Best Card for old (2011) Elite 5 DSI unit

[ChooChooSnakeMan]

Hi Everyone, I just purchased a family bowrider for fun with the kids and grandkids this coming summer. It is a 2011 and came pretty well equipped. It has a Lowrance Elite 5 DSI unit that has a sd card slot. I understand it has a base map but the boat is in winter storage so I don't know how detailed it is, I did check and it doesn't have a card in the reader. I'd like some opinions about the quality of the base maps in that vintage unit from anyone with first hand experience and also what card should I try to find for more water contour / depth detail. I won't be fishing from this boat but the unit will be used for navigation and since this is my first "big" non bass boat I want to stay in safe water depths. If you have experience with the base maps and think that's all I need to stay out of trouble here in TN I'd appreciate your opinion. If I buy a card would I have to find a card from that time period or is there a new card that would work with my 2011 unit? Of course I'm only interested in a card that includes TN so I suppose that would be a South or Southeast version. Any help will be greatly appreciated. If you have a used card that you don't use send me a message with your price, I'd like to find something. Thanks

[tj]

Check the base map for your lakes, it might have some contour lines.
This 88-page thread (2011-2017) has some relevant information. > https://www.crappie.com/crappie/prin...7&pp=10&page=1 (info below from thread)

*It would have to be a micro sd card 2GB max memory
*A regular Elite 5DSI does not come with a micro sd lake map card, just an internal map that shows lakes as "blue colored areas" (though some lakes will have some contours shown, but in larger increments ... like 7ft -17ft - 27ft)

[Team Colibri]

The quality of the embedded mapping varies from lake to lake, so you will just have to check how it looks for your area. Keep in mind that you can NEVER EVER trust a map you did not make yourself, so go slow in areas you haven`t been before, regardless of mapping used.

These old units took Navionics mapping, the cards where 5-600MB but as tj said, the unit has a max of 2GB. Those cards are not made anymore, so you will have to find a pre-owned one that covers your area. (that might not be easy).

[tj]

I searched eBay over the weekend; and under [show only 'completed items'] there was an 'Elite-5 DSI Gold combo' SOLD on Nov 7, 2023. I used Photoshop to get 2 photos into one photo with the blue arrow.

There are some 512MB micro SD cards currently on eBay; but didn't see any for OP's area.

[ChooChooSnakeMan]

Thanks so much for all the replies. This forum has always had great people who would go out of their way to help others. Looks like first of all I need to wait and get the boat on the water and check out the base map. Chickamauga is a lake that may have a decent base map. If not then it looks like I need to find a used Gold card that includes Tennessee. Again thanks for the help.

[Wayne P.]

If you can find an original Navionics+ card, it is 2GB with no maps and not regional. You select and download the waters you want up to the 2GB limit. You can also delete what you downloaded and load more/different areas. At least that was available before Garmin purchased Navionics, don't know if it is still a "thing".

[tj]

Shows Elite-5 DSI mapping options > https://www.lowrance.com/help-and-su...Id=023_006-248

Navionics Premium East includes TN. Don't buy anything, unless 2gb or less is actually shown on card would be my advice.
I bought a 04/2020 C-MAP Insight PRO mSD from Amazon (authorized seller); lakes with few contour lines still had same few contour lines with the Insight PRO. Later bought a Feb 2021 Discover card.

[tj]

Choochoosnakeman, check your mail .

[ChooChooSnakeMan]

Hey tj, I got your message and replied. I hope my reply gets to you but I also wanted to publicly thank you for taking the time to search for solutions for me. I've sent the seller of one of the items a message with a question. That card looks like it might be the ticket. Depending on the seller's response I will order the item. Again, thanks for the help. If I can ever help you please let me know. If you're in my area and going to be on Chickamauga or Nickajack let me know and I'll do my best to give you up to date information.

[tj]

I bought a new Lowrance X135 in 2010. It's on console with a bilge 2D, and still works great.