Baja 540 First Glance

[adventureduo]

Well i got my pre-loaded map data SD card yesterday. Played around with it last night. I was amazed at how detailed the maps are. Plus, i was surprised to see that all the trails are pre-loaded already that we travel on around here! Mojave road was even on it! Im very impressed! Shows in full topo too!

We have a trip in August and i was wondering if the trails were loaded on it for our adventure. Yep! All the forest roads are already on it! Including small side roads and hiking trails! The thing even shows a old cabin up near our house that we usually wheel too. Pretty amazing.

Whats even more cool, is that you can look up a trail by name or nearest location. I was deep in the heart of the city and i knew what trail was closest to us.. but i asked the GPS anyways.. and up popped up the trail i knew about. Scary!

Another cool, but pretty useless thing.. is that i popped in a SD card from my camera and i can look at pics on the 5" screen! Pretty cool if you wanted to see a pic in higher res at the end fo the day.. or if you want to convert .pdf maps to .jpg you can zoom in and out! That would be wild.


So far it's worth every penney compared to the last unit that showed me as a dot in the middle of a blank screen LOL (old Garmin)

I don't know if the 276c has this much detailed information, but im very happy i chose the 540c. More to come!

Anyone else wanna share their comments? I think there are several of us now that have this unit. Im very happy so far.

[chet]

After seeing my dads new Lowrance boat unit I am looking at this as a future unit.

do you know if you can get Baja Mex. maps for it?

Oh another question... Not that its a huge thing but does it do turn by turn directions?

[adventureduo]

No Turn by turn. It's not for the average consumer (voice directions and silly arrows). It's more for us adventure type folks that can actually read a map.

As far as mexico, good question! I dont show anything listed for maps of Baja.. but i will look into it right now.. since we have a possible trip in October to Guad. Canyon. You would think, since it's called a BAJA and so many trophy trucks use it down there, That you would be able to at least get that portion of Mexico.

EDIT: I just got off the phone with adventure GPS. They said that nobody manufact. that they know of, a Baja or Mexico specific map for the Lowrance.

However, i did find this.. for Baja
http://www.bicimapas.com.mx/baja_gps_map.htm#Lowrance

[spressomon]

SOCALFJ,
When navigating there are many times I want to scroll around the map without disabling the GPS or flipping through menus to be able to do this. How does the Baja function in this application?

[adventureduo]

It handles that perfectly. You just take the 4 arrow touch pad and scroll wherever you want. Zoom in , zoom out, scroll over to Hawaii if you want! Then just hit the 'exit' key and back you are to your tracking arrow. All the while it's still tracking your every move. Shoot, you can go look at places to eat, boat docks, lakes, streams, etc and then click the exit key and it flys right back to you. I think you can even do it split screen too. Cause you can have two maps on one screen if you like.

[pskhaat]

For a minute there I didn't know if there was a 40 mile longer uber-Baja race that I didn't know about...

[adventureduo]

For a minute there I didn't know if there was a 40 mile longer uber-Baja race that I didn't know about...

LOL!

[spressomon]

It handles that perfectly. You just take the 4 arrow touch pad and scroll wherever you want. Zoom in , zoom out, scroll over to Hawaii if you want! Then just hit the 'exit' key and back you are to your tracking arrow. All the while it's still tracking your every move. Shoot, you can go look at places to eat, boat docks, lakes, streams, etc and then click the exit key and it flys right back to you. I think you can even do it split screen too. Cause you can have two maps on one screen if you like.


That helps...Thanks!

[Boston Mangler]

You would think, since it's called a BAJA and so many trophy trucks use it down there, That you would be able to at least get that portion of Mexico.

I assure you that the TT's arent using the 540c! :D

[Nullifier]

For baja maps I have them for the lowrance. I can email the file to you. It is not as detailed as the u.s. stuff but every trail we were on last year was showing up on the screen.

I have been running the 480 and I love it. all my local trails are on there as well. I do not hink mine looks up trials although I have not tried to do that. That is cool.

[jerdog53]

Another cool, but pretty useless thing.. is that i popped in a SD card from my camera and i can look at pics on the 5" screen! Pretty cool if you wanted to see a pic in higher res at the end fo the day.. or if you want to convert .pdf maps to .jpg you can zoom in and out! That would be wild.



I did not know it would do that but is stands to reason it could I will have to try it!

What is your mapping software and is there any compatability issues with the 540C? I just purchased a Toughbook and was wanting to get mapping software that will work with the 540.

[adventureduo]

Jerdog, Im not using mapping software at all. I bought pre-loaded SD Card. it has everything the Mapcreate 7 would have in detail on it... without the hassle of me trying to figure it out.

Nullifier, you have a email!

Boston, heck dude, i can't keep up with the times! Im sure they are on a huge flat screen race GPS by now!

[jerdog53]

I have the same SD card I was thinking I would need more....................

[adventureduo]

I have the same SD card I was thinking I would need more....................

Nope, it all runs off that one card perfectly. If you go into another geographic area you just pop in that card. It's pretty nice having everything ready to go.

[jerdog53]

So how do you plan and edit routes all on the system? I know with the SD card reader you can view what is in the card on a computer but can you put in waypoints and plan routes?

[adventureduo]

It's a little more difficult, but yes. You can enter GPS coords manually. You can also, track a trail so say you are on a trail for the first time that will be in for next time.

The software is easier and more efficient. I plan on getting my old pc up and running for this particular app. since im a Mac user. :(

[spressomon]

It's a little more difficult, but yes. You can enter GPS coords manually. You can also, track a trail so say you are on a trail for the first time that will be in for next time.

The software is easier and more efficient. I plan on getting my old pc up and running for this particular app. since im a Mac user. :(


Ok...I do this with my 2720 now...say you're tracking off-road and want to save the tracks/route. Is it automatically writing to the 540C's SD card or do you need to manually sync the 540C data to the SD card before you remove the SD card from the 540C?

[jerdog53]

Ok...I do this with my 2720 now...say you're tracking off-road and want to save the tracks/route. Is it automatically writing to the 540C's SD card or do you need to manually sync the 540C data to the SD card before you remove the SD card from the 540C?

You tell it to it records automatically.



Back to my original question do we need alternate softwear to edit Lorwance?

[spressomon]

You tell it to it records automatically.



Back to my original question do we need alternate softwear to edit Lorwance?


But does it record to the SD card?

[jerdog53]

:mixed-smiley-030: I thought it does, it dosent ask you where you want to save it to it just saves it so I would assume so.

[adventureduo]

Im not sure where it saves. The unit has built in memory besides the SD card. All i know is that im using 2% of the available memory in the unit itself. The sd card just has the pre-loaded maps on it. I dont know if anything actually gets saved to the SD card. That would be a question for Lowrance to answer at this moment.

The only way for me to know, would be take my SD card out and have someone else with the same unit try it in theirs. If my trails come up, then yes it saves to the SD card.

But i dont know the answer to that, yet.

[spressomon]

Ok...Lowrance does not have the operator's manual on their website...only the 480C which I assume will be the same for downloading GPS data files...anyway here's what the 480C manual states (page 53):

"GPS data automatically recorded in the unit's internal memory must be saved to the MMC (as a GPS Data File) in order to store in on your personal computer. GPS Data Files stored on an MMC must be copied from the card to the unit's internal memory before the unit can read them".

So the 480C (and presumbably the 540C) stores variable data in the internal memory that needs to be manually saved to the SD card so that it can be downloaded/copied to a PC...

[ntsqd]

snip...........

As far as mexico, good question! I dont show anything listed for maps of Baja.. but i will look into it right now.. since we have a possible trip in October to Guad. Canyon. You would think, since it's called a BAJA and so many trophy trucks use it down there, That you would be able to at least get that portion of Mexico.

EDIT: I just got off the phone with adventure GPS. They said that nobody manufact. that they know of, a Baja or Mexico specific map for the Lowrance.


When I bought my 3000MT I was under the assumption that there would be some sort of map of Baja's roads either pre-loaded, available in the software, or purchasable. After all, PCI pushed the Lowrance's for racing in Baja and that was the main reason for purchasing it - chasing in Baja.

There wasn't anything. Nor was there any way to import such a map. To make matters worse Lowrance's CS (sic) attitude STILL has me pissed off. I like my unit, but I never pass on an opportunity to bad mouth Lowrance because of that.

In some cases you have to specify that the unit save the trails & routes to the card, otherwise it won't. Try pulling it/them up thru the menu and see if there is a saving option.

[spressomon]

When I bought my 3000MT I was under the assumption that there would be some sort of map of Baja's roads either pre-loaded, available in the software, or purchasable. After all, PCI pushed the Lowrance's for racing in Baja and that was the main reason for purchasing it - chasing in Baja.

There wasn't anything. Nor was there any way to import such a map. To make matters worse Lowrance's CS (sic) attitude STILL has me pissed off. I like my unit, but I never pass on an opportunity to bad mouth Lowrance because of that.

In some cases you have to specify that the unit save the trails & routes to the card, otherwise it won't. Try pulling it/them up thru the menu and see if there is a saving option.


I don't know what is more frustrating: The GPS industry/technology/companies or the cell phone industry/technology/companies :mad:

[jerdog53]

I don't know what is more frustrating: The GPS industry/technology/companies or the cell phone industry/technology/companies :mad:

Both euqually.

[mag232]

Thanks for the info in the thread. I just got my 540c.

The marketing material says

"5-pin Ethernet expansion port compatible for video and satellite radio"

All connectors on the back are weather sealed, and while I haven't looked carefully to see if there is a hidded slot, and I have not RTFM'd to find the input selector in the software, I don't see any obvious way to connect and use alternate video sources.

I want to use this in conjunction with my backup camera. Lowrance.com doesn't seem to be too helpful here either. Has anybody done anything similar with their 540? Any thoughts on where to buy a cable?

thanks for any advice
scott

[jerdog53]

Thanks for the info in the thread. I just got my 540c.

The marketing material says

"5-pin Ethernet expansion port compatible for video and satellite radio"

All connectors on the back are weather sealed, and while I haven't looked carefully to see if there is a hidded slot, and I have not RTFM'd to find the input selector in the software, I don't see any obvious way to connect and use alternate video sources.

I want to use this in conjunction with my backup camera. Lowrance.com doesn't seem to be too helpful here either. Has anybody done anything similar with their 540? Any thoughts on where to buy a cable?

thanks for any advice
scott

Sorry, i am no help I thought that those ports were for fish finder attachments found on all Lowrance products. I would love to hook up a camera viewing my running gear in action hooked to the GPS.

Keep us informed as to what you find.

[crawler#976]

...As far as mexico, good question! I dont show anything listed for maps of Baja.. but i will look into it right now..

BajaTaco loaded a Lowrance compatible map of the penisula on my 3500C and was not impressed by it's detail, and it also had some severe issues with the font scaling when veiwing at 1 mile or smaller scale. Street names were so huge they covered the actual roads...

[adventureduo]

BajaTaco loaded a Lowrance compatible map of the penisula on my 3500C and was not impressed by it's detail, and it also had some severe issues with the font scaling when veiwing at 1 mile or smaller scale. Street names were so huge they covered the actual roads...

Sounds like someone made their own. The freedom maps isnt like that.

[mag232]

The marketing material says

"5-pin Ethernet expansion port compatible for video and satellite radio"

But nobody seems to know about it. I finally got through to a tech support guy who had a clue. He checked and said that ext video and satellite weather are future capabilities. No cable or sw support yet.

But it is right there in the list of features....oh well.... My truck is so big that a backup camera isn't that important anyway....

[jerdog53]

So can we create Mexico maps from one of the mapping software programs or use a conversion program and run Garmin maps in the 540?

[socaljeeper]

Here is a place you can order topo for baja. http://www.bicimapas.com.mx/Mexico_Atlas_GPS_Low_En.htm

[jdholder]

So where does one purchase this pre-loaded SD card with California trails? I have my 540c installed and need to spend some $$$ :)

[nwoods]

Call these guys: http://www.pciraceradios.com/
or try your luck with the Lowrance site. Of course, I just checked and they don't seem to be offering the preloaded cards anymore? I did find this though: http://www.lei-extras.com/store/cart.asp