Lowrance-waypoint entry

[Will S.]

I would like to bring my Lowrance unit in my office & connect to my computer to input some points. I already have a factory chip in my SD slot. What would power my Lowrance "away from the boat". AND can I save all my waypoints to an SD card & load onto my gps then put that topo card back in ? Or does it not work like that.

Would I have to sit in the boat and enter all the waypoint coordinates manually & save each one..

Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks, Bill 

[o2bnMO]

I just emailed lowrance support yesterday asking them how to view my card on a pc. this is their reply

" To view a pre-loaded map card on your pc you would need a program like Insight Planner"

Supposedly you can enter the waypoints directly onto the map while it's in the pc. If you try it lmk if it worked

[Will S.]

That is interesting. Are you able to attach your actual Lowrance unit (not the card)

to your PC ? That is what I want to do.

[o2bnMO]

Can't answer that. If your unit has a usb port I don't see why not. Whether you would be able to navigate to your map card or not is another question. I've never used insight planner. Just passing on the info I got from lowrance. I believe insight planner is about $30.00. I would like to see if it workd so I could mark some structure I see on Navionics wep app on my lake insight chip. I know I would have to find it on lake insight and mark a waypoint of each one manually. I know you can download a user manual for insight planner. That may help you out.

Manual  http://www.lowrance.com/Root/Lowrance-Documents/InsightPlannerGuide.pdf

[Will S.]

ok great !  Thanks for the info.

[jdmidwest]

You can only view the card.  You need a card reader or media slot on your computer.  I don't think they make a pc to nav unit connection other than wireless in the Waymarine units.

[Will S.]

Here is the real issue/plan... I have the NAVIONICS chip IN my Lowrance unit. I want to enter pots from "Hot Spots" into my unit. If I use a chip/card then I have to take OUT the Navionics card and insert the Hot Spots card. HOW do we get the information from BOTH cards to show on the unit at the same time. The Lowrance unit does not save the card info right ? It only kinda downloads or more accurately just reads the info on the card that is currently installed.

So if all this is correct above, then I am back to my original question REWORDED: Can I TRANSFER sd card information into to a Lowrance unit.

. Using an Elite 5DSI with only 1 card slot.

[Dutch]

I am not completely sure what you are attempting.  You say you want to enter "pots" from one card to another.  If you are talking about items that are listed and located on a mapping card the answer is NO.  The info on them is proprietary to them only.  Mapping cards are write protected and if you mess with them you will destroy them.

If on the other hand you are referring to waypoints, then they are stored in the unit head, not on the mapping card, and can be seen as overlay data on any mapping card you put in your unit.

If you will explain in more detail, I will be glad to try to help you.

[Will S.]

Further researching, I found my answer, I am trying the IMPORT waypoints from a sd card to the units memory.  I found a video on how to do it, convert files & upload to the unit & verified the capability of my Lowrance. So I believe life is good again ! I will be trying I all out the next day or two.

[Will S.]

UPDATE: SUCCESS Using a Hotspots map & Google Earth, I

1)saved waypoints to a folder in google earth.

2)Right Clicked Folder & said SAVE AS  name.KML

3)used a program https://kml2gpx.com/?results to convert KML files to GPX files

4) Saved GPX files to a folder

5)Copied GPX files to a 2G micro sd card (Lowrance only recognize 2g or smaller cards)

6)Put the card into the Lowrance, turned it on

7)selected waypoints-trails-routes

8)menu to:  Load from SD card

New waypoints saved to Lowrance internal memory. Removed GPX card. Put the Navionics card back in & all works great ! All this allowed me to save some HotSpots locations, and save locations of some people I know & places I want to return to (no waypoint for nude beach)