iFinder H20c – MapCreate

First, I’ve read some of the postings here and appreciate the information found on the use of a GPS. I have a H20c and Navioncis Hotmaps. I would like to create custom maps with waypoints pulled from maps made by ‘HOOK-N-LINE’ with GPS waypoints. I’ve read issues on the NavPlanner and comments on MapCreate. I’m new to the high-tech world of fishing down here in Texas.

hi Garry,
Welcome to IDA, this site has much to offer. Post often, looking forward to hearing of some good Texas Bassin…

Look in the REports section, for some of Tom’s Lake Fork posts, he has been posting some great Spring Bass presentations in his reports….
Jack..

I have heard mapcreate is the way to go.I have never used it myself.

Welcome Garry. For custom maps making, I would check out The Doc Samson Q and A.

“I would like to create custom maps with waypoints pulled from maps made by ‘HOOK-N-LINE’ with GPS waypoints”
Garry,
What type of custom map are you trying to create? If you want the waypoints from the maps , it is easiest to use MapCreate and enter them with your keyboard instead of entering them on your Lowrance.

Thanks to those that replied, next time I won’t forget to ask the question! Doc, using a PC, I would like to take waypoints from a map, key then in the PC and have a route (map) created to over lay on the Navionics hotmaps SD in the GPS. I’ve read the many post on Mapcreate and the issues had. I’ve not seen anything on NavPlanner. The question is which is better?

Thanks Wade! Actually I reviewed all of the Docs Q’s and A’s, in addition to searching for anything on MapCreate and Navplanner. I have three pieces of the puzzle, now working on trying to find the last piece. I provided a response back to Doc on what I’m trying to do.

Garry,

Importing and exporting waypoints is easy using LakeMaster software and MapCreate with Lowrance GPS. LakeMaster won’t help you since you are from the South.
MapCreate opens Lowrance waypoints directly from your saved waypoint file or you can create waypoints with the keyboard using MapCreate and make a waypoint file to import into your H.2O. You can then make routes with your H2O. MapCreate 6 doesn’t have any contour maps in it but MapCreate 7 has contour maps (no high definition surveyed lakes).
I tried the NavPlanner software and I couldn’t import Lowrance waypoints or export the waypoints I created in the NavPlanner as a Lowrance waypoint file. My NavPlanner creates waypoints in OziExplorer waypoint format. It also imports OziExplorer waypoints. Fugawi uses this same format plus others.
If you need to convert OziExplorer waypoints to Lowrance format you can do this with freeware from http://www.gpsbabel.org/ . NavPlanner will view your Navionics card.
Wade or Jeff from Navionics may have more information on the waypoints in NavPlanner.

Doc, thanks for the input! I’ve been reading NavPlanner post at different locations on the net and I have yet to see a positive comment. Raymarine came up many times as having a postive product. They offer a free RayTech Planner and the needed card reader ($75) for Navionics SD cards. Have you used the s/w or heard about it? I was thinking of trying this s/w along with the converter program that you mentioned to get data from and to the H20c. I will have to get the card reader first if I want to test with the Nav SD.