I have a Helix 7, G2, down and side. I bought a Smart Strike mapping card for it months ago and due to some health issues just got around to installing it. The Helix 7 is not reading the card, and I have no idea how to start solving the problem. Can someone please give me some pointers on how to start solving this problem. Thanks

Did you hit the "✓" button to get the smartsrtike option on the drop-down menu

I did not see a Smart Strike option on the drop down menu. All I am seeing is the base map info and settings. All the drop down menu are the same with the Smart Strike card in the slot or not in the slot.

Please bear with me, I am an Old and don’t understand what know or don’t know.

Have you tried going to your map screen, hit the ✓ button. You should then get a drop down menu in the upper left that has some options, one should be smartsrtike if you have the card in the unit

Scroll down till you find the helix instructions
https://www.humminbird.com/support/faqs/SmartStrikeUse

As a fellow old first make sure the map card is actually fully inserted in the card slot.

Humminbird HELIX How To Change Map Source

I am going to print out these instructions and take them with me the next time that I try. I do not believe that did everything that is described in these instructions. My boat in a barn and it may be a few days before I try again. Can this be done in the simulator mode or does gps need satellite connection?

Thanks for the help

Thanks, but I did make sure the card in inserted all the way. Multiple times.

Can be done in simulator or in the barn, don't need a gps fix to view map card

I always start with the obvious solution especially since I had problems in the past when trying to get my Helix 5 micro SD card inserted using my large fingers.

How to use Humminbird SmartStrike Map Card on HELIX

On mine, if you hit the check mark, and don't have a GPS fix, it just says NO GPS FIX, and does nothing. You can view the map, but none of the features on the smart strike card will work. In fact the entire menu won't come up at all.

On mine, I had no idea first time I turned it on, that you had to be on the map screen for it to do anything. If you aren't there, it won't do anything.

Thanks to each of you for the helpful inputs. I went to the boat barn Saturday armed with these inputs and finally got it to work. At first none of these suggestions worked then all of a sudden it started working. I think that somehow the card was not making contact, I was looking at the system screen and all of a sudden it showed that the card was installed. Then I could get all the Smart Strike card info in the Simulator mode but not on the normal setting, message came on the screen that it must have a lock on the satellites. So I am good to go now thanks to everyone’s help.