Garmin echoMAP CHIRP 75dv

The echoMAP CHIRP 75dv is one of the Garmin discontinued fish finders. It offers DownVü and standard CHIRP sonar, as well as navigation features such as GPS, and the Canada LakeVü charts. For reference, this is the 010-01573-00 unit, the one that includes the transducer.

Key Features and Specifications

• Screen: 7.0″ diagonal, 800H x 480V pixel resolution, WVGA color, backlit
• Sonar: Broadband CHIRP Sonar, Dual Frequency HD-ID, CHIRP DownVü
• Frequency and Coverage (with the supplied transducer):
  • 2D CHIRP Sonar: 150-240 kHz 24°/16°
  • DownVü CHIRP: 425-485kHz 2° fore to aft / 50° side to side, 790-850 kHz 1° fore to aft / 30° side to side
• Depth Capability:
  • 2D Sonar: 1,800 feet (548 m)
  • DownVü: 1,000 feet (305 m)
• Transducer: GT22HW-TM (8-pin), for HD-ID and DownVü
• Power Output: 500 Watts (RMS) for DownVü
• GPS: 5Hz, Internal
• Maps: Canada LakeVü HD
• Routes, Waypoints, Tracklog: 100; 5,000; 50,000 points (50 saved tracks).

Control unit features

The Garmin echoMAP 75dv is a medium, 7-inch unit, featuring a WVGA color display, with an 800 x 480 pixel matrix. Just as the other units within this series, the display features LED backlight, which offers excellent readability during night time or in direct sunlight. There are several view combinations available of the various applications that the unit can supply. However, it offers a maximum 3-panel view. The unit is also IPX7 waterproof, which basically means it can survive rain and water splashes.

Navigation through the menus is done via the buttons on the right side. This unit does not have cross-touch screen technology, such as the ONIX10ci SI Combo from Humminbird, or the HDS-9 Gen2 Touch from Lowrance.

In terms of networking, it offers NMEA 0183 and NMEA 2000 connectivity possibilities, also being equipped with a connector for Panoptix transducers. This unit features only one microSD slot for chart upgrades and data transfer.

The unit is supplied with two types of mounts, flush and tilt-swivel. All cables plug into the mount, while the unit attaches to the mount via one larger, multi-pin connector. It requires a power source of 10-18v. The box also includes a unit cover.

Sonar and transducer

As the unit’s name suggests, the echoMAP CHIRP 75dv is a unit equipped with CHIRP sonar. Not only that, it can use CHIRP technology for both its types of sonar, traditional and DownVü. For 2D it’s capable of operating at three frequencies – 50/77/200 kHz. It’s also dual-frequency capable, which means it can run two frequencies simultaneously. However, with the supplied transducer it can basically use only the 200 kHz mode, the sonar pulse being modulated between 150-240 kHz. In other words, for 2D with the supplied transducer, the unit can use only High CHIRP.

For DownVü CHIRP, the unit can also use three frequencies: 260/455/800 kHz, and the supplied transducer it can use the 455/800 kHz channels. However, since it also has CHIRP DownVü technology, the pulse is modulated between 425-485kHz and 790-850 kHz. CHIRP technology offers superior target separation, helping you distinguish better between fish targets. For example, if there are several fish close together, CHIRP offers the chance to actually see them separated on screen, rather than just a bigger dot. It’s also great at telling fish apart from structure, and finally, CHIRP sonar imaging features less clutter.

As we’ve mentioned above, this unit comes with the GT22HW-TM (8-pin), for HD-ID and DownVü. This transducer is also referred to as GT22-TM. It supports both types of sonar built-in the unit, being also CHIRP capable. It integrates a water temperature sensor, thus the unit can track the topwater temperature. It has 20 ft (6 m) of cable, finished with an 8-pin connector. And lastly, it’s supplied with both a transom mount and a trolling motor mount.

When it comes to depth capability, this unit can scan depths up to 1,800 ft (548 m). However, the included transducer is only capable of 800 ft (244 m) for 2D, and 500 ft (152 m) for DownVü. The recommended boat speed range to achieve a crisp image with both types of sonar, 2D and DownVü is 1-6 MPH. The transducer should be able to maintain a bottom reading even at higher boat speeds though.

In terms of sonar, this unit offers several other functions such as A-Scope, Fish Symbols, Flasher mode and Sonar Recording. A-Scope (or Amplitude Scope) is a vertical flasher that appears along the right side of the full-screen 2D sonar view. This function indicates the most recent data caught by the transducer, and can also be helpful at detecting fish that are close to the bottom. Fish Symbols is a function that assigns fish symbol icons to the suspended targets, however not all targets that are assigned a fish symbol are actually fish. The Flasher sonar offers an abstract, circular view of the bottom, fish, and structure, which is more suitable for stationary fishing.

The Sonar Recording function requires a blank microSD card to be inserted in the unit. As a general idea, approx. 15 minutes of recording will take 200 MB of space. Recorded data can also be seen on a PC via the free HomePort application.

Navigation functions

The echoMAP 75dv CHIRP unit from Garmin includes quite a useful set of navigation functions. First of all, it features a 5 Hz internal GPS module, which updates position and heading up to 5 times per second. The unit can also indicate the vessel’s speed using GPS information.

The 010-01573-00 75dv unit, it’s supplied with the Canada LakeVü HD charts, a package that covers more than 13,500 Canadian rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, including coverage for Trent Severn Waterway and the Great Lakes. These charts also cover 1,600+ HD lakes with 1-foot contours shore-to-shore, in British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Alberta, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Quebec, and Yukon.

Like all the other echoMAP CHIRP 7 units, this one has the QuickDraw Contours application. This function makes it possible to map any body of water, revealing its depth contours, based on the sonar information. Thus, even if your local lake is not covered by the LakeVü charts or the charts you’re using, you can still benefit from the latest, most up-to-date contours by using this function.

Multiple Depth Range Shading is a function available with this unit, concerning the charts. It allows you to assign colors to various depth contours in order to view your target depth at a glance. And finally, via the Shallow Water Shading function, you can set up a minimum depth to be rasterized, in order to always view the safer waters, or make sure you’ll remain fishing in areas with greater depth than the one selected.

Last but not least, this unit can store up to 5,000 waypoints, 100 routes and 50 tracks (50,000 points for each track).

Upgrade Possibilities

This Garmin fish finder unit is Panoptix sonar capable. In other words, it can use Panoptix transducers such as the PS21-TM or PS31, which support this live sonar application. However, this unit can also work with various other transducers, such as the GT23M-TM for example, in case you want to use a different set of frequencies.

In terms of charts, the unit is capable of using various other chart bundles from Garmin, including LakeVü HD Ultra, BlueChart g2 or BlueChart g2 Vision. These offer superior detail for navigation. Also, the LakeVü HD Ultra and BlueChart gs Vision have the Enhanced Auto Guidance function, which can instantly search through your charts in order to provide you with the safest path between two points of interest. It can also calculate arrival times, work with the AutoPilot, and many more.

Since the unit is NMEA 2000 capable, it can support AIS and display position data from DSC-capable VHF radio. It’s also FUSION-Link capable, allowing control of all FUSION-Link-enabled audio systems to be controlled from its display.

The Pros

• CHIRP technology offering superior clarity, target separation and target definition, for both 2D and DownVü;
• Dual-frequency sonar;
• Transducer (GT22HW-TM, 8-pin) included;
• Panoptix sonar compatible;
• Data graphs and other sonar functions;
• Sonar recording and rewind;
• Fast and accurate internal GPS;
• Preloaded with Canada LakeVü charts;
• Quickdraw Contours function, for the possibility to add contours and customize your maps;
• Multiple Depth Range Shading;
• Compatible with various other chart types, such as BlueChart g2 Vision or LakeVü HD Ultra;
• Enhanced Auto Guidance capable;
• Tide tables information;
• Supports AIS and DSC-capable VHF radio;
• Quick disconnection (tilt-swivel) and flush mount included;
• Unit cover included;
• Easy to install;
• Straightforward, comprehensive operation.

The Cons

• Does not support radar;
• Manual may not be specific to this unit, but covering the entire echoMAP CHIRP series, thus some of the information may not apply to this unit.

Summary

The Garmin echoMAP CHIRP 75dv is a mid-range sonar and chartplotter combo, with CHIRP 2D and CHIRP DownVü technology, also being compatible with the new Panoptix sonar technology. Due to the fact that it comes with the LakeVü Canada charts, it’s basically a unit for in-land use. However, you can equip it with BlueChart g2 maps in case you want to use it for inland fishing.

It comes with a transducer that supports both sonar technologies available in the unit, with depth capabilities up to 800 ft. It’s an excellent choice for the wide majority of boats. And finally, considering the extensive array of navigation and sonar functions, we can safely say it’s definitely a package that’s worth the price.