Navionic chip ?

[msp]

So, I am finally going to pull the trigger and purchase a GPS/fish finder combo unit.

I am getting some conflicting information about the chips associated with the GPS.

My questions are......

What is the best chip to purchase that will give me as much information possible. I would like to get as many inland Canadian lakes as possible as well as some of the Great lakes.( Ontario and Erie )

Do I need two chips or can I get all the info on one chip.

Do I need to download additional information or is it just plug and play ?

 

Also, does anyone have experience with the Lowrance chirp units ?

 

Hopefully some experts can provide some direction

 

Thanks,

Edited January 29, 2016 by msp

[porkpie]

They have a chip now that you can go online to navionics and download whatever areas you want up to I believe 4 gigs. It includes a year subscription so you can modify your choices to figure out what works best for you, as well as get current updates. That's the way I'd go if I was buying now. As it stands I have hotmaps and gold and carry 2 cards, but don't need everything that is on both cards. I have a raymarine with chirp. I'm pretty satisfied with it, but I don't really have much to compare it to other than my old lower end humminbird (which was still pretty good). I don't think the chirp hurts anything, but if your looking at new I'd wait for the new lowrance elite 7ti. It should retail around $1100 and have side and down imaging, GPS, touch screen and chirp sonar. If you don't want side imaging it will be a little less with just a standard chirp transducer. If I "find" a grand this summer somehow, I might get one just for side imaging. Good luck.

[JoshS]

I think you want the navionics plus chip. You can download the areas you need.

[G.mech]

x2 on the Navionics +. Once I got that I got rid of everything else. You can basically download all of Ontario and still have room left...

[msp]

Is it a pain in the a$$ to download maps for a computer illiterate like me ?

[porkpie]

My buddy got one last summer. He isn't what I'd call a tech wizard by any stretch and he seemed to have no problems. Your mileage may vary.

[G.mech]

It's actually quite easy and there's lots of videos on You-Tube if you need help. Here's a link for a very good one:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CEPmK0jmKM