Lowrance Releases AirMap 600c
GPS Review recently announced the release of the Lowrance AirMap 600c. Yesterday at Sun-n-Fun I got to play with one. I’ve also previously owned an AirMap 500 so this was a good comparison.
What an improvement! The color display obviously makes a huge improvement. The screen is sharp and easy to read. Navigating the menus with a color display was much easier than on the 600c. The terrain and obstacle features were not quite as sharp as some of the more expensive models, but for the price it is quite acceptable.
I couldn’t really test the GPS signal quality, but having a 16 channel receiver versus a 12 channel receiver ought to be a big improvement. Another feature not discussed in the specs is the processor speed. The new AirMap 600 is significantly faster than the 500 was.
I’ve really had nothing but trouble and disappointment with my AirMap 600C.
When I first got the GPS, it would lock up without warning and have to be powered off and restarted. After waiting on hold for 30+ minutes with Lowrance technical support, I found that I needed to download and install a fixed copy of the software. Only problem was that the Lowrance supplied card reader wouldn’t work, and they had to send me a new one. Finally got that in the mail, got the software update, got it loaded, and it seems that the lockups are fixed.
Then I decided to upgrade the 512MB SD card to 1GB so that I could load more map data. I bought the card, spent the money to download another copy of the Jeppesen database because you CANNOT copy it from one card to another. Popped the SD card into the GPS only to find out that the Terrain Awareness feature wouldn’t work. After another 30+ minute wait on hold, was told that you can’t copy the terrain awareness data from card to card either. So, I could have the updated Jeppesen data without terrain awareness, or I could have terrain awareness with obsolete Jeppesen data, or, the technician told me, I could purchase a new 1GB with another Jeppesen update AND another copy of the terrain awareness data from Lowrance for $150.
I decided to simply write off the 39.95 copy of the Jeppesen data that I just loaded and purchase another copy of Jeppesen for the original SD card that had the terrain awareness data. When I tried to copy my maps onto the original SD card, the card reader stopped working again. Yet another 30+ minutes on hold to talk with a technician. They’re going to send me a third card reader. Maybe third time’s the charm? Or maybe I could sell my Lowrance on eBay and buy a Garmin?
I had to be proud to buy a Lowrance airmap 600C, and get it on my flight, but not for a long time.
I received it, taked time to read well the book to operate it and start it. I was still listening the display for an hour when it “bug” for the first time. Freeze on the first page “Don’t rely on….”, constantly restarting by himself, to stop at the same place, no keys work, no lights work, and I had to remove batteries to stop it. Retry several times, idem.
I returned it to Lowrance, after a discussion of more than half an hour with the technician, they were supposed to replace it. After 2-3 weeks, they returned it to me with the work order “reset the unit”, and recommended to read the appropriate operation book.
The unit seemed to work well for 5 min. and rebugged the same way.
I will call back Lowrance tomorrow.
Pleasure is off.
the screen visibility with light is fantastic, but without light, zero
the fiability, seemed to be zero.
Never I had trouble like that before with Garmin and Eagle.used for 20 years.
I think this time I spent the money.
Will see
I was happy with the unit, opened it up played with it for an hour or so, Day two I decided to get familiar with it before flying , to find that after you turn it on: It powers on and then off, etc had to remove the batteries. After some research I found that this is a common problem. Not happy I hope to be returning it for a garmin 96c ! Junk
i bought my 600c about 3 months back. it disappointed me with the restart problems initially. but just soon as the problem started, it disappeared and ever since i have never had problems with the unit. it was a pleasure on board, very handy, easily readible during various light conditions. i do hope Lowrance stand up to its committment and make it upto some of its disappointed customers, by replacing the troubled units free of cost and providing a good post sales support in whatever shape.
After 2 times with the restarting problem, Lowrance send me a new one. Working very well for some hours (4) I need to familiarise with it, to be ready to fly.
On the next morning, seem to be ready to fly, I tell to my wife “I glad, I have a working GPS”, and when I start it to show her, the restarting problem come up again.
Still communicating with Lowrance. Hope they fix that trouble soon. Nothing to do with this machine for now.
Well, I got this last 2 weeks & it was ok so far.
HI,
I receive a new one this week, for the fourth time
and this one seemed to work very well, after many hours of trying.
Beautiful machine when it work.
see you
Roger
I guess that either I’m lucky or that some of these postings are spoofs! I have had no troubles as yet. It does need to be plugged in otherwise the screen dims after a short period. My one complaint is that the text is small and it’s difficult to read.
I guess I come from the bottom of the food chain though, my last ‘GPS’ was a software package called Anywhere Map and was sold as a package ($600) with a PDA. People if you live in Western Canada, don’t even think of buying it!! The software is junk, the maps are junk and inaccurate, (how do you fly in mountains with 1/4 mile square pixels?) it crashed more than it ran. My Airmap by comparison has stunning bright detailed graphics, and I love it. True I never owned a Garmin, and I’m sure they are even better but they are way outside my budget.
The Airmap is a powerful, configurable and fine device if you read the instructions.
Thanks,
Fred.
First class product for me, I guess most of these sites tend to get problems reported more than good points.
When I say no problems that is exactly what I’ve got, it always works, screen is good, functions easy to use, quick access features do what they should. I prefer it to the slightly more “busy” Garmin.
With the 600C Lowrence are not selling on a name like Garmin do but with a product. I will stick with Lowrence now its very very good and excellent value for money.
I had a Lowrance Airmap 300, which had to be replaced by the factory under warranty at least 3 times. In the end, they gave me a Airmap 500 as the final replacement. The Airmap 500 has been ok, but would never buy a Lowrance product again. My friends with Garmins have no such trouble and the Lowrance models do not hold their resale value like Garmins do. Go check EBay to see proof. Garmin 196 models sell for 2/3 of the original price. The Lowrance Airmap 500 sells for 1/3. I think that says it all.
I bought this Airmap 600C in March 2008 and am having the same problems, this unit is a piece s>>t.
Bought mine just last week, flown with it twice and now i get the restart problems.
Wish i had spent te extra money on a Garmin model. Il ebay it.
Very disapointed!!