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Garmin EchoMAP CHIRP 74sv – Review
Should I upgrade to a – Garmin echoMAP CHIRP 74sv?
We take a detailed look at the specs, look at a couple of reviews from some who already have, and see how the echomap CHIRP stacks up to the ECHOMAP Plus.
The Garmin echoMAP CHIRP 74sv – Is a very easy-to-use, easy-to-setup 7″ color chartplotter/sonar combo with a keypad control and integrated BlueChart® g2 charts for the coastal U.S.
It has clear CHIRP traditional sonar, CHIRP ClearVü/SideVü scanning sonar, and support for Panoptix™ all-seeing sonar.
Instantly create custom fishing maps on-screen with 1’ contours with built-in Garmin Quickdraw™ Contours mapping.
Garmin echoMAP Chirp – Series
echoMAP CHIRP Series – Comes in 4 screen sizes, features CHIRP sonar capabilities, and comes with U.S. or Canada LakeVü, or U.S. BlueChart® g2 charts and mapping preloaded.
The 7-inch and 9-inch echoMAP CHIRP models provide support for Garmin Panoptix all-seeing sonar.
Excellent Clarity and Sunlight readability
The echoMAP CHIRP 74sv screen is bright and has a good viewing angle even in direct sun.
Keypad Control – The 7″ screen uses a keypad to control all unit functions and settings.
Built-in 5Hz GPS receiver – The 5hz GPS receiver acquires satellites within about 30 seconds on start-up and shows exact location pretty quick.
echoMAP CHIRP 74sv – Keypad Control
Navigation menu – Setting up the echoMAP CHIRP 74sv for how you fish or cruise is Garmin simple and adding custom screens and settings is pretty straightforward.
Custom Pages – Creating custom combinations is easy. Setup a custom screen for fishing with sonar split-screen with traditional on one side and clearvu on the other.
Set one up with chart and sonar for cruising or one for finding structure using clearvu and sidevu sonar only.
echoMAP CHIRP 74sv – Split Screen View
Built-in sonar capabilities – Includes CHIRP traditional sonar, ClearVü/SideVü scanning sonars, and support Panoptix all-seeing sonar transducers.
Additional info on the Panoptix™ all-seeing sonar line.
TRADITIONAL CHIRP SONAR – Instead of sending just 1 single frequency at a time, CHIRP sonar sends a continuous sweep of frequencies ranging from low to high.
Garmin echoMAP CHIRP vs Traditional
The echoMAP CHIRP 74sv has a 500W CHIRP sonar that sweeps a continuous range of frequencies, from low to high, in a single transmission. The returns from each frequency in that transmission are then interpreted and showed on the screen.
Since this continuous sweep of frequencies provides CHIRP with a much wider range of information, CHIRP sonar can create a very clear, high-resolution image.
As you can see above, you get far greater target separation and more defined arches than you would with standard 50/200 kHz sonar. The maximum working depth is about 2,300 ft @ 77kHz, freshwater, and 1,100 ft @ 77kHz, saltwater.
Max depth very is dependent on water bottom type and other water conditions.
echoMAP CHIRP 74sv – Sonar Recording
Recording the Sonar Display – A feature that allows you to record the sonar screen for playback on Garmin HomePort and review at a later time. I find it quite useful to be able to look over the recording from the day and mark any spots that I want to check out in more detail.
As I play it back, I can stop and drop a GPS mark on something interesting and upload it to the GPS to take a look at the next time I’m on the water.
Start Recording – Insert a memory card into the card slot. From a sonar view, select MENU > Record Sonar. Garmin says 15 minutes of sonar recording uses approximately 200 MB of space of the inserted memory card but I recorded several hours and only had a 980Mb file.
An individual recording automatically ends after it reaches 4 GB in size. You can record sonar data until the card reaches capacity.
Note: Before you can playback the sonar recordings, you must download and install the Garmin HomePort™ application and record sonar data onto a memory card.
Sonar History Rewind – As the echoMAP CHIRP 74sv records sonar you can go back and see what you previously went over by just tapping the screen and scrolling back. The amount of sonar history available to scroll back and the view is about from 2-3 screens wide.
The scroll speed will affect how you will have recorded. For example, if the GPS is set to a slower scroll speed in the sonar menu, the window of time the unit can rewind will be greater. If the device is set to its fastest scroll speed, you will see a smaller window of time within the sonar rewind.
If you see something good that you just marked, rewind the history, tap the screen and drop a waypoint on it to save it. The best honey holes are often found when moving from one location to another.
ClearVü SONAR – ClearVü scanning sonar is mainly used to find structure and gives you a nearly photographic image below the boat.
With ClearVü, you see structure, submerged objects, and fish separation more clearly.
echoMAP CHIRP 74sv – ClearVü Sonar
echoMAP CHIRP 74sv – ClearVü sonar
echoMAP CHIRP 74sv – ClearVü vs Traditional CHIRP
Instead of a cone-shaped beam like the traditional CHIRP sonar, ClearVü scanning sonar sweeps a narrow beam of very high-frequency from side to side, producing “slices” that are combined to create very detailed images.
Fish are easily identifiable on Traditional View with CHIRP whereas Structures are well defined using ClearVü.
For fishermen and divers looking for structures like wrecks, reefs, log piles and other underwater natural and man-made features, ClearVü is a great tool.
echoMAP CHIRP 74sv – CHIRP ClearVü Sonar scan
SideVü SONAR – SideVü is a high-frequency sonar that gives a true-to-life view of structures and targets on either side of the boat. Like ClearVü, SideVü scanning sonar sweeps a narrow beam of very high-frequency out to the side, producing “slices” that create very detailed images.
You see a very clear image that makes it easy to identify wrecks, structures, rocks, and even fish that are stacked up next to or above them.
The distance you can scan out to the side depends on the depth but can be usable out several hundred feet which is excellent for searching lots of areas quickly.
echoMAP CHIRP 74sv – CHIRP SideVü Sonar scans
echoMAP CHIRP 74sv – SideVü Sonar Screen
Panoptix Livescope – Panoptix all-seeing sonar is pretty amazing sonar technology. It gives us the ability to see all around the boat in real-time and in 3 dimensions.
Panoptix shows highly detailed, easy-to-interpret live scanning sonar images of structure, bait, and fish swimming below and around your boat in real-time, even when the boat is stationary.
Images are so clear, that Garmin says with a little practice, we might be able to identify species!
Both LiveScope Forward and LiveScope Down modes are included in one transducer and are available with either transom or trolling motor mounts. To use Panoptix sonar, you need a compatible chartplotter which the echoMAP CHIRP 74sv is and a compatible transducer.
Garmin | Panoptix Livescope Forward
Panoptix Livescope Forward is a cool tool for scouting and fishing out ahead of the boat. You get live, detailed images of structure and fish out to about 200′ – even while the boat is sitting in one spot.
Panoptix LiveScope Down gives us live scanning sonar images of structure and swimming fish in awesome detail below the boat up to 200′ out from the transducer.
Garmin | Panoptix Livescope Down
BlueChart g2 coastal – The echoMAP CHIRP 74sv comes preloaded with the latest BlueChart® g2 charts for the coastal U.S. Upgrading charts to BlueChart g2 Vision HD is easy with the microSD card slot located on the front of the device.
echoMAP CHIRP 74sv – Chart Detail & Auto Guidance
Garmin’s Auto Guidance technology – shows a suggested route to a destination, based on specs that you enter in the device like draft, and vertical height restrictions.
Note: Auto Guidance – * Requires g2 Vision HD chart upgrade.
echoMAP CHIRP 74sv – BlueChart g2 – Depth Range Shading
Depth Range Shading – is shown in high-resolution for up to 10 depth ranges, so you can see your needed depth at a glance by color.
echoMAP CHIRP 74sv – BlueChart g2 – 1′ depth contours
Detailed Contours – 1-foot contour lines that provide a more accurate look of bottom structure for improved fishing charts and enhanced detail in swamps, canals, and port layouts.
Quickdraw Contours instantly creates personalized HD maps with 1’ contours and depth labels for any body of water as you fish.
When Quickdraw Contours records data, a colored circle surrounds the vessel icon. This circle represents the approximate area of the map that is scanned by each pass. Quickly see where you have been.
The screen shows maps being created instantly in real-time. Easily add labels, mark timber, brush piles, favorite fishing spots, and anything you want to remember on your map for the next trip.
Improve Your Saltwater Maps & Uncover unknown areas – Many areas have no map detail. With Quickdraw, you can create maps that show you depth contours clearly labeled on the screen. You also can improve your existing maps that show locations of underwater mountains, drop-offs, crevices, or wrecks.
echoMAP CHIRP 74sv – Garmin Quickdraw Contours
The maps are all yours – tailor them to fit your needs. Keep the data for yourself, or share maps with others in the QuickDraw Community on Garmin Connect.
You can view Garmin Quickdraw Contours on a combination screen or as a single view on the map. The amount of saved data depends on the size of your memory card, your sonar source, and the speed of your boat as you record data.
You can record longer when you use a single-beam sonar. It is estimated that you might be able to record about 1,500 hours of data onto a 2 GB memory card.
When you record data on a memory card in your chartplotter, the new data is added to your existing Garmin Quickdraw Contours map and is saved on the memory card. When you insert a new memory card, the existing data does not transfer onto the new card.
Garmin SailAssist – Special preloaded sailing features such as lay lines, enhanced wind rose, heading and course-over-ground lines, true wind data fields, and tide/current/time slider.
For sail racing, there are pre-race guidance, synchronized race timer, virtual starting line, time to burn, and lay line data fields.
Garmin echoMAP CHIRP vs ECHOMAP Plus
Main Differences:
Resources:
Garmin echoMAP CHIRP 74sv | Help & Support
Garmin echoMAP CHIRP 74sv Software Updates
TheHullTruth – comparison thread CHIRP 94sv or ECHOMAP Plus 94sv
echoMAP CHIRP 74sv – Brochure
Rear Connections Include – 1-Power Connection, 1-NMEA 2000 Connection, 1-12 PIN Sonar Connection, and 1-Panoptix Port.
echoMAP CHIRP 74sv – Rear Connections
Quick-Release Mount – The mount features both tilt and swivel capabilities to provide a great viewing angle. Cables plug directly into the mount, for quick installation and removal at the end of the day.
echoMAP CHIRP 74sv – Quick Release Mount
Performance
Charting | Mapping
Fishfinder | Sounder
| Model | echoMAP CHIRP 74sv |
| Physical dimensions |
9.8"x5.5"x2" 25x13.9x5.1cm |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs. |
| Water rating | IPX7 |
| Display type | WVGA | KeyPad Control |
| Display size |
6.0" x 3.6" | 7" diagonal |
| Display resolution | 480 x 800 pixels |
| Display - Brightness | Not Available |
| Power consumption | 1A | 12V |
| GPS Antenna | Internal or external NMEA_2000 |
| GPS Receiver | 5 Hz GPS |
| Mounting options | Bail or flush |
| Model | echoMAP CHIRP 74sv |
| On-Board Memory | No |
| Accepts data cards | 1 microSD card | 32GB Max |
| Waypoints | 5,000 |
| Routes | 100 |
| Track log | 50,000 points; 50 saved tracks |
| Preloaded Maps | BlueChart® g2 Coastal |
| Tide Tables | Yes |
| Model | echoMAP CHIRP 74sv |
| Radar compatible | No |
| Sonar compatible |
Traditional CHIRP ClearVü CHIRP SideVü CHIRP Panoptix |
| Supports AIS | Yes |
| Weather | No |
| Supports DSC - GPS Data / VHF | Yes |
| Supports FUSION-Link | FUSION-Link |
| Black Box sonar support | No |
| Planning Software Compatible | No |
| App-Control Compatibility | No |
| Remote Input Device - compatible | No |
| Alarms |
Navigation Anchor Sonar |
| Model | echoMAP CHIRP 74sv |
| Transmit Power | 500W Traditional | 500W SideVü/ClearVü |
| Dual-frequency (50/200 kHz) sonar capable | Yes |
| Dual-Beam Sonar (77/200 kHz) capable | Yes - 50/200 | 77/200 | 83/200 |
| CHIRP sonar technology | CHIRP: 50-250 |
| ClearVü | Down | CHIRP ClearVü | 260/455/800kHz |
| SideVü | Side | CHIRP SideVü | 260/455/800kHz |
| Forward View | Panoptix |
| Model | echoMAP CHIRP 74sv |
| NMEA 2000 compatible | Yes |
| NMEA 0183 input ports | 1 |
| NMEA 0183 output ports | 1 |
| Marine Network Ports | 1 Panoptix |
| Video input ports | No |
| Video output ports | No |
| Wireless connectivity | No |
| BlueTooth connectivity | No |
| Model | echoMAP CHIRP 74sv |
| SEE PRICE »» |
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| Additional - 1 | Sailing Features |
| In The Box |
echoMAP CHIRP 74sv Preloaded - BlueChart g2 for U.S. Power/data cable Tilt mount with quick release cradle Flush mount Protective cover Hardware Documentation |
Garmin echoMAP CHIRP 74sv – Manual
echoMAP CHIRP 74sv – Installation Manual
Additional echoMAP CHIRP 74sv manuals from Garmin:
