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User Tips
Reading Through Ice
- The VX-1 will provide accurate
information reading through ice providing the ice is
reasonably clear. Ice that appears milky or full of air
bubbles will make it difficult or impossible to get an
accurate reading. To send and receive the best signal,
wet the ice with water to improve the coupling of the
transducer to the ice. Please do not use anti-freeze or
windshield washer fluid, because it pollutes the
environment. Bottom can easily be determined without
drilling holes, therefore greatly reducing time and energy
in locating your fishing spot.
Fine Tuning Gain Control
- To adjust gain properly,
lower your lure or bait to within a foot of the bottom. Turn
the gain up or down until the lure or bait shows as a
steady green light. You should be able to raise or lower
the lure in a jigging fashion without loosing the signal. If
the gain (or sensitivity) is kept to a minimum, you should
be able to separate targets down to 2.15 inches on the
20-foot scale. You may need to fine tune the gain each
time you move locations, depending on the depth and
bottom composition.
Signal Interpretation
- Sound waves emitted by the
VX-1 bounce off targets and return with the strength of
the targets’ density. Denser targets return with a
stronger signal, displayed as RED. Less-dense objects
(small fish) return a medium-strength signal, displayed
as ORANGE. The least dense objects (weeds, bait-fish,
lure) return a weak signal, displayed as GREEN. Objects
on the edge of the sound cone may appear as yellow. A
fish moving through the cone may appear first as green,
then orange, then red, depending on its size and how
close to the center of the cone it moves.
Using the Ice Transducer
- The weighted transducer
suspends in the ice hole from the ice arm. The self-
aligning transducer hangs like a plumb bob and always
transmits and receives a direct signal. The transducer
should be positioned just below the water line, except
when the ice begins to get thick (more than 24 inches).
Once the ice gets thicker than 24 inches, ringing off the
side of the ice hole can occur. This is usually displayed
as a solid band of light between 2 and 3 feet on the
display dial. If this occurs, lower the transducer to the
bottom of the ice hole. This should eliminate most
display clutter.
Battery Draw
- The VX-1 has a current draw between
250 and 300mA per hour. With a standard 7-amp hour
battery, the VX-1 should last between 20 and 28 hours if
fully charged. To extend the battery life, it is preferable to
recharge the battery after every use.
Cone Angle Coverage
- The cone angle of all VX-1
transducers is 20 degrees. A general rule of thumb is
that the coverage (distance across the signal beam) is
3.5 feet per 10 foot of depth. In 10 feet of water, the
coverage is 3.5 feet; at a 20-foot depth, the signal beam
is 7.0 feet across; and in 30 feet its 10.5 feet of
coverage.
Product Performance Specifications
Output Power ...................... 1000 watts peak to peak
Depth Ranges ..................... 20, 40, 80, & 160 feet
Transmit Frequency ............ 200 Khz
Current Draw....................... 250 mA
Operating Voltage ............... 10.5 to 15 volts (12-volt DC)
Display Colors ..................... Red, Orange, Green
Transducer Cone Angle ...... 20 degrees (all transducers)
Target Separation ............... 2.15 inches (20-foot depth scale)
One-Year Warranty
Nature Vision, Inc. warrants this product to be free from
defects in materials and workmanship for one year from
the date of purchase. This warranty applies to customers
who properly fill out and return the warranty card
included with this manual. Failure to complete and return
the warranty card voids the warranty. Nature Vision, Inc.
will, at its sole discretion and without charging the
customer, repair or replace any components that fail in
normal use. Failures due to abuse, misuse, or
unauthorized alteration, modification or repair are not
covered. The warranty is valid only for the original owner
who purchases the unit from an authorized dealer.
Products purchased from on-line auction sites are not
considered under warranty.
How to Obtain Service
We want our products to provide you with a pleasant on-
the-water experience. That means maximum customer
satisfaction. If you have a problem with your unit please
contact Nature Vision's toll free number at (866) 777-
0733 for a Return Authorization Number (RA#) or e-mail
us at [email protected]. No service returns
will be accepted without this pre-return authorization
number, which must be clearly marked on the outside of
the package. Nature Vision, Inc. retains the exclusive
right to repair or replace the unit at its discretion.
The customer is responsible for shipping costs
associated with returning the unit to Nature Vision, Inc.
Nature Vision, Inc. will pay for shipping the repaired unit
back to the customer while it is still under warranty. All
out of warranty services will be charged a fee for service
and shipping which must be paid in advance. After
obtaining a Return Authorization number, the unit should
be securely packed and shipped “pre-paid freight” and
insured to Nature Vision, Inc. It is the consumers' full
