Lowrance XOG

No, I've not bought any. You can them one at a time from the Lowrance web site for I think $5 each, or if you buy their Mapping software you can get the whole US for $100 (IRRC).

A somewhat better video review that shows marine and satellite maps is here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhXjOXLGA08

Yes see post # 84 CLICK HERE
I bought a BMW connector and wired it direct to the adapter.

Go back to page one of this post, Mapcreate topos shown( about $90 for US Topo), also some Satellite images on page two.

I saw those thanks, i was just gettin greedy and looking for more. Actually, I was wondering what the $5 USGS scans looked like compared to the Mapcreate topos on the XOG itself. Those USGS maps are pretty detailed...but they are scans.

Thanks!!

Edit: Doing more research, I am going to order the BMW repair cable, part number 83 30 0 413 585, and connect this with the Garmin right angle mini-USB connector.

I can't seem to get this to work completely. I have delorme topo 6. I export a route as gpx, then use gpsbabel to convert to USR. But it brings them in as 'legs' rather than 'points' so I can only import 100 'legs'. How do I get them to import as points? I see the posts re making it a 'gps' file out of delorme, then converting it - but I can't figure out how to make Topo 6 create a gps file.

Edit- figured it out. You right-click on the route and export to GPS. After converting to USR and copying to the XOG, you find it under the trails as track points. Not sure if you can convert the tracks to a route on the XOG....

If you use firefox, grab the link as shown and copy to your shortcut bar. Then after you make a route in google maps, you can create an xml file with 1) turns points as a track 2) turn points as waypoints and 3) all points as a track. Option 3 creates a trail. GPSbabel to convert to USR. Works great and then doesn't fill up your waypoints. I think most forest roads are on google.

http://bevhoward.com/G2WPT.htm

I haven't tried it with IE.

Be careful of that mount on a dirt bike. I almost lost my my old Ifinder cause the ball broke off. If not for a friend following, it will still be living in the Ozark National Forest.

Make sure you put a lariet on that GPS and hook it to the bars. I never knew what I hit that broke it off. I just look down and it was GONE!

Just make sure you buy the aluminum ball mounts and not the plastic, I have never broke the aluminum ball after many crashes and hits from tree branches, A lanyard is always a good idea as I have had GPS's pop out of the cradle.

For the record mile was the aluminum/metal centered ball RAM mount.
I ended up taking the GPS cradle and attaching it to bars with an old bark buster mount.....

Does anyone have another source for the 90 degree mini usb power cables with the bare ends? Checked out the link rwamf posted in they say that the cable is currently unavailable.

Thanks.

Same problem here

In process of building own power cable. I figured the Wee was going to get enough electronics to warrant a nice fuse box so why not incorporate a 5V power supply into it also? I should get to the soldering and build this weekend. Will let you other guys know how it turns out.

I have the Mountguys on my dl 650. Truthfully does not look like it will weather well but no problems yet. Powerlet has one that says it works with the Garmin Nuvi line like the Mountguys does so it may work.

http://www.powerletproducts.com/pdf/ppc015.pdf

Doesn't look like it has the 90 degree like ADVEngr was looking for. If you have the Ram holder you have to file the side a bit to clear the 90 degree plug.

It seems like it would be fairly simple for anyone with minimal electronics skills to make a hardwire power supply for anything with a USB connector (cell phone, GPS, iPod etc), since they are all 5V.

It irks me that everywhere we turn vendors are hammering us for upwards of $30 for what is basically a $2.99 part. You can buy USB cables on Fleabay for a couple of bucks all day long.

I have seen the same cigarette lighter to USB adapter for sale from $2.99 to $29.99. Can you say markup?

A 5V regulator is about this simple


wire a USB lead to the output side and its done.

I used my XOG this weekend to run the Arkansas section of the TAT. Functionally it worked great, easy enough to create the route in MapSelect, easy to download and use while on the road.

I had originally planned to use the non-turn by turn mode of navigation, but at a whim gave the TbT mode a try with the route. It worked great, never did it try to route me around anything, it just followed right along the planned route.

Now for the bad news.

I ride a 990 Adventure, have the XOG mounted on the dash with the RAM cradle. I use a 12" Powerlet to mini-usb cable plugged in to the stock Powerlet port on the bike. Everything has worked pretty well for the last 6 months. This weekend was the 1st long duration offroad ride I've taken. By the end of day 1 the power connection was getting to be a problem. I thought the connections (USB) were getting dirty and causing failure, after cleaning everything with no improvement I started looking at how snug the connection was. I could wobble around the plug and get the power to fail.. so i tried to tighten up the connection. no real help. By the time I finished Day 2 of offroad the power connection was very hit and miss. I was having to stop, hold the connection still until I could determine the next few turns of the route.

The entire trip I was thinking the problem was the Powerlet cable, but once home and plugging the XOG into another cable I realized the problem was on the unit itself.

Luckily I live in the same town as Lowrance, they want me to bring the unit in for testing. I'll report how that goes.


So after that long story, does anyone found any better options for keeping the unit powered up in more harsh environments?

That is why I cut a hole in the Rubber flap and with a little silicone to keep the flap shut, it holds the USB connector very tight, and I have done a bunch of all off road rides, I even made a sunshield and use a rubber band cut from an old tube that goes around the XOG and holds it all together, very slick and no problems.

I remember seeing the pic of your 90 degree connector and think that would help by itself because it can be secured easier than the straight style on the powerlet cable I'm running.

I think I'll give that a try next.


do you have a pic of the power side of your XOG with the power removed?

thanks

With the RAM mount, the usb end doesn't seem quite long enough to engage fully even with the rubber peeled back. I haven't ridden it in a bad vibration situation yet. Maybe a light silicone will help hold it in.