Digital depth readout adapter for flasher type fish finder

A water depth display device for use with a flasher type fish finder system, the flasher type fish finder system including a primary flasher display unit and a transducer assembly, the primary flasher display unit including a sonar transmitter and the transducer assembly including a transducer and a cable, the water depth display device comprising:

• an enclosure;
• a depth microcontroller maintained within the enclosure;
• a display panel carried by the enclosure and electronically connected to the depth microcontroller;
• a transducer port formed in the enclosure and electronically connected to the depth microcontroller, the transducer port configured to selectively establish a mechanical and electrical connection with the transducer assembly cable;
• and
• an interface cable extending from the enclosure and terminating at a connector electronically connected to the depth microcontroller, the connector configured to selectively establish a mechanical and electrical connection with a transducer receptacle of the primary flasher display unit;
• wherein the depth microcontroller is programmed, upon connecting the water depth display device between the primary flasher display unit and the transducer assembly, to:
• establish an electrical connection between the primary flasher display unit and the transducer cable such that drive signals generated by the transmitter of the primary flasher display unit are delivered to the transducer assembly, and return signals generated by the transducer in response to detected echo waves are delivered to the primary flasher display unit,
• sample the transmitter signals and the return signals to determine a depth of a body of water at which the transducer is located,
• prompt the display panel to display the determined depth in numerical form.