Humminbird Helix series

[mickeyjim]

Recently bought a Humminbird Helix sonar gps combo. I bought it mainly for the mapping feature. I was told that the base maps the unit came with showed Canadian lakes, but with no bathymetric detail. After installing it, I can't find any lakes in my area, or the SSR. I called Humminbird and they told me that the units come with no data on Canadian lakes. I'm hoping that the nice lady with the southern accent doesn't know what she's talking about and that I am just doing something wrong on my end. Anybody have any experience with these things and the base maps that come preloaded on the units? Am I looking at spending more money for a Navionics chip?

[RavYak]

No Humminbird units have preloaded maps... It absolutely blows my mind how they have been making handheld GPS units etc with base maps for how long now but can't do so on a bloody fish finder...

I believe most Lowrance ones don't have maps either although the HDS units do at least have a rough base map.

To get rough outlines of some of our lakes you can get a zerolines card. You will need one of these to record autochart data if you bought a Helix 9 or larger and plan on doing so. Otherwise you need a navionics card to give you some lakes depth charts(emphasis on some and don't expect a high quality map...).

With all our technological abilities these days I just don't get why the base maps are still so horrible(read non existent) on these units...

[deschambault]

The base maps are horrible (according to the guy who wrote Autochart) because they are the ones available for free from the government. Google and others would charge them for the use of their data. The Navionics card is getting better and the zero-line card also has some data but it isn't great either. The nice part about the Humminbird system is the ability to map in detail using the zero-line card.

[PerchBuster]

Yes the base maps are of zero use to anybody except for basic waypoints! I would return it and upgrade to one of the Helix HD SI models (9,10 or 12) with Autochart Live and then you can map your own water like a bunch of us on the forum. There really aren't any quality map cards for Western Canada at all so save your money on the navionics etc and put it towards one of the AC Live models would be my advice. Nothing you can buy will be as accurate or current as the data you will map live yourself on the waters you like to fish. Also get Zero lines card so you can save / store/ update all of your maps for years to come. Enjoy!

[mickeyjim]

I did get the 9 so I have autochart. All I'm after is a basic map showing the out line of the lakes and rivers. Long as the preloaded maps have that I'm happy

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[RavYak]

Originally Posted by mickeyjim

I did get the 9 so I have autochart. All I'm after is a basic map showing the out line of the lakes and rivers. Long as the preloaded maps have that I'm happy

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Autchart zeroline card is what you are after. You require it to store your recording data as well.

[mickeyjim]

Thanks man.

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[fish99]

Originally Posted by mickeyjim

Recently bought a Humminbird Helix sonar gps combo. I bought it mainly for the mapping feature. I was told that the base maps the unit came with showed Canadian lakes, but with no bathymetric detail. After installing it, I can't find any lakes in my area, or the SSR. I called Humminbird and they told me that the units come with no data on Canadian lakes. I'm hoping that the nice lady with the southern accent doesn't know what she's talking about and that I am just doing something wrong on my end. Anybody have any experience with these things and the base maps that come preloaded on the units? Am I looking at spending more money for a Navionics chip?

i have a helix 7 gps it came with a nav card . had to load it off the web site to get the maps to show the lake with the contour lines it took along time to load. not sure how accurate it is have not used it on the lake with the maps loaded , maybe tomorrow.

[mickeyjim]

What kind of card? Zero lines or something else?

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[fish99]

Originally Posted by mickeyjim

What kind of card? Zero lines or something else?

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it came with a navtonics card

[fish99]

Originally Posted by fish99

it came with a navtonics card

tried it on ghost res today and no contour lines for ghost res.

[dfrobert]

Originally Posted by fish99

tried it on ghost res today and no contour lines for ghost res.

Does the the GPS screen still show the lake outline/shoreline? I just purchased a Helix 7 Di GPS with Navionics+. Any tips from guys who have been using these units for awhile now? Do I have to go online to setup the Navionics?

Here is the nav+ lake list.
http://www.navionics.com/sites/defau...pril_14_14.pdf

[EZM]

If you have a Navionics card - it will read the data off that card BUT you have to set it up to read "FULL MAP" under your selections. Select that setting and you are good to go.

http://www.navionics.com/sites/defau...Humminbird.pdf

[dfrobert]

Thanks EZM.

[fish99]

Originally Posted by dfrobert

Does the the GPS screen still show the lake outline/shoreline? I just purchased a Helix 7 Di GPS with Navionics+. Any tips from guys who have been using these units for awhile now? Do I have to go online to setup the Navionics?

Here is the nav+ lake list.
http://www.navionics.com/sites/defau...pril_14_14.pdf

the lake out line was there, just no contour lines for ghost. i had to go to the web site and load the card. it takes awhile to load.

[dfrobert]

Ok, Thanks