Hummingbird to Garmin waypoint transfer

Sparkdog118

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I have an older hummingbird 998c that I am replacing with a new Garmin echomap plus 94sv chart plotter and I was having problems figuring out how to transfer the waypoints. I copied the waypoints from the hummingbird onto a sd card but the format has to be changed somehow so it can be loaded into the new unit.
 

Doc Stressor

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Your Humminbird stores waypoints, routes, and tracks in the industry-standard Lingua Franca .gpx format, which can be read by a Garmin. However, when you export your Humminbird data onto an SD card, it puts the information into a folder called "Matrix" and changes the filename suffix. To get the .gpx file, you need to download Humminbird PC (free from the Humminbird site) and download the file from the SD card into the program. Then use your windows file manager (HB PC won't run on a Mac) to find My_HumminbirdPC (usually in the Documents folder). If you click on that you will see your .gpx file. Copy that to a fresh SD card and you should be able to load it into your Garmin:

  1. Select Nav Info > User Data > Data Transfer > File Type.
  2. Select GPX.
This is actually easier than it sounds.
 
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Sparkdog118

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Thank you doc!!! I figured out to download java so I could download hum pc. It read and saved just like you said. Now I am going to have to pick up another sd card tomorrow for the waypoints to transfer to for the Garmin. I will let you know how it goes.
 

Sparkdog118

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You are a genius!! Thank you. That worked great. Took me a few minutes to figure out that I had to save the fox file to the desktop then copy it to the card from there. At first I copied the info to the card from the hummingbird pc program and the Garmin unit could not read it. Then I saved the gpx file from the hummingbird pc program to the desktop. Then I moved the file from the desktop to the empty card. Worked like a charm. Now I can install my unit tomorrow and head out dolphin fishing on Sunday. Thank you again.​
 

Doc Stressor

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Maybe I used to be a genius, but not anymore. o_O ;)

I still use Humminbird PC for waypoint and track management even though I now have Simrad and Raymarine units. It's a little clunky, but pretty simple to use and anybody can download it for free. You have the option to load Garmin or Simrad/Lowrance files off of an SD card without any conversion. At least for the older formats anyway. I haven't tried it with the latest Garmin units.

The thing I like best is that it links to Google Earth rather than using a marine chart. This allows you to use all of the Google Earth features to determine the distance between waypoint and the depth of each spot.
 

Sparkdog118

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That sounds convenient. I will look into that. I have a lowrancce on my little dive boat for work. I think the Garmin will be pretty easy to use on my Grady. I have the new Garmin unit installed in the boat and I’m packed for fishing tomorrow in Jupiter, fl. Thank you again for all your help.