Lowrance electronic 5200C - Manual (Page 11)

5
We lock it in here at the factory — you can't change or erase this map.
The background map is suitable for many navigation chores, but for
maximum accuracy and much more detail, you need our optional map-
making software, MapCreate. Some unit features — such as searching
for businesses and addresses — won't work without a custom MapCre-
ate map.
There is so much detail in our background map (and even more in
MapCreate) that we'll describe their contents and differences in Section
3, Basic GPS Operations, on page 35. Another portion of the GlobalMap
5200c's onboard memory is devoted to recording GPS navigation infor-
mation, which includes waypoints, event marker icons, trails and
routes. This lets you look back the way you came.
Think of this data storage like the hard drive memory in a computer or
a tape in a cassette tape recorder. You can save several different GPS
data files, erase 'em and record new ones, over and over again. Like any
computer file, these GPS Data Files (file format *.usr) can be shared
between Lowrance GPS or sonar/GPS units or even personal com-
puters.
This GlobalMap has one more thing in common with a personal com-
puter. Just as computers have a floppy disk drive for storing and ex-
changing files, the unit has a slot for an MMC (MultiMedia Card) or
SDC (Secure Digital card) flash memory card. These solid-state mem-
ory devices are about the size of a postage stamp, but can hold data
ranging from 8 MB to 1 GB in size. (Compare that to a floppy disk's
1.44 MB capacity!) This unit uses all that MMC space for two key GPS
purposes.
First, you can backup your onboard GPS Data Files by copying them to
the MMC. Since the MMC is removable (like a floppy disk or a cassette
tape), you can store these GPS Data Files on a personal computer
equipped with an MMC card reader. (Or store them on a pocketful of
MMCs, if you don't have a computer.)
Our MapCreate mapping software can save, edit or create its own GPS
Data Files, which can be copied to the MMC and then loaded from the
MMC into the unit's memory. (NOTE: No matter where they come
from, GPS Data Files must be loaded from the MMC into memory be-
fore the GlobalMap can use them.)
The other key GPS use for MMCs is storage of special high-detail, cus-
tom maps, which you can produce on your computer with our MapCre-
ate software. These MapCreate custom maps contain much greater de-
tail than the basic background map.