Eagle Electronics CUDA 350 S/MAP User Manual

Page 94

Sensitivity should be set at 90-95 percent. There should be a steady

bottom signal on the display. Now turn on each piece of electrical

equipment on the boat and view the effect on the sonar's display. For

example, turn on the bilge pump and view the sonar display for noise.

If no noise is present, turn the pump off, then turn on the VHF radio

and transmit. Keep doing this until all electrical equipment has been

turned on, their effect on the sonar display noted, then turned off.
If you find noise interference from an electrical instrument, trolling

motor, pump, or radio, try to isolate the problem. You can usually re-

route the sonar unit's power cable and transducer cable away from the

wiring that is causing the interference. VHF radio antenna cables radi-

ate noise when transmitting, so be certain to keep the sonar's wires

away from it. You may need to route the sonar unit's power cable di-

rectly to the battery to isolate it from other wiring on the boat.
If no noise displays on the sonar unit from electrical equipment, then

make sure everything except the sonar unit is turned off, then start the

engine. Increase the RPM with the gearshift in neutral. If noise ap-

pears on the display, the problem could be one of three things; spark

plugs, alternator, or tachometer wiring. Try using resistor spark plugs,

alternator filters, or routing the sonar unit's power cable away from

engine wiring. Again, routing the power cable directly to the battery

helps eliminate noise problems. Make sure to use the in-line fuse sup-

plied with the unit when wiring the power cable to the battery.
When no noise appears on the sonar unit after all of the above tests,

then the noise source is probably cavitation. Many novices or persons

with limited experience make hasty sonar installations which function

perfectly in shallow water, or when the boat is at rest. In nearly all

cases, the cause of the malfunction will be the location and/or angle of

the transducer. The face of the transducer must be placed in a location

that has a smooth flow of water at all boat speeds. Read your trans-

ducer owner's manual for the best mounting position.