Humminbird HELIX 5 SERIES User manual

Thank You!
Thank you for choosing Humminbird®, the #1 name in marine electronics. Humminbird has built
its reputation by designing and manufacturing top-quality, thoroughly reliable marine
equipment. Your Humminbird is designed for trouble-free use in even the harshest marine
environment. In the unlikely event that your Humminbird does require repairs, we offer an
exclusive Service Policy. For complete details, see the separate warranty card included with your
unit. We encourage you to read this manual carefully in order to get the full benefit from all the
features and applications of your Humminbird product.
Contact Humminbird Customer Service at humminbird.com or call 1-800-633-1468.
WARNING! This device should not be used as a navigational aid to prevent collision, grounding, boat
damage, or personal injury. When the boat is moving, water depth may change too quickly to allow
time for you to react. Always operate the boat at very slow speeds if you suspect shallow water or
submerged objects.
WARNING! The electronic chart in your Humminbird unit is an aid to navigation designed to facilitate
the use of authorized government charts, not to replace them. Only official government charts and
notices to mariners contain all of the current information needed for the safety of navigation, and the
captain is responsible for their prudent use.
WARNING! Disassembly and repair of this electronic unit should only be performed by authorized
service personnel. Any modification of the serial number or attempt to repair the original equipment or
accessories by unauthorized individuals will void the warranty.
WARNING! This product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth
defects or other reproductive harm.
WARNING! Do not travel at high speed with the unit cover installed. Remove the unit cover before
traveling at speeds above 20 mph.
WARNING! Humminbird is not responsible for the loss of data files (waypoints, routes, tracks, groups,
recordings, etc.) that may occur due to direct or indirect damage to the unit’s hardware or software.
It is important to back up your control head’s data files periodically. Data files should also be saved
to your PC before restoring the unit’s defaults or updating the software. See the following sections
of your Humminbird manual: microSD Card Slot and Snapshot and Recording View. Also, contact
Humminbird Customer Service with any questions.

NOTE: Some features discussed in this manual require a separate purchase, and some features are only available
on international models. Every effort has been made to clearly identify those features. Please read the manual
carefully in order to understand the full capabilities of your model.
NOTE: The illustrations in this manual may not look the same as your product, but your unit will function in a
similar way.
NOTE: To purchase accessories for your control head, visit our Web site at humminbird.com or contact
Humminbird Customer Service at 1-800-633-1468.
NOTE: The procedures and features described in this manual are subject to change without notice. This manual
was written in English and may have been translated to another language. Humminbird is not responsible for
incorrect translations or discrepancies between documents.
ChartSelect™, Down Imaging®, DualBeam PLUS™, Fish ID+™, HELIX™, HumminbirdPC™, Humminbird®, LakeMaster®,
Real Time Sonar™, RTS™, RTS Window™, Structure ID™, SwitchFire®, Total Screen Update™, UniMap™, WhiteLine™,
X-Press™ Menu, and Xtreme Depth Series™ are trademarked by or registered trademarks of Johnson Outdoors Marine
Electronics, Inc.
Adobe, Acrobat, Adobe PDF, and Reader are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in
the United States and/or other countries.
Baekmuk Batang, Baekmuk Dotum, Baekmuk Gulim, and Baekmuk Headline are registered trademarks owned by Kim
Jeong-Hwan.
microSD is a trademark or registered trademark of SD-3C, LLC in the United States, other countries or both.
Navionics® Gold, HotMaps™, and HotMaps™ Premium, Navionics® Classic Charts, and Platinum™ Cartography are
trademarked by or registered trademarks of Navionics S.p.A.
© 2015 Johnson Outdoors Marine Electronics, Inc. All rights reserved.
ATTENTION INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS: Products sold in the U.S. are not intended for use in
the international market. Humminbird international units provide international features and are
designed to meet country and regional regulations. Languages, maps, time zones, units of
measurement, and warranty are examples of features that are customized for Humminbird
international units purchased through our authorized international distributors.
To obtain a list of authorized international distributors, please visit our Web site at humminbird.com
or contact Humminbird Customer Service at [phone].
532306-3EN_A

i
Table of Contents
HELIX Series Overview 1
How Sonar Works 1
How GPS and Cartography Work 6
Power On 7
What’s on the Control Head 8
Key Functions 9
microSD Card Slot 13
Add Maps to your Control Head .............................................................................................................. 14
Import Navigation Data ............................................................................................................................ 15
Export Navigation Data.............................................................................................................................. 15
Update Software........................................................................................................................................ 17
What’s on the Sonar Display 18
What’s on the Down Imaging Display 24
Views 27
Select a View ............................................................................................................................................ 27
Display your Favorite Views ...................................................................................................................... 27
Change Digital Readouts .......................................................................................................................... 28
Combo Views ............................................................................................................................................ 30
Chart View Orientation 54
Viewing Cartography 55
Introduction to Navigation 57
Waypoints, Routes, and Tracks ................................................................................................................ 57
Open the Waypoint Management Dialog Box.......................................................................................... 59
What’s on the Waypoint Management Dialog Box ................................................................................ 60
Save, Edit, or Delete a Waypoint .............................................................................................................. 62
Navigate to a Waypoint or Position .......................................................................................................... 62
Add a Waypoint Target or Trolling Grid .................................................................................................... 63
Routes ........................................................................................................................................................ 64
Tracks.......................................................................................................................................................... 66
Edit your Waypoints, Routes, Tracks, and Groups.................................................................................... 66
Man Overboard (MOB) Navigation .......................................................................................................... 68

ii
Table of Contents
The Menu System 70
Start-Up Options Menu 71
X-Press Menu 75
Main Menu 76
Quick Tips for the Main Menu .................................................................................................................. 77
Note for all Menu Settings........................................................................................................................ 77
User Mode (Normal or Advanced) ............................................................................................................ 78
Sonar X-Press Menu 80
Flasher X-Press Menu 85
Snapshot and Recording X-Press Menu 88
Down Imaging X-Press Menu 92
Navigation X-Press Menu 96
Alarms Menu Tab 103
Sonar Menu Tab 108
Navigation Menu Tab 119
Chart Menu Tab 125
Setup Menu Tab 132
Views Menu Tab 140
Maintenance 141
Troubleshooting 142
HELIX Control Head Measurements 145
Specifications 149
Contact Humminbird 157

HELIX Series Overview
The HELIX Series is available in several different configurations. See the following list of products,
all of which are covered by this manual, to find your HELIX Series model:
• HELIX SONAR GPS: Wide screen Fishfinder with DualBeam PLUS (2D) sonar,
chartplotting, and an internal GPS receiver.
• HELIX DI GPS: Wide screen Fishfinder with Down Imaging sonar, traditional 2D sonar,
chartplotting, and an internal GPS receiver.
• HELIX XD GPS: Wide screen Fishfinder with Xtreme Depth sonar, chartplotting, and an
internal GPS receiver.
• HELIX GPS: Wide screen chartplotter with an internal GPS receiver. This model has exclusive
views for chartplotting. Please note that the chartplotter does not include the sonar features
described in this manual (fishfinder, sonar, recording, depth, transducer, etc.).
NOTE: Some features discussed in this manual require a separate purchase, and some features are only
available on international models. Every effort has been made to clearly identify those features. Please read
the manual carefully in order to understand the full capabilities of your model.
How Sonar Works
Sonar technology is based on sound waves. The HELIX Series Fishfinder uses sonar to locate
and define structure, bottom contour and composition, as well as depth directly below the
transducer.
Your HELIX Series Fishfinder sends a sound wave signal and determines distance by measuring
the time between the transmission of the sound wave and when the sound wave is reflected
off of an object; it then uses the reflected signal to interpret location, size, and composition of
an object.
Sonar is very fast. A sound wave can travel from the surface to a
depth of 240 ft (70 m) and back again in less than 1/4 of a second.
It is unlikely that your boat can "outrun" this sonar signal.
SONAR is an acronym for SOund and NAvigation Ranging. Sonar
utilizes precision sound pulses or "pings" which are emitted into
the water in a teardrop-shaped beam.
The sound pulses “echo” back from objects in the water such as
the bottom, fish, and other submerged objects. The returned
echoes are displayed on the LCD screen. Each time a new echo is
received, the old echoes are moved across the LCD, creating a
scrolling effect.
1Overview and How Sonar Works

When all the echoes are viewed side by side, an easy to interpret
“graph” of the bottom, fish, and structure appears.
The sound pulses are transmitted at various frequencies depending
on the application. Very high frequencies (455 kHz) are used for
greatest definition but the operating depth is limited. High
frequencies (200 kHz) are commonly used on consumer sonar and
provide a good balance between depth performance and
resolution. Low frequencies (83 kHz) are typically used to achieve
greater depth capability.
The power output is the amount of energy generated by the sonar
transmitter. It is commonly measured using two methods:
•Root Mean Square (RMS) measures power output over the
entire transmit cycle.
•Peak to Peak measures power output at the highest points.
The benefits of increased power output are the ability to detect
smaller targets at greater distances, ability to overcome noise,
better high speed performance, and enhanced depth capability.
How Sonar Works 2

DualBeam PLUS Sonar
(HELIX SONAR GPS)
The HELIX SONAR GPS Fishfinder uses a
200/83 kHz DualBeam PLUS sonar system with a
wide (60°) area of coverage. DualBeam PLUS sonar
has a narrowly focused 20° center beam, surrounded
by a second beam of 60°, expanding your coverage to
an area equal to your depth. In 20 feet of water, the
wider beam covers an area 20 feet wide. DualBeam
PLUS sonar returns can be blended together, viewed
separately, or compared side-by-side.
DualBeam PLUS is ideal for a wide range of
conditions - from shallow to very deep water in both
fresh and salt water.
Depth capability is affected by such factors as boat
speed, wave action, bottom hardness, water
conditions, and transducer installation.
Down Imaging Sonar
(HELIX DI GPS)
The HELIX DI GPS Fishfinder uses Down Imaging
technology. The Down Imaging transducer scans the
water with razor-thin, high-definition beams. The
beams are wide (side to side) but very thin front to
back.
The Down Imaging beams can be operated at two
frequencies: 455 kHz (75°) or 800 kHz (45°). Select
455 kHz for the best overall image quality and depth.
Select 800 kHz for the sharpest image. See Sonar
Menu Tab: Imaging Frequency for more information.
The transducer also uses conical beams to provide data
in traditional 2D format (see What’s on the Sonar
Display). Select 455 kHz for a narrowly focused 16°
center beam, or select 200 kHz for a wider 28° beam
(see Sonar Menu Tab: Beam Select).
Depth capability is affected by such factors as boat
speed, wave action, bottom hardness, water
conditions, and transducer installation.
16°
75°
28°
455kHz
200kHz
455kHz
45° 800kHz
75 Degree Total Coverage
60 Degree Total Coverage
Bottom Coverage = 1 x Depth
60˚ 20˚
200kHz
83kHz
3How Sonar Works

Xtreme Depth Sonar
(HELIX XD GPS)
The HELIX XD GPS Fishfinder uses the XD
transducer to provide extreme depth coverage with
DualBeam PLUS technology.
The Xtreme Depth sonar beams can be operated at
two frequencies: 50 kHz (74°) and 200 kHz (20°). The
wide, 50 kHz beam transmits at a low frequency to
provide greater depth coverage, up to 2500 ft (762 m).
The narrow, 200 kHz center beam transmits at a high
frequency to provide maximum detail at shallower
depths.
The DualBeam PLUS technology allows you to view
the sonar returns blended together, separately, or
side-by-side (see Sonar Menu Tab: Beam Select and
Views for more information).
Depth capability is affected by such factors as boat
speed, wave action, bottom hardness, water
conditions, and transducer installation.
How Sonar Works 4

Dual Beam Ice Transducer
(with optional-purchase XI 9 20 Ice Transducer)
The XI 9 20 Ice Transducer provides selectable
dual-frequency sonar with a wide area of coverage.
Selectable dual-frequency gives you the option of
two beams, and both beams will cover the bottom
and provide high definition. The 20° center beam
provides the highest definition, while the 60° beam
provides wider coverage. Depth capability is
affected by such factors as bottom hardness and
water conditions. Whether fishing in shallow or
very deep water, selectable dual-frequency is ideal
for a variety of conditions.
NOTE: Contact Humminbird Customer Service to
determine which accessory transducers are compatible
with your control head, or visit our Web site at
humminbird.com.
5How Sonar Works

How GPS and Cartography Work
Your control head also supports GPS (Global Positioning System) and chartplotting. It uses GPS
and sonar to determine your position, display it on a grid, and provide detailed underwater
information.
GPS uses a constellation of satellites that continually send radio
signals to the earth. The GPS receiver receives signals from satellites
that are visible to it. Based on time differences between each
received signal, the GPS receiver determines its distance to seach
satellite. With distances known, the GPS receiver mathematically
triangulates its own position. With 5 updates per second, the GPS
receiver then calculates its velocity and bearing.
GPS was originally intended for military use; however, civilians may also take advantage of its
highly accurate position capabilities, typically within +/- 4.5 meters, depending on conditions. This
means that 95% of the time, the GPS receiver will read a location within 4.5 meters of your actual
position. Your GPS Receiver also uses information from WAAS (the Wide Area Augmentation
System), EGNOS (thes European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service), and MSAS (the
MTSAT Satellite Augmentation System) satellites if they are available in your area.
The following GPS functionality is currently supported by the control head:
• View current position
• View current track (breadcrumb trail)
• View precision speed and heading from your GPS receiver
• Save tracks, waypoints, and routes
• Travel a route and navigate from one waypoint to the next
See Views: Chart View and microSD Card Slot: Add Maps to your Control Head for more
information.
How GPS and Cartography Work 6

Power On
Follow the instructions below to power on your Humminbird control head.
1. Press the POWER/LIGHT key.
2. When the Title screen is displayed, press the MENU key to access the Start-Up Options
Menu.
3. Select Normal, and press the RIGHT Cursor key.
• If you wait too long to select a Start-Up Option, the system will default to whichever
menu is already highlighted.
•HELIX SONAR GPS, HELIX DI GPS, HELIX XD GPS: If a functioning transducer is
connected, Normal operation will be selected automatically, and your control head
can be used on the water.
• You can also select Simulator to learn how to use your control head and save
settings in advance for later use. See Start-Up Options Menu for more information.
4. Quick Setup: If this is the first time the unit has been powered on (after installation or
after restoring defaults), the Quick Setup dialog box will display on the screen. Use the
4-WAY Cursor Control key to change the settings. Press the EXIT key to close the dialog
box.
NOTE: The Quick Setup settings can be changed at any time. See each menu option in The Menu System
for details.
HELIX Series Title Screen
7Power On

What’s on the Control Head
Your HELIX Series user interface is easy to use. A combination of keys, different views, and
situation-specific, customizable menus allows you to control what you see on the color display.
Refer to the following illustration and see Key Functions,Views, and The Menu System for more
information.
VIEW
MENU
EXIT
MARK
GOTO
MOB
microSD Card Slot
ZOOM (+/-) Keys
VIEW Key
MENU Key
MARK Key
EXIT Key
1
2
3
6
7
8
4-WAY Cursor Control Key (LEFT, RIGHT, UP, or DOWN) GOTO/MOB Key
49
CHECK/INFO Key POWER/LIGHT Key
510
1
2
4
5
7
8
3
6
9
10
What’s on the Control Head 8

Key Functions
Your control head consists of a set of easy-to-use keys that work with various on-screen views
and menus.
POWER/LIGHT Key
The POWER/LIGHT key is used to power the control head on and off. You can also
use the POWER/LIGHT key to adjust the backlight and contrast of the display.
Power On: Press the POWER/LIGHT key to power on the unit. When the Title screen is displayed,
press the MENU key to access the Start-Up Options Menu.
Power Off: Press and hold the POWER/LIGHT key for 3 seconds. A message will appear to indicate
how many seconds there are until shutdown occurs. To ensure that shutdown occurs properly and
any menu settings will be saved, your control head should always be turned off using the
POWER/LIGHT key.
Adjust the Backlight or the Display Background Color: Press
the POWER/LIGHT key to access the Light and Background
submenu. Use the 4-WAY Cursor Control key to select Light or
Background, and then use the LEFT or RIGHT Cursor key to
change the settings. Press EXIT to exit the Light and Background
submenu.
Turn Sonar On or Off: From the Light and Background submenu, use the 4-WAY Cursor Control
key to select Sonar. Use the LEFT or RIGHT Cursor key to change the setting. See Setup Menu
Tab: Sonar for more information.
VIEW Key
The VIEW key is used to cycle through all available views. Press the VIEW key to
advance to the next view. Repeatedly pressing VIEW cycles through all views
available (see Views or Views Menu Tab).
NOTE: Press the EXIT key to cycle through the views in reverse order.
CHECK/INFO Key
Press the CHECK/INFO key while in Bird's Eye, Chart, or Combo View to display
information about objects that are near an active cursor. If the cursor is not active,
the Chart Info submenu will be displayed. See Views: Viewing Cartography for
more information.
9Key Functions

10
MENU Key
The MENU key is used to access the menu system. See The Menu System for more
information.
•Start-Up Options Menu: Press the MENU key during the power up sequence to view the
Start-Up Options menu.
•X-Press Menu: Press the MENU key once in any view to access the X-Press Menu, which
provides frequently-used menu settings that correspond with the current view or
navigation mode.
•Main Menu: Press the MENU key twice in any view to access the Main Menu, which is
organized under tabbed headings to help you find a specific menu item quickly.
4-WAY Cursor Control Key
(LEFT, RIGHT, UP, or DOWN Cursor keys)
The 4-WAY Cursor Control key has multiple functions, depending on the view,
menu, or situation.
•Menu Selection: Press the DOWN or UP Cursor keys to highlight a menu option, then
press the RIGHT or LEFT Cursor keys to change a menu setting.
NOTE: Menu settings are implemented and saved immediately - no further action is required.
•Freeze Frame: In Sonar View and Down Imaging View, press any arrow on the 4-WAY
Cursor Control key to freeze the display and move the active cursor to a location on the
screen. A cursor dialog box will display to show the depth of the location you choose.
•Active Cursor: Press any arrow on the 4-WAY Cursor Control key, and the active cursor
will appear on the screen.
•Chart View: Press any arrow on the 4-WAY Cursor Control key to pan the chart and
highlight decluttered waypoint icons.
•Bird’s Eye View: The 4-WAY Cursor Control key controls the motion of the eye point.
•Snapshot and Recording View: Press the UP or DOWN Cursor keys to highlight a
recording icon, and then press the RIGHT Cursor key to start recording playback. Press the
RIGHT or LEFT Cursor keys to control the speed of playback.
•Circular Flasher View (Ice Fishing Mode: On): Press the UP or DOWN Cursor keys to
move the Depth Cursor. Press the RIGHT or LEFT Cursor keys to adjust the Zoom Range
(see Views: Circular Flasher View).
NOTE: In Freeze Frame or Active Cursor mode, you can also make the cursor move diagonally by
pressing in between two of the arrows on the 4-WAY Cursor Control key.
Key Functions

MARK Key
Press the MARK key while in any view to mark the position of a waypoint.
•Active Cursor: The waypoint will be marked at the cursor location.
•Without Active Cursor: The waypoint will be marked at the boat location.
•If Screen Snapshot is active, a waypoint will be created, and a screen snapshot will also
be saved to the optional-purchase microSD Card (see Views: Snapshot and Recording
View). Navigation is not affected by the Screen Snapshot feature.
NOTE: If Screen Snapshot is enabled but there is not a GPS receiver connected, pressing the MARK
key will capture the screen image and display an error saying that a GPS position fix is required to
create a waypoint.
NOTE: You must have an optional-purchase microSD Card installed for the screen snapshot feature
to work.
GOTO/Man Overboard Key
The GOTO/MOB key has multiple functions, depending on the situation:
•Active Cursor: Press the GOTO key while in any view to create a waypoint and start
navigation towards that waypoint.
•Without Active Cursor: Press the GOTO key to display the saved waypoints list, and then
highlight a waypoint. Press the RIGHT Cursor key to begin navigation.
•Man Overboard: Press and hold the GOTO key for more than 1.5 seconds to activate the
Man Overboard (MOB) function. Once MOB is activated, any current navigation will be
cancelled and the current route will be discarded without notification (see Introduction
to Navigation: Man Overboard (MOB) Navigation).
11 Key Functions

ZOOM (+/–) Key
The Zoom (+/–) key has multiple functions, depending on the situation:
• In any of the Navigation Views or the Sonar Zoom View, press the +/– Zoom key to
change the scale of the view to appear closer or farther away. See Views and Introduction
to Navigation for more information.
• In the Circular Flasher View (Ice Fishing Mode: On), press the +Zoom key to display a
2x magnified view of the selected area on the Flasher dial. See Views: Circular Flasher
View for more information.
•Down Imaging View: Use the 4-WAY Cursor Control key to move the active cursor to a
position on the screen. Press the + ZOOM key to magnify your selection. Press the – Zoom
key to decrease the scale.
NOTE: The cursor must be active for the zoom feature to work in the Down Imaging View.
EXIT Key
The EXIT key has multiple functions, depending on the situation:
•If an alarm is sounding, press the EXIT key to cancel the alarm.
•If a menu tab is selected, press the EXIT key to exit the menu mode and return to the
view.
•If a menu is active, press the EXIT key to return to the previous level in the menu system.
•From any view, press the EXIT key to cycle through the available views in reverse order.
•If Freeze Frame is active, press the EXIT key to return to a scrolling display.
•If the Cursor is active, press the EXIT key to remove the cursor from the display.
•If Down Imaging Zoom is active, press the EXIT key to remove the magnification box
from the display and remove the cursor.
Key Functions 12

microSD Card Slot
The microSD card slot on your control head can be used with a microSD card (separate purchase
required) to add detailed charts to your control head, import/export navigation data, and save
sonar recordings (see Snapshot and Recording View for details).
To insert a microSD Card:
1. Remove the microSD card slot cover.
2. Position the microSD card so that the label faces
the front of the control head and the card notches
face down.
3. Insert the card into the slot until it clicks into
place.
4. Replace the slot cover so it is secure.
5. To Remove: Press the card into the slot and then
release it. The card will eject. Pull the card
carefully from the slot.
NOTE: Do not leave the microSD card slot cover open. The
slot cover should always be closed to prevent water
damage to the unit.
Inserting a microSD Card into the Card Slot
NOTE: The microSD Card requires a separate purchase. For more information, visit our Web site at
humminbird.com or contact Humminbird Customer Service at 1-800-633-1468.
13 microSD Card Slot

Add Maps to your Control Head
Your control head includes a built-in UniMap with a more detailed map of North America
(Domestic models) or a detailed map of Europe and Southeast Asia, including Australia and New
Zealand (International models).
You can also purchase microSD cards with additional chart information for a particular location.
•Auto Select: When you install the microSD card in your control head, it will retrieve the
chart and display it automatically.
•Chart Select: You can also choose which chart to display with the Chart Select menu
option in the Chart Menu Tab (see Chart Menu Tab: Chart Select).
•Chart Layers: You can customize your Navigation Views by selecting which chart layers
to display or hide (see Chart Menu Tab: Chart Detail Level).
•Map Borders: Use the 4-WAY Cursor Control key to move the active cursor within a map
border, and press the +ZOOM key to view the different map (see Chart Menu Tab: Map
Borders).
•Menu Options: The Chart Menu Tab will change to display menu options that correspond
with the active chart (see Chart Menu Tab).
NOTE: The microSD card requires a separate purchase. Your control head supports
Humminbird LakeMaster, Navionics Gold, HotMaps, and HotMaps Premium on microSD card media.
Your control head does NOT support Navionics Classic Charts or Platinum Cartography.
microSD Card Slot 14