Off-Season Upgrades

[Ozark Bob]

Originally Posted by bvogelzang2002

I'm in the process of trying to figure out how the follow the contour feature works on the water. part of the problem for me is that the instructions are online. You either have to make notes and take them with you or print off the relevant sections of the operating manual. It's trial and error and , for me at least, very slow going. You have to fish a lot of smaller type lakes and structures to make it useful imo. I mostly troll on Erie so it really isn't something I will use a lot. For me, the legacy autopilot feature is enough. This is available with I pilot without the link. So, it really depends if the kind of fishing you do is worth the trouble to learn the follow the contour type features. It may be a good resale feature.

I agree. with you that not everyone needs the same things.

[bbheli]

Originally Posted by Colowallo

Thanks for the feedback - what is the main problem with the contour follow usability? THat is one of the main reasons I am looking to upgrade

I use the feature all the time, it works great. With that said I just tried to use it without reading first and it frustrated me but after I took the time to use it I loved it. If you don’t read up on it first the boat may move crazy in a path you would not imagine at first but than you learn it’s precise. The biggest mistake I see people make is the direction they wish to travel and the other is not being at the start point of where the mark the contour vs where the boat is really located. I run dual helix gen2 and ulterra and other than some bad electronic issues they drove me crazy with from support it works well. Interface simple once you take the time to learn.

[Colowallo]

Thanks for the feedback. Main purpose of wanting the contour follow is to stay on drop-off edges, submerged roadbeds, etc. without having to be constantly correcting course. Have gotten pretty good at using auto-pilot and adjusting to the wind, etc. but just one more thing distracting from focusing on fishing.

[JSev1]

All of this was new to me with the purchase of my new 2019 Lund Impact with two Helixes networked to 36V Ulterra, ipilot Link and Lakemaster chips (yes, you need to purchase separate chips for each unit for Helix's. Not so for the Solix, I now understand).

Anyway, I obsessed trying to learn all the features and benefits mentioned above including follow the contour. At first it was definitely intimidating. But after some trial and error, you quickly pick up on it and much of it is actually pretty intuitive.

Also, it was very helpful (to me) to view the dozens of short tutorial videos on YouTube from Jason Halfen, who goes by "The Technological Angler". He runs all Humminbird/Minnkota and each 1-3 minute video is dedicated to how to use a specific feature or two.

Good way to kill a rainy day for sure. Good luck!

[Colowallo]

"you need to purchase separate chips for each unit for Helix's. Not so for the Solix, I now understand"

So do you have to have all Solix units to be able to network off one chip or if I have one Solix and the other are Helix will it share the card? Not that a $100 card would push me to buy a bow mount Solix instead of a Helix but curious.

[JSev1]

Hmmm...good question. Not sure the answer, but if it's my money I'm buying the same brand/model for all graphs in my boat. If only to keep all the different functions/buttons/menus of your graph the same. One less thing to try and keep straight while fishing.

[TomP.]

Originally Posted by Colowallo

"you need to purchase separate chips for each unit for Helix's. Not so for the Solix, I now understand"

So do you have to have all Solix units to be able to network off one chip or if I have one Solix and the other are Helix will it share the card? Not that a $100 card would push me to buy a bow mount Solix instead of a Helix but curious.

No it will not they will share waypoints but nothing else no screens nada nothing.

My upgrade will be to get my network set up for my 2 Helix 12`s and Ulterra I picked up everything I need from the BBC boards for less then half of new cables adapters and net work hub.