Old Electronics

[Gerald Barnes]

Recently bought a 1999 Crestliner with no trolling motor. It has a TM plug up in bow area and tilt trim toggle switch for outboard motor. On the same panel is a gadget with 4" round face and label "Zercom Marine RTS". Wire on back of RTS goes to panel as a 3 pin connector for something, sonar pick up on TM I suppose.<br /><br />This looks like a factory installation, so I assume that it is 1998 or 1999 technology.<br /><br />Question is: Is this worth pursuing as a useful item or should I just scrap it and get an up to date fish finder?

 

[farginicehole]

Re: Old Electronics

I'm sure you'll get more responses to this, but I'm sure it means "Real Time Sonar", and is probably a flasher. If it works, it would be a very handy gadget to have up there. You should check to see if it has a transducer still, as many have a transducer attached to their bow mount trolling motor. Maybe it's on the transom or even a through-hull mount. Zercom makes pretty good stuff though, as far as I know. If it was me and the boat doesn't already have one, I would get a graph or graph/GPS combo unit for the main console.

 

[Gerald Barnes]

Re: Old Electronics

Hey farg, thanks for the reply. You hit it right on. Says, 'Real Time Sonar' right there on the display. The display works, but I think the transducer must have been in the TM which was robbed off the boat before I got it. When you turn the display on it flashes little lines randomly up and down a vertically segmented scale. Seems just as erratic in or out of the water. The display has a small 3 prong plug socket right next to it. And next to that is the TM plug socket. I'll bet the transducer plugged in the little one. <br /><br />The unit has a serial number on back... 5723122, but no model number. I tried to look for parts but couldn't find them.<br /><br />What does the thing tell you anyway? How can you make best use of that information?

 

[farginicehole]

Re: Old Electronics

I haven't personally used one in open water, but I think a lot of guys do. I've seen a lot of bass boats that have a flasher in their main console, along with a graph. I used to have a Zercom Clearwater Classic LCD flasher that was set up for icefishing. I had a few problems with my particular unit, and switched to a Vexilar FL-18 flasher (that thing is awesome - I wouldn't go out on the ice without it!!). I've talked to many guys who love their Zercoms though, so I just had a lemon. They will show you the depth, the bottom type, weeds, fish, and even your bait if you're vertical jigging within the "cone" that the transducer projects. Everything is displayed in "real time", without the delay that most(?) graphs have. It may take a little practice to get used to how to read it, but I would personally love to have one in the bow of my boat. You could probably contact Zercom or a local dealer that sells them to get transducer info/availability. Good luck!