Unlocking Garmin maps

[Whopper Stopper]

Does anyone know what I will be hearing from Garmin when I talk to them the first part of this coming week? Here is my problem. I have a Garmin 450. Last October I bought some odds and ends for the winter season including a Garmin LakeMaster sd card. I pretty much put everything on the shelf until yesterday. I forgot about Garmin and their friendly way of making you unlock your maps, which become then married to one specific unit. Anyway due to high volume I suppose, their web site made for some “lost temper times”. Finally I got on last night late and when it came time to give my product key code there wasn’t any. (Keep in mind that I had never opened the package until I was going to use it).

I see that Amazon (which is who the Garmin Tec, 2 months ago recommended I buy from) has a one-month return policy. With that I am out of luck, although the product came through them. I bought a couple of maps at the time I bought the Oregon and I see with them, the packaging cover has the product code on the inside flap. The LakeMaster package I have has nothing. There was a sticker with a number on it I am guessing to be a UPC code but when I put that into Garmin’s product code box, I just got a “That number has been used” message.

So that’s my question. When I talk to Garmin, whenever I can get through, does anyone have an idea of what they will tell me? For the person who uses Garmin products a lot maybe their system is ok. For the person like myself, who just buys a couple of things over a length of time and just wants to have a product ready to use out of the box, they leave a lot to be desired. I don’t know what you would do if you didn’t have a computer.

Good or bad thanks for any input!

WS

[MN Mike]

Whopper,

I guess I am unclear on how you are trying to get your map into the 450.

Are you using a Lakemaster SD Chip right from Garmin / Lakemaster? If so, you shouldn't have to unlock anything, it's plug and play, ready to go.

If you have a Lakemaster CD, then you will have to have a code.

I have one Lakemaster chip for my 3 Garmins and I can run that chip in any one of those without issues.

Getting yourself setup with a free account on Garmins site is a good thing to do.

Mike

[Whopper Stopper]

OK........Maybe I am confused, it has happened. I figured I had to unlock it because after inserting the chip in the Garmin unit, I can see the lakes but not the contours. I thought at first that I was maybe missing something with set up. But everything seems to be right. Maybe I am confused here also! Hahaha

The chip is a Garmin LakeMaster sd . It is the one that the Garmin Tech said to get. It just happened that he said to buy it through Amazon (one of their venders) to save money.

If what you are saying is correct is there some certain settings on the unit that I need to have enabled?

WS

[Smoker]

I had problems adding my Lakemaster CD to another computer. I called Garmin and they had me talk to tech support and they got it all fixed for me on the phone. Make sure you check out other lakes for contours because some lakes that I thought would be on there with contours didn't have them.

[Whopper Stopper]

Well, I got it. I am not sure if things started to work because I wiggled the chip or if it started because I disabled the other maps on the unit. Anyway, I can now look at the LakeMaster sd chip on the Oregon and I can hook it up to see it up through base camp to the computer. Now I will start looking to see how to mark way points off the PC to the Garmin. Thanks for the help!

WS

[Ed Carlson]

Well, I got it. I am not sure if things started to work because I wiggled the chip or if it started because I disabled the other maps on the unit. Anyway, I can now look at the LakeMaster sd chip on the Oregon and I can hook it up to see it up through base camp to the computer. Now I will start looking to see how to mark way points off the PC to the Garmin. Thanks for the help!

Often you will need to un-check the road maps when running in marine mode with the marine mapping lake map data. You will also notice a boating option icon in the settings...select that user option. Now you can tinker with the boating aspects and get the most from the mapping.

Set the detail to the highest setting as well.

TIP: Register your Garmin product and all mapping on your personal account on the Garmin site, it has many benefits, and streamlines any costumer service issues and questions when needed.

[gregg52]

Whopper,

I have one Lakemaster chip for my 3 Garmins and I can run that chip in any one of those without issues.

Mike

tell me more about the 3 you have

i'm lookin to replace a couple of 520's

and thinkin garmin

i had a garmin GPS and thought it was very user freindly

it was before the chip days

i want to put the chip in and go fishing

is that possialbe

i dont understand all this talk about unlockin and dont want to get in to that $hit

[MN Mike]

Gregg,

My Garmins are handheld units, if your looking to replace the Lowrance 520s you might want to ask Ed, he's WAY more familiar with those Garmins GPS / Fishfinders than I am or maybe Ed will chime in here.

Either way you look at it, the easiest way to put a Lakemaster map in a Garmin is by chip, no unlock codes needed.

If you want to view contours and lake data on your computer, Lakemaster has a CD, then you will have to deal with unlock codes. Some people like this to do a little pre-planning.

Mike

[MN Mike]

Well, I got it. I am not sure if things started to work because I wiggled the chip or if it started because I disabled the other maps on the unit. Anyway, I can now look at the LakeMaster sd chip on the Oregon and I can hook it up to see it up through base camp to the computer. Now I will start looking to see how to mark way points off the PC to the Garmin. Thanks for the help!

WS

GOOD DEAL you got it figured out, Ed makes a couple good points, that GPS can show different levels of detail, there is a setting in there where you can set that but I don't know exactly where it is, check out the owners manual, it will tell you pretty quickly where to change that.

Good luck with the new Garmin!

Mike

[Ed Carlson]

Greg check out the Garmin 536S sonar/gps marine unit. The 530S is good, the 536S is loads better for speed and view-ability. It will have the Garmin Inland Lakes mapping pre-loaded, and just add the LakeMaster chip of your choice...your good to go.

If you wish to step it up a notch, then go to the Garmin 720S Freshwater Mapping) 740S (Coastal mapping) series...very...very.. nice...touch screen...super fast mapping, super easy to use.

With the optional BlueChart® g2 Vision SD™ card, you can add a whole new dimension of exceptional features to your chartplotter.

* MarinerEye view and FishEye view provide a 3-dimensional perspective of map information, both above and below the waterline.

* High-resolution satellite images and aerial photographs help you orient yourself in unfamiliar areas.

* Auto Guidance technology searches through all relevant charts to create a route you can actually follow — one that avoids obstacles, shallow water, buoys and other obstructions.

MSRP $1,400 +/- depending on the package.

This new Garmin 700 series makes me drool!

Check out the You-Tube clips on both models once, the 536S and the 720S, see what I mean.