Thread: Helix gps and waypoints network question

It would help some if you had an external GPS to the console unit loacted as close to the SI transducer as practical. When the GPS antenna is further away from the transducer, the accuracy of the waypoint may suffer.

Zoom in further on your front unit. You will be surprised at just how far off of the mark you really are.

Originally Posted by wicklundrh

Zoom in further on your front unit. You will be surprised at just how far off of the mark you really are.

I figured that may be the case....
I wondered if the units being 10 ft apart was causing me to search 10 ft wrong from the get go....
I need to find a nice isolated piece of cover to mark and then see how close my waypoint really is.
Thanks for all the help so far.


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It’s not that the units are 10’ apart ..... what’s important is how far each units GPS is from it’s transducer.


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Originally Posted by BobB

It’s not that the units are 10’ apart ..... what’s important is how far each units GPS is from it’s transducer.


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So,
The unit doesn’t compensate for the dif between the internal gps and the transducer?
My SI transducer is on the rear of my boat and the unit is in the helm. That’s probably 7-8 ft dif on my 19’ boat.
By your suggestion I would need to mount an external gps puck right above that transducer on rear drivers side of boat.
It’s not an issue on big brush piles or larger schools of fish...
It’s an issue when I want to drop shot on a single rock or fish etc....


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An external gps antenna does not have to be directly above the transducer, but as long as it is "back there" with it will make a huge difference in your waypoint accuracy. (both marking and returning to them) Sometimes you may have to mount the antenna off to one side to get it far enough away from the motor so that you do not get interference. The unit is currently using it's internal antenna for the saved waypoint coordinates. So as you said, you are about 8 feet or so off from the start because it saves the coordinates of where you unit is, not from the actual object you are passing over (at the back of the boat). Add that 8 feet of inaccuracy to the already present inaccuracy of gps and you could easily be 15+ feet off as soon as you mark the waypoint.

It also sounds like you would GREATLY benefit from a gps antenna with a heading sensor on the bow of your boat. The heading sensor will tell your unit EXACTLY the direction your boat is pointed at all times. This comes in very handy when casting to a specific spot you have marked. The other great thing about the heading sensor is that you will no longer get the little circle (donut) on your map screen and the jumpy spinning map on your unit that happens when you are not moving fast enough for your unit to detect the direction you are traveling. Since your unit will know exactly the direction your boat is pointed, the boat icon will always be on the map screen and you can turn on a heading line that points off into the distance and shows what your pointed towards. The humminbird heading sensor/gps puck is called "AS GPS HS" if you look for it. I use the heading sensor/gps antenna at both ends of my boat. It's not necessary for the console unit most the time because when your moving around, the jumpy map and circle is not an issue... , but when a buddy fishes with me its nice that he can see on the map exactly what direction a waypoint is from our current position. I will never have another setup that does not include a heading sensor. Hope this helps.

Joe

Originally Posted by akaslyguy

An external gps antenna does not have to be directly above the transducer, but as long as it is "back there" with it will make a huge difference in your waypoint accuracy. (both marking and returning to them) Sometimes you may have to mount the antenna off to one side to get it far enough away from the motor so that you do not get interference. The unit is currently using it's internal antenna for the saved waypoint coordinates. So as you said, you are about 8 feet or so off from the start because it saves the coordinates of where you unit is, not from the actual object you are passing over (at the back of the boat). Add that 8 feet of inaccuracy to the already present inaccuracy of gps and you could easily be 15+ feet off as soon as you mark the waypoint.

It also sounds like you would GREATLY benefit from a gps antenna with a heading sensor on the bow of your boat. The heading sensor will tell your unit EXACTLY the direction your boat is pointed at all times. This comes in very handy when casting to a specific spot you have marked. The other great thing about the heading sensor is that you will no longer get the little circle (donut) on your map screen and the jumpy spinning map on your unit that happens when you are not moving fast enough for your unit to detect the direction you are traveling. Since your unit will know exactly the direction your boat is pointed, the boat icon will always be on the map screen and you can turn on a heading line that points off into the distance and shows what your pointed towards. The humminbird heading sensor/gps puck is called "AS GPS HS" if you look for it. I use the heading sensor/gps antenna at both ends of my boat. It's not necessary for the console unit most the time because when your moving around, the jumpy map and circle is not an issue... , but when a buddy fishes with me its nice that he can see on the map exactly what direction a waypoint is from our current position. I will never have another setup that does not include a heading sensor. Hope this helps.

Joe

Thanks Joe
I always get the spinning jumpy map....
I felt like I had read and studied enough that I was pretty versed in my units but you guys have really helped me out and educated me.
How do these hook up to the helix units?
Straight in the rear and do they require a power source or is that included inside the cable?
I’ve spent my limit on electronics and wasn’t going to add anything else... may be shopping now....thanks a lot!


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The external GPS will connect directly to the unit .... It will get it's power from there. Akasylguy did a good job explaining why the GPS source needs to be close to it's transducer.

The HS GPS will solve the spinning map issues.

You will have to make sure the correct GPS source is selected in the network setting after adding the external GPS.