Parts list and questions

[Andrew Beardsley]

Hi,

I'm looking to buy the parts for my SSS, there are a couple questions I have about transducers and chart recorders.

My most basic question is does it matter what type of transducer plugs into a a paper chart recorder? That whole proces is sort of glazed over on Dan's web site. So I guess the question here is can I use any paper chart recorder, or do I have to match it with the transducers I buy?

The second question has to do with the transducers themselves. I have found two that seem like they match with the specs I'm looking for, but I'd like to make sure first.

The first is the Lowrance, is this the same one mentioned in the instructions on Dan's page?
LOWRANCE:
PD-WDX Part #106-27 $79.99 (US)
Trolling motor-mount or shoot-thru hull, 20 degree pod style (200 kHz).

The second is from Humminbird, would this transducer work ok? It's much less expensive. :-)
HUMMINBIRD:
XTM 9 24 Trolling Motor Transducer Trolling Motor Transducer, MicroDynamic, single beam, 24 degree cone angle, 200 kHz. Includes 15' cable, trolling motor mounting hardware. Used with Piranha 1, Piranha 2, Piranha 3, Piranha 4, Matrix 10, Matrix 20. $49.95 (US)


Finally, regarding mounting the transduers. The trolling motor mount transducers look like they come with a hose-clamp type mounting system. Do I use this to attach the transducers to the PVC, or is that removed and then the transducers are glued (or similar to the PVC)?

So I gues that's it. The fish itself looks fairly easy to build, is there anything else I should consider?

Thanks,
Andrew



Ninigret Divers

[DC]

Re: Parts list and questions

Check out the first few pages of this forum The information is from 1999 but is very valuable. There are several pictures showing how to mount the transducers you are using.

[Andrew Beardsley]

Re: Parts list and questions

Yeah, I think I saw the pictures you mentioned. Four round transducers glued together with the wire "tails" coming out the back?

So to sumarize the information gathered so far, could the following statement(s) be considered a rough summary of what I need to do?:

Take 4 "puck" style 200mHz transducers and glue them together in a row, with no particular spacing between them. Just make sure they are all aligned.

Gather all the leads from those transducers and splice them into a long roll of Coax cable.

Attach transducer array to fish (one I build, not a live fish)

Attach the other end of the cable to a paper chart fishfinder (one that expects to have 200mHz transducers attached to it).

Tow the fish behind a boat.

Watch as images appear on the paper chart.

Fine tune fish, get it to swim stright, level and stable.

Adjust transducer down angle so that appropriate area is scanned (and not the surface of the water, etc..)

Does that (very quick) overview basically explain what I need to do to build a simple SSS?

Thanks to everyone who has helped me out so far.



Andrew



Ninigret Divers