Humminbird HELIX GPS User manual

CHIRP RADAR
HELIX Operations Manual
532547-1EN_A

THANK YOU!
Tank you for c oosing Humminbird®, t e #1 name in marine electronics. Humminbird as built its reputation by designing and
manufacturing top quality, t oroug ly reliable marine equipment. Your Humminbird is designed for trouble-free use in even t e
ars est marine environment. We encourage you to read t is manual carefully in order to get t e full benefit from all t e features
and applications of your Humminbird product.
Contact Humminbird Customer Service at humm nb rd.com or call 1-800-633-1468.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
WARNING! Humm nb rd recommends cert f ed nstallat on by a
Humm nb rd approved nstaller. Contact your Humm nb rd
dealer for further deta ls, and refer to the warranty nformat on
ncluded w th your product.
DANGER: MICROWAVE RADIATION HAZARD! The m crowave
energy rad ated by a radar antenna s harmful to humans,
espec ally to one’s eyes. Do NOT look at the scanner from close
range. Never look d rectly nto an open wavegu de or nto the
path of rad at on from an enclosed antenna. Make sure
personnel are clear of the scanner when t s powered on. Turn
off the radar whenever t s necessary to work on the antenna
un t or on other equ pment n the beam of the radar.
DANGER: MICROWAVE RADIATION HAZARD! Radar and other
rad o frequency rad at on can upset card ac pacemakers. If
someone w th a card ac pacemaker suspects abnormal
operat on, mmed ately turn off the equ pment and move the
person away from the antenna.
HIGH VOLTAGE WARNING! Dangerously h gh voltages are
present w th n the scanner un t. There are no nternal
connect ons or adjustments necessary for nstallat on. Do NOT
remove any covers or otherw se attempt to access nternal
components, unless spec f cally nstructed n the
documentat on prov ded. The cover should be removed only by
a qual f ed radar serv ce techn c an. Techn c ans must exerc se
extreme care when work ng ns de the un t.
WARNING! Th s product must be nstalled and operated n
accordance w th the nstruct ons prov ded. Fa lure to do so could
result n personal njury, damage to your vessel and/or poor
product performance.
CAUTION! Installat on and radar tun ng should only be
performed by a qual f ed radar serv ce techn c an.
WARNING! How to nterpret the radar d splay s not ncluded n
th s manual. The capta n s respons ble for the proper use of
radar and the safety of the vessel and ts passengers.
WARNING! Th s dev ce should not be used as a nav gat onal a d
to prevent coll s on, ground ng, boat damage, or personal njury.
When the boat s mov ng, water depth may change too qu ckly to
allow t me for you to react. Always operate the boat at very slow
speeds f you suspect shallow water or submerged objects.
WARNING! The electron c chart n your Humm nb rd un t s an
a d to nav gat on des gned to fac l tate the use of author zed
government charts, not to replace them. Only off c al
government charts and not ces to mar ners conta n all of the
current nformat on needed for the safety of nav gat on, and the
capta n s respons ble for the r prudent use.
WARNING! Humm nb rd s not respons ble for the loss of data
f les (waypo nts, routes, tracks, groups, record ngs, etc.) that
may occur due to d rect or nd rect damage to the un t’s
hardware or software. It s mportant to back up your control
head’s data f les per od cally. Data f les should also be saved to
your PC before restor ng the control head defaults or updat ng
the software.
WARNING! D sassembly and repa r of th s electron c un t should
only be performed by author zed serv ce personnel. Any
mod ficat on of the ser al number or attempt to repa r the or g nal
equ pment or accessor es by unauthor zed nd v duals w ll vo d the
warranty.
WARNING! Th s product conta ns chem cals known to the State of
Cal forn a to cause cancer and b rth defects or other reproduct ve
harm.
NOTE: The llustrat ons n th s manual may not look the same as
your product, but your un t w ll funct on n a s m lar way.
NOTE: The procedures and features descr bed n th s manual are
subject to change w thout not ce. Th s manual was wr tten n
Engl sh and may have been translated to another language.
Humm nb rd s not respons ble for ncorrect translat ons or
d screpanc es between documents.
NOTE: Product spec f cat ons and features are subject to change
w thout not ce.
NOTE: For nstallat on nformat on, see the nstallat on manual
ncluded w th your product.
NOTE: Th s product s spec f cally des gned to be nstalled on
boats and other means of mar t me transport. If your country
forms part of the EU, please contact your dealer for adv ce
before attempt ng to nstall elsewhere.
2

ROHS STATEMENT: Product des gned and ntended as a f xed nstallat on or part of a system n a vessel may be cons dered beyond the scope of
D rect ve 2002/95/EC of the European Parl ament and of the Counc l of 27 January 2003 on the restr ct on of the use of certa n hazardous
substances n electr cal and electron c equ pment.
ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE STATEMENT: It s the ntent on of Johnson Outdoors Mar ne Electron cs, Inc. to be a respons ble corporate c t zen,
operat ng n compl ance w th known and appl cable env ronmental regulat ons, and a good ne ghbor n the commun t es where we make or sell
our products.
WEEE DIRECTIVE: EU D rect ve 2002/96/EC “Waste of Electr cal and Electron c Equ pment D rect ve (WEEE)” mpacts most d str butors, sellers,
and manufacturers of consumer electron cs n the European Un on. The WEEE D rect ve requ res the producer of consumer electron cs to take
respons b l ty for the management of waste from the r products to ach eve env ronmentally respons ble d sposal dur ng the product l fe cycle.
WEEE compl ance may not be requ red n your locat on for electr cal & electron c equ pment (EEE), nor may t be requ red for EEE des gned and
ntended as f xed or temporary nstallat on n transportat on veh cles such as automob les, a rcraft, and boats. In some European Un on member
states, these veh cles are cons dered outs de of the scope of the D rect ve, and EEE for those appl cat ons can be cons dered excluded from the
WEEE D rect ve requ rement.
Th s symbol (WEEE wheel e b n) on product nd cates the product must not be d sposed of w th other household refuse. It must be d sposed
of and collected for recycl ng and recovery of waste EEE. Johnson Outdoors Mar ne Electron cs, Inc. w ll mark all EEE products n accordance
w th the WEEE D rect ve. It s our goal to comply n the collect on, treatment, recovery, and env ronmentally sound d sposal of those
products; however, these requ rements do vary w th n European Un on member states. For more nformat on about where you should
d spose of your waste equ pment for recycl ng and recovery and/or your European Un on member state requ rements, please contact your dealer
or d str butor from wh ch your product was purchased.
HELIX®, Hu inbird®, and X-Press™ Menu are trade arked by or registered trade arks of Johnson Outdoors Marine Electronics, Inc.
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© 2017 Johnson Outdoors Marine Electronics, Inc. All rights reserved.
3

4

5
Warnings 2
How CHIRP Radar Works 6
Getting Started 7
Update t e Control Head Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Power On t e Control Head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Open Radar View 8
Start/Stop Radar Transmission 9
Start Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Start Timed Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Stop Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Config re the Radar Settings 11
Select t e Radar Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Set t e Transmission Range . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Adjust t e Heading Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Set t e Electronic Bearing Range (EBL)
and Variable Range Ring (VRM) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Create an EBL/VRM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Edit an EBL/VRM Pair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Delete an EBL/VRM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
C stomize the Radar Display Settings 16
Adjust for Gain and Clutter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Adjust t e Interference Rejection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Display/Hide Data in Radar View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
C ange t e Radar View Color Palette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Navigation in Radar View 19
Mark a Waypoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Start Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Contact H mminbird 20
TABLE OF CONTENTS

HOW CHIRP RADAR WORKS
Te word “radar” is an acronym for “Radio Detecting And Ranging.” A radio transmitter sends a quick microwave pulse, and t en a
receiver listens for t at signal’s ec o w en it is bounced back from somet ing in its pat . T e returning signal is processed by a
computer to determine its relative distance, position, and bearing. T is information is grap ically displayed on a view for you to see.
Ot er boats or s ips, navigational markers, and landmasses are referred to as targets.
By knowing ow long it takes for a signal to return, t e distance to a target can be determined. As t e radar antenna scans t roug
a 360-degree rotation, it can s ow w ere t e target is relative to your position. By repeated scans, you can see w ic direction
anot er boat is moving. How a target is displayed on t e screen depends on t e target’s eig t and size as well as its material and
s ape.
CHIRP Radar uses pulse compression tec nology, w ic sends continuous radar pulses to provide more detailed returns and better
target separation.
CHIRP Radar provides:
•Improved range resolution and reduced sea clutter.
•Excellent s ort-range detection and en anced target detail.
•Better separation quality.
WARNING! How to nterpret the radar d splay s not ncluded n th s manual. The capta n s respons ble for the proper use of radar and
the safety of the vessel and ts passengers.
B at and Surr unding Targets Radar Display
6
How CHIRP Radar Works

7Getting Started
GETTING STARTED
T e procedures in t is section describe ow to get started wit your CHIRP Radar.
Up ate the Control Hea Software
It is important to install t e latest software update (version 1.350 or later) on your control ead to enable CHIRP Radar.
Compat b l ty: Visit our Web site at humm nb rd.com for t e latest list of compatible models.
Requ red Equ pment: Personal computer wit Internet access, and a formatted SD card.
1. Save Nav gat on Data: Before t e control ead software is updated or restored to system defaults, export your navigation
data and copy your screen snaps ots to an SD card. See your control ead operations manual for instructions.
WARNING! Humm nb rd s not respons ble for the loss of data f les (waypo nts, routes, tracks, groups, snapshots, record ngs, etc.)
that may occur due to d rect or nd rect damage to the un t’s hardware or software. It s mportant to back up your PC and control
head data f les per od cally. See your control head operat ons manual for more nformat on.
2. Install a blank SD card into t e PC card slot.
3. Go to humm nb rd.com, and select My Humm nb rd to sign in to your account.
4. Select t e My Equ pment tab. T e available software updates are listed as Downloads under eac registered product.
•Under Downloads, click t e file name.
•Read t e instructions in t e dialog box and select Download.
•Follow t e on-screen prompts to save t e software file to t e SD card.
5. Repeat step 4 to download t e software updates posted to eac registered product.
6. Power on your Humminbird control ead. Start Normal mode.
7. Insert t e SD card (wit t e software file) into t e control ead card slot.
8. Follow t e on-screen prompts to update t e control ead software. See your control ead operations manual for more
details.
9. W en t e software update is complete, remove t e SD card from t e control ead card slot and restart t e control ead.
Power On the Control Hea
Follow t e instructions below to power on your Humminbird control ead.
1. Press t e POWER key.
2. W en t e Title screen is displayed, press t e MENU key.
3. Start Normal mode.

8
Open Radar View
OPEN RADAR VIEW
Use t e instructions below to open Radar View. You can customize t e Radar View by selecting w ic information to display or ide.
See t e section Customize the Radar Display Settings.
1. Press t e VIEW key until t e Radar View is displayed.
OR
Press and old t e VIEW key. Select Radar > Radar View.
What’s n the Radar View
cursor dialog box (with active cursor)
radar range
radar ring with bearing scale displayed
gain
settings
EBL/VRM
settings
digital
readouts
radar mode

9Start/Stop Radar Transmission
START/STOP RADAR TRANSMISSION
Use t e instructions in t is section to start transmission or start a timed transmission.
Start Transmission
1. Power On: Turn on t e radar power source (breaker or switc ).
T e radar will warm up for 60 to 90 seconds and t en enter Standby mode.
2. Display a Radar View.
3. W en t e Radar is ready to start transmission, a dialog box will display on-screen.
4. Start Radar Transm ss on: Press t e RIGHT Cursor key to select Transmission. Radar Transmission will start immediately.
Starting Radar Transmissi n
Press the RIGHT
Cursor key to
start radar
transmission.
Press the LEFT
Cursor key to
turn o radar
transmission.

10
Start/Stop Radar Transmission
Start Time Transmission
Use Timed Transmission to set timed radar scans. T is setting elps save power.
1. Ma n Menu: Press t e MENU key twice. Select t e Accessories tab.
2. Select Radar. Press t e RIGHT Cursor key to open t e menu.
3. Select Timed Transmit. Select On.
4. Use t e Cursor Control key to select settings from t e menus s own below.
5. Close: Press t e EXIT key repeatedly until t e menu system is closed.
Stop Transmission
1. Open the Radar X-Press Menu: Wit a Radar View displayed on t e screen, press t e MENU key.
2. Select Radar.
3. Press t e LEFT Cursor key. A dialog box will display on screen.
4. Press t e LEFT Cursor key. Radar Transmission will stop, and t e radar will enter Standy mode.
5. Power Off: Turn off t e radar power source from t e breaker or switc .
NOTE: The radar w ll cont nue to rece ve power unt l t s turned off at the power source (breaker or sw tch).
Radar Settings Menu
Transm t Cycles Sets t e number of radar scans in Timed Transmission mode.
Standby T me Sets t e amount of time t at t e radar will pause between transmissions in Timed Transmission
mode.

11 Configure t e Radar Settings
CONFIGURE THE RADAR SETTINGS
It is important to configure t e radar settings before use on t e water. Use t e instructions in t is section to set t e Radar settings.
CAUTION! Installat on and radar tun ng should only be performed by a qual f ed radar serv ce techn c an.
Select the Ra ar Mo e
For optimum radar operation, select t e radar mode for your current environment and weat er. See t e instructions below.
1. Radar X-Press Menu: Wit a Radar View displayed on t e screen, press t e MENU key.
2. Select Mode.
3. Press t e RIGHT or LEFT Cursor keys to select from t e menus s own below.
Harbor Use in arbors and most inland areas.
Coastal Use near t e s oreline.
Offshore Use w en navigating several miles away from t e s oreline.
Weather Use w en tracking rain and/or cloud cover.

12
Configure t e Radar Settings
Set the Transmission Range
T e scanner transmission range can be adjusted from t e X-Press Menu.
NOTE: The range sett ng affects all the radar v ews n the control head. The control head w ll default to the largest chosen area
from all the radar v ews.
Adjust the Range Using the X-Press Menu
1. Radar X-Press Menu: Wit a Radar View displayed on t e screen, press t e MENU key.
2. Select Range.
3. Press t e RIGHT or LEFT Cursor keys to adjust t e setting.
NOTE: To d splay the Range R ngs, see Customize the Radar Display Settings: Display/Hide Data in Radar View.
selected
range
setting
Adjusting the Transmissi n Range in Radar View

13 Configure t e Radar Settings
A just the Hea ing Line
Use t e Adjust Heading Line setting to sync ronize t e on-screen eading wit t e actual boat eading so t at nort is displayed
correctly on t e view.
1. Ma n Menu: Press t e MENU key twice. Select t e Accessories tab.
2. Select Radar. Press t e RIGHT Cursor key to open t e menu.
3. Select Adjust Heading Line.
4. Adjust Head ng Angle: Press t e RIGHT or LEFT Cursor keys, and a gray line will display on t e view. Use t e cursor keys to set
t e angle of t e eading line.
5. Save: Press t e CHECK/INFO key.
Adjusting the Heading Line Angle
Press the RIGHT or
LEFT Cursor keys
Move the
gray heading
line to set
the heading
line angle.

14
Configure t e Radar Settings
Set the Electronic Bearing Range (EBL) an Variable Range Ring (VRM)
Use EBL (Electron c Bear ng Range) and VRM (Var able Range R ng) to measure t e distance and bearing between any two targets
on t e Radar View.
T e EBL and VRM can be set as a pair or individually. T e marker is tied to t e center of t e boat. As t e boat’s position and eading
moves, t e EBL/VRM also moves. T e control ead allows you to create two sets of EBL/VRM on t e Radar View. You can c oose to
set t e EBL/VRM wit t e cursor or by opening t e X-Press Menu.
Create an EBL/VRM
Set t e EBL/VRM individually or as a pair.
1. Radar X-Press Menu: Wit a Radar View displayed on-screen, press t e MENU key.
2. Select Create EBL/VRM1 or Create EBL/VRM2 (for t e second set).
3. EBL: A das ed line will display on t e Radar View. Press t e RIGHT or LEFT Cursor keys to adjust t e EBL.
4. VRM: A das ed circle will display in t e center of t e Radar View. Press t e UP or DOWN Cursor keys to adjust t e VRM.
NOTE: To adjust the VRM w thout the EBL, sk p step 3. To adjust the EBL w thout the VRM, sk p step 4.
5. Press t e ENTER/INFO key to save your settings.
Creating an EBL/VRM
Use the Cursor Control key

15 Configure t e Radar Settings
Edit an EBL/VRM Pair
An EBL/VRM must be saved to access t is menu option.
1. Wit a Radar View displayed on-screen, press t e MENU key.
2. C oose Edit EBL/VRM from t e X-Press Menu, and press t e RIGHT Cursor key. If t ere is more t an one EBL/VRM, use t e
Cursor Control key to select 1 or 2 from t e submenu.
3. EBL: Press t e RIGHT or LEFT Cursor keys to adjust t e EBL.
4. VRM: Press t e UP or DOWN Cursor keys to adjust t e VRM.
NOTE: To adjust the VRM w thout the EBL, sk p step 3. To adjust the EBL w thout the VRM, sk p step 4.
5. Press t e CHECK/INFO key to save your settings.
Delete an EBL/VRM
An EBL/VRM must be saved to access t is menu option.
1. Wit a Radar View displayed on-screen, press t e MENU key.
2. C oose Delete EBL/VRM from t e X-Press Menu, and press t e RIGHT Cursor key.
If t ere is more t an one EBL/VRM, use t e Cursor Control key to select 1 or 2 from t e submenu and press t e RIGHT Cursor
key.

16
Customize t e Radar Display Settings
CUSTOMIZE THE RADAR DISPLAY SETTINGS
Use t e instructions in t is section to set t e Radar settings.
A just for Gain an Clutter
Use t e settings in t is section to filter t e returns on t e display or increase t e amount of returns on t e display.
Open the Settings Menu
1. Radar X-Press Menu: Wit a Radar View displayed on t e screen, press t e MENU key.
2. Select Settings. Press t e RIGHT Cursor key to open t e menu.
3. Use t e Cursor Control key to select settings from t e menus s own below.
A just the Interference Rejection
Use t e Interference Rejection setting to reduce t e noise or interference from ot er transmitting radars in t e area.
1. Ma n Menu: Press t e MENU key twice. Select t e Accessories tab.
2. Select Radar. Press t e RIGHT Cursor key to open t e menu.
3. Select Interference Rejection.
4. Press t e RIGHT or LEFT Cursor keys to select t e filter level.
Ga n Use t e Gain menu option to adjust t e sensitivity of t e Radar. Increase t e gain to see more
targets on t e view. Decrease t e gain to reduce t e clutter caused by rain or snow.
Color Ga n Use Color Gain to adjust t e contrast of t e radar returns on t e display.
Sea Use t e Sea menu option to control t e clutter t at may appear on t e Radar view during roug
sea conditions.
Ra n Use t e Rain menu option to remove clutter on t e Radar view t at is caused by rain or snow.

17 Customize t e Radar Display Settings
Display/Hi e Data in Ra ar View
Use t e instructions in t is section to select ow muc data is displayed on t e Radar View.
Open the Presentation Menu
1. Radar X-Press Menu: Wit a Radar View displayed on t e screen, press t e MENU key.
2. Select Presentation.
3. Use t e Cursor Control key to select On (visible) or Off ( idden) for t e menus s own below.
Range R ngs
Display or ide range rings, w ic s ow t e estimated range to a target. T e displayed range
rings are determined by t e selected transmission range setting. To set t e transmission range,
see Configure the Radar Settings.
Bear ng Scale Display or ide t e bearing scale, w ic provides t e compass direction from t e vessel to a
target.
Head ng Vector Display or ide t e eading line.
Ga n Gauge Display or ide t e selected Gain settings.
Changing the Radar View Display Settings
range rings
radar range
bearing scale set to hidden
gain gauge
presentation
menu options

18
Customize t e Radar Display Settings
Change the Ra ar View Color Palette
Use t e Color Palette menu to select t e palette used to display radar returns.
1. Radar X-Press Menu: Wit a Radar View displayed on t e screen, press t e MENU key.
2. Select Presentation. Press t e RIGHT Cursor key to open t e menu.
3. Select Color Palette.
4. Press t e RIGHT or LEFT Cursor keys to c oose a color palette. T e colors in eac palette are listed weakest return to strongest
return.
Changing the Radar View C l r Palette

19 Navigation in Radar View
NAVIGATION IN RADAR VIEW
You can mark waypoints and start navigation from t e Radar View. See your control ead operations manual for more information
about navigation.
Mark a Waypoint
Mark a Waypoint at the Vessel Position
1. Press t e MARK key.
Mark a Waypoint at the Cursor Position
1. Use t e Cursor Control key to move t e cursor to a position on t e view.
2. Press t e MARK key.
Start Navigation
1. Press t e GO TO key.
2. Select Nav Data. Press t e RIGHT Cursor key.
3. Use t e Cursor Control key to select a saved route or waypoint. Press t e RIGHT Cursor key to start navigation.
4. Cancel Nav gat on: Press t e MENU key once. Select Cancel Navigation, and press t e RIGHT Cursor key.

20
Contact Humminbird
CONTACT HUMMINBIRD
Contact Humminbird Customer Service in any of t e following ways:
Web s te:
umminbird.com
E-ma l:
service@ umminbird.com
Telephone:
1-800-633-1468
D rect Sh pp ng:
Humminbird
Service Department
678 Humminbird Lane
Eufaula, AL 36027 USA
Hours of Operat on:
Monday - Friday
8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Central Standard Time)
Soc al Med a Resources:
Facebook.com/HumminbirdElectronics
Twitter.com (@ umminbirdfis )
YouTube.com/ umminbirdtv