MarCum TECHNOLOGIES Showdown 5.6 Digital Fish Finder User Manual

MarCum TECHNOLOGIES Showdown 5.6 Digital Fish Finder

About Your New Showdown Digital Fish Finder

The future of ice-fishing electronics is here! As a result of your purchase, you will catch more fish and have more fun! When you combine the simplicity of the Vertical LCD Display with the user-friendly interface, you will spend more time actually fishing and less time trying to figure out how to use and interpret what your sonar unit is showing you Simply turn your Showdown 5.6 on to immediately begin observing the action below. The Showdown’s Auto Depth Range feature means there’s no switching between various depth ranges. Nor will you have to guess at bottom or depth itself. The Showdown 5.6 immediately locks on to the proper depth range, while also displaying digital depth at all times.

In Your Showdown 5.6 Package

• Showdown 5.6 sonar
• Adjustable gimbal tilt-bracket
• 8-foot transducer/power cable and 200 kHz – 20 degree transducer
• Battery Shuttle with retractable transducer arm
• Neoprene soft pack with interior mesh transducer pocket
• Rubber stopper for transducer cable
• 12-volt, 9.0-amp battery, 2-amp inline fuse
• Battery Charger
• User’s Manual

Getting Started

Your new Showdown 5.6 Digital Fish Finder comes completely assembled, and nearly ready to use. Follow the simple steps below and you will be ready to fish.

1. Remove the Showdown 5.6 from the box. Gently remove the entire unit from the neoprene case. Your ShowDown should be firmly attached to a clear gimbal bracket.
2. Make sure all wire connections are solid.
3. Make sure that the round rubber stopper is securely in place on the transducer cable, and that the hook and loop battery strap is tight to keep battery snug in the battery compartment.
4. Slide fully assembled Showdown 5.6 back into the neoprene case.
5. The 9-amp battery provided comes with a good charge on it and can be taken fishing upon opening the box. Before initial use, you may want to charge it fully if you are not going fishing immediately. To charge the battery, see below.
6. Route transducer cable through the adjustable transducer turning arm. Affix rubber cable stopper at the desired depth above transducer.
7. Place your Showdown 5.6 on a relatively level spot on the ice, extend the transducer arm over ice hole, place the transducer into the water, and turn the unit ON by pressing the POWER key.
8. To store your Showdown, turn power OFF, fold in transducer arm, tuck transducer into interior mesh pocket, and fold hook and loop closure over. Remember to recharge battery after every use—this will maximize run time and battery longevity

Charging the Battery in Your Showdown

Your MarCum system comes with a 3-stage battery charger. This style of charger has proven to be the most effective and easiest to use of all charging systems available. Because this is a 3-stage charger, there is no danger of overcharging your battery. When properly cared for, a sealed lead acid battery will last for at least a couple of years. Batteries are made to be used, and they need to be used to make the most of them. The most important thing you can do is to promptly recharge your battery after each use. Not charging your battery immediately after use is the number one thing that leads to battery failure.
For safety reasons, it is recommended that you place your system on a flat, hard surface like cement or tile when charging it, away from any flammable materials. Be sure to disconnect the charger from the wall when not in use and avoid leaving your battery hooked up to the charger for extended periods of time.
When you get home from a trip, put your battery on charge right away, and leave it there overnight, or for around 8-12 hours. Likewise, on the night before you go ice fishing, put it on the charger again, just to make sure. Again, there is no danger of overcharging your battery. We often talk to people who hesitate to charge their battery after each use for fear that the battery will develop a “memory” and this will lead to a shortened run time—THIS IS FALSE!!! ALWAYS CHARGE YOUR BATTERY AFTER EVERY USE!!! Be sure to use the charger that came with your system, or a similar one that is between .5 amp and 1 amp. Using a larger charger, like you would use on a car, truck, RV, or boat is likely to cause damage to the battery. There is really very little danger of overcharging your battery with a low amp charger, and most chargers automatically go into “maintenance mode” once a full charge has been achieved.

To Charge Your Battery

Your battery has a wiring harness attached to it; this is what you plug the charger into. To charge, simply couple the end of the charger with the end of the wiring harness. It is normal for a green light to appear on the charger at this time. It is also normal for the light on the charger to be green if it is just plugged into the wall. When it is plugged into the wall and battery, you will see a red LED light appear on the charger. If the light is red, the battery is being charged. When your battery is fully charged, this red light should change to green. If it is time to go fishing and the light has not turned green, go fish and try to allow a longer charging period next time.
If you need to remove the battery, unplug the two battery terminals from the battery. Remove the strap that is holding the battery in place and lift the battery out. To replace the battery, place a new battery of similar specifica- tions into the battery compartment and secure it with the Velcro strap and re- connect the positive and negative terminals.

Operating The Showdown 5.6

The ShowDown’s straightforward control panel is designed to let you concentrate on fishing. Most settings work by first activating the function itself (ex: press SENS to trigger sensitivity adjustment), then simply pressing the UP or DOWN keys to adjust levels.
POWER ON –  To turn your Showdown 5.6 POWER to ON, press and hold the POWER key for two seconds.
POWER OFF – To turn your Showdown 5.6 POWER to OFF, press and hold POWER for two seconds. Your Showdown 5.6 automatically preserves your sonar settings the next time you activate unit.
BACKLIGHT – To turn the backlight on, turn your POWER ON, then press POWER key again (do not hold key down). To turn backlight OFF, press Power momentarily again (do not hold down the power button).
SIMULATOR Mode – With Showdown 5.6 POWER OFF, enter SIMULATOR mode by pressing and holding POWER key for 5 seconds. The “SIMU” indicator will appear at the top right of Showdown 5.6 view screen. To exit SIMULATOR, turn Showdown 5.6 POWER to OFF, then turn unit back ON.
UP/DOWN – Pressing the UP or DOWN key lets you adjust the Sensitivity, Range, Zoom and Noise. Trigger a function first by pressing the appropriate function key, then move UP or DOWN.

Showdown 5.6 Features

ICE MODE

Your Showdown 5.6 sonar offers exclusive ICE MODE, a feature unique to Versa Electronics brand sonar units, which allows for operation in the coldest conditions. With ICE MODE active, Showdown 5.6 triggers an internal LCD heater that keeps the liquid crystals moving at their normal super high speeds in sub-freezing temperatures. This means that anglers no longer have to worry about their sonar “slowing down” due to freezing liquid crystal. While this feature is called “ICE MODE”, you may find that your Showdown performs better under a wide variety of conditions when in “ICE MODE”.
NOTE: If your Showdown 5.6 is left in extreme cold for an extended time period with the POWER turned OFF, allow one to two minutes for the Ice Mode LCD heater to warm the crystals sufficiently after the POWER has been turned ON and ICE Mode has been activated. After the ICE Mode LCD heater has been running for an extended period, it is perfectly normal for the Showdown 5.6 power-head to feel warm.
TO INITIATE ICE MODE, simply press the UP and DOWN buttons simultaneously. You will now see the “ICE” mode indicator appears at the top of the Showdown 5.6 Dual Beam display screen. In ICE mode, an internal LCD heater is initiated. To exit ICE MODE and return Showdown 5.6 to normal operating mode, press the UP and DOWN keys simultaneously. The ICE MODE indicator will no longer show at the top of the display screen.
SENS (SENSITIVITY) – The Showdown 5.6 is a highly-sensitive sonar unit capable of reading the tiniest of solid objects below. It features a 25-level Sensitivity function that adjusts either automatically or manually. By simply turning on your Showdown, it will automatically select a level of sensitivity appropriate for the given depth and signal strength. Ideally the Sensitivity should be set at the lowest level possible to still view your lure and surrounding fish, while at the same time “tuning out” excessive clutter in the water column. Clutter can make reading the sonar screen more difficult. Clutter can be caused by any number of suspended items including algae, zooplankton, tiny bubbles, and other particles.
If you’re seeing too much clutter, simply decrease the Sensitivity level until the clutter disappears. Conversely, if you’re not reading your lure directly below the transducer, consider increasing the Sensitivity level.
MANUAL SENSITIVITY – While your Showdown will automatically select an appropriate level of sensitivity, you may wish to adjust the level yourself. To manually adjust Showdown 5.6 SENSITIVITY, press the SENS button. The “SENS” indicator will appear at the lower left of view-screen, along with a number and bar indicator that displays Sensitivity level (0 to 25) at the bottom of the screen.
With the SENS indicator active, press the UP or DOWN key to increase or decrease your SENSITIVITY to the desired level. In most cases, you will have the best performance with the Sensitivity set between 5 and 10.
RANGE – The Showdown 5.6 is equipped with 6 separate depth ranges—20, 40, 60, 80, 120, and 240-feet. Regardless of the manual depth range setting, this unit will always display digital depth, even if the bottom is deeper than the bottom limit of the RANGE setting, (down to 240′).
AUTO RANGE – In Auto Range mode, Showdown 5.6 will automatically lock into the depth range appropriate to the depth of the water. For instance, in 32-feet of water, Showdown 5.6 will automatically lock in at the 40-foot depth range. Auto Range allows you to simply turn on the power and begin fishing.
MANUAL RANGE – To manually adjust the Showdown’s depth range, press the RANGE key. This will cause the digital depth markers to flash on-and-off, indicating that the sonar has switched from AUTO RANGE mode to MANUAL RANGE mode.
While the display is flashing, press either the UP or DOWN key to toggle between depth ranges – 20-FT, 40-FT, 60-FT, 80-FT, 120-FT, 240-FT. Pressing UP moves RANGE to the next shallower depth zone; DOWN moves to the next deeper zone.
To return to AUTO RANGE, press the RANGE key, and then press the UP key (moving Range to the next shallower setting) until the Range passes the 20- foot range by one step. At this point, you will hear an audible fast beep, and see a flashing “A” icon above the FEET indicator.
ZOOM – The Zoom feature allows you to focus the display on a specific depth within the water column. The position of the ZOOM window is adjustable in one-foot increments. Zoom can focus on bottom (for detecting bottom-hugging fish), or at any level above bottom. The Zoom window is programmed to display 25% of the depth range (i.e. – in 100 feet of water, you will zoom to different 25-foot segments of the water column).
MANUAL ADJUSTABLE ZOOM – To zoom the display in on a specific segment of the water column, press the ZOOM key once. Once ZOOM is activated, the word ZOOM will appear at the top left of the display screen. You can now adjust ZOOM to any depth segment by simply pressing the UP or DOWN keys—once for each ZOOM level. To ZOOM into the bottom, simply continue pressing the DOWN key until you reach the desired level.
To disengage ZOOM (bringing the Showdown 5.6 back to normal surface- to- bottom view) simply press the ZOOM button a second time. The ZOOM indicator will no longer appear at the top left of the display.
AUTO BOTTOM TRACK ZOOM – The Showdown 5.6 sonar also offers Auto Bottom Track Zoom that automatically zooms and locks onto the bottom 25-percent of the water column. This is especially useful for locating bottom hugging fish like walleyes and perch. To automatically zoom onto the bottom 25-percent of the water column, you may choose to enter Auto Bottom Track Zoom. This is an extremely helpful feature that will always lock onto and zoom in on the bottom, even if you have removed the transducer from one area and placed it into completely different depth.
To enter Auto Bottom Track Zoom, press the ZOOM key (you should see the ZOOM icon at the top left of the screen). Press the UP key until you have passed the shallowest depth range. At this point, you will hear an audible fast beep, and see a flashing “A” icon at the bottom of the screen.
NOISE (Interference Rejection) – The unit’s Noise Rejection feature allows you to use your Showdown 5.6 in close proximity to other sonar units, trolling motors, and other electronic devices without experiencing excessive signal interference. A ten (10) level Noise Rejection function allows you to adjust to a wide range of rejection levels. If “noise interference” occurs, increase the Noise Rejection level until you effectively eliminate the signal interference. To adjust the ShowDown’s NOISE Rejection control, simply press the NOISE button once. The NOISE indicator bar will appear at the bottom of the screen, along with a number (0 to 10), which shows the NOISE control setting. Press the UP button to move to the next highest NOISE rejection level or press DOWN to move to the next lowest NOISE rejection level. As you do so, you should notice the indicator number change. After approximately 5-seconds, the NOISE indicator bar will disappear and be replaced by the normal operating depth display.

Tips For Using Your Showdown 5.6

Setting up the transducer for ice-fishing – When used in conjunction with the retractable pivoting transducer arm and rubber stopper, the Showdown’s transducer will automatically level itself in your ice hole. To begin operation, simply insert transducer cable into rubber stopper at desired depth. Extend transducer arm; insert cable into open end of transducer arm and allow the rubber stopper to rest in the open end of the transducer arm. We recommend setting your stopper to have the transducer down the least amount possible. The Showdown Dual Beam puts out enough power that in most cases it is not necessary to have your transducer down more than a few inches below the water line to get a good reading. When the ice thickness is over two feet, it may be necessary to have your transducer set farther down. Remember– the less transducer cable you have out, the easier it is to pull it out of the water when bringing in a fish, or to move to a new location. Under no circumstances should you ever have the ducer below the ice as this can lead to the ducer becoming damaged.
It is also important that you keep the cable near the center of the ice hole. We frequently hear from anglers who allowed their cable to freeze into the side of the ice hole. If this should happen to you, make sure the unit is turned off before attempting to chisel it out. If you accidentally cut the ducer cable, do not try to use that ducer again.

Reading the Showdown 5.6 sonar signals:

The Showdown 5.6 displays the water column in its natural state (vertically), rather than in a circular configuration as with traditional dial flashers. On the ShowDown, top is the surface, and bottom is the lake bottom. Bottom appears as a dark solid bar above decreasingly solid bars below. A thicker “bottom band” indicates a harder bottom composition, such as rock, gravel or sand. A thinner band indicates a softer bottom.
Generally, a solid band that appears on the screen between the surface and bottom indicates some form of aquatic life (gamefish, baitfish, insects, plankton, etc.), or your lure. A thicker or more solid band implies a stronger signal, possibly from a larger fish. This is due to the nature of the ShowDown’s sonar signals. Stronger or denser objects return a stronger signal back to the transducer than smaller objects. However, even a smaller fish or your jig may give a very strong signal depending on your settings, the water depth, and the target’s position relative to the transducer.
At the same time, even a large fish may not return a strong signal until it swims directly beneath your transducer. This is because the transducer emits a cone- shaped signal that increases in diameter as the signal travels deeper. Therefore, not only will a fish appear to grow in size as it travels beneath the transducer (the signal has become stronger), but it will also appear to be swimming from deeper water to shallower water, even though this may not be the case at all. A fish that’s swimming at 25 feet may not display at 25-feet until it passes directly beneath the sonar transducer.
That’s simply because the sonar signal travels further to return an echo from a fish that’s off to the side than it does for a fish that’s directly below.
The best way to find your lure on the Showdown 5.6 screen is to simply drop your lure down to bottom, then reel it up about a foot. You should see a single solid band appear above bottom to signify your lure. If you do not see this, adjust the sonar Sensitivity by pressing the SENS button and the UP/DOWN keys (see SENSITVITY). Adjust sensitivity until you can make out your lure even as you reel it up toward the surface or jig it up and down. Do not increase sensitivity too much, however, as doing this may cause your Showdown 5.6 to display excess “clutter” that makes following your lure and nearby fish more difficult.

Battery life and sonar run-time – A fully charged 12-volt, 9.0-amp battery (included) will provide up to 30-hours of use. To assure long battery life, and peak sonar performance, we recommend charging the battery after every use.
How to check the depth through the ice— This is a great way to save time while looking for a particular spot or depth. To receive a sonar signal directly through the ice (without drilling a hole), first clear off any snow that may be covering ice. Make sure that ice in the area is relatively “clear” ice without excessive bubbles or frost pockets, which can deflect sonar signals. Pour about a cup of water on the spot, and immediately rest the transducer on the standing water on the ice. If you still don’t have a signal, pour additional water under the transducer. If the surface of the ice is rough or filled with air bubbles, drilling a 1″ deep hole in the ice before checking the depth may be necessary.

Moving the Showdown 5.6 to a new location – Mobility is one key to being successful on the ice. Whenever you move from one spot to another, it is tempting to leave your transducer hanging on the transducer arm. This is likely to lead to failure of the transducer arm and can cause damage to the transducer itself if it is allowed to drag on the ice. Always fold the transducer arm in and stow the transducer inside the pack when you are moving. Keeping the amount of transducer cord you have out at a minimum will make transporting your ShowDown easier. Similarly, you may need to quickly remove your transducer from the hole when about to land a fish. We have actually seen anglers in a panic actually grab the shuttle itself and toss the entire unit to the side. This is no way to treat any piece of electronics; a much better approach is to simply lift the transducer out of your way by the cord, and the shuttle itself can be gently pushed aside.

Caring For Your Showdown 5.6

Stow your Showdown 5.6 properly when not in use. Turn sonar power off and disconnect Power plug from back of unit. If possible, gently wipe excess water or moisture from the Showdown 5.6 screen and transducer arm with a soft cloth. Should your ShowDown system become wet, it is unlikely that any harm will come to it, but make sure to get the entire system completely dried out as soon as possible.
Slide the adjustable transducer arm back into the housing and stow trans- ducer into the interior pocket. Close and secure soft case door with hook and loop enclosure. Store in cool (above 30°F, below 85°F), dry location whenever possible. Recharge your battery after every use. Even if you only used your Showdown for a short time, getting in the habit of regularly charging your battery will maximize the life of your battery. During prolonged storage periods, recharge the battery every few months. These steps will maximize the life of your battery.
Clean your Showdown 5.6 periodically. Using a mild dishwashing soap and a soft cloth, gently clean the power head and view screen. DO NOT use window cleaner or alcohol-based cleaning products—they may damage LCD screen and void your warranty.

Product Performance Specifications

• Current Draw: 400 mA maximum
• Transducer Frequency: 200kHz
• Transducer Angle: 20°
• Transmit Power: 1000-watts true RMS / 8000 watts peak-to- peak power
• Ping Rate: 40 pings per second
• Max Sonar Resolution: 0.46″ (in 20′, 40′ and 60′ ranges)
• Sensitivity Control: 25-levels
• Noise Rejection Control: 10-level anti-interference
• Range Control: 6 depth ranges—20′, 40′, 60′, 80′, 120′, 240′
• Zoom Control: Zooms in to 25% of the water column, or in one foot increments as specified by user
• Ice Mode: Activates LCD heater, and boosts gain
• Digital Depth Display: Yes
• Display Grayscale: 4-level Grayscale

WARRANTY

MarCum warranties 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 complete the online product registration form found on the MarCum Technologies Website: www.marcumtech.com/support.
MarCum Technologies will repair or replace any components that fail in normal use. Failures due to abuse, misuse, 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. An original sales receipt dated within the warranty period is required for all warranty claims.
To best serve our customers, MarCum Technologies has set a standardized battery warranty policy. Battery warranty coverage requires a proof of purchase. Please see our website, www.marcumtech.com/support for full details on warranty coverage.

HOW TO OBTAIN SERVICE

If your unit is malfunctioning, check the support section of our website. You may find that the solution to your problem is something you can resolve yourself. If you need to send it in, there is no need to contact our office. Getting repairs made is as simple as going to our website, Marcumtech.com clicking the support tab and then filling out the MarCum Warranty Form.
If your unit is under warranty, be sure to attach a picture/scan of your proof of purchase with date included. If your system is out of warranty, we have several a flat rate fee that will cover the cost of repairs, including parts and labor. You will find the non-warranty form on our support site.
Once you have completed and submitted a claim form, package the unit as described on the website and ship it to us.
If you do not have the ability to use the Internet, you may also fill out the warranty service form included in the box with your unit. If you enclose this form in the box with your unit there is no need to contact our office, just include the filled-out form in the shipping box and a copy of the receipt.

Some people are more comfortable calling for shipping instructions. During peak ice season, we sometimes receive a high volume of calls, making it impossible to get to all customers who phone in. For this reason, strongly consider using the on-line forms at www.marcumtech.com/support.

OUR ADDRESS:
MARCUM TECHNOLOGIES
ATTN: SERVICE DEPT.
3943 QUEBEC AVE NORTH
MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55427

Please send your email inquiries to service@versae.com
If you are unable to use email or internet, you may call us at 763-512-3987.
Our office hours are Monday – Friday, 8 – 4 Central Time.
International callers may use 888-778-1208.

The customer is responsible for shipping costs associated with returning the unit to MarCum Technologies. MarCum 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. The unit should be securely packed and shipped “pre-paid freight” and insured to MarCum Technologies. It is the customer’s full responsibility to track their products sent out in the mail or other forms of delivery service. MarCum Technologies will not be liable for packages lost in route to us. Unless specified otherwise, do not include batteries or other accessories when returning the product for repair. MarCum Technologies will not be responsible for lost or damaged accessories. Turnaround time can vary, on average it is about 1 week.

KEEP THIS SHEET FOR YOUR RECORDS
MARCUM TECHNOLOGIES
IMPORTANT WARRANTY AND REPAIR INFO
If your system came with damaged or missing parts, please do not contact the store.
Contact our office by sending an email to service@versae.com or by visiting our support site, www.marcumtech.com/support and filling out a warranty parts request.
Your email should include the following:

1. Your name, complete address, and daytime number
2. Product Model
3. Date and location of purchase
4. Scan or picture of the receipt
5. A description of what is wrong with your Marcum unit

You may also contact us by phone at 763-512-3987
International callers use 888-778-1208
Once we have this information we can usually have a replacement part shipped out within 48 hours.
Your MarCum comes with a 1 year warranty. If your MarCum becomes inoperable or is malfunctioning within the warranty period, send it to us immediately for repair. If you are within the warranty period, it is not necessary to contact us prior to shipping. All you need to do is fill out and enclose the warranty service form and ship it. The form can be found inside the original packaging, or online at www.marcumtech.com/support. You must enclose a copy of the receipt in the box for your repair to be considered for warranty repair. Damage caused by abuse or trauma is not covered by warranty. Transducer cables that have been damaged by fishing line, ice chisels, augers, etc. will not be covered by warranty. If a unit arrives here with no receipt, or shows signs abuse or trauma, the owner will be contacted for billing.
In an effort to best serve our customers, MarCum Technologies has set a standardized battery warranty policy. Battery warranty coverage requires a proof of purchase. Please see our website, www.marcumtech.com/support, for full details.
If you are outside your warranty period, or do not have your receipt, we have several repair options for our sonar systems. You can pay for these services and find complete shipping instructions at our website; www.marcumtech.com/support
Be sure to pack your unit properly for shipping by utilizing a sturdy shipping box and plenty of suitable packing material. If you are sending a flasher or other sonar, we recommend that you take the head and ducer out of the soft pack and off the shuttle, pack them securely in a sturdy shipping box and send them to us. DO NOT SEND THE BATTERY. It is up to the customer to track the delivery of their package. Turnaround time for repairs can vary with the season, on average it is about a week from the day it arrives until it is shipped back out. We will not be responsible for units that were lost or packaged improperly when shipped to us.
If you have a MarCum Underwater Viewing System that is in need of repair, you can expect to send the base, the monitor, and camera/cable. DO NOT SEND THE BATTERY. If you are out of warranty, you can expect the repair cost to be between $50 and $300 depending on what is wrong. We will contact you for billing once your system has been evaluated.

WARRANTY SERVICE FORM FILL OUT THIS FORM AND ENCLOSE IT IN THE BOX ALONG WITH A COPY OF YOUR RECEIPT

• Name
• Complete Shipping Address
• State/Province
• Zip/Postal Code
• Daytime/Cell Phone #
• Email Address
• Which Marcum do you have?
• Date of Purchase
• Description of the issue

MarCum Technologies
Attn: Service Department
3943 Quebec Avenue North
Minneapolis, MN 55427

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