Navionics+ card on Humminbird Units

[goin hungry]

I have an 899 HD Di SI Humminbird Fishfinder and recently got the Navionics Plus chart card. In trying to set up and use the card I found that there is some information out there but not enough to really use it effectively so I thought I'd post here in case any guys are using the card and having the same troubles I encountered.

I do find that it is a great tool for getting very accurate bottom readings because you can record your sonar on two logs, upload them to your laptop, and then in a day or two, you go back and Navionics will have updated the map for the area that you fished so you can update your card with that new very accurate information.

This is particularly helpful in the Finger Lakes where you can have drastic depth changes in very little distance.

If you go online you'll be able to find many tutorials on how to basically use the card, so this post is going to go a few steps beyond that. You'll want to find other tutorials as to how to configure your unit (such setting the unit menu to "advanced" and what not. The hummingbird website has a good step by step tutorial for that if you Google it). Ok, now on to the stuff I didn't know after buying the card and researching the instructions that came with it...

First in order to get your Humminbird unit to even recognize the card you need to have it plugged into the unit properly and then you need to go on to your chart View menu tab and scroll down. If the card is properly inserted a menu item will pop up that says chart select, if that menu item is not found on the sonar charts screen, then the card has not been properly inserted.

I know this sounds really simple, but I found myself struggling with it several times out on the water. What I have found is it's best to go to the charts menu, and then stick the card in, push it in until it clicks, and then you will see the menu add a selection for selecting the sonar chart.

The next item I struggled with was getting Humminbird unit to actually read the card. In order to do this you need to select the sonar chart named "right side fish n chip". For whatever reason, even when the card is properly inserted the unit will not read it in the "auto" mode setting. Seems odd to me, but that's what it is.

Next, and something that isn't very apparent when you first buy the navionics card at the store is that you need an additional SD memory card to actually record to. So you need 2 cards - the navionics card that you buy, as well as a blank SD card to record to that you have to purchase separately.

The first time I was out on the lake I didn't have the second blank card, so it wouldn't record, and I spent 2 hours on phone with customer service while the other guys fished because the unit or the instructions really don't tell you this info! Try to get and use a card for this that is at least 8gb size, because every hour of recording is 1gb size, but it's nice to have the extra room in case you forget to clear your logs from the last trip. I use a 32gb card that I got at rite aid on sale for $15 down from $60 - they go on sale there if you keep an eye out.

This blank card should be inserted into the left side slot on your unit, with the gold tabs of each card facing to the right.

Ok, now you have both cards properly inserted you need to record your logs. This is an area that took me some time to get down, but with practice it only takes a few seconds.

First, if you're on split screen mode (which you will be if you have sonar on one side and the map on the other side of your screen) be sure that the "active side" is set to your map side. This is done by hitting the menu button, and then you select between left or right. I find I'm constantly going back and forth between left and right as active during the day, so get proficient at it. Reason is, say you want to change your max bottom depth - then the sonar side needs to be active in order to get to the proper menu screen to change that. If the map side is the one that's active then you can't do that. The same thing goes for changing the map settings, if the "sonar" side is set to active, then you can't adjust your map settings.

Next in order to do a recording log you have to get to the recording log screen. The online tutorials will show you how to get to the screen, but you will be constantly going back and forth in and out of that screen as you do your logs. Therefore I recommend that you set the recording screen as one of your One Tap menu buttons that way, you can push one button to quickly get to that screen to start a recording, and then hit another one touch button to return to your favorite sonar and mapping screen, without wasting much time cycling between views.

Next, and this is VITAL - The tutorials tell you to set your recordings at one "ping" second. What they don't tell you however, is that by setting it at 1 ping per second, you will actually slow your chart speed way down to the point that your sonar almost becomes unusable because it doesn't read fast enough. It took us several trips of making no fish at all to realize this. So set your ping rate to a higher number, or to auto, which is what we use. This will ensure that your sonar still functions the way that you are used to seeing it run while you're recording. If you don't do this then you'll still get good logs, but your sonar will be useless for fishing the whole time you're out there...

Next, I recommend that you start and stop recording logs every 30 mins or so. The reason for this is that sometimes you lose bottom, or the readings are kept properly, and when you upload them to hummingbird they will reject them. I generally take 20 or so recordings per trip. If we have rough water and I lose bottom, then a couple of those logs will be rejected. If I only did one recording all day instead of multiple recordings, then the whole thing would be rejected and that day's work lost.

To stop recording just push menu button (with the map side active) and the first option still be to stop recording. Push the ride toggle button to select stop, then hit your one-touch button to return to the recording screen and quickly start another recording log. This will make your logs seamless. Then hit your other one-touch button to return to your sonar and chart View. If your unit is properly recording to your card there will be a red dot on the top of your screen and it will say "recording".

Finally, when you're done fishing, you need to take BOTH cards out of your unit and home with you. You plug the navionics card into your computer and the app will start, then you swap out that card for the SD card that you recorded to, and the app with pop up with an "upload charts" option. Select that and your data will be uploaded. Once the data is uploaded, delete all the files from the SD card (NOT the navionics card- if you wipe that one you've just lost your mapping program).

Now you wait. Navionics will send you an email that has a link to your uploads page. Bookmark this page or save the email - they don't email it to you again after the first time, so you'll need it for later uploads and downloads. After a couple days you go back to your uploads screen and it will tell you that your recording logs are either rejected (lost bottom, etc), still pending, or ready.

If they're ready, then you insert your navionics card and then go back and re-download the area that you made logs of. This is what saves the new information to your navionics card, and then when you go back out all of that updated and detailed information is note at your fingertips on your unit.

Remember to bring your navionics card and your blank SD card back to your boat, and then you start the process all over again for new recordings.

Overall I do like the technology. However, I think it's a lot of work and rather cumbersome. They're coming out with a new mobil app as well as program that works instantly with the newer units that have wifi connectivity, that way as your trolling your charts automatically update - very cool stuff.

I was also surprised that it appears not a lot of guys use the upload technology to make the program better. I thought the South end of Seneca would be all mapped and current by now, but it wasn't. That large hump just south west of the salt plant had claimed a few of my spoons and it was still not reflected very well on the existing charts. Well not any more - I've updated all my charts in that area so that anyone with the navionics program should now have accurate 1ft contour maps for that area.

Edited April 17, 2016 by goin hungry

[Andre wallyandre]

Excellent explanation!!

 

I'm a Lowrance guy so I use my old smatphone and the Navionics Boating app. Link my phone to my Gen3 by wifi and log on my phone then once at home I update my App on my home wifi.

 

I did a lake in a remote area last summer where there were nothing:

Lake Hebert

 

This a part all the other logs that I did on lakes that are not chart with very much details.

Edited April 17, 2016 by wallyandre

[vogel451]

Anyone know how well a Lakemaster Chip works on Cayuga vs Hotmaps chip?

Edited April 23, 2016 by vogel451

[Prof T]

Thanks for taking the time to write this detailed set of instructions

[SMC481]

funny enough I stumbled onto this post just now while looking to buy a navionic platinum card. my concern was that it would be compatible with my hummingbird unit, and if it would benefit me for trolling on the finger lakes possibly Ontario. This has been a helpful post and I think it sounds like a good piece of equipment

Edited May 3, 2016 by SMC481

[Andre wallyandre]

Before buying a Platinium or any other card be sure to look at this document to be sure that you're unit is compatible: 

 

http://www.navionics.com/sites/default/files/documents/americas_compatibility_guide_mar16.pdf

[Frogger]

Wally, where's the best deal for a platinum + card?

[goin hungry]

That's true - you definitely want to ensure that it's compatible with your unit, tho from what I've seen, these cards are widely comparable with most units. Even if it is, however, you might not get all "features" that are available, so just be aware of that.

For instance, on my Humminbird 9 series, I can update my sonar logs just fine, but there is another feature for points of interest that the community can also add to, and my unit isn't compatible with that feature.

That said, I wouldn't want it anyway, because I want my own points of interest without clutter from everyone else.

Frogger, of you're interested I can PM you where I recently bought my card.

Sent from my E6782 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[Frogger]

Sure thing goin, thanks.

[goin hungry]

PM sent

Sent from my E6782 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[keukadude]

goin hungry,

 

thanks for the great information. I want these 1 ft contours, but, being poor, I want them as cheap as I can get them.  I have a Lowrance I would have to sell.  Then, what to buy?  Your unit 

 

http://www.amazon.com/Humminbird-409150-1-Finder-Side-Imaging-Internal/dp/B00F5EATZW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1462528696&sr=8-1&keywords=899+HD+Di+SI+Humminbird

 

is about $800?  and then a Navionics card for $ ? (I can't find the one that maps Keuka on Amazon)  Also, you are saying that the process of adding detail of your own is cumbersome, so, I'm wondering about going with Garmin.  Apparently they mapped Keuka with 1 ft contours.  Maybe they did other finger lakes too, don't know.  The guy I talked too at Garmin said that you don't have to buy a card, it comes in the FF.  He recommended this one as a budget model that has autochart and the 1 ft contours on Keuka.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-010-01567-01-echoMAP-CHIRP-transducer/dp/B017RTBPDM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1462530894&sr=8-1&keywords=garmin+53dv

 

I wouldn't get side imaging. I've never used that. Is that mainly for fishing in shallow?

what do you think about the Garmin option?

[goin hungry]

I'm no expert and haven't seen the garmins in action, but from what I understand they may in fact come pre loaded with some better maps without buying a separate card.

For my unit it came with basic nav maps, but I had to buy a separate navionics+ card to get the ability to have more detailed maps. Even then, those maps weren't completely accurate, but they update to accurate 1ft contours as I record and update my sonar logs. More expensive units can update automatically right in the boat as you're trolling, but those units weren't out yet when I bought mine.

If you don't use side scan or down imaging, then yes, if recommend that you get a good quality down sonar (I haven't seen but heard the Chirp sonar available on many models now is latest new technology and is good) and get one that has ability to either have contour maps downloaded or updated.

As I said with my unit, even tho the nav program that I purchased came with 1 ft contours for some lakes, they weren't entirely accurate. With update ability you can get it exact, which is important for many lakes like the finger lakes where you can have very steep and abrupt drop offs and rises.

Now that I have my Seneca maps updated current and exact, when I come up on sharp rises and points, I don't drag my balls through the mud anymore! (Unless I want to)

Sent from my E6782 using Lake Ontario United mobile app