Lowrance Card Reader

[bwien]

So I got my Expedition C over the weekend and it has been great, however, the card reader and power adapter in the PLUS package were both defective. I called Lowrance this morning and they were very helpful (after I waited on hold for :35 minutes), they are sending out a new power adapter and card reader, no questions asked. Frustrating, but with a good result in the end (we'll see when I get the replacements.)

 

This is all well and good, but I wanted to share some news the support guy told me- you don't have to use the LEI card reader any more if you have a color GPS unit. I have to go out and pick up one to test this, but he showed me how to format and encode a MMC card in the GPS and said that you can then write to it using Mapcreate and any card reader you like.

 

To create the ID file:

Menu -> Menu -> Browse MMC Files -> MMC Card Info (at bottom of screen) -> Create ID File

 

He said this is only available for the newer color GPS units, and that he uses this on his own. Anyone done this?

[+MAG315]

Hey, thanks for the tip, I'll have to try that.

[+user13371]

If true, that will be very cool.

 

If/when anyone with ANY model iFinder and MapCreate 6.3 can confirm this, please add it to this thread:

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=115044

 

Note that thread also mentions a way to get around the 5 card limit. If we get around that limit, and can avoid using Lowrance's card reader, MC6.3 will be easier to tolerate.

 

Maybe not a LOT easier, but every little bit helps.

 

Edit to add: I'm guessing that this is not really "just the color models" but more generically "any model that got a firmware update in March 2006." Mostly color models -- but the original iFinder Hunt will probably be able to do it as well.

Edited June 26, 2006 by lee_rimar

[+Airmapper]

I just checked, and my AirMap 500 has an option under MENU> Browse MMC Files... > MMC Card Info > Create ID File. I did not know what it was for, but it must have shown up last upgrade.

 

EDIT: to add that my AirMap is monochrome screen, and I've had it quite some time, it apparently was installed last upgrade. ( 1.7.0 I think.)

Edited June 27, 2006 by Airmapper

[bwien]

I'm still waiting to get to the store to pick up a card reader to confirm it, Ill post when I do.

 

As an aside- I was kind of ticked today because when I booted up the GPS for the first time outside it looked like it was showing my location to be about 1/4 mile away from where my house actually is. I haven't loaded up the detailed maps (no way to transfer, arrgh), so I checked out the coordinates compared to Google Earth - it was dead on. Needless to say, I can't wait to get going with it.