# x67 Ice machine questions



## Kelly Johnson (May 22, 2005)

Got home around 3 and took the new toy for a spin.

I reset everything to factory settings before I started and just ran it in the Ice flasher mode. It worked very well as far as reading fish but every once in a while it'd bounce bottom readings and freak out for a minute.

Fishing 9 fow it'd bounce from 7.5-10 and the screen would mark all kinds of stuff like a disco ball...and than return to normal

I did have the sensitivity up to about 85% as that's where I landed when trying to spot my small teardrop.

Any idea why it would do this?

Also any trick settings I should be paying attention to other than the sensitivity?
Much obliged


----------



## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

Robert, you wanna take this one?


----------



## Kelly Johnson (May 22, 2005)

I checked the ducer numerous time....clean and clear of ice

Do you guys use that little arm thingy? I used it but don't much like it. I'd rather hang it down the hole I think


----------



## Southend517 (Feb 18, 2004)

there is a ping setting also.


----------



## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

Kelly Johnson said:


> I checked the ducer numerous time....clean and clear of ice
> 
> Do you guys use that little arm thingy? I used it but don't much like it. I'd rather hang it down the hole I think


Put a piece of foam on the cable to make it float, throw the arm thingy away.

Turn off all the automatic settings like sensitivity and depth. go into the menu settings in graph mode and check the chart manual mode box. There are a few others, but they aren't coming to mind right now for some reason. I'm sure Robert will fill in what I'm forgetting.


----------



## kcarlson (Dec 7, 2006)

I have had the same problem in the past,...I'm on my 3rd season with my x67c. All I can tell you is just keep fine tuning that thing. You will get it figured out in time. I don't use the flasher mode anymore once you go graph you never go back. I have had problems using factory settings (auto pilot) in the past. Every lake seems to be a little bit different.
I'm just now comfortable getting it dialed in,.... in any circumstance.


----------



## skidoojc (Aug 28, 2006)

Your auto depth range is getting ya, as wrote before run it on manual. Set your chart and ping all the way up. Once you get the hang of it on graph mode you'll never look back at the dinosaur flasher. You can also take the metal rod off and run just the wire through the red nut. Good luck.


----------



## kcarlson (Dec 7, 2006)

Kelly Johnson said:


> I checked the ducer numerous time....clean and clear of ice
> 
> Do you guys use that little arm thingy? I used it but don't much like it. I'd rather hang it down the hole I think


Lost the silver arm piece down the hole. Now I just stick the ducer in the hole and rap the cord till its perfect:chillin: No need for the float ,my .02


----------



## soggybtmboys (Feb 24, 2007)

I just bought a Vex float and gonna try it out on my Lowrance to see if I like it better than the arm. I pulled the Vex sticker off though, and gave it to my brother who is potty training his youngest. It gives the little fella something to aim at the bottom of his kiddie pottie!:evilsmile:lol:


----------



## Kelly Johnson (May 22, 2005)

I added the float about 90 seconds after Ian mentioned it

Kid's pool noodle is about 5-6" shorter now

I whacked an inch out of the entire length and zip tied it just tight enough to hold the Ducer but still slide. 
Simple enough.


----------



## basskiller46 (Feb 27, 2008)

soggybtmboys said:


> I pulled the Vex sticker off though, and gave it to my brother who is potty training his youngest. It gives the little fella something to aim at the bottom of his kiddie pottie!:evilsmile:lol:


:lol::lol:


----------



## soggybtmboys (Feb 24, 2007)

Yeah, I was noticing with the arm in thick ice, the transducer was not all the way beneath it and with the bitter cold we have been getting the steel rod and the cable was icing into the side of the hole. Last thing I want is to damage my transducer cable. I bet I will like it, especially being able to get the unit up off the ice and on a bucket closer to me.


----------



## tommy-n (Jan 9, 2004)

You guys crack me up putting the vexilar float on the lowrance. When I bought my vexilar I could not get rid of the float quick enough.


----------



## soggybtmboys (Feb 24, 2007)

tommy-n said:


> You guys crack me up putting the vexilar float on the lowrance. When I bought my vexilar I could not get rid of the float quick enough.


 
What did you do to replace the float?


----------



## kcarlson (Dec 7, 2006)

soggybtmboys said:


> What did you do to replace the float?


Just stick in the ducer in the hole and rap what cord you dont need around the the base of the unit. I did not like the float idea, my .02

Works for me, may not work for you.
Good luck!


----------



## tommy-n (Jan 9, 2004)

Nope, you need the rubber stopper and a threaded hook eye about 4'' long with two nuts. Then you have to mount the hook eye on your box and open it up wide enough to slip the transducer cable thru and the rubber stopper sits in the top of the hook eye. 

There's no set up time and you can run and gun like nobody else

If my son was here I would take a picture for ya and have him post it, that procedure is still over my head


----------



## soggybtmboys (Feb 24, 2007)

tommy-n said:


> Nope, you need the rubber stopper and a threaded hook eye about 4'' long with two nuts. Then you have to mount the hook eye on your box and open it up wide enough to slip the transducer cable thru and the rubber stopper sits in the top of the hook eye.
> 
> There's no set up time and you can run and gun like nobody else
> 
> If my son was here I would take a picture for ya and have him post it, that procedure is still over my head


 
Yeah if you could I would like to see that set up.


----------



## tommy-n (Jan 9, 2004)

Go back 3 pages to "my ice machine sonar set up" 

Thats the way I have mine rigged up also

sea nympho has pictures there


----------



## Kelly Johnson (May 22, 2005)

Now that box is a sweet setup but I don't like to have to have the screen directly above the hole personally.

I'll stick with the float for now.


----------



## soggybtmboys (Feb 24, 2007)

Gonna give the float a try and see how I like it as well. if I dont like it, I will end up throwing the arm back on there.


----------



## tommy-n (Jan 9, 2004)

Since I'm a line watcher the closer it is to the hole the better for me, I'm always watching my line were it enter the water. The hook eye could be 4'' or 6'' or whatever, with a nut on inside and one on the outside you can adjust how far it sticks out past the box.

Thanks for posting the link kelly, I'm not too computer savvy

I keep bouncing back and forth to the computer and cleaning the 19 gills I caught this afternoon. I hope you got it figured out soggybtmboys


----------



## Bagman (Apr 1, 2006)

I seemed to get a lot better reading after adjusting the color line also. I think its up a little higher 90% maybe. Also Ih772 suggested to change the upper and lower limits to the area your fishing and this is a very cool feature. Oh yeah, I only use the graph mode now.


----------



## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

I like having the float because its easier to grab and pull out of the hole when fighting a big fish. It sucks when they wrap themselves around the transducer while trying to get the into the hole, that's why I pull it out.


----------



## sfw1960 (Apr 7, 2002)

Brandon _admitted _to reverse engineering my setup last night...
Everything EXCEPT my "patented" articulating 'skimmer arm' , he's skEErEd of my LawYaHzzz !
LMAO.....













Did somebody say run & gun??? :evilsmile










:evilsmile 


ih772 said:


> Robert, you wanna take this one?


Sorry Ian (+ KJ) I was out last night letting the walleyes hand my @$#Z to me....
:rant:
We got 'em pretty good the night before - so I had to try it again....
SILLY Me!


Ian pretty well covered it.
Chart Manual Mode (Sonar Features menu) won't stay enabled if you switch your machine to auto depth range ( or auto anything).
It's OK to use the preset depth ranges though - I do that for quick changes , but much prefer using the upper & lower limits option , tossing the upper few feet of water out and entering 1-2 ft. more than the depth I'm at (then split screen zoom).
Most of your advanced options will only show up under Chart Mode - but still work with Flasher Mode.
I myself basically never use the flasher , because I get history and I can still judge the fish's attitude along with seeing a lot more info (gas bubbles , plankton , ETC)

Just keep in mind that any "A Scope" style sonar (what we're using) just sends a a ping , waits for the echo and moves a row of pixels to scroll a picture of the snapshot taken in time.
With the flasher - you're seeing that snapshot as it happens without a scrolling history.

Between Ian and I - - We'll have you geekin' those fish outta their skinZ in no time with utmost CONFIDENCE !!
:lol:


----------



## WALLEYEvision (Dec 5, 2003)

soggybtmboys said:


> I just bought a Vex float ...pulled the Vex sticker off...gave it to my brother who is potty training his youngest. It gives the little fella something to aim at the bottom of his kiddie pottie!:evilsmile:lol:


:lol::lol::lol:


----------



## soggybtmboys (Feb 24, 2007)

Just got in from a local marina. I caught a SKUNK!:lol: I like the float, it was nice getting up off the ice and closer to me to play with while I fished. Tried out the chart mode and I think I like that alot better, I got better separation from my lure to the bottom, it also enabled me to better see fish hugging the bottom where I could not see it in flasher mode, especially if they moved thru quik and I wasn't paying attention. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day for fish, but was a good day for some more Lowrance schooling!


----------



## UltimateOutdoorsman (Sep 13, 2001)

Does anyone know how to adjust the zoom position during split screen in graph mode? For some reason while in split screen graph mode, my zoom side only shows the middle of the water column...

Anyone know how to adjust the zoom position to the bottom?


----------



## soggybtmboys (Feb 24, 2007)

Use the up and down keys to move the range you are watching is all.


----------



## Chad Smith (Dec 13, 2008)

soggybtmboys said:


> I just bought a Vex float and gonna try it out on my Lowrance to see if I like it better than the arm. I pulled the Vex sticker off though, and gave it to my brother who is potty training his youngest. It gives the little fella something to aim at the bottom of his kiddie pottie!:evilsmile:lol:


I'm sorry to hear that you had to go to Vexilar for your Lowrance equipment. Maybe somebody should get a clue or buy a vowel.


----------



## soggybtmboys (Feb 24, 2007)

Chad Smith said:


> I'm sorry to hear that you had to go to Vexilar for your Lowrance equipment. *Maybe somebody should get a clue or buy a vowel.*


 
Huh, A wheel of fortune groupie, thats cool. I thought that went out in the 80's, right along with Vexilar technology.


----------



## Chad Smith (Dec 13, 2008)

I'm knocking this door down like Jim Carrey in the _Cable Guy_ and no I'm not looking for someone to hang out with! Unless you are using a 10" hole, throw the float thing away now!
That is the only crap Vexilar has ever produced. Ive been sitting in my chair, reading nothing but complaints for days on end about these X67's or whatever sales pitch Lowrance uses to sell their products. I have also been doing my research on some choice members who support these, I ask YOU are they really better than a Vexilar. If so than the price should be raised so a more sensible person can enjoy the fruits of ice fishing and not your average Wal-Mart employee.

If you dont love me or hate me, check your status quo!


----------



## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

soggybtmboys said:


> Huh, A wheel of fortune groupie, thats cool. I thought that went out in the 80's, right along with Vexilar technology.


1 point is awarded to soggy.


----------



## soggybtmboys (Feb 24, 2007)

:lol: Relax man, I got alot of buddies who fish with them and its all good fun. I like em both, but I enjoy the capabilities of the Lowrance unit a little better. Gee, don't get your panties all in a bunch, and tell the gf to give you a smooch on the way out the door, maybe you'll have a better day.


----------



## tommy-n (Jan 9, 2004)

heeehawww, life is good life if fine, where tiffany?

we sure do have fun with whats better, now we even argue whats a better way to set up, gotta love it. I'm sure some people will walk away with something useful


----------



## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

Chad Smith said:


> I'm knocking this door down like Jim Carrey in the _Cable Guy_ and no I'm not looking for someone to hang out with! Unless you are using a 10" hole, throw the float thing away now!
> That is the only crap Vexilar has ever produced. Ive been sitting in my chair, reading nothing but complaints for days on end about these X67's or whatever sales pitch Lowrance uses to sell their products. I have also been doing my research on some choice members who support these, I ask YOU are they really better than a Vexilar. If so than the price should be raised so a more sensible person can enjoy the fruits of ice fishing and not your average Wal-Mart employee.
> If you dont love me or hate me, check your status quo!


I never thought I would see an ice fishing snob. 

MS members, for those of you that make roughly the same as a Wal-Mart employee, do you feel that you shouldn't be able to purchase a better and less expensive sonar unit.


----------



## naterade (Nov 30, 2008)

I smell a shut-down coming :O


----------



## Chad Smith (Dec 13, 2008)

I must have bought the wrong size mantyhose or know a good product when I see it. 

Bring it on...


----------



## tommy-n (Jan 9, 2004)

I like em, he's young and cocky but funny


----------



## soggybtmboys (Feb 24, 2007)

You don't honestly believe, because something is more expensive, its better....do ya?

Cause if thats the case, I gotta a whole bunch of stuff for sale!:lol:


----------



## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

He's just mad because he realizes that he could have spent $200 less for something with more features and a lot better resolution.


----------

