Sonar Minn Kota

Sonar and Minn Kota

Hear you will find FAQ on sonars and minn Kota . Just click the question and then you will be taken to the answer .All the information is from www.minnkotamotors.com

How a fish locator works :

How does a transducer work?

How does the fish locator work?

How does an ultrasonic wave work?

Sonar application :

Can I run two depth finders at the same time?

How does the Universal Sonar work on both 192 kHz and 200 kHz fish locators?

What is a single beam, dual beam, tri beam, etc.?

Does Minn Kota's Universal Sonar transducer support temperature and speed functions?

What is Minn Kota's cone angle?

What viewing coverage can I expect to see at various depths?

My fish finder is not listed on your compatibility list. Will it work with the Universal Sonar?

When the gain/sensitivity on my depth finder is set at 100% the screen shows spikes or blacks out, what should I do?

How can I test the performance of the Universal Sonar transducer to see if it is functioning properly?

Can I upgrade the motor I have now into a Universal Sonar model?

What depth finders does the Universal Sonar work with?

Which Minn Kota models have the Universal Sonar feature?

How a fish locator works:

• How does a transducer work? When transmitting, a transducer converts electrical energy (usually pulses) into sound and mechanical energy (movement). This can also be called an ultrasonic wave. While receiving, the transducer converts mechanical energy into electrical energy. Fish finders process and display these electrical pulses on screen to show structure and fish.
  

• How does the fish locator work? The fish locator uses the transducer technology to determine the distance of fish and underwater objects from the transducer.
  
• How does an ultrasonic wave work? An ultrasonic wave can be transmitted through water at approximately 4800 ft (1500 meters) per second. When the sound wave strikes an underwater object, fish or bottom part of the sound wave is reflected back towards the source (the transducer). The depth of the object determined by calculating the time difference between the initial giving off of a sound wave and receiving the reflected sound. The result of the reflected sound is then displayed on the screen of the locator.

Sonar application:

• Can I run two depth finders at the same time? Yes, but the depth locators must be at different operating frequencies (kHz) to reduce or eliminate cross talk issues. If you have two depth locators at different frequencies and experience interference issues, you can shut one off to eliminate interference?
  
  

• How does the Universal Sonar work on both 192 kHz and 200 kHz fish locators?
  UNIVERSAL SONAR FREQUENCY - In the simplest terms, sonar manufacturers utilize transducers that operate within a + or - range of ~ 2 kHz of their products frequency, so a 192 kHz depth finder transducer will have a range from ~ 190 kHz to 194 kHz and a 200 kHz depth finder transducer will have a range from ~ 198 kHz to 202 kHz. Minn Kota has designed and utilizes a 196 kHz transducer that operates within a + or - range of ~ 6 kHz (190 kHz - 202 kHz) effectively covering the frequency range without sacrificing performance.
  
  

• What is a single beam, dual beam, tri beam, etc.? Does the Universal Sonar transducer have more then a single beam? Transducers with more than a single beam provide multiple angles and/or multiple views. Multiple beam transducers have one ceramic element for each beam. Transducers of this type typically have multiple transducers housed within a single housing. The Universal Sonar transducer has a single beam cone that measures 14 degrees at -3dB. If multiple beam depth finders are used with Minn Kota Universal Sonar motors, only one beam can be viewed on screen. Consult your depth finder owners manual for more information on this topic.
  
  

• Does Minn Kota's Universal Sonar transducer support temperature and speed functions? There are no common/universal methods between sonar manufacturers for sensing temperature and speed, therefore Universal Sonar does not support these functions.
  
  

• What is Minn Kota's cone angle? There are several different methods of specifying transducer cone widths. In electronic terms, the decibel is used. By measuring the power level from the center axis of the transducer to the point at which power drops by one half, an accurate cone angle can be measured. Minn Kota's cone angle measures 14 degrees at -3dB.
  

What viewing coverage can I expect to see at various depths? For an exact calculation use the equation (depth) tangent of 14 degrees. Chart is listed below:

When the gain/sensitivity on my depth finder is set at 100% the screen shows spikes or blacks out, what should I do? Consult your depth finder owner's manual for proper settings. Note: Lower the gain/sensitivity on the depth finder as needed.

How can I test the performance of the Universal Sonar transducer to see if it is functioning properly? Test the depth finder with the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) supplied transducer. Compare the performance with the Universal Sonar transducer. If depth finder does not function properly with either transducer, display maybe faulty.

What depth finders does the Universal Sonar work with? Click for compatibility chart .

Which Minn Kota models have the Universal Sonar feature?