Lowrance Hook Reveal 9 HDI Navionics+

The Hook Reveal 9 is one of the Lowrance fish finders released in 2020. As opposed to the Hook Reveal 9 TripleShot that we’ve already covered here, this particular model comes with the 50/200 kHz HDI deep water transducer and the Navionics+ charts for the U.S. and Canada. For reference, this is the Lowrance part number 000-15533-001.

Key Features and Specifications

• Display: SolarMax, 9″ diagonal, 800H x 480V pixel matrix, color TFT
• Sonar: Standard CHIRP & DownScan
• Transducer: HDI Skimmer 000-10977-001
• Frequency and Coverage:
  CHIRP: 12° @ 200 kHz & 29° @ 50 kHz
  DownScan: 4°/57° @ 455 kHz & 2°/38° @ 800 kHz
• Max. Depth:
  CHIRP: 3,000 ft (914 m)
  DownScan: 300 ft. (91 m)
• Power Input: 12v DC (10.8-17VDC)
• GPS: Internal
• Maps: Navionics+
• Routes, Waypoints, Tracks: 100; 3,000, 100 (10,000) points per trail)

Sonar and transducer

The Hook Reveal 9 HDI Navionics+ fish finder offers two types of sonar, these being standard CHIRP and DownScan. It supports three main frequencies for standard (50/83/200 kHz), and two for DownScan (455/800 kHz). It does not support SideScan sonar or ForwardScan sonar.

The transducer included with the unit is the HDI Skimmer 000-10977-001. This transducer features a transom mount, 20 ft. (6 m) of cable, and also has an internal temperature sensor. It supports four frequencies, 50/200 kHz for traditional CHIRP which means that the unit will be able to use Low CHIRP and High CHIRP, and 455/800 kHz for DownScan.

For traditional CHIRP, the transducer uses two conical beams with a coverage of 12° @ 200 kHz, and 29° @ 50 kHz. The maximum depth capability that can be reached by the standard CHIRP sonar is 3,000 ft. (914 m) when using the 50 kHz beam. This makes the Hook Reveal 9 HDI a great unit for off-shore fishing.

For DownScan, the transducer uses two oval beams. Their coverage is 4°/57° @ 455 kHz and 2°/38° @ 800 kHz. The maximum depth range of the DownScan sonar with the included HDI Skimmer transducer is 300 ft. (91 m) which applies to the 455 kHz beam.

In terms of standard sonar functions, the Hook Reveal 9 offers the full range. The list includes A-Scope, Split-Zoom, Bottom Lock, Fish ID, Sonar Recording, Sonar Autotuning, and more. Also, as its name suggests, the unit has the FishReveal function which offers the possibility to bring the fish arches from the CHIRP sonar into the DownScan view, and also opens specific FishReveal options. This gives you a better idea of the position of the fish in relation to vegetation, bottom, or structure. It’s a feature that the previous HOOK2-9 model does not have.

Navigation features

As the title suggests, the Lowrance Hook Reveal 9 HDI Navionics+ includes the Navionics+ maps for the United States and Canada. These charts offer superior detail to the standard US Inland maps that other Reveal units come pre-loaded with. The Navionics+ charts provide superior detail and information for each point of interest, depth contours, dynamic tides, and current information, shallow water shading, and more. They also open access to the Navionics SonarChart mapping application and this Lowrance unit supports it.

The unit also has the Genesis Live feature which until 2020 was only available with the Elite Ti2 units and above. The Genesis Live feature is similar to the SonarChart feature. It offers the possibility to create your own bathymetric maps with the most recent depth contours. It’s important to mention, though, that the Genesis Live feature cannot record the created maps in the unit’s memory. So, in order to create custom maps, you will have to load your unit with a blank microSD card.

Along with the included Navionics+ charts, the unit can also support several other available charts. The list includes Navionics Gold, Navionics Platinum+, C-MAP Insight Pro, and C-MAP Lake Insight.

Of course, the unit has built-in GPS. It supports WAAS, MSAS, EGNOS, and GLONASS for position augmentation. It has a GPS speed function and can save up to 3,000 waypoints in the unit’s memory. The unit can also record up to 100 tracks (10,000 points each) and allows you to save up to 100 routes. Recorded tracks can be converted to routes and you can add waypoints to them later on.

The unit does not support Radar, AIS data, or VHF radio data. It also does not support Auto-Pilot units or external GPS. In case you’re looking for features like this, the HDS-9 Live or the Elite 9 Ti2 are the Lowrance fish finders to look at.

Control unit features

The Hook Reveal 9 HDI Navionics+ features a SolarMax 9-inch display color display with a pixel resolution of 800H x 480V. Its LED backlight offers excellent readability in direct sunlight at angles of 80° top/bottom, 85° left/right. The unit is also IPX7 waterproof which essentially means that its sealing allows it to support incidental water exposure (like rain or splashes) and even full immersions in freshwater.

The unit does not have touchscreen technology. It is keypad-operated. The keypad includes an 8-way directional key, Zoom key, Enter/Exit key, Menu Access key, Waypoint on Cursor key, and on-off key. Its interface is very easy to use. Its homepage can be customized with various application combos for quick selection and the possibility to work with up to four applications in split-view.

Unlike the Elite Ti2 and HDS Live units, this Lowrance Hook Reveal fish finder does not have any networking features. That’s why it’s a bit cheaper than most other 9-inch units. It does not support NMEA, it does not have Ethernet, and also does not have wireless connectivity. However, it does have one microSD card slot and supports cards up to 32 GB. You can either use a blank card for Genesis Live or data backup, or a card with different charts either from Navionics or C-MAP.

The unit comes with the standard Gimbal bracket mount. A unit cover is not included.

The Pros

• Standard CHIRP Sonar;
• DownScan sonar;
• Supports 50 kHz;
• 50/200 kHz HDI skimmer transducer included;
• Multiple sonar features such as Fish ID, A-Scope, Bottom Lock, Circular Flasher, Colorline, Sonar Recording, Overlay DownScan etc;
• FishReveal;
• Fast and accurate GPS;
• Navionics+ charts for superior mapping detail;
• Genesis Live real-time mapping;
• Compatible with superior charts, such as C-MAP®, C-MAP Genesis, Navionics® and more;
• Large, 9-inch display;
• Adjustable backlight for superior readability;
• MicroSD card reader (1 slot);
• Bracket mount and corner clips included;
• Fairly easy to install;
• One year warranty.

The Cons

• No networking features;
• No wireless connectivity;
• The unit cover is not included.

Summary

The Lowrance Hook Reveal 9 HDI Navionics+ is a fish finder and chartplotter unit offering deep water CHIRP sonar, DownScan sonar, GPS, Navionics+ charts, and the Genesis Live mapping feature. It includes the 50/200 HDI transducer for deep water fishing. It doesn’t have advanced navigation features such as Radar and also does not have networking features. But on the other hand, it costs a bit less than other similar networkable models. It’s a fairly decent, mid-range combo for boats of all sizes, great for both inland and off-shore fishing.