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Anonymous Posted on Oct 07, 2008

Turning on my Lowrance LCX 111HD fish locator creates static with my ICOM M502 VHF Marine radio.

I have moved my antenna to the opposite side of my boat from the Fish finder. I ran a dedicated power feed to the radio as it had been showing low battery. I have two different Lowrance fish finders. Both transducer cables run on the same side of the 16ft aluminum boat along with the power feed for the Lowrqnce LCX-15mt locator/GPS. The power feed for the LCX 111HR fish finder/GPS run down the other side of the boat. When I turn on the LCX 111 the marine radio picks up a lot of static.With the LCX 111 on and I turn squelch out the static and then turn on the heater fan the static appears on the radio. When I turn off the LCX 111 and turn on the LCX 15mt it does not pick up static. If I then turn on the heater fan there is no static. If I pull off the tranducer cable intended for the L 111 and connect the transducer for the LCX 15 to the LCX 111 there is still static. Knowing that the power feed for the radio and the LCX 111 are running along beside each other I unhooked the power cord at the radio and supplied power to it by an independet jump start battery near the radio. When I turn on the radio and reduce the squelch to a normal position and then turn on the LCX 111 the radio again picks up the static. Do you have aby suggestions for me to try to reduce the static as I would prefer to use the LCX 111HD locator/gps. I originally had the LCX 15mt on the right side of the boat with the marine radion antenna mounted on that side about three feet away and the radio mounteds on the left side of the boat and didn't have a problem. The LCX 111HD is a much larger unit. Thanks, Leon

  • 4 more comments 
  • Anonymous Oct 24, 2008

    Sorry for not getting back to you but I have been busy.

    Both negatives of the batteries are connected to to by by way of being connected to the engine bolt. This is connected to the aluminum boat by direct connections of the block being connected to the bell housing and then to the transom. All metal to metal. An ohm meter show the continuity.

    The static is present with the transducer being unconnected so I didn't try the ohm meter on it. I added two magnetic Snap Chock Core filters to the antenna cable for the Vhf radio, and also one to the power feed next to the larger fish finder and the power lead next to the VHF radio.

    The static is still there and takes all of the squelch control to remove it and at times it does not. I should point out that the static is mainly on channels 68 and 78, which happen to be the channels I would like to monitor.

    I also ran a test on the antenna with a SWR meter and it shows to be good. As a side note the static on the radio on these two channels will stop when the antenna is disconnected or the larger fish finder is powered off.

    Any further thought would be appreciated.


  • Anonymous Oct 27, 2008

    Thanks themoneypitt for your posts. I am certain that you are dead on with your thoughts. I brought the fishfinder/gps into the house and removed one row of screws around the outer ring the heat sink portion in. I applied a little pressure to the plate to see if it would lift. It didn't and my resolve to open it ended right there. Not having the experience of tearing it apart I don't want to






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    jeopardize the






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    integrity of the seal.

    As it is, the unit functions just fine other than interfering with my radio. I had previously spoken to Lowrance and was told that I could send it in for a $39 analysis and if it had to be repaired it would be $399. It is supposed to be set so that it doesn't emit the






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    interference, but might have to be readjusted.

    I have been trying to rule out other problems and would then decide to live with it, or to send it in. So far it appears to be a problem in this unit. I may try to find one of the other people in one of the internet fishing clubs that I subscribe to and see if I can borrow their unit to see if it also






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    interferes with my radio.

    Any further thought will still be appreciated. Thanks.


  • Anonymous Oct 28, 2008

    I don't know where the "'Normal 0 false false false MicrosolftInternetExplorer4/*Style Definitions*/table'" is coming from. I have been using control C and control V key to copy and paste so perhaps that is what is doing it.

    Back to the problem at hand. I see the row of screws you are referring to. I need to fill out my election ballet and mail it off tomorrow, and then I'll get a small trox screwdriver and see if I can open it up. Thanks for your patient help.


  • Anonymous Oct 29, 2008

    I opened the case this morning and looked around. I was not able to see and wires that may have came loose. I think it would take some one more experience to test the circuit board or it's components. I have put it back together and will do another test by switching the marine radio our of my other boat and seeing it the Fishfinder in the boat in question still interferes with the radio.



  • Anonymous Oct 30, 2008

    I did the "board walk" this morning before a pending weather front arrives as I need to put the cover on the boat.

    I took the VHF radio out of my second boat and placed it in the boat I am having problems with. I used my jump start battery to power it and connected it to the antenna mounted on the boat in question. It ran quietly with the fish finder being off. When I powered up the fish finder, wallaa - still no noise.

    I didn't connect it to the boats power supply due to time constraints, but the old radio made noise both ways.

    I think it's time to try and replace the radio. I had puchased it through West Marine's Bargain
    basement in Oakland. It's been some time ago and they may not do anything for me but I'll try.




  • Anonymous Oct 30, 2008

    spoke to West Marine and they wioll not be able to do anything for me other than give me a phone contact for ICOM.

    I called them and talked with there Teck. He didn't think it would do any good to send the radio in for the $89 minimum check. He explanation is that the radio is front end sensitive and is picking up signal off the fishfinder. In explanation to why my other radio doesn't he said that perhaps it is not as sensitive, but at the same time it wouldn't pick up radio signals as well either.

    He sugessted ferite beads, or some people cover the back of the fishfinder with foil to stop the signals being emmitted. He also said that he has used a grounding spray to spray on the back of one of his computer moniter screens that interference. He hasn't seen any in a while so can't give me a source.

    This all reminds me of when I was still working. A pump supplier, a comtrol supplier, and an electrician, would all place blame on the other for any problem. Horse Puckie!!! At that time I would be able to get them all at the same table and make them resolve the issue. I don't have that ability now.

    I know that the radio on the second boat worked fine when I was talking with people both close and far. I have not heard of others having problems with the high end Lowrnce locator/gps systems interfering with their VHF radios. I am sure there would be a lot of squalking if there were problems.

    I am still leaning towards a bad radio. What are your thoughts. Also do you have openions on ICOM radios verses others? I have seen mainly good reviews for them.


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Gene Pitts

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  • Posted on Oct 19, 2008
Gene Pitts
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Hello LJones0455. From your detailed attempts there are few options. Position the transducers one foward one aft. Connect the negitives of the battiers to the boat still route both positive & negitive wiring to all devices. Check the continunity of your transducers include flexing while ohming. Let me know of the results.

  • 3 more comments 
  • Gene Pitts Oct 26, 2008

    You have an internal shielding problem of the IF (intermediate frequency) or harmonic. Carefully open the housing of the Lowrance and visualy search the shielding for broken solder connections including internal connections. During the mean time(back in the boggy farm) I'll contact Lowrance Tech support.

  • Gene Pitts Oct 26, 2008

    You have an internal shielding problem of the IF (intermediate frequency) or harmonic. Carefully open the housing of the Lowrance and visualy search the shielding for broken solder connections including internal connections. During the mean time(back in the boggy farm) I'll contact Lowrance Tech support.

  • Gene Pitts Oct 28, 2008

    Your effort is great. The screws surrounding the heatsink only supports the housing to the sink. The case support screws are located close to the edges of the lowrance housing. There will be a gaskit or O-ring for sealing purposes, this may have some resistance in seperating the cases including the heat sink from the housing. Your choice is good & I understand. By the way the 'Normal 0 false false false MicrosolftInternetExplorer4/*Style Definitions*/table' are Greek to me. Sorry.

  • Gene Pitts Oct 30, 2008

    For a rookie you have gone a long way. Your next step you have describe is commonly called 'a board walk'. You swap a PCbd or in this case a device with another in very simular areas, does the problem follow or stay? Please kepp me up on the results.

  • Gene Pitts Oct 30, 2008

    I do belive you & I have eliminated all possibilities other than what you mentioned, a replacement. As for as a recomendation on a brand, research would be needed. The brands I worked with in '78 are not listed. Enjoyed working with you.

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