[TG] More powerfull transducer for Axiom9

[Reverie]

Hi

I have started to venture into deeper waters with my Axiom 9 with RV100 transducer. Up to 50m the chirp sonar works great. I have found anything over 60-70m I start losing a lot of definition in the bottom and by the time I hit 150m the bottom return becomes so weak, when in auto range mode, the unit starts changing the range to find a bottom reading again and a depth reading is no longer displayed at all, let alone possible fish returns. I have looked at the option of a second transducer such as the 600w Airmar transom 50/200 but believe the interface with a y cable to run both, i lose the chirp sonar channel from the rv100. Is this correct and if so is there some sort of switch where I can switch between the 2 transducers depending on the depth of water im in? Even better would be having a split screen of both transducers in action together. Upgrading to an external sounder module is out of the question as cost becomes prohibitive and I might as well ditch the axiom for an axiom pro. Any help is greatly appreciated. If it matters I’m located in Australia out of Cairns.

[Tom - Raymarine - Moderator]

Hello Reverie,

Yes, that sounds like you're getting close to the normal depth limits for the RV's low-power chirp sonar, and that you've already done a fair bit of research on this.

You are correct that if you connect a 600W 50/200kHz Airmar transducer to the RV via a Y-cable, the 50/200kHz transducer is used instead of the RV transducer's chirp sonar channel. This is because both transducers offer a ~200kHz channel and we didn't think it made sense to add cost by doubling-up on transmit/receive electronics on that frequency in order to be able to operate both at once. You can operate the 600W transducer with any other RV transducer channel (side, down, 3D), just not the chirp sonar. You can't, in a practical sense, switch between transducers - although plugging/unplugging the 600W transducer between uses would work, you'd need to power the display off before doing so. Don't be tempted to try to cut cables and splice in a switch, there are numerous pitfalls with that and high voltages on the transducer cables.

I'd either use the 600W transducer and be content with that as the fishfinder channel, or see about upgrading the Axiom for an Axiom Pro in order to use both at once.

Regards,
Tom