GPS replacement help

[Crow Hunter]

My Lowrance H2OC is slowly dying. I want to replace it with something that is compatible with my Lakemaster Promap chip that is about six years old. Does anyone have a currently available unit that works with this chip that they are happy with? Please don't tell me to buy a new chip, I don't mind paying for a good new GPS but this chip does everything I need it to.

Edit: It looks to me like there is not much that uses this chip. If you have a gps with a different chip that works well for Minnesota lakes, I would like to hear about it.

Thanks.

[Kyhl]

Is there something different about the Promap? I thought the older LM chips worked with the current Lowrance products. The new LM chips do not work with Lowrance.

[CaptainMusky]

I would think that same chip would work in the newer Lowrance units, but the newer lakemaster chips that were supported on Lowrance will not work on older lowrance gps units because the cards have too much data on them and they cannot properly read it.

The last couple years Lakemaster no longer makes a chip to work in the Lowrance units.

I have every chip available to Lowrance and they all work just fine in MN. I have Navionics HotMaps Platinum, Lakemaster 2011, and the Lowrance 2012 Lake Insight Pro. The Lowrance chip and Lakemaster chips are identical with the exception only being that the Lowrance chip actually has Lake of the Woods and Rainy on the same chip whereas the Lakemaster you had to buy two chips.

Navionics has everything on it as well, some lakes are better coverage than Lowrance, but some are not as good, but overall they complement each other very well.

If you are looking to get a handheld unit, I am not much help there since I do not have experience with them recently.

[Tom7227]

You have one of probably 5 H2O's that still work. Lots of posts over the past 4 years about them going kaput.

I had a couple Lowrance units and when they died I checked around and once I got a look at the newer units I ended up going with Garmin, I got a 78s 2 years ago and love it. Of course I managed to score the Lakemaster MN chip before that went away with Lakemaster was bought out.

One benefit of the Garmin line is that many DNR agencies have free downloadable maps of public hunting areas. I hunt more than I fish and those maps have been very useful.

You may be surprised at what is available now. I suggest you go to a store and play around with what is there and listen carefully to a couple different salesmen about what they suggest. Lowrance may not be at the top of your list once you check things out. Or maybe it will.

[Hawg]

I would do the phone app. $15 and you have everything you have now and in most cases better.

[KirtH]

Do you have a Smartphone or Ipad? Navionics offers some awesome apps.

[LMITOUT]

You have one of probably 5 H2O's that still work.

Mine still works!

(Finding a piece of wood to knock on)

[Tom7227]

What happens to the smart phone GPS when you're no longer in an area with service?

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

What happens to the smart phone GPS when you're no longer in an area with service?

It is not dependent on cell coverage. Main issues are readability of screen, water resistance and battery life. If you have an iPhone, then heat is also an issue. They shut down when they get to warm.

You can get some good waterproof cases for the more popular phones and some of the new Andriod phones are water resistant. The s4 Galaxy Active and also one made by Sony come to mind. I through mine in a zip-lock bag.

You can plug the phone into your accessory jack for power to cure the battery issue, unless it's raining.

I use mine when I'm in a buddy's boat so I can view the map from my seat. I also use the Navionics app on my iPad on some lakes because the map is better on a couple of them.

Just buy the app. You really can't go wrong. Enjoy.