Wayne P.

Contact colleges that have that program. Within a couple of hours of me is Longwood College and Virginia Tech.

The boatlanes chip is just GPS data--waypoints and tracks. It is not map data. There is a Lowrance version and Humminbird version. All you have to do is translate the Lowrance version to Garmin format and load it to the unit's memory. You can do that with GPSBabel. You can buy the loaded chip or download the files to a memory card on-line after purchase.

Hotmaps is the previous year's data of Hotmaps Premium. I have a Hotmaps Premium East 2009 and a Hotmaps East which is 2010. They have the exact same data. Since your card is microSD, it is at least a 2010 version when the Freshest Data program started. It should work in the Helix unless you damaged it or the unit card reader is faulty. Get a blank microSD card of any size, put that in the unit and turn on Snapshot in the Accessory menu. Push the MARK button to see if it will write a picture file to the card. The waypoint number will have a S prefix such as S001. Additionally you should have the current software installed which is version 7.730 that was released 8/3/2015. One more thing, make sure you completely insert the card in the reader, it clicks into place with spring resistance. When you remove the card, you get the spring assist when you push on the card to release it. Your issue could be improper use of the card reader.

Additionally you would need at least the Helix 9 to use the iPilot Link feature if that motor type is in your future.

Slow speeds would not be an issue, idle/trolling motor. Any full capacity map card will slow the unit down. The best option is to get the Navionics Update card ($99) and activate it with one of the cards you have. The Update card is the discount version of the former Navionics+ 2GB card. After activation, the Update card becomes the Navionics+ card. Both of those cards have no maps, you choose what locations to download to the card for anywhere in the US and Canada. If you just fish a few lake, only put those on the card and not places you don't go. If you get too carried away adding locations, you can delete all on the card and do it over. In addition to the Navionics Nautical Charts ( Navionics data), you can download the Sonar Charts map layer which is created from users' sonar logs. Like all other new card purchases, you get a year of Freshest Data updates to update your card and add/delete data to it.

I have used the same rig in Florida. It's a fisherman catcher as much as a fish catcher. I used 50# Stealth since I was fishing where that rig is the most appropriate punching through weed mats. It hangs up more pulling out of a mat than a TX rig or jig. Good ideal for a presentation, but not retrieval.

Those units are like all the other units before them. The Helix series are just the current models. They do the same stuff the same way with the same stuff. All my units are Side Imaging units and they do Side Imaging, Down Imaging, 2D sonar, and GPS/mapping. I do not use Down Imaging for fishing and rarely for searching--only for demo screen shots. Neither the Helix 5 series or the Helix 7 series are linkable to any unit with any connection to share anything. The Helix 7 has a faster processor and will handle mapping at speed better than the Helix 5 models. IMHO, Side Imaging is a lot better than Down Imaging due to the coverage. Side Imaging shows from the water's surface to past vertical under the transducer on both sides. That is particularly important in shallow water where DI and 2D will only have about the boat width of bottom coverage. With SI you can have a couple hundred feet of bottom coverage at the same location. As far as display size, I use the phrase "any Side Imaging is better than no Side Imaging".

The hull strakes are the ridges that go most of length of the hull. Yours are beside the trailer bunks. You can use the transom step line as a guide to the left to right leveling, not the hull bottom. Bottom line is the transducer should be parallel with the water's surface and low enough to have water contact when on plane. There should be a rubber plug in the gap between the mount arms (it's called a rooster tail plug). If you put it below where it is now, 1/2 of the left side should be lined up with the hull bottom forward of it. That would put more of the right side below the hull since the hull is slanted. You can download the installation instructions from the Humminbird website or locate the instructions that came in the transducer package. Some add a mount board to the transom for transducer attachment so if they make a mistake with the location, the transducer can be moved without putting more holes in the hull. Do not overtighten the screws as that will fracture the mount base you may loose the transducer. I see that the cable clamps were not used, USE THEM. That way if the mount breaks, the outboard prop won't eat your transducer.

The transducer needs to be down there where the hull drain is so the motor does not block the left side SI pulse. It can be on either side of the keel as long as it is not behind a hull strake. No transducer should have been attached where the holes are EVER. Tracker has done that stupid location from the beginning of the stepped transom until the 2012 models. Starting in 2012 they finally got it and this is where the factory installation is now:

That unit is no different than the other couple dozen that have the same sonar features. Just the display size is different. Recommended starting settings: Next is to learn how to use it BEFORE you try to use it for fishing. Spend at least a full day on the water scanning stuff to see what stuff looks like--leave your fishing equipment at home. Refer to the posted screen shots above to see what our stuff looks like.

If that question is for me, no, a 16' Tracker and replied as per the last sentence in the original post: " Although all advice and personal experiences is welcomed."

Depends on how long you need power and the battery weight you can tolerate. You haven't stated what your application is. Am not very good at this:

I got rid of two transom 12V 55# thrust for my Tracker and replaced them with a single 24V 80# transom motor. I go faster. Used the same two batteries. I do the transom motor deal when fishing electric-only waters. I made the mistake of assuming two 55# thrust motors could about equal my bow 105# 36V motor. All it was doing was dragging the transom motors since they could not keep up. Got a little boost when running the bow motor about 1/2 speed. The difference is RPM's. Last year, I had both of my bow 36V motors rebuilt (one is a spare) and changed to 24V 82#. Haven't checked the MPH, but at least I am not dragging the transom 80# like I was when running the 105# WOT. One less battery also.

The Humminbird Side Imaging unit uses more than twice the amps as the Elite HDI. Spec 1.3A

That battery may run the unit about 6 hours. Do a web search for the word SOLDER.

I have three units that size. All of mine are connected to a group 27 deep cycle battery with ring terminals at the battery and a 3A spade type fuse/holder at the battery for each one on it's positive wire. What is your application and why would you consider alligator clips?

There isn't a Elite walleye or crappie tour.

I don't use the castable version (T-Pod) of the Sonarphone, but I do use the T-Box version. Works great. I have the Sonarphone App on three smartphones and three tablets. The T-Pod has up to a 100 yard WiFi range. Copied from the website: "The SP100 T-POD is the most powerful portable WiFi transmitter in the world, and it easily fits into your pocket so you can take it anywhere, and yet it weighs only 4 ounces! SonarPhone will rival most high-end sonar on the market today. Using Patented WiFi signal technology to transmit a full color, HD quality signal right to your smart device. You don’t need cell phone coverage to use it, the SonarPhone will work anywhere in the world. SonarPhone creates its own WiFi hotspot and you can share your signal with as many people as you wish, the software App is downloaded for FREE from the App Store or Google Play and works with both Android and IOS systems."

Yes, Bobby's booth is across the isle from the Hawg Trough enclosure.

Yep a small swimbait is the recommended trailer for suspended bass. Paddle tail for slower presentation. Saw it demonstrated in the Hawg Trough yesterday at the show Bobby Uhrig is at.

Did it many times and mostly in mulch beds. A lot easier to grab them than in grass/weeds.

The forecast is OK now, just wasn't a few days ago. Must have been the polar vortex thingy.

A few days ago the word ICY was in the Sat forecast.

Yep, Rayburn Red. A lot of lure companies have lures with that color name and not in just lipless crankbaits. Rat-L-Trap was the first I think.