Thread: Create Free Lowrance Maps by FishTec

1. Create a folder on your desktop that can be easily found and call it FishTec for example. This is now your KNOWN folder.

2. Download and run / load the FREE program Google Earth 5 (17/09/2009) Google Earth

3. Start program

4. Find the dam you wish to create an outline of and zoom in to a point of the dam where you wish to start. For excellent detail, make sure your ‘Eye Altitude’ is no more than 1000ft.




5. Under My Places in the SideBar - create a new folder and Name it – Inanda Dam for example




6. Make sure that this folder is highlighted then go to Add Path.




7. Using the ‘Add Path’ button, start creating an outline of the dam. While zoomed in, use your direction / cursor keys to move the map left, right, up and down. **TIP** If you make a mistake, simply place your pointer on the line and right click until the mistake has been removed.

8. Once the dam outline is complete, make sure that the beginning and the end DO NOT MEET. This will effectively create a polygon as opposed to a path and it won’t work if using DrDepth. Give the path a name and click ‘OK’.




9. Place mouse over the folder in the side bar, right click and ‘Save Place As’ and give it a name into a KNOWN folder on your Desktop. **TIP** save file as a .kml and not .kmz if using DrDepth.




10. If you have a registered copy of DrDepth (€79), and are creating a map for Lowrance, go to DrDepth Step#1. But if you do not have DrDepth continue with step 11.


11. Download and run / load GPS Utilities GPS Utility - Home


12. Start program GPSU and open the Shoreline.kml file from the known folder. And click ‘Yes’ to import as a track.




13. Convert the file to a .gpx format by clicking File, Save As or F12 on the keyboard.

14. Next you will need a mapping program like MapEdit


15. Download and run / load GPS MapEdit GPSMapEdit


16. Download the LCM patch from here ... http://www.fishtec.co.za/lcmBuilderDLL.dll and paste it into the same folder where the program is loaded to. This will allow the program to export the maps as a Lowrance Chart Map or LCM.

17. Start the program – MapEdit.exe


18. Open the shoreline.gpx file and click on the black outline, now making it a magenta dotted line.





19. Right click on this magenta line and select ‘Convert to … Polygon’. And select ‘Lake/River’.




20. Now you can export this file as a .lcm file for your Lowrance. It will automatically be stored in your KNOWN folder as (name shoreline)_00.lcm.




21. This file can now either be saved to an sd card and loaded into your Lowrance by simply powering it up and waiting for the charts to load. Or you can copy and paste this file into you emulator here … C:Program Files/Lowrance/Unit Demo/ Maps0. Download a free emulator at Product Emulators | Lowrance
**TIP** you can only have one .lcm file in this folder at a time.



Click here to become a fan of FishTec Lowrance Discover Facebook Pages | Facebook

NOTICE:

If you are getting Header / Zoom level errors - follow these instructions ....

Open Mapedit

Open .gpx file



File, Map Properties:

Header tab – type set – select Lowrance and click apply at bottom

Levels Tab – click ‘Insert before’ and click ‘Ok’



In map properties, set header to type – Lowrance and Ok



Right click on dam outline (pink) and convert to polygon – Level 0 and ‘Ok’ – Select water/lake and ok.



File – Export – Lowrance Map ………………… DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the step by step instructions John. Now I can do it again without bugging you again.

Yip do NOT!! join the dots,otherwise you will have to start again...lol i learnt the hard way,i joined the last dot on witbank and it bombed out on me

John i think it not more than 10000ft?Please check again..thanx

OH and guys this is not a easy job,so those maps that fishton has given for FREE,takes alot of times.It may be just a outline of the dam,but try it...especially those huge dams...lol.THANKS TO FISHTEC!! for all the free maps.

Originally Posted by mumro

John i think it not more than 10 000ft?Please check again..thanx

You won't get enough detail if you that far up mumro. I use <1000ft.

Originally Posted by mumro

Yip do NOT!! join the dots,otherwise you will have to start again...lol i learnt the hard way,i joined the last dot on witbank and it bombed out on me

If you make a mistake just put your pointer on the path and right click until the 'oops' is deleted, then continue like normal.

Great tips, I use the mapedit, dr depth google earth and oziexplore programs to make maps for my lowrance hds5, was just wondering if there is a way to take that information and convert it for use in a humminbird unit. Mapedit allows garmin and lowrance but a buddy has a humminbird and short of him selling it and buying a lowrance I was hoping there was a simple solution.