Can't upload Lowrance sonar logs to Navionics?

[haggard]

I have a Lowrance Hook 4 with GPS capability and Navionics+ software, which I intended to use to map my lake by logging sonar and uploading the data to Navionics to merge into their maps. This seems like a routine thing to do with these finders.

 

On uploading the data I see Nav+ says the Lowrance proprietary format (SL2) is not supported, and that even the GPX format (however I get to that) doesn't support depth data. But my Hook 4 came WITH the Nav+ software, and now I find they don't play together. How is that? Is there a workaround?

 

I'm pleased with the Hook 4 except for this one major whoops. The Hook 4 obviously records all this data but what good is that if you can't export or even review it?

 

I submitted my questions to the Lowrance Contact Us form but on submit all I get is "there was an error adding you to our newsletter signup." 

[Tim Kelly]

I don't know the answer to your question, but I was researching a new sonar unit, and had a chance to buy a Lowrance Elite TI at a great price, but passed on it as Lowrance's map drawing capability is pathetic. Such an unnecessarily complicated system to achieve what Humminbird and Garmin can do live and immediately on the unit. They really need to improve that part of their game.

[haggard]

After lots of searching tonight I found an old SL2 viewer program. After more searching for a missing file, persuaded it to install on a Windows PC. It lets you graph the data and export it to a .CSV file (time offset, lat/lon, water temp, depth, etc.)

 

Next step is to convert the .CSV to a .GPX and maybe Navionics+ will let me upload it. It's 1:30am so I'll save that for tomorrow. Making progress here but slowly. If it all works out I'll summarize the steps here.

 

[haggard]

6 hours ago, Tim Kelly said:

Such an unnecessarily complicated system to achieve what Humminbird and Garmin can do live and immediately on the unit.

By this do you mean the device will plot depths and draw contours automatically as you roam around the water, in real time, and save it to the device, without file uploads/downloads and without Internet?

 

[Tennessee Boy]

40 minutes ago, haggard said:

By this do you mean the device will plot depths and draw contours automatically as you roam around the water, in real time, and save it to the device, without file uploads/downloads and without Internet?

 

Can't speak for Garmin but yes for Humminbird.

 

https://www.humminbird.com/learn/mapping/autochart

[Tim Kelly]

Yes, both Humminbird and Garmin offer this, even on their lower and mid priced units. The Lowrance system needs a permanent internet link, via your phone, to create maps as you drive around.

[haggard]

I took a sample of my log as a .CSV file with lat, long and depth and ran them through the GPS Visualizer webapp which created a GPX file, manually added in the depth info, then saved the file on my SD card and uploaded it to Navionics. This time it accepted the file (well, it didn't immediately reject it... it's still "processing").

 

Navionics site gives a preview of your data overlaid on a map, and it's showing up as a track with start/end points, and no depth data. I'm hoping after the file finishes processing, the tracks will disappear and the map will magically show up as depths (probably not enough data in my set to do contours).

 

Strange thing is my 3 local waters aren't mapped at all (ex: Square Pond in the screen shot), while nearby smaller ponds have full blown contours and depths. This is a screen shot from the Navionics website after I uploaded the data. My track is shown on Square Pond on the right.

 

 

I really like the Hook 4 and bought it because it was low cost and my yak was already factory prepped for the transducer but wow this process is somewhat painful and shouldn't be necessary.

 

Hopefully if/when I get it working it can save others some hassle in the future.

 

 

 

[kenmitch]

Why don't you just use the free community map from c-map genesis? They already have most of it mapped out already. You can just sign up for the free account add your sonar info and download the community map. Then you could upload logs to update missing parts of it. Once your files are uploaded and processed they are added to the community map after a day or two. You will be able to download a gpx file that you should be able to upload to navionics + from your free account. I'm not 100% sure on the download gpx file from free account as I upgraded my account so I could just make my own map of my local lake with the areas I want or will be fishing. I kayak fish also and have generated over 600 acres so far on my map. 

 

I had to zoom out chrome and zoom down the map to get a decent compromise of what it shows. It has greater details once you zoom in on the map. Community map might be good enough for you from the getgo. You can always add to it to make it better. 

 

 

I can help you figure it out if it winds up being too confusing. Reading what you already did I'd think you'll figure it out by yourself.

[haggard]

4 hours ago, kenmitch said:

Why don't you just use the free community map from c-map genesis?

Thanks Ken; this is a huge help. I had already created a free Genesis account but when I hovered over the Upload feature, it told me I needed to subscribe/upgrade to Edge, so I was dissuaded.

 

Now I see I can download the social/community map which, as you said, already has Square Pond mapped out. Great!

 

I downloaded the files (an .xml and some .at5 files) but it's unclear to me where these files need to be placed on the SD card in order to be imported and viewed. I'll keep working on it, but in the meantime, any suggestions?

 

[kenmitch]

The file you downloaded is a zip file. Just unzip it and then rename the folder to  Square Pond. Then all you have to do is right click the folder and send it to the SD card. Your Hook 4 should find it on boot up and a popup message will ask you if you want to change to Square Pond. Just wait for the popup.

 

On your Genesis account you should be able to just click on the upload tab in top center under the lake image. Or the start upload above the social map box. I know it will allow you to upload without upgrading your account as I uploaded a couple of sonar logs before I upgraded my account. 

 

You could try the upload tool. Same logon for it as your account. 

 

There is a link below the image showing were to find it on your account dashboard if you don't see it on your dashboard.

 

https://insightgenesis.wordpress.com/2016/03/23/how-to-install-the-insight-genesis-upload-tool-on-a-pc/

[haggard]

TEverything went as you described except finding the new folder at boot up. I can see the files with the Hook 4's System > Browse Files... but can't find a way to activate them. 

 

However I just stumbled across "Chart > Char Data > ..." which offers choices of Lowrance, Navionics and "Navionics Fish 'N Chip". The Lowrance setting gives me no contours on most waters. The Navionics gives me some with contours, some not (this is the default). Fish 'N Chip, now marketed as Platinum something, must be part of the Navionics+ Regions chip I bought a while ago. I switched that and now Square Pond and nearly every other water in the entire region is shown with 1 ft contours, shading, etc. This is great!

 

Still doesn't solve my problem with how to activate other downloaded maps (such as C-Map) but this is great for now.

 

Many thanks for @kenmitch for talking me through all this!

 

[kenmitch]

I'll play around with it and see, maybe it don't work with the Navionics card. I've been using my C-Map card that came with my Elite Ti. Got to go to work and didn't have time to try it out on the Navionics + card I also have. The Navionics card shows a lot of detail for Lake Perris but parts of the lake have been reconstructed during dam repairs. The C-Map has more options that I like and my custom map is more accurate in the areas that I mentioned. Couldn't find a custom contour color option in Navionics but didn't play with it much. C-Map allows me to choose my own colors/shading and once applied I can find all the 10-15ft water instantly if that's were the fish are biting. I'll let you know if it will work on the Navionics card and how to do it if I can figure it out.

[thedrfish]

A couple things I have learned after reading this post... 

• Navionics has the entire lake mapped in sonarchart layer, Genesis has partial.
• Happy to help more on how to convert Lowrance mapping, this link will help: https://navionics.secure.force.com/kb/articles/en_US/Knowledge_Article/How-to-Record-Sonar-Logs-With-Your-Lowrance-Plotter
• Someone else mentioned the Lowrance Elite TI can’t draw live compared to Humminbird and Garmin. It can with the Sonar Chart Live feature. How to do SCL: https://navionics.secure.force.com/kb/articles/en_US/Knowledge_Article/What-is-SonarChart-Live/?q=how+to+do+sonar+chart+live&l=en_US&fs=Search&pn=1

If I can help more leave me a comment...

[Tim Kelly]

3 hours ago, thedrfish said:

A couple things I have learned after reading this post... 

• Navionics has the entire lake mapped in sonarchart layer, Genesis has partial.
• Happy to help more on how to convert Lowrance mapping, this link will help: https://navionics.secure.force.com/kb/articles/en_US/Knowledge_Article/How-to-Record-Sonar-Logs-With-Your-Lowrance-Plotter
• Someone else mentioned the Lowrance Elite TI can’t draw live compared to Humminbird and Garmin. It can with the Sonar Chart Live feature. How to do SCL: https://navionics.secure.force.com/kb/articles/en_US/Knowledge_Article/What-is-SonarChart-Live/?q=how+to+do+sonar+chart+live&l=en_US&fs=Search&pn=1

If I can help more leave me a comment...

As I said above, to use sonar chart live, you need a permanent internet link to get it to function, so data can be transferred to Navionics while you're on the water. Humminbird and Garmin with just create a map in the unit without any other complications.

[thedrfish]

I am sorry maybe I confused a few folks, but no you do not need a permanent internet link to create maps with Navionics SonarChart Live. You do need to have an up to date Navionics map card. This video (with FLW Pro Josh Douglas) should help explain it better: 

 

[Tim Kelly]

OK. thanks for that. That wasn't the way I understood it, even from wading through the "seminar" you linked. Glad they have finally caught up with the other manufacturers and I wish I had understood this a couple of weeks ago as I would have bought the 7ti I was offered at a great price!