Garmin ECHOMAP Plus 73cv Ice Bundle

The Garmin ECHOMAP Plus 73cv Ice Bundle is one of the older ice bundles from Garmin which is no longer available. It includes the older ECHOMAP Plus 73cv unit, comes with the ice transducer, and the ice portable pack. For reference, this is the Garmin part number 010-01893-15. It’s also important to mention that this particular Garmin unit is pre-loaded with the older LakeVü HD charts, not the LakeVü g3.

Key Features and Specifications

• Display: 7″ diagonal, 800H x 480V pixel resolution, WVGA color, backlit
• Sonar: CHIRP Sonar, ClearVü capable
• Transducer: GT10HN-IF
• Frequency: 130-300 kHz
• Coverage: 16°-7°
• Max. Depth Capability: 800 ft (244 m)
• Power Output: 250 Watts (RMS)
• GPS: 5Hz, Internal
• Maps: U.S. LakeVü HD
• Routes, Waypoints, Tracklog: 100; 5,000; 50,000 points (50 saved tracks).
• Ice fishing kit included

Sonar & transducer

As we’ve mentioned above, this ice fishing pack includes the ECHOMAP Plus 73cv which supports multiple sonar frequencies. For its 2D sonar, it supports 50/77/83/200 kHz for 2D, and for ClearVü it can operate at 260/455/800 kHz. Differently put, it can use Low, Mid, and High CHIRP, as well as ClearVü, if paired with a ClearVü transducer.

The included ice transducer GT10HN-IF is not ClearVü capable. Therefore, if you want to use the ClearVü sonar application, you will have to opt for a different transducer, such as the CV20-TM, GT22HW-TM, or GT23M-TM. It also has Panoptix all-seeing sonar and supports Panoptix transducers.

The GT10HN-IF is a High Narrow Beam CHIRP transducer. It operates in a frequency range of 130-300 kHz and uses a conical beam with a coverage between 16° and 7°. Its maximum depth capability is 800 ft (244 m), but this is for freshwater. For saltwater, its depth capability is not specified and should be lower (~450-500 ft).

The transducer has 8 ft (2.4 m) of cable, an 8-pin connector, and a stabilizing foam floater. It does not have a temperature sensor, though.

The unit offers a wide array of standard sonar features. Needless to say, since it’s a Garmin fish finder intended for ice fishing, it does have a Circular Flasher application. This shows the sonar information on a circular depth scale. The current depth is displayed in the center, but you can also have other readings on the flasher page, such as water temperature, clock, or battery voltage.

The segments that appear on the outer ring of the flasher indicate different strengths of the sonar return. For the stronger signals, the segments on the ring are red, while the weaker signals such as small fish or your jig, appear as thin green lines. Just as for any ice fishing flasher, you will be able to see the movement of your jig in real time.

Among other standard sonar features, we can count Fish Symbols, Bottom Lock, A-Scope, Sonar Recording, Sonar History Rewind, and more.

Navigation features

The Garmin ECHOMAP Plus 73cv includes the LakeVü HD U.S. charts. These are in-land charts which cover more than 17,000 lakes from which over 13,000 have 1′ contours. These charts also display various points of interest, campgrounds, highways and roads, or underwater features such as riverbeds, fish attractors, and potential hazards. Plus, they make available a Depth Range Shading application which allows you to color-code depths in order to see the safest navigation path at a glance.

In case your favorite lake is not covered by the included LakeVü charts, the unit has the Quickdraw Contours feature. This gives you the possibility to reveal and draw the depth contours of your lake on the map. Of course, this feature works best if the unit is used on a boat, and with a transducer mounted on the transom.

Needless to say, the unit has its own built-in GPS. This internal GPS operates at 5 Hz, which means it can provide five position fixes per second. It shows the coordinates of any point of interest, or created waypoint. The unit can save up to 5,000 waypoints in its memory, and also has routes and track plotting functions.

The unit also supports other premium charts such as the BlueChart g2 Vision or LakeVü HD Ultra. However, it does not support charts other than Garmin. For example, you cannot load it with Navionics or C-MAP charts.

Since the unit is networkable, it supports external GPS, as well as AIS units, and can display position data from DSC-capable VHF radio. Plus, it has built-in Wi-Fi and is compatible with the ActiveCaptain app which offers the possibility to get new maps, access the Quickdraw Contours Community, and even get smart notifications from your phone.

Portable kit & other control unit features

Just like the Garmin ECHOMAP Plus 63cv Ice Bundle, this ice fishing pack includes the portable kit. This consists of a carrying case, a tilt-swivel mount, a 12V 7AH battery and a charger for it. The battery and the charger can fit in the case along with the unit. If fully charged, the battery should last at least 12 hours, depending on the selected brightness level.

The control unit itself features a 7-inch diagonal display, full-color, and with an 800 x 480 pixel resolution. It has integrated LED backlight for an excellent visibility even in direct sunlight. It’s also IPX7 waterproof.

The unit can be used as a tablet. It has a keypad assisted touchscreen display. Its interface is user-friendly and highly intuitive. You can pin to the start page multiple applications for quick access. It also offers the possibility to view and work with up to three applications simultaneously. For example, you can view your charts, the 2D CHIRP sonar, and the ClearVü sonar in split-screen.

In terms of networking, the Garmin ECHOMAP Plus 73cv supports NMEA 2000 and multiple boating sensors. Its internal Wi-Fi allows you to work with various online applications, including the ActiveCaptain app. Plus, the unit has a one microSD card slot for data transfer or chart upgrades.

The Pros

• CHIRP 2D sonar;
• ClearVü sonar capable;
• GT10HN-IF High Narrow CHIRP ice transducer included;
• Supports multiple frequencies 50/77/83/200 kHz for 2D, and 260/455/800 kHz for ClearVü
• Sonar recording and rewind;
• Multiple standard sonar features such as Bottom Lock, Fish Symbols, Split-Zoom, A-Scope, Circular Flasher, Alarms, etc;
• Fast 5 Hz internal GPS;
• Preloaded with US LakeVü HD charts;
• Quickdraw Contours;
• Depth Range Shading;
• Supports AIS and DSC-capable VHF radio;
• User-friendly, keypad-assisted touchscreen interface;
• Internal Wi-Fi;
• ActiveCaptain compatible;
• MicroSD card reader (1 slot);
• NMEA 2000 support;
• Carrying case
• Tilt-swivel mount included;
• 12V7AH battery included;
• Charger for the battery included;
• Easy to install.

The Cons

• Does not support Navionics or C-MAP charts;
• The transducer does not have a temperature sensor.

Summary

The Garmin ECHOMAP Plus 73cv Ice Bundle is an ice fishing pack which includes the Plus 73cv unit, the GT10HN-IF High Narrow CHIRP ice transducer, the carrying case, a battery, and a battery charger. The unit itself is ClearVü and Panoptix capable, is preloaded with the US LakeVü HD charts, has internal GPS, and built-in Wi-Fi. The unit can also be mounted on a boat and used with a compatible transom transducer from Airmar or Garmin. In all, it’s a versatile fishing kit great to have on the water.