Lowrance lcx-15mt sonar questions

[ted368]

I was given a unit with GPS puck but without the transducer. It has ver. 1.6.0 software. I bought a new 2 frequency transducer (200 & 50) and installed it on the boat. The sonar function will not not display dept or bottom info accurately, though the temp works. However, the gps works very well. I operated it without the memory cards (which I forgot to install before I took the boat to the water).
Question 1. Does a memory card have to be in the unit for proper fuction of the sonar?
Question 2. Would updating the software possibly fix the problem?
Question 3. Assuming I can't get the unit to work, what other (and hopefully more recent machines, if any, will function properly with the GPS puck and the sonar transducer for this machine?
Repair is no longer supported by Lowrance so apparently that is not an option. If I have to buy another head, I would like to find a newer model and use what I can from what I now have, if possible.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Capt'n Chris]

Re: Lowrance lcx-15mt sonar questions

Give Lowrance a call @ 1-800-324-1356. Be prepared with model and S#s. Tell 'em Captain Chris with SternMate sent you their way. Great folks!

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: Lowrance lcx-15mt sonar questions

First of all update the software. What you have is very old. The current load is 3.7.0 Do you have the correct transducer? The manual is wrong and it should be a 106-24 Next make sure you selected the correct transducer in programming. The memory card does not need to be in there. That is for the GPS.

 

[ted368]

Re: Lowrance lcx-15mt sonar questions

Thanks for the help. I checked the invoice from LEI and, sure enough, they sent me a 106-23 transducer and not a 106-24 as suggested by you. In this instance "a manuel was not a cheap investment" was it?
I very much appreciate the info. I will ask LEI to exchange to transducer but don't anticipate much help.
While I am talking to them, do I need to ask for any other or additional parts or instructions to update the machine software? I recall reading other posts on the machine and mention was made of some transition problems in updating the software.
Thanks again. I would never have figured out that LEI didn't know its own products well enough or care about its customers enough to correct the parts list and inform its order-takers of the correct application. This has been a very frustrating mess. Any additional help is appreciated. Ted

 

[dingbat]

Re: Lowrance lcx-15mt sonar questions

Thanks for the help. I checked the invoice from LEI and, sure enough, they sent me a 106-23 transducer and not a 106-24 as suggested by you. In this instance "a manuel was not a cheap investment" was it?
I very much appreciate the info. I will ask LEI to exchange to transducer but don't anticipate much help.
While I am talking to them, do I need to ask for any other or additional parts or instructions to update the machine software? I recall reading other posts on the machine and mention was made of some transition problems in updating the software.
Thanks again. I would never have figured out that LEI didn't know its own products well enough or care about its customers enough to correct the parts list and inform its order-takers of the correct application. This has been a very frustrating mess. Any additional help is appreciated. Ted

Are you sure you want a 106-24? That's a thru hull bronze transducer

http://www.toptransducer.com/servlet/the-97/Lowrance--fdsh--Eagle-106-dsh-24/Detail

Pretty sure you want the transom mount 106-23

http://www.google.com/products/cata...t=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDIQ8wIwAg&os=contents

FWIW: One of these units was on my boat when I bought it. The unit had problems similar to what you have described. I bought a new transducer (106-23) for it. That solved the problem but I was never happy with the performance of the unit. I had a SI-TEX sounder on my previous boat, which was a tough act to follow to begin with, but the sonar performance of this unit left much to be desired. After playing with the thing for 2 months, I finally broke down and bought the Furuno I had been eyeing for some time. Talk about day and night.

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: Lowrance lcx-15mt sonar questions

Dingbat is correct, I read the addendum wrong. My apologies.
Updates are pretty easy to do on a Lowrance. Download the update to a SD or MMC card. Set everything in your unit to default then turn it off. Install the card and turn it on and just follow the short instructions.

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