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Plotter Sync User's Guide

Plotter Sync allows you to transfer certain information between the Navionics® Boating app and the chartplotter card  by simply connecting the app to the Wi-Fi of a compatible chartplotter. Activate, update and renew Navionics marine chart card subscriptions, transfer routes and markers and upload sonar logs from your chartplotter. Active subscriptions are required on both the plotter card and the Boating app to use certain features.

Table of Contents

Select a topic below to jump to the details.


Plotter Sync Requirements

  • Current version of the Navionics Boating app
  • Active subscription within the app
  • Active subscription on the Navionics marine chart card (to update charts on the card from the app)
  • A compatible plotter model

Users may need to renew their subscription. Renewal can be done through the app by going to Menu > Subscriptions or purchase here. Marine chart subscription renewals can also be completed through Plotter Sync when allowed.

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Managing Your Plotter Wi-Fi

Within your settings you are able to activate your Wi-Fi connection, set the Wi-Fi name, and change your security settings.

Raymarine

Dragonfly PRO

  1. Select Tools & Settings
  2. Select WiFi-Settings
  3. Adjust your Wi-Fi Name, if desired
  4. Select Wi-Fi Security, if you wish to change your security setting or passphrase 

Lighthouse 2 Plotters

  1. From the Home screen select Set-up
  2. Select Wireless Connections
  3. Select Wi-Fi
  4. Select Wi-Fi Sharing

Lighthouse 3 or 4 Plotters

  1. From the Home screen select Settings
  2. Select This Display
  3. Select Wi-Fi Connection Settings
  4. Select Configure

Navico (B&G, Lowrance, Simrad)

Within your settings, you can enable your Wi-Fi connection, set the Wi-Fi name and change your Wi-Fi security settings.

Make sure that your Internal Wireless setting is turned on under Settings > Wireless (settings may be different depending on your plotter model).
Plotter Wi-Fi settings for connection showing different options

  • Menu A - Make sure your plotter has Internal Wireless turned ON.
  • Menu B - Make sure your plotter has Built-in hotspot turned ON.

Connecting Your Mobile Device to Plotter Wi-Fi

You can enable Wi-Fi within the mobile device settings.
With plotter Wi-Fi ON, you can select your plotter Wi-Fi from the networks available on your mobile device.

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Activating a New Navionics Card

After purchasing a new Navionics marine chart card, it can be activated through the Navionics Boating app using the Plotter Sync feature.

  1. Insert the Navionics chart card into your chartplotter.
  2. Connect your mobile device to the plotter's internal Wi-Fi as outlined above.
  3. Open the Boating app.

The Navionics card will be recognized once the chartplotter is connected to the app.

Tap Activate Now to begin.

  1. Connect to the internet - This means the app has read the card and is ready to check eligibility against Navionics servers.
  2. Exit app to mobile settings - Reconnect to the cell network or home Wi-Fi and return to app.
  3. Connect to chart plotter - The app has successfully initialized the card with Navionics servers and is ready to drive Plotter Sync.
  4. Exit app to mobile settings - Reconnect to plotter Wi-Fi and return to the app.
    Card activation steps in Boating app

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Renewing a Navionics Marine Chart Card Subscription

The subscription renewal cost on a marine chart card is up to 50% lower than a new card purchase. If you do not have an active automatic renewable subscription for your registered marine chart and the subscription expires, a prompt to renew will appear when connected to the chartplotter Wi-Fi.

Boating app pop-up stating card subscription is expired and prompting to renew.

Tap the Renew button and follow the prompts through the purchase process. You will need to switch back to internet Wi-Fi  and then back to your plotter Wi-Fi during the process.


Updating Charts to a Navionics Card

IMPORTANT: An active subscription is required on your marine chart card and the Boating app to use this feature.

Be sure to have downloaded coverage within the Navionics Boating app. Downloading Map Detail and Overlays This will show on the map screen as a brighter area when zoomed out. 

To complete an update of all areas already downloaded within the app, go to Menu > Update MapsAn estimate of the memory space needed for the download of updates will appear. Tap the blue Update button to complete the download. To update maps in a smaller area, download the area again using the steps in the link above.

Once  charts have been updated in the Boating app, connect to the plotter's internal Wi-Fi on your mobile device and go to Menu > Paired Devices and tap the Start Sync button.

NOTES: 

The Boating app will transfer all downloaded areas corresponding to the Navionics card coverage. Depending on the amount of data downloaded in the Boating app, this process is the most time-consuming part of Plotter Sync. Once the sync is completed successfully, transferred areas will show brightly on the chartplotter screen as within the app. Nautical Chart and SonarChart™ are transferred. Charts are still available within the card's coverage area outside of those highlighted on the plotter screen, but do not include the latest updates.

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Transferring Routes and Markers

IMPORTANT:  Routes and markers are transferred through the Navionics card. This is done by exporting information from the plotter to the card and then into the Boating app, or syncing from the app to the card and then importing the items into the plotter. An active subscription is not required on your marine chart card to use this feature, but is required within the app.

NOTES:

  • Routes and markers from the app will be saved as a GPX file and placed on the Navionics card for retrieval.
  • You may need to unhide routes after transfer to view them.
  • Plotter waypoint symbols are not maintained in app.
  • For route and marker limits within your Boating app, see our Support documents:
    for Apple devices.
    for Android devices.
  • Check your plotter's Operator's Manual for storage capacity on your plotter.

TIP:  We do not suggest including the pound (#) symbol when naming any markers or routes. This may cause transfer to fail.

Transferring Items From Plotter to Boating App

In order to sync routes and markers from your plotter into your mobile app, you must first export the information from the plotter to your Navionics card before performing a sync.

Raymarine Dragonfly Pro

  1. Open the Chart Menu
  2. Select Routes/Waypoints
  3. Select Import/Export
  4. Select Save Route/Waypoint to Card
  5. Tap Select All
  6. Tap Save

Raymarine Lighthouse II MFDs (a, c, e series)

From the Chart application:

  1. Open the Menu
  2. Select My Data
  3. Select Waypoints
  4. Select Import/Export
  5. Select Save Waypoints
  6. Select Save to Card

Do the same from the Routes option.

Raymarine Lighthouse 3 and 4 MFDs (eS, gS, Axiom series)

From the Home screen:

  1. Go to My Data
  2. Select Export
  3. Select Save My Data
  4. Select SD Card [1 or 2], depending which card slot your Navionics card is in
  5. Select Save As

User can decide GPX file name

Navico (B&G, Lowrance, Simrad)

  1. Go to the Home/Pages screen
  2. Go to Files or Storage
  3. Select Waypoints [Routes, Trails]
  4. Select Export
  5. Use the drop down menu to select GPX
  6. Select Export
  7. Select card slot containing the Navionics card
  8. Name and save the file

Transferring Items From Boating App to Plotter

Once you have completed a sync through your mobile app, you will then need to retrieve the GPX file from the Navionics card in the plotter.
Routes and markers can be transferred into the plotter all at once using the All Routes or All Markers GPX files. To import individual markers or routes, expand the markers or routes folders.

Dragonfly Pro

  1. Open the Chart Menu
  2. Select Routes/Waypoints
  3. Select Import/Export
  4. Select Retrieve Route/Waypoint from Card
  5. Tap Select All
  6. Tap OK

Lighthouse II MFDs (a, c, e series)

From the Chart application:

  1. Go to Menu
  2. Select My Data
  3. Select Waypoints
  4. Select Import/Export
  5. Select Retrieve
  6. From the card folders choose the Navionic folder
  7. Select the Archive folder to view GPX files and load from the card.

Lighthouse 3 and 4 MFDs (eS, gS, Axiom series)

From the Home screen:

  1. Go to My Data
  2. Select Import
  3. Select SD Card [1 or 2], depending which card slot your Navionics card is in
  4. From within the card folders, select the Navionic folder
  5. Select the Archive folder to view GPX files and load from the card

Navico (B&G, Lowrance, Simrad)

  1. Go to the Home/Pages screen
  2. Go to Files
  3. Select the card slot Navionics card
  4. Select the Navionic folder
  5. Select the Archive archive folder

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Uploading Sonar Logs

Sonar Logging with Raymarine Plotters

Navionics® encourages Sonar Logging be enabled. Doing so helps improve the SonarChart™ layer for the benefit of all boaters. Once your Sonar Logging option is enabled, you also have the option of uploading sonar logs effortlessly by simply connecting your Navionics Boating app to your sounder. 

Dragonfly PRO

From the Chart Menu go to Chart Settings > Sonar Logs > ON

Lighthouse II MFDs

From the Chart application go to Menu > Presentation > Depths & Contours > Sonar Logs > ON

Lighthouse 3 and Lighthouse 4

From the Chart application go to Menu and tap the Cartography Settings Wheel > Depths > Sonar Logging

Sonar Log Transfer is the first step of Plotter Sync.  Logs will be synced to your mobile device for upload to Navionics once you have an active internet connection through Wi-Fi or Cellular. If no logs are found, this step will be skipped.
You do not need an active subscription on your card or Boating app to transfer logs. This is the exception to the subscription rule.

Sonar Logging with Navico Plotters (B&G, Lowrance, Simrad)

With changes in the software of these plotters, they now exclude depth data when exporting sonar logs in the GPX format and cannot be uploaded to Navionics. SonarChart Live with the Navionics Boating app is the easiest way to create and upload sonar logs. With compatible Simrad plotters, simply connect your mobile device to your plotter Wi-Fi, open the app, and start creating SonarChart Live. Real-time depth contour mapping will be created on your mobile device and uploaded to be incorporated into the SonarChart layer.

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