Humminbird HELIX 7 CHIRP GPS G3

The HELIX 7 CHIRP GPS G3 is one of the most basic GPS and sonar combo units released by Humminbird in 2019. It does come with several improvements over the older HELIX 7 CHIRP GPS G2 unit, though. It has an improved CHIRP sonar and the Humminbird Basemap platform. It also includes the new CHIRP 2D transducer. For reference, this is the Humminbird part number 410930-1.

Key Features and Specifications

• Screen: 7″ diagonal, 800H x 480V pixel resolution, WVGA 16-bit color TFT, with LED backlight
• Sonar: Dual Spectrum CHIRP
• Transducer: Transom XNT 9 HW T
• Depth Capability (with the included transducer): 1,200 feet (365 m)
• Frequency and Coverage:
  • Narrow mode: 180-240 kHz / 25°
  • Wide mode: 140-200 kHz / 42°
  • Full mode: 150-220 kHz (adjustable) / 42°
• Power Output: 500 Watts (RMS)
• Power Input: 10.8-20V DC
• Power Draw: 800 mA
• GPS: Internal
• Cartography: Humminbird Basemap
• Routes, Waypoints, Tracks: 45; 2,750; 50 (20,000 points each)

Sonar and transducer

As opposed to the older G2 unit which has DualBeam Plus sonar, the new HELIX 7 CHIRP GPS G3 unit has Dual Spectrum CHIRP sonar. It offers three distinct CHIRP modes: Narrow, Wide, and Full. The Narrow and Wide modes offer fixed CHIRP frequency intervals, 180-240 kHz (narrow), and 140-200 kHz (wide). The Full mode is the default sonar mode of the unit. It’s set to 150-220 kHz, but the frequency is adjustable between 140-240 kHz.

The included transducer is the new XNT 9 HW T. This is a Dual Spectrum CHIRP transducer featuring a transom mount, 20′ (6 m) of cable, and an internal temperature probe. It uses conical beams; their coverage is 25° when using Narrow mode, and 42° for Wide or Full mode. Needless to say, it’s recommended to use Narrow mode if you want to benefit from maximum detail, and the Wide mode to get the maximum coverage.

The system’s maximum depth capability is 1,200 ft (365 m). However, the unit also supports 50 kHz frequencies, and therefore, with a 50 kHz capable CHIRP transducer, it can reach depths up to 3,500 ft (1,066 m).

The unit does not have Side Imaging and Down Imaging sonar capabilities. It also does not support 360 Imaging. Also, the XNT 9 HW T transducer only supports 2D sonar. It does not support Side Imaging or Down Imaging.

Of course, this Humminbird fish finder offers all the standard sonar features. It has the Switchfire function, Selective Fish ID, Bottom Lock, Real Time Sonar (RTS or A-Scope), Sonar Recording, Screen Snapshot, Depth Alarm, Fish Alarm, and more.

GPS and charts

The Humminbird HELIX 7 CHIRP GPS G3 is equipped with an internal GPS receiver. Evidently, it shows the coordinates of your location, as well as the coordinates of any point of interest. A GPS speed function is also available.

The unit can save up to 2,750 waypoints in its memory, offering various icons to make them more suggestive. A route creation function and a track plotting function are also available. The unit can save up to 45 routes and 50 plotted tracks; each track can have up to 20,000 plot points. Also, each track can be converted into a route to which you can add waypoints later on.

The unit is preloaded with the Humminbird Basemap platform which offers considerably more detail than the previous UniMap or ContourXD base charts. It covers more than 10,000 U.S lakes with 1′ depth contours, and also provides coverage for coastal waters, showing depth markers, buoys, hazards, marinas, nav-aids, and various other points of interest.

The AutoChart Live feature is also included. This is a depth contour creation feature similar to the SonarChart offered by the Navionics+ charts. It uses the 2D sonar and the GPS data to reveal the depth contours of your lake as you sail your boat. Therefore, you can create custom maps with the most up to date depth contours in case the included charts do not offer satisfying coverage for your lake.

Of course, the unit is compatible with various other types of charts. It supports Navionics+, Navionics Platinum, the older Navionics Gold/HotMaps, LakeMaster, LakeMaster Plus, and SmartStrike fishing charts.

Last but not least, the unit can provide AIS data if paired with an AIS unit. However, it does not offer Radar or Minn Kota i-Pilot Link support.

Control unit features

As its name suggests, the HELIX 7 CHIRP GPS G3 is a 7-inch display unit. It features a WVGA display with a 16-bit color range. It has a standard pixel matrix of 800V x 480H. It has integrated LED backlight which provides superior brightness and readability from angles as sharp as 70°. It is also IPX7 waterproof which means that it can support incidental water exposure and even immersions in freshwater up to 1m.

In terms of networking, the unit does not have Ethernet but does have an NMEA 0183 output in case you want to connect an AIS unit or a GPS heading sensor. It only has three connectors, one for the power cable, one for the communications cable (NMEA 0183) and one for the transducer (7-pin). It also has a microSD card slot for chart upgrades, data backup, sonar recordings or other software updates.

The unit is keypad operated; it does not have touchscreen technology. It has a fairly easy to use interface with highly intuitive menus and functions.

Finally, the box includes the classic Gimbal mount. An in-dash mounting kit is also available (but not included).

The Pros

• Dual Spectrum CHIRP sonar;
• XNT 9 HW T transducer included;
• Depth capability up to 1,200 ft with the included transducer;
• Multiple sonar functions available, such as RTS, Bottom Lock, Selective Fish ID+, Alarms, SwitchFire etc;
• Sonar Recording and Screen Snapshot functions;
• Precision internal GPS;
• Humminbird Basemap chart platform built-in;
• AutoChart Live;
• Supports Navionics+, Navionics Platinum, LakeMaster Plus, and SmartStrike charts;
• Trackplotting, routes and waypoints functions;
• 7″ display, 800 x 480 resolution, 16-bit color display, with LED backlight, providing clear images, easy to read even in direct sunlight;
• IPX7 waterproof;
• NMEA 0183 output;
• Supports AIS and GPS heading sensors;
• MicroSD card reader (1 slot);
• Upgradeable internal software;
• Gimbal mount included;
• Fairly easy to install.

The Cons

• In-dash mount not included;
• Unit cover not included.

Summary

The Humminbird HELIX 7 CHIRP GPS G3 is a fish finder and chartplotter featuring 2D Dual Spectrum CHIRP sonar, internal GPS, Humminbird Basemap charts, and AutoChart Live. It includes the XNT 9 HW T transducer for wide and narrow coverage. It also supports Navionics, LakeMaster and SmartStrike charts. In all, it’s an excellent tool for a wide range of boats, for fishing and navigation in both saltwater and freshwater.