A128 & Chirp

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Q1. However, like the Gen 3 Lowrance, Touch units, the Raymarine A128, has Chirp circuitry built into the unit and should work with a standard 200kHz transducer.
Am I wrong to assume that, because I can't find a chirp selection menu?
A1. This statement is incorrect. Please click here to view a FAQ addressing the frequency ranges employed by CHIRP/DownVision transducers which have been designed for use with the ax8 MFDs, eSx8 MFDs, and CP100 CHIRP/DownVision Fishfinder Sounder module. However, a 50/200kHz transducer may be mated to an a127 MFD. A transducer selection feature is provided with an ax8 MFD has been interfaced fishfinding devices (ex. ax7/cx7/e7D/ex7/eSx7 MFDs, CP370, CP470, CP570) which support being used with fishfinder transducer options which have significantly different performance characteristics. In contrast, the ax8 MFDs, eSx8 MFDs, and CP100 CHIRP/DownVision Fishfinder Sounder module are essentially compatible with two types of transducers. Raymarine offers compatible transducers featuring both DownVision transducer elements and a CHIRP (conical) transducer element. Raymarine also offers compatible transducers having only a CHIRP (conical) transducer element. The CHIRP (conical) transducer element found within both of these types ax8 MFDs, eSx8 MFDs, and CP100 CHIRP/DownVision Fishfinder Sounder module compatible transducers is identical and hence no transducer selection option is needed. The ax8 MFDs, eSx8 MFDs, and CP100 CHIRP/DownVision Fishfinder Sounder module automatically sense whether the interfaced transducer has been manufactured with DownVision sonar elements and if not, will not present an option to display DownVision sonar imaging.

Q2. I'm assuming that I need to add a CP100 transducer to the back bone to able to use down vision. Is this correct?
A2. Should a transducer not presently be interfaced to the TRANSDUCER socket of one of the ax8 MFDs, then interfacing a CP100 compatible transducer to the TRANSDUCER socket of one of the ax8 MFDs would add DownVision fishfinder sonar imaging to the system.