GPS Topo Maps

[Mike Retherford]

Recently purcahsed a Lowrance X15 GPS/Sonar combo. MapCreate comes with the product, but I would like Topographical software that shows underwater contour and depth. Any good recommendations?

[Bottomfeeder]

I purchased a Magellan 6500 last year because it uses Cmap nt carts. These carts are NOAA underwater topo charts and this is the coolest piece of electronics I have ever seen. You can find new humps, or follow breaklines. Downside is that you can only get carts for NOAA charted water. Great Lakes, Winnebago, Winnibigosh, oceans. When we go to northern Wiscnsin the unit is just a standard GPS because small lakes are not charted. Carts are expensive.

[happy jack]

i also purchased one of these wonderful units. i was a little surprised when i found out it didnt have the topo info on the cd-rom that came with it. instead you need to go to lakemap.com or go to www.navionics.com to get your topo maps. they are having a sale till march 31st and they have about 7 maps for minnesota. but the lakemap.com site has a package deal on like 101 minnesota lakes i cant remember what the price was but you can get them in 1' depth gradations. way cool but all this stuff cost lots o' money. money i thought i spent to get this stuff already.

[Team Alto]

The LakeMaps don't down to a GPS, all you can do is view a map on a computer and enter waypoints then upload to a GPS. At least that is what the Lakemap guy at the Madison fishing show said.

Bob