Active captain?

[JK_21]

Is the active captain actually "needed"? Whats the benefits of the app as opposed to the website? I'm very technologically DECLINED so less is better for me.

[fishin couillon]

Yeah and no.....Benefits of the app is you can download maps, QD user contours, updates, etc. and place them direct to the unit without having to opening up a laptop. You can also manage your waypoints and back up your unit to the app. If you have the GPSMap series, you can record your screen from the unit to the phone via the app. If none of these items pertain to you then it's pretty easy to update the unit via the sd card. If you would want to manage your waypoints/trails, you can copy them from the unit to the card and use the Homeport program. So you can do some things without the app. If your the type of guy that just turns the unit on and off and not worry about waypoints, maps, contours, etc. then nothing wrong not using the app.

Do you have to use the app? No.

[troutspinner]

If you're not technically inclined, I personally think a phone, iPad or similar tablet is easier if you already have one of those devices. After you install the AC app and setup wifi on the finder, there forward, it's just turning on the finder, going to the AC screen and then connecting your phone to the wifi on the finder, opening the app on your phone or tablet and syncing. The app on the phone or tablet handles your waypoints, maps, map purchases and updates. You never have to remove your SD card, plug it into the PC, load up Garmin Express or Homeport, etc. and then go back to your finder with the SD card and then load up AC there, etc. It's just simpler IMO.

For example, I noticed an update for my 106sv and GLS10 on AC on my phone today. I clicked on download the updates so the updates are on my phone. Next time I fire up my finder, I'll go to the AC screen on the finder, connect to the finder Wifi on my phone, open up the AC app on my phone, click sync and it's done.

[JK_21]

Thanks for the responses. So I have 4 echomap uhd 93's, will they all be "linked" to my ac or do I have to do something individually for each? I just made the move to garmin from lowrance so I'm trying to learn all this garmin stuff quickly.

[troutspinner]

When you register your units through Active Captain, you’ll see them all in your list as well as maps that came with and purchased so yes, it will take care of all of them.

[tobyfrommo]

Thanks for the responses. So I have 4 echomap uhd 93's, will they all be "linked" to my ac or do I have to do something individually for each? I just made the move to garmin from lowrance so I'm trying to learn all this garmin stuff quickly.

If your (4) echomaps are networked and if they are all powered on AC will connect with (1) units (whichever unit you have chosen to be the WIFI host) and will push updates to all units on the network.

If the units are not networked then you will have to connect to each unit individually.

[Tromanoski]

I think Active Captain is the easiest. I have a an Apple laptop and had a heck of a time trying to download my mapping update through Garmin Express. When I was trying to download the update, I could not get the full screen of Garmin Express to be visible. So I could not "click" on the "next" button which was located on the bottom of the Garmin Express screen. Garmin technical help said they have seen that before. They spent an hour with me removing all of the Garmin Express folders out of the files on my Apple laptop. Then we reloaded Garmin Express and still could not get the full screen to be able to click on the "next" button which was on the bottom of the Garmin Express screen. So they sent me a new updated map SD card.

[fishin couillon]

Jerry, If it's still confusing, you can call Garmin and register units with them over the phone.

[grout-scout]

If you have an older phone, AC might not be good anyways. When I loaded mine, it filled up my phone’s storage. I can’t download any maps due to space.