garmin 238 sounder......sonar issue

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SEA71

Recruit
Joined
Jul 16, 2011
Messages
4
I have a garmin 238/sounder. The depth reads _ _ _ all the time. The transducer makes the normal clicking sound when submerged in water. I also plugged in another transducer and same results. Have checked and cleaned all the terminal pins. Still have only dashes. Any help out there?
 
dingbat

dingbat

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 20, 2001
Messages
17,178
Re: garmin 238 sounder......sonar issue

The unit is unable to calculate depth for some reason. Usally a bad transducer. Are you sure the second transducer is good and the correct one for the unit?

Click, click, click doesn't mean it's working. It has to be able to listen too.
 
S

SEA71

Recruit
Joined
Jul 16, 2011
Messages
4
Re: garmin 238 sounder......sonar issue

I bought it from Garmin online and it is made for the 238 sounder. My boat is currently on the trailer too. But it used to read 2ft while in the trailer. Now just the dashes appear. I was at the lake this past weekend and it read 25.1 ft for about 5 min and never changed. Then a few min later it read _ _ _. Havent seen a number since.
 
dingbat

dingbat

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 20, 2001
Messages
17,178
Re: garmin 238 sounder......sonar issue

Sounds like you need a new head unit.
 
S

SEA71

Recruit
Joined
Jul 16, 2011
Messages
4
Re: garmin 238 sounder......sonar issue

Thats what I was afraid of. Thanks dingbat.
 
O

Outsider

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Apr 24, 2007
Messages
1,022
Re: garmin 238 sounder......sonar issue

Before you give up on it, try a cold boot. First, save any waypoints you want to keep, then power down the unit. While pressing the QUIT key, power up the unit, follow prompts. Essentially you're dumping everything (including software errors) and starting as if the unit was first being powered. Won't solve mechanical problems, but might get you back in service. There's also a driver software update issued in 2011 ... ;)
 
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