Have a Lowrance HDS 5 and the depth contour lines look fine on the Lowrance built in map.....but when I add the Navionics Hot Maps Premium South chip, the depth contours lines are almost impossible to see even at full brightness setting and especially in full sunlight.

Is there an adjustment for changing the map colors anywhere? Any one else also having difficulty seeing the contour lines when using the Navionics chip?

LOL!! Tilt the unit forward or backward a bit. I asked the same question a few months back and MrG helped me out!
http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbt...nes#Post3918627

Lowrance HDS is being mounted in bow panel....no way to tilt up or down. No, please don't suggest to take a step or two back as I already thought of that and I have a 120lb fishing dog laying there in the boat already. Will fill out the Navionics web site feedback and try to live with it. Thanks.

Lou, I have the same problem with viewing my Navionics maps on my HDS 5. The Lowrance maps seem to have darker contour lines. Mine is on a ram mount on the front deck and changing the viewing angle is possible but I like it an a certain angle for viewing the sonar, Changing it to view the mapping better is not a solution, imho.

I'll keep playing with mine to find a solution and will share it with you, if / when I find it

Well it works for me. Sorry..I didn't know it was in dash

Hey, thanks for trying Allen....

Just received a reply on this issue from Navionics tech support..

Other than suggesting the obvious, like making sure the display is not in NIGHT MODE, Navionics just referred me back to Lowrance...They (Navionics)apparently don't have anything within the chip that determines "how" their contour lines are displayed..only "where".

We all need to contact Lowrance and inquire why the option for the users to set their displays characteristics of the Navionics contour lines was taken out of the Lowrance HDS series.

Lowrance: 1-800- 324-1356

You first! Good luck with that. I can't stay on hold with Lowrance CS that long anymore. Missing lunch makes me cranky

True, good point and perhaps it is better to contact them in written form...here is the website for submitting a product inquiry or request:




http://www.lowrance.com/en/Support/Product-Support/Contact/

After contacting Navionics and being told Navionics has nothing to do with the quality/visibility of a displays depth contour lines as it is a Lowrance display issue, So I contacted Lowrance. And here is my reply from Lowrance on 'improving the visibility of the Navionics chip contour lines on their displays':
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From Lowrance...
Thank you for your inquiry. Brightness controls can be used to bring definition to contour mapping but beyond that, there are no other "user defined" settings for either the HDS or past model units when using the Navionics cards. Their cards have almost always been pre-determined color schemes and depth line thickness and this is all done during the digitizing process done by Navionics and which we have no control over. We would be happy to forward your request to product management for further research as a possible future software update inclusion.
Please feel free to contact us if we may assist further.

Lowrance Customer Service
Division of Navico Inc.

12000 E. Skelly Dr.
Tulsa, OK 74128
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And from Navionics:

Thank you for contacting Navionics. You have filed an anomaly report. If you would like answers to your questions in the future please contact sales@navionics.com or call 800-848-5896.
Have you made any adjustments to your setting such as NIGHT MODE. Different units will read the Navionics charting with their own interpretations. There may be ways to change the display of the charting information on the unit such as changing the colorization of the line or changing a dashed line to a solid line or enlarging the font and such. We support numerous units and unfortunately do not have all the details on trouble-shooting them all so we would need to refer you back to Lowrance for this specific information. They can be contacted at www.lowrance.com or 800-324-1356. You may wish to download the newest software version for the HDS unit first, off of their website, to see if that changes anything - if you do not already have it downloaded. Please make sure that you do not use the Navionics chip to download this information nor have the Navionics chip in the unit when the software is downloaded as it will cause the Navionics chart to become corrupt and will not work.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at 800-848-5896.
NAVIONICS
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CONCLUSION
So my conclusion is that it is us users fault that we can see the Navionics maps depth contour lines fine on most units but not on the HDS series. o

Dude! You got a written response in the same day????

Whoa...

Yes, both Lowrance and Navionics responded very quickly both providing non-answers and blaming each other. (Both responses are now in my 3:13PM post from yesterday which is shown above.)

Was that a new card from Navionics or an older one that has been used before on an older unit?

I ran into the same problem several years ago, took the card back and it was fine.

The card is a software issue. The built in mapping is working, you add new software and it doesnt work???