Waypoint Issue

[ckessenich]

I have a Helix 9 & 10 Mega DI GPS G2N units. Both had worked fine. Within the past month when attempting to mark a waypoint, a small window pops up on the screen indicating it was saved but it's showing it as a png file which is a screen shot way point where I could use a rock or grass etc to differentiate them. I called HB & long story short they told me the only way I could mark a waypoint as a wp, which is the normal way, was if I didn't have my Lakemaster and/or Navionics chips in. So basically I ended the call with HB being told I should go to the lake I've never fished before w/o Nav. chips if I want to mark true waypoints with options for icons. Otherwise I can use my nav. chips and only be able to set a waypoint using using a camera looking icon. If the HB basemaps had any detail it might be an ok compromise. How in the world is this the final word.

Can anyone speak to this more intelligently than the rep from HB please?

Thanks!

[Wayne P.]

There are two ways to mark a waypoint.

1. If you do not want a picture file with the waypoint, do not turn on Snapshot in the Accessory menu. Then it makes no difference if you are at a place you want to mark a waypoint or if you move the map curser to a place on the map. You quickly push the MARK button and you get a WP waypoint. You can have Navionics, Lakemaster, or just the internal map and do that.

2. If you want a picture file with the waypoint, you turn on Snapshot in the Accessory menu. Then it still makes no difference if you are at a place you want to mark a waypoint or if you

move the map curser to a place on the map. You have to push and hold the MARK button for a couple of seconds to get a S waypoint with the camera icon. If you quickly push the MARK button, you just get a WP waypoint and no snapshot.

You can EDIT the S waypoint icon to whatever you want. It does not have to stay the camera icon. The waypoint name will still be S---- unless you edit that also.

Another thing, a waypoint is not a map feature, it is a GPS feature. A waypoint is written to the unit's memory and will be displayed on whatever map background you use. It is not written to a map card.

[ckessenich]

I appreciate the insight Wayne! I had everything set up right but was holding the "Mark" button instead of tapping it. I'm a little perplexed that the HB rep wasn't able to help determine that. So those waypoints will show up the next time I go to that lake and forever as long as I don't delete them? There's not a need to save them to an SD card? Or would an SD be necessary if I end up with too many waypoints? Can I eventually use up the unit's memory. Is there any sort of need for an SD card where waypoints are concerned, beyond being able to use them in a different unit or look at them on a computer. The conversation I had with the HB rep has me a little confused on the SD card subject matter as well. Thanks!

[Wayne P.]

I appreciate the insight Wayne! I had everything set up right but was holding the "Mark" button instead of tapping it. I'm a little perplexed that the HB rep wasn't able to help determine that. So those waypoints will show up the next time I go to that lake and forever as long as I don't delete them? There's not a need to save them to an SD card? Or would an SD be necessary if I end up with too many waypoints? Can I eventually use up the unit's memory. Is there any sort of need for an SD card where waypoints are concerned, beyond being able to use them in a different unit or look at them on a computer. The conversation I had with the HB rep has me a little confused on the SD card subject matter as well. Thanks!

They don't disappear on their own, you have to intentionally delete them.
It is a good ideal occasionally to EXPORT your waypoint library so you have a copy in case you have a unit failure. You do that to a memory card. I always make another copy to a folder on my computer, copy them to HumminbirdPC and copy the folder to a USB storage device.

At no time will the unit use the data you have on a memory card, it has to be in the unit's memory. Just need a regular memory card with a capacity of 32GB or less.
There is a max capacity in the unit's memory---2,500 waypoints.

With a Helix, you cannot take a snapshot without a memory card to write the picture file to.

Your waypoints will be displayed on the Chart View no matter if you are on the water or at home.

[ckessenich]

They don't disappear on their own, you have to intentionally delete them.
It is a good ideal occasionally to EXPORT your waypoint library so you have a copy in case you have a unit failure. You do that to a memory card. I always make another copy to a folder on my computer, copy them to HumminbirdPC and copy the folder to a USB storage device.

At no time will the unit use the data you have on a memory card, it has to be in the unit's memory. Just need a regular memory card with a capacity of 32GB or less.
There is a max capacity in the unit's memory---2,500 waypoints.

With a Helix, you cannot take a snapshot without a memory card to write the picture file to.

Your waypoints will be displayed on the Chart View no matter if you are on the water or at home.

That's exactly what I was wanting to know. Thank you very much for taking the time to help me out!

Best of luck to you out on the water!

[TNfish3]

I had the same issue and was told by HBird that after the latest software update I needed to press the MARK button twice quickly to mark a waypoint. Not sure if that's correct but it works for me.

[ezfishn]

I had the same issue and was told by HBird that after the latest software update I needed to press the MARK button twice quickly to mark a waypoint. Not sure if that's correct but it works for me.

They made that change in a software update ver 1.35 Dec 2016