HELP with Humminbird Heading Line

[MIZ-ZOU]

OK, so I'm a Humminbird newbie. I recently picked up my new boat with dual Helix 10s, ethernetted together with an AS GPS HS antenna. I have 2 issues.

#1 - the heading line and the boat icon jump all over the place when I am running. Sometimes they will turn 90 degrees from the direction that I am heading and jump back. The external antenna is mounted on the carpet in the back corner of the starboard side of the back deck. Not sure if it's magnetic interference from the motor or not, but it is irritating.

#2 - How the heck do you get the heading line to stay up at all times on the Helix map screen? The line pops up when I move and goes away when I stop. The reason for me getting the HS antenna was to aid in fishing brushpiles by helping me line up my cast. I'm not moving when I fish brushpiles, so the heading line is near worthless if it won't stay visible. I never had that problem with my Lowrance units. I've been through the book and tried several settings, but I just can't get it.

Other than these issues, I am a new Humminbird fanboy. The screens are clearer, the navigation is more intuitive, and the Lakemaster mapping is WAY more accurate. I don't miss the touchscreens at all. I had the same issue on the heading line jumping on my Lowrance units, so the disappearing heading line is really the only thing that is worrisome.

[Wayne P.]

Are you using the Head Up orientation setting?

Did you test for interference at the antenna location before you attached the transducer to the hull?

Which unit is the antenna attached to and are you expecting to see the Heading Sensor line on both units?

[Liquid Bill]

You have to get a gps antenna that is directional. I have to get one and put it at the trolling motor so I can see where I am in relation to the brush pile.

[MIZ-ZOU]

Yes, I'm using head up orientation.

The external antenna is connected to the console Helix 10SI, which is ethernetted to the bow unit (STD Helix 10). I asked specifically before placing the order if I needed a second antenna for the bow and was told that I could use the internal gps antenna for the bow unit and still show the heading line from the external, ethernet GPS antenna. That information supposedly came from Humminbird through my dealer. I really only need the heading line on my bow unit, but use the antenna for my console unit for imaging and marking brushpiles. It's mounted close to the transom to avoid the offset error on the waypoints.

The antenna was installed by Phoenix rigging department before it shipped to the dealer. Where is your antenna, if you aren't getting interference?

[MIZ-ZOU]

You have to get a gps antenna that is directional. I have to get one and put it at the trolling motor so I can see where I am in relation to the brush pile.

Bill, I am under the assumption that the AS GPS HS has heading capability. That was why I included it on my order. I like to line the heading line up on my unit with the brushpile I am fishing in order to hit it every time.

[Wayne P.]

Bill, I am under the assumption that the AS GPS HS has heading capability. That was why I included it on my order. I like to line the heading line up on my unit with the brushpile I am fishing in order to hit it every time.

OK, first of all the Heading Sensor (compass) cannot be shared without sharing the GPS also. Sooooo, if you have the antenna at the back of the boat, to use the Heading Sensor, you have to be getting GPS from the back of the boat also. You cannot split the functions with a Helix or a number series unit. You can with an ONIX.
I doubt you want to use the transom GPS antenna for fishing waypoints displayed on the bow unit.

I use a AS GPS HS antenna at the bow for boat positioning when fishing offshore subjects. It has its benefits when at less than .6 mph since you loose the Course Projection Line and the position curser changes to a ( O ).

You have two choices for a correct setup to have GPS and HS at the bow.
Purchase another AS GPS HS antenna for the bow unit.
Purchase a AS GRP for the console unit to replace the AS GPS HS, and move the AS GPS HS to the bow.

[MIZ-ZOU]

Thanks for the information, Wayne. Coming from Lowrance, I wasn't sure. That's why I asked before I had them set up my boat. On the Low's, you can share all functions of the ext gps antenna, or pick and choose. I used the internal antenna for the bow, and the heading from the ext antenna. So, now I wonder if my dealer got in touch with someone at Humminbird that didn't know or didn't understand what I was trying to do.

Oh, my heading line disappears on the console unit when I stop, too, so I'm guessing that they installed the AS GRP instead of the AS GPS HS that I requested.

Thanks again.

[Cestratton]

Is your bow unit showing the external puck as its GPS source or is it using the internal? If the puck has an arrow on the top of it above the Humminbird logo then it is the AS GPS HS, if there is not an arrow on it then it is the AS GRP.

[MIZ-ZOU]

It's the AS GPS HS that I have. Even when I pick it as the gps source on the bow unit, the heading line doesn't appear unless I'm moving. Strange.

[Wayne P.]

It's the AS GPS HS that I have. Even when I pick it as the gps source on the bow unit, the heading line doesn't appear unless I'm moving. Strange.

That is not the heading line, that is the Course Projection Line. You can change the appearance of it to verify that is what it is.
That setting is in the Nav main menu as Course Projection Line. If you set that to COG/SOG you will get a graph with feet on left and minutes on the right. If you set it to Single Vector, the line won't have an end (infinite). You can turn it off also. Standard is the same length regardless of the Zoom level. Default is a lime green line.

Evidently you never used the line with a Lowrance.

Part of checking the installation of the AS GPS HS is to match the Heading Line with the Course Projection Line when traveling 4.5 MPH.

The Heading Line does not turn on and off with moving.

[MIZ-ZOU]

Ok, so maybe my wording is wrong. It is the course projection line. I want a line projected in the direction that the boat is pointing. On the console unit, I can turn it on and change its appearance. On the bow unit, no matter what I do, the line disappears when I'm not moving. Yes, I used it all the time on my Lowrance units. My wording may be wrong, but I left it on, along with distance rings all the time so I could tell distance to target. There is no question about that.

[MIZ-ZOU]

I have just accepted that the helix units can't do it and I will purchase another gps antenna to fix it. Thanks for the help.

[Wayne P.]

I have just accepted that the helix units can't do it and I will purchase another gps antenna to fix it. Thanks for the help.

If you have a functioning and connected Heading Sensor, you will get a Heading Line all the time. That is the whole point of having a Heading Sensor to indicate bow direction regardless of speed. When you are moving faster than .6 mph, you should have two lines displayed on the Chart View --- Course Projection and Heading Line.

Have you looked at the label on the top of the antenna to verify it states AS GPS HS ?

[MIZ-ZOU]

It is an AS GPS HS, as I verified this just a bit ago. But, I can turn the course line off and on, on the console unit. When I turn the course line off, there is no other line. I verified that the ext antenna is selected on the bow unit, yet I only get a line when I'm moving. Maybe there is something wrong with the antenna? Or, is there some other setting that I am missing?

[MIZ-ZOU]

I will try to post a picture when I get home.

[Wayne P.]

It is an AS GPS HS, as I verified this just a bit ago. But, I can turn the course line off and on, on the console unit. When I turn the course line off, there is no other line. I verified that the ext antenna is selected on the bow unit, yet I only get a line when I'm moving. Maybe there is something wrong with the antenna? Or, is there some other setting that I am missing?

The position icon (boat symbol) points in the direction the bow is pointed and the Course Projection Line points in the direction the boat is moving. So the Course Projection Line turns off at slow speed and the boat icon shows the direction on the Chart that the bow is pointed.

Default for the Heading Line is OFF with just the position icon indicating bow direction. You have to turn it ON to have it and it is a red line.

If you set the Chart Orientation for Head Up, the Chart will rotate to have direction the bow is pointed at the top of the screen. That is the setting I use.

I just took my H12 off my desk, took it out to the garage and connected it to verify the Heading Sensor Line and Boat Icon difference in what you may be seeing.

[MIZ-ZOU]

This may be the problem. When I choose the external antenna on the console unit, I get an option to show the heading line. When I do so on the bow unit, no option for a heading line, even though they are Etherneted together and the external gps antenna is selected.

Console unit:



Bow unit:



Can you not share the heading over Ethernet?

[ezfishn]

Can you select the AS GPS HS as GPS source on the bow unit in network settings? That should allow you to have the heading line but marking waypoints won't be accurate.

[MIZ-ZOU]

My unit doesn't list AS GPS HS as an option on either unit. It lists 3 sources: the bow unit Helix 10 internal, the console unit Helix 10si internal, and a third one, Helix 10si external. The external one, I'm assuming, is the AS GPS HS, so that's the one I chose on both units. Those were my only options.

[ezfishn]

So, when you select the Helix 10si external you still don't have a heading line option?