Has anyone downloaded the free Lake Fork map from Lowrances website? Wondering how it compairs with the Navonics or other maps out there. I just got a LMS-480 and haven't even installed it yet, wondering if that free map is any good.

Awesome map. High detailed.

The only things that I can think of that it lacks from the Lowrance Hot Spot version is submerged timber and vegetation.

Thanks for the info guys. One of the reasons I got this over the Garman GPSMAP 178 was the free map since Fork is my main lake. It evened out the price difference between the 2 units. Can't wait to try it out.

I'll go a step further with this one --- it is way better than the Navionics Region 7 map of Lake Fork!!! The Lowrance map is right on with respect to shoreline/under-water contours and map position. Can't say the same about the high priced Navionics version I have.

BTW, have had many discussions with Navionics about their map problems which they admitted to me (and offered purchase price back on their chip). They did an on-the-water re-survey of Lake Fork in mid-2004, but the results were not incorporated into their chips that work with my X-15, thus their "money-back" offer.

C.

New updated chip is due out this month from Navionics. Supposed to fix allot of the problems and add more lakes. Lowrance Hot Spots has much greater detail than Navonics. Hope they do something about that also.

New Lake Fork Mapping

http://community.webshots.com/album/249166634sOHpCb?2

The Navionics map that Jeff links to is INCREDIBLE. In all fairness however Fork, Toledo Bend, Texoma and maybe one more Texas lake... (I can't remember for sure) are the only ones to be offered in High Definition (ie. 1' increments). Those three maps are the best I've seen, but all the other maps are comparable if not slightly inferior to the IMF Hotmaps IMO. I've not seen what IMF offers in the new 2005 version that should be out soon. I paln to wait and see what IMF offers in the 2005 version then do a comparison of both products. I think both companies have worked real hard this year to improve their products and I applaude their efforts. I think we are very fortunate to have two companies work so hard for OUR business.

I've downloaded the Fork map from Lowrance. I'll save it to my SD card tonight. Do I just load this map to my unit like I would waypoints or any other data file? Is there something unique to loading a map of a lake as compared to waypoints?

I currently use the Navionics chip but would like to give the Fork map from Lowrance a try if I can get it loaded.

Just put it on a card and the unit will see it. Don't put it on the Navionics card. There will be a box around the lake. You do not need to load it as you would waypoints.

Fish,

Just load the map onto the chip,the unit does the rest.

Thanks for the information guys.