Hello everyone,
I want to share my experience with everyone in regards to my lakemaster premium VX card that stopped working on me. I sent in a support ticket Thursday last week and they responded right away with trouble shooting procedures.
This worked flawlessly for me. Hopefully it will help someone else.
Here is my original message and the response I got back.
Leslie Moss
Jan 26, 2023, 9:33 AM CST
Basemap version 1.031 (Helix 10 G3n and a Helix 12 G2N)
I purchased a brand new lakemaster premium western states VX card. I had the helix turned on when I inserted the card and it could see it no problem. I than removed the card. as I was removing it the helix did hard shut down on its own. I finished removing the card, turned the helix back on, let it boot all the way, inserted the card, helix gives message unable to encrypt the card (the card is locked so makes sense) and does not list the card in map selection.
I took the card over to my Helix 12 and it does not show on that unit either.
Not sure what happened here but I fear the card was erased some how.
Please assist on how to move forward.
Thanks!
Les
Dreama (Humminbird)
Jan 26, 2023, 10:40 AM CST
Dear Leslie,
Thank you for contacting Humminbird. We appreciate your support of our products. I sincerely apologize for the difficulty that you are experiencing with your equipment and am eager to help you resolve these issues.
I have combined the emails that you sent so that I can answer them both together.
What you are describing sounds like an issue with corrupt data. This issue can effect both of your units.
To resolve this you will want to remove any map cards and other SD cards from the units. Once you have removed the cards, please follow the steps listed below to Export Nav Data to an SD card, Restore Nav Data settings and then Restore Factory Default settings on the unit.
Please follow the steps listed below to EXPORT all of your NAV Data to an SD card.
- POWER the unit on
- Press the MENU key twice
- Arrow to the NAV tab
- Arrow down to WAYPOINTS, ROUTES, TRACKS
- Arrow up to OPTIONS
- Arrow down to SELECT ALL AND…
- Select EXPORT
PLEASE NOTE: You will need a newly formatted Class 10 SD card that is no larger than 32 GB to complete this step.
After you have exported the Nav Data to the SD card. Please then run them through Humminbird PC. Humminbird PC is a program that helps you to manage your waypoint information. Once you have loaded the waypoints to Humminbird PC, the program will automatically convert the information to the proper Humminbird format. This program is available on our website free of charge under the SUPPORT tab. I have included a link below for your convenience.
Humminbird PC Software
Once you have uploaded your waypoint information to Humminbird PC, you will need to go through the list and check the following information for any errors.
- Longitudes and Latitudes must have the correct value
- For Example: there must not be things such as 0000.1 the information must be in the proper format
- No incorrect characters in the Waypoint names
- For Example: No *@ # $ % ^
- There must not be too many track points listed for a single track, as units have a limited amount of track points that can be in any given track
When you have determined that your Nav Data is definitely saved to the SD card and you have corrected any errors in the waypoints. Please then Format Nav Directories in your unit. To do this, please follow the steps below. Please remember that by doing this step WILL DELETE ALL OF YOUR NAV DATA from the unit.
- Press the MENU key twice
- Arrow to the SET UP tab
- Arrow down to USER MODE
- Change this setting to ADVANCED or CUSTOM
- Please then continue to arrow down to FORMAT NAV DIRECTORIES
- Press the right arrow key twice to CONFIRM
After you press the right arrow key twice the unit will then restart. Please do not press any of the keys on the unit until is shows you to “PRESS EXIT TO CONTINUE.”
When you have completed the steps to Format Nav Directories, please then Restore Defaults on your unit. To do this, please follow the steps listed below.
- Press the MENU key twice
- Arrow to the SET UP tab
- Arrow down to RESTORE DEFAULTS
- Press the right arrow key twice to CONFIRM
Once you have completed these steps, before loading any waypoints, please update the unit software. All of our software is available on our website, free of charge, under the SUPPORT tab. I have included a link for the HELIX 10 MSI GPS G3N unit below.
HELIX 10 MSI GPS G3N - 2.760 Software Update
When you have completed the software update, please retest your unit with the LakeMaster VX card following the steps listed below.
Please press and hold the VIEW key. You will then select CHART > the CHART VIEW. Once you are on the full Chart View, please reinsert the card into the unit.
You will then wan to press the MENU Key twice and arrow the SETUP tab. You will then arrow down to USER MODE and change the setting from Angler to Custom by pressing the right arrow key. After you have changed the User Mode setting to Custom, please press the EXIT key one time. Then arrow to the left to the HB CHART tab and press the UP Arrow key one time to view your Lake List.
If you see the Lake List after pressing the up arrow on the HB Chart tab, the card has loaded successfully. You will then want to use the plus (+) and minus (-) keys to see the contour lines on the map.
Regarding the HELIX 12 CHIRP SI GPS G2N unit not displaying the temperature, you can also follow the steps listed above to format Nav directories on this unit.
I would then recommend bypassing the Y cable and connecting the MEGA Side imaging transducer directly to the unit. You will then want to Restore Defaults on the unit. To do this, please follow the steps listed below.
- Press the MENU key twice
- Arrow to the SET UP tab
- Arrow down to RESTORE DEFAULTS
- Press the right arrow key twice to CONFIRM
If the unit displays temperature when the MEGA SI transducer is connected directly to the unit, please then test the Shoot Thru Hull by connecting it directly to the unit. You will want to change the CONNECTED TRANSDUCER setting to HB 83 / 200. You will find this under the SONAR menu tab in your Menu options.
We will be glad to repair the G2N unit for you. However, since the unit has exceeded it's warranty, there will be a service charge. The Service Charge for the HELIX 12 CHIRP SI GPS G2N unit will be $400.45 plus any applicable sales tax.
The service charge includes all parts, labor, return shipping back to you, and a three-month warranty from the date of repair. The service charge also includes all accessories such as your power cord, transducer, GPS receiver and the temp-speed gauge if they are returned with the unit on the initial service. Service turn around is five working days (does not include freight times to or from the factory) and will be returned to you via UPS Ground to a physical address. UPS is our preferred carrier and can be traced after shipment so we would prefer a physical address.
Do not ship your unit back to us in it's original retail package. The box it is shipped in will not be returned. Color retail packaging is more vulnerable to theft therefore we only return shipments in plain brown boxes.
You may pay with a credit card so please call us at 1-800-633-1468 prior shipment to receive a return authorization number and provide payment information. Do not send cash. The Service Department address is:
Humminbird
Attn: Service Dept.
678 Humminbird Lane
Eufaula, AL 36027
Product Packaging: In the event you return your product for service, either under warranty or out of warranty. We do not recommend returning the product in the original packaging. We do not return the units in this same type of box or re-purpose the boxes used to return the units. They are returned in a standard brown shipping box that would meet the size requirements for the product being returned.
Do not return: We do not need map cards, mounting knobs, power cables, transducer or mounting brackets unless specifically requested.
We are not responsible for 3rd party LCD display protection film or enhanced viewing film.
We do sincerely apologize for any inconvenience related to the defect of your unit. We want you back on the water as soon as possible. Please let us know if we can assist you further.
Good Boating and Fishing!
Dreama
Technical Support Representative
Johnson Outdoors, Inc.
678 Humminbird Lane
Eufaula, AL 36027
www.humminbird-help.johnsonoutdoors.com
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