Garmin ECHOMAP UHD 75cv

The ECHOMAP UHD 75cv is one of the Garmin fish finders released at the beginning of 2020. It basically offers the same features as the ECHOMAP UHD 73cv that we’ve already reviewed here, but comes with the Canada LakeVü g3 charts. Evidently, it’s also a chartplotter, not just a fish finder, and also offers wireless and NMEA connectivity. For reference, this is the Garmin part number 010-02336-00.

Key Features and Specifications

• Display: 7″ diagonal, 800H x 400V pixel resolution, WVGA color, backlit, keypad & touchscreen
• Sonar: CHIRP Sonar, ClearVü
• Transducer: GT24UHD-TM
• Frequency and Coverage (with the included transducer):
  2D Sonar: 150-240 kHz / 24°-16°
  ClearVü: 760-880 kHz kHz / 0.94° (fore to aft) x 60°
• Max. Depth Capability (with the included transducer):
  2D Sonar: 800 ft. (244 m)
  ClearVü: 200 ft. (61 m)
• Power Output: 500 W (RMS) / 4,000 W (PTP)
• GPS: 5 Hz, Internal
• Maps: LakeVü g3 Canada
• Routes, Waypoints, Tracklog: 100; 5,000; 50,000 points (50 saved tracks)

Sonar and transducer

Like all other “cv” units, the Garmin ECHOMAP UHD 75cv has two built-in sonar technologies. These are ClearVü and standard CHIRP. The unit does not support SideVü sonar, but does support Panoptix sonar, so you can pair it with one of the various Panoptix transducers provided by Garmin.

The unit supports multiple base frequencies, including 50/77/200 kHz for the CHIRP sonar, and 260/455/800 for ClearVü. As its name suggests, it also has the UHD ClearVü mode for improved imaging and target separation.

The transducer included with the head unit is the GT24UHD-TM model. It comes with a transom mount, it integrates a temperature sensor, has 20 ft. (6 m) of cable, with an 8-pin connector. As its name suggests, it supports the UHD Cv mode, so it’s better for this head unit than the standard GT20.

Needless to say, the transducer supports both sonar technologies provided by the unit. For UHD ClearVü, it operates in a CHIRP range of 760-880 kHz. The UHD CV beam is thin and oval, with a coverage of 0.94° / 60°. The maximum depth capability of the UHD ClearVü is 200 ft. (61 m).

For standard CHIRP, the transducer uses a conical beam. It uses a 150-240 kHz CHIRP frequency range, so it’s basically a High-CHIRP transducer. The coverage of the High CHIRP beam is variable, between 24°-16°. The maximum depth range of the CHIRP beam is 800 ft. (244 m). However, the unit supports 50 kHz, so if you pair it with a 200/50 kHz transducer, for example, you should be able to scan depths up to 2,300 ft. (701 m).

The unit offers the full range of standard sonar functions. Among them, we can count Bottom Lock, Fish Symbols, Amplitude Scope, various alarms, Sonar Recording, and more.

Navigation features

As we’ve mentioned above, this Garmin fish finder is also a chartplotter, so it offers a fairly decent range of navigation features. To begin with, it has a built-in 5 Hz GPS receiver so it can provide position updates 5 times per second. It supports WAAS, EGNOS, and MSAS for position augmentation. It can also save up to 5,000 waypoints in its memory, 100 routes, and 50 tracks. Each track can have up to 50,000 points.

The unit is equipped with the Canada LakeVü g3 charts. These cover more than 13,500 lakes of which more than 4,800 have 1-foot contour detail. They offer features such as Auto Guidance for route planning, Depth Range Shading, and Shallow Water Shading. They are also enhanced with Navionics content and offer considerably more data than the older LakeVü charts.

The unit supports other Garmin charts as well. The list includes US LakeVü, BlueChart g3, BlueChart g3 Vision, and LakeVü g3 Ultra. However, it does not support charts from Navionics, such as Navionics+ or Navionics Platinum+.

In case the included charts do not provide satisfying data for your favorite lake, the unit still has you covered. It has the Quickdraw Contours feature which gives you the possibility to create your own custom maps. This is a bathymetric mapping application and uses the 2D sonar data and the GPS data in order to reveal and record the depth contours of the lake that you are scanning. You can also share your custom maps with the Garmin Quickdraw Contours Community via the ActiveCaptain app, or download Quickdraw Contours charts created by other anglers from there.

In terms of navigation, the unit supports AIS and VHF data. It is also compatible with ForceTM trolling motors so you can take control of your motor from the screen of your Garmin unit. It does not support Radar, though.

Control unit features

The Garmin ECHOMAP UHD 75cv features a 7″ WVGA color display with a pixel matrix of 800H x 400V. It has integrated LED backlight and is also IPX7 waterproof which means it can support incidental water exposure. It comes with the quick-release, tilt-and-swivel mount. The box also includes a flush mount and a unit cover.

The unit has both keypad and touchscreen navigation. It basically responds to the same touch commands as any tablet or smartphone, but you can also navigate through its menus and access its functions from the keypad on the right. It has a user-friendly interface; you can customize its homepage with the application combos that you use the most for quick access. It also provides split-screen possibilities for up to four applications per view. For example, you can view the 2D sonar, the CV sonar, your maps, and another application of your choice at the same time.

In terms of networking, the unit has NMEA 0183 ports and supports NMEA 2000. Therefore, you can connect it to an already existent NMEA network on your boat so it can communicate with other boating instruments such as AIS units or DSC-capable VHF radio units, or share data or transducer with other Garmin fish finders.

The unit has built-in wireless connectivity. This means you can sync it with your smartphone via the ActiveCaptain app for up-to-date feedback on various points of interest, chart updates, data back up, or accessing the Garmin Quickdraw Community. The ActiveCaptain app can also push smart notifications from your phone to your chartplotter display.

The unit also has a built-in microSD card slot. Thus, you can load it with various other charts from Garmin, as well as with a blank card for data backup or transfer.

The Pros

• High-Wide CHIRP 2D sonar;
• UHD CHIRP ClearVü sonar;
• Supports 50/77/200 kHz standard sonar frequencies, and 260/455/800 kHz ClearVü frequencies;
• Supports dual-frequency (50/200 kHz or 77/200 kHz);
• UHD ClearVü transducer (GT24UHD-TM) included;
• Supports Panoptix sonar and transducers;
• 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 the Canadian LakeVü g3 charts;
• Supports BlueChart g3 Vision or LakeVü g3 Ultra charts;
• Quickdraw Contours for bathymetric mapping;
• Depth Range Shading and Shallow Water Shading;
• Auto Guidance for route planning;
• Supports AIS and DSC-capable VHF radio;
• MicroSD card reader (1 slot);
• SailAssist features;
• ActiveCaptain compatible;
• Touchscreen and keypad navigation;
• Wireless connectivity;
• NMEA 0183 and NMEA 2000 compatible;
• Unit cover included;
• Quick disconnection (tilt-swivel) and flush mount included;
• Easy to install.

The Cons

• Does not support Navionics charts;
• Trolling mount for the transducer is not included.

Summary

The Garmin ECHOMAP UHD 75cv is a fish finder and chartplotter offering UHD ClearVü sonar, 2D CHIRP sonar, GPS, and Canada LakeVü g3 mapping. It includes the new GT24UHD transducer for UHD ClearVü and High-Wide CHIRP. It also has the Quickdraw Contours function, NMEA connectivity, and wireless connectivity via the ActiveCaptain app. It’s an excellent unit for a wide array of boats, designed for lake fishing, but can also be used off-shore if paired with a deep-water transducer and BlueChart g3 mapping.