HELP!!!! Lowrance H2O

[fishtrapgirl]

I bought a navionics chip from thorne bros yesterday, got home and put it in the gps, turned it on and for at least an hour all I get is the H2o screen.

Am I doing something wrong? Do I have a bad chip? Please help.

[harvey lee]

Have you tried zooming in on the screen or is there nothing?

[leech~~]

I bought a navionics chip from thorne bros yesterday, got home and put it in the gps, turned it on and for at least an hour all I get is the H2o screen.

Am I doing something wrong? Do I have a bad chip? Please help.

Have you initiated the chip in your setup area? I think it's like, load my data?

[fishtrapgirl]

Not getting the chance, as soon as I hit the power button I get this screen.

I've let it go for about an hour now before pulling the battery. Power button does nothing, neither do any of the other buttons. pull the chip out and the gps works just fine.

[broman]

First thing I would do is upgrade the firmware on your H20. You will need a blank card and a pc with a card reader. You then need to download the firware upgrade from Lowrances HSOforum. Their HSOforum will have more instructions on how to do the upgrade.

Then follow the troubleshooting below (this is from Navionics site)

A: First, check that your Lowrance unit has the most current software available from the manufacturer. If you purchased your GPS unit from a dealer you may or may not have the most current update. To find the latest software version available from Lowrance click here. The update is a free download provided from Lowrance.

To check for the most current internal software in your GPS unit.

1) Press the MENU button twice

2) Scroll to SYSTEM SETUP and press ENTER

3) Scroll to SOFTWARE INFO and press ENTER (states your current software version).

IMPORTANT: In the event you do need to update your internal software, please use a blank MMC or SD and DO NOT have your Navionics card in your unit while performing the update.

To check if all your Navionics information is turned on.

1) Press the MENU button once

2) Scroll to MAP CATEGORIES DRAWN and press ENTER.

3) Make sure Navionics and all sub categories have check marks or an X next to them.

4) EXIT out of all menu functions

Once you have the most current software update for your unit, please follow the instructions to view your Navionics chart. Turn on the unit and once powered on, insert the Navionics card (if the unit has a drawer that holds 2 chips, please place it in the right hand side).

1) Press MENU once

2) Scroll down to Map Data and press ENTER

3) Scroll down to DRAW/SHOW MAP BOUNDARIES & POP-UP MAP INFO and make sure they both have a check mark or X next to them.

4) Scroll to MAP CHOICE and press ENTER

5) Scroll down to select desired chart and choose which file you would like to view-press ENTER

6) EXIT out of all menu screens and ZOOM OUT to view the coverage area on the global map

7) ZOOM IN to see chart detail (at least 16nm) and continue to ZOOM IN to see further detail.

If you continue to experience problems, please call our customer line (1-800-848-5896) while you have access to your GPS unit.

[fishtrapgirl]

I checked and I do have the latest version of firmware.

How do I power it up and then put the chip in? The chip goes behind the batteries.

[fishtrapgirl]

ok, I got it powered up via cigarette cord, put the chip in, it showed a little sd card icon in the bottom right corner for about 2 seconds, then locked up and went to the screen in the picture.

[leech~~]

ok, I got it powered up via cigarette cord, put the chip in, it showed a little sd card icon in the bottom right corner for about 2 seconds, then locked up and went to the screen in the picture.

I think you have a bad, chip? If you do bring it back.

[eurolarva]

You can probably swap the chip for another Navonics. Bring the H2O in with you and let them see what is happening. When you load the chip and start running the H2O it will run like it did without the chip. You will get the warning that the thing should not be used for life and death tracking. You hit exit and it will find sats. You have to go to the map data menu then the bottom selection and select what region you are in then the map will become active and slow the H20 down. Chip must be bad. Look closely at the brass connector pins on the chip and in the gps. Make sure the ones in the H20 are not bent

[CAMAN]

Do you have an empty SD card laying around? I would install it and see if the same thing happens. If it does its something wrong with the unit, if not its something wrong with the Nav Card.

[snoozebutton]

Thorne Bros has some really knowlegable people on their staff, I'd bring it to them and have them help you out. They've always bent over backwards to help me with any problems I've had.

[fishtrapgirl]

Talked to customer service at navionics today and they said that there is a 2010 update coming out from lowrance, and that the chip should work after this update is installed.

Hopefully it is released soon. If I would have known this I would have bought the 09 chip.

Has anyone else had this problem with the 2010 navionics chip?

[Ed Carlson]

Not getting the chance, as soon as I hit the power button I get this screen.

I've let it go for about an hour now before pulling the battery. Power button does nothing, neither do any of the other buttons. pull the chip out and the gps works just fine.

I was going to recommended the batteries be pulled and then try again, but it appears you tried that already?

Try another chip. Make sure the chip is fully inserted in the reader Any "08" or "09" Nav-chip you should be able to read them, see if that is the deal or if it does require new update.

Did you try a MNTRAX chip in it?

[eurolarva]

When you get that update you will need a card reader. I got one from Best Buy for around 15 bucks. Could not get it to work on vista but it worked well on XP. If you have a digital camera you can use the card in there as long as it is an SD chip.

[fishtrapgirl]

Was just told today that the 2010 navionics chip will not work in an H2O black and white, but will in a color. Lowrance finally told me this after 4 phone calls.

Very dissapointed at this point with Thorne Bros. I specifically asked if this would work in my black and white H20 and was told yes it would. Now after several phone calls and hours on the internet, I find out that no, it won't work in my GPS. Emailed Thorne Bros today to see what they will do about this.

[Surface Tension]

fishtrapgirl, you had me stumped. Sorry to hear that but I'm sure you'll be taken care of. Thanks for letting us know the Nav 2010 won't work in the H2O b/w.

[polarsusd81]

I stopped into Thorne Bros last night and asked Josh (the owner of the store) what he had heard about the situation. He told me he spent a bunch of time on the phone with Navionics and Lowrance/Navico yesterday to try to figure out what the problem is. Fishtrapgirl is correct in saying that the 2010 Navionics chip does not work in the H2O. Thorne Bros has not had a b&w H20 in stock for more than 8 months now. Typically they test all of the chips in equipment owned by employees or customers to make sure they work, but without a b&w unit they were not able to test the chip in one before selling it. They certainly don't design the electronics, they are a retailer, but they will go to great lengths to make sure your issue is resolved. From what I was told (2nd hand info), Lowrance was not planning any updates for the H20 and that the 2010 chips might not work in them. I am going to bring in both a color and a black and white H20 this afternoon and we will test all the chip years available. We are also going to make sure that both units are running the latest update and are current. Josh told me he has a couple older chips sitting around at the store and he will do whatever possible to correct the situation. Fishtrapgirl, give him a call on his cell number provided to you through your email and he will get you taken care of.

The issue with the 2010 Navionics chip is being looked at and should be resolved by this afternoon. Hopefully Lowrance/Navico will get their stuff together and will continue to support the H2O, but the track record for that isn't all that great. I will report back with my findings.

[bottomdweller]

Hey fishtrapgirl, how have you been. What about exchanging the chip for a lakemaster chip? I have the lakemaster for wisc and one for mn both work great.

[polarsusd81]

I stopped in tonight and Josh and I went through all the cards he had available. All the variations of the 2010 Navionics Premium chips that we tried ended with the same result that fishtrapgirl was experiencing in the B&W unit. The color unit worked just fine on every card. The Lakemaster chips also work just fine. Neither Lowrance/Navico or Navionics will admit yet that there is a problem, but with real world testing we found the problem.

So for anyone with a black and white Lowrance H2O, do not use the 2010 Navionics Premium chips, they will not work in there unless Lowrance/Navico issue and update which is highly unlikely. Use a 2009 or older Navionics chip with your H2O.

We also noticed that while the 2010 chip does work in the color unit, there is significantly more lag time when processing the data, so just be aware that it will operate slower than the older chips.

Thanks,

Tom

By the way, fishtrapgirl, your new 2009 card should be in your hands by Monday at the latest. Hope everything works smoothly from here on out for you.

[luckycrank]

as a black and white h2o owner. it great that THORNE BROS

is going to help fish girl out, but if the black and white unit is no longer supported.

My self, fish girl and others alike bought a unit that is obsolete if they don't offer an up date

[polarsusd81]

Luckycrank, Unfortunately the owners of the black and white units are at the bane of Lowrance/Navico right now. I haven't had to deal with customer service personally, but every one of my friends that have had to deal with them have been disappointed. Josh told me he spent 2 hours on the phone before he finally got to his contact in customer service and then they denied there was any issue. At both sport shows he has attended this year, reps from both companies have told them everything should work just fine, but that is not the case and I don't think either is willing to admit there is a problem.

With as slow as the 2009 chip is in a black and white unit, I don't know if I would want to run a 2010 chip in one. But who doesn't want the latest information?

[MuleShack]

as a black and white h2o owner. it great that THORNE BROS

is going to help fish girl out, but if the black and white unit is no longer supported.

My self, fish girl and others alike bought a unit that is obsolete if they don't offer an up date

Just be glad your H2o is still working. Plenty around where the GPS antenna fails and it is as expensive to buy a new one as it is to fix the old one...