Navionics Hotmaps Explorer DVD 10,000+ Lake Maps

[huston]

Anybody use this program to organize,enhance  or better their fishing trips, logs etc..... It's only about $20.00 and I hear good things about it but I have to run it past the authorities before I purchase it.

[LonLB]

Based on what it offers I think it's an EXCELLENT deal. My crap computer doesn't have a DVD drive though so I can't use it....Otherwise I would have purchased it at D&R last week.

[Durand Dan]

You know I saw that on their website and was wondering if it was all it was cracked up to be. It seems like it would be a valuable tool.

[Waterfoul]

next time I'm some where that sells it I will be picking it up for sure.

[huston]

nulime.com, $17.95 plus $6.95 S/H

[BryanP]

nulime.com, $17.95 plus $6.95 S/H

Still cheaper to pay $20 plus tax locally.

I got one and it's great so far.  Well worth the $20.  And the Google Earth plug in is really cool.  I know D&R sold out after my seminar a week and a half ago, but I know they got 12 more in the next day. 

[Waterfoul]

Well that website is cheaper than going to D&R (35 miles one way) so I ordered one.  Can't wait to get it!!!!

[huston]

Well, I've got the disk and loaded it up on the PC. Since it links with Google Earth, that helps with your imaging.  I've been searching all over Michigan for lakes and it works well.  I have a SD card reader and have been manually loading waypoints in the  Hotmaps explorer program and then trying to download them to a blank sd card so as to upload them into my Eagle 480 Gps. With Lowrance & Eagle, if you have Waypoints in your Gps, You can  download and upload from sd cards. So far, I have not figured it out yet. My next move is to download my current waypoints off my Gps in the boat and try and upload them to the Hotmaps program. There is also a cable that can be purchased to link your boat gps to the computer. If anyone has any input on this, it would greatly be appreciated.

[Waterfoul]

I got mine today!  Wow... two days to my door.  Impressive.  Haven't tried it yet... maybe later tonight.

[Durand Dan]

I got mine yesterday. Just starting to get into it, but I'm hooked.

[huston]

I loaded some LSC waypoints on my Hot Maps explorer program by downloading them from my Eagle 480 Fishelite  on to a sd card and uploading them to the program via a sd card reader. I manually put some waypoints on the Hot maps program so as to try and download them to a blank sd card, and upload them to the GPS. I have not tried to put them on the GPS yet.

[huston]

Man, this Hot Maps program is a great program for organizing waypoints on or off your gps. With a card reader, I can download the latest software for my GPS, download all the waypoints on a card and then upload them to the program. I also used a Sportsman's connection map guide book to look at some lakes and the approximate the location of hot spots on the maps in it and then go to the same lakes in the Hot maps program and give them a Waypoint and a Icon. I then downloaded these waypoints to sd card and uploaded them to my GPS's on the Boat. Coooool

[Savage]

I got this last weekend and it really kicks butt.  One thing that is frustrating though is that all the big inland lakes have crappy maps, and if you want good ones you have to upgrade by buying the HD maps of each lake.  Not sure that is a good deal.  Anyway, I have a Navionic SD chip for my GPS unit and I'm trying to find a way to put the HD maps off of it into the program on the computer.  Anybody know how I can do that?

[Durand Dan]

I like the route feature where you can hit the draw icon and map a course along a ledge or roadbed and then save it to the library. I definitely need to upgrade my electronics to interface with this program. It would be cool to have autopilot capability with this. 

[Fishmael]

I like the 3D feature.  It is pretty cool to take a tour of the lake bottom of a HD map.  I've learned things about a couple lakes I did not know before.  Pretty sweet program and definitely worth the $20!

[Bender]

Anybody know where to get this? Either local to the east side or online? I searched Ezods but it doesn't look like he has it. Also all the online places seem to be sold out or there is $10+ shipping.

[Fishmael]

I would think that either Bass Pro or Cabelas would have it.  I got mine at D&R Sports in Kalamazoo.  You can probably go to the Navionics website and find dealers as well.

[fowlmouth]

I got mine at boaters world, $19.99.

Anybody else notice roads in the lakes? I looked at wixom lake and there are several roads in the lake. I hope this is an error with where the roads were put on the gps grid, not the lake laid on it wrong. My navionics chip in my gps is also off on wixom by about a 100 yards to the southwest, sanford and secord are right on but wixom is all screwed up. anyone else with this problem?

[bshaner]

Just got mine from Cabelas and installed it about an hour ago.  Wow... this is pretty nice.  This will make my work day go by pretty fast!!!!  Very nice software.

B

[jgip087]

The program is very nice. Most of the smaller local lake maps are very old and the lakes are not even close to how they are today. However, the larger lakes and rivers, Kentucky, St. Clair, Lake Michigan, Muskegon, Detroit R., Erie, Choke Canyon, Amistad, are of good detail. Probably because Navionics has actually had boats out on those waters to take their own soundings over the past few years. Awesome program in my opinion for the price.