Humminbird HELIX 7 CHIRP DI GPS G2N

The HELIX 7 CHIRP DI GPS G2N is one of the Humminbird fish finders that are no longer available. It’s a fish finder and chartplotter featuring Down Imaging sonar, and the UniMap charts. For reference, this is the Humminbird part number 410330-1. Also, one of the newer models is the HELIX 7 CHIRP MEGA DI GPS G3N.

Key Features and Specifications

• Display: 7″ diagonal, color TFT with a 16-bit color range, 800H x 480V pixel matrix, with LED backlight
• Sonar: CHIRP Down Imaging, CHIRP DualBeam Plus with SwitchFire
• Depth Capability:
  • 350 feet (106 m) for Down Imaging
  • 600 feet (183 m) for DualBeam Plus
• Frequency and Coverage:
  • DualBeam Plus: 455 kHz (420-520 kHz) / 16° and 200 kHz (175-225 kHz) / 28°
  • Down Imaging: 455 kHz (420-520 kHz) / 75° and 800 kHz (790-850 kHz) / 45°
• Transducer: Transom XNT 9 DI T
• Power Output: 500 Watts (RMS)
• Power Input: 10.8-20 VDC
• Power Draw: 900 mA
• GPS: Internal
• Maps: UniMAP, AC Live
• Routes, Waypoints, Tracks: 50; 2,500; 50

Sonar and transducer

This HELIX 7 unit comes with the XNT 9 DI T transducer, which is temperature capable and includes a transom mount. The unit has two types of sonar, DualBeam Plus, and Down Imaging. For DualBeam Plus it can scan at 200/455 kHz and for DI, at 455/800 kHz. As its name suggests, it uses CHIRP technology. Therefore it can modulate the sonar pulse over a range of frequencies between 175-225 kHz, 420-520 kHz, and 790-850 kHz, in order to provide a better reading of the bottom, clearer images, and a better target separation than the older model, the HELIX 7 DI GPS.

Since the unit’s 2D sonar is DualBeam Plus, it means it can use both its 200/455 kHz beams simultaneously and you can observe the returns from both in split-screen.

For 2D, the transducer beams are conical, and don’t have a very wide coverage; the 455 kHz beam is 16° wide, while the 200 kHz one is 28° wide. On the other hand, for Down Imaging the side to side coverage is wider; the DI beams are not conical, though, but very thin. Their coverage is 45° for 800 kHz and 75° for 455 kHz.

The unit is also 360 Imaging capable. This means it has the 360 Imaging sonar application built-in, but in order to use it, it requires the deployable 360 Imaging transducer, which is optional.

With the supplied transducer, the system’s depth capability is 350 ft (106 m) for Down Imaging and 600 ft (183 m) for DualBeam Plus. However, with a 50 kHz capable transducer, the unit’s depth capabilities for 2D sonar increase up to 2,500 ft (762 m).

Two other important features to mention here are Sonar Recording and Selective Fish ID+. This Humminbird HELIX unit gives you the possibility to record the sonar feed and also rewind it, in order to review a certain portion of the lake that you’ve already scanned, without having to re-scan it. This requires, though, to have a data microSD card in the unit as support for the recording. Selective Fish ID+, on the other hand, is a function that assigns fish icons to the suspended targets which the system interprets as fish. Differently put, it replaces the abstract view of the fish arches with fish icons, also displaying the depth of each fish close to it. A Fish Alarm function is also available when using the Fish ID+ mode.

Along with these functions, the unit also has Bottom Lock, SwitchFire, Real-Time Sonar, Mark Structure, Depth Alarm etc., just like most other units.

Navigation features and functions

The most notable feature of the HELIX 7 CHIRP DI GPS G2N, is AutoChart Live. This feature uses the sonar information and your charts, in order to map the body of water where you’re fishing, revealing its contours. Two extra functions were introduced for the AC Live software of G2N units, these being Bottom Hardness and Vegetation. Differently put, you can scan a certain area, and enhance your maps with the bottom contours, also color-coding bottom hardness and areas with vegetation.

AC Live requires LakeMaster charts or Navionics charts as support to become available, though, while the unit only has the UniMap standard charts. These charts cover the contiguous U.S. coastline, inland lakes, and rivers at 30 m / pixel. As a general idea, they show lakes, ocean, streams, with the boundaries between land and water described accurately. However, the unit is compatible with chart bundles that offer much more detail, such as LakeMaster Plus, Navionics Plus, Navionics Platinum etc. Also, since the unit has the AC Live software, you can use a Zero Lines charts chip, which offers charts with zero line contours, ready to be mapped.

This unit is also SmartStrike capable. SmartStrike offers fishing charts which highlight the areas of a lake where fish are biting, depending on various parameters, such as season, time of day, temperature etc.

Evidently, the unit features a fast and accurate GPS system, which can offer fixes in 2.5 meters, enhanced by WAAS, EGNOS and MSAS. The unit is also capable of displaying the vessel’s speed, by using the GPS data. It can store up to 2,500 waypoints, 50 routes, and 50 tracks, with up to 20,000 points per track.

The system’s navigation capabilities don’t end here. This unit is also AIS, i-Pilot Link, and RADAR capable. These applications require optional accessories, such as an AIS module, radar antenna or the i-Pilot Link setup.

Control unit features

As its name suggests, this HELIX unit features a 7-inch diagonal display, with an 800H x 480V pixel layout. Just as for all the other HELIX 7 units, this unit’s display is WVGA, TFT color, with a 16-bit color range. It also has LED backlight for better readings in direct sunlight or at night. Navigation through menus and functions is done via the keypad on the right side of the unit. This HELIX model does not have touchscreen technology. The unit is also IPX7 waterproof, which means it’s built to endure incidental water exposure or even immersions in freshwater, up to 1m.

As opposed to the HELIX 7 CHIRP DI GPS G2, the G2N unit is wireless control ready. It can be controlled wirelessly via the Humminbird Bluetooth remote, which features 7 keys with dual action. Via this remote, you can use various functions on the unit, such as mark waypoints, create an i-Pilot Link Spot-Lock etc.

In terms of networking, this unit is NMEA 2000 ready and also features an Ethernet port. However, it only has one card slot for its microSD card reader, for chart upgrades or sonar recording.

Last but not least, the unit comes with a standard gimbal mount, but an in-dash mounting kit is also optionally available.

The Pros

• CHIRP DualBeam Plus Sonar, and CHIRP Down Imaging Sonar;
• Powerful transducer (XNT 9 DI T), CHIRP capable and temperature capable, with transom mount;
• Depth capability up to 600 ft with the included transducer, great for in-land fishing, and even for shallow off-shore fishing;
• Multiple sonar functions available, such as SwitchFire, Selective Fish ID+, Bottom Lock, Mark Structure, Real-Time Sonar etc;
• Sonar Recording and Screen Snapshot functions;
• Precision GPS with MSAS, ENGONS and WAAS enhancing;
• UniMap charts included;
• AutoChart Live with Bottom Hardness and Vegetation features;
• Trackplotting, routes and waypoints functions;
• 800 x 480 resolution, 16-bit color display, with LED backlight, providing clear images, easy to read even in direct sunlight;
• AIS, i-Pilot Link and Radar capable;
• Bluetooth wireless control capable;
• LakeMaster, Navionics and SmartStrike capable;
• Ethernet and NMEA 2000 ready;
• IPX7 waterproof;
• MicroSD card reader (1 slot);
• Upgradable internal software;
• Gimbal mount included;
• Fairly easy to install.

The Cons

• No unit cover;
• No temperature graph function.

Summary

The HELIX 7 CHIRP DI GPS G2N is a mid-range fish finder and chartplotter, offering 2D and Down Imaging CHIRP sonar, GPS, UniMap Charts, also being AutoChart Live ready. As opposed to the G2 unit, this one is Bluetooth capable. It can also support various external navigation units, such as HD Radar, AIS or i-Pilot link. Also, in terms of sonar, it can use 360 Imaging.

It It’s a unit intended for freshwater use, as it doesn’t have extreme depth penetration, at least with the included transducer. However, it can also be used off-shore, as long as you fish at depths up to 4-500 ft. It’s a great unit for boats of all sizes, and comes with an excellent price / value ratio.