Navionics HD Boating Tablet/phone problems

[Raycaster]

As mentioned in another post I opened the wallet and paid for Navionics HD Boating ($60) even though I owned a older version. I loved the apps because no data was required as the maps preloaded etc. and all that was needed was a device with GPS.

 

I ran out to Lake St Clair and brought my tablet along to play. I was out of Belle River closing in on the hump and fired up the tablet. For the life of me I could NOT get a detailed map of the lake. It appeared blocky with no contour info. I wondered that since I was given a free "fisherman" add-on trial if that screwed up the license or something. I notcied it only showed the GOV map option and I think the Navionics/sonar were ghosted. Sure enough when I got back on land with Wifi and internet access it all worked out like originally.

 

 

The other day I was planning a trip to Sturgeon Lake so I looked at the tablet maps at a friends house without wifi. Trying to locate Goose Bay and pickeral point. Guess what? Same thing... All blocky no contours.

 

It may be requiring a internet connection to confirm ownership or to refresh what maps are on the phone/tablet...

 

I'm probably the last guy on the planet not to have DATA on their phone but I seriously only need it less than 5% of the time and can just wait till I'm at a hotspot or home. I now have to turn the tablet on before every use with internet access to make sure the maps are ready.

 

I'm using a Samsung Tab 2 10.1" and Samsung Note 2 phone.

 

I know most guys here use the "chip" in their units but wondering if there are any mobile users here with the same setup?

 

Thanks Guys.

Edited September 18, 2014 by Raycaster

[aplumma]

The maps are draw like Google is it needs a data plan to refresh them as you move around if I am not mistaken.

 

 

Art

[Raycaster]

Actually I'm pretty sure the blue maps are built-in but Sat image overlay and community edits require data. Just seems it now needs internet access to "turn on" the detail WATER information each time the app is started.

 

The older app US & CANADA LAKES never required DATA once installed. (except for overlays etc.)

Edited September 18, 2014 by Raycaster

[porkpie]

You should be able to download the navionics maps to your phone beforehand for the areas you want to fish. I believe samsung tablets are equipped with GPS. I have certain lakes loaded on my phone, in case I can't get data for some reason. I mainly use my sonar/GPS, but it's nice to have it on the phone when in friends boats or out ice fishing.

[BillM]

Before you leave zoom into the lake so everything gets downloaded beforehand (Just in case)

[danc]

Navonics maps are useless to me where I live, but I've often heard people rave about them on here, yet when I read the app reviews they are terrible. What gives? Good or not?

[Raycaster]

Being able to have a digital Bluechart with GPS at night time on a unfamiliar lake is worth the $60 to me. Even with a paper map of Nippising its pretty easy to get lost trying to recognize little islands and inlets etc. if your not a local.

 

Contour detail and community edits of stumps and rock locations is nice too.

 

Of course it might not be in the league of the chart plotters but either is the cost.

 

If you are thinking of purchasing it research a little to check if your phone/tablet plays with it nicely and also if your LAKE is actually charted!

[porkpie]

Navonics maps are useless to me where I live, but I've often heard people rave about them on here, yet when I read the app reviews they are terrible. What gives? Good or not?

They aren't perfect, but compared to old methods of navigation it's fantastic! For example, the lake my families cottage is on is charted by navionics. The lake is full of prop eating rocks. I know the lake extremely well and still smashed a lower unit to the tune of 2k one day. I have compared navionics hazard markings to the lake, and I know there are quite a few hazards missing, but it's still better than nothing, and the depths, locations of shoals etc, are all very accurate. If you didn't know the lake it would take out a whole lot of guesswork. For that reason alone I like it, when I fish other lakes and find having it on board worth every penny I paid for my map chip and the app as well!

[Wagoneer]

Just predownload the lake you're heading to if you won't have data service there. Then the map and contours will be loaded all you'll need is a GPS signal. You can't downloaded the maps with just GPS so that's why you're just getting a location with a blocky map.

 

I downloaded pretty much all the lakes in Ontario and it was just a few hundred MB. The maps have great for me. All the depths so far have been dead-on with my fishfinder.

[Raycaster]

The problem is I assume the maps are loaded. I have been on LSC several times with the app with full detail and then the last time I had no detail until I was back at the motel with wifi. With the original US & CANADA I never had this problem as the maps were available in full detail the minute after it was fully installed with updated maps.

 

Either the app now requires authorization for every use or flushes it map "cache" between uses. I think it may be authorization as it monitors days left on map updating...

 

I have a android Road GPS program from Sygic that is around 5 gigs of data but once installed I have a Android GPS mapping program that never requires data for all roads North America. This is how the older version of US & CANADA Lakes worked.

 

.

[AKRISONER]

not to start a new thread but does anyone have an answer as to how this works? I have heavily been considering getting navionics for my phone to use a GPS on GB.

 

Ive been doing a fair bit of exploring lately but without a GPS on GB is really really sketchy.

 

Obviously i expect running the app constantly is gonna smoke your battery fast, but Id mainly be using it just to get too and from new spots to make sure i dont run into trouble.

 

Is there a function to be able to download maps of a certain area and save them on the phone? My undestanding is that with the map downloaded, you can then simply use the GPS on your phone and it requires no data?

 

I tried the free 1 week trial recently and it didnt work at all. Anyone with some insight it would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks,

Edited August 17, 2015 by AKRISONER

[Brettiop]

ARKISONER, i just had to downloaded US&Canada Navionis app this weekend(because my Great lakes Navionics chip didn't include GBay, Bummer)

 

I downloaded it, then had to download a map of the area, after the map was downloaded i could use the GPS without Data turned on.

 

So yes, its worth it. Without it i wouldn't have caught those big smallies this weekend thats for sure...

 

If i need it for another lake that isn't included on my Lowrance Navionics Chip, ill have to download that map before heading out.