Humminbird Side Imaging Forums
Side Imaging Forums => 598c SI HD => Topic started by: dkingvb on August 09, 2013, 09:40:41 PM
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I recently purchased the HB598ciHD. I also have the Navionics Hot Maps Premium South lake chip. I want to use sonar charts to plot a small local lake. The problem is when I go to Navionics to update my map, the SonarChart option can't be selected and has a statement "SonarCharts is not available in my area". Repeated emails to Navionics CS go unanswered so I have given up trying to get an answer from them.
Oddly enough, I can go to the Navionics Web App site and some of my local fishing areas show up with SonarChart data. So clearly Sonarcharts have been made in my area. Why won't the Navionics Update site let me select them when I update my chip.
This is really frustrating. If I can't get this going, I will just have to switch to LakeMaster Autochart when it comes out this fall.
Any help would be appreciated.
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Navionics has a turn around on emails of about 3-4 weeks. I had the same problem contacting them about a different issue. To expedite things, I called them. Things got done in a hurry.
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Well, Navionics finally repled after about 3 weeks as others suggested. Not Good News :'(
It appears I am screwed in regards to using Navionics SONARCHART access and recording my own water contours. The HB 597CIHD unit will work fine with SONARCHARTS but the Hot Maps Premium card will not. The Navionics Website in my opinion is t misleading unless all of the fine print is read in regards to Sonarcharts. I thought that HotMaps Premium could download Sonarcharts via the "Navionics Updates" site as mentioned on the website. In fact, SonarCharts is an option in the Navionics ChartInstaller updates page but is grayed out so can't be selected. It shows the message "Sonarcharts not available in my area yet". This led me to believe that SonarCharts would someday be available giving some hope.
However, after talking to the Navionics reps, I find out that SonarCharts WILL NEVER work with HotMaps Premium. Apparently the fine print on the website outlines that Navionics Updates only gives SonarCharts to HotMaps Platinum cards. The Website also states that upgrading to HOTMAPS PLUS will get access to SonarCharts for a fee of $99 per year which leads one to believe that spending a bit more will solve the problem. However, reading the fine print again, one finds that this is ONLY IF you have the HotMaps Platinum card.
I am sure Navionics has duped quite a few loyal customers based on how they have crafted their website. Quite Clever on Navionics part. Clearly a lesson I have learned. I chalk it up another payment of the Life's "Stupid Tax". :-\
THANK GOODNESS FOR LAKEMASTER and their UPCOMING AUTOCHART ability. :D I will move my loyalty over to LakeMaster and invest in a LakeMaster Card and the AutoChart Software when it becomes available this fall. I expect it will cost a bit more in beginning but clearly this will be a much better product than Navionics. AUTOCHART WILL NOT REQUIRE ANNUAL PAYMENTS like Navionics will require. So I expect I will have recovered my investment in about 2 years. Since Autochart is PC based, I will be able to chart my own local fishing areas not covered by LakeMaster already without having to upload data to the web and hope my recordings get included in the next update. Autochart will be more individualized to my needs.
LakeMaster clearly has CUSTOMER SUPPORT as a key driver unlike Navionics approach's approach of squeezing all it can out of its customers.
The Old Adage "Buyer Beware" rings true again.