Garmin ECHOMAP Plus 73cv

The ECHOMAP Plus 73cv is one of the Garmin fish finders released in 2018. It’s also a chartplotter pre-loaded with the US LakeVü HD charts. For reference, this is the Garmin part number 010-01893-01. It’s no longer available, but you can check out the ECHOMAP UHD 73cv which is one of the newer versions.

Key Features and Specifications

• Display: 7″ diagonal, 800H x 400V pixel resolution, WVGA color, backlit
• Sonar: CHIRP Sonar, ClearVü
• Frequency and Coverage:
  • High-Wide CHIRP: 150-240 kHz / 24°-16°
  • ClearVü: 455 kHz (425-485 kHz) / 50° & 800 kHz (790-850 kHz) / 30°
• Depth Capability:
  • 2D Sonar: 800 ft (244 m)
  • ClearVü: 250 ft (76 m)
• Transducer: CV22HW-TM
• Power Output: 500 W (RMS)
• GPS: 5Hz, Internal
• Maps: US LakeVü HD
• Routes, Waypoints, Tracklog: 100; 5,000; 50,000 points (50 saved tracks).

Sonar and transducer

The Garmin ECHOMAP Plus 73cv comes with the same transducer as the ECHOMAP Plus 65cv, the CV22HW-TM model. This is a transducer for traditional High-Wide CHIRP sonar and ClearVü. It can use a CHIRP frequency interval of 150-240 kHz for the unit’s 2D sonar and can operate at 455/800 kHz for ClearVü, the CHIRP modulation intervals for CV being 425-485 kHz, and respectively 790-850 kHz.

The 2D traditional CHIRP sonar is great for detecting bait balls and fish targets, while the ClearVü mode is better for observing structure. Also, CHIRP sonar technology is superior to classic, single frequency pulse sonar as it provides clearer images and a better target determination.

The included CV22HW-TM transducer comes with a transom mount, a trolling mount, it has 20′ ft (6 m) of cable with an 8-pin connector, and integrates a temperature sensor.  The unit not only that can display the water temperature detected by the transducer, it also has a Temperature Graph feature which may be quite useful if you’re looking for specific water currents.

The unit itself is capable of multiple base sonar frequencies. It covers 50/77/83/200 kHz for 2D, and 260/455/800 kHz for ClearVü. This being said, it’s compatible with various transducers, including the CV20-TM, the CV23-TM, and the all-seeing Panoptix transducers.

The included CV22HW-TM transducer is basically a model intended for freshwater fishing. It uses a conical beam for the 2D High-Wide CHIRP, with a coverage of 24°-16° and a depth capability of 800 ft (244 m). For ClearVü, it uses thin beams, shaped like fans, up to 2° thin fore/aft, but 50° wide @ 455 kHz and 30° wide @ 800 kHz. The max. depth capability for ClearVü @ 455 kHz is 250 ft (76 m). However, with a different transducer, the system can scan greated depths. For example, if paired with a CV20-TM, it can reach 2,300 ft @ 77 kHz.

This Garmin fish finder offers all the standard sonar features available with the other older units, including Bottom Lock, Split-Zoom, A-Scope, Flasher, Fish Symbols, Fish Alarm, Depth Alarm etc. As opposed to the Striker Plus units, this one has Sonar Recording and Sonar History Rewind. It also provides traditional sonar support for Minn Kota® and MotorGuide® trolling motors with integrated transducers.

Navigation features

The Garmin ECHOMAP Plus 73cv integrates a 5 Hz GPS receiver, being able to provide position updates 5 times per second. It can accurately indicate the coordinates (latitude, longitude) of your location or any point of interest. It can also indicate the speed of your boat.

The unit has waypoints, routes, and trail recording functions. It can store up to 5,000 waypoints in its memory, and up to 100 routes. It can plot your track, being able to record up to 50 tracks, with up to 50,000 points for each track. Any track can be saved and converted into a route to which you can add waypoints.

Since it’s a “73” unit, it has the LakeVü HD U.S. charts. These charts cover more than 17,000 total lakes, of which over 13,000 lakes have 1′ contours. As a general idea, these are charts for inland fishing. But on the other hand, the unit is compatible with the BlueChart g2 HD and BlueChart g2 Vision charts, in case you want off-shore charts. Also, if you want more detail for inland lakes, you can always upgrade to LakeVü HD Ultra. However, like all the other ECHOMAP units, this one is not compatible with Navionics charts.

Quickdraw Contours is also a feature available with this unit. Quickdraw Contours allows you to draw the depth contours of the body of water where you’re fishing, by using the 2D sonar and GPS information. Differently put, you can create your own, personalized maps, with the most up to date depth contours. Depth Range Shading and Shallow Shading features are available with these charts.

Since it’s one of the new units, the ECHOMAP Plus 73cv has the SailAssist features, something that the older echoMAP CHIRP 73cv does not have. These include laylines, the enhanced wind rose, heading and course-over-ground lines. They can help you gain a wind-maximizing edge, give you the possibility to see true and apparent wind angle and speed. A pre-race guidance page shows you the virtual starting line along with data fields showing laylines, time to burn before the start and the race timer.

Control unit features

An improvement over the last year’s 73cv unit is the touchscreen display. The ECHOMAP Plus 73cv not only has the keypad navigation, it can also be operated via touchscreen, just as a tablet. It has a customizable, highly intuitive, and very easy to use interface. It allows you to pin the most used applications to the start page for quick access. It offers different split screen options with up to three panels per view. Via the touchscreen display, you can also quickly adjust the size of any panel; for example, if you want the chart panel bigger, you can drag one of its corners and enlarge it.

The unit features a 7″ diagonal display, with a pixel resolution of 800H x 400V. It has adjustable LED backlight offering excellent readability even in direct sunlight or at night. It’s also IPX7 waterproof, which basically means that it can withstand rain or incidental water exposure.

In terms of connectivity, it has one NMEA 0183 input and output, also being NMEA 2000 compatible. This means you can interconnect it with various other sensors to benefit from engine data reports. It has one Panoptix transducer port, and a microSD card reader with one card slot, which can take cards up to 32 GB.

Two other extra features over the older 73cv unit are the Wi-Fi connectivity and the ActiveCaptain compatibility. Via the Wi-Fi connection, you can sync your unit with your phone or tablet, connect to the ActiveCaptain app to access OneChart, the Quickdraw Contours community, get smart notifications, and more. This unit also supports AIS and VHF radio units. It does not support Radar, though.

Finally, the box includes a unit cover, a tilt-swivel mount with quick release cradle, and a flush mount.

The Pros

• High-Wide CHIRP and ClearVü sonar;
• Supports 50/77/83/200 kHz standard sonar frequencies, and 260/455/800 kHz ClearVü frequencies;
• Panoptix sonar capable;
• Dual-frequency sonar;
• CV22HW-TM transducer included;
• Data graphs and other sonar functions;
• 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 U.S. LakeVü charts;
• Quickdraw Contours;
• Shallow Water Shading and Depth Contours Shading;
• Compatible with various other chart types, such as BlueChart g2 Vision or LakeVü HD Ultra;
• Enhanced Auto Guidance capable;
• Supports AIS and DSC-capable VHF radio;
• Touchscreen and keypad control;
• Intuitive, customizable, and easy-to-use interface;
• Quick disconnection (tilt-swivel) and flush mount included;
• MicroSD card reader (1 slot);
• SailAssist features;
• ActiveCaptain compatible;
• Internal Wi-Fi module;
• NMEA 0183 outs, and NMEA 2000 capable;
• Unit cover included;
• Easy to install;

The Cons

• The manual is not specific to this unit but to the whole ECHOMAP Plus units. It also covers features that this system doesn’t have;
• NMEA 2000 adaptor cable not included.

Summary

The Garmin ECHOMAP Plus 73cv is a fish finder and chartplotter offering High-Wide traditional CHIRP & ClearVü sonar, GPS, and the U.S. LakeVü charts for inland fishing. It includes the CV22HW-TM transducer, and also support Panoptix transducers. It has Wi-Fi connectivity and is compatible with the ActiveCaptain application. It also has an impressive array of navigation features including SailAssist, Quickdraw Contours, AIS capability etc. It’s an excellent system for inland fishing and navigation, but can be successfully used offshore as well with different charts and a different transducer. In all, it’s versatile fish finder and navigation system, offering great value for the price.