Humminbird HELIX 5 Sonar G2

The HELIX 5 Sonar G2 is one of the Humminbird discontinued units. It’s a fish finder only unit, without GPS or charts. For reference, this is the Humminbird unit 410190-1.

Key Features and Specifications

• Display: 5″ diagonal, 800H x 480V pixel resolution, 256 color TFT, with LED backlight
• Sonar: DualBeam Plus with SwitchFire
• Depth Capability: 1,500 feet (457 m)
• Frequency and Coverage: 200 kHz / 20° & 83 kHz / 60°
• Transducer: Transom XNT 9 20 T
• Power Output: 500 Watts (RMS)
• Power Input: 10.8-20 VDC
• Power Draw: 615 mA
• GPS: No
• Charts: No

Sonar features

The Humminbird HELIX 5 Sonar G2 has only one type of sonar which is the traditional 2D Dual Beam Plus. It can use two frequencies, 200 kHz and 83 kHz, which can be run simultaneously; the unit allows their view in split-screen format. Although it’s one of the new generation HELIX units, it does not have CHIRP sonar technology, such as the HELIX 5 CHIRP GPS G2 model, for example.

The unit offers several standard sonar features. The first one to mention here is the SwitchFire function. This is basically available with all the Humminbird units that have Dual Beam Plus sonar. SwitchFire is basically a quick sonar information filter. It has two modes, Max Mode and Clear Mode. Max Mode brings all the sonar info on the display so you can make sure that you won’t miss any targets. Conversely, Clear Mode eliminates most of the clutter, focusing on the biggest targets.

Selective Fish ID+ is a feature that uses advanced signal processing to interpret the sonar returns and assigns fish icons to the targets that it identifies as fish. This being said, most of the fish targets caught by the transducer beam will appear on the display as fish. You can also opt to view the depth of each fish target next to it.

There are several alarms available with this unit. The Fish ID alarm is available only when the Fish ID mode is selected. You can set it up to sound when it detects large fish, large/medium fish, and any fish (or you can turn it off). The Depth Alarm allows you to select a specific depth and it will sound when you reach that depth. You can use it to avoid shallows, for example. There’s also a Temperature Alarm and a Battery Alarm.

Vertical Flasher and Circular Flasher are two features available as well. The Vertical Flasher (or Real Time Sonar view) can be viewed next to the standard sonar view; it shows the information caught by the most recent sonar pulse. The Circular Flasher puts the sonar information into a ring view with the depth shown in the middle. The outer ring shows the strength of each signal from left to right. As a general idea, this type of sonar is best to use when fishing in stationary mode, or for ice fishing.

Other notable sonar features available with this unit are Structure ID, WhiteLine, Split Screen Zoom, Split Screen Bottom Lock. Sonar Recording and Sonar Rewind are not included.

Transducer

The Humminbird HELIX 5 Sonar G2 includes the basic XNT 9 20 T transducer. It has a plastic housing, with a transom mount and approx. 20′ (6 m) of cable. It integrates a temperature sensor so the unit can show the topwater temperature. However, the transducer does not integrate a speed sensor and the unit does not show the speed of your boat.

The transducer uses conical beams for the two sonar frequencies. Their coverage is 20° for the 200 kHz beam, and 60° for the 83 kHz beam. Its maximum depth capability is 1,500 ft (457 m) when using the 83 kHz mode.

The transducer should be able to maintain an optimal bottom reading at a boat speeds up to 20-30 MPH. However, the recommended speed for a maximum of detected targets and the best view is between 1-6 MPH.

Control unit features

As its name suggests, this Humminbird HELIX unit features a 5-inch diagonal display. Its pixel resolution is 800H x 480V; it’s a 16-bit color unit, with adjustable LED backlight for superior readability even in direct sunlight. It’s IPX7 waterproof which essentially means that it can withstand incidental water exposure and even full immersions in freshwater.

As we’ve mentioned above, as opposed to the older HELIX 5 Sonar unit, the G2 unit has a newer, better interface. It’s easier to use, and the large digits readouts are slimmer, covering less of the sonar view.

This unit does not have touchscreen technology. The navigation through its menus and the usage of its functions is done exclusively from the keypad on the right. It also doesn’t have an SD card reader and does not offer NMEA support.

Last but not least, the unit includes the classic Gimbal mount. However, there’s also the option of an in-dash mounting kit.

The Pros

• DualBeam Plus sonar;
• XNT 9 20 T transducer is included;
• Depth capability up to 1,500 ft;
• Multiple alarms;
• Fish ID, RTS, Circular Flasher, SwitchFire, Alarms, Bottom View, Structure ID functions available;
• Excellent, sharp imaging;
• IPX7 waterproof;
• Gimbal mount included;
• Easy to install.

The Cons

• Unit cover is not included.

Summary

The Humminbird HELIX 5 Sonar G2 is a fish finder only unit without any navigation functions. It offers DualBeam Plus sonar and comes with a basic 200/83 kHz transducer. It’s an affordable fish finder system, great for inland and off-shore fishing, being able to scan depths up to 1,500 ft.