that I had experienced absolutely no issues until I pressed the button to set a waypoint. That seemed to trigger the issue. Since then I have had continuous episodes of bottom loss. It resolves itself within a few seconds, but not always with the correct depth. I am still working with transducer angles and placement. I have improved the performance while on plane, but my third party fishfinder is still outperforming the Axiom in that respect. My original plan was to link an Ipad to the Axiom and essentially do away with the third party fishfinder except as a backup.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Jim,

You're welcome. Regarding the bottom loss issue, it is recommended that you verify that your Axiom MFD has been updated with the latest available Axiom MFD software update. If not, then it is recommended that the Axiom MFD's software be updated and that you then attempt to reproduce the problematic behavior triggered when the Waypoint button is pressed. The Axiom MFD be operating with the latest available software update when the problem was observed, then please respond accordingly and a problem report will be logged accordingly to have the engineering team attempt duplication and correction of the reported problem.

[JimBognr]

I updated to version 3.0.66 when I purchased it in mid June. In my profession, I update firmware or system software on equipment routinely. I know that software downloads can be corrupted and cause issues such as this. Can I "flash" the software with the same version, or will it refuse if I already have the latest version? If so, I will flash it and experiment this weekend to try to establish a pattern of behavior. So far it seems pretty random.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Jim,

Thanks for confirming that the problem has been duplicated with LH3 v3.0.66. A problem report will be logged accordingly to attempt duplication of this problem and to seek its correction within a future LH3 software update. To be clear, is the problem occurring when the Create Waypoint feature is commanded from within the Fishfinder app. If so, is the problem occurring when using the MENU->ADD WAYPOINT command or by touching a target on the Fishfinder application's plot and then selecting Add Waypoint from the displayed Fishfinder pop-up menu? Finally, which type of fishfinder sonar is being displayed within the Fishfinder app when the problem occurs?

[JimBognr]

Update on the issue with loosing bottom at random. I just completed a seven hour excursion with no bottom loss at all. I fish with a Tracker Pro175 TXW welded aluminum boat. When I installed the Axiom, I connected the ground terminal on the back of the Axiom to the hull. I disconnected the ground before my last excursion, and it seems to have solved the problem. The ultimate test will be a trip back to the strip mining pits, where the issue was most prevalent. Do I need to connect the ground terminal on the Axiom to the negative side of the power source, or can I just leave it open? I assume it is also grounded to the power supply through the power connector.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Jim,

Q. I just completed a seven hour excursion with no bottom loss at all. I fish with a Tracker Pro175 TXW welded aluminum boat. When I installed the Axiom, I connected the ground terminal on the back of the Axiom to the hull.
A. It is strongly advised that the drain leads of marine electronic not be connected to an aluminum hull as you had previously done. Doing so may result in electrolysis and damage to the hull. Please click here to view a FAQ addressing what should be done with drain leads.