Echo Sounder
FURUNO
Refurbished
Manufacturer: FURUNO Electric Co., Ltd.
Country of Origin: Japan
Model: FE-700
Product Type: Navigational Echo Sounder
Main Display Unit: FE-701
Distribution Box: FE-702
Operating Frequency: 50 kHz / 200 kHz, depending on system configuration
Marine Application: Vessel depth measurement, seabed monitoring and safe navigation
The FE-700 is a professional navigational echo sounder manufactured by FURUNO Electric Co., Ltd., Japan. Official documentation identifies the complete system around the FE-701 display, FE-702 distribution box and compatible 50 kHz or 200 kHz transducers.
The FURUNO FE-700 is a shipboard navigational echo sounder designed to continuously measure the depth of water beneath a vessel. It transmits ultrasonic pulses through a hull-mounted transducer and determines depth from the time required for echoes from the seabed to return.
The system provides both a graphical seabed presentation and a clear numerical depth indication, allowing bridge personnel to monitor under-keel conditions during coastal navigation, port approaches, anchoring and other depth-critical operations.
According to FURUNO specifications, the FE-700 operates at 50 kHz, 200 kHz, or alternating 50/200 kHz, depending on configuration, with a rated output power of 600 Wrms.
The FE-700 is a dedicated navigational echo sounding system, rather than simply a fish finder. Its primary purpose aboard merchant vessels is reliable depth monitoring for navigation.
An ultrasonic pulse is transmitted downward from the vessel. When it reaches the seabed, part of the energy is reflected back. The equipment calculates the elapsed transmission/return time and converts this into depth. This is the basic operating principle of marine echo sounding.
The FE-700 supports several useful presentation modes, including NAV, DBS, History and Logbook functions. Its display can present bottom contours while maintaining a prominent numerical depth indication.
The FURUNO FE-700 offers a practical combination of straightforward operation and professional navigation functions.
The display controls provide direct access to functions such as DRAFT, MUTE ALARM, DIM, BRILL, AUTO, COLOR, RANGE, GAIN, LOGBOOK, HISTORY and MENU, making the equipment relatively simple for watchkeeping personnel to operate.
A typical FE-700 installation may include the following equipment:
FE-701 Display Unit – The bridge-mounted operator interface displaying numerical depth, seabed echoes, alarms and historical information.
FE-702 Distribution Box – Handles system power distribution, connections and interfaces between major components.
50B-6B Transducer – 50 kHz – Used for the 50 kHz configuration.
200B-8B Transducer – 200 kHz – Used for the 200 kHz configuration.
Matching Box – FURUNO documentation identifies MB-502 for 50 kHz and MB-504 for 200 kHz configurations.
Optional system equipment can include the EX-8 transducer switch box and FE-720 digital depth indicator.
The system diagram above illustrates how the FE-701 display, FE-702 distribution box, transducers and optional bridge equipment can form an integrated depth-monitoring installation.
The FURUNO FE-700 is suitable for commercial and professional vessels requiring continuous navigational depth information, including cargo ships, tankers, container vessels, bulk carriers and other merchant vessels.
Typical operational uses include:
Port Approach & Departure: Continuous monitoring of available water depth while entering or leaving restricted waters.
Shallow-Water Navigation: Provides the bridge team with immediate depth information and shallow-depth warning capability.
Anchoring Operations: Helps confirm water depth and seabed profile before and during anchoring.
Coastal Navigation: Provides an independent indication that can be compared with charted depths and other navigational information.
Bridge Data Integration: Depth information may form part of a wider bridge data and voyage-recording arrangement, depending on vessel configuration.
Possible causes include a damaged or disconnected transducer cable, poor transducer performance, incorrect range/gain settings, aerated water around the transducer, excessive vessel motion or a problem within the FE-702/transceiver circuitry.
First check the displayed range and gain settings, cable connections and transducer installation before suspecting internal electronics.
Intermittent depth readings can result from bubbles beneath the hull, marine growth on the transducer face, electrical interference, incorrect draft settings or weak bottom echoes.
Check the transducer condition and confirm that the configured draft corresponds with the vessel's required depth reference.
Check ship's supply voltage, circuit protection, power wiring and the FE-702 distribution box. Internal troubleshooting should only be performed by suitably qualified marine electronics personnel.
Verify the alarm depth setting and current draft/reference configuration. Also check whether unstable bottom detection is creating intermittent readings.
Inspect gain settings, transducer condition and cabling. Poor transducer contact with the water, fouling and cable degradation can reduce received echo strength.
On older FE-701 units, LCD degradation, backlight problems, keypad wear, internal PCB faults or power-supply problems may occur. The operator/service documentation identifies internal boards including the MAIN, ANLG, MEM and CON boards.
Routine preventive maintenance can significantly extend the useful service life of an FE-700 system.
Keep the FE-701 display clean and dry, periodically inspect connectors and terminals for corrosion or looseness, check the FE-702 enclosure and cable entries, and inspect transducer cables during scheduled maintenance.
During docking, inspect the transducer face for damage, paint contamination and marine growth. The transducer should not simply be coated with ordinary hull paint without confirming that the coating is suitable for sonar transducers.
Periodically test the shallow-water alarm and compare displayed depth against expected or independently available depth information where operationally practical.
Any work inside the FE-701 or FE-702 should be carried out by qualified personnel with the equipment safely isolated. FURUNO's installation documentation specifically covers mounting, transducer installation, distribution-box wiring, alarm connections, power configuration and system adjustments.
Although newer generations of echo sounders are available, many vessels continue operating FE-700 installations because the system is straightforward, rugged and already integrated into the vessel's bridge infrastructure.
Replacing a complete echo sounding installation can involve more than changing the display. Transducers, cabling, mounting arrangements, alarms, repeaters and external interfaces may also need modification. For this reason, maintaining an existing FE-700 with tested FE-701 displays, FE-702 distribution boxes and compatible spare parts can remain practical for vessels where the existing system continues to meet operational and regulatory requirements.
What is the FURUNO FE-700?
It is a navigational echo sounder designed to measure and display the water depth beneath a vessel.
What is the FE-701?
FE-701 is the main display unit used in the FE-700 system.
What is the FE-702?
FE-702 is the distribution box used within the FE-700 installation.
Which frequencies does FE-700 support?
Official specifications identify 50 kHz, 200 kHz, or alternating 50/200 kHz operation, depending on system configuration.
What transducers are associated with the system?
The official documentation identifies the 50B-6B for 50 kHz and 200B-8B for 200 kHz configurations.
Can FE-700 spare parts still be sourced?
Availability varies because the FE-700 is a legacy system, but used, refurbished and reconditioned displays, distribution boxes and other components may still be available through marine equipment suppliers.
FURUNO FE-700 Navigational Echo Sounder is a professional marine depth-measuring system manufactured by FURUNO Electric Co., Ltd., Japan. The system typically consists of the FE-701 Display Unit, FE-702 Distribution Box, matching equipment and 50 kHz or 200 kHz transducer. It is widely suited to merchant-vessel navigation, shallow-water monitoring, port approaches and continuous bridge depth indication.
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