Awhile back, we had a thread on high definition side imaginging and down view sonars. In that thread, it was mentioned that most all brands were about equal in equal price ranges. Soon after reading that; I decided to bite the bullet and get my first expensive machine. A member on here reported to me that he could actually count the crabs in a crabpot using zoom downview with his Hummingbird Solix. That sold me and I purchased the Solix 10 CHIRP MEGA SI=G2 at a cost of $2500 plus tax. I have had it for about 4 months and l was not able to get satisfactory satellite fixes to navigate and keep up with the NMEA system. After calling customer service several times, I was eventually told to send it in for repairs. The sytem was washed and rebooted as new and I started over with all the programming issues like l had a new unit. Again, I am having problems receiving the satellite signals. When l call back to report to customer service; I am told that maybe its to close to a windshiel, maybe its under a bimini top, maybe its too close to the compass, maybe I have interference from a stainless steel steering wheel, or finally / Do you have a t-top? I could not believe they were telling me that l couldn’t expect my navigation to work under any of these conditions. Who doesn’t have one of these items on their boat. Then comes the big hit. They tell me that they can sell me an external Hummingbird antenna that will fix my problem for around $200 more.
This unit replaced an older Garmin cheap unit that worked fine where the new unit was placed. I still have a 15 year old hand held Garmin that works fine when placed right next to the new Hummingbird. So what l have eventually learned is that the NEW Hummingbird GPS system is still using the old nav system while other brands have gone to the new system. So the whole point of my thread is to warn anyone here to steer clear of Hummingbird electronics until they upgrade to the newer gps system.
I refused to buy into them telling me that I had to use their external antenna to
Sounds like you just haven’t had the right knowledgeable person help you. I think a lot of companies (Simrad for one) uses contract tech support and they are basically reading through the manual. I will tell you that the HB Solix Mega is hands-down the best side imaging you can buy. I think once you resolve your particular issues that you will be quite happy with it.
1966 13’ Boston Whaler “Flatty”
2018 Sportsman Masters 207 www.eyestrikefishing.com#predatorsstriketheeye
Opt. I did not say that the side imaging system was bad, in fact, I think it is great. I am just warning that the gps system is hands down the worst l have ever had and without an external antenna it is usless.
I did not talk to some contract support tech. I talked to Hummingbird. I sent my unit back to them and it did not resolve the problem. They told me all the reasons why it may not be working but were not willing to resolve the problem without my purchasing an external antenna from them. And by the way; I am quite happy with it now that l have a Garmin antenna hooked up to it. I just want people here who have a windshield, bimini, compass, metal steering wheel, and or compass to realize that they will have to invest in an external antenna if they want to use this unit for navigation. This is direct information from Hummingbird. I just wish they had this information in there literature and printed advertisements. I believe I would have stayed with a $2500 Garmin system had I known that.
SOUNDS LIKE A STILL UNIDENTIFIED ISSUE SOMEWHERE IN SYSTEM IE; BOAT WIRING , OUSIDE INTERFERENCE ??? I HAVE A H-BIRD SI AND HAVE HAD ABSOLUTELY NO ISSUES EITHER GPS OR SONAR…
Sorry to hear you’re having issues with the gps on your Solis. Below is our Helix 12 SI (not mega or G2) mounted in every place humminbird recommends not to (compass on top, under T-top, next to stainless steering wheel). The unit is about 2 years old. We have never had an issue with the gps.
Our only complaints are the sonar loses signal on plane and the unit won’t display engine hours off the nmea with our Yamaha, and the zooming is stepped instead of smooth. We remounted one of our older lowrances above the Helix to the right so we can have the engine hours displayed.
The boat is stored on the trailer under a semi-generic cover that can go over bow rails, my boat doesn’t have the rails for support so I built the pvc stand to go over the bow and hold up the front of the cover so rain water won’t pond on it.
Right. I was thinking the problem seemed very unusual. 1000’s of boats with T tops, etc that have no issues with GPS and dont need an external antenna. Still think you have a HW or setup problem.
1966 13’ Boston Whaler “Flatty”
2018 Sportsman Masters 207 www.eyestrikefishing.com#predatorsstriketheeye
OK this is a weird suggestion but… Loopervet installed my Hummingbird SI. I could not get the GPS to pick up the signals. Check the back of your unit and look at the wiring diagram in the handbook for the hook ups on the back of your unit. On my unit there are two inputs with exact same shape. The technician had plugged the GPS into the wrong hole. Most of the time with modern electronics you look at the plug you look at the hole and away you go. Nope not on my Hummingbird. Especially if you are under the console and working by feel. namaguchi. switched holes (sockets) and all is well. No bad reflection on Loopervet technician. Easy mistake and no caution in the directions. Took me a week and two uninstalls to figure it out.
RLS.
The unit comes with an internal antenna. I think you have the external antenna since you have to plug it in. My internal antenna will not pick up signals anywhere near my dash. I extended the power cable by 20 feet and took the unit off the boat and onto the dock and it receives. When I take it back onto the boat; it looses signal. I am guessing demas and opt have external antennas hooked up. I purchased a garman antenna and my unit works now. I just wish that Hummingbird had told me that I would need to purchase one if I had a t-top and stainless wheel and compass. Here is a picture that I sent to the service department That shows excellent signals on an old Garmin hand held next to no fix on my new Hummingbird.
George, no external antenna in our setup. Maybe there is a difference between the Helix and the Solis, though you’d think the Solis would be better since it costs more.
demasb
When I contacted Hummingbird with my problem; They basically said that if I had any metal near my $2500 Solix that I would require an external antenna. I asked them to send me one at no charge since none of their literature and advertisments offered up that information. In fact; their liturature brags that it has an internal antenna. But No dice. They would only sell me one at list price. I figured that if I had to buy one that I should get a Garmin since my little hand held was doing a great job right next to the Solix’s internal. I really thought for $2500 that the gps and map system should work under a bimini or t-top or next to the steering wheel.
