Lowrance Elite 9 Chirp Review: Lowrance Elite 9 CHIRP has a 5 out of 5 user rating based on 1 review. Every angler would prefer to be fishing rather than fiddling with equipment or scouting for a nice site. Lowrance, thankfully, took this into consideration when designing the Elite 9 CHIRP fish finder and chart plotter. It’s a great time saver because of its Straightforward setup, vivid HD display, and simple operation.
The machine is excellent out of the box, but Lowrance offers a number of software and hardware upgrades to expand the unit’s capabilities. The Elite 9 may appear to be expensive at roughly $1200, but it is well worth the money.
Hardware
The Elite 9 is all a high-end sonar/GPS should be in terms of hardware. The case and mounting brackets are made of composite material and are designed to withstand a variety of conditions. It is easy to set up and use because it works on a regular 12-volt power supply. There are just too many transducer possibilities to list here but be assured that they will meet your depth and accuracy requirements. The 9-inch HD display has enough room for up to three data screens to be displayed at once. A Micro-SD card slot with a large capacity is available for storing user data or upgrading the maps or software.
Getting Fish
This is where the unit shines the brightest. In real-time, it combines CHIRP sonar with DownScan imaging. The data is then displayed in an easy-to-read overlay display that provides clean, easy-to-read visuals at any zoom level. Differentiating structures, fish, and bottom readings is a snap thanks to advanced signal processing, which requires almost no changes. At higher speeds and deeper depths, the CHIRP sonar provides for the superior game and bait fish identification. It will take less time than ever to find the ideal area to drop anchor and begin casting.
Organizing Maps
The Elite 9 comes with maps of over 3,000 rivers and lakes in the United States, nearly guaranteeing that every trip is covered. To build accurate charts of regions of interest, sonar data can be uploaded to Lowrance’s Insight Genesis website for favorite fishing sites. There are several map upgrade packages available for purchase if you want even more detailed charts. Navionics HotMaps Premium, Lake or Nautic Insight PRO, and Fishing Hotspots PRO are among them. Those who choose the Insight Genesis premium members have access to a plethora of community information, including loads of recent user-generated data to aid in the selection of the best vacation spot.
Upgrades
The Elite 9 extends beyond boating aid into the realm of professional hydrographic equipment with potential software and hardware enhancements. The compatibility of Navtronics with C-Map allows for the incorporation of the most up-to-date nautical charts available. This, combined with an astounding variety of more accurate sonar transducer and GPS antenna modifications, allows this equipment to produce incredibly detailed charts at any depth. Professional chart makers can also use the Navico Cartography Toolkit, which is an optional add-on. A truly precise instrument is one that is accurate enough for expert cartographers.
For crisper, easier-to-see baitfish, and game fish targets, the Elite-9 CHIRP sonar provides better target resolution and higher noise rejection. Anglers may see better target separation at larger depths and plainly spot fish at increased boat speeds by concurrently displaying two user-selected ranges. The Elite-9 CHIRP can also provide a DownScan ImagingTM view of the region beneath the boat when used in conjunction with the Lowrance HDI Skimmer transducer, enabling picture-like views of the fish-holding structures.
DownScan Imaging and CHIRP Sonar in Lowrance
DownScan Imaging and CHIRP Sonar are combined in the Lowrance proprietary DownScan OverlayTM for a spectacular presentation that clearly exposes fish targets from surrounding structures. Anglers can use TrackBackTM to scroll back in recorded sonar history to study structure, transitions, and fish targets, as well as mark locations with a waypoint, cutting down on the time it takes to find lucrative fishing spots.
The Elite-9 CHIRP combination has a built-in GPS antenna that is extremely accurate. Lake InsightTM and Nautic InsightTM HD and PRO cartography, as well as Navionics +, HotMaps® Premium, Fishing Hotspots® PRO, and Jeppesen C-Map Max-N charts, may all be displayed using a micro SD card. The Insight GenesisTM map-creation tool, lets users create unique, high-resolution contour maps from recorded sonar logs, incorporating bottom-hardness and vegetation overlays, as well as Insight Genesis Social Map community chart sharing, is now compatible with all Elite-9 CHIRP equipment.
- Display Type: 16-bit color TFT
- Screen Size: 9″ diagonal
- Screen Resolution: 800 x 480
- Receiver Type: Internal high-sensitivity (WAAS + EGNOS + MSAS) with external antenna option
- Included Charts: Navionics +
- Dimensions: 11 1/16″W x 6 5/8″H x 3 1/8″D
- Transmit Power: Max 500W RMS (analog equivalent)
- Maximum Depth: DownScan Imaging™ at 455kHz: Max 300′; CHIRP High Range/200kHz: 1,000′; CHIRP Med Range/83kHz: 1,000′; CHIRP Low Range/50kHz: 3,000′
- Transducer: Sold separately
- NMEA Interface: NMEA 2000, NMEA 0183
- Waterproof Rating: IPX7
With depth capacities of 1,000′ and 3,000′, respectively, the Elite-9 CHIRP series offers HDI 83/200 kHz or HDI 50/200 kHz transducer options. Navionics + cartography for the United States, Canada, Alaska, the coastal Bahamas, the Great Lakes, and significant Canadian lakes are included in the Elite-9 Navionics + bundle. The Elite-9 CHIRP is the latest and largest in a series of award-winning Elite fishfinder/Chartplotter displays from LOWRANCE.
Produce and Display Numerous CHIRP sonar Frequency
The Elite-9 CHIRP series has a 9-inch widescreen display for improved viewing in direct sunlight. All Elite CHIRP models produce and display numerous CHIRP sonar frequency settings from a single Lowrance Skimmer transducer, and the Elite CHIRP line-up now includes 4-, 5-, 7-, and 9-inch fishfinder/Chartplotter versions, as well as standalone fishfinder displays. For crisper, easier-to-see baitfish, and game fish targets, the Elite-9 CHIRP sonar provides better target resolution and higher noise rejection. Anglers can easily see improved target separation at greater depths and plainly mark fish at faster boat speeds by concurrently displaying two user-selected ranges.
The Elite-9 CHIRP can also provide a DownScan Imaging view of the region beneath the boat when used in conjunction with the Lowrance HDI Skimmer transducer, allowing for picture-like views of the fish-holding structure. DownScan Imaging and CHIRP Sonar are combined in the Lowrance proprietary DownScan Overlay for a spectacular display that separates fish targets from the surrounding structures. Anglers can use TrackBackTM to scroll back in recorded sonar history to study structure, transitions, and fish targets, as well as mark locations with a waypoint, cutting down on the time it takes to find lucrative fishing spots.
The Elite-9 CHIRP has a built-in GPS antenna that is extremely accurate, as well as a regional base map. To view Navionics Plus and Jeppesen C-Map Max-N charts, a micro SD card can be purchased. The Insight Genesis map-creation tool, which allows users to create custom contour maps from recorded sonar logs, including bottom-hardness and vegetation overlays, as well as Insight Genesis Social Map community chart sharing, is compatible with all Elite-9 CHIRP systems.
Last Thoughts
While sticker shock may deter first-time purchasers, the investment is definitely worth it. Even the most ardent angler will find that the unit’s baseline features are more than adequate. The controls are simple to master and the design is solid. The unit’s capabilities can scale to meet any future need thanks to a slew of upgrades. If the need exceeds what this device can provide, surveying equipment will be required. The Lowrance Elite 9 CHIRP chart plotter and fish finder are well worth the money.
