HDS Setting

I bought a new HDS 8 & I was wondering if anyone else that is using one. Do you us manual setting for your sonar or automatic? Do you like it? I can’t wait to get it on the water & try it.

I run automatic seems to work good for me in most any conditions. Will be using it to full potential for the next week and a half, leaving today for Voyagers National Park Good luck I love the HDS units myself!

I found this on a another site.

Manual Mode
Chart speed set to max
Set range accordingly
Turn off or set to low ASP (noise rejection) and SCC (surface clarity control) features
Zoom in on the desired area of coverage (if applicable the upper/lower limit function is ideal)
Turn sensitivity to zero and slowly increase sensitivity until desired detail displays

The reason fish show as an arch is because of the relationship between the fish and the cone angle of the transducer as the boat passes over the fish. As the leading edge of the cone strikes the fish, a display pixel is turned on. As the boat passes over the fish, the distance to the fish decreases. This turns each pixel on at a shallower depth on the display. When the center of the cone is directly over the fish, the first half of the arch is formed. This is also the shortest distance to the fish. Since the fish is closer to the boat, the signal is stronger and the arch is thicker. As the boat moves away from the fish, the distance increases and the pixels appear at progressively deeper depths until the cone passes the fish.

If the fish doesn’t pass directly through the center of the cone, the arch won’t be as well defined. Since the fish isn’t in the cone very long, there aren’t as many echoes to display, and the ones that do show are weaker. This is one of the reasons it’s difficult to show fish arches in shallow water. The cone angle is too narrow for the signal to arch.

Remember, there must be movement between the boat and the fish to develop an arch. Usually, this means trolling at a slow speed with the main engine. If you are anchored or stopped, fish signals won’t arch. Instead, they’ll show as horizontal lines as they swim in and out of the cone.

Averagesportman good luck up in Voyagers.