Is there a good NY chip for the H2Oc GPS?

[schweady]

MN guy here, looking for a good gps chip for NY state that would work in my Lowrance ExpeditionC gps (pretty much the same as the H2Oc). Not all that worried about lakes coverage per se, but would be great if there was something that did roads and other landmarks as well as the LakeMaster chip does for here in MN. We'll be flying into Albany and tooling around between NYC and Montreal and around Lake Placid for a couple of weeks next month and thought I might be able locate a gps solution cheaper than the rental car's company's $9/day or so extra. Anyone?

[CNY Tim]

Go with the rental . . .well worth the price. The extra chip will act like a regular map but you can only use it to go point to point and not follow roads. The rental will give you audio directions without having to look everything up on the display and self correct when you make wrong turns . . .and you will . . .we all do because the directions are not always clear to understand when to turn.

[schweady]

Thanks, Tim. I figured you'd have the info. Pretty convinced that the rental's is the obvious solution in such occasional use. But, just for giggles, IS there a LakeMaster NY chip? or some other name brand you guys go to that works in the H2Oc?

[CNYFrank]

We unfortunately do not have a chip for NY like you guys do in the mid-West. You can get the LEI chip for the Northeast or buy the MapCreate "system" but the detail will not be the same . . . except for Champlain and the Hudson. It's hit or miss. I just got the toys too and am still checking on what everything looks like. There is a digital outfit that you can buy maps from, but reading the Expedition manual it seems that only LEI SD cards work . . .can't confirm but I think I read that if you used a different card it would erase everything. I'll check around and see if I can find info on the digital maps . . .at least you could get something on paper or a laptop (waterproof . . LOL). Also, like Tim's posting on the rental . . .can't beat it . . .unless you already own it too.

[insurance guy]

I don't know if you can use it in your GPS but I have the Navionics Hot maps East chip in my Lowrance 26c and it works great. It has every lake on it that I fish around here in upstate NY with pretty good detail. Have fun on your trip out here and if you like to catch walleyes you're coming at a real good time to cash in on some good fishing! The summer bite is in full swing

[CNYFrank]

I've got the MapCreate and LEI Gold . . .not too impressed with coverage around here for details. Perhaps I should try a Navionics.

[schweady]

Well, we're back and I thought I'd follow up: I brought the gps and was very pleased with its usefulness, even without any local NY chip. No turn-by-turn directions, obviously, but it served the purpose admirably. My trusty ExpeditionC had all of the major roads I needed to get around up and down the Hudson, through the Catskills and Adirondacks, in the Big City... even with no extra chip at all in place. The only time it didn't show roads was in Canada for our trip up to Montreal -- ended right at the border -- but that was no big loss. Thanks to Tim and Frank and all the rest for their suggestions, but for road navigation I was fine without any additional expense, and it saved us enough times from getting lost to (partially) justify to the wife my electronic toys budget.

[CNYFrank]

glad everything worked out for you and you had a safe trip. Note that part to the wife . . .maybe you can get another chip!!! I'm having issues with my Gold chip right now in that I only get half of Oneida lake with contours and I got all of it before . . .and I fish a tournament tomorrow!! I'll try to create an Oneida only map from my MapCreate software I got . . . but I am not really too please with that so far.