Pub. 988-0151-171 www.lowrance.com X125, X126DF, X135, X136DF Fish-finding & Depth Sounding Sonars Operation Instructions Copyright © 2003 Lowrance Electronics, Inc. All rights reserved. Lowrance® is a registered trademark of Lowrance Electronics, Inc. Navionics is a registered trademark of Navionics, Inc. Lowrance Electronics may find it necessary to change or end our policies, regulations and special offers at any time. We reserve the right to do so without notice. All features and specifications subject to change without notice. All screens in this manual are simulated. On the cover: X136DF shown. Other models covered in the manual are similar. For free owner's manuals and other information, visit our web site: www.lowrance.com Lowrance Electronics Inc. 12000 E. Skelly Dr. Tulsa, OK USA 74128-2486 Table of Contents Sec. 1: Read Me First! ............................................................... 1 Capabilities and Specifications: X125, X126DF, X135, X136DF.. 2 How Sonar Works ......................................................................... 3 How to Use this Manual: Typographical Conventions................ 4 Sec. 2: Installation & Accessories .......................................... 7 Preparations.................................................................................. 7 Transducer Installation................................................................ 7 Recommended Tools and Supplies ........................................... 8 Selecting a Transducer Location.................................................. 8 How Low Should You Go?......................................................... 9 Shoot-Thru-Hull vs. Transom Mounting ................................... 10 Transom Transducer Assembly and Mounting ......................... 10 Trolling Motor Bracket Installation (Single-Frequency only) .. 16 Transducer Orientation and Fish Arches .................................. 17 Shoot-Thru-Hull Preparation and Installation ......................... 17 Speed/Temperature Sensors ................................................. 20 Sensor Chart ............................................................................... 21 Optional Speed Sensor Installation ....................................... 22 Power Connections...................................................................... 23 Mounting the Unit: Bracket, In-Dash or Portable .................... 25 Face Cover................................................................................... 29 Sec. 3: Basic Sonar Operation............................................... 31 Keyboard ..................................................................................... 31 Power/Lights (Turn Unit On and Off) ....................................... 32 Menus .......................................................................................... 32 Main Menu .............................................................................. 32 Sonar Menu ............................................................................. 34 Pages ........................................................................................... 35 Basic Sonar Quick Reference ............................................... 38 Sonar Operations ........................................................................ 39 Fish Symbols vs. Full Sonar Chart ........................................ 41 Other Free Training Aids ....................................................... 42 Sec. 4: Sonar Options & Other Features ............................ 43 ASP (Advanced Signal Processing) ......................................... 43 Alarms ......................................................................................... 44 Depth Alarms .......................................................................... 44 Zone Alarm .............................................................................. 45 Fish Alarm............................................................................... 46 Brightness ................................................................................... 46 Calibrate Speed........................................................................... 46 Chart Speed................................................................................. 47 Contrast....................................................................................... 48 i Depth Cursor............................................................................... 48 Depth Range - Automatic ........................................................... 48 Depth Range - Manual................................................................ 49 To Turn Auto Depth Range on Again: ................................... 49 Depth Range - Upper and Lower Limits ................................... 49 FasTrack .................................................................................. 51 Fish I.D. (Fish Symbols & Depths) ......................................... 51 FishTrack ................................................................................. 53 FishReveal ............................................................................... 54 Frequency (Change Transducer Frequency) ............................. 56 Grayline ..................................................................................... 57 HyperScroll .............................................................................. 59 Noise Rejection............................................................................ 59 Overlay Data ............................................................................... 59 To Change Displayed Data Font Size: ................................... 60 Ping Speed & HyperScroll....................................................... 61 Pop-Up Help ................................................................................ 62 Reset Options .............................................................................. 63 Reset Water Distance ................................................................. 63 Screen Contrast and Brightness ................................................ 63 Sensitivity & Auto Sensitivity.................................................... 64 To Turn Auto Sensitivity Back on:......................................... 66 Set Keel Offset ............................................................................ 66 Set Language .............................................................................. 67 Software Version Information.................................................... 67 Sonar Chart Mode....................................................................... 68 Sonar Chart Display Options ..................................................... 68 Full Sonar Chart ..................................................................... 69 Split Zoom Sonar Chart .......................................................... 70 Split Frequency Sonar Chart (X126DF and X136DF only) .. 70 Digital Data/Chart .................................................................. 71 Customizing the Digital Data/Chart Screen...................... 72 Flashgraf ................................................................................. 73 Sonar Simulator.......................................................................... 73 Stop Chart ................................................................................... 74 Surface Clarity ............................................................................ 74 Transducer Type (X126DF and X136DF only) .......................... 75 Units of Measure......................................................................... 76 Upper and Lower Limits ............................................................ 76 Zoom & Zoom Bar ....................................................................... 76 Zoom Pan..................................................................................... 77 Sec. 5: Sonar Troubleshooting.............................................. 79 Sec. 6: Supplemental Material .............................................. 85 ii How this manual can get you out on the water, fast! Welcome to the exciting world of digital sonar! We know you're anxious to begin finding fish, but we have a favor to ask. Before you grab your unit and begin installing it, please give us a moment or two to explain how our manual can help you get the best performance from your compact, wide-screen, fish finder. First, we want to thank you for buying a Lowrance sonar. Whether you're a first time user or a professional fisherman, you'll discover that your unit is easy to use, yet capable of handling demanding sonar tasks. You won't find another sonar unit with this much power and this many features for this price! Our goal for this book is to get you on the water fast, with a minimum of fuss. Like you, we'd rather spend more time boating or fishing and less time reading the manual! So, we designed our book so that you don't have to read the whole thing from front to back for the information you want. At the start (or end) of each segment, we'll tell you what content is coming up next. If it's a concept you're already familiar with, we'll show you how and where to skip ahead for the next important topic. We've also made it easy to look up any tips you may need from time to time. Here's how: The manual is organized into 6 sections. This first section is an introduction to the sonar unit. It tells you the basics you need to know before you can make the unit look below the surface to find some fish. Section 2 will help you install your unit and the transducer. We'll also tell you about some of the available accessories. Section 3 covers Basic Sonar Operation. It will show you how easy it is to run your sonar, right out of the box. This section features a one-page Sonar Quick Reference. (If you've already jumped ahead and figured out how to install the unit yourself, and you just can't wait any longer, turn to the Quick Reference on page 38 and head for the water with your sonar unit!) After you've gained some experience with your sonar, you'll want to check out Section 4, which discusses more advanced Sonar Options and Other Features. When you come to a sonar menu command on the unit's screen, you can look it up in the manual by skimming over the table of contents or index, just flipping through Section 3 or scanning through the sonar options in Section 4. 1 Section 1: Read Me First! If you're having difficulty with your sonar, you can find an answer to the most common problems in Section 5, Sonar Troubleshooting. Finally, in Section 6, we offer Supplemental Material, including a list of warranty and customer service information. Now, if you're into the fine details, glance over the next segment on specifications to see just how much sonar power your unit contains. It's important to us (and our power users), but, if you don't care how many watts of power the unit has, skip ahead to important information on how sonar works, on page 3. Capabilities and Specifications: X125, X126DF, X135, X136DF General Display: ............................. 5.0" (12.7 cm) diagonal high contrast Film SuperTwist; programmable to viewing preference. Resolution:...................... 480 pixel x 480 pixel resolution ; 230,400 total pixels. 16-level grayscale definition. Backlighting:.................. X136DF and X135: White LED backlit screen and keypad. X126DF and X125: Amber LED backlit screen and keypad. Input power:................... 10 to 15 volts DC. Case size:......................... 5.4" H x 6.9" W x 3.4" D (13.8 x 17.6 x 8.6 cm); sealed and waterproof; suitable for saltwater use. Back-up memory: .......... Built-in memory stores sonar records for decades. Languages:...................... 10; menu languages selectable by user. Sonar Frequency:...................... 50/200 kHz for X126DF and X136DF; 200 kHz for X125 and X135. Transducers: .................. A dual-frequency Skimmer transducer with built-in temperature sensor is packed with the X126DF and X136DF. It has 35°/12° cone angles. A single-frequency with built-in temperature sensor is packed with the X125 and X135. It has a 20° cone angle. Transducers operate at speeds up to 70 mph (61 kts). 2 Transmitter: ................... X136DF, X135 and X126DF: 4,000 watts peak-to-peak/500 watts RMS. X125: 2,400 watts peak-to-peak/300 watts RMS. Sonar sounding depth capability: ........... X136DF: 2,500 feet (762 meters). X126DF: 1,700 feet (518 meters). X135: 1,000 feet (305 meters). X125: 800 feet (244 meters). Actual capability depends on transducer configuration and installation, bottom composition and water conditions. All sonar units typically read deeper in fresh water than in salt water. Depth display:................ Continuous display . Audible alarms: ............. Deep/shallow/fish/zone. Automatic ranging:....... Yes, with instant ...