Humminbird HELIX 9 CHIRP DI GPS G2N

The HELIX 9 CHIRP DI GPS G2N is one of the Humminbird fish finders on the list of discontinued models. That’s because it was already replaced by a superior model, the HELIX 9 CHIRP MEGA DI+ GPS G3N. It’s a chartplotter as well, equipped with GPS and the ContourXD maps. For reference, this is the Humminbird part number 410080-1.

Key Features and Specifications

• Display: 9″ 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: 2.5 Amps
• GPS: Internal
• Charts: ContourXD
• Routes, Waypoints, Tracks: 47; 2,750; 50

Sonar and transducer

The transducer supplied with the HELIX 9 410080-1 unit is the XNT 9 DI T, model that comes with a transom mount. It’s also a temperature capable transducer, while the unit has a temperature graph function. The unit itself has two types of sonar, Down Imaging and DualBeam Plus (2D), both CHIRP enhanced. It can use two frequencies for DI (455/800 kHz) and two for DualBeam Plus (200/455 kHz). However, since it’s a CHIRP unit, the sonar pulse can be modulated via CHIRP on the following frequency intervals: 175-225 kHz (instead of 200 kHz), 420-520 kHz (instead of 455 kHz), and 790-850 kHz (instead of 800 kHz). This CHIRP pulse modulation results in images with less clutter, clearer contours, and a better fish target separation. In other words, if the transducer beam will hit a group of fish, it’s more likely to see the fish arches separated rather than just a bigger dot of color.

This Humminbird fish finder is 50 kHz and 360 Imaging capable. With an Xtreme Depth transducer, it can reach a power output of 1,000 Watts (RMS), and depths up to 3,500 ft (1,067 m). With the included XNT 9 DI T transducer, the system’s depth capability is only 350 ft (106 m) for Down Imaging and 600 ft (183 m) for DualBeam Plus. It also has the 360 Imaging sonar application built-in, but in order to use it, you have to pair it with a deployable 360 Imaging transducer, which is not included.

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.

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 functions

This HELIX 9 model is a GPS unit, integrating a fast and precise GPS receiver, enhanced by EGNOS, WAAS, and MSAS, which can offer fixes within 2.5 meters. The GPS system can show latitude and longitude, and can also calculate the speed of your boat.

The unit’s built-in charts are the Humminbird ContourXD, which are quite a bit superior to the UniMap charts that come with the HELIX 5 and HELIX 7 units. The ContourXD charts cover more than 3,000 U.S. lakes with contour lines and various other markers, such as major roads, interstates etc. However, the unit is also compatible with Navionics+, Navionics Platinum+, LakeMaster charts and the SmartStrike fishing charts. The SmartStrike charts highlight the areas of a lake where fish are biting, depending on various parameters, such as season, time of day, temperature, etc.

The unit within the table above is displayed with the Navionics charts. The ContourXD view is shown below.

The unit can store up to 2,750 waypoints in its internal memory, and up to 47 routes, with up to 50 waypoints per route. It also has a track recording function and can record up to 50 tracks, with up to 20,000 points per track.

Since it’s a new Humminbird fish finder unit, the HELIX 410080-1 has the AutoChart Live application. 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.

The unit’s AC Live can record up to 8 hours of mapping. But if you equip it with a Zero Lines charts chip, which offers charts with zero line contours, the recording time considerably increase. Zero Lines microSD cards are specially designed to go with AC Live, being ready to be mapped.

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 opposed to some of the Onix units, the HELIX units feature standard keypad navigation, without cross-touch or touchscreen technology. The HELIX 9 CHIRP DI GPS G2N has a 9″ display, TFT color with a 16-bit color range. Its pixel matrix is 800 x 480, also integrating LED backlight.

The unit is IPX7 waterproof, which means it can withstand water exposure for short periods of time, including splashes, rain or snow, and even immersions in freshwater. Saltwater may corrode the contacts, even though they’re well-sealed.

This unit is wireless control ready. It’s compatible with the Humminbird Bluetooth remote control, which features 7 keys with dual action. Via this remote, you can use different functions without touching the unit, such as mark waypoints, create an i-Pilot Link Spot-Lock etc.

The HELIX 9 CHIRP DI GPS G2N is NMEA 2000 ready and has an Ethernet port. Therefore, it should be much easier to integrate it in boat grids of various types. Its microSD card reader has two card slots, which is quite a plus as you can use a charts card and a blank sd card for sonar recording or data backup simultaneously, without having to swap them all the time.

The mount supplied with the unit is a gimbal-type, but an in-dash mount is an available option.

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;
• ContourXD 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 (2 slots);
• Upgradeable internal software;
• Gimbal mount included;
• Fairly easy to install.

The Cons

• Bluetooth remote control not included.

Summary

The Humminbird HELIX 9 CHIRP DI GPS G2N is a chartplotter and fish finder system, offering CHIRP 2D sonar and CHIRP Down Imaging, along with a fast and accurate GPS system, the ContourXD charts and AutoChart Live. The 2D/DI transducer is also included. The unit is wireless control capable. It can also support various external navigation units, such as HD Radar, AIS or i-Pilot link.

With the supplied transducer it’s perfect for freshwater, as it can scan depths up to 600 ft. But with a 50 kHz transducer, its depth capabilities can increase up to 3,500 ft. It’s a unit for boats of all sizes, except maybe small kayaks. And finally, considering all its functions, the fact that it comes with a transducer, and the available palette of upgrades, we can safely say that it offers excellent value for the price.