Garmin Echomap 73SV

8.9
8.9 score
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Garmin Echomap 73SV Review Facts

How often do you return empty-handed after a fishing trip? Do you want to take your fishing skills to the next level? The Garmin Echomap 73SV is among the best technology devices around. Everything needed for fishing under all conditions, in any setting, and any water is offered in the 73SV. Fish can even be found in ice with the fish finder. Garmin is a trusted brand in the industry.

Fishing is more relaxed and a lot more fun with a Garmin Echomap 73SV. The device offers clear sonar images and the best echolocations. What else do you need for a fishing expedition? The sonar technology used in the device is an excellent addition to any boat, even if the user is not going fishing. It provides a clear view and image of everything below and on the sides of the boat. Navigation is more straightforward, and the user has information about the water below the surface. Target definition and separation are significantly defined because more concentrated energy is used on the target than other sonars. Reviewers graded the Ease of Use as a B, Price B-, Availability A-, and Quality A. Overall, the Garmin Echomap 73SV reviews are very complimentary. Even if consumers found an aspect they like to see improved; they judged the device highly on other issues. Most clients were impressed with the addition to the transducer that complements its sonar technology. Verified customer feedback from those who purchased the Garmin Echomap 73SV has earned the recommendation to be used on all fishing and boating expeditions.

Editor's Pros & Cons
Pros
  • 7-inch keypad control and color display
  • Effective internal GPS
  • Effortless to install, operate, and use
  • Fast and accurate
  • High CHIRP sonar, SideVu, and ClearVu united for comprehensive imagery
  • MicroSD card reader to add maps
  • More than 17,000 preloaded LakeVu maps
  • Navigates a safe passage easily
  • Screen has keypad control and WVGA display
  • Sleek design
  • Sonar features include A-scope, split-zoom, fish symbols, and bottom lock
  • Sonar rewind and recording storage capabilities
Cons
  • NMEA 2000 adapter cable not included
  • Numerical readings are sometimes incorrect
  • User manual is for all Echomap series models

Basic Features

The fish finder is well-equipped with the features necessary to find fish of all shapes and sizes regardless of the fishing style. The high-end 73SV fishfinder comes with LakeVu preloaded maps, 500-watt RMS power, trolling motor transducer, and a seven-inch screen.

Several essential items come with the unit. They include a user manual, a flush in-dash mounting, a Gimbal mount that swivels and tilts, and a data and power cable. The user manual is not specifically for the 73SV. It covers all the Echomap series models.

Advanced Features

The Panoptix Livevu Forward sonar technology offers live feeds of what happens below the boat while fishing. A live feed provides an advantage to position the net correctly when fish have been located. It offers a view of reactions caused by the boat and net in detail. Fishers experience the thrill of watching their nets make great catches that the ripple effects that are created.

The GPS fish finder technology makes fishing more exciting. Preferred sites can be saved on micro SD cards for future reference. There is a micro SD card port, and the device can be upgraded if desired.

The Quickdraw Contours Software is a handy feature when fishing in remote settings. Users are vocal about the versatility of this product. Features they like most include the sizable screen and GPS with waypoint plotting. The auto-brightness function is another popular feature. It allows the screen to be seen in direct sunlight.

Use

The Garmin Echomap 73SV has the recording capability that enables smooth playback on a computer. Garmin went the extra mile with the device. It has twice as many freshwater and lake maps for the US that give a detailed view of marina campgrounds, fishing areas, docks, highways, interstates, and more.

A minimum depth can be set to shallow water shading to give much-needed freedom for using the device on a body of water that is not preloaded. When the angler can see what happens beneath the boat, the fishing experience is more exciting.

The 73SV is an excellent accessory for all water activities. It offers versatile information for all bodies of water as well as the location of underground obstacles. The HD echolocations feature of the Echomap 73SV is responsible for that capability. Using the device creates a different kind of fishing experience.

Custom lake maps can be created to find fish with the use of free Quickdraw contour software. It is an excellent feature that makes an ideal piece to use where no maps exist. In unfamiliar territory, the 73SV can be used with the Garmin app to land at a location while avoiding dangerous areas such as underwater rocks and sandbars.

The app automatically plots the safest and shortest route for the watercraft. New paths can be created with the feature. The device may be too bulky for canoe or kayak fishing. The fish finder is portable but not suitable for shore fishing.

Not only does the GPS provide the users with their locations, but it can also be used to find a favorite fishing spot with the auto-guidance function safely. The fish finder offers the ability for anglers to up their trolling game. More fish are seen off the side of the boat or in correlation to where gear is running. The user can see where schools move off to the side.

Connectivity

Three sonar frequency ranges make capturing detailed shallow water information possible. The 73SV provides tremendous navigational benefits. The built-in GPS as an internal antenna that allows storing 100 routes and 5000 waypoints.

Three sonar types - ClearVu, SideVu, and 2D CHIP sonars - are supported by the transducer. The transducer has a 12-pin connector, a transom mount, and a thermometer. CHIRP 2D sonar has a frequency range between 150 and 240 kHz emitted by a conical beam with an angle between 16 and 24 degrees.

Depth coverage is possible because the control unit also produces 2D sonar frequencies of 50, 77, and 83 kHz. High-frequency beams emitted from ClearVu sonar provide high-resolution bottom structure and fish representations that are below the boat.

SideVu beams on both sides of the boat extend several hundred feet. They emit beams for detailed imagery at 455 and 800 kHz. The control unit features Wi-Fi and NMEA 2000 connectivity options and has fitted NMEA 0183 parts. Users can sync the fish finder with a tablet or smartphone for added functionality. The Active Captain app is compatible with the 73SV.

Power Source

The Echomap 73SV is battery powered operated. There is a red wire to connect to the positive terminal and a black wire that connects to the negative. It is also an NMEA 0183 compatible device and can be connected via Wi-Fi.

A software update card must be obtained or the latest software loaded to a memory card before the software can be updated. The process takes several minutes. On-screen instructions are provided. When the update process is complete, regular operation returns.

Accuracy

A sensor is built in that also displays speed and water temperature. It is an accurate and powerful fish finder. The device effectively reveals marine life events up to approximately 1100 feet and of freshwater aquatic life up to 2300 feet.

There are a few drawbacks. In water shallower than four feet, water depth readouts are inaccurate at times. Inaccuracy also occurs when the watercraft travels at high speeds, or the bottom structure is non-porous and hard.

Durability

It is waterproof and cannot be damaged when it comes in contact with water. The screen is rugged and has the features needed to find fish at a 2300-foot depth.

Ease of Use

Reviewers have expressed mixed opinions about the ease of the use. The majority sing its praises. Newbies that have never used a fish finder may take a bit of time to become accustomed. Many say it is effortless to understand how to operate a simple device.

The quick and easy setup and installation is another benefit of the fish finder, even if watercraft has no mounting mounts. A flush mount template is provided for those who want to mount it directly to the boat.

Display

It has a seven-inch widescreen display with a unique design for seeing clearly. There is room for backlight modification with the GPS. Garmin incorporated DownVu sonar tech that provides an excellent view of water activity.

Along with the Echomap, users see a perfect view of types of fish and structures located in various parts of a lake. A mapping system is designed to help navigate any lake or water easily. The Garmin Echomap 73SV shows over 17,000 reservoirs, lakes, and rivers in standard detail. Contouring shading is provided for in-depth recognition.

Sonar determines the quality of the images seen beneath the water. The image is not static. It is a clear image in real time. The fish finder freshens up as many as five times each second to provide real-life time images.

Those who need clarity, as to where fish are and how deep, would be wise to choose the Echomap 73SV. It has DownVu scanning technology and a multi-colored display. The DownVu images are of superior crispness and clarity.

Clear images can differentiate between fish and vegetation. A split screen allows viewing two different things simultaneously. A panoptic port can be added to the device’s transducer. Users can see things as they are whether moving on the river or static. Events happening 100 feet away can be examined to determine if fish are moving towards bait or no.

Its seven-inch touchscreen is among the most prominent features. The control interface of the unit is user-friendly, customizable, and intuitive. The homepage can be customized with access to apps that are used regularly. Several split-screen options are offered. Up to three apps per view can be added.

Price

For years, Garmin has produced some of the most reliable fish finders. Choosing the Echomap 73SV is an ideal choice to assure investment in a quality product. The 73SV is more expensive than the comparable competition because it offers a WVGA display that its competitors do not.

It also stores more routes and waypoints. Maximum depth of approximately 800 feet more than comparable models is another significant difference. The 73V offers an overall value with a range of fishing settings. The built-in GPS is a high-value navigational feature many other similarly priced fishfinders don’t have.

Key Features

* 7-inch color display
* Built-in 500W DownVu sonar
* Dual beam transducer having built-in temperature sensors
* Easily records and playback
* Internal GPS updates for making and returning to waypoints accurately
* LakeVu HD maps
* Preloaded with quickdraw contour software that creates custom HD maps
* Super sharp screen
* Traditional HD-ID sonar scanning
* Transducer enabled with CHIRP ClearVu/SiteVu and Wide CHIRP
* Wireless connectivity capability

Bottom Line

It is an ideal fish finder for every fisherman struggling to find the most convenient means for locating fish in the sea. The device is an effortless way to monitor activity in the sea and find hiding places of fish. Garmin fishfinders are popular because they have user-friendly interfaces and CHIRP technology.

Finding a good fishing spot is one of the biggest challenges when fishing on a bota. Underwater timber, rocks, and vegetation are sometimes home to fish species anglers want to target. Seeing those locations and the fish around them is a problem.

A fish finder such as the Garmin Echomap 73SV puts fish finding frustration in the past. There are many features to love about the high-end fish finder. The design allows for optimal customizability and usability to eliminate frustration and reduce the learning curve.

For those who like to review fishing activities, the rewind and sonar recording feature is incredibly valuable. CHIRP technology provides the best possible target separation, definition, and clarity. In general, the 73SV is an excellent addition to a boat fisherman’s gear. A large screen accommodates up to three apps at once. CHIRP technology adds clarity and depth. A large seven-inch screen and GPS meet the navigational need of the user.