Author Topic: thinking about a humminbird helix 7, need advice from those that have them (Read 3423 times)

beast · « **on:** Oct 22, 2018, 07:09 PM »

Someone walked of with my vexilar fl 20 last year, and I still may get a flx 20, but the helix 7 got my interest, for those that have the 7 or 5, tell me your likes and dislikes.

marknpanfish · « **Reply #1 on:** Oct 22, 2018, 08:59 PM »

I bought one last year for the boat with the intent of using it for ice fishing also. It works great for both in my opinion love the GPS I used the graph more than the Flasher mode and I built the box for ice fishing for it.

Lsranger406 · « **Reply #2 on:** Oct 22, 2018, 09:26 PM »

Love the unit. I've fished in all weather from -30 to 100+ degrees. Never had any issues. Marks fish very well. I only have humminbird units so have never notice any kind of interference. Have been told may interfere with and or by pther bramd units. Dissassembled the humminbird ice pack and built it into my fishing pack. The GPS feature is amazing. Works flawlessly. Helps get you back on fish or at least give a good starting point. Hope this helps. Any questions let me know. Hopefully Can see my pack setup.

MNpup · « **Reply #3 on:** Oct 22, 2018, 11:33 PM »

My only complaint is that the battery won't last all day so I have to bring two. Otherwise I love mine. I'm thinking about getting a lithium battery for it this season.

marknpanfish · « **Reply #4 on:** Oct 23, 2018, 12:36 AM »

I turn the background light down and the battery lasts all day and then some.

52isntbigenough · « **Reply #5 on:** Oct 23, 2018, 07:29 AM »

Quote from: MNpup on Oct 22, 2018, 11:33 PM

My only complaint is that the battery won't last all day so I have to bring two. Otherwise I love mine. I'm thinking about getting a lithium battery for it this season.

Turn backlight down and the screen background to black. I get all day then some.

52isntbigenough · « **Reply #6 on:** Oct 23, 2018, 07:35 AM »

I have a 7 with GPS and love the combination having a sonar and GPS in one unit. Takes all the guess work out of where you are and how deep. Pair the GPS with LakeMaster and its amazing. To me the fun of sonar is watching fish actually come off the bottom at my jig. I get it, with a flasher you can do the same, but sonar to me makes it more real and more like a video game I guess. The screen size of the 7 is perfect.

After running this all of last season, I don't think I'd ever go back to a flasher. If I left Humminbird for something else, it will probably be a Panoptics with LiveScope.

jethro · « **Reply #7 on:** Oct 23, 2018, 07:44 AM »

I have a 5, I love it. It definitely lasts all day, probably all weekend. I have started using it in graph mode a lot lately. I have it rigged up in a PiranhaMax portable case on a Ram mount, it works great. I still am in the habit of bringing my Ice55, but that will change this year.

matzilla · « **Reply #8 on:** Oct 23, 2018, 08:13 AM »

I've had a helix on the ice since 2014...no problems, works great. I've also used it on my boat and kayak

Seamonkey84 · « **Reply #9 on:** Oct 23, 2018, 08:24 AM »

Quote from: 52isntbigenough on Oct 23, 2018, 07:35 AM

I get it, with a flasher you can do the same, but sonar to me makes it more real and more like a video game I guess. The screen size of the 7 is perfect.

After running this all of last season, I don't think I'd ever go back to a flasher. If I left Humminbird for something else, it will probably be a Panoptics with LiveScope.

(Image removed from quote.)

I never use the flasher display, I love seeing the lines go up and down, plus seeing any fish that I may have missed when looking away or were suspended when I was focusing on bottom. I just got the panoptix for this year (last years ps22 package), and so far ive been using it open water and it’s like seeing a whole new world! I kinda wished I held out for the livescope but oh well. Maybe when I pay this unit off and the price/size of the livescope ice version is more reasonable.

Fishwacker1 · « **Reply #10 on:** Oct 23, 2018, 08:31 AM »

I first bought the Helix 5 due to the attractive sale prices but sold it for a immediate 50$ loss to get the larger screen size of the 7.
Genz box, chirp, gps, and lithium battery.
It works Fantastic.

Now the FL18 rests on a shelf waiting to go fishing.

pokrz004 · « **Reply #11 on:** Oct 23, 2018, 09:33 AM »

Absolutely LOVE mine. Only thing is I wish it had 2 SD ports like the 12s on my boat, but i will never go back to a flasher again. Helix 7 all the way!!!

beast · « **Reply #12 on:** Oct 23, 2018, 11:19 AM »

Thanks for the replies, they will definitely will be getting a look when I can get somewhere to play with them either at Cabela's or the Ice fishing store when that comes to town., keep the replies coming, anyone have any issues or dislikes?

Fishwacker1 · « **Reply #13 on:** Oct 23, 2018, 09:20 PM »

I wish Humminbird would do a software update with a toggle On/Off for GPS mapping. I'm sure it takes battery to be connected to satellites while you are at your area fishing holes that you punched.

I'm not quite sure if turning those map / satellite pages off does the same thing?

herefishyfishyfishy1 · « **Reply #14 on:** Oct 24, 2018, 07:31 AM »

I love my ice Helix 7 chirp gps/sonar G2 combo. 7" screen is the way to go. It is glass vs plastic on the 5" model. If you turn the backlight down to half the battery lasts a lot longer. Only thing I wish this had was a video input for a camera to drop down the hole. When I bought mine last year I got a free strikemaster HD map. It allows you to target a certain species of fish in that lake depending on water clarity, temp, and cloud cover. Interference rejection (IR mode) works really well. Went out with some buddies and my Helix was blasting the other finders with so much noise they couldn't see anything. Turned IR mode on and it cleared up. I haven't experienced anyone blasting mine out yet... but I think the IR mode will prevent that.

Figure ate · « **Reply #15 on:** Oct 24, 2018, 07:56 AM »

LOVE my helix 7 g2 SI with the CHIRP ice transducer.

Pros:
GPS/mapping, easy screen to read, easy to use, real time sonar (no lag), no interference from any brand of depth finder or flasher, SILENT operation, side imaging for pinpointing structure during open water, auto chart live for mapping uncharted waters, open water waypoints.

Cons:
Mediocre battery life (4-14 hours, depending on screen brightness), longer start up than analog flashers.

I would never even consider wasting money on a flasher that only does 1 thing after using the helix.

VenomInjected · « **Reply #16 on:** Oct 24, 2018, 09:02 AM »

Playing Devils Advocate is all.....

Considered the Garmin Echomap ice bundles at all? A 63cv would be comparable with a helix 7 (minus screen size of course)

The Garmin 63cv ice bundle has MUCH better battery life... along with what some consider better maps (has more at least... 17,000 I think vs 11,000 on the helix?)

1* incremental adjustable cone angle on the helix like the garmin?

Otherwise go Garmin 7" series if you have any desire for panoptix/livescope. (Something Hummingbird has none of)

kondan · « **Reply #17 on:** Oct 24, 2018, 09:12 AM »

I have a Helix 7 Si gen 1, is this worth using as an ice flasher? I've read online that the helix 7 g2 is better with chirp?

pokrz004 · « **Reply #18 on:** Nov 07, 2018, 05:27 PM »

Agree with other complaints about battery life. It is a little short. I put a Dakota Lithium in mine this year. Hopefully solves it otherwise awesome unit.

matzilla · « **Reply #19 on:** Nov 07, 2018, 05:35 PM »

use a 12ah battery, or at least a 10ah

spam · « **Reply #20 on:** Nov 07, 2018, 05:56 PM »

Quote from: kondan on Oct 24, 2018, 09:12 AM

I have a Helix 7 Si gen 1, is this worth using as an ice flasher? I've read online that the helix 7 g2 is better with chirp?

I fished side by side with a helix 5 g2 chirp and my uncle was using a helix 5 gen 1 and the gen 1 was terrible compared to the g2 chirp target separation was so much different

Arlberg20 · « **Reply #21 on:** Nov 08, 2018, 08:17 AM »

i love mine now, took a bit to figure it out. i upgraded from a x67 and i've always used the graph mode. i can get 10 hours plus out of the battery with the light set at 5 and the background black. i use the lakemaster card and will use the gps on the way out it takes a few minutes to find the sattelites tho so i turn it on before i am on the lake

dukhnter8 · « **Reply #22 on:** Nov 09, 2018, 08:00 AM »

I agree with spam and make sure to get a gen2, I mistakenly got a gen1 and it sucks not really happy with it and went from a 597 to the helix 7. Basically its a big GPS, love the bigger screen but wish I had gotten the gen2.

matzilla · « **Reply #23 on:** Nov 09, 2018, 08:10 AM »

What sucks on your G1? Been using mine for years

dukhnter8 · « **Reply #24 on:** Nov 09, 2018, 08:42 AM »

Just not very good at target separation or even marking fish, I have used it side by side with the old 597 and the 597 is marking fish while the helix shows nothing. I'm not really impressed with down imaging either. Thought it would be useful but has not been. I have been messing with the settings as well and cannot seem to get it to work good.

I fish Lake Erie a lot and will be catching fish and know there are fish down there and suspended as I am catching them mid range depth, but it does not mark them.

I have talked to Humminbird reps and looked up the settings for it but most are saying I need a transducer with 83 and it only has 200 and 455 I believe.

frogmaster · « **Reply #25 on:** Nov 09, 2018, 05:30 PM »

Ummmm Auto Chart Live (compatible), I created my own map this summer on my Helix-10 on a Lake with No DECENT Maps but good fishing. In addition I added over 95 Stump HAZARDS for the boat and Above Water Stumps too...... Now this will be mounted on Snowmobile Handel Bar so I can drive on the lake and NOT HIT THOSE STUMPS which would cause MUCH DAMAGE to Sled and Driver!!! Twist the RAM Handle and put in Flip Over to fish with it. Same in reverse to get back to Truck safe and sound

Blessings

iceman260 · « **Reply #26 on:** Nov 11, 2018, 07:51 AM »

How do you tell the differance between gen1 and gen2.

matzilla · « **Reply #27 on:** Nov 11, 2018, 08:28 AM »

Quote from: dukhnter8 on Nov 09, 2018, 08:42 AM

Just not very good at target separation or even marking fish, I have used it side by side with the old 597 and the 597 is marking fish while the helix shows nothing. I'm not really impressed with down imaging either. Thought it would be useful but has not been. I have been messing with the settings as well and cannot seem to get it to work good.

I fish Lake Erie a lot and will be catching fish and know there are fish down there and suspended as I am catching them mid range depth, but it does not mark them.

I have talked to Humminbird reps and looked up the settings for it but most are saying I need a transducer with 83 and it only has 200 and 455 I believe.

They don't make an 83khz ice ducer and 83khz in 50' of water would suck. You're not happy with di in open water? It should just show you clearer imaging of weed lines and brush piles - it wont do any magic. If you're using a di unit with an ice ducer be sure to put the unit in advanced user mode, select 2d element for transducer type, manually set your max depth to true depth +5' (starting point) and manually adjust the sensitivity until you can see your jig. If you can see your jig you can mark fish. I would highly recommend not using the circular flasher view on the Helix g1 - and do NOT use ice mode either. A 597 would have worked slightly better out of the box in auto/auto, normal user mode - but the Helix will give you better response when dialed in.

matzilla · « **Reply #28 on:** Nov 11, 2018, 08:31 AM »

Quote from: iceman260 on Nov 11, 2018, 07:51 AM

How do you tell the differance between gen1 and gen2.

All of the ones i've seen have a sticker at the bottom right corner that says CHIRP/G2

frogmaster · « **Reply #29 on:** Nov 11, 2018, 02:20 PM »

Quote from: matzilla on Nov 11, 2018, 08:31 AM

All of the ones i've seen have a sticker at the bottom right corner that says CHIRP/G2

No sticker at bottom right on my ICE 7 Helix GPS G2N unit, out of the box last month. FYI

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Author Topic: thinking about a humminbird helix 7, need advice from those that have them (Read 3423 times)