Fishfinder/Chartplotter combos

[Giterdone]

Just bought a Lowrance 525c combo and apparantly they come with a very basic map of vancouver island area. Another 200 bucks for a map of around here, any way or where of maybe downloading maps and putting them on my own SD card a little more economically? Not being a cheap skate but the 699. for the unit already takes a lot of gas out of the boat. Thanks.

 

[Fish Nutz]

Where did you see a chip for 200 the best i've seen is 250

 

[Giterdone]

Well 200 give or take. It was at West Marine in Nanaimo.

 

[Fish Nutz]

As far as I know the Navonics chip is the only way to do it. I'm pretty sure you can't copy a chip onto another SD with your comp although I haven't tried. I'm in the same boat as you. I'll just eventually have to suck it up and buy one. I did find one on a website int he states for 200 but i'm sure by the time it got here it would cost the same.

 

[Giterdone]

On the other hand Harbour Chandler has one, can't remember brand but it was 100 bucks more than the Lowrance and comes with the Map for either BC or Canada. Have'nt installed the Lowrance yet so maybe I'd be better off taking it back and getting the one at HC.

 

[Gypseas]

Seen them gold navionics for about 150 on boatersland

 

[Kris]

I am not so computer savy, but my little brother claims (and I have seen them) to be using "torent files" to download these maps onto an SD card. He did it for his new Garmin 520, and has ALL the maps that are available in the world for this including ALL of the west coast...He spent about 3 days downloading them...AWSOME DETAIL, he says that they are available for any Garmin or Lowrance procuct...although I don't have a friggin' clue how to do it.

 

[Poe]

quote:Originally posted by Kris

I am not so computer savy, but my little brother claims (and I have seen them) to be using "torent files" to download these maps onto an SD card. He did it for his new Garmin 520, and has ALL the maps that are available in the world for this including ALL of the west coast...He spent about 3 days downloading them...AWSOME DETAIL, he says that they are available for any Garmin or Lowrance procuct...although I don't have a friggin' clue how to do it.

Does he have which torrent sites and the file names to look for?

I can do this if I know where to look.

 

[spitfire]

I believe the Navionics Gold chip is $199 at Harbour Chandler or West Marine,and both stores have units which include the chip.

 

[Giterdone]

Thanx for all the replies guys. Unfortunately yesterday wasn't a good day for me for shopping, for some reason no matter where I went everybody seemed to be peocuppied with something else more important than a sale. I was so pissed by the end of the day that I sent my sister in law back to West Marine to pick up the Lowrance 525c. Yes Harbour Chandler does have a unit that comes with BC map but the price was a little high. Gypseas is right, I looked on Boatersland and they have the Silver Canada All in One for 117.99 or BC Gold+ for 176.99 + shipping and taxes. Not much of a saving, 23 bucks or so. Oh well lets see, new map or gas and fishing license, tough choice eh?

 

[Last Chance]

quote:Originally posted by Poe

quote:Originally posted by Kris

I am not so computer savy, but my little brother claims (and I have seen them) to be using "torent files" to download these maps onto an SD card. He did it for his new Garmin 520, and has ALL the maps that are available in the world for this including ALL of the west coast...He spent about 3 days downloading them...AWSOME DETAIL, he says that they are available for any Garmin or Lowrance procuct...although I don't have a friggin' clue how to do it.

Does he have which torrent sites and the file names to look for?

I can do this if I know where to look.

Been there, done that, did he put them in a Garmin and see them work? The way they secure the cards is cut the sector size in half, from 512byte to 256 byte. You can read and write them just fine, but I worked at it for a whole month (I've been in IT for years), and couldn't get it to work for Lowrance Navionics. If he did, hat's off to him!

 

[Giterdone]

Here's a real shot in the dark and dirty but I don't suppose anybody has one they'd like to part with eh? Never know if ya don't ask.

 

[Kris]

Hey LC and others,...He said the SD card that he bought wouldn't work with the garmin, but somhow re-wrote the what ever in the who now to make it work...I didn't really understand what he said. He has a couple of 2GB cards that he has seperated everything on by Area/Province/County.

He is a tech guy, and when I take him fishing he is always farting around with the electronics, and brings his laptop and satpphone to do what ever he does...

I know that probably doesn't help...I'll give him a call tonight and ask him what he did...or better yet have him email it to me so I can post what he did on here!!

 

[SeaWolf]

I have the XL3 Gold Chip that covers Victoria to Hakai. I'd let it go for $125 if you are interested.

 

[Kris]

My bro said he found all the files on "ISO HUNT". He said it is pretty easy to do,...he is a tech guy, and nothing he seems to think is easy really is for me anyway.

Cheers

 

[Fish Nutz]

What he did use to search for it on there?

 

[dohboy]

i have recently seen a navionics card for sale on usedvictoria, and every so often in the buy,sell&trade

 

[Giterdone]

quote:Originally posted by Kris

My bro said he found all the files on "ISO HUNT". He said it is pretty easy to do,...he is a tech guy, and nothing he seems to think is easy really is for me anyway.

Cheers

It's all for
Garmin not Lowrance

 

[Rum Buddies]

I download torrent files all the time and YES you can download them:

http://torrentz.ws/search/Navionics

But just putting them on an SD card and putting them in your unit won't work. The real cards are not just files dumped on an SD card they are encrypted to prevent just the thing you guys are talking about.

It doesn't work. Thats why if you need a special card reader from Lowrance if you want to use the real cards on your computer: http://www.keenzo.com/showproduct.asp?M=LOWRANCE&ID=672336&ref=GB

 

[Kris]

My bro has found a way to make it work!! He has all the maps one could ever dream of having, and they work great. We used them several times last year, and a couple of times this year.