What kind of Helix!?

[Sandcountrylivin]

Hello everybody! I just got done with the grueling "Battle on Bago" fishing tournament in Oshkosh WI. An awesome raffle/tournament where biggest fish will win you a cooler and 150th and 2000th place will win you a Ford F-150! 400th and 600th will nab you new Lund boats with big merc outboards!! Anyhow I took 70th place out of almost 12,000 fish registered and won a new marcum lithium shuttle. I have been eying up the helix 5 for sometime and have a question or two. First if you google helix 5 there seems to be 5 different models, chirp side imaging etc. etc. along with 5 different prices. I'm just curious is there 1 model only for ice? If so is it capable for open water or do I need to buy one of the fancier models for dual season use? If you could clear some of the confusion on what is available for the helix 5 and the advantages or features for the extra money spent I would appreciate it. I should say, I've never before owned a boat or messed with gps fish finders and just bought a boat so I'm a newb.

[ejdelvo28]

The model sold with the ice kits is the standard chirp sonar/GPS.  However, you can use a DI/SI head unit an ice kit in the same exact way, you just can't utilize the DI/SI.  It will perform just like the standard sonar/GPS.  With a few slight modifications for mounting, you should be able to put a Helix 5 or 7, DI/SI or not, on that shuttle fairly easily.  Congrats on the prize!

[Sandcountrylivin]

Thanks! So is there only 2 models then?

[Gunflint]

If only fishing ice, i would recommend you get the better one. It really is nice and I love the GPS and maps.

If you also fish in the summer, pay more for the side imaging and run it with the other transducer in the summer. I wish I would have done that but I only bought the ice model and will much miss the side imaging.

[fishEH]

I bought a Helix 5 about a month ago and run it on a lithium shuttle. I went with the GPS DI Chirp with Navionics maps. I didn't buy the Ice unit.  I bought the regular unit and bought the Ice 1521 ducer.
I've got my mods for the Marcum shuttle with Helix documented here: https://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=357063.0

[Blue Tiger]

I see the regular Helix 5 model is $200 and Chirp model is $300 is chirp really worth the extra dough?

[PatrickN]

I see the regular Helix 5 model is $200 and Chirp model is $300 is chirp really worth the extra dough?

I feel chirp is worth the extra money. Gives you better and clearer detail.

[Gunflint]

Chirp was well worth the money for me. Much clearer details.

[Sandcountrylivin]

I don't know why I'm having such a hard time with this. It seems as though there are multiple options. I see offerings for $500, $350, $250.

Is the di g2 the base model. Is there two models that can both be with or without chirp? What the hell is chirp!!!!???

Google helix 5 and tell me I'm not crazy please!?

[spam]

chirp sets it apart it is so much better I did a side by side comparison with my uncles helix 5 no chirp and it was no contest hands down get chirp!

www.humminbird.com/Products/HELIX-5-CHIRP-GPS-G2/

[Blue Tiger]

I don't know why I'm having such a hard time with this. It seems as though there are multiple options. I see offerings for $500, $350, $250.

Is the di g2 the base model. Is there two models that can both be with or without chirp? What the hell is chirp!!!!???

Google helix 5 and tell me I'm not crazy please!?

Base model ($200) is a non Chirp sonar without the DI (down imaging) which DI is worthless for ice fishing anyway from what I read.The DI one is $250 and the next model up is CHIRP sonar for $300,which it seams to be the go to one.But thats if you want to use the skimmer transducer,if not you have to buy the ice transducer or just buy the ice Helix package.

[bobberbill]

Helix G2 is the newest product from Humminbird. There are several G2 models to choose from depending on what your needs are. CHIRP is a new technology that is able to utilize 2 different frequency displays at the same time. Older units only had 1.

Models have side imaging, down imaging, GPS, no GPS. The ice unit comes with a carry case and an ice transducer. Cable with a float. DI/SI units are for open water and have to be mounted some way.

There is a portable unit that I chose. It doesn't have DI/SI, but comes with a case, battery, suction cup for the open water transducer, and it has GPS. I can easily take it on different boats, and different lakes. I ordered the ice transducer to make it the same as the ice unit that is available. Go to Hummer's site. Lot's of Utube stuff, too.

[ejdelvo28]

I'll break it down best I can:

-There is plain sonar, and plain sonar with chirp.  Chirp gives a clearer picture by using several frequencies at once.  Then comes Sonar/DI which is the same thing except with down imaging included.  Then comes sonar/GPS.  It basically takes the plain sonar and adds an internal GPS.  After that is Sonar/DI/GPS which combines all three elements.  Lastly, the top shelf model adds on side imaging (SI) to everything else mentioned.  Any of these units can be used on ice as sonar, but the DI and SI can only be used in open water.  GPS is self explanatory.  Hope this helps.

If you are wanting a unit for both boat and ice, consider getting the SI/GPS model with an open water ducer, and the ice kit to put it on. It'll be everything packed into one unit.

[Sandcountrylivin]

Thank you sir! So the way I see it I need the helix 5 di/si gps with chirp and since I have the marcum shuttle instead of the ice pack I just need the ice ducer. I will have to do some reading and see if my fancy unit comes with any brackets to mount it to the boat and what it comes with for open water ducer connector. I have read on another forum and maybe it was mentioned on here about a suction cup mount. Lots to read! Thanks everyone for your time!

[dunnhuntin]

Suction cup mounts work well at low speeds and if you NEED the transducer to be removable. If you only plan on mounting it on one boat it's cheaper to buy a regular transducer to mount permanently on your boat. The suction cup mounts let go of the hull after 4 hours or so and if you take off with any speed that will tear the transducer cable. I use one on my canoe and kayak because it isn't in the water all day but my 16' boat has a permanent transducer mount so it doesn't come off the transom. I use the same portable pack in the canoe/kayak with suction transducer and for ice fishing with an ice-ducer. I take the finder out of the portable pack and have a seperate mount with transducer in my bigger boat.

[fishEH]

Thank you sir! So the way I see it I need the helix 5 di/si gps with chirp and since I have the marcum shuttle instead of the ice pack I just need the ice ducer. I will have to do some reading and see if my fancy unit comes with any brackets to mount it to the boat and what it comes with for open water ducer connector. I have read on another forum and maybe it was mentioned on here about a suction cup mount. Lots to read! Thanks everyone for your time!

Your unit will come with a gimbal mount and a screw-in(permanent) transducer mount for the boat.

[Philip]

Dont have an answer for you, but woah! Those prizes are awesome and all over the place! Very cool.

"Howd you do in that fishing turny last weekend?"

"I got 2000th!!"

"Oh... uh sorry to hear that, it happens"

"no no, I said 2000th! I won a truck!" 

[eriksat1]

I will add that the helix 7 is a 7” screen. If you can scrap up the extra money the bigger screen is well worth it. Helix 5 = 5” screen. It makes a big difference when you do a split screen.

[Sandcountrylivin]

Thank you gentleman you have cleared it all up for me! Philip if you get a chance you should take a look at there online site. Battleonbago.org I believe it is. Click on prizes! There were like 10 marcum rt9's there were 5 or more jiffy propane, hunts all over the country, Canadian fishing trip, $2018, and on and on! If you manage a top 2000 size fish you have a 1/5 chance of winning a prize! 10th-15th-20th are winners and so on. It's basically a raffle with odds that are very hard to beat for such big ticket items.