Transducer Location 1. The transducer must be placed in a location that has a smooth flow of water at all times. If the transducer is not placed in a smooth flow of water, interference will show on the sonars display in the form of random lines or dots whenever the boat is moving and can completely mask the sonar image at high speed. 2. The transducer should be installed with its face pointing straight down, if possible. 3. Make certain the chosen location doesnt interfere with the boats trailer. Also, dont mount it closer than about one foot from the engines lower unit. This will prevent cavitation interference with the propeller. Typically, the transducer should be mounted as far down on the transom as possible. This increases the chance that it will remain in the water at high speed or sharp turns, and reduces the possibility of air bubble interference (cavitation). 4. Dont 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 closest to the engine. The port (left) side of the transom is preferred for mounting the transducer, however, if this is not possible, the starboard (right) side can be used, usually with good results.
CAUTION! CLAMP THE TRANSDUCER CABLE TO TRANSOM NEAR THE TRANSDUCER. THIS WILL HELP PREVENT THE TRANSDUCER FROM ENTERING THE BOAT IF IT IS KNOCKED OFF AT HIGH SPEED.

GOOD LOCATION

RIBS ON ALUMINUM BOATS

POOR LOCATION

POOR ANGLE GOOD LOCATION 2
Transducer Assembly and Mounting The best way to install this transducer is to loosely assemble all of the parts first, place the transducers bracket against the transom and see if you can move the transducer so that its parallel with the ground. 1. Press the two small plastic ratchets into the sides of the metal bracket as shown below. Notice there are letters molded into each ratchet. Place each ratchet into the bracket with the letter A aligned with the dot stamped into the metal bracket. This position sets the transducers coarse angle adjustment for a fourteen (14) degree transom. Most outboard and stern-drive transoms have a fourteen degree angle.

2. Slide the transducer between the two ratchets. Temporally slide the bolt though the transducer assembly and hold it against the transom. Looking at the transducer from the side, check to see if it will adjust so that its face is parallel to the ground. If it does, then the A position is correct for your hull. If the transducers face isnt parallel with the ground, remove the transducer and ratchets from the bracket. Place the ratchets into the holes in the bracket with the letter B aligned with the dot stamped in the bracket. Reassemble the transducer and bracket and place them against the transom. Again, check to see if you can move the transducer so its parallel with the ground. If it does, then go to step 3. If it doesnt, repeat step 2, but use a different letter until you can place the transducer on the transom correctly.

METAL WASHER

RUBBER WASHERS BOLT
3. Once you determine the correct position for the ratchets, assemble the transducer as shown at left. Do not tighten the lock nut at this time.
4. Hold the transducer and bracket assembly against the transom. The transducer should be roughly parallel to the ground. The bottom of the transducer bracket should be in line with the bottom of the hull. Don't let the bracket extend below the hull! Mark the center of the slots for the mounting holes. Drill two 5/32" holes in the marked locations for the #10 screws supplied with the transducer.

TRANSOM

SIDE VIEW
5. Attach the transducer to the transom. Slide the transducer up or down until its aligned properly on the transom as shown above. Tighten the brackets mounting screws. Adjust the transducer so that its parallel to the ground and tighten the lock nut until it touches the flat washer, then add 1/4 turn. Dont over tighten the lock nut! If you do, the transducer wont kick-up if it strikes an object in the water.
6. Route the transducer cable to the sonar unit. If possible, route the transducer cable away from other wiring on the boat. Electrical noise from the engines wiring, bilge pumps, VHF radio wires and cables, and aerators can be picked up by the sonar. Use caution when routing the transducer cable around these wires. IMPORTANT! Clamp the transducer cable to the transom close to the transducer. This can prevent the transducer from entering the boat if it is knocked off at high speed. 7. Make a test run to determine the results. If the bottom is lost at high speed, or if noise appears on the display, try sliding the transducer bracket down. This puts the transducer deeper into the water, hopefully below the turbulence causing the noise. Do not allow the transducer bracket to go below the bottom of the hull! SONAR UNIT MOUNTING Install the X-70A 3D in any convenient location, provided there is clearance behind the unit when it is tilted for the best viewing angle. Holes in the bracket base allow wood screw or through-bolt mounting. Make certain there is enough room behind the unit to attach the power and transducer cables. Using the bracket as a template, mark the dash for the mounting holes, then make a mark in the center of the bracket location for the cable hole. If you want the smallest possible hole for the power and transducer cables in the dash, install the transducer first, then route the cable to the desired location. The smallest hole that will pass one power or transducer plug is 5/8". After the hole is drilled, pass the transducer connector up through the hole first, then pass the power cable down through it. After routing the cables, fill the hole with a good marine sealing compound. Place the bracket over the hole and route the cables through the slot in the back of the bracket. Break out one of the other slots for the transducer cable. Screw the bracket to the dash.

The lights are on for a few seconds when the X-70A 3D is turned on. Menus appear at the same time. To leave the lights on, press the ON key. This key controls the back lights. If you dont want the lights on, wait a few seconds and they will automatically turn themselves off. The menus will also disappear after a few seconds, or you can press the CLEAR key to erase them. The Metric and Display menu labels work the same way. Press the key adjacent to the Metric label to change the depth from feet to meters. This also changes the temperature display to degrees Celsius, speed to knots, and log to kilometers. The Display menu on the screen's right side lets you adjust the displays for the best contrast. Press the left arrow key to decrease the contrast, right arrow key to increase it. The X-70A 3D automatically detects the speed/temperature sensor. If the sensor is attached to the unit, speed, temperature, and distance log automatically appear on the display. Distance markers also appear on the
screen, showing the distance behind the boat. If the speed/temperature sensor is not plugged into the X-70A 3D, then none of these will show. MODES OF OPERATION The X-70A 3D shows a sonar picture of the underwater world in 3D, 2D, Bottom Depth View, and FasTrack modes. The 2D and Bottom Depth Views can use either the 384 or 192 kHz transducer (if the optional 192 kHz transducer is attached). The 3D mode is always 384 kHz. To switch between the different modes, first press the WINDOWS key. Press a key on the left side of the screen to choose the desired mode. Press the CLR key to exit this menu. In the 3D mode shown at right, the bottom is represented by a wire-frame model. Only the bottom and fish symbols show in this mode. Structure, weeds, thermoclines, etc. will not show. The X-70A 3D uses a 384 kHz transducer with four elements. The digital depth display shows the bottom depth from the middle transducer elements. If it loses the signal from any element, a box with the word LOST appears over the corresponding area on the display. This means the unit cannot receive an echo from that element. This could be due to a large drop-off, noise or other natural phenomenon. The 2D mode looks like a conventional sonar display as shown below. The bottom echo scrolls from right to left. The range displays on the right side of the screen. The digital bottom depth shows in the upper left corner. When the X70A 3D is put into the 2D 384 kHz mode, the two center transducer elements are in use. The two outer elements are turned off. You can select the elements from a menu discussed in a later section. The 2D 192 kHz transducer has only one element.
All 2D modes show the bottom signal, structure, thermoclines, fish (both with and without the Fish ID feature), baitfish schools, and more. The 3D view shows a 3D representation of the bottom, with Fish ID symbols only. The 2D mode shows more information, the 3D mode makes it easier to visualize the bottom contour. The Bottom Depth View as shown at right displays the depth at the top of the display in large digits. The graph scrolls at high speed. Note that this graph only shows the bottom signal. No structure, fish signals, or other echoes show on this display. This feature is available using either frequency transducer. (384 Bottom or 192 Bottom)

3D OPERATION

When the X-70A 3D is in the 3D mode, the Fish ID feature is always on (unless you turn it off). FishTrack (the depth numbers above the fish symbols) shows you the depth of the fish symbol and can be turned off, if desired. See the FishTrack section in this manual for more information. 3D RANGE The range is set by the unit as long as its in the auto mode. However, you can adjust the range slightly when automatic is on. The unit wont let you move the bottom off the screen, and it will correct the range once the bottom begins to go off the screen. When the unit is in the manual mode, you can set the range to any thats available. To change the range on the X70A 3D, first press the RANGE key. A screen similar to the one at right appears. Simply press the down arrow key to increase the range or the up arrow key to decrease it. When the desired range is chosen, wait a few seconds and the menu will automatically disappear from the screen or press the CLR key to erase it. The X-70A 3D uses the following ranges: 0 - 5, 10, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 150, 200, 300, 400, 500, 700, and 900 feet.
3D ZOOM The zoom feature enlarges all echoes on the screen, making them easier to see. This feature works in automatic or the manual mode. (Note: If the unit is in the 3D automatic mode and the zoom feature is turned on, the unit will not change the range to a shallower setting. If the bottom signal goes shallower than the zoom range, the X-70A 3D will simply show a flat bottom signal at the shallowest range shown on the display. For example, if you have a zoom range from 45 to 60 feet, and the bottom rises to 30
feet (shown by the digital depth display), the unit will show a flat bottom at 45 feet.) To use the zoom feature, first press the ZOOM key, then press the key next to the zoom menu that appears in the lower left corner of the display as shown at right. This switches the unit to the 2X zoom mode. This enlarges all echoes on the screen to twice their normal size. If you press the key again while the menu is showing, the unit will switch to the 4X zoom mode. This enlarges all echoes four times their normal size. Turn the zoom feature off by repeatedly pressing the key next to the zoom menu until the check mark is on the OFF box. Wait a few seconds for the menu to automatically disappear from the screen or press the CLR key to erase it. 3D VARIVIEW When the X-70A 3D is first turned on, the 3D screen scrolls from right to left as shown above. This view shows you the bottom contour as if your boat is travelling from the left side of the screen to the right side. The upper right corner of the screen is the right (starboard) side of your boats transom. There are occasions when you may wish to change the viewing angle of the bottom. For example, if youre travelling parallel to a drop-off, the far side of the drop-off may not be visible, due to the higher ground obstructing the drop-off. By rotating the 3D view, the opposite side of the drop-off can be seen. To change the 3D view, first press the WINDOWS key. The screen shown at right appears. There are four views available. Press the arrow keys to rotate the 3D view. When youve rotated the display to the desired view, press the CLR key to return to the 3D screen.

and your new upper limit will be at the top of the screen. To change the lower limit, use the same steps as above, but press the key next to the "Set Lower Limit" menu. Press the CLR key to erase these menus or wait a few seconds and they will automatically disappear. 2D ZOOM - Automatic mode The zoom feature enlarges all echoes on the screen, making them easier to see. This feature works in automatic or the manual mode. The X-70A 3D can show a full 2D zoom screen or a split-screen with the right side normal and the left side enlarged. To use the zoom feature, first press the ZOOM key. A screen similar to the one at right appears. Now press the key next to the "OFF 2X 4X" menu. This switches the unit to the 2X zoom mode which enlarges all echoes on the screen to twice their normal size. If you press the key again while the menu is showing, the unit will switch to the 4X zoom mode. This enlarges all echoes four times their normal size. To use the split-screen zoom feature, press the key adjacent to the FULL SPLIT label. This instantly divides the screen in half. The left half of the screen is zoomed, the right side is a full-scale, top-to-bottom view of the same area. The echoes that scroll across the screen are the same on both sides of the screen, but they are enlarged and show in greater detail on the left side. To switch back to full screen, press the ZOOM key, then press the key next to the FULL SPLIT label. Turn the zoom feature off by repeatedly pressing the ZOOM key until the check mark is on the OFF box. Wait a few seconds for the menu to auto17
matically disappear from the screen or press the CLR key to erase it. 2D ZOOM - Manual Mode The zoom feature works the same in manual as it does in automatic with two exceptions. One, since the unit is in manual, the unit wont change the range to keep the bottom signal on the display. Two, you can adjust the zoom window to any desired depth. To zoom the screen in the manual mode, first press the ZOOM key. A screen similar to the one on the previous page appears. Youll notice a new label on the screen: ADJUST. Press the key next to that label. A screen similar to the one at right appears. The unit is now in the splitscreen zoom mode. A zoom bar is on the far right side of the screen. Use the up and down arrow keys to move this bar up and down the right side of the screen. Everything between the top and bottom of this bar shows on the left side of the screen in either 2X or 4X scale. When you have the zoom bar in the desired location, press the CLR key to erase it or wait a few seconds and it will automatically disappear. You can have the zoom bar stay on the screen continuously, by using the zoom bar menu. See the 2D Options in the MENUS section for more information. BOTTOM DEPTH VIEW To use the Bottom Depth View, first press the WINDOWS key. Now press the key next to the "384 Bottom" or "192 Bottom", depending on the transducer you wish to use or have installed. Finally, press the CLR key. A screen similar to the one at the top of the next page appears. This view shows the water depth in large digital numbers at the top left corner of the screen. If an optional speed/temperature sensor is installed, the unit can also show boat speed, distance travelled (log), surface water temperature, and a surface water temperature graph in this area. Next to the digital display box is the chart record. This shows depth infor18

The depth alarms sound a tone when the bottom signal goes shallower than the shallow alarms setting or deeper than the deep alarms setting. For example, if you set the shallow alarm to ten feet, the alarm will sound a tone if the bottom signal is less than ten feet. It will continue to sound until you mute it or the bottom goes deeper than 10 feet. The deep alarm works just opposite. It sounds a warning tone if the bottom depth goes deeper than the alarms setting. Both depth alarms work only off the digital bottom depth signals. No other targets will trip these alarms. Both can be used at the same time. To set the depth alarms, press the key adjacent to the alarm you wish to set. In this example, we will set and turn on the shallow alarm. When the X-70A 3D is turned on, the shallow alarm is set to zero. Pressing the key next to the Shal Alarm menu moves the check mark to the "SET" box. This brings up the adjustment menu, as shown above. Using the numbered keys, enter the depth for the shallow alarm. In this example, we used 10 feet. Press the key next to the Accept label. The screen returns to the alarm menu. The number you entered shows on the shallow alarms menu. Youll also notice that the check mark in the shallow alarms menu has moved to the ON box. Setting an alarm also turns it on. Press the CLR key to return to the sonar display. Using our example, if the bottom signal goes lower than 10 feet, the shal21
low alarm sounds a tone. To turn the shallow alarm off, press the MENU key, then press the key next to the "Alarms" label. Now press the key next to the "Shal Alarm" menu until the check mark moves to the OFF box. Press the CLR key to return to the sonar display. Remember, the shallow and deep alarms adjust exactly the same. The only difference is the shallow alarm sounds when the bottom signal goes shallower than the shallow alarms setting. The deep alarm sounds when the bottom signal goes deeper than the deep alarms setting. ZONE ALARM The zone alarm only works on the 2D chart or 2D FasTrak view. Any echo that passes inside the zone alarms bar sets it off. To adjust the zone alarm, first press the MENU key, then press the key next to the "Alarms" label. Now press the key next to the "Zone Alarm" label. A new menu appears at the bottom of the screen. Finally, press the key next to the "Accept" label. The screen shown above appears. The zone alarms bar appears on the right side of the screen. Adjustment menus show in the middle of the screen. Press the up or down arrow keys to move the bottom of the zone alarm bar up or down. To adjust the top of the zone alarm bar, first press the key adjacent to the "Adjust Upper" label. After setting the zone alarm bar, press the CLR key to erase the menus and bar or wait a few seconds and they will automatically clear. (You can turn the zone alarms bar on continuously. See the 2D View Options section for more information.) Setting the zone alarm automatically turns it on. To turn it off, press the ALARM key, then press the key next to the zone alarms menu. This moves the check mark from "ON" to OFF. Press the CLR key to exit the alarm menu.

FISH ALARM The fish alarm sounds a distinctive tone when the X-70A 3D places a fish symbol on the display. A different tone sounds for each of the four fish symbol sizes. To turn the fish alarm on, first press the MENU key, then press the key next to the "Alarms" label. Finally, press the key next to the "Fish Alarm" label. This moves the check mark from the OFF box to the ON box. Press the CLR key to return to the sonar display. To turn the fish alarm off, repeat the above steps. (Note: The automatic and Fish ID features must be on in order to use the fish alarm. If you turn the fish alarm on and these other features are off, the unit will automatically turn them on.) ALARM MUTE Whenever a depth alarm sounds, a message appears on the display telling you which alarm is sounding. A Silence Alarm menu appears on the display at the same time. Press the key next to this menu to mute or turn the alarms sound off. This doesnt turn the alarm off, only silences the tone until the alarm is triggered again. FISH I.D. The Fish I.D. feature identifies targets that meet certain conditions as fish. The microcomputer analyses all echoes and eliminates surface clutter, thermoclines, and other signals that are undesirable. In most instances, remaining targets are fish. The Fish I.D. feature displays symbols on the screen in place of the actual fish echoes. There are four fish symbol sizes: tiny, small, medium, and large. These are used to designate the relative size between targets. In other words, it displays a small fish symbol when it thinks a target is a small fish, a medium fish symbol on a larger target, etc. The microcomputer is sophisticated, but it can be fooled. It cant distinguish between fish and other suspended objects such as trotlines, turtles, submerged floats, air bubbles, etc. Individual tree limbs extending outwards from a group of limbs is the hardest object for the Fish I.D. feature
to distinguish from fish. You may see Fish I.D. symbols on the screen when actually, there are no fish. Practice with the unit in both the Fish I.D. mode and without to become more familiar with the Fish I.D. feature. When the X-70A 3D is turned on, the Fish I.D. feature is automatically turned on, also. To turn the Fish I.D. feature off, press the MENU key, then press the key adjacent to the Fish ID label. This moves the check mark from the ON to the OFF box. The unit returns to the sonar display with Fish ID off. To turn the Fish I.D. feature on again, repeat the above steps. The menu immediately disappears and the sonar screen returns. In the 2D mode, echFISH ID ON oes will continue to scroll across the screen, however, the surface clutter at the top will no longer be displayed. Any targets the microcomputer determines are fish will be displayed as fish symbols. Remember, the Fish I.D. feature cant be used when the X-70A 3D is in the manual mode. If you turn the Fish I.D. feature on when the unit is in manual, the microcomputer will turn the automatic feature on. If you turn automatic off when the Fish I.D. feature is on, the Fish I.D. feature will be turned off also. DISPLAY CONTRAST The units display contrast is adjustable to suit different lighting conditions. To adjust it, first press the MENU key. The first menu page appears. Now press the key next to the Display Contrast label. A screen similar to the one at right appears. Now press left arrow key to decrease the contrast. Press the right arrow key to increase it. The percentage of contrast in use changes as the arrow keys are pressed. The bar chart also gives a graphical indication of the contrast level. You can see the

change on the screen as you press the keys. After youve made the adjustment, press the CLEAR key to erase the menu.
2D VIEW OPTIONS The 2D view has several adjustments that (with some exceptions noted below) affect the 2D view screen only. To use these options, first press the MENU key, then press the key next to the 2D VIEW OPTIONS label. A menu similar to the one at right appears.
DIGITAL BOX OPTIONS The X-70A 3D can display the depth, speed, surface water temperature, and distance log on all sonar screens, including the 2D, 3D, Bottom Depth View, and FasTrak. (Speed, temperature, and log displays require an optional speed/temperature sensor.) When the X-70A 3D is first turned on, only the depth is displayed if the sensor is not connected. You can turn each digital display on as desired or turn all of them off, as desired. To select the digital displays menu, first press the MENU key. Next, press the key adjacent to the 2D View Options label. Finally, press the key next to the Digital Box Options menu. The screen shown below appears. Now press the key adjacent to the desired display. For example, to turn the temperature display on, press the key adjacent to the TEMPERATURE label. Once you do this, the digital display in the corner of the screen will show the temperature in addition to the depth. You can turn each display on or off, individually. If you wish to turn all of the digital displays off, simply press the key next to the DIGITAL BOX label. Press the CLEAR key to exit from this menu. DIGITAL SONAR When the X-70A 3Ds 2D
screen is turned on for the first time, the digital depth display is located at the top left corner of the screen. This display comes from a separate digital sonar built into the unit. It displays only the bottom depth. If it loses the bottom, the last known depth will flash on the display. When the digital finds the bottom, it will automatically display the bottom depth again. The digital sonar can be turned off, however this also turns all automatic features off also, such as auto sensitivity, auto ranging, and the Fish I.D. feature. To turn the digital sonar off, first press the MENU key. Next, press the key adjacent to the 2D View Options label. Finally, press the key next to the Digital Sonar menu. To turn it back on, repeat the same steps. 2D FASTRAK BAR This feature converts all echoes to short horizontal lines on the 2D displays far right side. The graph continues to operate normally. FasTrak gives you a rapid update of conditions directly under the boat. This makes it useful for ice fishing, or when youre fishing at anchor. Since the unit is not moving, fish signals are long, drawn out lines on a normal chart display. FasTrak converts the graph to a vertical bar graph that, with practice, makes a useful addition to fishing at a stationary location. To turn FasTrak on, first press the MENU key. Next, press the key adjacent to the 2D View Options label. Finally, press the key next to the FasTrak Bar menu. To turn it back on, repeat the same steps. ZOOM BAR

Adjust Back Light Level label. The screen shown at right appears. Now press the left arrow key to decrease the light level. Press the right arrow key to increase it. The percentage of back light in use changes as the arrow keys are pressed. The bar chart also gives a graphical indication of the level. After youve made the adjustment, press the CLR key to erase the menu. SPEAKER VOLUME To adjust the X-70A 3D's speaker volume, press the MENU key twice, then press the key next to the Adjust Speaker Volume label. Now press the left arrow key to decrease the level, the right arrow key to increase it. The percentage of volume in use changes as the arrow keys are pressed. The bar chart also gives a graphical indication of the level. After youve made the adjustment, press the CLR key to erase the menu. UNITS OF MEASURE When the optional speed/temperature sensor is connected, the X-70A 3D can display the water depth in feet, fathoms, or meters, surface water temperature in degrees Fahrenheit or Celsius, speed in statute miles per hour, kilometers per hour, or knots, distance (log) in miles, kilometers, or nautical miles, and the 3D distance markers in feet or meters. To change the units of measure, first press the menu key two times. Next, press the key adjacent to the Units of Measure label. The screen shown below appears. The check mark in the box on each line shows the unit of measure currently in use. In the screen shown below, the units of measure are in feet for the depth, temperature in degrees Fahrenheit, speed is in statute miles per hour, and log is in statute miles. Press the key adjacent to the unit that you wish to change.
For example, press the key next to the "Depth" label two times to switch from feet to meters. This moves the check mark two times from the Ft to the M. After setting the units of measure, press the CLR key. MENU - PAGE 3 SURFACE CLARITY The markings extending downward from the zero line on the 2D chart when the manual mode is on are called surface clutter. These markings are caused by wave action, boat wakes, temperature inversion, and other natural causes. The Surface Clarity Control (SCC) reduces or eliminates surface clutter signals from the display. SCC varies the sensitivity of the receiver, decreasing it near the surface and gradually increasing it as the depth increases. The maximum depth that SCC will affect is 75% of the selected depth range. For example, on a 0-60 foot range with maximum SCC, surface clutter will be reduced down to about 45 feet. There are three levels of SCC available on the X-70A 3D: low, medium, and high. When its turned on for the first time, the SCC level is low. To change it, press the MENU key three times, then press the key adjacent to the SCC label until the check mark is on the desired SCC level. Press the CLR key when youre finished. ASP (Advanced Signal Processing) The ASP feature is a noise rejection system built into the X-70A 3D that constantly evaluates the effects of boat speed, water conditions, and interference. This automatic feature gives you the best display possible under most conditions. The ASP feature is an effective tool in combating noise. In sonar terms, noise is any undesired signal. It is caused by electrical and mechanical sources such as bilge pumps, engine ignition systems and wiring, 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.

The ASP feature has two levels - Low and High. If you have high noise levels, try using the High ASP setting. However, if you are having trouble with noise, we suggest that you take steps to find the interference source and fix it, rather than continually using the unit with the high ASP setting. However, there are times when you may want to turn the ASP feature off. This allows you to view all incoming echoes before they are processed by the ASP feature. To change the ASP level, press the MENU key three times. Then press the key next to the ASP label until the desired level is obtained. Press the CLR key to exit this menu. FISHTRACK When the X-70A 3D is in the 2D or 3D modes and the Fish ID feature is on, the depth of the fish symbols can easily be determined using the FishTrack feature. This places the depth above the fish symbol as it appears on the screen. It is normally on when the unit is turned on. To turn the FishTrack feature off, press the MENU key two FISHTRACK ON times. Now press the key next to the FishTrack label. This moves the check mark from the ON box to the OFF box. To turn it on again, repeat the above steps. TEMPERATURE GRAPH ADJUSTMENT The temperature graph that appears beneath the digital surface water temperature display has a range from 5 degrees higher than the current temperature to 5 degrees lower than the current temperature, for a total of ten degrees. This range can be changed from ten to two or four degree. To change the temperature graph range, press the MENU key three times, then press the key next to the "Temperature Graph" label until the check
mark is on the desired range. Press the CLR key to exit the menu. RESET DISTANCE LOG The X-70A 3D can display the log (distance travelled) in the digital block if the optional speed/temperature sensor is installed. This feature starts counting distance as soon as the unit is turned on. To reset the distance log to zero, press the MENU key three times, then press the key adjacent to the Reset Distance Log label. Press the CLR key to return to the sonar display. MENU - PAGE 4 3D ENHANCE Although the X-70A 3D has four transducer elements, the display shows an enhanced grid that adds points to the grid. See the difference between the two screens shown below. To remove the extra lines and view only the depth grid from the four elements, first press the MENU key four times. Now press the key next to the 3D Enhance label. The extra lines are erased from the display. To turn the enhanced display on, simply repeat the above steps.

3D SCREEN ENHANCED

3D SCREEN NOT ENHANCED
3D SIMULATOR The X-70A 3D has a built-in simulator for the 3D display. When this simulator is turned on, a realistic 3D view scrolls across the screen. The digital depth display shows the simulated bottom depth, and fish symbols appear on the display. IMPORTANT! Do not use the simulator when navigating! To turn the 3D simulator on, press the MENU key four times. Now press the key next to the 3D Simulator label to move the check mark from the OFF box to the ON box. If you return to the 3D screen, the simulator will be in operation. To turn the 3D simulator off, press the MENU key four times. Now press the key next to the 3D Simulator label to move the check mark from the ON box to the OFF box. If you return to the 3D screen, the simulator will be off. 3D DISTANCE MARKERS The X-70A 3D displays markers on the screen, showing the approximate distance echoes are behind the boat. (This requires an optional speed/temperature sensor.) When the unit is turned on, the markers are automatically displayed if the speed/temp sensor is plugged in. If you wish to turn the markers off, press the MENU key four times, then press the key next to the "3D Distance Markers until the check mark moves to the "OFF" box. Press the CLR key to exit.

TROUBLESHOOTING

If your unit is not working, or if you need technical help, please use the following troubleshooting section before contacting the factory customer service department. It may save you the trouble of returning your unit. Unit wont turn on: 1. Check the power cables connection at the unit. Also check the wiring. 2. Make certain the power cable is wired properly. The red wire connects to the positive battery terminal, black to negative or ground. 3. Check the fuse. 4. Measure the battery voltage at the units power connector. It should be at least 11 volts. If it isnt, the wiring to the unit is defective, the battery terminals or wiring on the terminals are corroded, or the battery needs charging. Unit freezes, locks up, or operates erratically: 1. Electrical noise from the boats motor, trolling motor, or an accessory may be interfering with the sonar unit. Rerouting the power and transducer cables away from other electrical wiring on the boat may help. Route the sonar units power cable directly to the battery instead of through a fuse block or ignition switch 2. Inspect the transducer cable for breaks, cuts, or pinched wires. 3. Check both the transducer and power connectors. Make certain both are securely plugged in to the unit. Weak bottom echo, digital readings erratic, or no fish signals: 1. Make certain transducer is pointing straight down. Clean the face of the transducer. Oil, dirt, and fuel can cause a film to form on the transducer, reducing its effectiveness. 2. Electrical noise from the boats motor can interfere with the sonar. This causes the sonar to automatically increase its Discrimination or noise rejection feature. This can cause the unit to eliminate weaker signals such as fish or even structure from the display. 3. The water may be deeper than the sonars ability to find the bottom. If the sonar cant find the bottom signal while its in the automatic mode, the digital will flash continuously. It may change the range to limits far greater than the water you are in. If this happens, place the unit in the

manual mode, then change the range to a realistic one, (for example, 0-100 feet) and increase the sensitivity. As you move into shallower water, a bottom signal should appear. 4. Check the battery voltage. If the voltage drops, the units transmitter power also drops, reducing its ability to find the bottom or targets. Bottom echo disappears at high speeds or erratic digital reading or weak bottom echo while boat is moving 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 at all boat speeds. Air bubbles in the water disrupt the sonar signals, interfering with its ability to find the bottom or other targets. The technical term for this is Cavitation. 2. Electrical noise from the boats motor can interfere with the sonar. This causes the sonar to automatically increase its Discrimination or noise rejection feature. This can cause the unit to eliminate weaker signals such as fish or even structure from the display. Try using resistor spark plugs or routing the sonar units power and transducer cables away from other electrical wiring on the boat. No fish arches when the Fish ID feature is off: 1. Make certain transducer is pointing straight down. This is the most common problem if a partial arch is displayed. 2. The sensitivity may not be high enough. In order for the unit to display a fish arch, it has to be able to receive the fishs echo from the time it enters 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. 3. Use the Zoom feature. It is much easier to display fish arches when zoomed in on a small range of water than 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. This enlarges the targets, allowing the display 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 straight horizontal lines.
NOISE A major cause of sonar problems is electrical noise. This usually appears on the sonars display as random patterns of dots or lines. In severe cases, it can completely cover the screen with black dots, or cause the unit operate erratically, or not at all. To eliminate or minimize the effects of electrical noise, first try to determine the cause. With the boat at rest in the water, the first thing you should do is turn all electrical equipment on the boat off. Make certain the engine is off, also. Turn your X-70A 3D on, then turn off ASP (Advanced Signal Processing). There should be a steady bottom signal on the display. Now turn on each piece of electrical equipment on the boat and view the effect on the sonars display. For example, turn on the bilge pump and view the sonar display for noise. If no noise is present, turn the pump off, then turn on the VHF radio and transmit. Keep doing this until all electrical equipment has been turned on, their effect on the sonar display noted, then turned off. If you find noise interference from an electrical instrument, trolling motor, pump, or radio, try to isolate the problem. You can usually reroute the sonar units power cable and transducer cable away from the wiring that is causing the interference. VHF radio antenna cables radiate noise when transmitting, so be certain to keep the sonars wires away from it. You may need to route the sonar units power cable directly to the battery to isolate it from other wiring on the boat. If no noise displays on the sonar unit from electrical equipment, then make certain everything except the sonar unit is turned off, then start the engine. Increase the RPM with the gearshift in neutral. If noise appears on the display, the problem could be one of three things; spark plugs, alternator, or tachometer wiring. Try using resistor spark plugs, alternator filters, or routing the sonar units power cable away from engine wiring. Again, routing the power cable directly to the battery helps eliminate noise problems. Make certain to use the in-line fuse supplied with the unit when wiring the power cable to the battery. When no noise appears on the sonar unit after all of the above tests, then the noise source is probably cavitation. Many novices or persons with limited experience make hasty sonar installations which function perfectly in shallow water, or when the boat is at rest. In nearly all cases, the cause of the malfunction will be the location and/or angle of the transducer. The face of the transducer must be placed in a location that has a smooth flow of water at all boat speeds.

LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS

12000 E. SKELLY DRIVE TULSA, OK 74128

(800) 324-1356

Lowrance's UPS Return Service
Lowrance Electronics and United Parcel Service (UPS) are proud to offer all of our customers free shipping for all units sent to us for repair or service. If you have to send this unit to the factory, and you are in the continental United States, use the enclosed UPS shipping label for easy, free shipping to our factory customer service department. There are six easy steps: 1.Call Lowrance at the toll-free number on the front of this flyer for a Return Authorization (RA) number and instructions about what accessories to return. Do not return a product to the factory without a Return Authorization (RA) Number! 2.Pack your unit and any accessories in the original shipping container, if possible. Be sure to include proof of purchase for warranty verification! 3. Write a brief note detailing the problem you're having with the unit. Please include your name, address, and daytime telephone number. 4. Please include payment for non-warranty repairs. Check, money order, Visa, or MasterCard may be used. 5.Fill in your name, address, zip code, date, and RA number in the blanks provided on the UPS form included with your unit. 6.Attach the label to the shipping box, tear off the tab for your 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 at no charge to you. Units under warranty will be returned to you at no charge.
Lowrance will pay UPS surface shipping charges both to and from the factory for this unit in the event it needs repair. Your unit is insured against loss or shipping damage when you use the enclosed UPS label.

KEEP THIS LABEL!

YOU WILL NEED IT IF YOU EVER NEED TO RETURN YOUR UNIT TO THE FACTORY FOR REPAIR.
This UPS shipping offer is good only in the continental United States (excludes Alaska and Hawaii).
Lowrance Electronics may find it necessary to change or end our shipping policies, regulations, and special offers at any time. We reserve the right to do so without notice.
Accessory Ordering Information
To order accessories such as power cables or transducers, please contact:
1) Your local marine dealer. Most quality dealers that handle marine electronic equipment should be able to assist you with these items. Consult your local telephone directory for listings. 2) LEI Extras, Inc. P.O. Box 129 Catoosa, OK 74015-0129 or call 800-324-0045 (USA orders only.)

We backyour investment in quality products withquick, expertserviceand and genuine Lowrancereplacement parts. If you're in the United States Customer Service Departyouhavequestions, please contacttheFactory ment using ourtoll-free number listed below. You must send the unittothe before factory for warranty service or repair. Please call the factory unit's serial number. Use the sending the unit. You will be asked for your
following toll-free number:
How to Obtain Service (U.S.AE Only)

800-324-1356

Your unitis covered by a full one-year warranty.(Seeinside for complete the warrantydetails.) If your unit fails and the failure is not coveredby that covers your original warranty, Lowrance hasa flat-raterepairpolicy and accessories packed with the unit at the factory. There is a 180unit whichissimilar daywarranty on all non-warranty repairs from the factory, butisfor 180daysratherthanoneyear. Forfurther to theoriginal warranty, details,please call us at the above number.
flatRemember, non-warranty repairs are subjectto Lowrance's published
ratecharges and 180-daywarranty.
when sending a product forrepair, we recommend you do the following: and filler material the product was packed in 1. Alwaysusethe original shipping container whenshippingyourproduct.

Shipping Information

2 Always insure the parcel against damage orloss during shipment. Lowrance does not
assume responsibilityforgoods lost crdamaged intransit.
3. For proper testing, repair, andservice, sendabrief notewith Theproduct describing the
problern.BesuretOincludeyOurnama. returnshippingaddress, andadaytimetelephofle
Lowrance Electronics may find it necessary to change or end our shipping policies, withoutnotice. regulations, and special offers at anytime.We reserve the right to do so
Accessory Ordering Information
Toorderaccessoriessuchas power cables or transducers, pleasecontact:
handle marine 1) Your local marine dealer. Most quality dealers that should be able to assist you with these items. electronic equipment Consult your local telephone directoryfor listings.
INSTALLATION AND OPERATION INSTRUCTIONS
2) LEt Extras, Inc. P.O. LITHO IN U.S.A.

968-0133-16

INC. I LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS,E. SKELLY DR., TULSA, OK
PDF compression, OCR, web-optimization with CVISION's PdfCompressor
NOTES: TOOLSYOUWILL NEED: TRANSOMMOUNT TRANSDUCER INSTALLATION: Hand-held Drill with a varietyof small bits Four stainless steel screws (to attach X-70As bracket to the dash.) Marine gradecaulking compound (to seal transducer mountingscrews) SHOOT-THRU-Ij(JLLMOUNT: 100 grit sandpaper One packageof theeither of the following epoxies: Power Poxy, 1 oz package. Made by: Power Pox? Adhesives, Inc. or True Valuebrand TRUE BOND epoxyor PLASTIC WELDERTM epoxy sold by True Valuestoresor Devconbrand PLASTIC WELDERTM epoxy.

NOTICE!

The storagetemperature for yourunitis from-4 degrees to+167 degrees Fahrenheit(-20 degrees to +75 degrees Celcius). Extended storagein temperatures higheror lowerthan specified will damagethe liquid crystal displayin your unit. This typeof damage is not covered by the warranty. Formoreinformation, contactthefactory's CustomerService Department or your local servicecenter.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

How to Obtain Service
We backyour investment in quality products with quick, expert service and genuine Lowrance replacement parts. If you need service or repairs, contact the Lowrance Factory Customer Service Department atthe toll-free numberlistedbelow. Atechnician unit. may beableto solve the problem and saveyouthe inconvenience of returning your You will be asked for your unit's serial number.
(Canadian Customers Only)

800-347-1014

Canada Only. Monday through Friday 8:00 AM. -8:00 P.M. Central Time.
(International Customers Only)
If you needservice or repairs, contact the dealer in the countryyou purchased your unit.
WARRANTY REPAIR WILL BE HONORED ONLY IN THECOUNTRY UNIT WAS PURCHASED.
INTRODUCTION MOUNTING POWER CONNECTIONS TRANSDUCER KEYBOARD BASICS DISPLAY MENUS HELP WINDOWS VIEWING WINDOWS OPTIONS MODIFYING GROUPS RESETTING ALL GROUPS SONAROPERATION AUTOMATIC SENSITIVITY RANGE ZOOM-AutomaticOperation ZOOM-Manualoperation MENU - PAGE CHARTSPEED GRAYLINE FISH 1.0 FISHTRACKTM DISPLAY CONTRAST

MENU-PAGE2

ADJUST BACK LIGHT LEVEL BACKLIGHTON/OFF SPEAKERVOLUME TURNDIGITAL BOXOFF CONSTRUCT DIGITAL BOX
Pleasefollowthe shipping instructions shown below on thispageif you have tomailyour unittothe dealer. Forpropertesting, repair, and service, sendabriefnotewiththeproduct and a describing the problem. Be sure to include your name, retumshipping address, daytimetelephone number.

MENU-PAGES

DISPLAY ZOOM BAR DISPLAY ZONEBAR DIGITAL SONAR DEPThUNES CHARTCURSOR
When sendinga product for repair, please do the following: 1. Alwaysuse the original shipping container andfiller material the productwas packed in when shipping your product.

MENU-PAGE4

FASTRAK SELECT UNITS OF MEASURE CLEAR DISTANCE LOG

SI 32 32

2 Alwaysinsurethe parcel against damage orlossduringshipment. Lowrance doesnot
assumeresponsiblity for goods lostor damaged in transit.
MENU-PAGE5 ADJUSTCHARTSURFACE CLARITY
ADVANCED SIGNAL PROCESSING (ASP)
3. Forpropertesting, repair, and service, send abrief note Withthe product describing the a problem. Be sure to include your name, return shipping address, and daytime

telephone number.

SYSTEM INFORMATION TRANSDUCERS ANDCONEANGLES FISHARCHES SONARTROUBLESHOOTING WINDOWSSUMMARY
WARRANTY MISSING PARTS INTERNATIONAL SERVICE INFORMATION
To orderaccessories such as power cables or transducers, please contact:
1. Your local marine dealer. Most quality dealers that handle marine electronic equipment should beable to assist youwiththeseitems. Consult yourlocaltelephone directory for listings. 2. Canadian customers only can write: Lowrance/Eagle Canada, 919 Matheson Blvd., F. Mississauga, Ontario L4W2R7 or ax 416-629-3118
Copyrighte 1994 Lowrance Electronics

All rights reserved.

All featuresand specifications subjectto Changewithoutnotice.
All screens in this manual are simulated.

INTRODUCTION

The X-70A is a highquality,wide screen sonarwith performance that is secondtonone in itsclass.Using menu features and"soft-key'operation, theX-70Aisalsoone ofthe easiest-to-use sonars that Lowrance hasever built.Thewide "ClearVision" screen shows the underwaterworld with high resolution and detail.The display and keyboard are also lightedfornight operation. The X-70A also has digital depth, boat speed, surfacewater temperature,and distance travelled (log) displays (requires an optional ST-T speed/temperature sensor). Readthis manual andtakeitwithyouthe firstfewtimesyouuseyour unit. It makes a great reference if you need it. MOUNTING- Bracket Mount The X-70A can be mounted on it's gimbal bracket or in-dash mounted. BracketsaresuppliedforbothcOnfigurations, however ifthedashisthicker than 1/2", a special bracket will have to be purchased to mounttheunit in the dash. You can install the X-70A on its bracket in any convenient location,providedthere isclearance behind theunitwhenit istiltedforthe bestviewingangle. Holes inthe bracketbase allowwood screworthroughbolt mounting. You may need to place a piece ofplywood on theback of thinfiberglasspanelsto securethe mounting hardware. Make certain there is enoughroom behind the unittoattach thepowerand transducercables.

Please check the items in the box against this list. You should have all of the itemsshown on this page. If you are missing any ofthe items, please call our special toll-freenumber

1-800-324-1353

A RECORDED MESSAGE will request the following information. Pleasehave it readybefore you call.
2. The part that's missing. 3. The model, serial number, and DATE AND PLACE OF PURCHASE OF
I. Your name, shipping address, andtelephone number.
4. The besttime of day to call you if we have questions.
Provided that all of the requested information is recorded and approved by our CustomerServiceDepartment, the missing item(s) will be shipped directlyto you free of charge.

GIMBAL KNOB

DISPLAY UNIT

OWRANCE]

RUBBER WASHER

GIMBAL BRACKET

BREAK OUTSLOT
Youwill need to drill aholeinthedashforthe powerand transducercables. The smallest holethat will passonepowerortransducerplug is one inch. Afterthe holeis drilled, passthetransducerconnector upthrough the hole first,then passthepower cable down through it. Afterthecableshave been routed, fill the hole with a good marinesealing Offset the bracket to coverthe hole. Route the power cable compound: throughtheslotand breakoutone of the otherslots in the bracketforthe transducercable.

TRANSDUCER, BRACKET,

POWER CABLE
HARDWARE (TRANSDUCER NOT SOLD WITHALL X-70A'S)

FUSE FUSE

Notes:
INDASH MOUNTING The X-70A can be installed in the dashwith thesuppliedhardware ifthe dashis 1/2' thick or less. Determining the dash thicknesscan be difficult, however, if you remove a gaugefrom the dash, youcan easilly measure the thickness. Trythis in an areathat'sclose to the location that you wish to installthe unit, since the thickness canvarysignificantlyin someboats. Make certain there is clearance behind the dashforthe unit and there is enough roomto tighten the boltson both sides of the unit.

7,o25"

DASHCUTOUT

.400" radius

(4 places)
Onceyou'vedetermined thelocation for the unit, cuttheholeaccording to thedrawing shown above. Measure carefullybefore cuttinglAfter cuffing the dash, placethe gasket supplied with theX-70A aroundthe unitand place the unitin thehole. SuppliedwiththeX-70Aarerubber pads bolts, washers, andcamclamps to attachthe X-70Atothe dash. Peeltheadhesivebackingofftherubber cam pads andplaceone oneachside oftheX-70Ainthe location wherethe backside of thedash.Usingthehardware supplied clampwill touchthe camclamp withtheunit,attachtheX-7OAtothe dash. Make certainthatthe unitis pointing downand thecamclampontheright on theleftside ofthe side of theunit is pointing up before you start tightening the bolts.
RUBBER PAD RUBBER PAD BOLT

CAM CLAMP

(TURNED DOWN)

CAM cLAMP

(TURNED UP)
POWERCONNECTIONS The X-70Aworksfrom a twelve-volt battery system. For the best results, attach the power cable directly to the battery. You can attach thepower cable to an accessoryor power buss, however you may haveproblems with electrical interference. Therefore, it's safertogo aheadand attach the power cabledirectlyto the battery. If the cable is not long enough, splice #18 gaugewireonto it. Thepowercable hastwowires, red and black. Red isthepositive lead, blackis negativeorground. Make certain to attach the in-linefuseholdertothered leadas closeto thepowersourceas possible. For example, ifyouhavetoextend thepowercabletothebatteryorpower buss,attachoneend ofthefuseholderdirectlytothe batteryorpowerbuss. This will protectboth theunitand the power cablein theeventof ashort. The X-70A uses a 3-ampfuse. Do notusethis productwithouta 3-amp fusewired intothepowercable! Failureto use a 3-ampfuse will void your warranty. If you'reinstallingan optional speed/temperature sensor, ead the speed/ temperature sensor's installation manualformounting instructions. Route the sensor'scable theX-70A's powercable andplugitintotheconnector to marked"SPEED/TEMP CABLE'

IMPORTANT!

OPTIONAL SPEED! TEMP SENSOR

X-70A POWER CONNECTIONS

LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS FULL ONE-YEAR WARRANTY
"e", "ou(, or "us" refersto LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS, INC., the manufacturer of this this product asa consumer referstothe first who
person product. "You" or"your' item for personal, family,or household use. purchases
TRANSDUCER Some X-70A's are sold with a HS-WS transommounttransducer. It can be installed on any outboard or stern-drive (inboard\outboard) powered boat. It can also be permanently installed inside the boat to "shootthrough"the hull on some fiberglass boats.
Wewarrantthisproduct against defects or malfunctions inmaterials andworkmanship, and againstfailuretoconforn1tothisproduct'sWritten5Pecification5,af0roneYeil)fromt date of original purchase by you. WE MAKE NO OTHER EXPRESS WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION OF ANY KIND WHATSOEVER CONCERNING THIS PRODUCT. Yourremedies under thiswarranty will beavailable solong as youcanshowin areasonable mannerthat anydefector malfunction in materials orworkmanship, or any non-conformity with the product's written specifications, occurred withinone year from the date of your orsalesslip. Any original purchase, whichmust be substantiated by a dated salesreceipt from your original suchdefect, malfunction, ornon-conformity which occurs within oneyear a new product purchasedate will either be repaired without charge or be replaced with identicalorreasOnablyequiValenttOthi5Pr0duct,at0ur0Pti0n,withirea50naetimeer our receipt of the product. If suchdefect, malfunction, or non-conformity remains after a reasonable number of attempts to repair by us, you may electto obtain withoutcharge a OR replacement ofthe productora refund fortheproduct. THIS REPAIR, REPLACEMENT, REFUND(AS JUST DESCRIBED) IS THE EXCLUSIVE REMEDY AVAILABLE TO YOU AGAINSTUS FORANY DEFECT, MALFUNCTION, OR NON-CONFORMITY CONCERNINCTHE PRODUCT OR FORANYLOSS OR DAMAGE RESULTING FROM ANY OTHER CAUSE WHATSOEVER. WE WILLNOTUNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES BE LIABLE TO ANYONE FOR ANY SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR OTHER INDIRECT DAMAGE OF ANY KIND.

The "kick-up"mounting bracket helps preventdamageif thetransducer strikes an objectwhilethe boat is moving. If the transducerdoes "kicktools. up", the bracket can easily be pushed back in place without
If your unit came with a transducer, read this section carefully before
attempting the installation. Determine which of the mounting positions is inside right for your boat. Use extreme care if mounting the transducer the transducer usually the hull, since once it is epoxied into position, cannot be removed. Remember, the transducer location is the most criticalpart ofa sonar installation. If it isn't done properly, the sonar can't perform at it's designed potential.
so the above limitations or exclusions may not apply to you.
This warrantydoes NOTapply in the following circumstances: (1) when the product has been serviced or repaired by anyone other than us, (2) when the product has been connected, installed, combined, altered, adjusted, or handled in a manner other than has according to the instructions furnished with the product, (3) when any serial number or(4) when any defect, problem, loss, or damage has beeneffaced, altered, or removed, resulted from any accident, misuse, negligence, or carelessness, or from any failure to with the instructions ofthe providereasonable and necessary maintenance inaccordance owner's manual for the product. We reserve the right to makechanges or improvements in our products from time to time withoutincurring the obligation to install such improvements or changes on equipment or items previously manufactured: Thiswarrantygives you specific legalrights and you mayalso have other rightswhichmay vary from state to state.
REMINDER: Youmust retainthe salesslip orsalesreceipt provingthe date ofyouroriginal purchase in casewarrantyservice is ever required.
Location - General 1. The transducer must be placed in a location that hasa smooth flow of water at all times. If the transducer is to be mounted insidethe hull, then the chosen location must be in the water at all times. If the transduceris not placed in a smooth flow of water, interference will show on the sonar's display in the form of random lines or dots whenever the boat is moving.
2. The transducer should be installed with it's face pointing straight down, if possible.
3. If the transduceris mounted on the transom,make certain it doesn't interfere with the trailer or hauling of the boat. Also, don't mount it closerthan approximately one foot from the engine'slower unit. This will prevent cavitation interference with the propeller. Typically, the transducershould be mounted as deep in the water as possible. This increases the chance that it will be in the water in high speed and reduces the possiblity of air bubble interference.

4. If possible, route the transducer cable away from otherwiring on the boat. Electrical noise from engine wiring, bilge pumps, and areators can be displayed on the sonar's screen. Use caution when routing the transducer cable around these wires.

LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS

12000 E. SKELLY DRIVE TULSA, OK 74128

(800) 324-1358

Shoot-thru-hull Transom Mounting v.5.
Typically1 shoot-thru-hull installations give excellent high speed operation and good to excellent depth capability. There is no possibility of damagefrom floating objects. It can't be knockedoff when docking or loading on thetrailer.

_______

liwnr.n 100
However,theshoot-thru-hull installation does haveits drawbacks. One, some loss of sensitivitydoes occur, even on the best hulls. This varies from hull to hull, even from different installations on the same hull. This is caused by differences in hull layup and construction. Two, the angle of thetransducercannot be adjusted for the best fish arches. This can be a problemon some hulls that sit with the bow high when at rest or at slow trolling speeds. Follow the procedure listed in the shoot-thru-hull installation section in this manual to determine if you can satisfactorily shoot through the hull.
TRANSOM MOUNT- Assembly 1. First attach the mounting bracket's halves togetheras shown below. Next, slide the rubber pad into the space between the two slots. This pad keepstension on thebracket's latch, preventing it from opening at a low speed. Don't closethe bracket at this timel.

,' "0"

GROUP "F"

__________

"E"

I 8.6k' 15.01 r

'EiIwsu'rnau1

n,k!.th.

SUALLOU ALABH

ALARM OFT 6

GROUP "G"

,rnfl,ullii

RflIfl1NISt]

0 isn. ' 14.4 100

GROUP "H"

pIvpets.

Ic I-,'

GROUP "I"

RUBBER PAD
display, the problem couldbeoneofthreethings; sparkplugs, alternator, ortachometerwiring. Try using resistor sparkplugs, alternatorfilters,or routing the sonar unit's power cable away from engine wiring. Again, routing the power cable directlyto the battery helps eliminate noise problems. Make certain to use the in-line fusesupplied with the unitwhen wiringthepowercableto the battery. When no noise appears onthe sonar unitafterall of the above tests,then the noise source is probably cavitation. Many novices or personswith limited experience make hastysonarinstallationswhich function perfectly in shallowwater, orwhenthe boatis at rest. In nearly all cases, thecause ofthemalfunction will bethe location and/or angle of the transducer. The faceofthetransducer mustbe placed in a location that hasasmooth flow ofwaterat all boat speeds. Read your transducer owner's manual forthe best mounting position.

or MarinetexlM.

5. Adjust thetransducer and bracket so that the frontof thetransducer is slightly lower than the back. See the section on fish arches in this manual for proper transducer angles. Tighten all screws. (CAUTION; Don't overtighten the bolt that holds the transducer to the bracket. Overtightening the bolt mayresult in a distortedbracketwhich will allow the transducerto "kick-up" at high speed.) Snap thetransducerbracket together by pressing the outer bracket (the one with the transducer attached) againstthe one screwed to the transom.
Clamp the transducer cable to the transom close to the transducer. This will preventthetransducer from entering theboat if it is knocked IMPORTANTl
2. Electrical noise fromthe boat's motorcan interferewith thesonar. This causesthesonar to automatically increase its Discrimination or noise rejection feature. This can cause the unitto eliminate weaker signals such as fish or evenstructure from thedisplay.
3. The water may be deeper than the sonar's ability to find the bottom. If thesonar can'tfind the bottom signal while it's in the automatic mode, thedigitalwill flash continuously. It maychange the range to limits far greaterthan the wateryou are in. If this happens, placethe unit in the manual mode, then changethe range to a realistic one, (for example, 0100feet)and increasethe sensitivity. Asyoumove intoshallowerwater, a bottomsignal should appear. 4. Check the battery voltage. If the voltage drops, the unit's transmitter poweralso drops, reducing its abilityto find thebottomor targets. Bottom echo disappearsat high speeds or erratic digitalreading or weak bottomechowhile boat is moving: 1. The transducer may be in turbulent water. It must be mounted in a smooth flow ofwaterin orderforthesonartowork at allboatspeeds. Air bubbles inthe waterdisrupt the sonar signals, interfering with its ability to find the bottom or other targets. The technical term for this is

Cavitation.

off at high speed.

FLAT-BOTTOM HULL

DEEP-"vEE" HULL
2. Electrical noisefromtheboat's motor caninterfere with thesonar.This causesthe sonar to automatically increase its Discrimination or noise rejection feature. This can causethe unit to eliminateweaker signals suchas fishor evenstructure from the display. Try using resistor spark plugsorrouting thesonar unit'spower andtransducercables awayfrom other electrical wiring on the boat. No fish arches when the Fish ID feature is off: 1. Make certain transducer is pointing straight down. This is the most commonproblem ifapartial arch isdisplayed. SeetheFishArchsection in your owner's manual for more information.
NOTE: Some aluminum boats with 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 thehull as possible pn theseboats. (Seebelow) Thiswill placetheface of the transducerbelow the turbulent water, allowingthe sonar unit to work at high speeds.

6. Route the transducer cableto the sonar unit. Keep the transducer cable away from other wiring on the boat, if possible. Electrical noise
from engine wiring or bilge pumps can be picked up on the transducercable. Thiscan show up as unwanted interference on the sonar display.
7. Make a test run to determine the results. If there is interference on the display when running the boat at high speed, try lowering the transducer'sbracket as shown at right.
SHOOT-THRU-HULL INSTALLATION
The transducerinstallation 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 transducerinstallation can be made on hulls with flotation materials (such as plywood, balsa wood, or foam) between layers of fiberglass if 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 layer of fiberglass. Removing the inner layer of fiberglassand the balsawoodcore exposes the outer layerof fiberglass. The transducercan then be epoxied directlyto the outer layer of fiberglass. After the epoxycures, the hull is watertight and structurally sound. Remember, the sonar signal must passthrough solidfiberglass. Any air bubbles in the fiberglassor the epoxy will reduce or eliminate the sonar

signals.

etc., the sensitivity sometimes cannot be increased enoughto get fish

arches.

Oneof the bestwaysto get fish arches is toexpand or "zoom"asegment ofthewater.For example, using the 2Xor4Xzoomfeature. The smaller the segment, the betterthe screen resolution will be. The zoom feature expandsthe echoes, making iteasierto seedetail. Forthebestresults,turn thesensitivityupas high as possiblewithoutgetting toomuchnoise on the screen. In medium to deep water, this method should work to display fish
If you see fish signals when the unitis in the manual mode, but don't get fish symbols whentheFish I.D. feature ison, try increasing the sensitivity.
To choosetheproperlocation for thru-hull mounting, anchorthe boat in 60 feet of water. Add a little waterto the sump of the boat. Plug the transducer intothe sonar unit, turn it on, then hold thetransducer over

TROUBLESHOOTING

If your unit is not working, or if you need technical help, please usethe followingtroubleshooting sectionbefore contacting the factorycustomer servicedepartment. It may save you the troubleof returning your unit.

will showa Very small fish probablywill not arch at all. Medium sized fish orashape similartoan arch ifthey'reindeepwater.Largefish partial arch, will arch, but turn the sensitivity up in deeper water to see the arch. Because of waterconditions, suchas heavysurf aceclutter, thermoclines,
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 ofthehull mustbeflat so the entire transducerface is in contact with the hull priorto bonding.

SPREAD

SANDTHIS SURFACE
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. Failure (NOTElUse onlythe epoxies specified on page 1 of this manual! sonar performance!) to use one of these epoxies may result in poor Apply a small amounton the face of the transduceras shown above, then spread a small amount onto thesanded area on thehull. Place the transducerintotheepoxy, twisting and turningitto force any air bubbles out from underthe transducer face. The face of the transducershould be parallel with the hull, with a minimum amountof epoxy between the hull and transducer. Afterthe epoxydries, routethe cable to the X-70A.

TRANSDUCER CONE ANGLES

LOWRANCE
The Soundwavesfrom the transducer spread outintothewaterin a cone shaped beam. This looks much likethe beam from aflashlight. Theangle between theoutsideedges ofthe coheisthe cone angle.
Lowrance offers achoiceoftransducerswith eitheran8 or2O degreecone angle. Thetransducersupplied withtheX-70Ahasa20degreecone angle. Typically, wideconeangletransducers (20 degrees) are idealforoperating in shallowto medium water depths. The20 degree coneangle allowsyou to seemore ofthe underwaterworld. In 15feet ofwaterthe2odegreecone coversan areaabout sixfeetacross. The 8 degreetransducercovers only about atwofoot circle.

C C C C C

"*lDOW5

i.1E'UJ

flANGE
The 20 degree transducer is almostalwaysthe bestto usein fresh water, the8 degree mostly in salt water. In a deep waterenvironment, (300feet -freshwater,1OOfeet - saltwater) thenarrowcone angleismore desirable. Sincethe soundenergyis concentrated ina smaller area,itcanpenetrate to muchdeeperdepths. Both8 degreeand20 degree transducers giveaccuratebottom readings, eventhoughthebottom signal is much wideronthe20 degree model. This is because you are seeing moreof the bottom. Remember, the shallow

setting.

there are timeswhen you maywantto turntheASP featureoff. However, Thisallowsyoutoview all incoming echoes before theyare processed by the ASP feature. To changethe ASPlevel, press the MENU key, then press the key nextto the "More" labeluntil thefifthmenu page appears. Thenpressthe keynext to the"Levelof ASP"labeluntil the desired level is obtained. SYSTEMINFORMATION The System Information menu givesyou thedate and revision numberof thesoftware used in the X-70A. To viewthis menu, presstheMenu key, then press thekey nexttothe "More label until the fifth menu page appears. Now press the key next

SYSTEM JMFOEIIATJON

LOURANCE ELECTRONICS

COPYRJGHT 1993

to the "System Information" label.A screen similarto the one

CODE VERSION

t13.6A
Whenthe X-70Aisfirst turned
on,thedisplaywill appearsimilarto the one at left. The word "AUTOMATIC"inthe upperleft cornerofthe display indicates the automatic feature is on. Thedigitalbottomdepth isalso displayedin this box.
atrightappears.Toreturntothe sonarscreen, pressthekey next to the "Exit" label.
I heX-70Ausesmenus extensivelytoguideyouthroughthe functionsand features of the unit. The menu key accesses many of thesefeatures, allowthe ingyoutocustomize unitto your particularneeds and water conditions. Although you may have to leaveone menu and enteranothertoreach the desired function,all you have to do is pressthekey nextto the "More" labeltoselectthe nextmenu. To return to the sonar screen, simplypress the key nexttothe "Exit"labelor presstheCLR key.
HELP An extremely useful featureincorporated intothe X-70Aseriesis the Help menus. Virtuallyeveryfeaturehasahelpmenu labelthat, whenpressed, givesone or more pagesof text describing how to usethat feature. For example, pressing the AUTO key brings up a menu lettingyouswitchthe unit into or outof theautomatic mode A help label also appearson the screen. Pressing the key adjacentto helplabel gives you a description the of how automatic worksand how it affects different functions.

MENU-PAGE 4 To modify or "customize" a group, first press the WINDOWS key, then press the MENUkey. Nowpress the key adjacentto the "MAIN MENU" labelatthe bottomofthe screen. The screen shown at right appears.
Nowpressthe key adjacent to "RE-PROGRAM A GROUP" label. The screen shown belowappears.
FASTRAK This feature converts all echoesto short horizontal lines on the display'sfar right side. The graphcontinuesto operatenormally. FASTRAKgives you a rapid update of conditions directly under the boat. This makesit useful for ice fishing, or when you're fishing at anchor. Since the unitis notmoving, fish signals are long, drawn out lines on a normal chart display. FASTRAKconverts the graph to a verticalbar graphthat, with practice, makesa useful addition to fishing at a stationary location. To turn FASTRAK on, press theMENU key, then press the key next to the "More" label
until the fourth menu page appears. Nowpress the key adjacenttothe'Turn Chart Fastrak On" label. To turn it off, repeat the same steps. The 'TURN FASTRAK OFF" label appears on this page when Fastrak is on.
Select the letter of the group youwishtocustomize by pressing the key adjacent 1to the group's label. If the label isn't shown on this page, press the key adjacent to the "MORE' label. In this example, the key next to the "GROUPA" label was pressed. The screen shown at the top of the next

page appears.

.:g:-L-
____________________________
DIGITALSONAR When the X-70A is turned on forthefirsttime,thedigital depth displayis located atthetop left corner of the screen. This display comes from a separate It digitalsonarbuiltintotheunit. bottom depth. displaysonlythe If it loses the bottom, the last known depth will flash on the display. When the digital finds
the bottom, it will automatically
displaythe bottomdepthagain.The digital sonarcanbeturnedoff, however thisalsoturns allautomatic featuresoff also, such as auto sensitivity, auto ranging, and the Fish I.D. feature.
The depth windowappears in the upper right corner of the screen. Pressthe keyadjacent to the "NEXT WINDOW" label to movethrough thewindows. Ifyou reach the lastwindow,or if you wish to go backwards pressthe throughthewindows, key next to the "PREV WINDOW" label. Whenthe desired windowison the screen, press the key nextto the"USE WINThe screen clears, placingthe new windowin the upperleft DOW" label. cornerof the screen. If the new windowtakes up halfthescreen, the unit will place it on the leftside of thescreen. Continuewith the window selections until the screen isfilled.The unitwill stay inthewindows mode using your newcustomized screen. Ifyou don't want to fill a screen and only use one, two, or three windowsin a group, simply press thekey adjacent to the "STOP" label. Thissavesthe group and exits the modify windows mode. Remember,you can always return to thefull screen sonarmode by corner. To switch pressing the "FULLCHART" key in the upper left screen fromthe full screen sonar, simply press back to your customized theWINDOWS then usethedownarrow keytoswitchtothe groupyou key,

customized. NOTE: Turning the unit off erases all customized screens and user settings!
To turn the digital sonar off, press theMenu key, then press the key next to the"More' label until the third menu pageappears. Nowpressthekey adjacentto the "Turn Digital Sonar Off" label. To turn it back on again, repeatthe same steps.
DEPTH LINES The X-70A prints depth lines across the display to help you determine thedepth of targets. Whenit's turned onforthefirst time,depth lines are turned off. To turn them on, press the MENU key, then press the key nexttothe "More"label untilthe third menu page appears as shown at the top of this page. Now press the key nextto the "Turn Depth Lines On" label.A screen similar to theone at right appears.

RESElliNG ALL GROUPS

To turnthedepth lines off, repeat the abovesteps, but press the key next tothe"Turn Depth Lines Off" label. TheX-70A returns tothe sonarscreen with the depth lines off. CHARTCURSOH The X-70A has a chartcursorthat lets you pinpoint a target'sdepth.The cursor is simply a movable horizontal line that extends acrossthedisplay from rightto left. A depth boxat the far right end oftheline shows the line's depth. In the example atthetop ofthenext page, thechart cursordepth
To return all of the groups to their factory settings withoutturningtheunit offandonagain, presstheWINDOWS key, thenpresstheMENU key, then the key press the key adjacent to the "MAIN MENU" label. Now press GROUP"label. Finally, pressthekey adjacent to the "RE-PROGRAM A nextto the"RESET ALL GROUPS" label.

OPERATION

AUTOMATIC

0 '4' _______ 12

MENU- PAGE3 DISPLAYZOOM BAR When the unit is in the zoom mode, the zoom bar doesn't normally show on the screen. The zoom bar showsthe sectionofwateronthe rightsideof thescreen that the zoomfeature displayson the left side. To turn thezoom bar on continuously, firstpresstheMENU key,thenpressthekey next to the More" labeltwotimes.Thescreen shown above appears. Nowpress the key next to the "Display J1OI14T1C 33

todistinguish fromfish.You mayseeFish ID.symbols onthescreen when Fish I.D. mode actually, thereare nofish. Practicewiththe unitin boththe the Fish I.D. feature. and withoutto become morefamiliar with To turn the Fish I.D. featureon, press the menu key, then pressthe key
adjacenttothe Turn Fish-ID OffOn Fishtrack"label.Echoeswill continue to scrollacrossthe screen, however, the surface clutterat thetop will no fish longerbe displayed. Anytargetsthe micro-computer determines are featureoffagain, first Fish l.D. will be displayed asfishsymbols.Toturnthe Fishl.D. On menu key. Next, pressthekeyadjacenttothe"Turn pressthe label. PresstheCLR Off Fishtrack" labeluntil the box moves tp the "Off" key to return to the sonar screen.
Remember, the Fish ID. feature can'tbe used whenthe X-70A is in the mandal mode. If you turn the Fish ID. feature on when the X-70A is in manual, the micro-computer will turnthe automatic featureon. Ifyou turn automatic off whenthe Fish l.D. feature is on, the Fish l.D. featurewill be turned off also. FISHTRACKTM
To change an upper or lower
limit usingthe numbered keys, firstpresstheRANGE key,then press the key nextto eitherthe
"CHANGE UPPER LIMIT" or "CHANGE LOWER LIMIT" labels. On the screen shown at
right, the key next to the
"CHANGE UPPER LIMIT" was pressed. Nowenterthedesired depth, using the numbered keys. In this example, we entered35feet. Nowpress theENTkey. TheX-70Aerases the rangemenus fromthe screen, and usesthe new range you entered as shown below.

_______________

To change the lowerlimit, simplyrepeattheabove steps, but press the key next to the
The FishTrack featureshows the depth of a fish symbolwhen it appears on the display. This lets you accurately gaugethe depth of targets. This featureis available only when the Fish ID feature is on. To turn the FishTrack feature on, press themenu key, then pressthekey black box adjacent to the "Fish-ID On Off FishTrack" label until, the scroll acrossthe surrounds the "FishTrack" label. Echoes will continue to screen, withthedepth offishsymbols showing above themas theyappear on the display. To turn the FishTrackfeature off again, repeat the above steps, butmovethe black boxto the "Off" position.
"CHANGE LOWER LIMIT" label.Nowenterthedesired lowerlimit and press the ENTkey. The X-70A erases the lower limit menus and changes the lowerlimitto the one youspecified.

____Is'

If you make a mistake while entering a limit, simplypress the CLR key to erase the numbers. To exit fromeithertheupperlimitorlowerlimit entry screen, simplypresstheCLR key again.