Lowrance HDS 5 with Navionics maps

[Tredeb]

Hey all,

I am thinking of purchasing a Lowrance HDS 5 as an upgrade for my fish finder. I was hoping to find someone who has used the navionics Canada lakes map chip and get some input as to the usefulness of the maps on the chip. I fish in northern Alberta and Saskatchewan and am wondering if it is worth the purchase.

Any input on the Lowrance or the navionics maps, would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[bubba 96]

The cards b4 last yr did not have a lot of ab lakes on it, i was talking to a guy at the fishing hole when the outdoorsman show was here and the new card released this yr is supose to have most of the lakes around here and bc..bubba

[baz]

Just go to the Navionics website and it tells you which lakes are offered in the various provinces. I have the HDS 5X and it works great, however didn't find out until to late that you need the HDS 5 or higher to insert the chip.
Baz

[dugh]

We use a Lowrance with a 2008 Western Canada chip. So far it has had all the lakes we've fished, Cold, Wolf, Pinehurst. Wabasca, Rock Island and Francois Lake BC. It would be great for lakes with a lot of islands as you can follow your trail back, if unfamiliar with the lake. It doesn't mark fish worth a darn tho, so we carry a portable Garmen along with us. But it is a good navigation tool.
Doug

[Kingfisher]

I went to the Navionics website. http://www.navionics.com/Default.asp I see the list of lakes for Canada and there are lots for Alberta and BC. I wanted to buy the chip. But I don't see anywhere on their site where you can buy one. Any idea where to get one? Maybe I'm just blind in one eye and can't see out of the other.

Rob

[dugh]

We got our chip at The Fishin Hole in Edmonton, BPS and WSS should have them as well.
Doug

[jacob1202]

yeah they sell them at the fishin hole... i beleive they are 180$ or so

[nicemustang]

Yes bass pro has the navoncis chip.

[DarkAisling]

Is this the one?:
https://www.thefishinhole.com/index.cfm?imageSku=3866670&enlargeSkuz=25894&C=10B&GETPRODUCTSBYCLASSG=10B&D=10

[Tredeb]

The hotmaps premium is the one I am looking at. After my post, I called navionics and they were quite helpful.

The premium and the platinum versions have the same lakes in them. The platinum has more detail and actual satellite imagery for select lakes. There is no 3D imagery on the premium version. That said, most of the lakes, (the ones in red on their site), that have the 3D detail, are in ontario and quebec. None of the lakes I frequent have the 3d detail, so the rep at Navionics said I would get the same info with premium or platinum.

I also questioned her regarding the resolution of the depths. She said that some were detailed, and some were not. It was depending on the data that they were supplied with. Some lakes were every 5 feet some were every 10 feet.

Funny to note that she felt some of the data was odd as it went 3ft, 7ft, 10 ft. I realized later that these lakes must have been done in metres and been rounded off to the nearest foot.

Thanks to all for the input. I think I will get the Premium version and see how it works. Hopefully it is useful on the lakes I fish.

[Tredeb]

FWIW, I was in the fishin hole in Edmonton on sunday and they have a show coming up this weekend. They said there will be some discount on their Lowrance equipment. I was dissapointed that there seemed to be no way for me to get the disount without attending their show.

Just went to Edmonton for the boat show, so I don't think I will go back this weekend just for a fishfinder.

cheers

[bubba 96]

I went to the Navionics website. http://www.navionics.com/Default.asp I see the list of lakes for Canada and there are lots for Alberta and BC. I wanted to buy the chip. But I don't see anywhere on their site where you can buy one. Any idea where to get one? Maybe I'm just blind in one eye and can't see out of the other.

Rob

Yes this years 2010 updated card has all lakes now try last yrs card 2009 and it will be a bit diffrent..Maybe 4 lakes in ab..

[nicemustang]

The hotmaps premium is the one I am looking at. After my post, I called navionics and they were quite helpful.

The premium and the platinum versions have the same lakes in them. The platinum has more detail and actual satellite imagery for select lakes. There is no 3D imagery on the premium version. That said, most of the lakes, (the ones in red on their site), that have the 3D detail, are in ontario and quebec. None of the lakes I frequent have the 3d detail, so the rep at Navionics said I would get the same info with premium or platinum.

I also questioned her regarding the resolution of the depths. She said that some were detailed, and some were not. It was depending on the data that they were supplied with. Some lakes were every 5 feet some were every 10 feet.

Funny to note that she felt some of the data was odd as it went 3ft, 7ft, 10 ft. I realized later that these lakes must have been done in metres and been rounded off to the nearest foot.

Thanks to all for the input. I think I will get the Premium version and see how it works. Hopefully it is useful on the lakes I fish.

Good to know, great post. Thx

[huntsfurfish]

Tredeb

What kind of savings on HDS units at the FH show in Edmonton?

[DarkAisling]

Funny to note that she felt some of the data was odd as it went 3ft, 7ft, 10 ft. I realized later that these lakes must have been done in metres and been rounded off to the nearest foot.

That is a very common issue that I deal with at work :( While it isn't an issue most of the time, it makes a real mess when I have 1/2 a map that was collected and contoured in feet and 1/2 a map that was collected and contoured in metres: my contours don't match and it looks like garbage.

I suspect it is the older data that was collected in feet. For the sake of consistency whoever processed the data really should have re-run the bathymetric contours on the product instead of just converting the numbers.

I don't have my HDS5 yet (will have it on Friday thanks to Kingfisher! Very excited :)), so I'm not sure where the cards go into them. Is the slot easy to access? The MicroSD card on my Garmin handheld is in a dumb place (behind the batteries), and it annoys me.

[nicemustang]

Its right on the front under a rubber cover. Make sure you update the firmware on the HDS 5 before you load the navonics chip, or it won't work! Directions and downloads available on the lowerance site.

[Tredeb]

Tredeb

What kind of savings on HDS units at the FH show in Edmonton?

They did not say, for sure. Up to 10% off was their estimate. They had to wait for Lowrance as it was a factory discount.

[huntsfurfish]

Thanks Tredeb!

Looking to buy a bunch of stuff.

Lowrance HDS 8, HDS 7, LSS-1

Minn Kota iPilot and extra receiver.

Wondering if it is worth the trip? from Lethbridge area.

[Tredeb]

Thanks Tredeb!

Looking to buy a bunch of stuff.

Lowrance HDS 8, HDS 7, LSS-1

Minn Kota iPilot and extra receiver.

Wondering if it is worth the trip? from Lethbridge area.

I think if I lived in lethbridge, I would go south. I am all for supporting Canadian businesses, but with that shopping list you could probably save over $1000 south of the border.

[huntsfurfish]

Thanks for the replies Tredeb.:wave:

[DarkAisling]

Its right on the front under a rubber cover. Make sure you update the firmware on the HDS 5 before you load the navonics chip, or it won't work! Directions and downloads available on the lowerance site.

Could you post the link for the firmware upgrade? I did find a firmware upgrade, but I don't think it is the right one.

[huntsfurfish]

Shelly

Go to lowrance.com then to downloads, product software updates. There are 2 choices - all HDS units with navionics and all HDS units without navionics.

Depends on whether or not you are using navionics chip. They have all the current updates.

Hope that helps.

[DarkAisling]

Shelly

Go to lowrance.com then to downloads, product software updates. There are 2 choices - all HDS units with navionics and all HDS units without navionics.

Depends on whether or not you are using navionics chip. They have all the current updates.

Hope that helps.

Thanks. I found it. :) I was looking in the wrong place: under "Drivers and Firmware."

[huntsfurfish]

anytime:wave: