How Do I Import Lowrance Data.usr File to OpenCPN ?

[John W2]

Hi all
I are very new to this and are unable to get my waypoints from my Lowrance LXC-16 which are in a Data.usr file
How do I import a Lowrance Data.usr file, to use waypoints in OpenCPN

All help greatly appreciated

Regards

John W2

[gmau]

I may be wrong but you have to covert the lowrance .usr file to text. Then inport the text file into GPSUtility. Then save the file in GPX format so OpenCPN can read it.

Here is a post from another forum about gpsbabel which is suppose to read .use files and save as GPX format.

gpsbabel can import / export some versions of lowrance usr files - I used something like

gpsbabel -i lowranceusr -o unicsv myfile.usr myfile.csv


Do a search in Google with "lowrance usr to gpx" for more info.

Gordon

[John W2]

Hi gmau
Thanks for the reply.
I managed to download Lowrance GDM6 which opened the DATA.USR file which enabled me to see the positions. I printed 1 page to see marks. But when I converted to text file using GPSBabel ended up in different format. eg S38°24'21.2" E142°30'47.8" ended up -38.40590192, 142.51327454, in the text file for same position. Will keep trying as I have 436 Waypoints and I do not want to do individually.

Thanks for the help

John W2

[dacust]

Originally Posted by John W2

Hi gmau
Thanks for the reply.
I managed to download Lowrance GDM6 which opened the DATA.USR file which enabled me to see the positions. I printed 1 page to see marks. But when I converted to text file using GPSBabel ended up in different format. eg S38°24'21.2" E142°30'47.8" ended up -38.40590192, 142.51327454, in the text file for same position. Will keep trying as I have 436 Waypoints and I do not want to do individually.

Thanks for the help

John W2

Sorry, I can't tell from your post if you are saying that it isn't converting it to the right format, or if you don't realize that S38°24'21.2" is the same as -38.40590192 and E142°30'47.8" is the same as 142.51327454, just a different format. That's what GPSBABEL is designed to do, translate from one format to another.

Trick is, is it translating to the right format for OpenCPN to read? Instead of converting to .txt, try converting to .GPX

-dan

[gmau]

Just go for it and not worry about the details unless it doesn't work.

GPS Babel

fill in the from file
fill in the to file with GPX. Looks like GPX XML ia the only option.
Try reading it or importing to OpenCpn.

GPS Utility

Same options.
Import the .usr
Export or save in GPX
Try using it in OpenCPN.

The release I have has a 21 waypoint limitation. Their web site says the newer releases have a 100 waypoint limitation. It's $60 to get an unlimited version.

Or split your file and run it 5 times.

Gordon

[John W2]

Thanks dan & Gordon
You were both correct, this time I found the conversion Gordon suggested GPX XML and it converted to a GPX file. This imported into OpenCPN 2.3.714 through Route Manager and has Imported all Waypoints and Tracks. I used GPSBabel-1.4.2 to convert DATA.USR to .GPX format.

dan in my post I was trying to say I could not find right format, and it appeared when converting to text it changed positions. Plus TXT file would not Import, to check if marks were correct.

The great urgency I had was, the second last trip out the Lowrance LXC-16 failed and
would only leave colored vertical lines on screen. As I had 10 years or marks which had never been backed up I was devastated. The next day out it started up and I backed up all points before turning unit off. A big learning curve

A big THANKS to Gordan & dan for the HELP


John W2

[gmau]

If you are going to throw away your LCX 16ci I'll pay the freight to have it shipped to me.

Gordon

[John W2]

Hi Gordon
It is working fine now. Do not know what happened.
10 years ago I had another unit do the same thing but it was under warranty and replaced for free.
Thanks again for the help saved me days of work. Also the tracks would of been lost.

Regards

John W2