Thread: Helix 5 problem

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  1. #1
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    Helix 5 problem

    I have a Helix 5 mounted on the bow with the transducer on my Trolling motor and when I get into really shallow water the sonar will quit working correctly and depth will show 900-1000 feet. I have to turn it off and back on to get it to start working again, had to do this 8-9 times last Saturday when I was fishing shallow water.

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    #2
    How shallow we talking? Weeds / grass getting tangled up in the transducer?

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    #3
    Quote Originally Posted by mtatua View Post
    How shallow we talking? Weeds / grass getting tangled up in the transducer?
    Trolling motor touching or almost touching the bottom, the transducer is clear when this happens.

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    #4
    Quote Originally Posted by bassfisher444 View Post
    Trolling motor touching or almost touching the bottom, the transducer is clear when this happens.
    Hold up, so your transducer is on the trolling motor barrel, its touching the bottom, and you want to know how deep it is? Is this April fool's......?

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    #5
    Quote Originally Posted by mtatua View Post
    Hold up, so your transducer is on the trolling motor barrel, its touching the bottom, and you want to know how deep it is? Is this April fool's......?
    LOL maybe I should have worded that better, the transducer is mounted on the bottom of the trolling motor, when it does that it doesn't even work when I get back into deeper water until I reset it.

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    #6
    Try changing max depth closer to actual. If the deepest you're fishing is less than 15', set it to around 30'.
    Wes
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    #7
    Quote Originally Posted by ezfishn View Post
    Try changing max depth closer to actual. If the deepest you're fishing is less than 15', set it to around 30'.
    I have tried that, it still shows I'm in 30+ foot of water and nothing shows up on the sonar until I reset it.

  8. Member bombercraw's Avatar
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    #8
    Do you have the latest software update on your unit? I was having similar strange issues on my Helix 12 G3N and the last software update solved that issue even though the fixes in the software update didn't mention that issue. Might be worth checking out and trying if you are not running the latest software.

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    #9
    Not sure how to check or update the software I just got the unit brand new a couple months ago.

  10. Member bombercraw's Avatar
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    #10
    Quote Originally Posted by bassfisher444 View Post
    Not sure how to check or update the software I just got the unit brand new a couple months ago.
    Go into your settings and see what the current software version is on your unit. Then go to www.hummingbird.com and look for the support link for software updates. They have the latest software updates listed for all version of units. You can see what the current version is for the Helix 5 and if it is a newer version than what's on your unit, you can download the updated software right off of Humminbirds site to an SD card. Just make sure to follow the directions that Humminbird gives. Once you power up your unit, install the SD card containing the software update and your unit will automatically detect the card and will walk you through the update process. It is really easy, but again, I reiterate that you need to follow HB's directions and no interrupt the software update, otherwise it will corrupt the unit and you will have to send it back to HB for them to load it.