Lakemaster and Garmin GPSMap 76CSX Questions

[RedDB76]

Does anyone actually have one of these Garmins?

I like the idea that I can use the Lakemaster on my computer and drop it right down on the GPS - how does this actually work though?

Everyone is on the Lowrance iFinder bus, and I am leaning that way, just because everyone I know has one of those (and I have an Eagle GPS/sonar). In theory, I like some of the Garmin features - just wondering how well those things work in reality.

If you can indeed buy the Lakemaster CD and download data to the Garmin, then why can't you do this with a Lakemaster CD to a SD card and use it in a Lowrance? Or does the new Lakemaster Contour Pro have that capability?

[PierBridge]

Garmin Gps units are awesome.... The do have a Lakemaster Chip now it's available for certain Garmin GPS units, but it doesn't have nearly the amount of Lakes that the Lowrance units chips have.

The software version of Lakemaster is pretty simple to use you just select which area you'll fishing and upload to your GPS.

[Augusta]

Don't mean to change the subject, but can a person buy a SD card reader, than use that to view the Lakemaster SD card on their computer?

[PierBridge]

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Don't mean to change the subject, but can a person buy a SD card reader, than use that to view the Lakemaster SD card on their computer?

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If you have a LEI card reader and a Lowrance Emulator "demo" you can view the Lakemaster chip on your computor.

I use the LCX 26C HD Demo.

[Augusta]

Pier,

Where do I get those things? Thanks

[BobT]

The Lakemaster software for your PC is very user-friendly. I don't think I've used the help menu yet. The state of MN is subdivided into map regions. You use the select tool to select the region(s) you want to download. The software displays a running memory total so you know how much you can select based on your unit's memory. Then just download the map data.

As far as map accuracy, most of the lakemaps are fairly accurate. The current revision has over 60 lakes that are of navigational quality and I can tell you from personal experience that they are super accurate.

The software is also compatable with any of the Garmin handheld mapping GPSs such as eTrex, Rino, GPSMap60, and GPSMap76.

Bob

Edit: One other thing. I have mentioned this on other threads but my experience has been that the GPS itself is also very reliable and accurate. Position accuracy with my Rino is typically within 9' or less regardless whether on open water or in forest.

I also use the USTopo software for land contours and USRoads and Recreation for highway travel. Both of these are pretty good but not the quality I've found in the Lakemaster.

[RedDB76]

Hmmm - I'm liking the sound of the Garmin. Too bad I have a Navionics chip for my Eagle already - I guess that would be worthless if I got a Garmin handheld.

[PierBridge]

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Hmmm - I'm liking the sound of the Garmin. Too bad I have a Navionics chip for my Eagle already - I guess that would be worthless if I got a Garmin handheld.

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Correct it won't work with Garmin.

The Lowrance Emulator's for their products can be downloaded at the Lowrance website for free and the LEI/Lowrance card reader can be purchased for around $24 from LEI or possibly Reeds/Cabelas mine came with Mapcreate 6.

Just so we are clear here all you can do is view the Map data on your PC nothing more.

BobT gives good advice if your looking to manage or plan things out using your PC.

[BobT]

Here's how I like to use my mapping software on my PC.

If I'm planning on visiting a new lake to do some exploration, I'll use my PC to place waypoints at what I believe will be key locations by studying the lake contours. It's a whole lot easier viewing the lake data on my 21" monitor than the screen on my handheld. I might number them in the order I plan on using them so once I'm on the water I can just navigate from point to point.

Now that I have my waypoints plotted on my PC I can plan a driving route to the lake if I'm not familiar with how to get there. This way I can use my handheld to navigate to the lake following the roads in my route.

Next, pick the map sections containing my route, lake, and waypoints and download them to my handheld GPS. When I get to the lake, I already have my fishing areas marked and so I can key in on those areas first. From there I can add more waypoint data to my system.

Bob

[RedDB76]

Sounds exactly like my plan when I bought my Navionics chip and my Eagle for my boat 3 years ago. Boy was I disappointed when I learned that there was no way to view my lake maps on my computer! Navionics finally came out with a computer program, but I'm still a little bitter about it, and haven't bought it.

Unfortunately Navionics is the only chip that has HD for most of the lakes I fish. So I guess I will have to live with it.