Humminbird HELIX 8 CHIRP MEGA DI GPS G3N CHO

As a general idea, the Humminbird CHO units do not include a transducer; the box just includes the head unit with the mount. However, in case you already have one or two other Humminbird fish finders, you may not need another transducer. In this post, were going to cover the Humminbird HELIX 8 CHIRP MEGA DI GPS G3N CHO part number 410820-1CHO which is essentially the Humminbird 410820-1 but without a transducer.

Key Features and Specifications

• Display: 8″ diagonal, 1024H x 600V pixel resolution, WVGA 16-bit color TFT, with LED backlight
• Sonar: Dual Spectrum CHIRP, CHIRP Mega Down Imaging
• Transducer: Not included
• Frequency and Coverage: Depends on the transducer
• Depth Capability: Depends on the transducer
• Power Output: 1,000 Watts (RMS)
• Power Input: 10.8-20V DC
• Power Draw: 1 Amp
• GPS: Internal
• Cartography: Humminbird Basemap
• Routes, Waypoints, Tracks: 45; 2,750; 50 (20,000 points each)

Sonar features and compatible transducers

As its name suggests, the HELIX 8 CHIRP MEGA DI GPS G3N CHO has MEGA Down Imaging Sonar and Dual Spectrum CHIRP Sonar. It also supports a wide array of base frequencies, including 50/83/200/455/800 kHz and 1.2 MHz. This being said, it is compatible with several transducers from Humminbird. The list includes the XM 9 HW MDI T, the XTM 9 HW MDI T, the XTM 9 MDI T, the XNT 9 HW MDI 75 T, the XTM 9 HW MDI 75 T, and several other transducers without Down Imaging, such as the XNT 9 HW T, the XTM 9 HW T, XP 9 HW, and XNT 9 DI T. The unit also has Ethernet connectivity, so it is compatible with the 360 Imaging transducers.

If paired with a Dual Spectrum CHIRP transducer, the unit supports the three characteristic modes – Full Mode, Narrow Mode, and Wide Mode. Of course, if the unit paired with an MDI transducer, you will be able to use both regular Down Imaging and MEGA Down Imaging for sharper images.

The HELIX 8 CHIRP MEGA DI GPS G3N CHO offers the full range of standard sonar features and applications. The list includes Selective Fish ID, Bottom Lock, Real-Time Sonar (RTS or A-Scope), SwitchFire, Split Zoom, various alarms, Sonar Recording and more.

Navigation features

The HELIX 410820-1CHO is a fish finder and chartplotter combo. Therefore, it has built-in precision GPS. It supports position augmentation via WAAS, MSAS, or EGNOS. It also has a GPS speed function.

The unit can hold up to 2,750 waypoints in its memory and you can choose from various icons to customize each waypoint. Route creation and track plotting functions are also available. You can save up to 45 routes in your unit’s memory, up to 50 tracks; each track can have up to 20,000 points and can be converted into a route if necessary.

Similar to the other HELIX units, the HELIX 8 CHIRP MEGA DI GPS G3N CHO is equipped with the Humminbird Basemap chart platform. These built-in charts are based on the NOAA charts. They cover more than 10,000 U.S. lakes with 1-foot depth contours. They also cover the U.S. coastal waters providing a lot of information, including buoys, hazards, marinas, camping sites, hotels, day markers, spot soundings, and more.

Of course, the unit is compatible with various premium charts as well. The compatibility list includes Navionics+, Navionics Platinum+, LakeMaster, LakeMaster Plus, and SmartStrike fishing charts. Plus, the unit has its own mapping application, the AutoChart Live feature. AC Live gives you the possibility to create your own custom fishing maps with the most up to date depth contours. It uses the 2D sonar data and the GPS data to reveal and draw the depth contours of the lake you’re scanning. Therefore, if the unit’s maps don’t offer a satisfying detail for your lake, AutoChart Live has you covered.

AC Live can record and save up to 8 hours of mapping in the unit’s internal memory, but you can expand the recording capabilities with a Zero Lines microSD card. It also has bottom hardness, vegetation data, and depth range shading so you can easily view the safest path for navigation.

Last but not least, since this is a G3N unit (not G3), it supports Radar, Minn Kota i-Pilot Link, Minn Kota Talon Shallow Water Anchor, and information from AIS units.

Control unit features

The HELIX 410820-1CHO features an 8-inch LCD display with LED backlight offering superior readability. It’s a full color unit and has a richer pixel matrix (1024 x 600) than the HELIX 7 unit (800 x 480). It also has an IPX7 waterproof rating which essentially means that it can take water splashes or rain with no problem.

The unit is keypad operated. It does not have touchscreen technology, but on the other hand, it has a user-friendly interface.

Since it’s a G3N unit, the HELIX 410820-1CHO offers superior networking features. First of all, it has Ethernet and NMEA 2000 connectivity. Therefore, you can integrate it into an already active instrument network on your boat, in order to communicate with other instruments like AIS units, Radar units, i-Pilot Link, share transducers, etc.

Bluetooth technology is also available with this Humminbird unit. This allows you to sync it with your smartphone via the FishSmart App, in order to get notifications and use other features. The Bluetooth connection also gives you the possibility to easily download software updates when they are available. It’s also compatible with the RC2 Bluetooth remote control which allows you to control most of the fish finding and navigation features without touching the unit.

And finally, this HELIX unit has a dual microSD card reader. Thus, you won’t have to swap cards if you use a Navionics microSD card and a data card, for example.

The Pros

• Dual Spectrum CHIRP sonar;
• CHIRP Mega Down Imaging and regular CHIRP Down Imaging sonar;
• Depth capability up to 1,200 ft with the included transducer;
• Multiple standard sonar features 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;
• Route and waypoint creation functions;
• Trackplotting function;
• 8″ display, 1024 x 800 resolution, 16-bit color display, with LED backlight, providing clear images, easy to read even in direct sunlight;
• IPX7 waterproof;
• Supports Ethernet and NMEA 2000;
• Supports AIS and GPS heading sensors;
• Supports CHIRP Radar and Minn Kota i-Pilot Link;
• Bluetooth connectivity;
• Compatible with the FishSmart App and the RC2 Bluetooth remote control;
• Dual microSD card reader;
• Upgradeable internal software;
• Gimbal mount included;
• Fairly easy to install.

The Cons

• Bluetooth remote control not included;
• In-dash mounting kit not included;
• Unit cover not included.

Summary

The HELIX 8 CHIRP MEGA DI GPS G3N CHO is a fish finder and chartplotter offering MEGA DI sonar, Dual Spectrum CHIRP sonar, GPS, Humminbird Basemap, and AC Live. It does not include a transducer, but it is compatible with all the MDI transducers from Humminbird, plus several other transducers without DI. It offers superior networking capabilities such as Bluetooth, Ethernet and NMEA 2000. It also supports Radar, and i-Pilot Link.