[CA] [CA11] Axiom Pro RVX - High / Low chirp Transducers??

[DFMott]

I have been having such a hard time getting the Raymarine transducers. I had ordered the B175M/L pair back in December and they were still on backorder when I decided I was going to split them between the CP470 and the Axiom pro. So I cancelled that order and ordered a single B175M and a single B175L from 2 different vendors who said they had them in stock. I received the B175M and it was the Raymarine unit with the proper connector. However, the other vendor sent me a B175L mix and match with a Raymarine adapter cable MMC-11R-LDB. UGH! The order listed it as Raymarine part #A80048 which obviously it is not.

My first question is are there any technical differences or pitfalls between the Mix and Match B175L with the adapter and the Raymarine version without the Adapter. I called Airmar tech support and they said there is absolutely no difference in performance or otherwise between the B175L with the Raymarine terminator and the B175L mix and match with the adapter cable. They also said that the MFD not identifying bottom in depths less than 20 feet is not surprising.

My second question has to do with the B175M which is the Raymarine version. As recommended, I connected it with an A80328 cable to the Axiom pro MFD to test if it was functioning. The imagery seemed fine but the application did not identify bottom. I was in 9 feet of water. The cp370 / B164 showed 8.9 feet when turned on. Could there be a problem with the B175M transducer or the Axiom pro?

I tested the B175L. and got the same results as the B175M - I can see the bottom at around 10 feet on the screen but the MFD does not display a number, just - . -. The axiom identifies both transducers properly and changing the frequency and ping rate works. They are just hanging in the water so it’s really just a test that they are functioning.

What I would like from the Raymarine forum is confirmation that this is normal so I can pull the boat and have them properly installed.

Mahalo,

Don

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Don,

As you may know Airmar produces the Raymarine branded high power CHIRP transducers sold by Raymarine dealers. The differences between the Airmar branded variant and the Raymarine variant are that the Raymarine variant features a sense resistor (which Airmar's Mix & Match cable would appear to be duplicating) and features a plug designed to support mating the high power CHIRP transducer to a Single Use Cable, Y-Cable, or directly to the Raymarine fishfinding product itself. Raymarine recommends use of its Raymarine branded high power CHIRP transducers a potential source of additional noise which may be introduced through the additional connector.

General note regarding high power transducers: The ping for high power transducers should not be enabled when the vessel or transducer is out of the water / filled reservoir or damage to the transducer can quickly occur through overheating.

With respect to transducers not producing a depth, suspending a transducer over the side of the hull has limitations, particularly when using tilted element transducers. While the tilted element transducer may be able to support producing a bottom image, if not shooting directly downward, signal return may not be sufficiently strong enough for the fishfinding product to determine depth. Turning on the MFD's White Line feature when performing such a test and/or suspending the transducer in a manner which will correctly angle it to match the deadrise (ex. bring a second person along who will be positioned on the boat's boarding platform and will hold the transducer at an angle which approximates that of the deadrise while orienting its arrow toward the plane of the keel).

[DFMott]

I had a very frustrating hour on the water yesterday trying to get the Axiom pro to show bottom hanging my transducers over the side. We tried and tried changing the tilt and various configurations with a rope, holding them by hand, etc. It just never happened. I could clearly see the bottom on the screen, the transducers were identified correctly by the system but the depth indicator never changed from -. - . I tried both 50/low chirp and 100/medium chirp settings on each in about 300 and about 1200 feet of water. They are 20 degree tilt transducers. I can feel them clicking when I hold them. The low is much more pronounced than the medium.

This was simply a test to make sure they worked before installation. I am thinking that since everything else is working correctly that there may be nothing wrong. It may just be that it's just harder than one would think to hold a transducer steady for a long enough period for the system to identify bottom. If anything is defective, I think it would be the Axiom since I find it unlikely that 2 brand new Airmar transducers would both be bad.

Would you agree?

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Don,

A rather significant performance improvement to the LightHouse 3 fishfinding features were included within the LightHouse 3 v3.11.42 software update. Should I not already have specified, please ensure that the Axiom MFD(s) have been updated with LightHouse 3 v3.11.42 or later software, that a Power On Reset Procedure has been performed following the software update, and that the system's settings have then been manually reconfigured rather than restored from a saved settings file. Please additionally verify that the CP470 (if installed) has been updated with v14.18 software. The system should then be tested with all fishfinder features maintained within their default / auto settings. Should the problem persist when tested in the manner specified above, then please respond accordingly and indicate whether a CP470 was used within the system.

[DFMott]

The system is on 3.11.42 - always was. A CP470 was not used during testing but one will be when the transducers are installed in the hull. The current B164 is connected via a CP370 and the axiom finds the bottom. Both the B164 and the CP370 will be removed. The over-the-side test was just to make sure the transducers were working prior to permanent installation.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

DFMOTT,

Was the Power ON Reset Procedure referenced within my prior response performed?

[DFMott]

I have never performed a power on reset procedure if you mean powering it on while holding the 2 keys. The Axiom-Pro was installed and then all software was immediately updated to the latest version prior to its initial use.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

DFMOTT,

Q. if you mean powering it on while holding the 2 keys.
A. Indeed I do ... the link to the corresponding FAQ provided within my earlier response details how the Power ON Reset is to be performed.. I recommend that any MFD which has been updated from an earlier version of LightHouse 3 software to v3.11.42 or later have this procedure performed following the update and that settings be manually reconfigured rather than be restored from a saved settings file.

[DFMott]

I went ahead and had the B175M and B175L installed. I also swapped in the CP470. The Axiom is on 3.11.42 and the CP470 is on 14.28 which I believe are the most current versions of the software. I went out on the water thinking all would be fine but it wasn't. I had the same issue as when I tried testing the transducers. No depth, just a "- . -" on the display. So after 3 hours on the water I finally decided to go ahead and try a hard factory rest on the Axiom Pro. That worked. It's now finding the bottom just fine in shallow water up to about 800 feet. After that it seems to have trouble. It is in all auto mode right now so I have no idea which transducer and sounder it is using and I didn't have time to fiddle.

You were right again Chuck - Mahalo!

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

You're welcome!