Control Functions

The Wide 128 uses a simple 5-button keypad for all user input. When any button is pressed, an audible "chirp" confirms the control input. In the event that a particular button has no function or is inappropriate for the situation, an audible "error", or multiple chirps, will be heard.

POWER, powers the Wide 128 up for normal operation. When the unit is on, POWER turns the unit off. POWER can also be used to go directly into Simulator mode. With the unit powered off, press and hold POWER for several seconds until a continuous chirp is heard.

When a sonar signal is reflected off the bottom back to the transducer, there is often enough energy left in the signal to be reflected off the surface of the water back to the bottom a second time. Second returns appear as a slightly weaker bottom representation exactly twice the depth of the primary bottom return. The second return is most likely to occur in shallow water and in areas of relatively hard bottom.

The Wide 128 uses advanced signal processing to further evaluate any sonar return between the surface and the bottom. For instance, a small school of bait fish usually appears as a dense cluster of individual dots. If the return meets certain additional criteria, a fish symbol will be assigned. There are three different size fish symbols used to indicate the intensity of the sonar return. While signal intensity is a good indicator of relative fish size, different species of fish have different sonar characteristics, so it is not always possible to distinguish fish size between varying species. The signal intensity is "normalized" for depth so that a small fish close to the boat does not appear as a large fish symbol.

LIGHT controls the unit's 3-position display backlight. With the unit powered on, pressing LIGHT once will turn the backlight on "high". Pressing LIGHT a second time will turn the backlight on "low", and pressing a third time will turn the backlight off. The backlight is very effective for low-light and nighttime operation.

When the backlight is on, the Wide 128 will consume more power than with the backlight off. This is important when using the Wide 128 in a portable configuration powered by a separate battery, or when powering the unit from a trolling motor battery.

NOTE: When powering the unit from a battery such as in portable applications, avoiding use of the backlight prolongs battery life.

The three lower buttons, MENU, UP ARROW, and DOWN ARROW work together to control the Wide 128 menu-controlled user functions.

MENU brings a menu on-screen for adjustment. In normal operation, pressing MENU repeatedly will cycle through all available menu headings. When the desired menu heading is displayed, the full menu appears after a short pause. A menu remains on-screen for several seconds allowing user adjustment by means of the ARROW keys. If no adjustment is made in the allotted time, the menu disappears. If you need the menu to remain on-screen longer to study the adjustment options, press and hold MENU-the menu will remain on-screen indefinitely. Once you release the menu button, the screen will time out.