Lowrance Electronic X 15A Users Manual

X-15A to the manual e0685ca7-4fba-4b5e-bdf2-7b1797fbbce0

2015-02-05

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To turn

this feature on, simply

press

the 2nd key, then press the

"4" key. The paper speed will im-

mediately slow

down, signifying

that the function is enabled.

To turn the Alternate Transmit

and Print

feature off, simply press

the 2nd key and then press the

"7" key. The paper speed will im-

mediately speed up, signifying that

the function has been turned oft.

When entering any number or

combination of keys on the key-

board and you

make

a mistake,

press

the 2nd KEY then 0. This

will clear the keyboard. For exam-

ple, if you

wanted to set a Lower

Limit

of 50 feet and pressed 40

feet instead, before

pressing the

Lower

Limit Key press 2nd - 0

and the keyboard will be cleared.

You could then press 5 - 0 - Lower

Limit for the desired range.

To cause the X-15A to reprint

the level of Disbrimination, SCC,

or Pulse Width at the bottom of

the

page, simply press

2nd and

then the corresponding key (DISC,

5CC/MARK,

or PULSE) and it will

be reprinted immediately.

Paper Saving Feature

APPROXIMATE PAPER SPEED

Without Alternate Transmit and Print

Minimum I Maximum

LOWER

LIMIT Paper Speed Paper Speed

Inches Hours Inches Hours

RANGE (feet)

10-120

Per Mm Per Roll Per Mm Per Roll

1.0 10 2.35 4.25

130-510 0.5 20 1.4 7.14

520-830 0.15 66 0.75 13.3

Below 840 0.15 66 0.75 13.3

—

APPROXIMATE PAPER SPEED

With Alternate Transmit and Print

Minimum Maximum

LOWER

LIMIT Paper

Speed Paper Speed

Inches Hours

RANGE (feet)

10-120

Per Mm Per Roll Per Mm Per Roll

0.5 20 1.4 7.14

130-510 0.20 50 0.8 12.5

520-830 0.15 66 0.75 13.3

Below 840 0.15 66 0.75 13.3

LITHO USA 988-0096-01

INSTALLATION AND OPERATION MANUAL

X-15A

COMPUTER SONAR

•LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS, INC.

12000 F, SKELLY DR, TULSA, OK 74128

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INDEX

Lower Limit . level whereas the

highest

value

(4) is the strongest

level and

should be used only when severe

noise is present.

To use the Discrimination func-

tion, simply press the level of

noise

rejection desired, from 1 to

4, then press the DISC (Discrimi-

nation) Key. There should be an

immediate change in the amount

of noise present

on the paper. The

Discrimination setting is printed

the bottom of the paper

each time

the level is entered and at inter-

vals thereafter.

The Discrimination -function can

be disabled at any

time by press-

ing

0 - DISC.

Example: Enter a Discrimination

level of 2.

Press: 2 - DISC

Figure 40

Transmit and Print Alternate

When using

the X-15A in deep

17 water, or if

you wish to simply con-

serve

paper, it may

be desirable to

17 slow

the paper speed

even more

than the automatic system allows.

However,

when doing so, you may

get "over print' or

very dark,

heavy printing over an area that is

difficult to read. Much detail can

also be lost due to this.

A feature that is available on

the X-15A is the Transmit and

Print Alternate function which,

when activated,

causes

the

stylus

to print every other

revolution in-

stead of every revolution. This

accomplishes

four things:

1. Since the stylus only prints

every other

revolution, the

recorded information doesn't

have

the "over

printt' problem,

therefore good records are

attainable at slower paper

speeds. Also, the scale

num-

bers are spread out more,

mak-

ing them more legible.

2. Reduces the possibility of

"wrap-around". This

is the un-

desirable occurrence of the

second or third bottom echo

printed on the paper

at the top

or middle of the page. Many

times this can

interfere with fish

or other targets that you wish

to see.

3. Reduces the reverberation ef-

fect. This

happens mainly on

lower frequency units, but it

can happen on higher

fre-

quency models. Reverberation

is heavy, scattered noise marks

caused by the transmitted sig-

nal becoming trapped between

the surface and the bottom,

usually scattered in heavy

plankton layers or baitfish

schools. This

causes a great

many lines

to be printed

on the

page. By enabling the Transmit

and Print function, the transmit-

ter is triggered only half as

many times as normal, putting

less energy into the water

(same amount of power, just

not as often) which reduces the

amount of noise seen.

4. Slows the paper speed. A

sig-

nificant amount of paper

can

be saved by using the Alter-

nate Transmit and Print

feature.

Specifications 1

Service Information 1

Introduction 2

How It Works 2

Installation 3

Transducer Selection 4

Basic Operation 4

Suppressor 5

Paper Speed 6

GRAYLINE® 7

Range 7

..14

.15

.16

Result:

2-——

--• - -- 2

2'I- -••--— ______

Upper Limit

Lines

Marker

Scale

End Of Paper

Zero Adjust

How

To Read

Graphs

Paper Loading

Stylus Replacement

Stylus Belt

Replacement

Do's and Dont's

Troubleshooting

Advanced Operation

Surface

Clarity

Control (SCC)

Feet, Fathoms, Meters 18

Transmitter Pulse Width 18

Discrimination 20

Transmit and Print Alternate 21

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resolution.

For example, if a 50 ps initial

transmitter pulse length is

selected, and the Suppressor

control is rotated to maximum, the

transmitter pulse length would be

850 ps. Returning the Suppressor

control to minimum will restore the

unit to a 50 ps transmitter pulse

length.

The X-15A will display the initial

transmitter pulse length at the bot-

tom of the paper when

you over-

ride the micro-computer. To

distinguish the initial transmitter

pulse

from the other information

printed on the paper, the graph

will print P-100 (if

the pulse is set

to 100 micro-seconds.) A 50 us

initial pulse length would be dis-

played as P-SO.

To set the initial transmitter

pulse length, simply press on the

keyboard the initial pulse length

desired and then press the

PULSE key. For example, to set

the initial transmit

pulse length to

150 micro-seconds, press 1 - 5 - 0

- PULSE. This will override the

micro-computer's selection and

set the initial transmitter pulse

length to 150 micro-seconds.

P-iSO will be printed at the bottom

of the paper to signify that the en-

try has been confirmed. (Note:

When an initial transmit

pulse

length is set, this length will be

fixed for all depth settings until

changed.)

To return control back to the

micro-computer, press 0 - PULSE

and the micro-computer will select

the initial pulse length.

Example: Set the initial transmit

pulse length to 100

micro-seconds.

Press: 1 - 0 - 0 - PULSE

Result:

---—-bO-—-F-ILU -•-—--

Figure 39

Discrimination

Noise pulses are the largest

complaint most often received

about sonar units. Lowrance has

had the patented Suppression

system

for many years which is

quite

effective at eliminating noise

from the display. (See

Transmit

Pulse Width.)

The

only drawback

to the

Suppression system is that

it increases the

transmitter's pulse

length which decreases resolution

and causes

targets

that are close

together to merge into one "blob"

instead of two distinct images.

Discrimination is a program

installed in the X-15A's

micro-processor that enables it to

process the output

from the re-

ceiver, determine which

signals

are noise and eliminate them,

then print only the legitimate

echoes.

Using this concept, the transmit-

ted pulse

does not have to be

increased, therefore records with

high resolution and high noise im-

munity can be achieved.

(The Suppressor Control may

be used with the Discrimination to

cancel OUT

heavy interference or

noise whenever high resolution is

not required.)

There are four levels of Dis-

crimination that can be used. The

lowest value (1) is the weakest

SPECIFICATIONS — X-15A

Depth Ranges:

Feet, fathoms, meters.

Operating Frequency:

192 kHz (192,000 cycles per

second); accuracy is within 0.6

percent.

Pulse Length:

(duration of pulse): 200-l000ps

(30-2000gs programable)

Operating Voltage:

Minimum: 10 volts DC

Maximum: 15 volts DC

Operating Current:

0.7 to 1.8 amps depending on

printing density

and output

power.

Output Power:

1600 watts

typical peak-to-peak.

(200

watts RMS)

Weight:

8.5 lb. (3.9 Kg)

Dimension:

With Gimbal Mount:

Width - 12¼"

Height - 9"

Depth

- 6%"

Instrument Only:

Width - 101/4"

Height - 8¼"

Depth

- 6%"

NOTICE

Periodically wash the Trans-

ducer Face with soap

and water

to remove

any

oil film that may

collect Oil and dirt on the face

will reduce

sensitivity or

may even

prevent sounding.

GOT A PROBLEM? LET US

HELP!

If you

have a problem with your

sonar unit, please give us a

chance to help

before sending it in

for repair.

Assistance can often be ex-

tended by telephone or letter.

Write or call one of our Authorized

Service Centers or the Lowrance

Electronics, Inc., Customer Ser-

vice Department in Tulsa, OK.

(Toil-free 1-800-331-3889).

Please detail the problem you

are experiencing. Our Service De-

partment may be able to save

you

the inconvenience of returning

your unit.

If it is determined that your unit

must be returned, full shipping

in-

structions will be provided.

SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM AND

PARTS LIST

Should you desire a Schematic

Diagram and Parts list for your

Lowrance TRUELINE RECORD-

ER, send $1.00 to PARTS LIST,

Lowrance Electronics, Inc., 12000

East

Skelly

Drive, Tulsa, Okla-

homa 74128. Be sure and give us

the Model Number and Serial

Number of your SONAR

INSTRUMENT

— Ia—-— —•---••-—- —.

2L1---——.-— ———- 29-—-

NOTE: This sonar uses LPG -605 Chart Paper.

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1. INTRODUCTION

The Lowrance X-15A is a highly

sophisticated recording depth

sounder. Thanks to a micro-com-

puter, the X-1 5A can do more than

any other sonar unit in its price

range plus many that cost much

more. Thanks to a waterproof key-

board, full control of the system is

at your fingertips to meet the

changing demands of varying bot-

tom conditions, water

depth, and

boat speed. You can select the

unit's sensitivity, suppression level,

upper

and lower

depth range, pa-

per speed, GRAYLINE, and many

more features. The patented

Lowrance variable suppression

system

combined with the new

Discrimination feature not only fil-

ters out false signals without dis-

torting the real ones, but is

synchronized with the GRAYLINE

function to provide clear

signals

under all conditions.

2. HOW IT WORKS

When the unit is turned

on, an

electronically regulated motor

drives a lightweight belt located at

the right edge of the recording pa-

per. The stylus

is attached to this

belt. When the stylus

is at the top

of the paper

a small mark is

made. This is called the zero

mark, and represents the surface

of the water. The stylus

continues

Figure 1

to move down the edge of the

paper

while the sound pulse

traveling through the water, and

when an echo is detected, the sty-

lus makes another mark on the

paper. The depth of the object

which reflected the echo can be

read in feet by comparing its loca-

tion on the

paper

to the depth

scale printed on the paper.

The paper speed

is controlled

by a variable speed motor. During

one revolution of the stylus belt, a

very narrow mark will be made by

the flexible stylus, but the

paper

will move a small amount before

the next revolution. Each mark will

blend into the one before so that a

composite "picture"

of the target

will be made, one tiny mark at

a time.

Due to the many

features that

this unit has, this manual has the

operation section split into two

parts. The first section is entitled

"Basic

Operation" and covers

everything that is absolutely

necessary to use

the X-1SA in a

wide variety of situations. It will tell

you how to use the basic controls

- Sensitivity, Suppression, Paper

Speed, GRAYLINE, Range, plus a

few special functions. This section

Will be adequate for most situa-

tions. However, once

you have

mastered the basic operation of

the X-15A, you may.

wish to try

some of the features described in

PULLEY

DRIVE

sTYLUs

DRIVE

B ELT

STYLUS

the Suppressor control turned

down to minimum when looking

for fish.

However, it is helpful sometimes

to have longer pulse

width when

resolution is not a concern. When

using a sonar in deeper

water, it is

easier for the unit to detect a long-

er pulse coming back from the

bottom or from fish. This is called

"Probability of Echo Detection".

The probability of the unit being

able to detect an echo returning

from

deep water is diminished be-

cause the further the sound pulse

has to travel, the weaker it be-

comes. By broadening the pulse

length, in essence, a larger signal

is transmitted and it is easier for

the receiver to detect it.

For this reason, the micro-com-

puter in the X-15A automatically

increases the initial pulse

length of

the unit

as deeper lower limits are

set by the operator. (Note: Initial

pulse length is the pulse length of

the unit when the Suppressor con-

trol is turned to minimum.)

INITIAL

TRANSMIT

PULSE

WIDTH

(micro-seconds)

110

From 210 feet to 600 feet, the

initial pulse length increases at the

same rate as the depth. For ex-

ample, with the LOWER LIMIT set

to 260 feet, the initial transmit

pulse length would be 260 pa If

the LOWER LIMIT is set

to 390

feet, the initial transmit

pulse

would be 390 is. Finally, from

600 feet and below, the initial

pulse length remains at 600

micro-seconds.

The transmit

pulse length can

be increased from the initial point

at any

time by rotating the Sup-

pressor control clockwise. The

maximum amount of pulse length

added to the initial transmitter

pulse length is approximately 800

micro-seconds. In other

words, if

the LOWER LIMIT is set to 420

feet, and the Suppressor control is

rotated to the maximum position,

the transmitter pulse length would

be 1220 micro-seconds. (420

initial + 800 = 1220.)

Earlier, we talked about the rela-

tionship

between pulse length and

target

separation. As pulse length

increases, target separation

resolution is degraded. However, if

the pulse width is decreased, res-

olution becomes much better.

The X-15A allows

you

to take

advantage of this fact by making it

possible to override the initial

transmitter pulse

length setting

from what the micro-computer

selects according to the Lower

Limit.

The initial

transmitter pulse

length can be set

from 30 s

2000 ps by entering it on the key-

board. By setting the initial trans-

mitter pulse width to 100 s, a

three inch resolution is obtained,

50 ps is equivalent to an inch and

a half, and 30 s initial transmit

pulse length is equal

to one inch

resolution! No other graph re-

corder in the market

today

can

give you this feature. After setting

the initial transmitter pulse length,

the suppressor control can still be

used to cancel out noise

by in-

creasing the pulse length or the

Discrimination function described

below can be used to eliminate

noise and still have good

LOWER

LIMIT

(feet)

40-200

GRAPH

PAPER

130

160

200

PULLEY

TRAVEL 2 19

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Feet, Fathoms,

Meters

The X-1SA will display the depth

in feet, fathoms, or meters. Al-

though

the unit will revert back to

the feet mode whenever power is

turned

off, it is simple to change to

any

mode you

wish by pressing

the 2nd key and then 1 for

feet,

2nd - 2 for fathoms, and 2nd -

3 for meters.

When the unit is in the Feet

mode, only one U will be dis-

played. In the Fathom mode, two

I.! U's will be displayed. Three

I.! I.! U 's will be displayed in the

meters mode.

Example: Display Fathoms

Press: 2nd - 2

Result:

o -u

H ---—-—-- —----- H

lb lb

20 I -- 20

Figure 38

By looking at the number of

U's, one can determine the depth

display mode that the unit is in,

i.e., Feet-, Fathoms-, Meters.

Transmit

Pulse Width

The noise suppression system

in the X-15A is a patented pulse

length discrimination suppression

circuit, and is the same as the one

used on all the Lowrance's vari-

able

suppression flashers and

graphs. Basically,

it works on the

principle that most noise pulses

are of relatively short duration. If

the receiver circuit can

be ad-

justed

so that it will accept only

long pulses, then the short pulses

will be canelled

out, and only the

desired information (fish, bottom,

structure, etc.) will be displayed.

Of course, the transmitter's pulse

length would have to be increased

at the same time so that the re-

turn echoes would be accepted by

the receiver.

This is exactly what the Low-

rance suppression system does.

The

transmitter's

pulse length is

increased by the front panel sup-

pression control, and the receiver

"tracks" the amount of increased

pulse length, cancelling out any

narrow noise pulses, and display-

ing only the return echoes from

fish or the bottom, etc. (Note: Re-

ceiver sensitivity is not diminished

at all by this process.)

The only disadvantage to this

system is resolution, or the ability

to separate targets,

is diminished

when the pulse length is in-

creased. A 200 s (micro-second)

transmitter pulse length used on

the X-15A when power is first

turned on, will allow the unit to

display two fish or

targets

that are

only 6 inches apart. In other

words, if two fish that are 6 inches

apart are displayed on the graph

paper, they will show

up as two

separate arches when the trans-

mitter is operating with a 200 ps

pulse length. Now, if we increase

the transmitter's pulse length to

400 jis, (by rotating the Suppres-

sor control clockwise) those same

two fish arches will blend together

and show

up as one fish or pos-

sibly even a "blob" on the paper.

With a 400 ps transmit

pulse

width, those same two fish will

have to be at least 12 inches

apart before they will show up as

two separate arches on the graph.

This is why it is important to leave

the section entitled "Advanced Op-

eration". This

chapter

will describe

several other features that will en-

able the serious

operator

to get

the maximum benefit from this

equipment.

We urge you

to read this man-

ual thoroughly and familiarize

yourself with the controls. Al-

though this is a

very advanced

unit, it is easy

to use, thanks to

the power

of the micro-computer

and the front panel controls.

Should you require extra help, or

just have a question, please call

our Customer Service Department

toll free 1-800-331-3889. (Okla-

homa residents call collect

1-918-437-6881.) Or check the en-

closed list for a service center in

your area. A representative will be

happy to help you.

II INSTALLATION

Mounting —

The depth sounder

may

be in-

stalled in any

convenient area,

provided the unit can be tilted for

the best

viewing angle. Holes in

the bracket base allow

wood

screw or bolt mounting. A wood

stiffener may

be required on the

back of thin

fiberglass panels

support

the unit.

If the desired location is closer

than 18" to a magnetic compass,

a trial run should

be made with

the unit in operation to be sure

that the

compass readings are

not affected.

Power Connections —

Twelve volt DC power for the

depth sounder should be supplied

by the boat's 12 volt electrical sys-

tem. The power cable

may be at-

tached to an accessory or power

buss, but if you have problems

with electrical interference, the

cable should be attached directly

to the battery.

If a longer

cable is required, use

ordinary #18 lamp cord available

at any

hardware or electrical sup-

ply store. Splices should be sol-

dered, however, if this isn't done,

then use

crimp-type splices. Tape

all splices

with electrical tape.

in-line fuse holder with fuse

is supplied with the X-15A. Be cer-

tain to install this as close to the

power source (such as the boat

battery or power buss) as pos-

sible. This will protect both the

sonar unit and the power cable in

the event a short occurs. Crimp

connectors are supplied to attach

the fuse holder to the power

cable. The red wire in the power

cable is the positive conductor.

The black wire is the ground

negative conductor.

The graph is protected from ac-

cidental polarity reversals and no

damage will occur if the wires are

reversed. The unit

will not operate

until the

proper polarity is applied.

9 —-— --——--.--—-— 8

2 - 2

Figure 2

18 3

Ground

(Negative)

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TRANSDUCER SELECTION

Lowrance offers you the choice

of transducers With either an 8 de-

gree or 20 degree cone

angle that

will interchange with any

of our

192 kHz sonar units. In other

words, any Lowrance sonar instru-

ment can

be used with any Low-

rance transducer of the same

frequency without

retuning of any

kind, and no loss of performance.

However, the use of any

other

manufacturer's transducer will re-

sult in a loss of performance.

Now

you

can select the trans-

ducer design and cone angle to

best fit your specific

needs. Gen-

erally, wide cone

angle transduc-

ers (20 degree) are ideally suited

for operating in shallow water or

at medium depths. The 20 degree

cone

angle allows

you to see

more of the underwater world. In

15 feet of

water, the 20 degree

cone

angle

allows

you

to see an

area of the bottom that's approxi-

mately

6 feet across. The 8

degree

transducer covers only

about a 2 foot circle.

Figure 3

Thus, you

would use a 20 de-

gree

transducer when looking for

fish or structure, to easily find

drop-offs, and to see fish that are

around you. . . not just below you.

However, the 20 degree trans-

ducer won't penetrate to greater

depths as well as the 8 degree

transducer, nor will it show a

sharp drop-off

as well. In a

deep-

water environment (100 feet or

deeper) the narrow cone angle

more desirable because it can

accurately detect the loca-

tion of the fish or

drop-off in

deeper water. Since the sound

energy

is concentrated in a

smaller area, it can reach to

deeper depths.

Both the 8 degree

and the 20

degree Lowrance transducers give

accurate bottom readings, even

though

the bottom signal is much

wider on the 20 degree model be-

cause

you are seeing more of the

bottom. Remember, the shallow

edge of the signal shows you

the

true depth. The rest of the signal

tells you the composition of the

bottom, i.e. whether

you are over

a soft or hard bottom, etc.

III BASIC OPERATION

On-Off and Sensitivity

Control —

Rotate the Sensitivity knob

50' clockwise to turn the unit on. The

Sensitivity knob works much like

the volume control on a radio, that

100' is, weaker

signals

will be detected

with higher settings

of the knob.

When cruising, or at other times

when

just simple bottom contour

information is desired,

the Sen-

sitivity setting

can be low. In deep

water or over soft, muddy bot-

zoo' toms, (which produce weak

8°at3db echos), the setting

will have to

be higher.

into the unit and the transducer is

in contact with the water.

Symptom

The unit is "ON", but paper

does

not move.

What To Do

Tape paper

to cardboard spool

take-up post.

Symptom

Recorder marks are faint or dim.

* What To Do

Clean viewing door; replace the

stylus; check

battery

connections.

Symptom

Recorded marks are very heavy;

paper is torn by stylus.

What To Do

Bend the stylus slightly to reduce

pressure on paper.

VI ADVANCED OPERATION

Surface

Clarity

Control (SCC)

The surface markings at the top

of the chart paper can, at times,

extend many feet below the sur-

face. This often interferes with fish

signals or other

targets. This

called Surface Clutter and is

caused by algae

and plankton, air

bubbles caused by wave action or

boat wakes, bait

fish, or tempera-

ture inversions.

The surface clutter markings

can be reduced or eliminated by

using the MARKJSCC control key

on the front panel keyboard.

To use the

SCC, press

key 1

thru 4 and then the MARK/SOC

key. 1 has a minimum effect on

surface clutter, 4 has the max-

imum effect on reducing surface

clutter. 2 and 3 have intermediate

effects. The amount of SCC that is

used is printed at the bottom of

the chart paper. If one level of

SOC is used, then S-i is printed.

Two

levels, S-2, etc.

The effect on surface clutter

should immediately be seen. Use

only the amount of SOC required

to reduce the clutter, as fish sig-

nals can be eliminated by using

this method, also.

If you

wish to turn the SOC

function OFF, simply press

0-MARK/SOC and the

SOC

function will be disabled.

Example: ENTER A SOC

LEVEL OF 2.

Press: 2 - SCO

Result:

(See Figure 37.

4 _17

Depth C,,,

Angle I

Diameter I

L. it g I

0:- gt I

1,0, 14 30 I

It" it 53 I

12,0 20 70 I

20'at:

l2-----—-

I—

Figure 37 SCC "2"

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wheels by reversing

the

proce-

dure used to remove the old

one. BE SURE

the fingers of

the new stylus

are pointed UP.

6. Close the front of the case.

Latch both catches at the top

of the unit.

MAINTENANCE

NOTE: The stylus may be

damaged if it is in front of the pla-

ten when the

platen assembly is

pulled down. Always

move the

stylus

to the

back side of the pla-

ten when

changing the

paper

rolls. Remember to move the belt

down to remove the

stylus.

Black carbon dust is created dur-

ing

the recording process. Use a

soft, oil-free

rag to clean the

viewing door and metal platen be-

hind the

paper. Low pressure

compressed air may

be used to

blow dust out of the case and

away from moving parts if the air

is dry and free of oil.

All mechanical connections

should be checked periodically to

be sure they

haven't worked

loose.

HIGH VOLTAGE is present

in the

transmitter section when the

unit

is ON. No attempt

should be

made by any unauthorized per-

son to modify or repair

the elec-

tronic section.

All electrical connections should

be checked periodically and

cleaned as necessary.

The

face of the transducer, if

mounted on the transom

should

be washed periodically with mild

soapy water to remove

any ac-

cumulated rod grime or oily film.

This is essential to have

good

contact between the transducer

and the water.

DO SECTION

Do carry a spare fuse, stylus belt,

and roll of paper.

Do use

the empty cardboard core

from the last roll of paper

on the

take-up post.

Do keep the recorded graphs

for

future reference.

Do clean the stylus belt, wheels,

and the rubber roller after

every

five rolls ofpaper.

DON'T

SECTION

DONT OPEN THE CASE WHEN

THE UNIT IS ON.

Don't

pull the platen

assembly

down when the stylus

is at the

front.

Don't store any objects

inside the

case or behind the viewing

win-

dow. (Except for small pieces of

tape.)

Don't

forget

to tape the paper to

the take-up

core.

Don't rotate the stylus belt up.

Don't use

oily cloths, strong sol-

vents, or abrasive cleansers.

TROUBLESHOOTING SECTION

Symptom

On/Off switch is 'ON", but the

stylus and paper

don't move.

What To Do

Check fuse;

check connections at

battery for tightness and

corrosion.

Symptom

On/Off

switch is "ON", have

zero

mark, but no echoes or bottom

signal.

What To Do

Be sure the transducer is plugged

— GRAYL NI

/ -

rrIviv

Han

'nan

a n--• a.

Figure 4

When high Sensitivity settings

are used, a second bottom echo

will appear.

This is normal and is

caused by the returning signal re-

flecting

off the surface of the

water, making a second trip to the

bottom and back.

If detailed information about

brush piles, individual fish, or the

thermocline is desired, the Sen-

sitivity knob should be rotated to

approximately the ¾ point. Refer

to the illustration below to see

Figure 6

SENSITIVITY: TOO LOW

what effect the Sensitivity control

setting has on the recorded

information.

Recording individual fish with an

"arched" signature can usually

accomplished at trolling speed

with the Sensitivity

knob at the ¾

point, or higher. Refer to the sec-

tion "Arched Signatures" for more

information about this important

function of your recorder.

Suppression Control

The Suppression Control is

used to reduce interference from

noise. Noise, in electronic terms,

is any

undesired signal. It can be

caused by an electrical source,

(such as the

engine's ignition sys-

tem) or by air bubbles in disturbed

water which is call cavitation. In

both cases, the noise could

pro-

duce unwanted marks on the

paper. (See Figures 7 &

8.)

Fortunately, noise pulses are rela-

tively

short in time

compared to

real sonar signals. Advancing the

Suppression knob will cause

the

system to reject these

unwanted,

short pulses without

reducing the

Figure 5

SENSITIVITY: PROPER SETTiNG

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sensitivity in any way.

This

patented design is exclu-

sive with Lowrance. However,

with

high suppression settings, the

graph record becomes coarse and

the ability

to separate fish from

the bottom or from other fish will

be decreased. (See Figure

9 &1O.) Therefore, the lower the

suppression selling,

the better.

Advance the knob setting only as

far as necessary to remove the er-

I 'wtrM4QWteI1*Ltts4vna JMPI

•' { ISiM •••. 3

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Figure 35

STYLUS BELT REPLACEMENT

CAUTION — High voltage is pre-

sent

in the electronic section

when the unit is turned on.

1. TURN

THE UNIT OFF.

2. Release both catches on the

top

of the case. Pull out and

down on the top of

the case

front and the platen to expose

the

stylus

belt.

3. The stylus belt

rides over two

wheels located at the

right

edge of the

platen assembly.

Refer to Figurel on page2.

Move the front

of the belt

DOWN to position the stylus at

the center

of the

platen.

4. Grasp the belt at the

stylus

holder with the thumb and

forefinger

and move it

gently

ratic, unwanted noise marks. Most

of the time at low or trolling

speeds,

no suppression will be

necessary.

Figure 7

ppj P Vp fl

'a L2

Figure 9 suPPRESSION:

TOO HIGH

Figure 33 Figure 34

1L1

Figure 8

Figure 10 PROPER SETtING

Paper Speed

Control

This knob adjusts to speed of

the chart paper. For good detailed

graphs, in shallow to medium

depths, turn the

paper speed con-

trol up to at least the ¾ position

when

trolling. This will show

prop-

APPROXIMATE PAPER SPEED

Without

Alternate fransmit and Print

LOWER

LIMIT

Minimum

Paper Speed

Maximum

Paper

Speed

Inches Hours Inches Hours

RANGE (feet)

10-120

Per Mm Per Roll Per Mm Per Roll

1.0 10 2.35 4.25

130-510 0.5 20 1.4 7.14

520-830 0.15 66 0.75 13.3

Below 840 0.15 66 0.75 13.3

N-

Figure 36

to the left while

pushing the

belt off the wheels with the

other

forefinger. (See

Figure

36.)

5. Position the new belt on the

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800' & Below

14 7

RANGE

the control too far or it will gray

line on the target completely,

showing no black, which makes

the target

difficult to see.

- 12

t 4.

. a'

/. ,. (•

t,a

STYLUS REPLACEMENT er fish arches at low speeds

and

CAUTION — High voltage is pre-

sent in the electronic section

when the unit is turned on.

keeps high speed information from

being comprçssed. The paper

speed should be turned down

when using the unit in deep water.

1. TURN

THE UNIT OFF. This will prevent gaps

from ap-

2. Release both catches on the

top of the case. Pull out and

down on the

top of the case

front

to expose the

stylus

belt.

(See Figure 25.)

3. The stylus belt rides over two

wheels located at the

right

edge of the platen assembly.

Move the front of the belt

pearing in the record. In fact, the

microcomputer will automatically

slow

the maximum speed

of the

chart paper when

operating in

deep water. The chart below gives

the points

where the maximum

speed of the paper is slowed.

RANGE PAPER SPEED

10'llO' Fastest Paper

DOWN to position the stylus at

the center of the platen.

4. Hold the stylus belt

stationary

with one finger, and remove

the old

stylus by starting at its

left

edge and moving it out

from under the tabs on the sty-

lus holder.

Speed

120'-490' Medium Fast

Paper Speed

500'-790' Medium Slow

Paper Speed

Slowest Paper

Speed

The chart paper may

be slowed

5. Before installing the new sty-

lus, be sure it is bent properly

by camparing it to Figure 33.

6. Refer to Figure 34to be sure

the new stylus

is positioned

correctly under the tabs on the

holder. Be sure it moves freely

in the two slots. If not, bend

the stylus

away

from the edge

it is rubbing on until it does

move freely.

7. After

installing, if

the

stylus

won't print all the

way down

the paper

as shown in Fig-

ure 35,bend the right leg down

even further

by adjusting the pa-

per speed control. Remember, if

gaps

in the record appear, turn the

paper speed down until a solid

record is achieved. The paper

speed may

also be slowed when

not looking for fish or to simply

conserve paper. For more informa-

tion about saving paper, read the

Alternate Transmit and Print func-

tion in the Advanced Operation

section.

GRAYLINE CONTROL

The GRAYLINE function can be

used to outline the bottom contour

The range

function utilizes the

keyboard to select

any range be-

tween 0-10' and 2540'-2550'.

Please read this section

carefully

to get the most out of your X-1SA's

range capabilities.

so that more pressure is ex-

erted against the stainless

steel plate. If it still does not

print all the way, bend the left

leg down more (but

not so far

that it digs into the

paper).

which might otherwise be hidden

beneath trees and brush; it can

also give clues to the composition

of the bottom. A hard bottom re-

turns a very strong signal causing

a wide gray line. A soft, muddy or

Lower Limit

When you

first turn on the

X-15A, the range will be 0-60 feet.

(See Figure 13.)

To change to a deeper range,

8. Close the front of the case. weedy bottom returns a weaker simply press the desired depth on

Latch both catches on the top

of the case. signal which is emphasized with a

narrow gray line. Do not advance the keyboard, and then press

the

LOWER LIMIT

key.

Figure 12 GRAYLINE "ON"

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— -36---

—U—I --L'-- —----611--U—l -

Figure 13

Example: Change range to 0-80

feet.

Press: 8- 0 - LOWER LIMIT

The depth will then be displayed.

16-— --——-——

6--—----

LI0_ -_________

U11-----D-I-— — -

Figure 14

Any depth in a multiple of ten

(10,

20, 30, 500, etc.) may be

used as a lower limit displayed at

the bottom of the chart paper.

Example: Change range

to 0-150

feet.

Press: 1 - 5 - 0 - LOWER LIMIT

The depth will then be displayed:

(See Figure 15.)

Note that the

paper speed

slows automatically at this range

setting.

UPPER LIMIT

Many times it is desirable to ex-

-- 30 -—-----—————- —-——— an —

-- 60 ——-—-—---—---——-—--- 60

-- 90—- —-—-—------——— 90—

—12n —120—

Figure 15

pand a section of the area that is

displayed on the graph recorder to

show more detail. This is made

possible by the X-15A to show

segments of the underwater world

by using

the UPPER LIMIT func-

tion. Using the UPPER LIMIT key

allows

you

to display any depth

range in multiples of 10 at the top

of the chart paper.

Example: Turn on unit and set

range

to 20-60 feet.

Press: 2 - 0 - UPPER LIMIT

The depth will then be displayed.

- -

—26 --

- ——-— —-- -

—92 - -52

- 62-—fl-

L-hB B- I-

Figure 16

Example: Set range to 40-60 feet.

Press: 4— 0 - UPPER LIMIT

The range will then be displayed:

(See Figure17.)

The Upper and. Lower Limits

can be used in various combina-

squarely to the take-up

core.

(See Figure 30.) Small pieces

of tape may

be stored inside

the housing for this purpose.

Close the top of the

platen

assembly by pressing the two

tabs together on the paper

retainer and returning the re-

tainer back to the operating

position. (See Figure 31.)

9. Turn the small knob at the

upper

left hand side of the

platen assembly to put a

small

amount of tension on

the paper. It should be snug

against

the

platen. (Figure 32.)

10. Push the platen assembly

back to its operating position.

Be sure it engages

the catch

inside the top of the case.

11. Close the front of the case.

Latch both catches on the

top

of the case.

12. Turn the unit on. Move the

Chart

Speed knob

fully clock-

wise. Watch the paper long

enough to be sure it is mov-

ing smoothly and evenly

across the platen. If the

pa-

per flutters or begins to run

'uphill", repeat step

8 13

Figure 29

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4. Pull out and down on the tab

at the top center of the platen

assembly to expose

the pa-

per spools. (See Figure 25.)

5. To remove the full take-up roll

and the empty supply spool,

press the two metal tabs to-

gether

on the top of the platen

assembly, and pull out and

down on the paper retainer.

(See

Figure 26.) The furl take-

up roll can now be easilly

re-

moved from the paper

core

shafts. (See Figure 27.)

6. Pull the empty supply

core

from the right side in the

same manner. Install

the empty

core onto the

take-up

shaft. (See Figure2a)

Align the two .notches in the

core with the tabs on the

lower

take-up spool.

7. Slide a fresh roll of paper in

position

on the supply side

shaft on the

right

side of the

platen assembly. The paper

must

spool off the bottom of

the roll. (See Figure 29.)

8. Draw the end of the paper

across the face of the platen,

around the friction roller, over

the

take-up core, and tape it

tions to show segments from the

surface to the bottom and any-

where inbetween. Representative

samples of chart paper are shown

in the back of this manual.

If you

wish to display your depth

settings at any

time,

simply press

either the UPPER LIMIT or

LOWER LIMIT keys. The current

range

will be printed on the paper

immediately. This will not change

the depth setting.

LINES

When the X-15A is first turned

on, depth lines will be printed on

the paper. If you

desire to turn the

Lines

off, press the LINES key. To

turn the lines back

on, press the

LINES key again.

Example: Turn lines off:

Press: LINES key

Result:

MARKER

event marker function is in-

cluded in the X-15A so that events

may

be marked when desired. To

use the

marker, simply press

the

MARK key and a vertical line will

be displayed across the entire

page. Hold the MARK key down

and a vertical line will be printed

for as long as the

key is held

down.

Figure 19

SCALE

:i.bU...I..

The numbers that indicate the

depth or scale may

be deleted if

desired. Pressing the SCALE key

once will stop the printing of the

scale numbers. The scale may

displayed again by pressing the

SCALE key.

Remember, the scale

may be

displayed at any

time by pressing

either the UPPER LIMIT or the

LOWER LIMIT key.

Example:

Press: SCALE

Result:

(See Figure2O)

'II ————HO—

'UI

Figure 23 Figure

- —

6 —— bfl——fl—I—--L'—--- - hO--

Figure 17 Example:

Press: MARK

Result:

----- —---- --—- 12

—

-—-

Figure 26

- 29

D—I U EQ lI—I Ii

12 Figure 18 9

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Figure 20

END-OF-PAPER MARKER

The graph paper

in the X-1SA

has a red line printed at the bot-

tom of the

paper

to signify

when

there is only 2 to 3 feet before the

end of the

paper.

ZERO ADJUST

Occasionally, when

changing

the stylus

or stylus belt, the zero

line does not print at the same

place near the

top of the chart

paper.

A zero adjust

control has been

placed

on the back inside wall of

the X-15A near the upper

left

hand corner so that the zero line's

position may be adjusted on

the paper.

Open the case front and look

for the decal marked 'ZERO AD-

JUST". You may have to pull the

paper transport assembly

down to

see the decal for the first time.

Push the transport

closed and turn

on the unit. (Caution —

Keep

hands away from the

stylus

belt

and stylus. High voltage

present.)

Insert a 6"-8" long

screwdriver

with a 1/s" blade into the zero ad-

just

hole and rotate the control on

the circuit board until the zero line

is at the desired position. (Note:

This may

also be adjusted with

the unit turned OFF. Adjust

the

control, then remove the screw-

driver and turn power

back ON.

Repeat until the zero line is in

the desired position.)

IV HOW TO READ GRAPHS

"Arched Signatures"

A remarkable advantage of

the

X-15A is that it can record indi-

vidual fish with a characteristic

arched mark that separates

them

from their stationary surroundings.

The reason for this is shown be-

low. The distance to a fish when it

moves into the sonar's cone of

sound is shown as "A".

When the fish has moved to

the center of the cone,

the

dis-

tance to it will be shorter, (line

"B"), and as it moves out of the

cone, the distance will increase

again as shown in line "C".

50 —

so —

Figure

If a partial arch occurs most of

the time on your unit, (the

mark

curves up, but not back

down, or

vice-versa) it is because the trans-

ducer is not pointed straight

down.

If your

transducer is mounted on

the transom, adjust

the transducer

until the fish show the distinctive

arched signature. This may

take

some trial and error until the cor-

rect mounting is achieved.

Sharp, well defined signatures

will occur most often when the

Sensitivity knob is set at the ¾

point, or higher. Remember, that

there must be some movement

between the boat and the fish to

develop the arched mark. Usually

this means trolling at very

slow

speeds with the main engine in

gear at minimum throttle setting.

THERMOCLINES

The

temperature of water in the

lake is seldom constant from

top

to bottom. Layers of different tem-

peratures form, and the

junction

a warm and cool layer

of water is

called a thermocline. The depth

and thickness of the thermocline

can vary

with the season or time

of day. In deep lakes there may

be two or more, at different

depths. Thermoclines are import-

ant to the fisherman because they

are areas where fish are active.

Many times bait fish will be above

the thermocline while

larger game

fish suspend just below it.

Your Lowrance X-15A can de-

tect this invisible layer

in the

water, but the Sensitivity knob will

probably have to be set at the 1/2

point, or higher.

PAPER LOADING

CAUTION — High voltage is pre-

sent in the electronic section

when the unit is turned on. -

1. TURN THE UNIT OFF.

2. Release both catches on the

top of the case. Pull out and

down on the top of the case

front to expose the

platen as-

sembly. (See Figure 23.)

3. Move the stylus belt

DOWN,

to position the marking stylus

on the back side of the pla-

ten. NEVER move the belt

— the stylus may be

damaged. (See Figure 24.)

SPECIAL NOTE: The stylus

may

be damaged if the platen

assembly is pulled down un-

less the stylus has been

moved to the back side of the

platen.

0—

10 —

—

30 —

40—

-4 -v-,

Figure 21

10 11

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Lowrance Electronic X 15A Users Manual

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