Humminbird question

This question is probably answered somewhere, but I can’t find it. I hope this is the right location to ask tech question.
I want to save my pennies and get a mk ulterra with the built in mega transducer. I would like to save more and buy a humminbird helix 12 mega si. Could I take the transducer that comes with the helix, mount it to the transom, buy two mounts, swap the helix from my console to the front of boat? I hope that makes sense. I want to use the same unit on the console for side imaging as I use on the bow for down and 360. If I need to ask this in a different spot, please excuse me. Any info is greatly appreciated.

You could but the helix is not the easiest unit to move around. Once you move you have to factor in the time to power back up and I don't have the patience for that. But I know the cost makes it very tempting to only buy one! I would see if you could find a used unit to add to it at some point.

Sure you could. Like the saying goes, anything is possible with enough money.
You would need to find a detachable mount to move from base to base. I assume they are out there. Unscrewing the unit from the mount would be a pita, as pointed out.
Your cord tray at the console would need to be purchased, as well as a power cord.
Any waypoints you marked while at the console would be off when the unit's location was moved to the bow.
Were you planning on getting ipilot link? A whole nuther can of worms.
I have the ulterra with MSI and use the transom mounted transducer for 2d via a y cable. My Helix 10 is on the bow of my stick steer, so I don't have to move mine, thank goodness. I'm so clumsy I probably would drop it overboard while making the move.
If I can spend your money, why not buy a used 2gen N for the console. There are a lot of good deals with guys upgrading to Gen3 or Gen4 in anticipation of HB live.


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Oh wow. I did not know the waypoints would be different. I am assuming that is because of the transducers being at two different locations. I am just trying to save money is all. The dang things are so expensive!!
Thank you both for helpful information

Note: There are 2 different Minn Kota trolling motors with MEGA built in - MEGA+ MSI and MEGA+ MDI ... To make is simpler to use in HB settings - choose the Minn Kota built in model that matches the HB unit model desired ...

Some guys mount the HB head unit and included gimbal mount to a Ram Mount - and simply loosen the Ram Mount for re-attaching to a different Ram Mount at a different location ...

This requires 2 complete separate cabling stations - cable collector, power cord, xducer cable, Ethernet cable (if applicable) ...
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Waypoints are assigned at the GPS antenna location “co-ordinates” (on the Earth) when created ... Returning to that waypoint (from any device) is trying to get to get back to those same “co-ordinates” (on the Earth) ...

So it doesn’t matter what GPS device marks that waypoint - that waypoint is assigned “co-ordinates” on the Earth ... the returning GPS device (even if it’s a different GPS device) is “Looking” for those GPS “co-ordinates” (on the Earth) ...

Discrepancies in waypoint data are created when the GPS antenna is in a different location than the Sonar data (xducer) when the waypoint is created ... This creates a linear distance discrepancy from where the GPS is assigning co-ordinates (on the Earth- seen from the satellites above) to where that target actually is (under the xducer) ...

Rickie

I am a bit confused. Let’s say I have a humminbird helix 12 mega si unit with an included xdcr, and have a mk mega si trolling motor with built in xdcr. If I mount the included xdcr on transom to connect at the console for side imaging and marking structure, the locations will be different when I change the unit to the bow for fishing? Again, thank you so much for helping me.

It depends on the location of the GPS antenna you are using. Are you using an external antenna or an internal one.

When you mark a waypoint .... it is marking the location the GPS antenna was at when you mark it. As Rickie stated, if the antenna and the transducer are not close to each other, the waypoint won't be accurate.
If you some something on the screen (an object seen by the transducer) and mark that when the transducer is directly over it ..... what you marked is the location where the GPS antenna was.

So, if you are at the bow and the antenna is close to the transducer, you will not introduce much error since the xducer and the antenna are close to each other.
If you move that unit ... with internal gps ... to the console, but the transducer is on the stern .... there is quite a distance between the 2 devices and the waypoint will have that distance of inaccuracy built in when you mark a waypoint.

In all cases, the waypoint is marked where the gps is located when pressing the button.... and if returning to a marked waypoint with the unit in a different location .... if you arrive at a location, it will be where the gps is.
The gps will also have some amount of position error that can't be controlled and will depend on the amount of satellites being tracked by the gps.

Hope that didn't confuse things further.

No, sir. I think I am semi-understanding this now. A waypoint is most accurate when the antenna is very near the xdcer. If the antenna is internal (in the unit), then the unit needs to be as close as possible to the xdcer to be most accurate. I will certainly use this information when constructing my new unit and tm. Thank you again for all of your help.

Just remember civilian GPS is not dead nuts accurate and accuracy from day to day can be different. This is where SI on the bow helps to actually find the structure as the GPS may be off by 10 feet even if the transducer and GPS are on top of each other, it is not pin point by any means..

Gotcha. Thank you again to everyone.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bricks

Just remember civilian GPS is not dead nuts accurate and accuracy from day to day can be different. This is where SI on the bow helps to actually find the structure as the GPS may be off by 10 feet even if the transducer and GPS are on top of each other, it is not pin point by any means..

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360 will solve for this as well as SI


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Pres228

No, sir. I think I am semi-understanding this now. A waypoint is most accurate when the antenna is very near the xdcer. If the antenna is internal (in the unit), then the unit needs to be as close as possible to the xdcer to be most accurate. I will certainly use this information when constructing my new unit and tm. Thank you again for all of your help.

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If you add an external GPS receiver (AS GRP) at transom and use that when at console, it would eliminate the potential error.