Garmin ECHOMAP Ultra 126sv

There aren’t too many differences in terms of features between the ECHOMAP Ultra 126sv and the 106sv model that we’ve already covered here. Evidently, the 126sv model has the 12″ display, offering more screen surface to work with. It’s a Garmin fish finder and chartplotter The unit that we’re going to cover here is the part number 010-02114-01, the one that includes the UHD CHIRP transducer.

Key Features and Specifications

• Display: 12.1″ diagonal, 1280H x 800V pixel resolution, WXGA color, backlit, touchscreen & keypad
• Sonar: 2D CHIRP, ClearVü, SideVü, Ultra High-Definition Scanning, Panoptix support
• Transducer: GT54UHD-TM
• Frequency and coverage (with the included transducer):
  2D CHIRP: 150-240 kHz / 24°-16°
  UHD ClearVü: 760-880 kHz / 0.94°x60°
  SideVü: 425-485 kHz / 1.62°x50° / 125 ft. (38 m) on each side
  UHD SideVü: 1,060-1,170 kHz / 0.441°x52° / 500 ft. (152 m) on each side
• Max. Depth Capability (with the included transducer):
  2D CHIRP: 800 ft. (244 m)
  UHD ClearVü: 200 ft. (61 m)
  SideVü: 125 ft. (38 m)
  UHD SideVü: 30 ft. (9 m)
• Max. Power Output: 600 Watts (RMS)
• GPS: 10 Hz, Internal
• Maps: BlueChart g3 and LakeVü g3
• Routes, Waypoints, Tracklog: 100; 5,000; 50,000 points (50 saved tracks)

Sonar and transducer

The Garmin ECHOMAP Ultra 126sv 010-02114-01 includes the GT54UHD-TM Ultra HD transducer which offers support for 2D High-Wide CHIRP sonar, UHD SideVü, and UHD ClearVü. This transducer has an internal temperature sensor, 20 ft. (6 m) of cable, and a 12-pin connector. It comes with a transom mount.

The unit itself has built-in CHIRP sonar, UHD ClearVü, UHD SideVü, and also supports Panoptix transducers. It is important to mention, though, that with the included transducer, you will not be able to use the Panoptix sonar application. Also, in terms of sonar frequencies, the unit supports 50/77/200/455/800/1200 kHz, including dual-frequency 50/200 kHz and 77/200 kHz, so you can pair it with various other transducers.

For UHD SideVü, the transducer can operate at 1.2 MHz; the CHIRP frequency range is 1,060-1,170 kHz. The side beams used for this sonar mode are oval. Their dimension is approx. 0.441°x52° and they can extend up to 125 ft. (38 m) on each side of the boat. The depth capability for the UHD SV is 30 ft. (9.1 m). Regular SideVü at 455 kHz (425-485 kHz) is also available. In regular SideVü mode, the side beams can extend on each side of the boat up to 500 ft. (152 m), while the depth capability is approx. 125 ft. (38 m). 

For UHD ClearVü, the unit can only operate at 800 kHz, with a CHIRP range of 760-880 kHz; the 1.2 MHz mode is only available for the UHD SideVü. The CV beam is conical, offering a coverage of approx. 0.94°x60° and a maximum depth capability of 200 ft. (61 m). The regular ClearVü mode at 455 kHz (425 – 485 kHz) is also available and offers a depth capability of approx. 400 ft. (122 m).

For the 2D mode, the transducer covers only the High-Wide CHIRP channel, with a frequency range of 150-240 kHz. For this sonar mode, the transducer uses a conical beam which can be adjusted in a range between 24°-16°. The maximum depth capability of this Garmin fish finder system is 800 ft. (244 m) when using the High-Wide CHIRP mode.

Last but not least, the unit offers a wide array of standard sonar features and functions. Among them, we can mention Fish Symbols, Bottom Lock, Amplitude Scope, several alarms, Circular Flasher for ice fishing, and more. The unit also has Sonar Recording and Sonar Rewind features so you can scroll back through the sonar history to have a second look at a certain spot, if necessary. A Temperature Graph function is also available.

Navigation features

The Garmin ECHOMAP Ultra 126sv includes both BlueChart g3 and LakeVü g3 chart platforms. These are brand new charts released by Garmin at the beginning of 2019; they are all Navionics-enhanced and offer the Auto Guidance feature which uses your desired depth and overhead clearance to calculate routes and provide a suggested path to follow — overlaid onto your chart

The BlueChart g3 maps offer coastal coverage for the U.S. waters, including the East Coast, West Coast, Gulf of Mexico, and the US side of the Great Lakes. NOAA raster cartography is also available and downloadable for free through the ActiveCaptain app. These raster charts provide a paper-like view of the NOAA surveyed areas with various points of interest.

The LakeVü g3 maps offer coverage with up to 1 ft. contours for more than 17,000 U.S. lakes, providing cleared lake floor views. They also show fishing areas, boat ramps, camping grounds, marinas, general roads, interstates and other points of interest.

Features like Depth Range Shading and Shallow Water Shading are also included with these charts. Depth Range Shading offers the possibility to color-code a certain area in order to view at a glance up to 10 different depths. On the other hand, Shallow Water Shading offers additional aid for viewing a clear picture of shallow waters to avoid.

Of course, the unit is also compatible with the superior versions of the integrated maps. These are LakeVü g3 Ultra and BlueChart g3 Vision. These provide extra features such as aerial photos, satellite images, elevation shading, and more. However, it is important to mention here that the unit is not compatible with Navionics chart cards, even though Garmin is now the owner of Navionics.

The Quickdraw Contours feature is also included with this unit. This is an application that allows you to conduct your own real time survey of your lake. It uses the 2D sonar data and the GPS data to reveal the depth contours of the scanned body of water. Therefore, you can record these contours and create your own personalized charts. You can also upload your created charts to the Garmin Quickdraw Contours community, or download Quickdraw charts from there.

Needless to say, the unit has a built-in GPS receiver. It operates at 10 Hz which means it provides position updates up to 10 times per second. It can provide position augmentation via WAAS/EGNOS and also has a GPS speed function. The unit can save up to 5,000 waypoints in its memory. It can also record up to 50 tracks (50,000 pts per track) and you can save up to 100 routes.

Last but not least, the ECHOMAP Ultra 126sv offers a variety of other navigation features. The Sail Assist page is included. It supports AIS data, Fusion-Link Compatible radios, and more. However, it does not support Radar.

Control unit features

The Garmin ECHOMAP Ultra 126sv is a 12″ display unit. It has a WXGA color display with a 1280 x 800 pixel matrix and LED backlight for a superior view even in direct sunlight and from sharp angles. It is also IPX7 waterproof, which essentially means it can withstand rain or incidental water exposure.

The unit has a keypad-assisted touchscreen interface. In other words, it can be operated via touch as a tablet, but also has the side keypad which covers the usage of all the functions. It offers up to four panels split-screen views and a customizable homepage with the most used applications for quick access.

In terms of networking, the unit has NMEA 0183 input and output ports (1 each), 2 Garmin Marine Network™ ports for large connectors, and also supports NMEA 2000. This being said, you can share data between various Garmin units, or enable your unit to communicate with different other instruments such as AIS units, VHF radios, FUSION-Link compatible radios, external GPS sensors, and more. But as we’ve mentioned above, this unit does not support Radar like the GPSMAP unit. Also, the unit has a dual microSD card reader.

Wireless connectivity is also available with this ECHOMAP Ultra unit. Therefore, you can sync it with your smartphone in order to download or upload data, pre-fish a lake, or plan a fishing trip, and you can even benefit from smart notifications from your phone on the display of the unit.

The box includes the classic quick-release mount and a flush mount for surface integration. A protective cover is also included.

The Pros

• 2D CHIRP sonar;
• ClearVü and SideVü;
• UHD ClearVü and UHD SideVü;
• GT54UHD-TM transducer included;
• Built-in Panoptix sonar support;
• Supports 50/77/83/200/455/800/1200 kHz base frequencies;
• Dual-frequency capable (50/200 & 77/200 kHz)
• 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;
• 10 Hz internal GPS;
• Preloaded with the new U.S. LakeVü g3 charts;
• Preloaded with the new coastal BlueChart g3 charts;
• Auto Guidance;
• Quickdraw Contours;
• Shallow Water Shading;
• Depth Range Shading;
• Compatible with various other chart types, such as BlueChart g3 Vision or LakeVü G3 Ultra;
• SailAssist page;
• Supports AIS and DSC-capable VHF radio;
• Supports FUSION-Link radio;
• Touchscreen and keypad control;
• Intuitive, customizable, and easy-to-use interface;
• Quick disconnection (tilt-swivel) and flush mount included;
• Dual microSD card reader;
• ActiveCaptain compatible;
• Wireless connectivity;
• NMEA 0183 ports, and NMEA 2000 capable;
• Garmin Marine Network ports (2);
• Unit cover included;
• Easy to install.

The Cons

• The unit is not compatible with Navionics charts;
• Does not support Radar.

Summary

The Garmin ECHOMAP Ultra 126sv 010-02114-01 offers UHD SideVü, UHD ClearVü, and High-Wide CHIRP sonar. It includes the GT54UHD-TM transducer and is preloaded with the LakeVü g3 and BlueChart g3 charts. It has internal GPS, offers a wide array of networking possibilities, including built-in wireless connectivity, and a keypad-assisted touchscreen interface. It’s a versatile fish finder and chartplotter combo, great for a wide variety of boats.