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QUESTION #1
Can a Lowrance SONAR/GPS unit be used as a
navigation unit on my Polaris RZR?
ANSWER #1
Yes, Lowrance produces units specifically for off road applications. The Baja off-road units are not capable of producing sonar images. A traditional SONAR/GPS unit will work for your Polaris also.
Posted below are links to view the units available and another link to topo mapping for off- road use:
Chartplotter - Whether tracking the coastline in your favorite boating area, previewing the depth contours in an upcoming location or charting a complex course around sunken islands at night, the chartplotter is an invaluable tool to help you navigate safely.
Off-Road – Best in Class GPS Navigation that’s tough enough to beat the baja.
Topo Insight – U.S. land-based coverage designed specifically for off-road enthusiasts and racers.
QUESTION #2
On my Gen2 Touch, how do I get the right format to enter Waypoints off Google Earth into my Lowrance unit?”
ANSWER #2
There are a few different ways to try to accomplish the task.
You can create a new folder, save as a place, add Waypoints under that place and save the place as a KMZ. The KMZ can be converted to GPX or Lowrance format using GPSbabel. The link is www.gpsbabel.org
Another thing to try:
If you want the same GPS format, just change your unit to match the Google Earth format or change the Google Earth format to match your unit’s format.
You have three choices:
DD.DDDDD
DD MM.MMMM
DD MM SS.SS
NOTE: This is from an angler who tried a different method for himself that was successful;
“OK, I just did this on my unit. Go into Google Earth and change it to decimals. That is the only one that worked for me. Then change your unit to decimals. This got me to the exact spot.”
Depending on what your intent is and how much you like to experiment at home while not on the water, this may be something you enjoy playing with.
I prefer to spend time on the water and experience a spot that I will place a Waypoint on. When you see something on a satellite view that looks promising, you can get the general area marked and the next time you go out on that body of water, check it out for yourself.
A general waypoint on your Lowrance unit will allow you to use your LSS 3D and look at the makeup of the structure, analyzing where the fish might hold or even what the best angle for a swimbait presentation might be.
Let’s take a submerged rock pile. There may be a large rock that juts out at an angle from the rock pile. This is just what you may be looking for!
A small paddle tail swimbait on a lead head is a great search bait to not only “feel” the rock pile and compare that “feel” to what you see on your LSS 3D; but also a way to catch a fish or two and that is a better sign than a Waypoint you found on Google Earth!
QUESTION #3
How do you set up a NMEA Network in your boat when working with more than two units?
AN H S er W e is E a R dia # gr 3 am that will show you the
connectivity of a NMEA network and an Ethernet expansion box to connect them via an Ethernet network also. A single Ethernet cable will network two head units but you will need the expansion box to network more than two units.
FALL 2016
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