Marine GPS Chart Plotter Card Reader Not Working, Anyone repair these?

[powderhound]

So I have this Fancy Lowrance LCX 111C-HD unit in my boat. Came with the boat when I bought it. The unit is a few years old now and I am sure it is really outdated compared to the new units. I dont have the $$$$ to upgrade it so I bought the Alaska
charts on a card.
Popped it in and it does not work. Called the company and we updated the unit with the new software. Still nothing, so I am pretty sure the card reader is not working. Currently have no maps what so ever and the unit is rendered useless as far as a GPS unit.
The thing has a 10" screen and would work just fine for my needs if I could upload the charts to it. Does anyone around here know who might be able to repair the unit?
Or do you think it is a lost cause and I should start saving up $$$$ for a new unit?

[Sobie2]

In Lowrance units of this era, often you had to fire up the system and tell it to use the software on the card you inserted. I had to do this to a few Lowrance chart plotters of for friends and relatives.

Sobie2

[powderhound]

So, that is a promising option. Now how exactly do you do this?

[russellclifton]

Is the new chart card the same manufacture as the one you are replacing? If not, look for a question in the menu that asks what charts you are installing. This was not answered correctly on my elite 5 and really fouled me up.

[powderhound]

Is the new chart card the same manufacture as the one you are replacing? If not, look for a question in the menu that asks what charts you are installing. This was not answered correctly on my elite 5 and really fouled me up.

the unit does not have a card what so ever in it. To my understanding this unit had charts preloaded for the lower 48.
bought a brand new Navionics card that I was told is the one I needed for alaska charts from lowrance.
Once it didn't work I called Navionics for the issue and they confirmed I had the correct card and the issue was with the GPS unit. Called Lowrance and they updated the the unit and no change. They said the card reader was the issue.

[Tolman24]

I assume you are going to Map Data from the menu. I can't remember if it is the initial menu or you need to hit menu twice. That is the screen that allows you to switch maps and move from the preloaded to the card. On my LCX I have inland lakes and a marine chart that was preloaded. The inland lakes shows the names of the water features such as island names but does not give depths. Make sure that you are going to that Map Data page. There should be some charts preloaded. If you are on the correct menu page the option for switching to different charts is on the upper right on the page. Can you see charts of the lower 48?

[powderhound]

I am away from home for a few more days. Once I get back I will further investigate the menus options on reading the card. I woulda figured the tech support at Lowrance would have walked me through that when diagnosing the problem last fall.
Who knows though, might have just wanted me to spend more $$$ on one of there new units.
does anyone have any contact info on a guy who repairs chart plotters in homer. Got a tip that there is a electronic guru down there.

[Tolman24]

I found with my calls to tech support it was hit and miss. I seemed to know more for reading the manual than they did. I like my unit and have had no major issues.