Lowrance 522

[harvey lee]

I had a Nav chip in this unit. I took it out and put in a LakeMaster chip and the whole unit quit working. Without the chip in the unit, I can turn it on and it works and I have lake contour maps on the screen.

How does that happen?

[Eric Wettschreck]

Ok, I'm not a Lowrance expert by any stretch, just thinkin out loud here.

Is it possible that, similar to the H2O, you have to tell it the different "Files" to read? Once again, thinkin out loud.

I ran into this when I put my Nav chip in my H2O. It took me FOREVER to figure it out and I still haven't really figured it out, yet.

[harvey lee]

I tried that and it would not let me change it. Wierd that I have lake contours still in the unit without a chip.

[PierBridge]

I thought you sold your Lowrance units?

Try a reset... which you can do through the menu system!

[harvey lee]

I was going to but I could not knowing it was a piece of you know what.

[RonZych]

LOL

I am so glad I got mine to work finally.....

I actually sent these posts to Lowrance...

[Sandmannd]

That sucks. Have you backed up your waypoints? I would back them up and do a hard reset on it. How about a software update? You know if you ever want to sell it, blast me an email. I like mine and would like one for the front of the boat.

[LMITOUT]

Wierd that I have lake contours still in the unit without a chip.

They come pre-loaded with maps.

Try firing it up without the chip and then when on the map screen hit the menu button then scroll down and select "map data". For map type select Lowrance. Shut the unit down and then insert the Lakemaster chip and see if that helps.

[harvey lee]

I tried that Dan and it would not let me get into the menu.

[yaggie]

Without a chip in the unit you are just seeing dnr background maps. With lakemaster chips you should just have to insert them for them to read although I have seen units (mostly other brands) which would not read the chip. With navionics you most let the unit know which region you are in.

[Ed Carlson]

Do the Hard Reset with No chip in the unit.

Start with the unit power off...Push Zoom In & Zoom Out buttons..and the Power button all at the same time.

If she is still froze up...that would be bad.

[JohnMickish]

Yep, this is the same company that is coming out with the side scan/bottom scan sonar that everyone is gaga about.

[harvey lee]

Hard reset did not work.

The only way I can get a lake map chip to work is to turn the unit on and get it to map and sonar page and then install the card. If I install the card in the unit and then turn it on, it locks the unit up.

I guess when I go fishing now I will reload the card everytime I go out and hope the sonar works in the water less than 6ft.

I could have it fixed for around $300.00 but since there are so many issues with this unit, that would be throwing good money away.

Looks like I will be purchasing a Humminbird side imaging unit sometime here in the future.

I have had just too many issues with my Lowrance products. At least with my H2O, they do continue to replace it after many different issues even out of warranty.

[JohnMickish]

Tom, have you tried calling them to see what they say? If this unit is still under warranty they should replace it or fix it. You will be without it for a few weeks but that is better than what you have.

[harvey lee]

Its 3 months out of warranty and they said send the moola.

I also asked if I paid some cash ta boot if they would upgrade me to the HDS7 unit but they said no.

The friend of mine who works for Lowrance said they have had huge problems with the 522 unit.

One might think Lowrance would be interested in taking care of their customers with asll of these issues but I guess not.

I have 3 different Lowrance units and have had nothing but issues with 2 of them.

Its now time to give Humminbird a shot.

[JohnMickish]

Three months out, that sucks. I had issues last year as well and sold them over the winter. I now have a Hbird on the dash and love it. IMO Lakemaster has a better mapping system than Navionics but the Hbird sonar more than makes up for it. It works 100% of the time in any type of water and depth.

[harvey lee]

John

I believe Lakemaster will soon have chips for your Bird.

[Ed Carlson]

Yes sir...LakeMaster showcased the new Hummingbird chips at the ICAST show this week, due out latter this summer.

Will work in all new 2010 units and in older units with the free update download soon available on the Hummingbird site. Watch for it.

So all gps capable card reading units in 08-09 should be good to go with the update for Hummingbird/LakeMaster. Not sure how far back the software will go past 08?

One would also have to wonder, how far away a new Hummingbird handheld GPS unit is now...not too far away I suspect?

[JohnMickish]

That is great news. I have heard it was coming but not it sounds real. Once it is out, I can't see a reason anyone would put up with the current level of Lowrance quality control issues. I think a guy should buy into Johnson Outdoors stock.

[hanson]

Only reason that would have stopped me from buying Humminbird was the Lakemaster compatibility issue. When that is solved, Lowrance is going to have A LOT of work to do.

I've been in my share of tourny boats this summer running 1197s & 997s and they are very impressive. Side Imagings ability to show small rock piles off to the sides of the boat is incredible and a very powerful tool to the fisherman.

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

Yes sir, a bird for me next spring.

I told them at the SportShow that a lot of people on this forum (and midwest in general) would buy birds if they ever got around to having Lakemaster compatability. They said they have told the factory guys several times and it looks like they finally listened.

[Ed Carlson]

I always run a Vexilar flasher on my boat, and than decide what my GPS/Graph options should be if added, in that order. If Vexilar decides to run a new version of the EDGE III, lets call it an EDGE IV just for fun, with GPS mapping and data card capability's...well...BADA-BIND...the clutter on my dash would diminish very quickly.

I dropped Lowrance out of the running a few years back for reasons of user friendliness, and the big issue the software bugs that lead to chronic customer support issues. I'm used to exceptional customer support when needed with Vexilar and Garmin, and Lowrance is not even on the same page as far as support or dependability of product..so that was that..I had enough of that run around.

Garmin has made the most innovative and customer focused graphs and chart plotters on the market for many years, and I'm always curious on what innovations and new technologies they pull from their hat next, something is brewing there again. There units take user friendliness to a whole new level and others quickly try to catch up.

For now, Hummingbird has a distinct market edge in more categories of both GPS and sonar graph technology. I still believe Garmin makes the best gps units by far, but they need to step up there inland mapping program to better compete on the inland lakes market.

The facts of life now in the GPS world is fairly straight forward, mapping sells the unit, no available quality mapping..the units will not sell well. It is a bit like the tail wags the dog, but it's true.

LakeMaster and Garmin do work together on mapping, as now does Hummingbird, so my assumption is mapping will expand for them both on inland waterways and it will include expanded 3-D Vision formats, now used by Garmin, to a broader crossover format that Hummingbird may also use. (FYI: The Insight map Lowrance is now running, it is a basic version of that Garmin Vision mapping software)

Good things brewing, and the Hummingbirds are definitely on the wing.