GARMIN new echoMAP CHIRP Products

Electrical and electronic topics for small boats
jimh
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GARMIN new echoMAP CHIRP Products

Postby jimh » Fri Nov 06, 2015 11:15 am

GARMIN has pre-announced a new product line of chart plotter, GNSS receiver, SONAR, and multi-function display devices they are calling their echoMap CHIRP series. As far as I can tell, Garmin is using the acronym CHIRP to mean a frequency-modulated pulse-compression SONAR method. These products will not be available until sometime after January 2016. Here is an excerpt from their recent press release announcing these products:

Garmin...[announces] the echoMAP CHIRP series--a new line of affordable chart plotter and sonar combination units with built-in [frequency-modulated pulse-compression] sonar. With preloaded cartography for inland or coastal waters, the new echoMAP CHIRP series offers support for Garmin Panoptix transducers, and all units come standard with Garmin Quickdraw Contours, a new software feature that lets mariners instantly create personalized [charts] with one-foot contours on any body of water. With NMEA® 2000 compatibility, the new echoMAPs can also receive information from sensors, engines, autopilots and more....

Like previous echoMAP models, the CHIRP series is available in bright, sunlight-readable 4-inch, 5-inch, 7-inch and 9-inch color displays with an intuitive, keyed interface. All models are equipped with a built-in, high-sensitivity 5-Hz GPS [receiver]....

For the clearest scanning sonar of fish and structure on the market, this new series offers built-in [frequency-modulated pulse-compression] traditional sonar and [frequency-modulated pulse compression] DownVü and SideVü technology. Instead of just sending one single frequency, [frequency-modulated pulse-compression] sends a continuous sweep of frequencies and interprets them individually upon their return, creating crisper fish arches with better target separation. For anglers who want to see objects and structure below the boat, DownVü provides a nearly photographic view with excellent resolution and target separation in both freshwater and saltwater. The echoMAP sv models also add SideVü scanning for customers who want to see what’s located on both sides of the boat.

Additionally, the 7-inch and 9-inch echoMAP CHIRP models provide support for Garmin PanoptixTM all-seeing sonar. With Panoptix on board, fisherman can see real-time sonar imagery at video-like speed. It shows an image of fish swimming and moving toward or away from the boat – even while stationary – in real time and up to 100 feet away. The echoMAP CHIRP series will support all Panoptix models, including the new PS21.

Available with preloaded cartography for fresh or coastal waters, each new model is offered with either U.S. or Canada LakeVü, or U.S. BlueChart® g2 mapping. U.S. LakeVü is an extensive database of more than 17,000 inland lakes, reservoirs and rivers that includes over 13,000 lakes with high-definition 1-foot contours shore-to-shore. Canada LakeVü features more than 13,500 lakes, 4,800 of which have 1-foot contours.

The new echoMAP CHIRP series will be available in January 2016, with suggested retail prices ranging from $299.99 to $1259.99. For more information, visit garmin.com/marine2016.


The new echoMAP product line has many models. To help understand the nomenclature, the model designators seem to follow these categorizations:

Numerical model numbers beginning in 4 are 4-inch displays
Numerical model numbers beginning in 5 are 5-inch displays
Numerical model numbers beginning in 7 are 7-inch displays
Numerical model numbers beginning in 9 are 8-inch displays

Numerical model numbers ending in 2 are base units and have a world-wide base chart
Numerical model numbers ending in 3 have USA inland lakes charts, called LakeVu
Numerical model numbers ending in 4 have USA coastal charts, called BlueChart g2
Numerical model numbers ending in 5 have Canada charts, called Canada LakeVu

Models with "dv" suffix are down-view devices
Models with "sv" suffix are both side-view devices and down-view devices

To further complicate the product offerings, the many models are available without transducers or in bundles with transducers.

Let's look at some pricing.

echoMAP CHIRP 72dv = $700 (the base model; no transducer but GT20-TM a $100 option; world-wide base map cartography)

echoMAP CHIRP 73dv= $700 (cartography for USA inland lakes; a GT22-TM transducer)

echoMap CHIRP 74dv = $900 (cartography for USA coastal; a GT23-TM transducer)

echoMap CHIRP 75dv = $900 (cartography for Canada lakes; a GT22-TM transducer)

If you are in the USA or Canada, you probably do not want the models ending in 2, as they seem to be intended for buyers outside the USA and Canada. If inside the USA, you probably want a model ending in 3 or 4; they will have enhanced cartography for the USA, either inland or coastal. If you are in Canada, you probably want a model ending 5; they include enhanced cartography for Canada's waters.

The transducer bundles are also different. For the base model the GT20-TM is an option. For the inland models (ending 3 or 5) the bundled transducer is a GT22-TM. For the coastal model (ending in 4) the bundled transducer is a GT23-TM. Here are the specifications:

GT20-TM Transducer = transom mount; traditional SONAR (77 or 200-kHz); DownVu (455 or 800 kHz); has temperature; MSRP $100.

GT22-TM Transducer = plastic, transom mount High Wide CHIRP (150 to 240-kHz) and CHIRP DownVu (455 or 800 kHz); has temperature; MSRP $170.

GT23-TM Transducer = plastic, transom mount Mid Band CHIRP (80 to 160-kHz) and CHIRP DownVu (260 or 455 kHz); has temperature; MSRP $200.

jimh
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Re: GARMIN new "CHIRP" series

Postby jimh » Fri Nov 06, 2015 12:03 pm

Based on the pricing GARMIN shows at this moment, it looks like the best value is in the models ending in numeral 3. You get a transducer and enhanced cartography for less than in any other bundle or option. It sounds like Garmin is really going after the inland lakes anglers with this pricing structure.

To see all the Garmin echoMAP CHIRP models, visit

https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/cOnTheW ... 00-p1.html

Hoosier
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Re: GARMIN new echoMAP CHIRP Products

Postby Hoosier » Sun Nov 08, 2015 2:23 pm

It looks like the best package for Great Lakes cruisers who also take their boats to the coast are the models with a 4-suffix since the include charts covers all US coastal waters and all of the Great Lake, both US and Canadian waters.
1978 Outrage V20 with 2004 Suzuki DF-115. 1992 23 Walkaround with two 2010 Yamaha F-150s.

jimh
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Re: GARMIN new echoMAP CHIRP Products

Postby jimh » Tue Nov 10, 2015 10:04 am

The Garmin echoMAP CHIRP products with model numbers ending in 4 are also bundled with the most expensive transducer, making them attractive, too.

I just noticed that with the echoMAP CHIRP series, Garmin appears to have included NMEA-2000 support. The earlier lower-tier echoMAP products did not have NMEA-2000, but this new echoMAP CHIRP series seems to include it. That is a big plus for the echoMAP CHIRP. A press release said:

With NMEA® 2000 compatibility, the new echoMAPs can also receive information from sensors, engines, autopilots and more.


The press release also explains in a footnote that NMEA-2000 is available only in the 5-inch, 7-inch, and 9-inch models.

endus
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Re: GARMIN new echoMAP CHIRP Products

Postby endus » Mon Nov 16, 2015 3:20 pm

[The new products from GARMIN in the echoMAP CHIRP product line] seem like an overall lower out-the-door cost than the previous models. I have been [planing] to upgrade, so maybe next year will be the year. The model [echoMAP CHIRP] 74dv is definitely the one, if a 7 inch plotter will work on [a Boston Whaler] Montauk.

We keep our boat in an area where there are a ton of bars, and conditions can and do change from year to year. The ability to make your own maps would be nice to keep things fresh.

dtmackey
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Re: GARMIN new echoMAP CHIRP Products

Postby dtmackey » Fri Oct 20, 2017 1:36 pm

Jim--this thread is a great resource. It would have saved me lots of time--had I found it several days ago.

I combed through all the Lowrance and Garmin details online--and even visited West Marine to play with them--before ordering a Garmin 74SV without transducer last night.

Now that I found your breakdown on model number decoding (and more), it looks like I made the right decision in model selection.

It was cheaper to buy the Garmin 74SV and the transducer separately; at much as $75 to $200 saved depending on transducer type.