First let me say that I received my Navionics Gold chip on Saturday and it's the first navigational chart I've ever used or installed. I didn't have any problems with it or downloading Navionics PC App. I've been able to make markers and get them to come up in Google Earth after a bit of messing around with it. I found the FAQ for the PC App but it hasn't helped me much. It refers to a HELP file within the PC App application but I haven't been able to find it. I open the program, Click on SETTINGS at the bottom but it doesn't have a HELP file. There really needs to be a manual for support. My problem is that I click on Settings and select, save to card. I select humminbird and two files come up, Humminbird combined WPs and Routes and the second one being, GPX (GPX Exchange) format. Which one of these am I supposed to save? I've tried each and when I put the SD card into my Humminbird 581i unit I get a pop up saying it's loading WPS or something but it's so fast I can't read it. I then go into the area where the Waypoints, Routes and tracks are stored and I can't find them. I start the Navionics Gold and go to the area but no new wps are located. The chip works great and finds a signal after a little while and I'm able to do about everything I need. All I need is to learn how to save these markers (Waypoints) where I can put them on my plotter and I'll be good to go. Also, what am I missing when trying to find the HELP file? I'd appreciate any help!!Thanks, Bobby

UPDATE:

After Navionics contacted me I was able to open the HELP file but it doesn't help me with my problem of saving Markers(Waypoints) to my SD card. I was told to save the Humminbird file, humminbird WP and Routes but when I select it I get a warning that says Navionics.exe has stopped working and that's it. I check the card and there's a Folder saved there but it has 0 files or bytes so I know it didn't save it. Anyone out there that can help me?? Oh, yeah, I tried reformatting my sd cards too and that didn't change anything.

You do know to remove the Navionics card and install a blank SC card, correct? Don't try to save to the Navionics card. And then you go to the humminbird menu and export, or save, the data to the blank card. Once you placed a card in the slot it uploads the data to the fishfinder and new data is stored on the fishfinder, not on the card. The card is only a "transport mechanism" for moving data.

Yes, I know that. The problem is when I select, Save to Card, I select humminbird, select humminbird wp and routes and select the SD Card, give it a file name and click save and I get a message; Navionics.exe has stopped working, Windows is collecting more information about the problem. This might take several minutes. Then I click OK to get out of it and the program shuts down. I have Navionics Tech working on it but it takes forever to get anything done. I've been trying since the 19th. to get this resolved. Thanks for your help. I'll post the outcome when this is finalized so if others have this problem in the future maybe this will help.

It sounds like you have a plan -- good luck with it!

I was hoping to get this taken care of. I'm going fishing and camping for 10 days starting Monday and It's a new place for me. Take care and good fishing.

I finally messed around and got the program to save to card like it's supposed to. I went into the program folder and clicked on the WPS folder and it showed no files so I click above on compatibility files and it showed a WPS folder and it had my saved waypoints in it. I right click the file and clicked properties and the dialog box showed the file opened with, Windows Shell Common,DLL, I done a windows search and couldn't find any file like this so I changed the program to open this file to Navionics.exe. These changed all the files in this folder to open with Navionics.exe. I went into the program and it worked great. Saved my waypoints to sd card and I uploaded them to my GPS and I'm good to go. I don't know what Navionics is doing or not doing with this problem but I'm pretty upset with them. After 6 days they haven't done anything but thank me for being patient and they'll get back to me with a solution asap. Does that mean, as soon as patience runs out. They sound great to work with until you have a problem. If you look at their website, they are all about sales but not much on support. I wish my unit would handle the Lakemaster charts. That's the way I would go. Hope this helps someone. This is a great Forum.

Thanks for the info FA. I hope I don't have those issues. New 858 is supposed to be here today. I see LakeMaster in the very near future.

I just got a new Humminbird 581i for Christmas but it doesn't support LakeMaster.When I can afford a new Plotter, I'll get one and get the Lakemaster. I 've had this problem with Navionics since Feb. 8th and they still don't have an answer for me. Do you think I should tell them experts how to fix this problem?? If we have to wait on a rely on tech support from Navionics you'll have a long wait. I wouldn't recommend them for this reason. It works fine but if you have a problem you either work till you get it worked out or forget it. Good luck with your new unit. I'm sure you'll enjoy it and the Lakemaster too.

When I was trying to figure out Navionics PC Apps, I found that the SFS FAQ for Contour Elite helped me more that Navionics Mobil Support. I have a Humminbird and SFS explaination of file naming for their product helped me resolve my problems with the Navionics PC Apps. PC Apps can be a great product but I feel that right now we are acting as beta testers rather than using a production version of the software. I have had to do most of my trouble shooting by the seat of my pants.

I think the best thing Navions could do is setup a forum for it's users to help each other, simuliar to the unofficial forums for the Humminbird products.

Good luck with the Lakemaster. I bought the lakemaster with my new 1198. Took the lakemaster back the next day and changed it for a Navionics Hot Map Platinum. I like the way you can adjust the lake level and highlight the water depth you want BUT there was NO detail on the lakemaster. It showed no roads,tank dams or anything. The Navionics has alot more detail. I asked Navionics if they could add the lake level adjustment and depth highlighting to there chips. If more people would ast Navi to ad the Lakemaster Highlighting and lake level setting they might do it. As for now IMO Navi is the way to go for HD detail on TEXAS lakes.

Most of the detail is there, Lakemaster does not do a good job of defining it. You need to get a list from the internet that defines the symbles for roads, etc. Is that what that Red Line is?

What Lake? Was it a LakeMaster HD Lake? LakeMaster is expanding and only in the 2nd Year for coverage in Texas ANd Oklahoma. They are rapidly expanding HD Coverage. I'd like to see some comparisons if you are comparing apples-to-apples of HD Lakes between the two.

I have Navionics PC APP version 1.7.4.0

Left-Click WP, then select New Route.
Navigate your lake and Left-Click where you wish WP's.
When finished, Left-Click WP and Save Route.

Left-Click Settings, then select Save to card, select Humminbird, select Humminbird combined WPs and Routes.
Then select SD card or hard-disk folder, name file then save it.

This .HWR file will be saved in a folder MATRIX.

If you save it to an SD card, you can directly load it on your unit.

Normally, I save to my hard-disk, then open this .HWR file with HumminbirdPC. I use HBPC to delete the Route which leaves just the waypoints.

Then I go with this lake file or will copy&past these waypoints into other HBPC lake files.