First fish with Marcum LX7 - multiple problems

[Mark Wo]

I'm by no means an expert ice fisherman and this is my 3rd full season of doing so.  Had an old LX5 flasher that I loved so when given the chance to upgrade to the LX7 for a few dollars, I thought I was getting a great deal.  I think I may have been mistaken.

Went out for the first trip last night.  Got all set up and put the transducer in the water - 22 feet it said.  Perfect, just where I wanted to be.  Buddy and I dropped the lures down and the flasher started going crazy.  Had the flasher mode on and the zoom and full depth mode on as well.  The flasher was blinking the whole time and the depth would change from anywhere from 5 feet to 22 feet and everything in-between.  This was on all 3 screens. One minute there would be hundreds of fish and 1 second later there would be nothing.  then 5 seconds later there would be hundreds.

The flashed, when it was blinking would take triangular chunks out of the round flasher dial and would blink forever.  I changed many settings and it seemed to be much worse in the dynamic depth mode.  Couldn't fish in this mode at all.  Tried automatic and manual depth and while it was better, the depth was all over the place.

I tried the chart mode and the whole chart was filled with horizontal lines almost the whole water column.  Couldn't see the jig or anything as it was a mess.  The water temperature never showed.  I had 2 dashes and the a "F".

Tried "jiggling" the transducer connection into the unit.  No difference.  Tried all sorts of IR and sensitivity settings - no difference.

Any suggestions?  Has this been common?  Called Marcum while o the ice and they are closed until 1/2/13 - bummer.  Do two lines in the water 3 feet a part cause this much trouble?  If so, the unit is going back.

Thanks -

Mark

[esox_magnum]

check to see what software version its running current one is 2.9  we run 4 lines on mine without issue

[HVFD14]

I thought 3.01 is the newest version?  Maybe just the new units have it and it isn't available for upgrade yet?

[esox_magnum]

I would call CS they are in today and can answer all questions

[Mark Wo]

check to see what software version its running current one is 2.9  we run 4 lines on mine without issue

3.01 software

[Mark Wo]

I would call CS they are in today and can answer all questions

Called and all I get is an automated reply saying CS is out of the office until 1/2/13.  Do you have another number other that the 888 778-1208?

Mark

[esox_magnum]

Should be someone there I know others have gotten help in the past few days....

[ATRAIN44]

Can someone please explain to me the "upgrade" capabilities you are discussing with the lx7.  I'm in the market for a new flasher and I was all set on the lx5, but man does the lx7 look awesome.  It's a lot of money but it is sure eye catching.  Couple of questions. What do you get with the upgrade?  How much is the upgrade? Does it just make more sense to get the lx9 which has both already or am I overthinking all of this and should I just get the lx5?  Can you use all 3 models in open water over the summer and are they effective?  It's frustrating to have so many options!!!!!  Thanks boys your help is always appreciated.

[esox_magnum]

Updates are free and done at home via the net, 7 does well on the boat and yes you can use all3 screens at once....the 5 is also a great unit but the 7 is amazing....The 9 has the camera option that the 7 does not have, neat feature if you have a use for a camera....The updates are just tweaks to the operating system....You can upgrade a 7 to a 9 but needs to be sent in for that one...

[ATRAIN44]

well what do you recommend?   I predominately fish in 20-60 feet of water for perch, pike, walleye, etc... with the occasional trips into 100+ feet waters for lakers.  Money is always an issue, but I'm not willing to sacrifice quality and the experience of a great unit for money.  It can always be found, because other things can be sold. 

[esox_magnum]

I love both the 5 and 7, 7 is easier on the eyes and has more options but either would be a good choice...

[ATRAIN44]

does the lx9 have both flasher and camera capabilities?  And do you think the lx7 is worth the extra $200 over the lx5?

[esox_magnum]

does the lx9 have both flasher and camera capabilities?  And do you think the lx7 is worth the extra $200 over the lx5?

 Yes 9 comes with a camera and yes worth it for the 7 for me anyway

[ATRAIN44]

ok thanks man.  I really appreciate it.  I like the idea of having both the sonar and camera, but I don't know if I can justify that much money for one of these things.  Well I could but I know the wife won't.

[evobassfish]

I picked up the lx6 and was able to test it out once and found a couple bugs myself. Digital depth would fluctuate and would read the depth of my jig instead of true bottom. I was fishing in 15 ft of water and used the 20ft scale in vertical mode. When in zoom vertical mode the bottom would disappear in and out on me. So far the issues I experienced are very minor to me because I hardly use the zoom function and as long as I can see where true bottom was the digita depth read out fluctuating was not a deal breaker.

[twodogs02]

Check your transducer cable and connection sounds like a transducer problem.  Take your LX-5 transducer and plug it into the LX-7 and see if that solves the problem.

Next check your battery connections.

[Kevin23]

check to see what software version its running current one is 2.9  we run 4 lines on mine without issue

3.01 is the current version.

[kennyd]

Yikes...this really makes me worry...when i try out my lx7 with the 3.01 just in my house it does the exact same thing that you are describing..i am honestly considering downgrading to the 2.9 software just to be safe until the kinks are worked out of the 3.01 because most seem to have good luck with the 2.9 software...if you look on some other forums a lot of people are having the same issues you are describing with their lx-6's that run on 3.01...

[HVFD14]

Crap!  I just pulled the trigger on an LX-7 and it is coming with the 3.01.

[stumper]

Yikes...this really makes me worry...when i try out my lx7 with the 3.01 just in my house it does the exact same thing that you are describing..i am honestly considering downgrading to the 2.9 software just to be safe until the kinks are worked out of the 3.01 because most seem to have good luck with the 2.9 software...if you look on some other forums a lot of people are having the same issues you are describing with their lx-6's that run on 3.01...

How could you possibly test it in your house without at least 3 ft of water?

[esox_magnum]

3.01 is the current version.

 New 2012 are 3.1 some may be leftovers with 2.9, 3.1 is not avaliblefor former owners yet.... Don't think I'll upgrade mine yet happy with the 2.9.... Could be an option to is dump the 3.1 and go back to 2.9?

[kennyd]

I did what marcum told me to do. Put the unit on the counter over concrete. It reads a bottom. If I swing my foot under the transducer it reads it for a second. You can then hear the transducer click change and the screen goes nuts with the depth changing rapidly. I worry when I see things like this happen.

How could you possibly test it in your house without at least 3 ft of water?

[esox_magnum]

Think I'll stick with version 2.9, used mine today in 6' and was flawless, last time out was last Few and 45' turned it on today in 6' and never adjusted a thing...

[bigbuckmiddaugh]

I have the 3.0 version. I haven't had them issues. I don't run in auto depth either.  I have noticed quit a few times, when you get a fish on, it goes crazy on the vertical and chart....and doesn't calm down when fish out of hole. Blips everywhere...like its having a melt down?

How do down grade to 2.9 , just go on website and down/ upload the software?

[esox_magnum]

Not sure even if you can go back to 2.9 or how to go about it if you can...

[WalleyeTom]

Mark Wo,

What settings are you using?

Set depth to 40 ft. if in 22 ft. water.
Set zoom to say 25 ft. water.

The above settings should clear your screen.

Sensitivity between 2 to 4.
Target between 2 -4.

[Mark Wo]

Mark Wo,

What settings are you using?

Set depth to 40 ft. if in 22 ft. water.
Set zoom to say 25 ft. water.

The above settings should clear your screen.

Sensitivity between 2 to 4.
Target between 2 -4.

Tried this and still had problems. Well maybe not the exact settings but close enough.

My question back is why spend all this money on a flasher that provides nothing more than my old LX-5?  I wanted auto depth, dynamic depth and so on and now I can't use it. Doesn't make sense to me

I found another unit and bought it. Ill try this one and see what happens. Same 3.01 software but has the older case. I'll fis with it today or tomorrow and see what happens. Since Marcum isn't open until the 2nd, this was my only option

Thanks for all the comments

Mark

[WalleyeTom]

Mark,

As they say "close enough doesn't count".  I have seen a change of 1 in the sensitivity can make a big difference.  Your depth setting has to be greater than the depth you are fishing in.  Zoom slightly greater works best.

Not here for an argument just trying to help a fellow Marcum user.

[kennyd]

Mark i couldnt agree more!!! i am going on a big ice fishing trip and am going to buy another one and hope that one of the 2 works well.. i just have 0 confidence in the unit functioning as it should right now..too many people having issues..so bringing 2 and will return hopefully only one!!! plain and simple these things should work!!!! we are paying 700 dollars for a top of the line unit and they should function like it!

[ATRAIN44]

So I'm thinking I should just purchase the lx5.  I've been going crazy trying to decide between the lx5 and lx7 but now I'm almost leaning towards the lx3 and the lx5!