I haven't seen any mention of this so I thought I would throw it out there. Navionics has a new charting system that uses information uploaded from users sonar. This makes for very detailed underwater topo maps. Here is a link to a viewable map.
http://www.navionics.com/en/webapp
To use the sonar maps you need to zoom in until the circle with the 3 curved bars darkens. It is in the lower left of the screen. You will need to click on it to get the sonar maps. I couldn't get it to work with Explorer but it works fine with Foxfire and on my ipad. This is very cool stuff if you are interested in structure. What fisherman would be interested in structure?
I will give an example of what is down there that doesn't show up on the normal charts. I salmon fish off Dolphin Point often, which is off the north east end of Vashon Island so I was checking it out. Just south of the point there are some under water pits that are up to 700 foot change in depth, ( ~230' to ~930') and it doesn't show up on normal charts. You can click the sonar map button to turn it off and on. The Space Needle is 605 foot tall. Check it out.
That looks pretty good. I have the Fish-n-Chip and the chart on that link is even more detailed than mine.
Wonder what it costs ?
If you have a silver, gold or hotmaps+ card you can upgrade to a Navionics+ card for $99.
http://www.navionics.com/en/sonarcharts
First check to see if you unit will accept the sonar maps.
http://www.navionics.com/sites/www.navionics.com/files/documents/Americas_CompatibilityGuide_0.pdf
While the new charts look really good . The real value would be in the community updates which are only available to a few high end units that take the msd cards. I for one am very disappointed that they have chosen to limit them to mainly touch screen models. With the sands changing all the time in Columbia Estuary having community updates to rechart the changes would be a great asset .
H-T
The web site says they are running a 50% off special for folks with the Platinum chips (that is what I have). Will have to check and see if mine is new enough to do the online update.
It looks like it will work on my first gen HDS and my Raymarine A57.
3WT the new charts will work ok ,but there in no community updates, which IMHO is where the value is over your premium charts you already have.
H-T
As I read their materials, the lack of support for community updates means you can't upload your sonar logs from an older unit. But you can still download the sonar data others have sent in.
3wt, I have a HDS 5 first gen which I had to upgrade the software on it to (4.1) but I still have not been able to see the sonar charts. I will keep working on that.
It also means that you are dependent on someone who is diligent enough to take time to upload there data often enough be able for others to take advantage of it. It also leave out a bunch people like me that have 21 days (aprox, 150 hours)of data in the estuary that can't share it.
As you know the sands in the Columbia estuary change on a routine basis.
Like knowing if the north-south route above the Astoria bridge. Is the old route still safe or have the sands changed and there is a new route to take. Or out of Hammond how far out have they shifted for making the end run over to the Wash.side. Last year they were out a good 1/4 farther than the year before.
It boils down to ,do I pay for outdated charts with the chance that someone will share there data. Or trudge along the way I have in the past and go by my own experience.
H-T
Ok... I think I am up to date on my drivers for the Lowrance.
My only issue may be the age of my Platinum+ card... I bought it in 2010, but it may have been manufactured before that. Looks like the updates are only available on Platinum+ cards made after 2010.
Hydro, if I can get it to work I will post some screenshots of the Desdemona area and see what level of detail they have. The upgrade for the Platinum chips includes a 12 month subscription to their "Freshest Data" program, which I understand to mean you can go back and download the latest maps every few months.
Here's the link:
http://www.navionics.com/en/update-your-platinum-and-save-50-1 (http://www.navionics.com/en/update-your-platinum-and-save-50-1)
For those who do not have a chip the Platinum + are on sale though today for about $30 off. It is a Navionics sponsored sale for the month of April. I just found it sorry about short notice.
H-T
HT, interesting that most of the Colombia entrance range does not show the topo lines.
Sonar charts are pretty nice, i have the Navionics + card
More info here on a thread i started on another forum
http://www.bcfishingreports.com/forums/threads/27282-Navionics-chart-detail (http://www.bcfishingreports.com/forums/threads/27282-Navionics-chart-detail)
I think it shows them for the CR, it is just that the ocean outside of the Columbia has a very, very gradual drop off until you get out to the canyons. Out there it is so deep (1500-4000') that I'd guess the average sonar on a recreational boat couldn't give a good reading of the bottom.
Inside the river, kind of interesting that they don't show contours for the bottom of the navigation channel. The level of detail up river on the WA side under the 101 bridge, further up around Cathlamet and in Clifton Channel is pretty cool... you can see the deep holes fish congregate in as they move up river.
Last year when I wanted to upgrade the mapping on my Lowrance HDS Gen 2 non touch, I found the Navionics products a bit confusing. After multiple calls to them and multiple trips to the marine stores I finally decided on the Navionics + chip. It is fairly new and IMO better than the Gold or Platinum chips. The purchase includes a year of updates from their sonar maps. The chip inserts into my Lowrance and then I have the option of using Navionics maps or the resident insight mapping. Also, I can start a sonar log that writes data to the chip. When I remove the chip and plug it into my computer it auto connects to Navionics with my login. I can then up or download current data for my selected area, which can include all of the US and Canada. Very good detail.
(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/01/eta8u6a5.jpg)(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/01/upemydu4.jpg)
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dbhazjack, I have been trying to up grade since the Seattle boat show. I ended up with what you have. I don't think you can just buy the chip and use it. My understand is you use as an upgrade from another chip. The other chip will still work but cannot be up graded again.
I did get my HDS 5 working with the sonar maps but I don' have as many feathers as the gen 2. Something interesting the pit off Vashon Island I mentioned in the original post doesn't show up?? :shrug9:
Diablo, like I said, Navionics is very confusing. I had to download their chart software, register, insert my chip, select the area I wanted, and then download all the data, including charts, sonar data, and community updates (whatever the heck that is). Didn't need any other chip, all comes in the download.
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Was your chip $99?
I think I paid about $180. Bought it at Cabelas.
That's the difference. It is $99 as an upgrade and $180 if you are not upgrading.
Update... I checked tonight and my Platinum Plus chip was elegible for the $99 upgrade to the ultra-high detail sonar map data! Yes! :party:
Set things up... downloaded the installer, placed the order, paid... started download... woo hoo! :dance:
Error message! Card is full. Uh oh. My chip holds 2 gigabytes of data. Sonar maps requires 4 gigs. Doh! :doh:
So I Google it... known problem. Have to call Navionics customer service tomorrow and get a new chip shipped to me. :nono:
That's a Bummer
I guess since your card is 2 gigs and you already had platinum maps there wasn't enough room left for sonar maps.
The Navionics + chip is only 2 gigs and uses gold charts (same maps as platinum & platinum plus without all the satellite images & 3D etc.).
There is enough room on my card to load the nautical charts,sonar maps and community edits for all of B.C.
WC i saw the chip you have. How does that work ? Do they send you basic blank chip and you load on it what you want ??
H-T
Retail Marine stores carry them, comes in a DVD type case with the micro sd map card with adapter, software cd rom, micro sd to usb adapter for your Computer.
- Install the software from cd, you will then have shortcuts on your desktop.
- Just run the software and follow the promps to register card with user name and password, choose MFD model etc.
- I have a Navionics "Chart Installer" shortcut, seems faster than going to their website, logging in and then choosing download maps, this way i go straight to the maps page. However If you just plug your sd card into your computer the software starts itself, a few different ways of doing it but they all work.
- and yes you just check boxes for the options you want, select the area with your mouse and download
One other note, at the end of the 12 months just make sure you have the maps you want
i have figured out a way to have multiple maps saved on my pc, then just load them on and off the card as i please without the software.
The software that came on your dvd is the same chart installer you download off their web site when you do the upgrade of the Platinum + chip (Navionics Chart Installer).
The $99 upgrade gets the latest version of the Platinum + maps and 3d data, the Navionics + high detail data, the latest social media update, and unlimited downloads of all the above for 12 months. Apparently the latest Platinum + chips are 16 gigs... from what I read online they will send you one of those to replace the old 2 gig version. Called today but their customer support is only open from 9-5 East Coast time.
I think the size of the download is related to the chip you have. My Platinum + is the 3d mapping chip for the entire West Coast of the US, plus the Columbia River. The new version of that chip, and the Navionics +, requires a ton of room.
When I upgraded I could not load as large an area as I had when using the gold chip. I did have the entire west coast, which is still on the gold card. For the upgrade card I had to reduce my selection to Puget Sound up a little into Canada and the CR. You had to use a selection rectangle to limit the area to down load. :twocents:
When you buy the CD what is to stop you from using the largest chip you can get to load all the charts you desire on it that you have paid for ??
H-T
The installer software won't work on a chip that isn't pre-formatted by Navionics.
Ok I'm getting close to having these sonar maps figured out.
I have the 2 types of maps on my chip, Gold and Sonar Charts.
I have for the most part using the gold up till now but think I'll be switching to the sonar.
At first look sonar doesn't seem that nice, the detail is there but my screen was just white with black lines and plain looking, after setting up a shallow limit of 90' and deep water limit of 150' I end up with a nice white path 90-150' deep. This will make it waay easier to stay at a target depth. Plus it will help when you need someone else to steer your boat, just tell them to follow the white path, easier than trying to stay on a contour line, track or route.