Scoobmaster

Greetings HaLiJuSaPa! I don't know if you remember me (I posted some questions about the iWay 100m here quite some time ago) but I am also an iWay 100m owner (actually I have TWO - I picked up a second as a "spare" cheap on ebay 18 months ago). I just HAD to post when I read this thread and saw you picked up a TomTom 130. I just bought a TomTom 140-S (scary - do we think alike?). Anyway, I plan on using the TomTom as my car navigation unit now (main reason I bought it aside from the color screen and newer technology is that the IWay 100m maps are getting rather out of date). It is a shame Lowrance dropped the 100m and never offered any map update possibility. I STILL use both 100m unis for geocaching (lack of a "compass rose" has never bothered me as I never learned to cache hunt with one). The 100m still has a special place in my heart as my first GPSr (and a very versatile one at that). As slightly off topic question, how do you like the new (to you) TomTom 130?

Wow, that was quick. THANK YOU!!! (although the website seems to be having some timeout issues right now - I'll try logging in again when i get home from work.) I can log in, but when I try to access the "My Account" page now, I get "Server Error in '/' Application." Source Error: An unhandled exception was generated during the execution of the current web request. Information regarding the origin and location of the exception can be identified using the exception stack trace below. Stack Trace: [sqlException: Timeout expired. The timeout period elapsed prior to completion of the operation or the server is not responding.] System.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.ExecuteReader(CommandBehavior cmdBehavior, RunBehavior runBehavior, Boolean returnStream) +742 System.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.ExecuteReader(CommandBehavior behavior) +45 System.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.System.Data.IDbCommand.ExecuteReader(CommandBehavior behavior) +5 System.Data.Common.DbDataAdapter.FillFromCommand(Object data, Int32 startRecord, Int32 maxRecords, String srcTable, IDbCommand command, CommandBehavior behavior) +304 System.Data.Common.DbDataAdapter.Fill(DataSet dataSet, Int32 startRecord, Int32 maxRecords, String srcTable, IDbCommand command, CommandBehavior behavior) +77 System.Data.Common.DbDataAdapter.Fill(DataSet dataSet, String srcTable) +36 Groundspeak.Web.SqlData.SqlConnectionManager.FillDataSet(String sql, String TableName, Database database) +150 Groundspeak.Web.SqlData.SqlUserController.GetLogHistoryData(Int64 AccountID, DateTime FromDate, DateTime ToDate, WptDataSources DataSource) +390 Groundspeak.Web.User.GetLogHistoryData(Int64 UserID, DateTime FromDate, DateTime ToDate, WptDataSources DataSource) +50 Geocaching.UI.my_default.BindEventLogList() +109 Geocaching.UI.my_default.DisplayUserDetails() +1824 Geocaching.UI.my_default.Page_UserLoggedIn(Object sender, EventArgs e) +57 Geocaching.UI.WebformBase.IsLoggedIn() +1331 Geocaching.UI.my_default.Page_Load(Object sender, EventArgs e) +222 System.Web.UI.Control.OnLoad(EventArgs e) +67 System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive() +35 System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain() +750

Hello all. I have a strange and perplexing problem. On August 9, I upgraded my membership from basic to premium (1 month, renewable) via PayPal. The transaction went through smooth and I received an "S-XXXX...." activation number via PayPal that I used to activate my account. I created and received a few pocket queries and all was wonderful! Fast forward to Monday (8/13) and when I sign on, my account details show me as a basic member I check PayPal and all the details show everything went fine (all transactions approved and accepted, my subscription shows "current"). I try to re-enter my "S-XXXXX" subscription number and am told the "the number is already in use and activated". I tried re-sending activation emails 3 times (I received all 3 and the website accepted them, but I am still shown as "Basic". The weird thing is that if I log in and click on the "member features" link from the "my account details" page, it shows the following: Type: Premium Member Created: Thursday, August 09, 2007 Will Renew: Thursday, August 09, 2007 Huh?? I opened up a support ticket (KKC-327162) and received an email with a link to click on to check the status of it, but following the link just results in a "support.groundspesk.com" webpage that states: "ERROR: You do not have enough permissions to access this page. Please login by entering your Email and Password.", with nowhere to log in..... Help. Has anyone ever experienced something like this before??

Thanks guys! That "Ultimate GPS Case" looks like just what I am looking for!

Greetings fellow Lowrance / iFinder owners. I recently bought a nice new iWay 100M (I LOVE it so far!!! - works great for both caching AND autorouting in the car!) The one thing that was NOT in the box, however, was a protective case for it. Since the 100M is the same size physically as all the other iFinders, I thought I could get some good recommendations from you kind folks here at the Groundspeak forums. Sooooo, any recommendations for a good inexpensive case the fits the iFinder/iWay 100M?? What do you use? THANKS in advance for your input!

Hi parker. If you didn't already "pull the trigger" at Amazon, there are two other Lowrance deals that you may want to consider (I was looking for the best deal on a Lowrance with mapping software recently too!) Cabelas has the iFinder PHD plus for $199 www.cabels.com The other deal (the one I bought) is the discontinued iWay 100M for $139 + FREE shipping at shipdog.com: Direct link to iWay 100M at Shipdog I love the 100M so far - the autorouting and turn-by-turn is a GREAT bonus. Excellent unit *WITH* mapping software for $139 was my "best-bang-for-the-buck"

I'm not sure if i'm brining my GPSr. However, if someone does and wants to go caching.... I'm game!

Hi evelbug! just thought I'd say "hi" to a fellow PUXer and Geocacher! I was considering both the 60cx and the Venture Cx before I bought my Lowrance iWay 100M (too good a deal to pass up for a versatile little unit!). For an opinion on the Vista Cx, you might ask Buxcamper. I think he just bought a Venture Cx, which is basically the same as the Vista. Have you looked at the Lowrance color units (H20C, ExpeditionC)? I think the Expedition C compares with the 60cx with the exception of quad-helix antenna. IIRC, the Expedition C does have the compass and barometer. See you at FYBO III! -Scoob

If you are looking for inexpensive yet still full of features (and a unit that is useable as *BOTH* an automotive navigation tool AND a handheld Geocaching device), consider the one I just bought: the Lowrance iWay 100M (search these forums for posts for the pros/cons on this unit). I have used it to find a cache already (it is a handheld and is waterproof to some degree) AND it comes with mapping software and does auto-routing and in-car voice prompted turn-by-turn. It is still available from where I bought mine. $139 Shipped from HERE It is not "the best" GPSr out there and has been discontinued, but for the money it is hard to beat!

Hi Rob! I was just in your shoes the past few weeks. I ended up getting a discontinued model for a fantastic discount! I am the proud owner of a new Lowrance iWay 100M (search these forums for posts for the pros/cons on this unit). I have used it to find a cache already (it is a handheld and is waterproof to some degree) AND it comes with mapping software and does auto-routing and in-car voice prompted turn-by-turn. It is not "the best" GPSr out there, but for the money it is hard to beat! I just checked and it is still available from where I bought mine. It is $139 with FREE SHIPPING HERE

(waves) Howdy! I'm new here too

We made our first successful find "on our own" as a family with our new GPSr yesterday (my 2nd logged find, but the first was with a large camping group). We picked a cache in a local park close to home and went out after dinner. What a blast! My wife and 5 y.o. son LOVED it (I told him we were "treasure hunting"). THANKS to all you Groundspeak forum denizens that answered my many questions in the "GPS Units and Software" forum while I was deciding which GPSr to buy. Your experience and recommendations helped out greatly in my search for a GPSr. The Lowrance iWay 100M performed flawlessly. We found the cache fairly quickly despite the lack of the "compass rose" screen that many of you use. We simply used the map screen at full zoom in and walked the position marker onto the cache waypoint. That put us within 15 feet of the cache. Thanks again for all the help and making our new hobby so much fun!

Hi there! It appears that you are looking for EXACTLY what i was looking for in a GPSr - one that can do turn-by-turn voice propted vehicular navigation, perform autorouting, have the ability to use removeable memory cards, load custom maps, and be small yet rugged enough to take out in the field for Geocaching. The "holy grail" of "best-bang-for-your-buck" multi-purpose GPSrs............. I searched ALL over cyberspace (including this forum) and found only ONE unit that attempted this by design: The Lowrance iWay 100M. The bad news: it is discontinued. The good news: you can still order remaining stock from vendors at a fantastic price (I JUST bought mine - for $139 shipped!) that includes the GPSr unit, 12 power supply/speaker unit, 128MB MMC card, RAM mounting kit, and Mapcreate 6.3 turn-by-turn mapping software (covers U.S. and Canada). It is not "perfect" by any means. MANY GPSrs do auto navigation better. MANY GPSrs perform geocaching better. HOWEVER, it is pretty darn good at *BOTH* ( a claim very few, if any others can make). It is a B&W screen (but a VERY good crisp and clear one) and lacks the "compass rose" (navigation screen) that many geocachers like to use. I am able to use it for geocaching just fine by using the map screen though, works like a charm. Search these forums for "Lowrance iWay 100M" for inormation in many posts (some mine). I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have. Good luck on your search! Remember, the "BEST" GPSr is the one that YOU will like, does everything YOU want, and fits in YOUR budget!

AS some of you know (by way of my Lowrance antenna thread), I have been having difficulty getting 1GB SD cards to load maps in my new iWay 100M GPSr. Thanks to many VERY helpful replies from friendly Groundspeak forum members (and some long hours of trial and error) I now have a working 1GB card loading maps!!!!!! The answer all along was the simple advice that both Lowrance (the company) and Lowrance owners kept repeating...... "use Sandisk brand cards" Since I am stubborn by nature, a "tech-geek", and work on computers and networks for a living, I was confident I could get a map loaded on just about any SD card (and have it load into the iWay 100M) fairly easily (I have used SEVERAL different name brand AND generic SD cards both at work and in my personal devices with a 100% success rate). That was until I became the owner of an LEI USB 1.1 MMC/SD Card reader. I tried in vain SEVERAL times to get my Kingston and generic "Edge" brand 1GB SD cards to work - They resisted ALL attempts. I uninstalled and re-installed Mapcreate in its entirety and had the SAME result (I could get Mapcreate to REGISTER all 3 cards with ease, but only the 128MB Sandisk MMC card that came with the iWay would actually allow maps to be read into the unit. The Kingston and Edge just simply would not load their maps at power-up. Oh, I could create nice maps and successfully save them to the 1GB SD cards without errors or problems of any sort. However, the iWay 100M would only load maps from the little Sandisk. I could BROWSE the larger 1GB SD cards in the iWay and see that the files were there, but it REFUSED to load them at power-up. Finally, in desperation, I traded a card with a colleague and obtained a Sandisk 1GB. The darn thing worked like a charm the first try! When they say that the LEI card reader is picky and prefers Sandisk media, they MEAN it! Oh well - I now have a WORKING registered 1GB SD card (Sandisk) and am very happy with the iWay 100M so far. I also know which SD cards to buy if I need more in the future! Hopefully my pain will help someone else in the long run. If you want to add a larger memory card to your Lowrance iWay/iFinder - do yourself a favor and save your sanity........... buy a Sandisk.

Thanks for the information (and the link) CO-Zman! After *MUCH* experimentation and gnashing of teeth, I have had success (and learned a LOT!) I tried in vain SEVERAL times to get my Kingston and generic "Edge" brand 1GB SD cards to work - NO DICE. I uninstalled and re-installed Mapcreate in its entirety and had the SAME result (I could REGISTER all 3 cards, but only the 128MB Sandisk MMC card would work - the Kingston and Edge would not). Oh, I could create nice maps and successfully save them to the 1GB SD cards without errors or problems of any sort. However, the iWay 100M would only load maps from the little Sandisk. I could BROWSE the larger 1GB SD cards in the iWay and see that the files were there, but it REFUSED to load them at power-up. Finally, in desperation, I traded a card with a colleague and obtained a Sandisk 1GB. The darn thing worked like a charm the first try! When they say that the LEI card reader is picky and prefers Sandisk media, they MEAN it! Oh well - I now have a WORKING registered 1GB SD card (Sandisk) and am very happy with the iWay 100M so far. I also know which SD cards to buy if I need more in the future!

Thanks, miles. I have tried creating TINY (less than 70 meg) maps on the Kingston SD card and the iWay 100M STILL refuses to load them into memory when I turn it on. I can use the "browse MMC" function, and sure enough I can see the files (so the unit IS reading the card!). I have another 1GB SD card (labled "edge" brand), but I am hesitant to try it because of the 5 card limit. I already have TWO registered (the tiny 128MB Sandisk MMC that came with the unit and the [at the moment useless] Kingston 1GB SD). I don't want to risk taking up #3 registration with a 1GB card that might turn out useless as well!!!! I WAS able to get the 128 MB MMC to read a map. BTW.....Do any of you iFinder owners have trouble with the thickness od SD cards and the "twist-lock" card locking mechanism? Mine will NOT twist over the SD cards (they are too thick) but fit over th thinner MMC just fine.

Thanks for the input. Since these will most likely be eBay purchases, there will be no option for "try and return". I think I will go conservative and get the 28dB antenna. I live in a residential neighborhood with a LOT of RF beaming around (MANY of us have WiFi routers), so the interference factor is quite high! Also, the "stock" reception out of the box is pretty good, so 28dB should be MORE than adequate for my needs. I will try that. The 100M came with a 128Mb MMC, so I will try a smaller map on that one. If what you say holds true it will be a personal bummer for me (I bought the 1Gb kingston especially for use in the GPSr!) One thing that did alarm me is that the Kingston SD is so thick that the "twist-lock" mechanism that holds the memory cards secure would not fit over it (I just let the batteries hold it in place). The iWay 100M can BROWSE the Kingston and see the files on it, but the maps are not loading (only the base map data is showing). The other thing that bothers me is that IF it is true that this SD card will not work in the 100M, I have already "registered" it with the Mapcreate software, so it is using up one of my precious 5 card licenses!

Hi again all! Well my new Lowrance iWay 100M was delivered to my doorstep yesterday, so I toyed with it all night. I have not been able to get it to recognize maps that I created on my new Kingston 1GB SD card, but that may be just rookie operator error (or a question for the good folks at Lowrance). I am thinking that buying an external antenna will be inevitable, so I may as well get one ordered. I see TWO different Gilsson antennas available, one is 28dB, and the other is listed at 55dB. Which one should I get? The price difference is only a few dollars - so simple "bang-for-my-buck" common sense tells me to go for the more powerful one. BUT........ will that be too much for (possibly "overdrive") my receiver???

Check your PM.

Thanks for the response, HaLiJuSaPa! I owe you some thanks - I read several of your posts here while doing my research and agonizing over making a choice. I believe you wrote one of the reviews I read at epinions.com as well. I may pick up a "spare" power converter/speaker while they are still available - good advice. I am aware of the lack of the "compass rose" and knew that at the time I placed my order. I will simply use the map screen customized with some useful info (a method another user here outlined in a different older Lowrance thread). I am going to wait and see how my specific unit performs without an external antenna first. If it seems inadequate, I will pick up on of those inexpensive Glisson ones from eBay. Again, thanks for your comments and past postings - they have been informative and helpful -Scoob (new member of the Lowrance GPS users club)

So in conclusion based on what Steel City Seekers just added: My version of the "Holy Grail" of GPS receivers would be a new COLOR version of the iWay 100M (let's say with the gorgeous new screen from the iFinder expedition c), the SiRFIII chip, quad-helix antenna, the street maps with data from Navteq combined with Topo maps from Lowrance data, and voice-prompted turn-by-turn with autorouting. Maybe throw in a direct PC link in addition to the SD card reader (just as "icing" on the cake). Make the bundle available for under $400 MSRP for the whole package. Any chance we'll see that out soon? Hmmmm. i didn't think so... So I will just learn to be happy with my 100M for the time being

Thanks for the responses. Well - I "pulled the trigger". A brand new iWay 100M will be headed my way. My 1st GPSr - I can't wait to try it out. Steel City Seekers: (cool name, BTW - I'm a Steelers fan!) I have a HUGE supply of AA NiMH rechargeables at my disposal (for my other "toys") so I have the battery angle covered. Based on my research, the maps ARE Navteq (someone who owned both an iFinder H2O and the iWay 100M posted that the street maps on the 100M looked BETTER than the ones from the iFinder H2O/Mapcreate TOPO 6.3 - albeit without any TOPO). AFAIK it WILL accept maps made with mapcreate 6.3 TOPO or future versions, but those maps would NOT have voice turn-by-turn or autorouting capability. I don't intend to even ATTEMPT to look at the screen while driving. Most of the time my wife (and faithful navigator) will be with me and using the GPS. For those few occasions when I will be alone - well, that's why the voice prompt is nice! ossumguywill: Thanks for your input. Believe me - if price was not a big concern, I'd be ordering either a Garmin GSMAP 60Csx or a Magellan eXplorist XL (and then the appropriate map software). Sadly, price IS a huge factor, so the best bang for my limited buck is coming via the iWay 100M. Thanks again, -Scoob

Hi group! After tagging along on my first ever geocaching experience on a camping rally a few weeks ago (loved it!) my wife and I have decided we want to purcahse a GPSr and join the fun (my 5 y.o. son had a blast doing it too!) To make a long story short, we would like to buy a "double-duty" unit for geocaching AND in-car navigation (to help with simply driving to a cache site and also help navigationg when we follow our other passion, camping with our pop-up camper!) I have been "lurking" on this board for the past week reading your helpful and thoughtful opinions and reviews of the various models. The new color-screen models with the SiRF III chips are beautiful, but out of my budget right now (and probably WAY more GPSr than I need for my first one!) After *MUCH* reading, studying, and price-searching, I think I have found our perfect fit. The poor discontinued (and misunderstood with an identity crisis?) Lowrance iWay 100M. I found it brand-new shipped for $139. For not much more than a "basic" no-frills GPSr we can enjoy mapping and voice turn-by-turn. I am going to order very soon - but thought I would "pop" out of lurk mode just to here if any of you (VERY helpful) veterans have any words of advice, encouragement, or caveats for me. THANKS. I hope to become a contributing participant here. -Scoobmaster

Hi Helen. I am a "newbie" here too and just like you are looking for a handheld GPSr for geocaching that I can also use in the car for navigation. My other requirement is to keep it affordable (I.E. around $200 or less). After *MUCH* research and searching through these forum posts (a big THANK YOU to all members who have posted opinions and reviews of the various GPSr units - I have read a LOT of them!) I am about to purchase a Lowrance iWay 100M. It is a black and white screen model that Lowrance discontinued, but you still can find available at a VERY economical price (I found it for $139 with FREE shipping!). Do a search in these forums for "Lowrance iWay 100M" for a great wealth of information and experiences posted about this model. For me, it seems a good fit. It is not "THE BEST" in any one category, but it seems to perform VERY WELL all around and offer probably the most "bang for the buck". It is also, to my limited knowledge, the ONLY waterproof handheld GPSr rugged enough for trail/geocaching use that does autorouting AND voice-prompted turn-by-turn directions. This plus the Lowrance Mapcreate software is included in the package (many other models & manufacturets do NOT include the mapping software and make you buy it seperately for $70 - $120) Don't just take the word of a fellow forum newb though (LOL) - do what I did. Spend some time searching through and reading opinions in these forums. I'm sure a helpful forum veteran can provide more information or correct me if I made any errors in my post. -Scoobmaster