INSTALLATION AND OPERATION MANUAL X-4 LCG RECORDER N · LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS, INC. SKELLY TULSA, OKLA. 12OOO E. DR., 74128 PDF compression, OCR, web-optimization with CVISION's PdfCompressor Litho in U.S.A. 988-0105-21 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction Installation Power Connections Noise Keyboard Basics Operation On Off 2nd Clear Auto Sensitivity Automatic SensitivityAdvanced Chart Speed Lower Limit Upper Limit Scale Auto Rangewith Zoom Bottom Track Digital 10th Range 2 2 3 4 5 7 7 7 7 a 8 8 10 io ii i Alarms Zone Alarm Note Key Clearing Zone Alarm Depth Alarm Discrimination Light Surface Clarity Control (SCC) Feet-Fathoms-Meters Transducersand Cone Angles Signal Interpretation Fish Signals Water Temperature and Thermoclines Bait Fish Surveyinga Lake How to Obtain Service How to Obtain aSchematic Specifications 2 13 14 15 15 17 17 18 20 20 20 22 23 23 24 25 26 27 29 30 30 31 31 32 PDF compression, OCR, web-optimization with CVISION's PdfCompressor 1 COMMAND SUMMARY 1. DIGITAL ON/OFF 2. DIGITAL NUMBERSSIZE 3. DIGITAL--TENTHS 4. AUTOMATIC FUNCTIONS ON/OFF 5.SCC 6. VIEW SCC WITHOUT CHANGING DIGITAL INTRODUCTION Welcome to the world of sportfishingsonar.YourLowrance X-4 is a high quality sonar designed for both professional and novice users.The X-4 automaticallyfinds and displays the bottom depth,fish, and structure by just turning it on. As you grow familiar with your X-4, you can try some of its remarkable features and 'fine tune" the unitto the surrounding conditions. You can program the X-4 to displaythe bottom depth in tenths of a foot sound alarmswhen the boat goes shallower or deeper than a preset depth, or when a fish enters an alarm zone.. . plus much more. To get started with your X-4, first read the installation section. This is where it all begins,and improper installationcan cause problemsdown the road.After you've read these instructions and installedyour X-4, read the rest of this manualin detail.The more you know when you get to the water,the moreyour X-4 will do for you.Take this manual, or at least the User's Card, when you head to the lake. - 2nd, 7 2nd, DIGITAL AUTO 0-10,SCC SCC CLEAR STOP/RESUME STOP/RESUME 7. CLEAR ENTRY 8. FREEZE CHART 9. RESTART CHART 10. DISCRIMINATION 11. AUTO RANGING WITH ZOOM BOTTOMTRACK 12. INCREASE SENSITM1Y 13. DECREASE gENSITIVI1Y 14. INCREASE CHARTSPEED 15. DECREASE CHARTSPEED 16. VIEW CHARTSPEED WITHOUTCHANGING 17. TURN LIGHTS ON or OFF 18. FEET-FATHOMS-METERS 19. ZONEALARM SET 0-5, DISC WINDOWSIZE, 2nd, 8 PRESS>KEY PRESS 85 db temperaturestabilized 200 ma (lights ofO 500 ma (lights on) 9-15vdc 82 x 32 2624 Total 300'-SOO' typical (with 20 degree transducer) DisplayScroll Speed 500'-700' typical (with 8 degree transducer) .5" per minute (minimum) 32" per minute (maximum) POWER CPBLL 1-Ia'J SPLICE FUSE BOWER BOAI BMTERN ·CROUMO OR SIDE OF DATTER -- Figure 1 3 32 PDF compression, OCR, web-optimization with CVISION's PdfCompressor As you go about your survey, your X-4 will tell youthe depth and kind of bottom. It will also reveal suspendedfish. Multiple signals on the dial usually indicate a good school of fish and it's worth it to stop and fish for them.You may not get any further. Keep a few Lowrance Fish-N-Floats in the boat, ready to toss overboard.When the X-4 indicates a school of fish, throw the buoy out. Thestring will unwind until the sinker hits bottom. Then, because of the marker'sflat shape, it won't unwind any further. With the school thus marked,you can make your turnand come backto fish in exactly the right spot This is essential when you'refar from shore on a big lake. Unlessyou mark the school of fish when you're over it, you may not be able to find it again. TRANSDUCER Installationinstructions for the transducer are supplied with the transducer in a separatepackage. Please read the instructions carefully before you start installingthe transducer. NOISE Electrical noise picked up by the power cable can be minimizedby routing it away from other possible sources of electrical interference.One of the largest noise generators is the engine's wiring harness that runs from the engine to the instrumentpanel. This harness usually contains a wire for the tachometerwhich radiates HF (radio frequency)energy. For best results, keep the power and transducer cables away from the engine wiring.Also, bilge pumpwiring can sometimesradiate noise so try to keep the X-4's cables away from thosewires. VHF radio antenna cables radiate HF energy at higher power levels than even the engine'swiring harness. It is very importantto keep the X-4'spower and transducer cables as far away as possiblefrom a VHF radio antennacable. HOW TO OBTAIN SERVICE If you have a problemwith your sonar unit please give us a chance to help before sending it in for repair. Assistancecan often be extended by telephone or letter. Write or call one of our AuthorizedService Centers or the Lowrance CustomerService Departmentin Tulsa, OK. If you live out ofthe state of Oklahoma,call 1-800-331-3889,free. If 'you live in the state of Oklahoma,call collect918-437-6881. Please detail the problemyouare experiencing.Our Service Department may be able to save you the inconvenienceof returning your unit. If it's determinedyour unitmust be returned,we'll provide full shipping instructions. the If there is no noise--interference--On unitwhen the boat is sitting still with the engine running in neutral,but interference begins at slow boat speeds,worsening as the boatspeed increases, then a probable cause is acoustic noise, or cavitation.Thisnoise is not electrical, but rather mechanicallyinduced noise from the transducer.Usually, acoustic noise is created by air bubbles passing over the faceof the transducer Thefaster a boat travels,the more air bubbles increase and generate noise on the display.To eliminate this problem,read the transducer owner's manualfor proper mounting techniques. SCHEMATICDIAGRAM AND PARTS LIST Should you desire a schematic and parts list foryour Lowrance sonar, send $1.00to the address below and the informationwill be mailed to you promptly. Be sure to include the model and serial numberof your Lowrance sonar unit. Mail to: Lowrance Customer Service 12000 E. Skelly Drive Tulsa, Oklahoma 74128-2486 4 PDF compression, OCR, web-optimization with CVISION's PdfCompressor 31 KEYBOARDBASICS SENSITIVITY Thesekeys control the graph's sensitivity. (rhe digital's sensitivity is automaticallyadjusted.)The receiver sensitivityhas 32 speeds which allowsadjustrnentoverawide range of conditions.The left arrowkey decreasesthe sensitivity,the right arrowkeyincreases it 11 kI it'll1' SCC I I°' I 10TH acn:I· STOP RESUME FAST ] J _.]fC1IVjt!.]y' I DIGITAL I SHALLOWI DEE1 ALARM ALARM Most fish don't spawn Unless the water temperatureis within rather narrow limits. To find the differenttemperatures,a surfacetemperature meter, suchas the LDT-3000is a valuable aid to your boat.This unit providesan extremelyquick responseto identifyingthe desired surface water spawning temperaturesfor various species.Trout can'tsurvivein streams that get too warm; bass and otherfish eventuallydie out when stocked in lakes that remain too cold during the summer.While some fish have awider temperaturetolerance than others, each has a certain range within which ittriesto stay. Schooling fish suspendedover deep water lie at the level that providesthis temperaturein which, we assume, they are the most comfortable, ZONEALARM KEYS This --.._...., group ofkeys controls theX-4's zone alann. Itcan be used asa SET DEEP 'fishalarm' with upper and lowerlimits set sothat atarget (such asafish or school of fish) will set off thealarm ifthetarget enters the alarm zone. DISPLAY J [DISC BAIT FISH J emphasiZed. They are the principle food of all game fish in most waters. 1 2 5 BTM TRIC Some ofthese keys have more than oneftJnctionandcan be accessed by using the 2nd fijnclion key.When anumeric keyis pressed,thenumber will be displayed in awindow near thetop center ofthedisplay. 0-9 These keys allow the entry of numbers 0 through 9. 4 SIZE 7 8 3 6 9 FT/PAlM LOWER The importanceof baitfish to successfulfishing can'tbe over- Baitfish are the plankton feedingforage fish, suchas minnows and shad. Bait fish can also be the young of game fish, such as crappies, bluegill,and bass. Most bait fish are concentratedwithin five feet of the surface where sunlight promotes the growth of the plankton on which they feed. One method of fishing is to usethe X-4 to findthe baitfish first. A school of bait fish will look like a "cloud" on theX-4's display.Usually, gamefish will be nearby, often directly beneath the school of bait fish. UPPER LIMIT U LIMIT CLEAR TheCLE14JR erasesthe lastenby. It can also erase other features,asyouwill see key" 4CLEARJJ 2N]I Auió LIGHT J ,4-óFfl[ON] OFF SURVEYING A LAKE 2nd 2nd allows some ot the keys to have more thanone tunction. Notice thatsome of thekeys have asmall word printed inwhitebelowthekey's primary ftmnction label. For example,theAUTO keyalso has the word LIGHT printed on it. "UGHr' is the AUTOkey's second function.The "2nd Function" keys are activatedby firstpressing the '2ndkey and thenthe appropriatekeywhich hasthe second tunotion printed inwhite. 'I theX-4 on and ott. Toturniton, simplypress the ON key.Toturn itoff, press and HOWthe OFF key.You must hold the OFFkey down forafew seconds in order fortheX-4 to turn off. You'll notice a beep every time akey is pressed.Thisis the X-4'sway of telling you that it has accepted acommand. ON These keys turn Themostsuccessfulanglerson anylake or reservoir are those who fish it day after day and year afteryear until they learn the hot spotsthat produce fish consistently. They discover through experiencewhere, and at whatdepth,they can expect to findthe kind of fish theywant atany season.And they realizethatthese productive areas change throughout the year dependingon water level, temperature,food, and otherfactors. With the aid of the X-4, anyonecan eliminateguesswork and concentrate.onthe areas where fish are likely to be-even if its the first time on the lake! The most efficentway to become aquaintedwith a bodyof water is to survey it with your X-4. Start out with a map of the lake ...