Lowrance Elite 4 dsi/ Navionics

OK, so I've spent all morning worrying about compatibility issues. Turns out the elite 4 will only run a 2gb micro sd chip. First, there's a software update for the unit to d/load from Lowrance (no biggie). You need a 2gb mini sd card with adapter to fit both your pc and your unit. It's hard to find a 2gb chip, I finally found one at a T Mobile store.

Now for the Navionics chip. I remember all the talk earlier about the platinum Chesapeake card and the fish n chips, forget them, they're too big. Lowrance customer service didn't have the answer other than to suggest buying the gold chip that comes bundled with the elite 4 gold. That's not an option, they're made for Lowrance to sell as that bundle. I spoke with the people at thegpsstore.com and they gave me a number to call at Navionics. The person who answered had the answer right away. I need a Navionics Gold MSD/1XD.

That covers all of the US and northern Bahamas. the gps store has them in stock for $179.95 and Amazon has them for $185. I went with Amazon because we have 2 day free shipping. Should have it Friday.

[chimo]

Thanks for doing all the leg work and posting your results. I was wondering what that would cost me.

Chimo

[Capt C-Hawk]

Almost forgot, according to Lowrance, that's the same for all of the Elites including the 5's. That was just confirmed in an email from Lowrance

[Grady-Black]

I have the Elite -4 Gold Combo. The custom Navionics Gold micro SD chip that was bundled with the unit added detailed bottom contours to the mapping, which is what I needed for finding open water structure like dropoffs, ledges, etc. This custom chip also added a little more info on buoys, markers, and names of bodies of water. Its a much lighter version of what you get with the full blown Gold or Platinum chip, but well worth the extra $70 for the Gold Combo..

Hey Capt C-Hawk, are those Croaker in St. Marys Co. yet?
Lol!
GB

[Capt C-Hawk]

I have the Elite -4 Gold Combo. The custom Navionics Gold micro SD chip that was bundled with the unit added detailed bottom contours to the mapping, which is what I needed for finding open water structure like dropoffs, ledges, etc. This custom chip also added a little more info on buoys, markers, and names of bodies of water. Its a much lighter version of what you get with the full blown Gold or Platinum chip, but well worth the extra $70 for the Gold Combo..

Hey Capt C-Hawk, are those Croaker in St. Marys Co. yet?
Lol!
GB

Hey Grady, I heard late evening at Bushwood, so they're around

[jet]

So what is the difference between the bundled gold and separately purchased gold from navionics?

180 on top of the finder seems pretty steep, where now I'm considering the gold vs the dsi with card. I'm not even sure I'll benefit from the dsi now.

[Grady-Black]

So what is the difference between the bundled gold and separately purchased gold from navionics?

180 on top of the finder seems pretty steep, where now I'm considering the gold vs the dsi with card. I'm not even sure I'll benefit from the dsi now.

Big difference Stoneman, without any card the basic map only has a few channel markers, the custom bundled Gold card adds bottom contours down to about 2 feet to the display, thats about it. The full blown ($180) Navionics Gold card has many more features like changing contour shading as well as the Fish-n-Chips which will give you bottom contour detail down to 1 foot.

I have the non DSI Gold Bundle Elite -4 and the detail is enough for me especially on such a small screen. I think Capt. Seahawk has the full blow version and can comment more on it.
GB

[jet]

i bought the gold and was messing with it over the weekend. in the settings section, you can choose between lowrance and navionics coastal and something else. navionics just adds some detail (for expample it showed the sewer pipe at bb)and shading it seems. is the lowrance selection the stock map bc it does indeed show contours? if i pull out my card, i still have contours on my screen, but navionics is no longer available so i doubt its anything downloaded. also, anybody know how to dim the screen at night?

also, do you know how do i set it up so that it tracks my distance traveled? i see that as an option for the overlay, but it wont calculate it

[Pinch]

To dim the screen hit the power button. This brings up a menu with the brightness settings.

[Memory Maker]

Pinch

Are you sure the Fish n Chip won't work. It's discontinued but i was under the impression that it was the same size as the Gold Chip. Fish N Chip today is only offered on the Platinium Chip which will only work on the big DF's. Mine came in on Saturday and I haven't had chance to use it but I was told that the old Fish n chip would work at least on the Hummingbirds ......... BTW ......... the chart that Lowrance makes (and you buy) is really good ......... at least for the LCX's that I bought a while ago ........ it was actually better than the Gold chips in my opinion and it was only $99 ........ It's the Nautic Insight Pro 2012 .......... and I don't know about now but several years ago it was as good if not better than the Navionics gold.

[Pinch]

I don't have any chips. I use the basic contours that were pre loaded.