im sure this has been brought up on more than one occasion but i need help getting my unit to read hotmaps 2009 premium card

If you are expecting to just plug it in and go to work it will not happen. Go to:

Map Data

Select Navionics

Select region your lake is in

Otherwise you are just projecting off the original map that was loaded from the factory. You have to let the unit know what you want it to do.

Those instructions are for a lowrace system.  The Hummibirds only require you to insert the card.  The maps will load automacially.