186 Louisiana Sportsman^ | April 2015
The Insight Planner can read Google KMZ files, so it saves you
the trouble of having to use the Babel program. However, it is a
good idea to download and install the Babel program on your
computer because it is a great tool for converting waypoints,
tracks and routes from one manufacturer’s format to another.
From there, open the Lowrance Insight Planner and click on
the Transfer button, then the Import and File on Disk buttons
before choosing the Google Earth.
If the Babel copy you first tried did not work on the memory
card, you can select the Lowrance .usr file to import into the
Insight Planner. If you bypassed the Babel option, simply select
the Google file option and import it into the Insight program.
Once there, you can delete and add additional waypoints,
combine several locations together and, when finished, export
the USR file by selecting the Transfer/Export/File on Disk
option to save it to the spare memory card.
This program offers several of the older versions of the USR
format. You might have to experiment to find which version
works in your newer unit.
Of course, there are many sportsman who have a variety of
other GPS brands, so substitute the Lowrance-specific instruc-
tions for whatever unit you have. Just remember that you should
use that manufacturer’s data-transfer program to install the
waypoints on the data card and ultimately into your GPS unit.
For Garmin, you have two choices. The first is a free download
of their program called Base Camp; the other is Home Port,
which is a for-sale program.Both are available on the Garmin web site at http://www.garmin.com.
Garmin uses either .gdb or .gpx formats in their units. It can
also import a Google Earth .kmz file for conversion.
Once the Google file is imported into the Garmin transfer
programs, you can add, delete or amend waypoints and then
transfer them to a spare data card.
Garmin requires you to first place the spare memory card in
your GPS unit and turn the unit on and do any function, such as
changing a viewing screen. This procedure writes a Garmin code
to the card that allows the Base Camp program and later the unit
to recognize the card and its data as a Garmin-approved product.
The exported files can either be a .gpx of a .dgb file, depending
what your type your specific Garmin unit requires.
For Humminbird units, the company offers a free download
called Humminbird PC. It is available from their web site
(www.humminbird.com). It is available when you register your
Humminbird unit on their site.
The PC program cannot directly import or open a Google file,
so you must use the Babel conversion program. You should
convert the file to .gpx format and save it to a folder. After
importing it into the Humminbird PC program you can load it
onto a spare data card as a Lowrance .usr, a Garmin .gdb or a
.gpx file that is required by your Humminbird unit.
RayMarine requires a .rwf file for a transfer when using their
RayMarine Ray Tech Navigator. For this conversion, you will
need to use the Babel conversion program and convert the
file to RayMarine format, open the Ray Tech Navigator and
import the converted file
into the program.
You can then transfer it to a
spare data card and then to
your GPS unit.
Delorme units would use
their Topo North America
program to load data in their
GPS units. Their data pro-
gram needs .gpx formatted
files, as does their GPS units.
So you should use the Babel
program to convert to a .gpx
file that is then opened in
their data transfer program.
Other units require similar
data transfer programs that
would take many more pages
to detail. Instructions with
these data programs are usu-
ally available in the “Help”
link in the programs.
If not, you should contact
the support section for your
system.
Contact me if you need any
additional help. ■
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