Which Navionics Plotter?

[Baggywrinkle]

On the subject of transfers - one niggle ! Why do Plotters only have one SD card slot ? For a long time I have thought a dual slot would be so much better .. slot A for chart card .. slot B for data transfers such as routes / waypoints etc.

My Raymarine Axiom 2 Pro has dual SD card slots for exactly this reason, behind a sealed flap on the bottom right of the device - and it shares them with other plotters on the same ethernet (Raynet) network. Not a budget plotter though.

This just about compensates for the placement of the card reader on the Axiom+, which is on the rear of the device necessitating removal to access the microSD card .... or you can buy their microSD remote card reader for a fee €€€€.

 

[Alicatt]

Garmin have an external SD card reader that will sit on the N2000 network for updating their devices: NMEA 2000® Network Updater | Garmin But I don't see the Echomap in the list of compatible devices. Like @Baggywrinkle says it is ££££

 

[Baggywrinkle]

Garmin have an external SD card reader that will sit on the N2000 network for updating their devices: NMEA 2000® Network Updater | Garmin But I don't see the Echomap in the list of compatible devices. Like @Baggywrinkle says it is ££££

The NMEA2000 updater is intended for small device (sensors etc.) updates, not maps or plotters AFAIK. Not even sure a map update would work.

NMEA2000 is 250 kbps ......


The navionics map updates on my plotter are approx 550MB and it estimates 16 mins to write via the USB3 Card Reader. .... it actually took around 3-4 mins.



Over a 250kbps NMEA2000 network, assuming it can use the full bandwidth (which it can't for numerous technical reasons) the transfer would take over 5 hours.



..... Garmin also do a USB Card reader which I believe is intended for map updates.

Garmin USB Card Reader with USB-C Adapter Cable

On a general networking note, the more complex data exchanges on boats now tend to run over ethernet/wifi rather than NMEA ... so my Media control, Victron control (HTML5 App), Radar overlay and Video streaming all run over ethernet (Raynet)/ WiFi rather than NMEA2000 (SeatalkNG).

 

[Refueler]

My 92sv certainly cannot use a card reader ... its all done via one SD card slot ... Active Captain and a mobile on wifi ... PITA !!

BUT - if it can - then I'd be interested ... ??

I still have my Lowrance plotter .. and I was led to believe that I could use a USB adaptor for Mapmedia to support it .... bought the Lowrance USB puck ... of course what I was told turned out to be total bo*****s

 

[PaulRainbow]

With respect gentlemen, you cannot reasonably buy budget, entry level plotters and then complain about the lack of features. The Echmap series of plotter are such devices (as are the Raymarine Element series). If you don't need radar and a few other features they are great value for money and mostly include full UK chart coverage.

If you want all of the bells and whistles, you should choose something from the GPSMAP range, or an Axiom if you like Raymarine.

On my flybridge i have a GPSMAP 1223 and a GPSMAP 923, on a network with the radar. At the lower helm i have a pair of 104" tablets that mirror the two plotters. I have purchased one Garmin chart card, this is in the 1223. I can make a copy of the card if i want (up to 10 copies actually) and put that in the 923, but as it's networked there is no need. Both plotters, and therefore both plotters can display anything and everything on the network, charts, waypoints and routes, sonar, radar, auto pilot, engine data, trim tabs, all data from the Victron network, tank levels etc etc.

Both plotters have two SD slots, which are in the rear of the plotters. Not the most convenient place in some installations, but it does maintain the water tight integrity of the plotters. I've had to replace a few plotters that have suffered water ingress through the card slots. The easy solution is to fit a remote card reader, not the NMEA2000 version, that's just a device to update certain devices. The USB version has two slots and is a permanent installation, so one slot is for the charts and the other for user data and updates. If you have more then one chart card the two slots on the rear can still be used as well.

I have also downloaded the charts to both tablets and my phone, so all three can act as stand alone plotters. That's a lot of devices for a single chart card purchase

 

[lustyd]

but as it's networked there is no need

Assuming you switch them all on all of the time. My B&G are also networked but I have a card in each because I often switch on the helm or nav station without the other. Good that Garmin let you copy them, I didn’t know that

 

[PaulRainbow]

My 92sv certainly cannot use a card reader ... its all done via one SD card slot ... Active Captain and a mobile on wifi ... PITA !!

BUT - if it can - then I'd be interested ... ??

I still have my Lowrance plotter .. and I was led to believe that I could use a USB adaptor for Mapmedia to support it .... bought the Lowrance USB puck ... of course what I was told turned out to be total bo*****s

The card readers, N2K and USB, cannot be used with the Echomap series.

You are not restricted to the Active Captain app for updates. You can download the updates to an SD card, put it in the plotter and it will update it. See here : Garmin: echoMAP with SD Card Updates & Downloads

I agree the Active Captain app update method is a PITA, sometimes it just works, other times it just goes round and round. Had this a couple of weeks ago, connect to download updates, connect to plotter, no updates, check for updates and there are some, so connect to internet and download them, reconnect to plotter, no updates available, check for updates and there are some, so connect to internet and download them, reconnect to plotter, no updates available.......ad infinitum

Give up, download to SD card, put in slot, update everything on the network. Job done.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Assuming you switch them all on all of the time. My B&G are also networked but I have a card in each because I often switch on the helm or nav station without the other. Good that Garmin let you copy them, I didn’t know that

I have to switch the 1223 on, as that has the chart card in it, but can leave the 925 off. Mine are both on the flybridge and intended for different uses. The 1223 is primarily for navigation (charts, sonar AIS, radar etc), the 923 is for engine data, Victron data, camera etc. So, i always have both on, but take your point.

 

[andyb28]

Many thanks for all the replies, lots for me to work through in this thread.

I have returned to Sailing from a Motorboat. The MB had an Axiom and I hated it. Everything was touch screen and seemed a bit clunky. I think it was the first edition Axiom. When I first got the boat, I was excited it had such a fancy plotter, so it was all rather disappointing.

 

[Refueler]

The card readers, N2K and USB, cannot be used with the Echomap series.

You are not restricted to the Active Captain app for updates. You can download the updates to an SD card, put it in the plotter and it will update it. See here : Garmin: echoMAP with SD Card Updates & Downloads

I agree the Active Captain app update method is a PITA, sometimes it just works, other times it just goes round and round. Had this a couple of weeks ago, connect to download updates, connect to plotter, no updates, check for updates and there are some, so connect to internet and download them, reconnect to plotter, no updates available, check for updates and there are some, so connect to internet and download them, reconnect to plotter, no updates available.......ad infinitum

Give up, download to SD card, put in slot, update everything on the network. Job done.

I know abut the SD card for software update .... its more the Chart card update ....

 

[Refueler]

I know abut the SD card for software update .... its more the Chart card update ....

And why does Garmin insist on a 'clean' Active Captain SD card ?? Every time I do update - it insists on formatting the card ... WHY ??

 

[Alicatt]

Just looking at the SD card updater and noticed this at the bottom of the email I got when updating the Garmin 95SV last month

Navionics Boating App Wireless Chart Updates
If you have an active Navionics Boating app subscription for an overlapping coverage area, you can use the Plotter Sync feature to wirelessly update charts on your compatible chartplotter.

Not seen that before, does this mean that there is a way of syncing between the boating app and chartplotter to have the same coverage on both?