Transducers (for depth sounders)

[Spencer28]

Hi All. I'm wanting to install a depth sounder on my 28ft sloop. There is currently a very nice bronze through hull transducer installed in it but there the boat came with no face unit. It would be ideal if I could buy a face unit that is compatible with the transducer that is already installed. This would lead to a minimal amount of work dealing with the fairing blocks, etc. So what I'd like to determine is:

a) a method to test the current through hull transducer to see if it works. Anybody know how to do this?

b) what face units are compatible with the transudcer if it does work? Or, what characteristics of transducers lead to their compatibilty with face units?

Thanks.

[sailingdog]

Spencer-

Many of the transducer units are made by Airmar, and may be compatible with a number of head units. What you need to do is find out what frequency transducer it is, and if possible what brand OEM'd the part. If you get the same brand of instrument as was originaly attached to the head, there is a higher chance that they'll work together. However, you may find that a new head unit is almost as expensive as getting the head unit with transducer. In that case, I'd spring the extra money and get the new transducer as well.