navionics

[nogue]

I have a Lowrance x15 and just picked up a couple of hot maps on mmc cards from hot spots and navionics. How are these maps? Are they fairly accurate? Thanks,
Nogue

[luvtotroll]

Ther have been a number of posts on this subject lately. Check the archives for some good info. Yes, the maps are good and very accurate. I use them for Green Bay and Winnebago.

Scott

[Mike Michalak]

No complaints here...but I'm biased.

Mapguy

[RickK]

I purchased the Region 1 Hot Maps. Very Pleased with them
Rick

[PJM]

Mike Michalak

I have both the Navionics and the Hot Spots map of Lake of the Woods.The Hot Spots are nice but the Navionics are more accurate from what I have experienced. The Hot Spots are in my X-15 and the Navionics are in my LMS 1600. The Hot Spots will show me driving over an island and the Navionics will show me going around it. For the most part the detail of the Hot Spots is great, but I don't know if it's the map or the unit that is off.........

[Gary Gray]

Mike and Rick:

Tell me about the Region Maps. Are they laid out very well, and what units are they being used in. I ordered the Reion 4,&5, and was wondering about their accuracy, and if that is a good choice for my Global 3000.?

Thanks in advance,
Gary Gray

[Jim Ordway]

Gary,
I am trying to decide if I should go, X15gps, put my GM2000 back on being that I like the CMaps I have, or do something else. Why did you choose a 3000 instead of the X15 and the others?
Thanks for your input,

[iamwalleye1]

http://development.navionics.com/fhs/regionmain.asp

I received my region 5 this last week! I have been playing with it a little! it does seem to look like a good tool!

[Gary Gray]

Jim:
I have a X-15, X16, and a Globalmap 3000. I have the X-15 on the bow, the X-16 on the dash, and the Globalmap on the dash.

Hope this helps,
Gary

[Mike Michalak]

Gary,

Great to hear from you!

For your Lowrance units, the Navionics HotMaps are the ticket. All bodies of water available are completely georeferenced for GPS accuracy,have contour and structure data plus the fishing info FHS is noted for. Head to www.navionics.com for more info under the HotMaps link. Good luck out there again this season!

Mapguy

[Jim Ordway]

Gary, Do you link up your X16 with your 3000 to give yourself a backup in case one gps goes down? The X16 was listed as needing shade for good visability...Is bright sunlight not a problem. How fast can you run and scan the water with the X15 and or X16?
I am thinking about the X15 and X16 to equip a new boat. Your input is appreciated. If you think this advice gives me an unfair advantage at Bago, I would understand your not helping me out :).
Thanks again,

[Moose]

ttt

[Eric_WI]

I have a Lowrance LMS160-Map and I own Navionics maps of Mille Lacs and the Chippewa Flowage. I wasn't impressed with the Navionics representation of one of my favorite reefs on Mille Lacs. On the chip, there was at least one instance where it showed me driving across land when I went between two islands. I find the maps most usefull for navigating to large structure quickly. I just click on the center of a bar or flat and select "Navigate to Cursor". They are also nice for avoiding dangerous reefs when running at night on Mille Lacs after the markers have been pulled off.

Take a look at the new Reelbottom maps of Leech and Mille Lacs either on paper or via the software. Those things are unbelievable. Wish I could download them into my LMS160!

Eric

[Netminder]

To Mike Michalak and others interested:
I purchased the FHS maps for my Eagle Status GPS, (Lake St Clair, Detroit River, and Lake Erie Western Basin). I was told when I ordered them that the on the water state & international boarders would show on the FHS maps. When I got them I found out this is not completely true! They DON'T show up when you zoom in, they disappear from the map, which is useless. I wanted to use this feature to see at a glance if I was getting close to the boarder. I contacted Andy Hiller at Navionics and his reply was not to use this map for any kind of navigation. ????????? Did I miss something; I bought a GPS to get better accuracy than I can get with a map a depth finder. My unit has a 10m accuracy so I’d like to think the software that is sold for it can do at least that good as the unit it's used with. This is not the case with the FHS maps as I was told by Mr. Hiller. I guess my biggest complaint is I was told one thing to get me to buy the map and something completely different when I called to tell them that it wasn't as advertised. Credibility goes out the window when your treated like this. Mr. Hiller said in a nutshell "what do you want for $25", (I want what they advertise). I don't want to spend $2,000 just to see a simple boarder line. One other complaint I do have is I have 2 Eagle GPS units so if one goes down I have a back up. You cant load the map on both, you must buy every map twice because of a code#. They do this for copy protection. If I buy software for my PC and it goes in for service I can still load the software on a second computer so I can work until the repairs are completed. I think there is better ways they can protect themselves than using the code # system. Well I hope this info helps someone because it’s more than I got from Navionics.

Netminder

[Netminder]

bump

[LakeRat]

I bought the CD-ROM maps from FHS thinking these were the downloadable versions. When looking at the help section, it shows a frequently asked question section. In there is the question....Are the CD_ROM maps downloadable to my GPS unit? Answer....Not yet, but soon, keep checking back to their website for details!

You think you will get an upgrade for a fee. No....just go buy yet another map of the same area. And yes, they do say don't use it for navagation! That is what a GPS is for FHS/Navionics! Your disclaimer will not keep you from liability in Wisconsin! No legitimate waivers in this state!

[Mike Michalak]

I don't know where all this is coming from, or where it's headed, but I can tell you, Fishing Hot Spots has contours on both sides of the border. I cannot speak for the software, because it's not our product. The information is there from the beginning and the only limits are placed by the program, if any.

As for having our software compatible, it's not going to happen. It will be someone like Garmin or Navionics, National Geographic or another one of our licensees that produces a product downloadable and readable in GPS units. Unless the industry adopts a standard for data use, it's going to be proprietary for each individual manufacturer. That's not necessarily a good thing. But they're coming around.

As for the navigation, no map will take responsibility. The disclaimer stands up because of a common sense rule. It's up the the user to exercise caution at all times.

The PC based programs are in a world of hurt because Microsoft keeps introducing new operating systems that are not compatible with existing software. When our Digital Map Series debuted, it was slated for Windows 95/98. Since then, 2000...Me...XP...and it won't work. If it does, something will happen somewhere down the road.

I've written in these spaces before, this is still new technology and there are some things to work out. FHS and its partners are learning everyday. We've advanced light years in the last 10 months...just imagine what can happen in another 10.