Yet another GPS question

[gwm]

I've got a lowrance 3500m in the race car. I didn't mess with it at all in the past and my partner who did has left the team so I have to figure this thing out on my own with no manual. She tells me that our memory card didn't work for the 500 and we had to borrow Brother Bob's card to make it work. She also tells me that I have to buy a card from Lowrance to get one that works. I've cruised around the web a little and from the looks of things any MMC or SD card will work. Is that right? Is there any special formatting that has to go on? Also, the Lowrance product description says the 3500m uses 2 16 mb cards. Is that a limit or can I put bigger cards in? My intuition tells me I should be able to use any MMC or SD card, but I've been wrong before. Of course, if there's anyone near El Cajon that wants to come over and show me how to use the thing that would be really special. That would entitle them to 25 cent beer out of the machine on my patio.

Thanks,
george.

[ThingDriver]

Did you try checking on the Lowrance website? They have a bunch of info pdf'd there. Might have your User's Manual there. I put mine in my truck for a month and played with it daily until I got the hang of it... Good luck.

Try this link:
http://www.lowrance.com/Manuals/default.asp

[14802]

If you need help, and you bought your unit from PCI.They may send you a duplicate manual. Call Jimmy, as they (last time I remember) can sell you a SD card or steer you in the right direction. George as for the .25 cent beers, I wish I was closer, but the re-stocking might hurt you the next day........

[Superfab]

The card can be bought anywhere. My 4800 won't use a sd card (Lawrance can't even figure out why) but a mmc works fine. I have a PNY brand sd/mmc reader that I use to transfer files (cost $12.00 at office depot). If you want I can give you the 10 min demo to show you how to work it and do what ever you want. I'll PM you with my #. I'm out in your neck of the woods.

[rommel]

We have a Lowrance 3500 and a 5000c for the chasers, and a 6000c that we use in the race truck, They all work fine with both SD and MMC cards. The card that I use regularly is a 1 GB SD card, and it works in all the units! The lowrance manuals claim that Lowrance cards are better, but I've never noticed any difference. BTW, even though your unit has two slots, you don't need two cards!

If you have any Questions, Email or PM me.

[Jack]

So the bigger cards do work.... I bought a 512 SD and have the map software and the LEI drive when I triad to load to it, it didn't work the first few times but then it does now. If you are only doing your own course maps and plots then you don't need all that much memory, with mine and the map sodtware I have most of cal, nev, arz and part of utah down to street and dirt road level on the card and still have room for my routes.

[gwm]

Thanks guys. I got a couple of pm's in addition to the posts. I'm going to mess with it this weekend. I'm borrowing an SD card to get it going. As for the manual, I haven't found it on line, but I found one that's close so I'll use that until I can get the real one.

[Chris_Wilson]

The SD cards have a thicker plastic package moulding and are hit and miss with
the Lowrance units. For reliable usage, stick to the (harder to find) MMC cards
even though the SD has the same electrical interface and will work if the contacts
make contact.

You can find large capacity (256MB and up) MMC's on the web if your local store
does not carry them. Unfortunately, the SD cards seem much more common in stores.

[Dezertpilot]

I just recently purchased the Lowrance 480c and I bought the Corsair 512mb SD card. I know on my model Lowrance suggested the SD card. I shoulda got the one gig but this one seeems to be doing fine. I just suggest getting in and playing with your GPS. I have played with mine and probably know half of it. The more you play with it the easier it is to use. Or you could always let me co-drive and Ill operate the GPS for you.

[Socalsixpack]

Playing is definately the way to learn more. My brother learned how to use my GPS better in the 30 minutes he spent in the passenger seat than I did to, from, and around Ocotillo.

[gwm]

Thanks Chris. I borrowed a 64 meg MMC card from a guy here at work so I can play with it over the weekend. Do you know anybody local that has them for a reasonable price? I don't particularly want to go to Frye's, but . . .

[Chris_Wilson]

Had to go to Fry's to find one local. It was not that bad. They also have cheap
USB card readers so you can do your firmware updates and download maps from
the web easy.

My comment on the SD cards being hit or miss referred to the Lowrance
3000/4000 series units. No experience with any other models but it sounds
like the reader is different and they suggest SD instead of MMC on other models.