Baja 540 First Glance

[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

 

[jerdog53]

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

Both euqually.

 

[mag232]

540c expansion question

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]

external video input into 540c

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....