Thread: Help please with Humminbird bow unit setup...

Hello, I need a little help from the die hard crappie fishermen. I am the go to guy that my father-in-law calls on when he needs electronic help/advice for his boat. Earlier this year he added a Humminbird Helix 10 SI combo unit to his console. He also added the heading sensor antenna at the back of the boat. Now he is ready to upgrade his bow unit. He is either going to add a Helix 9 DI combo or a Helix 10 DI combo. My main question is, how do you guys handle the issue of the bow unit gps? He will be networking the units together to share waypoints. I know he can share the heading sensor and gps from the external antenna with the bow unit, however I also know that will not be as accurate as using the internal gps of the bow unit. Of course, the problem with the internal antenna of the bow unit is that he will get the circle on the screen when he is sitting around a brushtop not moving and the map will be jumpy, keeping him from really knowing what direction a second top in the are may be. What do yall recommend? Adding a heading sensor to the bow? Just share the antenna from the back of the boat and be off that much extra distance when marking waypoints or moving to waypoints, or just use the internal antenna and deal with it? Btw, he will not be in the market for adding 360, so don't add that as an option, no matter how awesome "I" think that would be.

I believe he will be wanting to contact Humminbird and trade in the included transducer and get the XTM 9 Wide DI 20 T for his trolling motor. Would you recommend anything like a transducershield and saver for the transducer?

He is already used to the screen size /resolution of the Helix 10 he has. He was thinking he might just get a Helix 9 for the bow, but I kinda thought he might want to stick with what he is already used to. Do you think it would be much different if he went with the 9?

Thanks for any help. I have Lowrance stuff on my boat, so I don't know all the ins and outs of the humminbird stuff. I am impressed with his Helix 10 though. I just wish he was able to share the heading portion of the heading sensor with the bow unit and then just use the bow unit's internal gps for marking accurate waypoints like I am able to do with my Point-1 antenna. That seems to be the best of both worlds to me.

Joe

Originally Posted by wannabe fisherman

if you use Rickie's "Daducer" device you can mount the 'ducer on the bottom and there's a place on top for the puck style GPS antenna on top of it. It will also reduce the chances of getting interference from the trolling motor "podunkideas.com"
I run a 798 on my boat up front

That's a smart idea.... I just don't think my father-in-law will want that. But, thanks for suggesting it.