So on the Premium cards, you can only update with Navionics updated data.... not user submitted data?

Yes, read my first post on this thread.

I do the same thing and my Platinum chip is less that 2 years old. If I'm running down the lake or searching while I sit the Fish n Chip feature is usually off. When I get to the area I'm going to fish I will turn it on. Wish Navionics could get this figured out so all the detail is available with it on.

Sonar Charts is USER GENERATED DATA, not Navionics data. No one doing sonar logs has those features to add to the maps. As they have time, some features will be added to the Sonar Charts maps that are Navionics data, but not the contours. The Sonar Charts program is so popular world wide that they are kept busy just getting the logs processed. Adding the Sonar Charts Live program just added more to their work load.

Another thing, since Sonar Charts is NOT done by Navionics and the data is only supplied by user sonar logs, no one knows if and where any part of those maps is accurate unless the one using the map is the one that supplied the data. Don't bet your hull and lower unit on those maps until you verify with your sonar that they are accurate anywhere.

Example of the above post.

All map companies do not collect data for every square foot of terrain, even the USGS. They collect data at intervals and then fill in between the data points (interpolate )with fake lines.

This is part of a Sonar Charts map that I did on a lake with no data of any kind available. Every place I did not log got contours too. The only accurate data is what was below my transducer and GPS antenna.
This is a Google Earth track map after a couple dozen sonar logs. Only what is directly under the red lines is accurate, every contour not under the red lines is fake (interpolated).



This is one area of that contour map, note the map curser position and GPS co-ordinates:



After some of my sonar logs were processed, I noticed that area was not accurate since I had not logged it.
I am very familiar with that lake since I have fished it since it first was opened to fishing.
This is the track for that area I did to correct it:



This is the corrected contour map for that area:



I did this post to show that you cannot assume any part of any Sonar Charts maps are accurate. It is entirely the result of user generated sonar logs. You must verify with your sonar what/where the accuracy is and is not.

Another example I just remembered. When the Sonar Charts program was first started just about every body of water got preliminary contours to be adjusted by sonar logs. None of those lines were accurate.

This particular body of water was a scanned paper map with 8' contours that got the preliminary contour lines. Even the shore line is incorrect, as I was scanning, my position icon was shown on land several times.

This is the original scanned paper map with a rockpile note I added with Community Edits:



This is the preliminary contour map when Sonar Charts started not based on any sonar/GPS data.



This is after I did sonar logs in that area:



This is after I did some more logs to fix some errors:



This is after I gave Navionics the GPS location of an island and rock pile that was not show and the lake outline was redrawn using Google Earth since some of my recordings were shown land with the original map.
They add docks and ramps when that is done.

I think you can just upgrade your card online for 99.00 thru Navionics to get the detail you want.

Kind of a different question on the same topic: how does Lake Master compair with Navionics as far as "extra detail" on a lake like Fork? Not talking about the contour lines or shading capabilities. How is LM on the extra detail such as creeks, road beds, bridges...?

With a chip that old, you would need to call Navionics Customer service and explain you want to update an old Platinum chip. They will allow you to pay over the phone and will send you a new Navionics Platinum for the $99, since the old one can not handle the updates online, but with the replacement card, it will be able to in the future. Or another option is that you can buy the Updates card for $99, which is activated by your old card and will become a blank Nav+ card ready to download any areas you want. The only cards that have the Sonar Charts layer is going to be the Platinum or the Nav+.