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Ice Fishing Tips -Check your local regulations! => Equipment => Ice Fishing With Electronics => Topic started by: Mack2 on Dec 13, 2019, 05:49 PM

Title: Helix
Post by: Mack2 on Dec 13, 2019, 05:49 PM
Just got out with my new helix 7 and I could barely see my swedish pimple in 15fow with the gain at max... Am I missing something or is it that less sensitive than my fl8? Also my 1/32 jig heads we're totally invisible.... Thanks for the help
Title: Re: Helix
Post by: Muggsy on Dec 13, 2019, 08:00 PM
 Are you using the 1521 chirp transducer or the open water transducer? If the open water one, you have to be sure it's hanging straight down or it won't show your lure well.
Title: Re: Helix
Post by: ice dawg on Dec 13, 2019, 08:19 PM
Just got out with my new helix 7 and I could barely see my swedish pimple in 15fow with the gain at max... Am I missing something or is it that less sensitive than my fl8? Also my 1/32 jig heads we're totally invisible.... Thanks for the help
Helix 7 gen1, gen 2, gen3, down imaging. Not enough info so far.
Title: Re: Helix
Post by: Mack2 on Dec 13, 2019, 09:13 PM
Helix 7 gen1, gen 2, gen3, down imaging. Not enough info so far.

Gen 3 mega si, in the ice fishing mode with the ice ducer
Title: Re: Helix
Post by: Muggsy on Dec 14, 2019, 05:28 AM
I had the same problem with a G3 H7 GPS only unit. After working with customer service, I  sent both the unit and transducer back to HB and they replaced it. I had tried everything, every setting I could think of. One thing that jumped out at me was it never read proper voltage in either the open water or ice mode despite trying 4 different batteries. Don't know if that was an indicator of an internal problem or not but the new unit displayed the proper voltage right out of the box. Finally got a chance to check it out last week on the ice and it works properly.
Title: Re: Helix
Post by: skinny4 on Jan 01, 2020, 07:21 AM
I only have helix 5's so........not 100% on it but........if you hit menu (once or twice I'm not sure) you should see something that says clear mode or max mode. Make sure it's on max mode. That kicks the gain way up there. Then lower your main gain down till all the junk disappears. Next find surface clutter and adjust that.....I leave it with just a little bit of distortion at the top. Should be able to see your tiny jigs down 50' at least. That's how I set mine up and it works. MUST BE IN MAX MODE or it don't work. If it's in max mode you have a problem.
Title: Re: Helix
Post by: ice dawg on Feb 18, 2020, 07:53 AM
Had my Helix 7 Chirp di gps g2 on the ice for the first time yesterday. I was in 14.4 fow  and had no problem seeing my jigs. I dropped some dead spikes down a hole and had no problem watching them sink to the bottom. I did have some stumps and branches under me so I used the white line feature to separate the bottom from them. After 7 hrs of use the battery monitor was reading 74%. It did everything I wanted it to do.
Title: Re: Helix
Post by: Ice_Fly_Guy on Feb 18, 2020, 08:19 AM
I generally use my Helix 5 in clear mode, with gain way up, and allowing a decent amount of surface clutter - maybe about 5 or 6.  If you have the surface clutter number too low, it will all but knock out any readings of small objects like a tiny jig or something skinny like a Swedish Pimple, especially in depths below 15 feet.

I haven't tried it much in max mode, but I might have to play with that next time when the fishing is slow.
Title: Re: Helix
Post by: ice dawg on Feb 19, 2020, 01:43 PM
My surface clutter was set on low, it was in clear mode and gain set at one. I could see a 5mm tungsten jig with a spike very well in 14.4 fow.
Title: Re: Helix
Post by: whale1979 on Feb 20, 2020, 03:08 AM
My helix 5 was reading 19' and it was actually 8.5'.  it was showing that if was 8.5' with a nice red return.  Any body experience this.  It would read correct depths sometimes?????
Title: Re: Helix
Post by: Unclegillhunter on Feb 21, 2020, 06:12 AM
Not sure if this will help. I set the depth manually. normally 2' below the actual depth. That is on the ice 5 Helix.
Keep it safe! JDL
Title: Re: Helix
Post by: geo315 on Feb 21, 2020, 06:20 AM
I have a 7 and both my ducers read different. I use the boat ducer as I have better detail  wirh it than the ice ducer. And yes its hharder to keep it pointing in the correct angle but i always have to play with the adjustments  as different lakes have different water quality.  For me the learning curve was a long one. G.
Title: Re: Helix
Post by: ice dawg on Feb 21, 2020, 08:13 AM
Not sure if this will help. I set the depth manually. normally 2' below the actual depth. That is on the ice 5 Helix.
Keep it safe! JDL
I had my helix 7 set for five feet below the bottom reading. It is supposed to get rid of most of the lag in the processor. I need more ice time with this unit to try different settings. I need to check it out more in max mode for one thing.