Sonarchart live on you're Lowrance screen

[Andre wallyandre]

 

Here is what is coming out for Lowrance Live Mapping with SonarChart Live- What I know so far, subject to change…

➢ See below for effected units.
➢ Lowrance NOS 56 software update.
➢ Lowrance Units covered are-
• HDS Gen 3 12, 9, 7 Version 4.5
• HDS Gen 2 Touch 12, 9, 7
• HDS Gen 2 12, 9, 7
• Elite Ti version 2.5 
• Lowrance Carbon
➢ SonarChart Live data recorded in Lowrance and displayed live on screen. 
➢ SonarChart data is not recorded to the hard drive of the sonar, it is recorded to the Navionics card and Navionics card is required. (See below for required cards).
➢ Create High Definition 1’ contours. 
➢ Requires a Navionics mapping card with an active chart update subscription (Freshest Data).
➢ Navionics Cards needed-
• Hotmaps Platinum
• Platinum + 
• Navionics +
• Navionics + Regions
• Navionics Updates 
➢ Data recorded in Lowrance and stored on card is not shared to Navionics.
➢ Genesis / Lowrance nor Navionics gets NO LOGS or Data from Lowrance Plotter/Sonar. Data not shared.
➢ Adjust SonarChart contour density. 
➢ Update Navionics Mapping card in Lowrance Plotter via WI fi connection between Mobile device and Plotter. 
➢ Download updated charts and transfer routes and markers/waypoints via the innovative Plotter Sync capability of Navionics Boating apps without having to remove the Navionics card.
➢ If you choose to do SonarChart Live and want to update your Navionics SonarChart data on card or mobile device app you have to connect affected Lowrance Units via Wi fi to Navionics Mobile app and do SonarChart Live in the mobile device, which is then uploaded to Navionics and processed into the community SonarChart layer. You then do a Freshest Data update to card or mobile device. 
➢ Added functions-
• You can do plotter sync. 
• Shallow Water Highlight.
• Depth Highlight.
• Easy View.
• Transparency. 
• Navionics Dock-to-dock Autorouting creates intelligent, detailed routes, even through narrow passages and channels.

Edited December 24, 2016 by wallyandre

[justtracytrolling]

Love this feature on my helix. Anyone on a smaller body of water that needs an accurate map is gonna want this...sounds much better than the system they have now.

Justin Okrepki

NYSDEC licensed guide #7324

http://www.otiscolakeguideservice.com/

(607)-349-1750

[Prof T]

I got a good deal of experience over the past season using a Lowrance HDS 7 Touch and Insight Genesis. Justin can speak to the Helix, as well a Roybee. The ability of those units to generate a map on the go kicks the snot out of what I had to do. Glad to see Lowrance catching up with this upcoming season's offerings.

 

I've been really critical of Navionics mapping on the ST Lawrence even with Sonar Charts. As they say, DON'T RELY ON IT FOR NAVIGATION. Close in places, but definitely not in all. Bought a Navionics + upgrade when I got my unit but had to play games with my recorded sonar logs to get them to be recognized. $100 bucks wasted.

 

Switched to Insight Genesis and couldn't have been happier. Here's is how I had to do it, though. On each trip, I recorded a Sonar Log to my removable drug store SD card. This log associated sonar data to GPS coordinates for the trip. Once back, I upload via a laptop to my free Insight Genesis account. About a day later, the log is converted to a viewable map where you can see your trail over your newly created map, as well as a viewer of your sonar along that path. Next step is to generate a map for your specific depth finder that you have registered with them and download back to your SD card. Inert the card back into your unit and you have a 100% accurate map of the area you recorded in 1 ft contours. 

 

I made over 30 individual recordings, each time broadening my maps to include the fringes of the areas previously recorded as well as new areas. New maps need to be merged with the original before downloading to the card because the unit can only recognize one map on the card. Essentially you end up with one big chart. If it sounds cumbersome you're right. But it's awesome!

 

My maps put me on fish. I found shoals not found on any charts. I found shelves that held fish, and flats that extended well beyond what I thought. I'm a pinpoint, slow troller and can follow edges incredibly accurately. LOTS of walleyes payed the price.

 

The big drawbacks for me are the obvious hassle of recording, removing, uploading, generating, merging, downloading, reinserting before I can see my map. Another unforeseen shortcoming is that while viewing your map, areas that you have not logged have no background map and you are "blind" to contours, depths and obstacles out there. Also, my HDS 7 Gen 2 Touch has only 1 card slot, so I can't easily flip between the Insight Genesis map on SD card and other maps for general navigation. (I get around that because I have a networked HDS 8 Gen 1 running simultaneously). Once you have it, though, it's yours, and doesn't have to be shared unless you want it to.

 

Looks like the new generation addresses these issues. Again, you can get there if you have the older stuff, just takes a while to learn how.