Google Earth Conversion

I first figured out how to do this a few years back and wrote about it in Kayak Fishing Magazine. This conversion has helped me win and place in a lot of tournaments. Having the ability to get right on structure and being able to choose any particular type of structure is huge. I hope this article helps you catch more fish! - Michael Lavoie

How to convert Google Earth (.kmz) Waypoints to Lowrance(.usr) Format.

1. Create a new folder on your desktop and save your
Google KMZ file with all your marked waypoints.

2. Go to: http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/convert_input

• Choose GPX as your output format.
• Browse for your google maps .kmz file.
• Leave everything as default
• Convert

3. Your .gpx file was created.
Download this .gpx file to your folder and change
the files name to something that works for you.

4. Go to: http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/gpsbabel/

• Input: scroll down and select GPX XML.
• Output: scroll down and select Lowrance USR.
• No - create zip file.
• Yes - output all types of data.
• Hit the “Convert the file” button.

5. Save the file to your desktop folder. Copy the .usr file onto a SD memory card and insert it into your FF.
• While on the chart screen select menu and scroll to waypoints, routes and tracks.
• Select  load from card.
• Scroll over and down to select the .usr file and select load. Waypoints will load and show up on your chart.

All done, now go fish!

Added 1/17/15

How to convert Hummingbird waypoints to my Lowrance waypoints.

Before we get started, things to remember. Humminbird separates waypoints and routes into .hwr files and tracks into .ht files. You must convert and load both separately if you want all three of these data types to transfer.

Ok. Put an SD card in your Hummingbird unit. On your Hummingbird, make sure it is in the Advanced Mode, then export the waypoints from the Navigation Tab - Export Nav Data. The data will go into a folder on the SD card called "Matrix". Inside this Matrix folder will be a file called "data.hwr". Those are your waypoints and routes.

Now take out the SD card out of your Hummingbird and load it on your personal computer.

Now you'll want to convert the DATA.HWR file (waypoints) to a Lowrance file format (.usr).  Ok now goto the file conversion website.

Go to: http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/gpsbabel/

• Input: scroll down and select Hummingbird waypoints and routes (.hwr).
• Output: scroll down and select Lowrance USR.

Browse to your DATA.HWR file on your SD card on your personal computer.
• No - create zip file.
• Yes - output all types of data.
• Hit the “Convert the file” button.
Now go up to step #5 and your done.

Written and created by 

Michael Lavoie