General

Q: When is it best to use an underwater camera?
 

A: An underwater camera is a great tool when you want to see the actual environment and structure you are fishing, for instance, it will show you things like water clarity and bottom content (rocks, weed, wood, etc.). Its also good to use under tough fishing conditions, when you are marking fish with your depth finder but can't get them to bite. The underwater camera can help you identify if in fact the fish you are marking are the kind you're after and how they're set up on the structure.
If you are seeing things on your sonar that you can't quite interpret, an underwater camera can help you identify unusual bottom structure, (old wrecks, fish cribs, etc.), and even clouds of baitfish.
 

Q: When using an underwater camera, are there any tips for using to spot fish?
 

A: The key to spotting fish with an underwater camera is to remember that things will happen very quickly. Most times you will see fish darting across the field of view, or a "puff" as bottom sediment is kicked up when a fish swims out of view. The nice thing about looking for walleyes on an underwater camera, is that the white tip on their tail and on their anal fin, really stand out when viewed underwater. That makes identifying walleyes easier than most other species.
 

Q: How fast can you move along and still use an underwater camera effectively?
 

A: A slow drift or moving along slowly with the trolling motor tends to work out best. Also back trolling with the big outboard will also work. You may need to kick it in and out of gear to keep the speed down.

No Picture

The first way to break this problem down is to isolate the source of your problem. Is it the camera connections or your monitor? Here are some suggested troubleshooting tips to determine the source of your problem.
 

1. Is your monitor connected to your battery? Sure it sounds obvious, but sometimes it's the most obvious we overlook.
 

2. Check your connections. Are the end pieces firmly and properly connected to your monitor or switchbox? Check to ensure the connectors are properly secured to your equipment.
 

3. Is your camera receiving Power? Utilize a MultiMeter/Power tester to determine whether or not your power source is transmitting the proper amount of power. Plug in your power transformer and test the end of the power cable with your MultiMeter
 

4. What channel is your monitor set to? Make sure that your channel button marked C1/C2 is set to the same jack that your camera is plugged into.

Poor Picture Quality ( Live Video )

Determine whether the problem is related to your camera, cables or connections.
 

1. Check your connections. Are the end pieces firmly and properly connected to your camera? Check to ensure the connectors are properly secured to your equipment.
 

2. Is your lens clean?
 

3. Is your camera receiving enough power? Utilize a MultiMeter/Power tester to determine whether or not your power source is transmitting the proper amount of power. Plug in your power transformer and test the end of the power cable with your MultiMeter
 

4. Are your brightness and contrast settings correct? Try changing the brightness and contrast. Many times having these adjusted properly greatly increases picture quality.
 

5. Are you using the camera in clear water? The clarity of the water you are using the camera plays a big part in how well you will be able to see. If the area you are in has very cloudy water, engage the colored light system. If this does not clear up the picture you may want to consider moving to another location.

Poor Picture Quality ( Playback )

Does the problem exist in your vcr or your tape? Troubleshooting suggestions assume your live picture quality is fine.
 

1. Check your connections. Are the end pieces firmly and properly connected to your camera, vcr and all other equipment that it might run through? Check to ensure the connectors are properly secured to your coax and your equipment.
 

2. Place the tape into another vcr that you know is good. This will help you determine whether the problem stems from a recording issue or a playback issue.
 

3. Try a new video tape. This will help you determine whether or not the problem was with the tape.
 

4. Adjust the tracking on the vcr. This should either be found on the vcr itself or the remote control. If it is set to auto tracking, try manually adjusting the tracking to see if it clears up the picture.
 

5. Clean your video heads. Try using a VCR head cleaner to clean the video heads. If it has been a while since you last did this, you may have to do so several times.

For more information & help with  Atlantis Underwater viewing systems, please contact us
Telephone : (08) 8444 2444
Email : sales@pacificmarine.com.au