Wayne P.

What about an aluminum boat is not a good idea to use a sonar unit????????

Down Scan is great, but not by itself. If you got a DSI unit, you would want a 2D unit also as a companion. The imaging technology takes movement to generate the picture like images. You don't need movement to use 2D sonar. A single unit with both is the intelligent way to have imaging.

You don't want a DSI unit, It has Down Scan only and should not have ever been put on the market. They have been discontinued for a few years. The units that replaced them are HDI units that have Down Scan AND 2D sonar. The units that replaced the HDI units are called Elite Chirp. There are several versions of each, READ the specs so you choose the one that has the technology you want at the price you are willing to pay. There are 2D versions with just 2D sonar, there are 2D with GPS, HDI version and HDI with GPS.

Fluorocarbon mono is as stretchy as nylon mono. Just choose one of the more limp brands.

Yes it was, the bottom of the screen is the oldest data. I did not notice it at first, but when I did, I moved the screen curser to it to get the distance and direction, moved within casting distance and caught it with a Chatterbait. It was a 4# class largemouth-- a dink for that day since I had caught a 9-9 and 10-7 earlier.

You have the wrong brand for that capability. The most shallow coverage you can get is by using 455 kHz instead of 800 kHz. This is Side Imaging with 200' of coverage in less than 4'. There is a bass at the lower left that I caught after seeing it displayed. I was heading back to the ramp and was just checking the ramp cove layout. There are submerged shoreline weeds on the right side.

Down Imaging and Side Imaging with an ONIX 10 SI at the bow with the SI transducer on the trolling motor. Some parts of the image are skewed due to turning the motor.

The fall line on the James is the 14th street bridge in Richmond: That is different than the line between freshwater and saltwater license requirements Do you Va guys know about FIP and are you registered if you fish tidal waters?

Just read a post recently discussing the use of a gimbal mount lock and that person had his Lowrance units on the boat at a restaurant in view. When he went back to the boat, all the cables were cut but the unit was still there. Then he remembered seeing some guys leaving the restaurant and walking across the parking lot but it didn't look like they bothered his boat. Leave your stuff visible and it is a target for thieves.

First thing is to check for the coverage that each has. Very easy with Navionics, just go to their website, click on Web App and you can view the current maps for Nautical Charts (Navionics data) and Sonar Charts (user generated data). That is updated daily and is what you would get when purchasing a Navionics card and updating it. All Navionics products include a year of Freshest Data Updates. To see the list of waters that Lakemaster has, go to the Humminbird Lakemaster website, find the card that covers Florida and download the .pdf lake list. For Navionics, the best card for the Helix is Navionics+. All three ways to get those maps will give you both Nautical Charts and Sonar Charts. The coverage is for inland lakes and the Gold coverage (coastal and major rivers). The original Navionics+ card is 2GB and has no maps. You choose what locations to download to the map card from anywhere in the US and Canada. It is discontinued but some retailers still have copies. MSRP $179 The current Navionics+ is Preloaded 16 GB with all the maps for the US and Canada including the waters covered by the Gold version. MSRP $199 If you already own a map card by most any company, there is the Navionics Update card which is 2GB and has no maps. To use it, you active it with your card so it becomes the Navionics+ version. MSRP $99 If Lakemaster has the coverage you want and the locations are designated as Lakemaster High Definition Survey, then that would be the best with more adjustable features. The other two levels of maps are High Definition Survey and non-designated sources- not very accurate. Pay attention to the location designations.

Mine travel in my tow vehicle between home and the ramp parking lot.

No, they have annual issues.

Additional info. Both the Helix 5 and Helix 7 will read the maps on a Hotmaps Platinum regional card. They won't read the extra stuff the Platinum card has, that is why the Platinum is not shown as compatible, but will read Nautical Charts and the added Sonar Charts maps. The Platinum card is 16 GB.

I use superlines with spinning gear in the mono equivalent diameters of 6# and 8#. Those are 20#, 30# and 40# rated depending on the brand. Mostly I use 40# Daiwa Samurai or Daiwa Saltiga

BTW MSRP for the Navionics+ Preloaded is $199 MSRP for the Navionics+ (if you can find one) is $179 MSRP for the Navionics Update is $99 Check with a marine electronics dealer for maybe a lower price. If you want some supplier suggestion, PM me.

The site you check for the list of compatible units makes a difference in the results you get. The one I check the most does not have the Helix 7 models listed. Another one I just checked does. The Helix 7 models with GPS ARE compatible with Navionics+ Preloaded (16GB). That has all the Navionics Nautical Charts for the US and Canada and can have Sonar Charts when updated. The only thing not compatible with the Navionics+ versions is Community Edits. The 2GB version of Navionics+ was discontinued several months ago. You may find some leftover stock at some retailers. I know the local Gander Mt has at least two copies. Other than leftover stock, the only way to get the 2GB version is by purchasing the Navionics Update card and activating it with a map card you own--then it becomes the 2GB Navionics+ Either way you get the 2GB version, it has no maps, you choose what locations to download to the card with no regional restrictions for the US and Canada. It can have the Sonar Charts map layer too. While the Helix 5 is listed as compatible with the 16 GB version, owners are finding the amount of data they contain makes the unit run too slow when operating the boat at speed. To correct that, they delete all the data on the card and only load the locations they need. Yes, Navionics+ cards are deletable to be reloaded with what you want. You can do that as many times as you want as long as the subscription is active. Any new purchase includes a year of updates and can be renewed when that expires.

When Snapshots are created, the picture file is written to a SNAPSHOT folder on a memory card. When a Recording is created, the recorded data is written to a RECORD folder on a memory card. In both cases a waypoint is created for each with a "S"prefix waypoint for Snapshots and a "R" prefix waypoint for Recordings. If you do not turn on Snapshot, and push the Mark button to create a waypoint, that Waypoint will have a "W" prefix.

Speed is when the slow processor is an issue. Helix 5 and Lowrance Elite owners getting the Navionics+ preloaded cards are deleting all the data and only loading the locations they need to offset the slow processors. Those card are 16 GB with all the Nautical Charts for the US and Canada. BTW why do you have waypoints on the card? The unit does not read GPS data from a memory card, only from the unit's memory.

What is the card capacity and how much data is on it?

All Humminbird units with numbers for the model name are discontinued. The Helix 9 will be out soon, probably sometime this month. As far as map compatibility, the lower cost of the Helix 5 and 7 series is due to a lower processing power than the larger models. If you want more capability, it costs more. Both of those models should read the Nautical Charts on the Platinum Plus card, just not the extra stuff. They will not share mapping so you would need a map card for both. Only the ONIX and ION models will share mapping via Ethernet. Read my response on your other post.

Compatibility has nothing to do with a map product choice. It's the unit's capability to process the data. Hotmaps Platinum has Nautical Charts, 3D, Satellite Overlay, and Photos. It can also have Sonar Charts. Hotmaps Premium has Nautical Charts only. Navionics+ has Nautical Charts and can have Sonar Charts also. The non-compatible Platinum units can read Nautical Charts and Sonar Charts but not the extra gimmick stuff .They do not have the processing power to do that extra stuff. Screen size and less capability is why they cost less than the larger units. My Humminbird 798ci SI Combo is not Platinum compatible but I can use a Platinum card and read both map layers. Both of those Helix models have microSD card readers and only the 2015 issues of Lakemaster have that card size. Navionics has been using that card size since mid 2010. No Lakemaster is not equal to Navionics. Lakemaster in Humminbird units have a lot of features that Navionics does not have. Read the information about them on the Humminbird Lakemaster website. Navionics has a lot more coverage country wide and world wide, and one may be better than the other for a particular location. It's no different than Lowrance units using Navionics or Insight. You choose which product has the best coverage where you want it. The cheaper Helix 5 has a slower processor like the cheaper Lowrance Elite series. If you use a large size map card product, the unit cannot keep up with the map processing at speed. Both of those units come with the transom Compact SI transducer XNT 9 SI 180 T. Both can produce sharper images with the HDSI transducer XHS 9 HDSI 180 T due to the longer SI crystals.

You cannot copy a map card. You would need the mfg software to write that data. For your part of the country for inland lakes/rivers, you have several choices with Navionics. The Navionics maps are called Nautical Charts. Navionics Hotmaps Premium for the South region has Nautical Charts Navionics Hotmaps Platinum for the South region has Nautical Charts, Satellite Overlay, 3D, and photos. It can also have the Sonar Charts map layer when updated. Sonar Charts are HD contour maps created from user uploaded sonar logs and is a FREE service and FREE to download. Navionics+ Preloaded has all the Nautical Charts for the US and Canada plus it can have Sonar Charts downloaded. It is also customizable which means you can delete all that is on the card and only load the locations you want. Some do that for units with slow processors like the Elite series. Navionics Gold and Navionics Platinum+ have coverage for coastal and offshore for several regions worldwide. With the Navionics+ Preloaded you get some of that coverage for coastal waters also. The 2GB version of Navionics+ does too if you choose to download it. The website shows the coverage for each product. If you already own a map card by most any company, you can get the 2GB version of Navionics+ by purchasing the Navionics Update card. You active that card with your card when you register it and it becomes the Navionics+ card with no maps. You choose what locations to download to the card from anywhere in the US and Canada up to the 2GB capacity and it is deleteable to do over again as much as you want. It can also have Sonar Charts added during a download. You don't have to guess what the maps look like, you can view the current maps on the Navionics website's WEB APP. It is updated daily and what you would get when you purchase a map card and do an update. Every new purchase includes a year of Freshest Data Updates. Both Nautical Charts and Sonar Charts are included. There is a circle at the lower left of the page, when it is grey, that is Nautical Charts, when it is blue, that is Sonar Charts. Just click on it when zoomed in to less than 1/2 mile so see both map layers.

Some of the older kill switches only turned the key when the cord is pulled. There was no electrical function involved, just mechanical. That may be the type you have.

I use the SP-200 version since I can do Navionics Sonar Charts Live with it. I have the app on several mobile devices.

Yes and no .Depends on what locations you are interested in. Lakemaster just published maps for your region this year and the coverage is very low as compared to what Navionics has. Check the list of waters covered for each region card on the Humminbird Lakemaster site. You have to download the .pdf file to see the list. There are Lakemaster High Definition Survey locations. There are High Definition Survey locations. There are other locations. ONLY the Lakemaster High Definition Survey locations should be considered accurate.