Modern Humminbird fish finders like the APEX, XPLORE, and SOLIX series are equipped with advanced networking capabilities that allow multiple devices and sensors to share data. While this creates a powerful and flexible system, it also means that selecting the correct data source is essential for accurate performance and reliable readings.
Whether you're troubleshooting inconsistent sonar returns, optimizing your GPS accuracy, or simply customizing your setup, knowing how—and why—to change the data source selection is key. This guide will walk you through understanding and adjusting your data sources with step-by-step instructions.
Select or Change Data Sources
Select Sources Automatically (default)
Auto-Configure is turned on by default, so the instructions in this section are only necessary if you’ve manually changed the source selection and want to return to a source being chosen automatically.
- Press the HOME key.
- Select Settings.
- Select Data Sources.
- Select a Data Category, and select the data type under that category.
Select Auto-Configure. Tap the on/off button, or press the ENTER key, to turn it on.
Select Sources Manually (optional)
Use the instructions in this section to manually select a source.
- Press the HOME key.
- Select Settings.
- Select Data Sources.
- Select a Data Category, and select the data type under that category.
- Select Auto-Configure. Tap the on/off button, or press the ENTER key, to turn it off.
Select a source from the list.
Understanding Data Box Digital Readouts
The table below outlines the available data box options for both the Standard and Navigation data bars. It also includes additional options specific to vessel, wind, and engine data. The visibility and availability of these data boxes depend on the equipment installed and the data sources selected within the Humminbird or NMEA 2000 network.
| Label | Name | Description | Data Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alt | Altitude | The height measurement above sea level. | Vessel |
| AWA | Apparent Wind Angle | The direction of wind relative to the bow of the vessel. | Wind |
| AWS | Apparent Wind Speed | The speed of wind with respect to the speed of the vessel. | Wind |
| Brg | Bearing | The compass direction from the vessel position to the next waypoint or route point. | Navigation |
| Brg (End) | Bearing (To End) | The compass direction from the vessel position to the final point in a route. | Navigation |
| Course | Course | The intended direction of travel measured between the start point and end point. | Navigation |
| CMG | Course Made Good | The bearing from your starting position to the present vessel position. The goal is to have CMG and Track equal to the same number. | Navigation |
| COG | Course Over Ground | The current direction the boat is traveling measured in degrees from North. When the COG is equal to Bearing, the boat is said to be on course and will arrive at the destination in the most efficient manner. | Vessel |
| CTS | Course to Steer | The heading that must be maintained in order to reach the planned destination. | Navigation |
| Depth (#) | Depth | The depth of the water from the transducer or digital depth sensor to the bottom. This measurement includes the depth offset setting. | Depth |
| Dest Wpt ID | Next Waypoint | The next point (waypoint, route point, Man Overboard point, etc.) that the vessel is navigating towards in a route or other navigation mode. | Navigation |
| DBT | Depth Below Transducer | The depth of the water below the transducer. This measurement does not include the depth offset setting. | Depth |
| DMG | Distance Made Good | The straight line distance actually traveled between the start position to the current vessel position. | Navigation |
| DTG | Distance to Go | The distance between the vessel position and the next waypoint or route point. | Navigation |
| Eng Temp (#) | Engine Temperature | The engine temperature from the engine source. | Engine |
| Eng Volt (1) | Engine Voltage | The power supplied to the engine source. | Engine |
| ETA | Estimated Time of Arrival | The estimated time of arrival to the next waypoint on the route. | Navigation |
| Fuel (#) | Fuel Level | The fuel level of the fuel source. | Fuel |
| Hdg | Heading | The direction the boat is pointing, measured in degrees. Due to wind and waves, the boat is often traveling in a slightly different direction than its heading. See Course Over Ground (see COG). | Vessel |
| Heat Index | Heat Index | The perceived temperature derived from air temperature and relative humidity. | Environment |
| Next Turn | Next Turn | The course of the next route leg with respect to the current heading. | Navigation |
| Odo | Odometer | The distance traveled. | Vessel |
| Pitch | Pitch | The rotation angle of the boat from front to back (bow to stern). | Vessel |
| Position (#) | GPS | The latitude and longitude coordinates of the vessel position based on the GPS receiver installation location. | Vessel |
| Roll | Roll | The rotation angle of the boat from side to side (port to starboard). | Vessel |
| ROT | Rate of Turn | The rate at which the boat is turning, measured in degrees per second. | Vessel |
| RPM | Revolutions Per Minute | The number of engine revolutions per minute. | Engine |
| SMG | Speed Made Good | The distance from the starting waypoint on the route divided by the time elapsed since starting navigation on the route. | Speed |
| SOG | Speed Over Ground | The measurement of the boat’s progress across a given distance and the speed measurement provided by GPS. SOG is optimal for navigation because accurate destination times can be derived from this measurement. | Speed |
| STW | Speed Through Water | The measurement of the flow past the boat, which may vary depending on current speed and direction. | Speed |
| Temp (#) | Water Temperature | The detected water temperature. | Environment |
| Temp (Air) | Air Temperature | The detected air temperature. | Environment |
| TTG | Time to Go | The estimated time required to reach the next waypoint on the route. TTG is calculated using the SOG (Speed Over Ground) and DTG (Distance to Go). | Navigation |
| TWA | True Wind Angle | The wind angle detected when the vessel is stationary. | Wind |
| TWS | True Wind Speed | The wind speed detected when the vessel is stationary. | Wind |
| VMG | Velocity Made Good | The speed of travel relative to the next waypoint on the route. | Speed |
| XTE | Cross Track Error | The straight-line distance of the boat from the intended Track. XTE measures how far the boat is off course. | Navigation |
