Had the Helix 7 on the ice for the first time yesterday. It is a CHIRP MEGA SI GPS G3N. I played with every setting I could think of and had the gain all the way up to 20. I was in 20′ of water with no one around me (no interference) and I could barrely see my jig on the sonar screen and couldn’t see it at all on the flasher screen. I tried some youtube videos to see if there was a (some) settings I was missing but nothing worked. Any advice?
Did you switch the head to “Ice Fishing Mode”? Have the right transducer selected in the menu? Transducer below the ice? Those are a couple things that come to mind.
I also had issues and only thing working for me was to turn surface clutter all the way up. After that my gain was still high between 11 and 13 but I was able to see it at least. I’ll play around with it some more next time. Maybe the latest firmware needs to be installed? I have the same unit and I seen there is a newer update available, just got to load it.
Thanks IC – yes, yes, and yes
EG – That sucks you would have to have surface clutter all the way up. Guess I will have to try it though if that is the only way to make it work. Otherwise it is a pretty expensive paperweight. I didn’t know there was a firmware update. I’ll have to try that also. I wouldn’t think that would be the issue but you never know. If it is the firmware that means they put these things on the shelf without them being in a working state. At this point I will try anything.
I had to do the same as eyeguy507 did. Surface clutter all the way up and then set interference at a higher level to clean up the screen. Using a 3mm tungsten jig in 12 FOW am around 10ish for gain. With surface clutter down, I had to drop my ducer much lower than needed to gain bottom reading. I have the latest update installed (unless one came out in the last week) and it did not help. Right now, my unit is running fine and am happy with it, just don’t think these settings should have to be utilized as they are.
2.180 came out 12-19 and I don’t have it. I’m hesitant to download it because mine seems to be working fine. They don’t specify what fixes are in it other than general bug fixes and improvements. Seems odd that the problems you guys are experiencing would be a software upgrade because then they were sending these out basically non working.
I bought a Helix 9 last summer/ maps and stuff almost $2000. Fact is both Lowrance and Garmin just plain work better and easier.
This is not good. It is unfortunately what I thought I was going to hear but not what I wanted to hear. I can not believe these units get the reviews they do with the way they work. From what I am finding out this thing is basically useless for pan fish (small jigs) unless I am in ~10′ of water. Guess I will be sticking with my lx3. Not particularly happy with it on the boat either.
On a completely different topic…anyone in the market for a like new helix? These are great units…you’ll love it. 
I have a Helix 7 G2 and I can see my barrel swivel above my lure/jig at deeper than 30 feet but I don’t use the flasher mode and instead prefer the RTS A-scope set as wide as possible with the 2D display. I use it in my boat in the summer as well.
I’ve never had any trouble with it at all and I think it’s a very good unit both on the ice and on open water.
I’m guessing that you either have some settings wrong or you have a bad transducer. You may just need some time to learn how to use it.
I’ve found that if I get into a situation where my Helix isn’t working like I think it should, I do a factory reset and that typically gets me back to a where my unit is working well enough for what I need. Also, make sure your battery is good. One thing I’ve run into this year is that when my unit starts acting weird, I pull the transducer and put it up to my ear, it should be giving a nice steady clicking noise and not a buzzing. If it is buzzing, reset to factory defaults and try again. These are great units but incredibly complex.
I agree with other frustrated users. I have a new Helix 7 G3 in a lithium shuttle and in order to see a 3 mm tungsten jig the surface clutter and gain have to be maxed out. Just doesn’t seem right.
Little more research brings to light units are voltage sensitive. Our batteries may be good, but since we are always putting/pulling off connections if they are not snug and tight could cause voltage issues- which can make your unit act like gremlins were running it. Least something to try.
connections connections connections.
Hi hears my settings for gn3 ir
off unless interference .Gain 5 max usually less . Surface clutter 3 . Manual range set depth to a little bit more than depth . In menu menu I have clear mode on contrast 17 and connect transducer XI 9 1521 . I been fishing 10 to 30 ft works great . I like ascope also but use use all 3 flasher 2d ascope . I’m going to try ascope on flasher next time . 😀
Thanks everyone for the info. Sounds like I have some things to try, including but not limited to checking the connections, a factory reset, and a few other settings mentioned…oh and when I’m done check the connections again. Any other suggestions or settings I can try throw them out there I will try them all. It sounds like others could benefit from this info as well.
I suggested to the owner of Marine General that he should bring in reps from these various sonar manufacturers on a rotating basis starting in like September to do dog and pony shows and answer customers questions on operation and usage. Humminbird, Garmin and Lowrance. Just for a day each. He actually said he would look into it. He would probably sell a few new units at the very least and who can spend any amount of time in a outdoor candy store and walk out without buying a thing? You know darn well you’re leaving with fifty bucks worth of lures etc.
These are complex pieces of equipment. Look at all the threads started here with questions about settings and problems getting things dialed in. Seems to be more Humminbird questions but that’s because more people here seem to have them. Hopefully he follows through.
Yeah these guys are always at the boat and ice shows but trying to get any one on one time and specific questions answered isn’t easy with hundreds of people crowding in. A controlled seminar environment would be great.
From what I am finding out this thing is basically useless for pan fish (small jigs) unless I am in ~10′ of water. Guess I will be sticking with my lx3. Not particularly happy with it on the boat either.
That’s not been my experience at all. I’m able to see a tiny barrel swivel in 30 feet of water at a sensitivity setting of 7 – 9 on the flasher dial when in A-scope mode.
update here…..just updated to most recent software(2.180) for my Helix 7 and everything set to default and now it works perfect. I think the version running before was 1.7ish and I bought it last spring. I finally caved and got the amped outdoors 12ah lithium because it will be nice to not charge the battery daily while using a wheelhouse next weekend. I cannot say whether the software update or the new battery did the trick but I lean towards the software. I take back everything bad I was going to say until I give it a thorough test trial which will be a while. If you guys are having trouble, try it. All you need is a computer and a micro SD card.
update here…..just updated to most recent software(2.180) for my Helix 7 and everything set to default and now it works perfect. I think the version running before was 1.7ish and I bought it last spring. I finally caved and got the amped outdoors 12ah lithium because it will be nice to not charge the battery daily while using a wheelhouse next weekend. I cannot say whether the software update or the new battery did the trick but I lean towards the software. I take back everything bad I was going to say until I give it a thorough test trial which will be a while. If you guys are having trouble, try it. All you need is a computer and a micro SD card.
This is exactly my experience. Took my Helix 7 from the boat last year and wanted to make it my ice unit as well. Couldn’t see jig and had tons of clutter. Put it back on the boat. Fast forward to this year, heard there was an update that included a lot of ice fishing fixes so I updated. This hardwater season it has been my go to flasher. Crystal clear and can see everything.
I have been having this same issue. Fishing in 10-16 ft and no matter what setting i tried, included factory default, I was unable to see my jig. At the best i could see a faint blue line that would often disappear. Nothing i could confidently jig against. I replaced my transducer with a new one and there was no change. After reading this forum, I decided to update my Hummingbird Helix 7 Chirp Mega SI GPS G3n from software version 1.9 to 2.180. The only fix i noticed in the notes was “SONAR: Fixed an issue where the default frequency on the HELIX 7 CHIRP MEGA SI GPS G3N was set to 455 kHz.”
Cannot wait to test tomorrow. Truly hope this works. Thanks to everyone for the posts.
Wish I had my unit in front of me, but under Sonar settings there is a “Clear Mode” vs “something Speed” wish i could remember. Make sure your ducer is running on clear mode, then you dont have to mess with surface clutter and all that jazz.
under Sonar settings there is a “Clear Mode” vs “something Speed” wish i could remember.
Lol, Max mode. Max mode gets rid of TVG and other signal processing and filtering from the displayed return signal.
Same issue with mine. Haven’t tried the update yet, but will. Spent 30 minutes on Friday trying to figure it out. Ended up going back to my tried and trued Vexilar.
This is not just for finders but any tech you buy (computers, routers, modems, electronic thermostats, phones, etc.); make updating firmware/OS the first thing you do. These products get built and flashed with the firmware available at the time and rarely have the most current version installed by the time they get to you. Tech moves fast and until it becomes an automated process, we have to take it on ourselves to keep up. I only say this because I was overzealous to get my helix.7 gn2 out on the ice when I got it last year and didn’t heed my own advice. Night and day the next trip:-)
I dropped my Helix transducer in the hole on Wednesday up at Red. Then went and did a few other things and came back and it was reading 0, nada, nothing! I got that oh shi$ feeling. Checked to make sure transducer was below the ice and it was, simulator mode? No. Looked in the back and the cable worked it’s way loose. Worked perfect the rest of the way!
I flashed back to this thread while I was trying to figure it out! 
I did the update Friday night on my helix 5 and went out Saturday. Very nice improvement!
I don’t have to use as much gain or contrast now.
Battery life seems to of taken a small hit though. Going to be lithium time soon.
Ice Helix 7 chirp GPS g3does not have a software 2.180. Same problems listed above. What software is in everyone else’s ice 7 g3 software in our unit is 2.030.
Ice Helix 7 chirp GPS g3does not have a software 2.180. Same problems listed above. What software is in everyone else’s ice 7 g3 software in our unit is 2.030.
Yes it does. There are SI units, DI units, and others. I have the mega DI and you probably have one of the countless other models listed on the bird site as the version of software probably varies model to model?
Screenshot_20200128-094055_Chrome.jpg
Best way to know if you need a update is to register your product with Humminbird. Then they have the model and serial number of your unit. You should get a email if there is a update that involves your particular model. I still go to the web site now and again and log on and check to see if there’s any update needed.
What a saga and thanks to those who posted before.
Buddy and I got nearly identical H7s and took them on the ice for the first time this weekend. NOT identical performance. We followed the settings above @carl
Friday his worked good. Mine had a bunch of crap signals near the bottom and couldn’t mark my jig well. Totally bummed as I planned to bring it to the Jaycees on Saturday.
Saturday:
Literally 5am I realize I have the parts and access to do a software update at the cabin. Not sure my prior version from last summer but now 2.180.
Take it out on the ice, still crap. can’t even mark my depth weight. Did side by side with my buddy, change ducer depths, even swapped ducers. No luck, swore, gave up, set a tip up and got back to 
He won $400 Rapala gift card, good for him.
Sunday:
Played with them in the cabin and couldn’t find any settings differences. Only thing we didn’t swap was power supplies. So go back out to where we fished on Friday. Did reset it to open water so back to ice was a reboot. Now the damn thing works perfect.
So, was it just one more reboot? Was it something in the battery connections? Was it the battery(changed overnight thursday so was 100%)? I don’t know but it appears to be working now.
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