New for Minn Kota 2019
What's new for Minn Kota in 2019?
With the turn of a new calendar year, we also have a wide variety of new tools from Humminbird and Minn Kota to help us find and catch more fish. Here’s an overview of what’s new for Minn Kota:
The biggest and most exciting change you’ll encounter from Minn Kota is the integration of new Down Imaging transducers into the lower units of select Ulterra, Terrova, Ultrex, and Fortrex motors.
The integrated Down Imaging element addresses one of the primary concerns that anglers have whenever they mount a transducer on their motor’s lower unit, that being, “how can I get a clean install and protect all of the transducer’s components, including the cable?”
We have had the opportunity to use an Ulterra 112 with an integrated DI transducer for several months now and can tell you from first-hand experience that they work great!
The transducer is fully protected within a robust aluminum housing. There are no C-clamps or zip ties to get in the way. The installation is clean, and the cable (because it runs within the shaft) is completely protected from getting pinched during motor stow, deploy, trim, or just general use.
The Down Imaging returns from the transducer are completely comparable to those we obtain from MEGA Down Imaging on our console units. Happily, Minn Kota and Humminbird engineers have found a way to eliminate the trolling motor interference that can occur, especially with high-frequency imaging techniques, so that Down Imaging from the bow transducer on the trolling motor is as crisp and clean as we see at the transom. Down Imaging is available in all 3 frequency ranges (455 kHz, 800 kHz, and the MEGA frequency of 1.2 MHz), and if the motor is connected to a HELIX G3N unit or a SOLIX G2 unit, also provides the extended range of MEGA DI+. The integrated transducer not only provides Down Imaging, but also Dual Spectrum CHIRP 2D sonar for any SOLIX (G2/G1) or HELIX (G3/G2/G1) unit. This is truly the best of both worlds.
Some additional tidbits:
If you want to use a HELIX G3 or G2 unit with the new Minn Kota Down Imaging motors, you’ll need a new sonar adapter. HELIX 12-10-9-8 units will use the new MKR-MDI-1 while HELIX 7 and 5 units will use the new MKR-MDI-2 adapter.
If you want to use a SOLIX unit with the new Minn Kota Down Imaging motors, you will NOT need a sonar adapter. These motors come “pre-wired” for SOLIX, so adding an integrated DI motor to SOLIX network will be plug-and-play.
All HELIX G2/G2N and SOLIX G1 units require a software update to be able to drive these new transducers. These instructions will walk you through the process.
HELIX G1, Humminbird core units (like the 1100/900/800/700/500 series), and locators from other manufacturers are not compatible with these Minn Kota motors with integrated Down Imaging elements. Minn Kota still offers trolling motors with traditional Universal Sonar for these applications.
The biggest and most exciting change you’ll encounter from Minn Kota is the integration of new Down Imaging transducers into the lower units of select Ulterra, Terrova, Ultrex, and Fortrex motors.
The integrated Down Imaging element addresses one of the primary concerns that anglers have whenever they mount a transducer on their motor’s lower unit, that being, “how can I get a clean install and protect all of the transducer’s components, including the cable?”
We have had the opportunity to use an Ulterra 112 with an integrated DI transducer for several months now and can tell you from first-hand experience that they work great!
The transducer is fully protected within a robust aluminum housing. There are no C-clamps or zip ties to get in the way. The installation is clean, and the cable (because it runs within the shaft) is completely protected from getting pinched during motor stow, deploy, trim, or just general use.
The Down Imaging returns from the transducer are completely comparable to those we obtain from MEGA Down Imaging on our console units. Happily, Minn Kota and Humminbird engineers have found a way to eliminate the trolling motor interference that can occur, especially with high-frequency imaging techniques, so that Down Imaging from the bow transducer on the trolling motor is as crisp and clean as we see at the transom. Down Imaging is available in all 3 frequency ranges (455 kHz, 800 kHz, and the MEGA frequency of 1.2 MHz), and if the motor is connected to a HELIX G3N unit or a SOLIX G2 unit, also provides the extended range of MEGA DI+. The integrated transducer not only provides Down Imaging, but also Dual Spectrum CHIRP 2D sonar for any SOLIX (G2/G1) or HELIX (G3/G2/G1) unit. This is truly the best of both worlds.
Some additional tidbits:
If you want to use a HELIX G3 or G2 unit with the new Minn Kota Down Imaging motors, you’ll need a new sonar adapter. HELIX 12-10-9-8 units will use the new MKR-MDI-1 while HELIX 7 and 5 units will use the new MKR-MDI-2 adapter.
If you want to use a SOLIX unit with the new Minn Kota Down Imaging motors, you will NOT need a sonar adapter. These motors come “pre-wired” for SOLIX, so adding an integrated DI motor to SOLIX network will be plug-and-play.
All HELIX G2/G2N and SOLIX G1 units require a software update to be able to drive these new transducers. These instructions will walk you through the process.
HELIX G1, Humminbird core units (like the 1100/900/800/700/500 series), and locators from other manufacturers are not compatible with these Minn Kota motors with integrated Down Imaging elements. Minn Kota still offers trolling motors with traditional Universal Sonar for these applications.