Wayne P.

I have the T-box version (permanent mount transducer) and the Sonarphone App on an iPad, and some Android tablets and smartphones. It works very well. The top one is Android and the bottom one is Apple:

Some units just have a microSD card reader. A SD card will not fit. The Humminbird Helix models and some of the newer Lowrance units just have a microSD card reader. The Navionics cards are all microSD with a SD adpator. Been that way since mid 2010.

Built-in trolling motor transducers do 2D sonar ONLY. That's Motor Guide or Minnkota. If you want to have Down Scan, you have to use a Down Scan capable transducer.

Yes you can use the Lowrance transducer with a Humminbird. But not with a DI unit. It takes the Humminbird adaptor that is used with Motor Guide trolling motors with a built in transducer.

Only the Helix 5 SI GPS is $499--that is a Side Imaging unit and does Side Imaging, Down Imaging, 2D Sonar and GPS mapping. All the other Helix 5 versions are less. There are 9 Helix 5 models. Refer to the Humminbird web site. There are only three Helix 5 versions that don't have GPS, One is 2D only, the other is 2D only portable, and the other is 2D/DI, Side Imaging is better than DI and 2D is better for vertical presentions. A unit that does all three, if within your budget, would be the best choice. Call a marine electronics dealer to get their prices. Most sell below MSRP I can refer some if you want via PM.

I got a message from Navionics that Lowrance will not let them process sonar logs done with Elite units. I suggest you contact Lowrance and let them know your displeasure with the decision.

FIrst of all you don't do recordings on a map card EVER. You record on a blank formatted card, the Helix has a microSD card reader. Get a 4 or 8 GB microSD card and a SD card adaptor. Record on that card and then you can use either Lakemaster Auto Charts or Navionics Sonar Charts for the map processing. The Lakemaster version is private and you do the processing and map creation. The Navionics is shared on the Navionics map server and can be downloaded by anyone and is viewed on the Navionics website's Web App. The Lakemaster version is computer software that you purchase and install on your computer to process the recordings to load to a Zeroline card. The Navionics Sonar Charts is FREE with the Navionics+ map card. You upload your recordings to the Navionics server and they make the map for you and then let you know the data has been processed so you can download it to the Navionics+ card. That is what I use If you want more detailed information about it, just PM me. I have done more than 200 recordings that have been processed with Navionics Sonar Charts.

This is the Uni-map of a lake: Same lake with contour mapping:

That is a mostly plain background on the Chart view with some outlnes of bodies of water and some highways. No detailed nautical mapping. Basically some color. If you want contour mapping with those units, you have to purchase a digital mapping product. Humminbird units read Lakemaster and Navionics mapping products.

Yes you can see the list and the actual maps on the Navionics website. The maps are viewed by clicking on Web App. The list is viewed by clicking on Chartplotter, then Navionics+, and then scroll down to Coverage and click on choose your region. After that click on US & Canada and then click on See Lake Lists to view the list.

That was just discussed. Read post #2 here: http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/152249-side-imaging-options/

You will need two Ethernet adapters plus the Ethernet cable. The adapters are. AS EC QDE Good choice on the deck mount.

The Helix 5 SI GPS is $499 MSRP and is available for less with some phone calls to marine electronics dealers. It has GPS/Mapping. There is no non-GPS Humminbird unit with Side Imaging. What you will gain is the Lakemaster mapping capability which is exclusive to Humminbird. The transducer swap is to get sharper Images, but you may not notice any difference. It is sort of subtile. The larger transducer does not add any functions to the unit. It is about a $85 exchange not counting shipping the one that comes with the unit back to Humminbird. I notice the difference since I have and use both. I would suggest you keep the Elite 5 for GPS mapping so you can have full screen sonar with the Helix all the time as you navigate.

HOLD on !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! INTERLINK does NOT work with the 1199ci HD SI Combo or any other XX9 models. It is a discontinued product. ETHERNET is the only intercommunication connection that the XX9 models can use and your other unit would have to be Ethernet compatable. Then the other unit's software would have to be current before they will communicate. The 1199ci HD SI Combo would need the Ethernet adaptor AS EC QDE to have the Ethernet cable connection. WHAT is the other unit on the console ????? The 598ci HD SI Combo is not linkable with any connection to another unit.

The Navionics Update card has no maps and it requires a previously owned Navionics card to active it, then it becomes the Navionics+ card. It is basically a discount purchase of Navionics+ since you would already own a Navionics product to qualify for that card. Every new purchase of a Navionics product includes a year of Freshest Data updates. The Hotmaps Premium, Hotmaps Platinum, and Navionics+ cards will have the exact same Nautical Charts for a particular body of water if they are updated the same day. It will be the exact same maps as shown on the Navionics web site's Web App.

Yes, that is all a boat livewell is with a drain.

When I had a 2-stroke 9.9 Merc on a fat bottom 12' jon boat it would go 25 mph GPS. That is why I made the mistake by not getting the Bigfoot model 4-stroke.

How long ago was that you got that message? You can upload sonar logs with the Sonar Charts program with a Lowrance unit. Some Navionics reps have been posting pictures of Sonar Charts mapping done with Lowrance units in the past 6-10 months. A friend of mine has done it a few times. Have you checked the Navionics Web App to see if your data has been applied? You don't record on the Navionics card though. Use a blank formatted memory card.

I had to change the prop on mine since I made a mistake by not getting the Bigfoot model. The 2 stroke 9.9 motor I had on another boat was a lot better performer. I have the Tracker PT 170 TX. With the stock prop, I could only get 4000 rpms. I changed to a lower pitch and get almost 6000 rpms. My top speed is 7.4 mph downwind. I would say you are doing good to get that speed with that motor. My setup includes 5 deep cycle batteries when I use the outboard and 6 deep cycle batteres on electric-only waters. I use a 36 V bow trolling motor and a dedicated battery for electronics.

No, that is very little considering that the Navionics+ card is 2GB and the Navionics Hotmaps Premium regional cards are 2GB. The Premium East has 21 states.

Already answered that in your other post.

The best map software is the one that has the coverage you want with the detail you want. For a particular body of water that Navionics covers and Lakemaster covers in HD, the Lakemaster is better. Lakemaster HD has depth highlighting, water level offset and can operate an iPilot Link Minnkota electric steer trolling motor using the Follow-the-Contour feature. You can view the Navionics maps on-line with the Navionics web site's Web App. You can get the Lakemaster lake lists on the Humminbird/Lakemaster web site. The Navionics map card in the sale package is the Navionics+ version. That has no maps, You choose what locations to download to the map card from anywhere in the US and Canada. There is no regional restrictions like Lakemaster has. For the 798ci HD SI Combo, you should use a transducer that is suitable for trolling motor use instead of the included transom Compact SI transducer. That would be the XTM 9 SI 180 T Compact SI PUCK or the XTM 9 HDSI 180 T. Both of those have extra internal shielding to help with possible RFI from the trolling motor. The HDSI will produce a sharper image due to its longer SI crystals.

There are/were several versions. The last two I got were purchased since I wanted max data. Look up what is available on your devise.

If you have a smartphone, you can have the Navionics maps on it. There is an Apple App and Android App. You can use the GPS the phone has so show your position on the water. I have an App on an iPad, two Android tablets, and some Android smartphones.

I do occasionally for teaching purposes and for map update comparisons, but not for use on the water. Hotmaps is a Navionics product and the maps can be viewed on the Navionics web sites's Web App. This is one of them: