INSTALLATION AND OPERATION INSTRUCTIONS

LITHO IN U.S.A.

988-0136-07
L! 12000 E. SKELLY DR., TULSA, OK 74128
LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS, INC.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION MOUNTING POWER CONNECTIONS TRANSDUCER KEYBOARD BASICS DISPLAY MENUS HELP WINDOWS VIEWING WINDOWS OPTIONS MODIFYINGGROUPS RESETTING ALL GROUPS SIDESCANOPERATION SONAROPERATION AUTOMATIC SENSITIVITY RANGE Upper and Lower Limits ZOOM Automatic Operation ZOOM Manual Operation ALARMS FISHALARM ZONEALARM DEPTHALARMS ALARMMUTE

8 g 9 10

I FEET

GROUP "H"

MENU-PAGE1

CHARTSPEED

GRAYLINE FISH LD DISPLAYCONTRAST

:1: _ 12

GROUP "K"

MENU-PAGE2

ADJUST BACK LIGHTLEVEL BACKLIGHTON/OFF SPEAKER VOLUME TURN DIGITALBOX OFF CONSTRUCT DIGITAL BOX
MENU-PAGES CHARTCURSOR DISPLAY ZOOM BAR
DISPLAYZONEBAR DIGITALSONAR

MENU-PAGE4

FASTRAK SELECTUNITS OF MEASURE CLEAR DISTANCELOG
MENU-PAGES ADJUST CHARTSURFACE CLARITY ADVANCED SIGNALPROCESSING(ASP)
SIGNALINTERPRETATION TRANSDUCERS AND CONE ANGLES
FISHARCI-JES WATER TEMPERATURE ANDTHERMOCLINES SURVEYING ALAKE BAITFISH SONAR TROUBLESHOOTING

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GROUP L"

GROUP "M"

CopyrightLowranceElectronics

Allrightsreserved.

All featuresand specifications subjectto change withoutnotice. All screens in this manual are simulated.

+4 A!36.5

GROUP"N"

GROUP"O"

WINDOWS SUMMARY All ofthewindowgroups used bytheX55 are shown on the following pages. To viewthese groups, simply press the WINDOWSkey, then repeated press the down arrow key. This will "cycle" theunitthrough all groups. Remember, each group can be customized, however the group will revert to the ones shown on thesepages whenthe unitis

INTRODUCTION

"A"
The X-55 is a high quality, wide screen sonar with performance that is secondto none in its class. Using menufeaturesand "soft-key"operation, the X-55 is also one of the easiest-to-use sonars that Lowrancehasever high built.Thewide"Clearvision"screen showstheunderwaterworldwith resolution and detail. Thedisplayand keyboard are also lighted for night operation. The X-55 also has digital depth, boat speed, surface water temperature,and distancetravelled (log) displays. In order to use the digital speed, temperature,and log displays, you must purchase and install an optional ST-T (transom mount) or ST-H (through-hull mount)
speed/temperature sensor.

turned off.

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ETIWI DEPTH

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Readthis manual and takeitwith youthefirstfewtimes youuseyour unit. It makes a great reference if you need it.
MOUNTING Install the X-55 in any convenient location, provided there is clearance behind the unit when it is tilted for the best viewing angle. Holes in the bracket baseallowwoodscrewor through-bolt mounting. You mayneed to placea pieceof plywood onthe backofthinfiberglasspanelsto secure the mountinghardware. Make certain there is enoughroom behindthe unitto attachthepower and transducer cables.

IFIILESI

'B"

GROUP 'Sc"

The smallest holethatwill pass one powerortransducerplugisone inch. the Afterthe holeisdrilled, passthetransducerconnectorupthrough hole thepowercabledown through it. first, then pass

'E"

GROUP "F" 36

"0"

Afterthe cableshave been routed, fill the holewith a good marine sealing cable compound. Offsetthe bracket to cover the hole. Routethe power one of the otherslots inthe bracketforthe through the slot and break out transducercable.
POWER CONNECTIONS The X-55 works from a twelve-volt battery system. For the bestresults, attach the powercable directlyto the battery. You can attachthe power cable to an accessoryor power buss, howeveryou may have problems with electrical interference. Therefore, itssaferto goaheadand attach the powercable directlyto the battery. If thecable is not long enough, splice #18 gaugewireontoit.Thepowercablehastwowires, red and black. Red is the positivelead, blackis negative or ground. Make certain to attach the in-linefuseholdertothe red leadas closetothepowersourceas possible. Forexample,ifyouhavetoextendthe powercable thebattery orpower to buss, attach one end of the fuse holder directlyto the batteryor power buss.This will protectboth the unitand the powercable in the eventof a short. The X-55 uses a 3-amp fuse.

Ifno noisedisplaysonthe sonar unitfromelectrical equipment, thenmake

SPEED! TEMP SENSOR

X-55 POWER CONNECTIONS
3. Thewater may be deeperthanthe sonar's abilitytofind the bottom. If the sonar can'tfindthebottom signal while it's in the automatic mode, the digital willflash continuously. It may change therangeto limitsfar greater than the water you are in. If this happens, place the unit in the manual mode,then changetherange to a realistic one, (for example, 0-100feet) and increase the sensitivity. As you move intoshallowerwater,a bottom signal shouldappear.
TRANSDUCER CONNECTIONS See the transducerowner's manual included with the unitfor complete transducerinstallation instructions. SIDESCAN TheX-55 hasoptionalside-scancapability. To usethis feature,youmust purchase the ScanPac accessory. To install it, follow the instructions enclosedwith the ScanPac. See the"Side ScanOperation" section in thismanual for information on
using the side-scan feature. SPEED/TEMPERATURE/DISTANCE LOG
4. Check the batteryvoltage. If thevoltage drops, the unit's transmitter poweralso drops, reducing its abilityto find thebottom or targets. Bottom echodisappears at highspeeds or erratic digital reading or weak bottomecho while boat is moving 1. The transducer may be in turbulent water. It must be mounted in a smooth flow of waterin orderfor the sonarto workat all boatspeeds. Air bubbles inthe waterdisrupt the sonarsignals, interfering with itsabilityto findthebottom or othertargets. The technical term for this is Cavitation. 2. Electrical noisefromthe boat's motorcan interfere with thesonar. This causes the sonar to automatically increase its Discrimination or noise such rejectionfeature. Thiscancausetheunittoeliminateweakersignals structure fromthe display. Try using resistorspark plugs as fish or even or routingthe sonar unit'spower and transducer cables awayfrom other electrical wiring on the boat. No fish arches when the Fish ID feature is off: 1. Make certain transduceris pointing straight down. This is the most commonproblem if a partial arch is displayed. See theFishArch section in your owner's manual for more information.
2. The sensitivity maynot be high enough. In orderfor the unitto display afish arch, it hastobe ableto receive thefish'sechofromthetimeitenters the cone until it leaves. If the sensitivity is not high enough, the unit displays the fish only when it is in the center of the cone.
To usethespeed, temperature, and distance log features, youmustinstall an optional speed/temperature sensor. Lowrance manufactures a thruhull sensor/transducer combination unit and a transom mount speed/ sensor. temp only Thekeyboardhaskeys arranged intwoverticalcolumnsplus ahorizontal row at the bottom. The keys in the left column are used to enter numbers and menu selections. The keys in the right columnactivatethewindows featureand the basicsonarfunctions. The menu key in thebottom right cornerof the keyboard activates thefirst menu page. The keys along the bottom of the screen are used to activate the alarm menu, stopthe chart, and make menu selections with the arrow keys. WINDOWS- This keygivesyouaccess to thewindowsmode, which lets you customizedisplays.

SENS - Press this key to adjustthe unit's sensitivity. KEYBOARD
RANGE- Thiskey lets youadjustthe range whenthe unitis inthemanual
mode. ZOOM - The X-55 gives you 2X and 4X zoom capabilitywith this key.
3. Use the Zoom feature. It is much easierto display fish arches when zoomedin on a small range of waterthan a large one. For example, you will have much better luck seeing fish arches with a 30 to 60 foot range than a 0 to 60 foot range. Thisenlargesthe targets,allowing thedisplay to show much more detail. 4. The boat must be moving at a slow trolling speed to see fish arches. If the boat is motionless, fish stay in the cone, showing on the display as straighthorizontal lines.
AUTO - This turns the automatic feature off and on.
- Press this key to show the menus and gain access to most

functions.

CLEAR - This key clears menus and erases entries from the screen.
ALARM- Press this key to activateany of the sonar alarms. STOP- Whenthis key is pressed, the chart stops scrolling. This doesn't affectthe digital display, however. ARROWKEYS - These keys are used to make menu selections and to move objectson the screen. ON - The ON key turns the X-55 on. OFF - Press and HOLD the Off key to turn the X-55 off. DISPLAY - General The lightsare turnedon forapproximately ten secondswhen the X-55 is first turned on. Menus appear at the same time. To keep the lights on, press the key adjacent to the Lightlabel. It controlsthe backlighting used on the display and keyboard. If you don't want the lights on, wait ten secondsandthelights will automatically turn themselves off. Themenus will also disappearafterten seconds, oryou canturnthemoffby pressing the CLEAR key at the bottom of thescreen. The Metriclabel at the top of the screen worksthesameway. Press the key adjacentto theMetric labelto change the depth from feet to meters. This also changes the temperature display to degreesCelsius, speed to knots, and log to kilometers on the X-55. The Display menu atthe bottom ofthe screen letsyouadjustthedisplay's contrastforthe bestviewingangle. Pressing the leftarrow key decreases the contrast,theright arrow increases it. After settingthe contrastfor the best viewing angle, press the CLEAR key to erase the menu or wait approximatelyten seconds anditwillautomatically erase.SeetheDisplay Contrastsectionfor more information on thisfeature.

IMPORTANT SERVICE INFORMATION!
If your unit is not working,or if you need technical help, please usethe followingtroubleshooting section before contactingthefactorycustomer servicedepartment. It may saveyou the trouble of returning your unit.

Unit won't turn on:

1. Checkthe powercable'sconnection at the unit.Also checkthe wiring. 2. Make certain the powercableiswired properly. The red wire connects to the positive batteryterminal, blackto negative or ground. 3. Checkthefuse.
4. Measure the batteryvoltage atthe unit'spowerconnector.It should be at least 11 volts. If it isn't, the wiring to the unit is defective, the battery terminals or wiring on theterminals are corroded,or the battery needs

charging.

Unit freezes, locks up, or operates erratically: 1. Electrical noisefromtheboat's motor, trolling motor, or an accessory may be interfering with thesonar unit. Re-routing thepower and transducer cables away from other electrical wiring on the boat may help. Route the sonar unit's power cable directly to the battery instead of througha fuse blockor ignition switch 2. Inspectthetransducercablefor breaks, cuts, or pinched wires. 3. Checkboth the transducer and powerconnectors.Make certain both are securelyplugged in to the unit. Weak bottomecho, digital readings erratic,or no fish signals: 1. Makecertaintransducer is pointing straight down.Clean thefaceofthe transducer. Oil, dirt, and fuelcancause a film to formon thetransducer, reducingits effectiveness. Ifthetransducer is mountedinside thehull, be sure it is shooting through only one layer of fiberglass and that it is securelybondedto the hull. Do NOTuseRN siliconerubber adhesive
When the X-55 is first turned on, thedisplaywill appearsimilartothe one at left. Theword "AUTO" in the upper left corner of the display indicates the automatic feature is on. The digital bottom depth is also displayedin this box.

or Marinetex

2. Electrical noisefromtheboat'smotor caninterferewiththesonar. This causesthe sonar to automatically increase its Discrimination or noise rejectionfeature. Thiscancausethe unittoeliminateweakersignalssuch as fish or even structure from the display.
With the X-55,anyonecaneliminate guessworkand concentrate on the areas where fish are likely to be. Even if it's the first time on the lake! The most efficientway to become acquainted with a bodyof water is to survey it with your X-55. Start with a map of the lake, if possible, and indicatethe promising spots in relation to landmarks on shore. As yougo about your survey, yourX-55will tell youthe depth and typeof bottom. It will also reveal suspended fish. Keepafew markerbuoysin the boat, ready totoss overboard.When the X-55 indicates a school of fish, throwthe buoyout. With the school thus marked, you canmakeyourturnandcomebacktofish in exactlytheright shore ona big lake. Unlessyou spot.This is essentialwhenyou'refarfrom mark the schoolof fish whenyou'reover it, you maynot be ableto find it

- 46.4

8 degree

TRANSDUCER CONE ANGLES

Continue with the windowselections until the screen is filled. The unitwill stay inthewindowsmode usingyour newcustomized screen. Ifyou don't want to fill a screen and only use one, two, or three windows in a group, simply pressthekey adjacentto the "STOP" label. Thissaves thegroup and exits the modify windowsmode.
BOAT'S DIRECTION OF TRAVEL
Remember,youcan alwaysreturntothe full screen sonarmodeby pressing the "0" key in the upper left corner. To switch backto your customized screen from the full screen sonar, simply press the WINDOWS key, then use the down arrow key to switch to the group you

customized.

NOTE: Turning the unit off erases all customized screens and user

settings!

then pressthekeyadjacenttothe"MAINMENU" label. Nowpressthe key adjacentto the"RE-PROGRAM A GROUP"label. Finally, press thekey nextto the"RESETALL GROUPS" label.
RESElliNG ALL GROUPS To return all of thegroupsto their factorysettingswithoutturningtheunit off and on again, presstheWINDOWS key, then press the MENU key,
SIDE-SCANOPERATION Two differentside scan displaysare available when the X-55 is in the Windows mode. To use the side scan feature, first install the ScanPac transduceron your trolling motor. Next, pressthe WINDOWS key on the X-55 unit.
TRANSDUCER CONE ANGLES Thesound waves fromthe transducer spread out intothe waterin a cone shaped beam. Thislooks much likethe beam fromaflashlight.The angle between the outside edges of the cone is the cone angle. Lowrance offers achoice oftransducers witheitheran8 or2Odegree cone withtheX-55hasa2Odegree coneangle. angle. Thetransducersupplied Typically, wide coneangle transducers (20 degrees) are idealfor operatingin shallowto mediumwaterdepths. The20 degreeconeangleallows youto seemore of the underwaterworld. In 1 Sfeetofwaterthe20degree cone covers an area about six feet across. The 8 degree transducer covers only about a two foot circle.
Now press the down arrow key until the screen shown at

right appears.

________
The20degreetransducer is almostalways the bestto usein fresh water, the8 degree mostly in salt water. In a deep waterenvironment, (300feet - fresh water, 100 feet - salt water) the narrow cone angle is more desirable. Sincethe-oundenergyisconcentrated inasmallerarea,itcan penetrate to much deeperdepths.

There are three levels of 8CC available on the X-55: low, medium, and high. When it'sturnedon forthe firsttime,the8CC level is low. To change it, press the MENU key five times, then press the key adjacent to the "ADJUST CHARTSURFACE CLARITY" label until the black boxisonthe desired 3CC level. Press the key nextto the "EXIT" label when you're finished.

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<CHANGE <CHANGE LOWER LIMIT

(HELPI ___________

_____________________

UPPER LIMIT I

40 FT 60 FT IIIFT
_________________ ________________ DEEP SHAL
ASP (Advanced Signal Processing) The ASP feature is a noise rejection system built into the X-55 that constantly evaluates the effects of boat speed, water conditions, and interference. Thisautomatic feature gives youthe bestdisplaypossible undermostconditions. TheASP feature is an effectivetool in combating noise. In sonarterms, noise is anyundesired signal. It is causedby electrical and mechanical sources such as bilge pumps, engine ignitionsystems and wiring, air bubbles passing overthe faceof the transducer, even vibrationfrom the engine. In all cases, noisecan produceunwanted marks on the display. TheASPfeature hastwo levels - Normal and High. Ifyouhavehighnoise levels,try using the"Nigh"ASPsetting. However, ifyouare having trouble with noise, we suggestthat youtake steps to findtheinterference source and fix it, ratherthan continually usingthe unitwith the highASPsetting.
NOTE: The depth capability of the X-55 depends on the transducer installation, water and bottom conditions, and otherfactors.
RANGE- Upper and Lower Limits TheX-55lets youchange the upperand lowerrangelimitswhen it's inthe manual mode. Thislets you 'zoom' in on segments of the wateras small as5feet. In otherwords, youcansettheupperlimitto3ofeetandthe lower limitto 35feet, regardless of the bottomdepth.Thisin essence, givesyou aSfoot zoom. You can chooseany segmentof the water, as long as the distancebetween the upper limit and lower limit is 5 feet (2 meters, 1 fathom) or more. Using the zoomfeature (described in the nextsection) lets you view a segment of the water on the screen's right side (for example, from 20 to 30 feet), and a zoom of that segmenton the left. To changethe upper or lower limit, first make certain the unit is in the

manual mode.

Next, press the RANGE key. The menu shown on the previous page appears. Nowpressthe key nextto the "CHANGE UPPER LIMIT" label to changetheupperlimitor"CHANGE LOWER LIMIT" labeltochangethe lowerlimit.We'rechangingthe ________ upperlimit in this example. Af- hHs.3 Ri 0 ter pressing thekey nextto the S1tim "CHANGE UPPER LIMIT' la12 NUME:ER KEYS Id1 bel, the screen shown at right CHiiNi3E UPPER LIMIT. 29 appears. USE RIGHT ciRROI.iJ

UTU 1 50.9 FT

36 Usingthe numberedkeys, enter a numberforthe upperlimit _______ 48 that is at least five feet less thanthelowerlimit.Inthiscase, 60 we entered 40, giving a20foot zoom. When you've entered thedesiredupperlimit, press the up arrow key atthe bottom of the screen. The unit returnsto the sonar screen with thenew upper limit.

BCKSPPiCE.

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To turn FASTRAK on, press the menu key fourtimes, then press the key adjacent to the 'TURN FASTRAK ON" label. To turn it off, repeat thesame steps.The 'TURN FASTRAK OFF" label appears instead of the "TURN FASTRAK ON" label. SELECTUNITS OF MEASURE TheX-55candisplaythe waterdepth infeet, fathoms, or meters, surface water temperature in degrees Fahrenheit or Celsius, speed in statute miles per hour,kilometers per hour, or knots,and distance (log) in miles, kilometers, or nautical miles.
To change the unitsof measure, press the key adjacent tothe "SELECT UNITS OF MEASURE" label. The screen shown below appears. The blackbox on each line showsthe unitof measure currently in use. In the screen shown below, the units of measure are in feet for the depth, temperature in degrees Fahrenheit, andboth speedand log areinstatute miles per hour. Press the key adjacent to the unit that you wish to change. Forexample, press the keynext totheDEPTH labeltwotimesto switchfromfeetto meters. This moves the black boxtwo times from the"FT" to the "M". When you have the units of measure set as desired, press the key nextto the"EXIT' label.
chor. Since the unitis notmoving,fish signalsare long,drawn out lines on a normal chart display. FASTRAK converts thegraph toavertical bargraph that, with practice, makes a useful addition to fishing at a stationary location.

menus.

The digital sonar can beturnedoff, however this also turns all automatic features off also,such as auto sensitivity,auto ranging, and the Fish I.D.
feature. To turnthe digital sonar off, press the Menu keythreetimes. Now press the key adjacent to the "TURN DIGITAL SONAROFF" label. To turn it backon again, repeat thesamesteps. MENU - PAGE4
- MANUALMODE Whenyou pressthe zoom key whiletheunit is in the manual mode,the screen shown below appears. All of the menus on this screen work identically as described above. However, one additional menu item is shown when the unitis in the manual mode: "ADJUST".
ZOOM To adjust the zoom, press the key adjacent to the "ADJUST' label. A screen similar to the one belowappears. A zoombar and adjust arrows appearon thescreen. The echoes on the leftside of the screen are the onesthat appearbetween thetop and the bottomofthezoombar. Press the up or down arrow keys to ove the zoom bar up or down. As you adjust the zoom bar, the echoes move on the left side of the screen at the same time. The zoom adjustmenus will automatically clear a few secondsafteryou've pressed thelastkey. Remember, theX55won'ttrackthebottom when it's in themanual mode.
FASTRAK This feature converts all echoestoshorthorizontal lines on thedisplay'sfar right side.The graph continues to operate normally. FASTRAK givesyou
a rapid update of conditions
directly under the boat. This
makes it useful for ice fishing, or when you're fishing at an-
SONARALARMS The X-55 has three differenttypes of sonar alarms. The first is the Fish Alarm. It soundswhen the Fish l.D. feature determines an echoor group of echoes is a fish. Anotheralarm is the ZoneAlarm whichconsistsof a bar. Any echo that appears inside this bar triggersthe alarm. The last alarm is calledthe DepthAlarm. Only the bottom signalwill trigger this alarm. This is useful as an anchor watch, a shallowwater alert, or for navigation. See the GPS sectionfor information on GPS alarms. To adjustan alarm,first presstheALARM key. The screen shown below appears. Press the key next to the "SETDEPTH OR GPS ALARMS" to adjustthe shallowor deepdigitalalarms. When youpressthe key nextto the"SET DEPTH OR GPS ALARMS", the menu shown at the top of the next page appears. The zone alarm has its own menu which ________ _____ is shown and described in the zone alarm section.Onceyou seethisscreen, pressthedown arrow key untiltheblackboxis on the desired alarm. In this example, the shallow alarm is selected. Now press the key TURN FIsh FILM Ut nextto the"CHANGE VALUE" label. Use the numbered keys to setthealarm. For example, K.EXIT TURN ZONE ALM Oh I to settheshallowalarm's value to 10feet, press the1 key, then pressthe0 key. Whenthe desired valuehas been entered, pressthe key nextto the "ENTER" label. The unit returns to the ALARMS screen. Wheneither depth alarm sounds, a "Silence Alarm"label appears at the bottom ofthe screen. Pressthe"CLEAR" keyto mute thealarm. Whenthe alarm is triggered again,the alarm will also sound. The followingsectiondescribes eachsonar alarm and its limits. FISHALARM Use the fish alarm for a distinctive audible alarm when fish or other suspendedobjectsare detectedby the Fish I.D. feature. A differenttone soundsfor eachfish symbol size shown on the display.

peraturein additiontothedepth.
To set the zone alarm, press theALARM key. Nowpressthe key nextto the "SetZone Alarm" label. A screensimilarto the one shown below appears.

146.6 FTft

SET ZONE

flLOWER

(CHANGE TO UPPER I
To turn the entire digital box
off, presstheMENU key twice, then pressthe key nextto the "TURN DIGITAL BOX OFF" label.Theunitwill return tothe sonar display with the digital box erased from the screen. To turn it on again, repeat the above steps. The label on the secondmenu page now reads "TURN DIGITAL BOXON."

5'I.? FT

The abovestepsautomatically turnthezonealarmon if itwas off. To turn thezone alarm off, press the ALARM key, then press thekey nextto the "Turn Zone Alarm Off"label at the bottom ofthe screen. Normally,the zonealarm bardisappears fromthe screen afteryou make adjustments. Toleavethezonealarm baronthe screenall ofthetime,see the "DisplayZoneAlarm Bar"section in this manual for instructions.
The zonealarm bar showson the right side of the screen. Use the arrow keys to move the bottomof thebar higheror lower. To move the top of the bar, first pressthe key nextto the "CHANGE TO UPPER"label. Nowusethe arrow keysto move the top of the bar higher or lower. When you have the zonealarm bar setas desired, press the CLRkeyto erasethe

REMOVE DEP

Fl REMI1IJE

tIUL.UOE LOG

DEPTH ALARMS __________________________ Thedepth alarms sound atone when the bottom signal goes _____ __________ shallower than the shallow DEEP UN 100 alarm's setting or deeperthan _____ _____________ the deep alarm's setting. For ____________________________ example, if yousettheshallow ______________ alarmto tenfeet, the alarm will __________ ___________ soundatone ifthebottomsig ___________ _________ nal is less than ten feet. It will _____ _____________ continue to sound until you _____________ ________ E>cI mute itor until the bottom goes _______________ _____ deeperthan 10feet. The deep alarm works justthe opposite. It sounds awarriingtoneifthebottomdepth goesdeeperthanthealarm's setting. Both depth alarmsworkonly off the digital bottomdepth signals. No othertargetswilltripthesealarms. These alarms can be used at the same time or by themselves.

MENU.PAGE 2

ADJUST BACK LIGHT LEVEL The X-55hasinternal lightsfor the display and keyboard. To adjusttheintensityofthelight
TURN DIG[TflLBue' OFF ing, press theMENU keytwice, ____________ __________ then pressthe key adjacent to ____________ ______________ CONSTRUCT 0 I GITAL BOX the "ADJUST BACK LIGHT ____ ____ ____ LEVEL" label. The screen shown below appears. Now _____ PAGE 2 __________ pressthe leftarrow key to decrease the light level. Press the right arrow key to increase it. The percentage of back light in usechanges as the arrow keys are pressed. The bar chart also gives a graphical indication of the level. After you've made the adjustment, press the CLEAR key to erase the menu.

____________

ADJUST BACK

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SPEAKER VOLUME

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To setthe depth alarms, first pressthe ALARM key, then pressthe key nextto the "SET DEPTH ALARMS" label. The screen at the top of this
To adjust the shallow alarm,
pressthe key nexttothe "Shallow" label. To adjustthe deep alarm, pressthekeynexttothe 'Deep" labeL Both alarms adjust identically. We'll use the shallowalarm as an example. Pressing the key next to the
AUTO HBACK LIGHT ON/OFF 50.5 FTO To turn the back lighting on, _________ then pressthemenu keytwice, the key adjacent to the press "BACK LIGHT" label. This moves the black box from "OFF'to the"ON"position.To turn the backlights off, repeat thesame steps. ___________
"Shallow" label movesthe black box from the "OFF" postion to thenumberon the right side of E'sIT UFtANGE Lull T thearrow. Anewlabelappears E at the bottom of the screen: "CHANGE LIMIT." Press the key nextto that label. A new screen appears as shown at the top of the nextpage. Usethenumbered keypad on the rightside oftheunitto enter theshallowalarm setting. We used 10 feet in this example.

I-hoEd XNCI'-

SPEAKERVOLUME The speakervolume hastwo levels: high or low. WhentheX-55 is first turnedon,thespeakervolume high. To change it, press the MENU key is twice,then pressthe key nextto the "SPEAKER VOLUMELOWHIGH" key. This switches the volumefrom high to low. A short tune sounds, letting you hearthevolume.To switchbackto high, simplypress the key
To exit from this menu, pressthe CLEAR key.
outwards from a group of limbs is the hardest object for the Fish l.D. feature to distinguish from fish. You may see Fish l.D. symbols on the screen when actually, thereare no fish. Practice with the unitin both the Fish l.D. mode and withoutto becomemore familiar with the Fish l.D. feature.

To turn the Fish l.D. featureon, pressthe menu key, then pressthe key adjacent to the 'Turn Fish-ID On" label. Echoeswill continue to scroll acrossthescreen, however, thesurface clutteratthetopwill no longerbe displayed.Any targets the micro-computer determines are fish will be as displayed fishsymbols. Toturnthe Fish l.D. feature offagain,firstpress themenu key. Next, pressthe keyadjacenttothe'Turn Fishl.D.Off" label. The menu immediately disappears and thesonar screen returns.
Remember, the Fish l.D. featurecan't be used when the X-55 is in the manual mode. If you turn the Fish l.D. feature on when the X-55 is in manual, the micro-computer will turntheautomaticfeatureon. If youturn automatic off whenthe Fish l.D. feature is on, the Fish l.D. feature will be turned off also.
After you've entered the desired alarm depth, press the key next to the 'ACCEPT" label.Thisentersthealarm depth intomemoryandautomatically turnstheshallowalarmon. Now pressthe key nextto the"ACCEPT" label.
The screen shown at right appears next. The shallowalarm is now set. If the bottom goes shallower than 10 feet, the alarm will soundand awarning message appears on the screen at the same time. A label also appearsletting you mute the alarm, if desired. To returnto the sonar screen, pressthe keynexttothe"EXIT"

label.

SHitLObJ
DISPLAY CONTRAST The unit'sdisplaycontrast isadjustable tosuitdifferent lighting conditions. To adjustit, tirst press the menu key. The first menu page appears. Now press the key next to the "ADJUST DISPLAY CONTRAST"label. A screen similarto the one below appears. Nowpressthe key adjacent to the leftarrowto decrease the contrast. Pressthekeyadjacenttothe right arrow to increase it. The percentage of contrast in use changesas the arrow keys are pressed. The bar chart also gives a graphical indication of the contrastlevel. You cansee the change on the screen as youpress thekeys. Afteryou've
madetheadjustment, pressthe CLEARkeyto erase the menu.
ALARM MUTE Wheneithertheshallowordeepalarm istriggered, an audiotone sounds. A differenttone soundsfor the shallowthan thedeep alarm,thus letting you know which alarm is sounding withoutlookingat the unit. Once a depth alarm is triggered, it keepssounding until you changedepth. For example, iftheshallowalarm is setto 10feet, andyou move into and stay in water that's five feet deep, you're goingto get tired of listening to the alarm beeping all the time.
To keepthis situationfromhappening, a new labelappearson the sonar screen whenevera depth alarm sounds. This labelsays "Silence Alarm". Thisturns thealarm'ssound off until it's triggered again.
MENU- PAGE 1 CHARTSPEED The rate echoes scroll across the screen is called the chart speed. It's adjustable by first

pressing the menu key, then pressing the key adjacent to the"ADJUST CHARTSPEED" label. The chart speed menu appears at the bottom of the

GRAYLINE ON

GRAYLINP OFF
screen. Increase the chart speed by pressing the right arrowkeyordecrease itbypressingthe left arrow key. The percentage of chart speed in use changesas thearrow keysare pressed. The bar chart also gives a graphical indication of the chart speed. You can see the change onthescreen(both on the menu and on thechart record) as you pressthe keys. After you've made the adjustment, press the CLEAR key to erase the menu.
the GRAYLINE setting that's

best for you.

differentGRAYLINE level, also.Thelevel chosenbytheX-55atpoweron is usually adequatefor mostconditions. Experiment with your unitto find
To adjust GRAYLINE, press the MENU key, then pressthe key adjacent to the "ADJUST GRAYLINE" label. A screen similar to the one at right ap-
To stopthechart, press the"STOP" key in theunit's lowerleftcorner.To start thechart, press the "STOP"key again.
GRAYLINE GRAYLINE lets you distinguish between strong and weak echoes. It "paints" gray on targetsthat are stronger than apresetvalue.This allows youto tellthe difference between a hard and soft bottom.Forexample, a soft,muddy or weedybottom returns aweakersignal whichis shown with a narrowor no gray line. A hard bottom returns a strong signal which causesa wide gray line.
pears.NowpresstheIeft arrow the keyto decrease gray level. Press the right arrow key to increase it. The percentage of GRAYLINEin usechangesas the arrow keysarepressed. Thebarchartalso givesagraphical indication of the GRAYLINE level. You canseethechange on the screen (both on the menu and on the chart record) as you press the keys. After you've made the adjustment, pressthe CLEAR key to erase the menu. FISH I.D. The Fish l.D. featureidentifies targetsthatmeetcertain conditionsasfish. The micro-computer analyses all echoes and eliminatessurfaceclutter, thermoclines,and other signals that are undesirable. In mostinstances, remainingtargetsarefish. The Fish I.D. featuredisplayssymbols on the screen in placeoftheactualfish echoes. There are fourfish symbolsizes: tiny, small, medium,and large. These are usedto designate therelative size between targets.In otherwords, itdisplays asmall fish symbolwhen it thinksatarget is a small fish, a mediumfish symbolon a largertarget,etc. The micro-computer is sophisticated, but it can be fooled. It cannot distinguishbetweenfish and other suspended objectssuch as trotlines, limbsextending turtles,submerged floats,airbubbles, etc. Individualtree

We backyourinvestment inquality productswithquick, expertserviceand in the United Statesand genuine Lowrancereplacement parts. Ifyou're Customer ServiceDepartyouhavequestions, please contacttheFactory ment usingourtoll-freenumber listed below. You must send the unitto thefactoryforwarrantyservice orrepair. Please call thefactorybefore sending the unit. You will be asked for your unit's serial number (shown above). Use thefollowing toll-free number:

How to Obtain Service

800-324-1356
Central time, except holidays. U.S.A.only. Monday through Friday 8:00 AM. 8:00 P.M.
Your unitis covered by afullone-yearwarranty. (Seethebackofthis flyer warranty details.) Ifyourunitfailsandthefailureis not covered forcomplete that covers by theoriginal warranty, Lowrance hasa flat-rate repairpolicy There is a with the unit at thefactory. your unitand accessories packed which is 180-day warranty on all non-warranty repairsfrom the factory, isfor180days ratherthan oneyear.For similartotheoriginal warranty, but furtherdetails,please call us at theabove number. Onfactoryrepairs, weguaranteeyour unitwillbe repaired inthreeworking includeshipping time. Iffor daysfromthe timeit is received. This does not this commitment, we will extend your some reason we cannot meet warrantyfor another full year, free of charge, fromthedate of repair.
Lowrance also gives youfreeUPS shipping fromanywhere in thecontinental United States both to and fromthe factoryfor allwarrantyrepairs. You canalso usetheenclosed UPS shipping labelfornon-warrantyshipments. See theinside of thisflyerfor moreinformation. flatto Remember, non-warrantyrepairs are subject Lowrance's published and 180-daywarranty.A 3workingday turnaround timeatthe ratecharges factory repair center is guaranteed.(Does not include shippingtime.) LITHO IN U.S.A. 988-0133-10
INSTALLATION AND OPERATION INSTRUCTIONS
LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS, INC. 12000E. SKELLY DR., TULSA, OK 74128
PDF compression, OCR, web-optimization with CVISION's PdfCompressor

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION INSTALLATION MOUNTING POWER CONNECTIONS TRANSDUCER KEYBOARD BASICS DISPLAY MENUS HELP OPERATION AUTOMATIC SENSITIVITY RANGE UpperandLowerLimits ZOOM

NOTICE!

This productusesthreaded nutsinside the caseto holdthe gimbalknobs ontotheunit.Thesenutswill rattle whenyoushake the unit, It'snormalfor thisto happenandshouldn't bea causeforconcern. Thisdoesn't affectthe watertight integrity of the unit. The unit won't raffle when it's installed With the gimbal knobs onto its

bracket.

Automatic Operation ManualOperation
ALARMS FISH ALARM ZONEALARM DEPTHALARMS ALARMMUTE MENU PAGE I CHARTSPEED

GRAYLINE

FISH I.D FISHTRACKTM DISPLAY CONTRAST
MENU-PAGE2 ADJUSTBACKLIGHTLEVEL BACKLIGHTON/OFF
SPEAKER VOLUME TURNDIGITAL BOXOFF CONSTRUCT DIGITAL BOX

MENU-PAGE3

CHARTCURSOR DISPLAY ZOOM BAR DISPLAY ZONE BAR DIGITAL SONAR MENU-PAGE 4 FASTRAK SELECT UNITS OF MEASURE CLEAR DISTANCE LOG
MENU-PAGES ADJUST CHART SURFACE CLARITY
ADVANCED SIGNAL PROCESSING (ASP) WINDOWS VIEWING WINDOWS OPTIONS MODIFYING GROUPS RESETrINGALL GROUPS

BROADVIEW

TRANSDUCERS ANDCONEANGLES FISH ARCHES SIGNAL INTERPRETATION WATER TEMPERATURE ANDTHERMOCLINES SURVEYING A LAKE BAITFISH TROUBLESHOOTING WARRANTY FREE UPS SNIPPING MISSING PARTS INTERNATIONAL SERVICE INFORMATION
All featuresand specifications subjectto change withoutnotice. All screens in this manual are simulated.
Copyright 1994 LowranceElectronics All rightsreserved.

NOTES:

The X-55A is a high quality, wide screen sonar with performance that is second to none in its class. Using menu featuresand "soft-key" operation, theX-55A isalso one of theeasiest-to-use sonars that Lowrance hasever built. Thewidescreen showstheundetwaterworld with highresolution and detail.The displayand keyboard are also lighted for nightoperation. The X-55Aalso hasdigitaldepth,boatspeed, surface watertemperature, and distancetravelled (log) displays. Inordertousethedigital speed, temperature, and log displays, you must purchase and install an optional ST-T (transom mount) orST-H(through-hull mount)speed/temperature sensor.

SPECIFICATIONS Dimensions TransmitterFrequency (all channels) TransmitterPower (down channel)

INTRODUCTION

5 7/8"H x 7 3/4W x 3 718"D
192 kkz 600 watts (p-p, typical) 75 watts(RMS, typical) TransmitterPower(left & right channels). 275 watts (p-p. typical) 34.4 watts (RMS, typical) Display Supertwist LCD
128 verticalx 160 horizontal 20, 480 total pixels
The storagetemperature foryour unitisfrom-4 degreesto +167degrees Fahrenheit (-20 degrees to +75 degrees Celcius). Extended storage in higheror lowerthan specified will damagetheliquid crystal temperatures displayin your unit. Thistype of damage is not coveredby thewarranty.
For moreinformation, contactthefactory's CustomerService Department oryour local service center. TOOLSYOU WILL NEED: TRANSOMMOUNT TRANSDUCER INSTALLATION: Hand-held" Drill with a variety of small bits Two (2) #12 stainless steelscrews (to attach bracket to the transomS) Marine grade caulking compound (to seal screws)
SHOOT-THRU-HULL MOUNT: 100 grit sandpaper One package of theeither of thefollowing epoxies: Power Poxft, 1 oz package; Made by: Power Pox? Adhesives, Inc. or True Value brand TRUE BOND epoxyor PLASTIC WELDERTM epoxy sold by True Valuestoresor Devconbrand PLASTIC WELDERTM epoxy.
MOUNTING Install the X-55A in anyconvenient location, provided there is clearance behind the unit when it is tilted for the best viewing angle. Holes in the bracket baseallowwoodscrew or through-bolt mounting. You mayneed to placeapieceof plywood on thebackofthinfiberglasspanelsto secure themounting hardware. Make certain thereisenough roombehind theunit to attachthepowerand transducer cables.
We back your investment in quality products with quick, expertservice and genuine Lowrance replacement parts. If you need service or repairs, contactthe Lowrance Factory Customer Service Department atthe toll-tree numberlistedbelow. A technician may beableto solvethe problem and saveyou theinconvenience ofreturning your unit. You will be askedfor your unitsserial number. CanadaOnly. Monday through Friday 8:00 A.M. - 8:00 P.M. central Time,

(CanadianCustomers Only)

The smallestholethat willpassone power ortransducerplugis 5/8". After theholeis drilled, passthetransducer connectorupthroughtheholefirst, then pass the power cable down through it. After routing thecables,fill theholewith a good marine sealingcompound. Offsetthebrackettocoverthehole. Routethe powercablethrough theslot and breakoutoneoftheotherslotsin thebracket forthe transducer cable.

6.Attach the label to the shipping box, tear off the tab foryour receipt and give the package to any UPS driver or take the package to any UPS Customer Center. You will not be charged for this shipment.
That's it! Your unit will be shipped to Lowrance's customer service department atnochargetoyou.Our normal in-plantturnaround on repairs is3workingdays. Unitsunderwarrantywill bereturned toyouatnocharge.

RuBBER PAD

Lowrance will pay UPS surface shipping charges both to and from the factoryforthis unitin the event it needs repair. Yourunitis insured against loss or shippingdamage when you usethe enclosed UPS label.
2. Slip thetransducer's mounting pad between the bracket's mounting "ears". Sandwich two internal lockwashersbetween thetransducer and one side of the mounting bracket as shown below. Place one washeron the other side of thetransducer.

TWO WASHI

WASHER
LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS FULL ONE-YEAR WARRANTY
'We", "our", or "us" refersto LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS. INC., the manufacturer of this product. "You" or"your"referstothe firstperson whopurchases this product asaconsumer item for personal, family,or household use. We warrantthisproduct againstdefects ormalfunctions in materials andworkmanship, and against failuretoconform tothis product's written specifications, allforoneyear (1)fromthe date of original purchase by you. WE MAKE NO OTHER EXPRESS WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION OF ANY KIND WHATSOEVER CONCERNING THIS PRODUCT. Yourremedies underthiswarranty willbeavailable solong asyou canshowina reasonable mannerthat any defect or malfunction in materials orworkmanship, orany non-conformity with the product's written specifications, occurred within one year from the date of your original purchase, which must besubstantiated bya dated sales receipt or salesslip. Any suchdefect, malfunction, or non-conformitywhichoccurs withinone yearfromyouroriginal purchase date will either be repaired withoutcharge or be replaced with a new product identical orreasonably equivalentto this product,atour option, withinareasonable timeafter our receiptof the product If suchdefect, malfunction, or non-conformity remains after a reasonable number of attempts to repairby us, you may electto obtain withoutcharge a the replacementof product ora refund fortheproduct. THIS REPAIR, REPLACEMENT, OR REFUND (AS JUST DESCRIBED) IS THE EXCLUSIVE REMEDY AVAILABLE TO YOU AGAINST USFORANY DEFECT, MALFUNCTION, OR NONCONFORMITY CONCERNING THE PRODUCT OR FORANY LOSS OR DAMAGE RESULTING FROM ANY OTHER CAUSE WHATSOEVER. WE WILLNOTUNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES BE LIABLE TO ANYONEFORANY SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR OTHER INDIRECT DAMAGE OF ANY KIND.

-5;7r$

ii_______ik'

3. Don't mount the transducer directly behind strakes or ribs on the bottom of the hull. Typically, a good location on aluminum boats is between the ribs clpsest to the engine. (See above.) The port (left)side ofthetransom is preferred for mounting the transducer, howeverif this is not possible, the starboard (right) side can be usedwith good results. 4. Once you determine the best location for the transducer, hold the bracket against the transom. Thetransducer should be roughly parallel to the ground. The bottom of the hull should be about halfwaybetween the centerline of the transducerand it's bottom. (See the illustration below.) Swingthe bracket up and mark thetransomthrough the slots in the transducer bracket. Now drill two holes in the center of the slots. Use #12 stainless steel sheetmetal screws to looselyattachthe bracket to the transom.

635F__JL \ I:T'sflg:;'

&JOLTS

GROUP "M"

"0"

thJSgSthSTt0

flI;I'4$:)III;s.i;cj;dU

GROUP "N"

I:4ftbk!

I FEET I

jrciw"'O

GROUP "P'

BOTTOM OF BOAT
5. Adjust thetransducer and bracket so that the front of the transducer is slightly lower than the back. See the section on fish arches in this manual for propertransducer angles. Tighten all screws. (CAUTION: Don't overtighten the bolt that holds the transducer to the bracket. Overtightening the boltmay result in a distorted bracket which will allow the transducer to "kick-up" at high speed.) Snap the transducer bracket together by pressing the outer bracket (the one with the transducer attached) againstthe one screwed to the transom.
IMPORTANT! Clamp the transducer cableto the transomclose to the transducer. This will preventthe transducer fromentering the boat if it is knocked off at high speed.

t*a.Qjj

sr 0.01

0.0MPH

0.OMI -

FLAT-BO1TOM HULL

DEEP-"VEE" HULL
NOTE: Some aluminum boatswith strakes or ribs on the outside of the hull create large amounts of turbulence at high speed. These boats typically have large outboard motors capable of propelling the boat at speeds over 35 mph. The transducer should be mounted as far below the hull as possible on these boats. (Seebelow) Thiswill place theface of the transducer below the turbulentwater, allowing the sonar unit to work at high speeds.

6. Route the transducer cable to the sonar unit. Keep the transducer cable away from other wiring on the boat, if possible. Electrical noise from enginewiring or bilge pumps can be picked up on thetransducer cable. Thiscanshow up as unwanted interference on the sonar display.
7. Make a test run to determine the results. If there is interference on the displaywhen running the boat at high speed, try lowering the transducer's bracket as shown at right.

"A"

GROUP "B"

ani;ra

45.2 65.4

IMILESI

GROUP "C"

GROUP "D"

51.1 T.

JOLTS I

GROUP "E"

"P 100

GROUP "G" 45

GROUP "K"

If youfind noiseinterference from an electrical instrument, trolling motor, pump, or radio,tryto isolatethe problem.Youcanusually reroutethe sonar unit's power cable and transducer cable away from the wiring that is causing the interference. VHF radio antennacables radiate noise when transmitting, so becertain to keep thesonar's wiresawayfromit. You may need to routethe sonar unit'spower cable directlytothe batteryto isolate it from otherwiringon the boat. If no noisedisplayson thesonarunitfromelectrical equipment, then make certain everythingexceptthe sonar unitisturned off, then startthe engine. Increase the RPM with the gearshift in neutral. If noise appears on the display, the problem couldbe one ofthreethings; sparkplugs, alternator, or tachometerwiring. Try using resistor spark plugs, alternator filters, or routing the sonar unit's power cable away from engine wiring. Again, routing the power cable directly to the battery helps eliminate noise problems. Makecertain to usethe in-linefusesupplied withthe unitwhen wiring the powercableto the battery.
When no noise appears onthe sonar unitafterall ofthe above tests,then the noise source is probably cavitation. Many novices or persons with limited experience make hastysonar installations whichfunction perfectly in shallow water, orwhentheboatis at rest. In nearlyall cases, the cause ofthe malfunction will be the location and/orangleofthe transducer. The faceof the transducer must be placed ina location that hasa smooth flow ofwaterat all boat speeds. Read your transducer owner's manual forthe best mounting position.
SHOOT-THRU-HULL INSTALLATION The transducer installation inside a fiberglass hull must be in an area that does not have air bubbles in the resin or separated fiberglass layers. The sonar signal must passthrough solid fiberglass. A successful transducer installation oan be made on hulls with flotation materials (such as plywood, balsa wood, or foam) between layers of fiberglassif the material is removed from the chosen area. For example, some manufacturers use a layer of fiberglass, then a core of balsa wood, finishing with an outer layerof fiberglass. Removing the inner layer of fiberglassand the balsawoodcore exposes the outer layerof fiberglass. The transducer can then be epoxied directlyto the outer layerof fiberglass. After the epoxy cures, the hull is watertight and structurally sound. Remember, the sonar signal mustpassthrough solid fiberglass. Any air bubbles in the fiberglassor the epoxywill reduceor eliminatethe sonar signals.

Shoot-thru-hull Installation 1. Make certain the area is clean. dry. and free of oil or grease, then sand both the inside surface of the hull and the face of the transducer with 100 grit sandpaper. The surface of the hull mustbe flat sotheentire transducerface is in contactwith the hull priorto bonding.

SPREAD

NOISE A major causeof sonar problems is electrical noise. Thisusually appears onthesonar'sdisplay as randompatterns ofdotsor lines. In severecases, it can completelycover the screen with black dots, or cause the unit operate erratically, or notat all.
2. Follow the instructions on the epoxy package and mix it thoroughly. Do not mix it too fast, as it will cause bubbles to form in the epoxy. (NOTE! Use only the epoxiesspecified on page 1 ofthis manual! Failure to use one of these epoxies may result in poor sonar performance!) Apply a small amounton the face of the transducer as shown above, then spread a small amount onto the sanded areaon thehull. Place the
Toeliminateor minimize theeffects ofelectrical noise,firsttrytodetermine the cause.With the boat at rest in the water, thefirst thing you should do isturn all electrical equipment on the boat off. Makecertain the engine is off, also. Turn your X-55A on, then turn off ASP (Advanced Signal Processing). There should be a steady bottom signal on the display. Now turn on each pieceof electrical equipment on theboat and viewthe effect on thesonar's display. Forexample, turnon thebilgepump and viewthe sonardisplayfor noise. If no noiseis present, turnthepump off, then turn ontheVHF radio andtransmit. Keep doingthisuntil all electricalequipment hasbeen turned on, theireffectonthesonardisplaynoted, then turned off.
terminals or wiring on the terminals are corroded, or the battery needs charging.
Unit freezes, locks up,or operates erratically: 1. Electrical noisefromthe boat's motor, trolling motor, or an accessory transducer maybe interfering withthe sonar unit. Rerouting the powerand cables away fromother electrical wiring on the boat may help. Routethe sonar unit's power cable directlyto the batteryinstead of through a fuse block or ignitionswitch
transducerintothe epoxy, twistingand turning itto force any air bubbles outfrom underthetransducerface. The face of thetransducershould be parallel with the hull, with a minimum amount of epoxy between the hull and transducer. After the epoxy dries, routethe cableto the X-55A.
KEYBOARD The keyboard haskeys arranged in twoverticalcolumns plus a horizontal rowat the bottom. The keys in theleftcolumn are usedto enter numbers and menu selections. The keys in the right column activatethewindows feature and the basic sonar functions. The menu key in the bottom right cornerof the keyboard activates thefirst menu page. The keys along the bottomof the screen are used to activate the alarm menu, stopthe chart, and make menu selections with thearrow keys. WINDOWS - This key givesyou access to thewindowsmode, which lets you customize displays. SENS - Press this key to adjustthe unit's sensitivity. RANGE - Thiskey lets youadjustthe range whenthe unit is in the manual mode.

2. Inspect the transducer cablefor breaks, cuts, or pinched wires. 3.Checkboth the transducerand powerconnectors. Makecertain bothare securelyplugged in to theunit.
Weak bottomecho, digital readings erratic, or no fish signals: 1. Make certain transduceris pointing straight down. Clean the faceofthe transducer. Oil, dirt, and fuelcan cause a film to form on thetransducer, reducing its effectiveness. If thetransducer ismountedinside the hull, be sure itisshooting through onlyonelayeroffiberglass andthat itissecurely bonded tothe hull. Do NOTuseRTVsilicone rubberadhesiveorMarinetex 2. Electrical noise fromtheboat'smotorcaninterfere with the sonar.This causesthe sonar to automatically increase its Discrimination or noise rejectionfeature. Thiscancause the unitto eliminate weakersignals such as fish or evenstructurefrom the display. 3. Thewater may be deeperthan the sonar's abilityto find the bottom. If the sonarcan'tfindthebottomsignal whileit'sin the automatic mode,the digital will flashcontinuously. Itmaychange the rangeto limitsfar greater are thanthewateryou in. Ifthishappens,placetheunitinthe manual mode, then change the rangeto a realistic one, (for example, 0-100 feet) and increase thesensitivity. Asyou move intoshallowerwater, a bottom signal shouldappear. 4. Checkthe battery voltage. If the voltage drops, theunit's transmitter poweralso drops, reducing its ability to findthe bottomor targets.
ZOOM- The X-55A gives you2Xand 4Xzoom capabilitywith this key. AUTO - This turns the automatic featureoff and on.
MENU - Press this key to show the menus and gain access to most functions. CLEAR - This key clears menus and erases entries from the screen.
ALARM- Press thiskey to activate anyof the sonar alarms.
STOP - When this key is pressed, the chart stops scrolling. This doesn't affectthedigital display, however.
weakbottomecho while boat is moving
Bottom echo disappears at high speeds or erraticdigital reading or
ARROWKEYS - These keys are used to makemenu selectionsand to moveobjectson the screen.
ON - The ON key turns the X-55Aon.
1. The transducer may be in turbulent water. It must be mounted in a smooth flow of water in order for the sonar to work atall boat speeds. Air bubbles in thewaterdisrupt the sonar signals, interfering with its abilityto find the bottomor othertargets.Thetechnical termfor this is Cavitation.
OFF- Press and HOLD the Off key to turn the X-55A off.
DISPLAY- General The lights are turnedonforapproximately tenseconds whenthe X-55Ais firstturnedon. Menus appearatthesametime. keepthelights on, press To thekey adjacent to the Lightlabel. It controlsthe backlighting used on the displayand keyboard. If youdon'twantthe lights on, waittenseconds and the lights will automatically turn themselves off. The menus will also disappearafter ten seconds, or you can turn them off by pressing the CLEARkey at the bottom of the screen.

of Thetemperature waterinthe lake isseldom constantfrom topto bottom. (Seethepicture on the nextpage.) Layers of different temperaturesform, andthe junction of awarmand cool layerofwateris called a thermocline. The depth and thickness of thethermocline can varywith the season or time of day. In deep lakes there maybe two or more at different depths. Thermoclines are important to fishermen because they are areas where fish are active. Many times baitfish will be above the thermocline while largergame fish will suspend in or justbelow it.
TheX-55Acandetectthisinvisible layer inthewater, butthesensitivitywill probablyhaveto be turned up to see it. Whenthe Fish l.D. mode is off, the depth of thewaterwill affect the size and shape of the fish arch due to the cone angle diameter. For example, iftheconepasses overafish in shallow water, the signal displayed on the X-55A maynot arch at all. Thisis duetothenarrowconediameter and the resolution limitations of the display.
BOATS DIRECTION OF TRAVEL
RANGE - Automatic When turned on for the first time, the X-55A automatically places the bottom signal in the lowerhalfofthe screen. This is calledAuto Ranging and is part of the automatic function. The range cannot be changed manually whilethe unitis in automatic.
RANGE- Manual TheX-55Agives youcontrol overtherange whenit's in themanual mode. To change the range, first make certain theX-55Ais in the manual mode. Next, pressthe RANGE key. The range adjustmentmenu appears in the lower right corner of the display. Press the up or down arrow keys to decreaseorincreasethe range. __________________________________ The available ranges are 0-5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 60, 100, 150, ___________________________ 200, 300, 500, 800, and 1000 feet. After the desired range is displayed, press the CLEAR 29 UPPER LIMIT I key to erase the range menu. \CHANGE (CHiNGE LOWERLIMIT NOTE: The depth capability of ______ 48 the X-55A depends on the ___________
transducer installation, water and bottom conditions, and otherfactors.

___ ___

_________________

One ofthe bestwaysto get fish arches is to expand or "zoom" asegment from45to 60feet. Thesmallerthesegment, the ofthewater.Forexample, do betterthescreen resolution will be.The easiestwayto thisontheX-55A iswiththeZoomfeature. Thisfeature expandsthe echoes, making iteasier to seedetail. Forthebestresults, turnthesensitivity up as highas possible this without gettingtoo much noiseonthescreen. Inmediumto deepwater, method shouldwork to displayfish arches.
If yousee fish signals wheic the unitis in the manual mode, butdon't get fish symbols whenthe Fish l.D. feature is on, tryincreasing the sensitivity.
SIGNAL INTERPRETATION Your X-55A gives an accurate picture of the bottom that your boat is passing. A bottom of firm sand,gravel, shell, or hardclay returns a fairly widesignal. Ifthe automatic mode isoff and thesignal narrows down, then itmeans thatyouhavemoved overa mud bottom. Mud absorbsthesound wave and returns a weaksignal. Turn up the sensitivity to see a better bottom signal.
RANGE- Upper and Lower Limits The X-55A lets you change theupperand lower range limitswhen it's in the manual mode. This lets you "zoom"in on segments of thewater as small as 5 feet. In otherwords,you canset the upperlimit to 30feet and thelowerlimitto 35feet, regardless ofthe bottomdepth. This in essence, You of givesyouaSfootzoom. canchooseanysegment thewater,as long as the distance between the upperlimitand lowerlimit is 5 feet (2 meters, 1 fathom) or more. Using the zoomfeature(described in the nextsection) thewateronthe screen's rightside(forexample, Ietsyouviewasegmentof from20 to 30feet), and a zoom of that segmenton the left. To change the upper or lower limit, first make certain the unit is in the manual mode. Next, press the RANGE key. The menu shown above appears. Nowpress the key nexttothe "CHANGE UPPER LIMIT" labelto change the upper limit or "CHANGE LOWER LIMIT" labelto changethe lowerlimit. We'rechanging the upperlimit in this example. After pressing thekey next to the "CHANGE UPPER LIMIT" label, the screenshown at thetop of thenext page appears.
Usingthenumbered keys, entera numberforthe upperIimitthat isat least five feet lessthan thelower limit. In this case, we entered 40, giving a 20 footzoom.When you'veenteredthe desired upper limit, presstheup arrow keyatthe bottom ofthe screen. ________ ______________________ 1 The unit returns to the sonar screen withthenew upper limit.

arches.

theAUTOkey again to switch it. Press the CLEAR keytoerase theAUTO!

MAN menu.

_________________ ________________
All of the X-55A's features adjust the same with the Broadview on. thefront Sensitivity, Range, Graylineandallthe othersadjusteitherusing is panel buttons orthroughmenu selections.Theonlydifference whentwo charts are showing on the display at the same time. You will get a new menu, letting youswitchbetweencharts. Thisgives youthe abilitytohave different ranges, sensitivity settings, etc.,on each chart.
TRANSDUCER CONE ANGLES Thesound wavesfromthetransducer spreadout into thewaterin acone shaped beam.This looks much likethe beam fromaflashlight. The angle betweenthe outsideedges of the coneis the cone angle. Lowrance offers achoiceoftransducerswith eitheran8 or2O degree cone angle. ThetransducersuppliedwiththeX-55A hasa2odegree coneangle. Typically, wideconeangletransducers (20 degrees) are idealforoperating in shallow to medium waterdepths. The 20 degree coneangle allowsyou to seemore oftheunderwaterworid. In1 5feetofwaterthe2odegreecone covers anareaabout sixfeetacross. TheB degree transducercovers only about a two foot circle. The20 degree transducer is almostalways the best to useinfresh water, thea degree mostly in saltwater. In a deep water environment, (300feet - freshwater, 1 Oofeet-saltwater) the narrowconeangle is moredesirable. Since the sound energyisconcentrated in asmallerarea, it canpenetrate to much deeperdepths. Both 8degreeand20degreetransducers give accurate bottom readings, even though thebottomsignal is much wide! onthe20degree model. This is because you are seeing more of the bottom. Remember, the shallow edge ofthesignal shows youthetrue depth.The rest ofthe signal tells you whetheryou are over rocks, mud, etc.
shown attwice the size as the ones on the right. The echoes that scroll across the screen are the exactsameechoeson
both sides of the screen. They'resimplyenlarged onthe left side. This feature tracks the bottom, keeping it on the display at all times, when the automatic feature is on. Once you've set the zoom as desired,pressthe CLEAR keyto erase the menus.
ZOOM - MANUALMODE When you press the zoomkeywhile the unit is in the manual mode, the screen shown below appears. All of the menus on this screen work identically as described above. However, one additional menu item is shown whenthe unit is in the manual mode: "ADJUST".
To adjust the zoom, press the key adjacent to the "ADJUST" label. Ascreen similartotheone below appears. Azoombarand
adjust arrows appear on the screen. The echoes on the left
side ofthe screen are the ones thatappear between thetopand the bottom of the zoom bar. Presstheupordownarrow keys to move the zoom bar up or ___________ down. As you adjust the zoom bar,the echoes move on theleftside of the screen at the sametime.The zoom adjust menus will automatically clear a few secondsafter you've pressedthe last key. Remember, the X-55Awon'ttrackthebottom when it's in themanual mode.

disappear.

move forward through the screens. Press the up arrow 0.DMPH key to move backward. For example, pressing the down arrow key once shows the lIE 0.0 FT group "B" screenwhichis the _____________ sidescanscreen. To return to the full sonar screen, press the key nexttothe"FULL CHART'labelatthe top of the screen.
_____________ ______________ _____________ Every oneofthegroup screens can be modified to some extent. For example, press the MENU key while group "A" is displayed.Fournew labels appear on the displayas shown at right. Twooftheselabels are window menus. Pressing the keyadjacent toone ofthe"window menu"labels gives you a menu with functionsthat relate only to that window. For ex31
menu at the bottom of the screen lets you switch betweenthe"pages" ofdisplays. Theseare lettered "A"through "0". Group "A" shows first. Press the down arrow key to
FISH l.D. TheFish I.D. featureidentifies targetsthat meetcertain conditions fish. as The microcomputer analyses all echoes and eliminates surface clutter, thermoclines, and othersignals that are undesirable. In mostinstances, remaining targetsarefish. The Fish l.D. featuredisplays symbols on the screenin placeofthe actual fish echoes. There are fourfishsymbolsizes: tiny, small, medium, and large. Theseare used to designate the relative size between targets.In other words, it displaysa small fish symbol when itthinksatarget isasmallfish, amediumfish symbolon alargertarget, etc.

MAIN MEMU

75% of the selected depth range. For example, on a 0-60foot rangewith maximum 5CC, surface clutterwill be reduced down to 45 feet. Thereare three levels of 5CC available on the X-55A: low, medium, and high. When it'sturnedonforthefirsttime,the 8CC level is low. Tochange it, press the MENU key five times, then press the key adjacent to the "ADJUSTCHARTSURFACE CLARITY" labeluntil the blackboxisonthe desired SCC level.
Press the key nexttothe 'EXIT' label whenyou're finished.
The microcomputer is sophisticated, but it can be fooled. It cannot distinguish between fish and other suspended objectssuch as trotlines, turtles, submerged floats, air bubbles,etc. Individual tree limbs extending outwards fromagroupof limbs isthehardest objectfortheFishl.D.feature todistinguish fromfish.You mayseeFish l.D. symbols onthescreen when actually, thereare nofish. Practice with the unitin both the Fish l.D. mode and withoutto becomemore familiarwith the Fish l.D. feature. To turn the Fish I.D. featureon, press themenu key, then pressthe key adjacent to the "Fish-ID On Off FishTrack" label until the black box to surrounds the"ON" label.Echoes will continue scroll acrossthe screen, however, the surfaceclutter at the top will no longer be displayed. Any targets the microcomputer determines are fish will be displayed as fish symbols. To turn the Fish l.D. feature off again, first press the menu key. Next, pressthe key adjacent to the "Fish-ID On Off FishTrack" label until the black box surrounds the "OFF" label. The menu immediately disappears and the sonar screen returns.

Remember, the Fish l.D. feature can'tbe used when the X-55A is in the manual mode. If you turn the Fish l.D. feature on when the X-55A is in manual, the microcomputer will turnthe automatic featureon. If youturn automatic offwhenthe Fish I.D. feature is on, the Fish l.D. feature will be turnedoff also. FISHTRACKTM
ASP (Advanced Signal Processing) The ASP feature is a noise rejection system built into the X-55A that constantly evaluates the effects of boat speed, water conditions, and interference. This automatic featuregives youthe bestdisplay possible undermostconditions. TheASPfeatureisaneffective tool in combating noise. In sonar terms, noiseis any undesiredsignal. It iscaused byelectrical and mechanical sources such as bilge pumps, engine ignition.systems andwiring, air bubbles passing over the face of the transducer, even vibration from the engine. In all cases, noise can produce unwanted marks on the display.

SURFACE CLfRITY

nTLEuEr
The ASPfeature has two levels - Normal and High. Ifyou havehighnoise levels, try usingthe "High" ASPsetting. However, ifyouare having trouble with noise, we suggest thatyoutakestepsto findthe interference source and fix it, rather than continually using the unitwith the highASPsetting. However, therearetimeswhenyoumaywantto turnthe ASPfeatureoff. This allowsyouto viewall incoming echoes before they are processed by theASP feature.
OF CHART ASP narnI i-'iew_____
TheFishTrack feature shows the depth of a fish symbolwhenit appears on the display. This lets you accurately gauge the depth of targets.This featureis available onlywhenthe Fish ID feature is on. To turnthe FishTrack featureon, press themenu key, then press the key adjacent to the "Fish-ID On Off Fishlracl?' label until the black box surrounds the "FishTrack" label. Echoes will continue toscroll acrossthe screen, with the depth of fish
symbols showing above them as they appear on the display. To turn the FishTrack feature off again, first press the menu key. Next, pressthe key adjacent to the "Fish-ID On Off FishTrack" labeluntil the black boxsurrounds the"ON"labelto leave Fish ID on or the "OFF" label to turn both Fish ID and FishTrack off.

wakes, temperature inversion, and other natural causes.
BACK LIGHT ONIOFF Toturn the back lighting on, press themenu keytwice, then press the key adjacenttothe "BACK LIGHT'label. Thismoves theblackboxfrom"OFF" to the"ON" position. To turn the backlights off, repeatthesame steps.
The Surface Clarity Control (5CC) reduces or eliminates surface cluttersignals fromthe display. SCCvariesthe sensitivity of the receiver, decreasing it near the surface and gradually increasing it as the depth increases.Themaximum depth that SCC will affect is

JUSTHART SURFACE CLARITY

OF CHART ASP

tEDHIGL rUST

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DIGITALSONAR When theX-55A is turned on for the firsttime, the digital depth display is located at the top left corner of the screen. This display comes from a separate digital sonarbuiltintothe unit. It displays onlythe bottom depth. Ifit loses the bottom, thelastknown depth will flashon thedisplay. When the digitalfinds thebottom, it will automatically display the bottomdepth

again.

5Q3 FT
The digital sonarcan be turned off, however this also turns all automatic featuresoff also, suchas auto sensitivity, auto ranging, and the Fish I.D.
feature. 4DEEI INCSPEAKER VOLUME
Toturnthedigitalsonaroff,presstheMenu keythreetimes. Nowpressthe key adjacentto the 'TURN DIGITAL SONAR OFF" label. To turn it on again, repeatthe samesteps.

MENU - PAGE4 FASTRAK

This feature converts all echoesto short horizontal lines on the display'sfar right side.The graphcontinuesto operate normally. FASTRAK gives you a rapid update of conditions directly under the boat. This makes it useful for ice fishing, or when you're fishing at anchor. Sincethe unitisnot moving, fish signals are long, drawn out lines on a normal chart display. FASTRAK converts the graph to a verticalbar graph that, with practice, makes a useful addition tofishing at a stationary location. To turn FASTRAK on, press the menu key four times, then
press the key adjacent to the