Lowrance Electronic Lms 480Df Users Manual 480M And DF Owners

LMS-480M to the manual e5db506f-6302-4dd2-ae65-0211bbcda97d

2015-02-05

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Pub. 988-0151-181
www.lowrance.com

LMS-480M, LMS-480DF
Fish-finding Sonar & Mapping GPS

Operation Instructions

Copyright © 2003 Lowrance Electronics, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Lowrance® is a registered trademark of Lowrance Electronics, Inc.
Navionics is a registered trademark of Navionics, Inc.

Points of Interest Data in this unit are by infoUSA,
copyright  2001-2003, All Rights Reserved. infoUSA is a
trademark of infoUSA, Inc.

eXitSource Database, copyright  2001-2003 Zenrin Co.
Ltd. Exit Authority and eXitSource are trademarks of
Zenrin Co. Ltd.

Lowrance Electronics may find it necessary to change or end our
policies, regulations and special offers at any time. We reserve the right
to do so without notice. All features and specifications subject to change
without notice. All screens in this manual are simulated. On the cover:
LMS-480M shown. Other models covered in the manual are similar.

For free owner's manuals and other information,
visit our web site:

www.lowrance.com
Lowrance Electronics Inc.
12000 E. Skelly Dr.
Tulsa, OK USA 74128-2486
Printed in USA.

Table of Contents
Sec. 1: Read Me First! ............................................................... 1
Capabilities and Specifications: LMS-480 and LMS-480DF ........ 3
How LMS-480 Sonar Works ......................................................... 5
How LMS-480 GPS Works ........................................................... 6
Introduction to GPS and WAAS................................................... 8
How to Use this Manual: Typographical Conventions.............. 10
Sec. 2: Installation & Accessories ........................................ 13
Preparations................................................................................ 13
Transducer Installation.............................................................. 13
Selecting a Transducer Location ............................................ 14
How Low Should You Go?....................................................... 15
Shoot-Thru-Hull vs. Transom Mounting ............................... 16
Transom Transducer Assembly and Mounting ..................... 17
Trolling Motor Bracket Installation....................................... 23
Transducer Orientation and Fish Arches .............................. 23
Shoot-Thru-Hull Preparation and Installation ..................... 24
Speed/Temperature Sensors....................................................... 28
GPS Antenna/Receiver Module .................................................. 30
Power Connections...................................................................... 31
Powering a NMEA-2000 Buss ................................................ 31
Powering your Unit................................................................. 32
NMEA 0183/DGPS Cable Connections...................................... 34
NMEA/DGPS Wiring .............................................................. 34
Mounting the Unit: Bracket, In-Dash or Portable .................... 36
MMC or SD Card Memory Card Installation ............................ 39
Other Accessories........................................................................ 41
Face Cover................................................................................... 42
Sec. 3: Basic Sonar Operation............................................... 43
Keyboard ..................................................................................... 43
Power/Lights (Turn Unit On and Off) ....................................... 44
Main Menu .................................................................................. 44
Pages ........................................................................................... 46
Satellite Status Page .............................................................. 46
Navigation Page ...................................................................... 47
Map Page................................................................................. 47
Sonar Page .............................................................................. 48
Basic Sonar Quick Reference ............................................... 51
Sonar Operations ........................................................................ 52
Sec. 4: Sonar Options & Other Features ............................ 57
ASP (Advanced Signal Processing) ......................................... 57
Alarms ......................................................................................... 58
Depth Alarms .......................................................................... 58
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Zone Alarm .............................................................................. 59
Fish Alarm............................................................................... 60
Calibrate Speed........................................................................... 61
Chart Speed................................................................................. 62
Depth Cursor............................................................................... 62
Depth Range - Automatic ........................................................... 63
Depth Range - Manual................................................................ 64
Depth Range - Upper and Lower Limits ................................... 65
FasTrack .................................................................................. 66
Fish I.D. (Fish Symbols & Depths) ......................................... 67
FishTrack ................................................................................. 68
FishReveal ............................................................................... 69
Frequency (Change Transducer Frequency) ............................. 71
Grayline ..................................................................................... 72
HyperScroll .............................................................................. 74
Log Sonar Chart Data ................................................................ 74
Noise Rejection............................................................................ 75
Overlay Data ............................................................................... 75
Change Displayed Data Font Size ......................................... 76
Ping Speed & HyperScroll....................................................... 77
Reset Options .............................................................................. 79
Reset Water Distance ................................................................. 79
Set Keel Offset ............................................................................ 79
Sensitivity & Auto Sensitivity.................................................... 81
Turn Auto Sensitivity Back on: .............................................. 82
Sonar Color Mode........................................................................ 82
Sonar Page & Sonar Chart Display Options ............................. 83
Full Sonar Chart ..................................................................... 83
Split Zoom Sonar Chart .......................................................... 84
Split Frequency Sonar Chart (LMS-480DF only).................. 84
Digital Data/Chart .................................................................. 85
Flashgraf .............................................................................. 87
Map with Sonar Split Screen ................................................. 88
Sonar Simulator.......................................................................... 88
Stop Chart ................................................................................... 90
Surface Clarity ............................................................................ 91
Upper and Lower Limits ............................................................ 92
Zoom & Zoom Bar ....................................................................... 92
Zoom Pan..................................................................................... 93
Sec. 5: Sonar Troubleshooting.............................................. 95
Sec. 6: Basic GPS Operations................................................ 99
Keyboard ..................................................................................... 99
Power/Lights (Turn Unit On and Off) ..................................... 100
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Main Menu ................................................................................ 100
Pages ......................................................................................... 102
Sonar Page ............................................................................ 102
Satellite Status Page ............................................................ 102
Navigation Page .................................................................... 104
Map Page............................................................................... 106
Background Map vs. MapCreate Map Content ............ 108
Basic GPS Quick Reference ................................................ 112
Find your Current Position ...................................................... 113
Moving around the Map: Zoom & Cursor Arrow Keys............ 113
Selecting any Map Item with the Cursor ................................ 114
Searching................................................................................... 114
Set a Waypoint.......................................................................... 116
Create Waypoint at Current Position .................................. 117
Create Waypoint on Map...................................................... 118
Create Waypoint by Entering a Position ............................. 118
Navigate to a Waypoint ............................................................ 118
Set Man Overboard (MOB) Waypoint...................................... 119
Navigate Back to MOB Waypoint ........................................ 119
Navigate to Cursor Position on Map........................................ 120
Navigate to a Point of Interest................................................. 121
Creating and Saving a Trail..................................................... 122
Displaying a Saved Trail .......................................................... 124
Navigating Trails...................................................................... 124
Visual Trailing ...................................................................... 125
Navigate a Trail (Forward)................................................... 125
Navigate a Back Trail (Backtrack, or Reverse) ................... 127
Transfer Custom Maps and GPS Data Files ........................... 128
Cancel Navigation..................................................................... 130
Sec. 7: Advanced GPS Operations ..................................... 131
Find Distance from Current Position to Another Location .... 131
Find Distance from Point to Point ........................................... 131
Icons........................................................................................... 132
Create Icon on Map............................................................... 132
Create Icon at Current Position ........................................... 132
Delete an Icon ....................................................................... 132
Navigate to an Icon ............................................................... 133
Routes........................................................................................ 133
Create and Save a Route ...................................................... 134
Delete a Route ....................................................................... 137
Edit a Route Name................................................................ 137
Edit Route Waypoints........................................................... 137
Navigate a Route................................................................... 138
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Navigate a Route in Reverse ................................................ 139
Trails ......................................................................................... 140
Delete a Trail ........................................................................ 140
Edit a Trail Name ................................................................. 140
Edit a Trail Color .................................................................. 140
Edit a Trail Pattern .............................................................. 141
Utilities...................................................................................... 141
Alarm Clock........................................................................... 141
Sun/Moon Rise & Set Calculator.......................................... 141
Trip Calculator...................................................................... 141
Trip Down Timer................................................................... 141
Trip Up Timer ....................................................................... 141
Waypoints.................................................................................. 142
Delete a Waypoint................................................................. 142
Edit a Waypoint (Name, Symbol and Position) ................... 142
Selecting a Waypoint ............................................................ 143
Set a Waypoint by Average Position .................................... 143
Set a Waypoint by Projecting a Position.............................. 143
Sec. 8: System & GPS Setup Options................................. 145
Alarms ....................................................................................... 145
Auto Satellite Search................................................................ 146
Check MMC Files and Storage Space ...................................... 147
Communications Port Configuration ....................................... 147
Configure DGPS........................................................................ 148
Configure NMEA ...................................................................... 149
Coordinate System Selection.................................................... 149
Setup Loran TD..................................................................... 151
Map Fix ..................................................................................... 151
Customize Page Displays ......................................................... 152
DGPS Status ............................................................................. 153
GPS Simulator .......................................................................... 153
Simulating Trail or Route Navigation ................................. 154
Hide GPS Features ................................................................... 155
Initialize GPS............................................................................ 155
Map Auto Zoom ......................................................................... 155
Map Data................................................................................... 156
Show Map Data..................................................................... 156
Pop-Up Map Information...................................................... 156
Map Boundaries .................................................................... 156
Fill Water with White........................................................... 157
Map Overlays (Range Rings; Lat/Long Grid) ...................... 157
Map Datum Selection ............................................................... 157
Map Detail Category Selection................................................. 158
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Map Orientation ....................................................................... 158
Navionics Charts..................................................................... 160
Display a Navionics Chart:................................................... 160
Port Information ................................................................... 161
Tidal Current Information ................................................... 162
Tide Information ................................................................... 163
Pop-Up Help .............................................................................. 165
Position Pinning........................................................................ 165
Reset Options ............................................................................ 166
Require DGPS ........................................................................... 166
Screen Contrast and Brightness .............................................. 167
Set Language ............................................................................ 168
Set Local Time .......................................................................... 168
Show WAAS Alarm................................................................... 169
Software Version Information.................................................. 169
Sounds and Alarm Sound Styles.............................................. 170
Track Smoothing....................................................................... 170
Trail Options ............................................................................. 171
Delete All Trails .................................................................... 171
Flash Trails on Screen Option.............................................. 171
Update Trail Option.............................................................. 172
Update Trail Criteria (Auto, Time, Distance).................. 172
Trail Update Rate (Time, Distance) ................................. 172
Delete Trail ........................................................................... 173
New Trail............................................................................... 173
Trail Visible/Invisible and Other Trail Options .................. 173
Units of Measure....................................................................... 173
Sec. 9: Searching.................................................................... 175
Find Addresses.......................................................................... 175
Find any Item Selected by Map Cursor ................................... 178
Find Interstate Highway Exits ................................................ 179
Find Map Places or Points of Interest (POI) ........................... 181
Find Streets or Intersections.................................................... 183
Find Waypoints......................................................................... 187
Sec. 10: Supplemental Material.......................................... 191
Index......................................................................................... 197

WARNING!
A CAREFUL NAVIGATOR NEVER RELIES ON ONLY ONE METHOD
TO OBTAIN POSITION INFORMATION.
CAUTION
When showing navigation data to a position (waypoint), a GPS unit will show
the shortest, most direct path to the waypoint. It provides navigation data to the
waypoint regardless of obstructions. Therefore, the prudent navigator will not
only take advantage of all available navigation tools when traveling to a waypoint, but will also visually check to make sure a clear, safe path to the waypoint
is always available.
WARNING!
When a GPS unit is used in a vehicle, the vehicle operator is solely responsible for operating the vehicle in a safe manner. Vehicle operators
must maintain full surveillance of all pertinent driving, boating or flying conditions at all times. An accident or collision resulting in damage
to property, personal injury or death could occur if the operator of a
GPS-equipped vehicle fails to pay full attention to travel conditions and
vehicle operation while the vehicle is in motion.

Section 1: Read Me First!
How this manual can get you out on the road, fast!
Welcome to the exciting world of digital sonar and GPS! We know
you're anxious to begin navigating and finding fish, but we have a favor
to ask. Before you grab the unit and begin installing it, please give us a
moment or two to explain how our manual can help you get the best
performance from your compact, wide-screen, combination fish finder
and mapping GPS receiver.
First, we want to thank you for buying a Lowrance sonar/GPS unit.
Whether you're a first time user or a professional fisherman, you'll discover that your unit is easy to use, yet capable of handling demanding
navigation and sonar tasks. When you team your unit with our custom
mapping software MapCreate 6, you have an incredible combination.
You won't find another combination GPS and sonar unit with this much
power and this many features for this price!
Our goal for this book is to get you on the water fast, with a minimum
of fuss. Like you, we'd rather spend more time boating or fishing and
less time reading the manual!
So, we designed our book so that you don't have to read the whole thing
from front to back for the information you want. At the start (or end) of
each segment, we'll tell you what content is coming up next. If it's a
concept you're already familiar with, we'll show you how and where to
skip ahead for the next important topic. We've also made it easy to look
up any tips you may need from time to time. Here's how:
The manual is organized into 10 sections. This first section is an introduction to the LMS-480 or LMS-480DF, sonar and GPS. It tells you the
basics you need to know before you can make the unit look around and
tell you where you are, or look below the surface to find some fish.
Section 2 will help you install your unit, the transducer and the GPS
antenna module. We'll show you how to get the MultiMedia Card
(MMC) correctly installed inside the unit. We'll also tell you about some
of the available accessories.
Section 3 covers Basic Sonar Operation. It will show you how easy it is
to run your LMS-480 series sonar, right out of the box. This section features a one-page Sonar Quick Reference. (If you've already jumped
ahead and figured out how to install the unit yourself, and you
just can't wait any longer, turn to the Quick Reference on page
51 and head for the water with your LMS-480!)
1

After you've gained some experience with your sonar, you'll want to
check out Section 4, which discusses more advanced Sonar Options and
Other Features.
When you come to a sonar menu command on the LMS-480 screen, you can
look it up in the manual by skimming over the table of contents, just flipping through Section 3 or scanning through the sonar options in Section 4.
If you're having difficulty with your sonar, you can find an answer to
the most common problems in Section 5, Sonar Troubleshooting.
The manual switches from sonar to navigation in Section 6, which introduces you to Basic GPS Operations. This section features a onepage GPS Quick Reference on page 112.
Section 6 contains short, easy-to-scan GPS lessons that follow one another in chronological order. They're all you'll need to know to find your
way on the water quickly.
After you've learned the basics (or if you already have some GPS experience), you may want to try out some of LMS-480's many advanced
navigation features. That brings us to Section 7, Advanced GPS Operations. This section contains the rest of LMS-480's GPS command functions, organized in alphabetical order.
When you come to a GPS menu command on the LMS-480 screen, you
can look it up in the manual by skimming over the table of contents,
just flipping through Section 6 or scanning through the command portion of Section 7.
LMS-480 is ready to use right out of the box, but you can fine tune and
customize it's operation with dozens of options. Since sonar is the unit's
key feature, we put the main sonar options in Section 4. Some options,
such as screen brightness settings, affect both sonar and GPS operations. We describe how to use those common options along with GPS
options in Section 8, System Setup and GPS Setup Options. Section 8 is
organized in alphabetical order.
In Section 9, we go into more detail on one of LMS-480's most remarkable
GPS capabilities — Searching. We'll introduce a search example in the Basic GPS Operation section, but there are so many map items you can
search for, we had to give this function it's own section in the manual! For
example, did you know LMS-480 can look up business phone numbers,
functioning as a virtual Yellow Pages? We’ll show you how in Section 9.
Finally, in Section 10, we offer Supplemental Material, including a list
of the GPS datums used, warranties and customer service information.
2

Now, if you're into the fine details, glance over the next segment on
specifications to see just how much sonar and GPS power your unit contains. It's important to us (and our power users), but, if you don't care
how many watts of power the unit has, or how many waypoints LMS-480
can store, skip ahead to important information on how LMS-480 sonar
works, on page 5. (Background on GPS begins on page 6.)

Capabilities and Specifications: LMS-480 and LMS-480DF
General
Display:............................ 5.0" (12.7 cm) diagonal high contrast Film
SuperTwist LCD; programmable to viewing
preference.
Resolution:...................... 480 pixel x 480 pixel resolution; 230,400 total
pixels; 10-level gray scale definition.
Backlighting:.................. Incandescent backlit screen with multiple
lighting levels; backlit keypad.
Input power:................... 10 to 15 volts DC.
Current drain: ............... Sonar only: 500 ma lights off; 600 ma lights
on. With GPS and lights on: 700 ma.
Case size:......................... 5.4" H x 6.9" W x 3.4" D (13.8 x 17.6 x 8.6
cm); sealed and waterproof; suitable for
saltwater use.
MMC slots: ...................... One with waterproof door (SD card compatible).
Recording:........................ GPS uses MMC & SD cards for recording trip
details and displaying charts or custom maps.
Sonar uses them to record and save sonar
chart logs.
Back-up memory: .......... Built-in memory stores sonar records and
GPS data for decades. User settings are
stored when unit is turned off.
Languages:...................... 10; menu languages selectable by user.
Sonar
Frequency:...................... LMS-480DF: 50/200 kHz.
LMS-480: 200 kHz.
Transducers: .................... A dual-frequency Skimmer transducer with
built-in temperature sensor is packed with the
3

LMS-480DF. It has 35°/12° cone angles. A single-frequency Skimmer transducer with builtin temperature sensor is packed with the
LMS-480. It has a 20° cone angle. Transducers
operate at speeds up to 70 mph (61 kts).
Transmitter: ................... 3,000 watts peak-to-peak/375 watts RMS.
Sonar sounding
depth capability: ........... LMS-480DF: 2,500 feet/762 meters.
LMS-480: 1,000 feet/305 meters.
(Actual capability depends on transducer
configuration and installation, bottom composition and water conditions. All sonar
units typically read deeper in fresh water
than in salt water.)
Depth display:................ Continuous display.
Graph recording:........... More than 256 MB on one MMC (or SD) card
Audible alarms: ............. Deep/shallow/fish/zone.
Automatic ranging:....... Yes, with instant screen updates.
Auto bottom track:........ Yes
Zoom bottom track: ...... Yes.
Split-screen zoom:......... Yes.
Surface water temp: ..... Yes, built into transducer.
Speed/distance log: ....... Yes, with optional speed sensor (sensor included with LMS-480DF.)
GPS
Receiver/antenna:............External; LGC-2000 12 parallel channel
NMEA-2000-ready GPS/WAAS receiver/antenna; DGPS beacon receiver optional.
Background map:.......... Built-in custom, detailed Lowrance map.
Contains: enhanced detail of continental U.S.
and Hawaii. Includes more than 60,000 nav
aids and 10,000 wrecks/obstructions in
coastal and Great Lakes waters. Metro areas, selected major streets/highways and interstate exit services details included.
4

Custom mapping: .......... MapCreate 6 software optional; optional
LEI FreedomMaps offer the same highdetail without the work of MapCreate; Navionics charts on MMC cards optional.
Mapping memory:............More than 256 MB on one MMC (or SD) card.
Position updates: .......... Every second.
Position points: ............. 1,000 waypoints; 1,000 event marker icons.
Audible alarms: ............. Arrival/off-course/anchor.
Graphic symbols for
waypoints or event
marker icons: ................. 42.
Routes:............................. 100; up to 100 waypoints per route.
Plot Trails: ...................... 10 savable; up to 9,999 points per trail.
Zoom range:.................... 39 ranges; 0.02 to 4,000 miles.
NOTE:
The above memory capacities refer only to LMS-480's on-board
memory. The amount of GPS or sonar data you can record and save
for recall later is only limited by the number of MMC cards you have.
NOTICE!
The storage temperature range for your unit is from -4 degrees to +167
degrees Fahrenheit (-20 degrees to +75 degrees Celsius). Extended storage in temperatures higher or lower than specified will damage the liquid crystal display in your unit. This type of damage is not covered by
the warranty. For more information, contact the factory's Customer
Service Department; phone numbers are listed on the last page.

How LMS-480 Sonar Works
Sonar has been around since the 1940s, so if you already know how it
works, skip down to read about the relatively new technology of GPS.
But, if you've never owned a sonar fish finder, this segment will tell you
the under water basics.
Sonar is an abbreviation for SOund NAvigation and Ranging, a technology developed during World War II for tracking enemy submarines.
(Lowrance developed the world's first transistorized sportfishing sonar in
1957.) A sonar consists of a transmitter, transducer, receiver and display. In simple terms, here's how it finds the bottom, or the fish:
5

The transmitter emits an electrical impulse, which the transducer converts into a sound wave and sends into the water. (The sound frequency
can't be heard by humans or fish.) The sound wave strikes an object
(fish, structure, bottom) and bounces back to the transducer, which
converts the sound back into an electrical signal.
The receiver amplifies this return signal, or echo, and sends it to the
display, where an image of the object appears on the scrolling sonar
chart. The sonar's microprocessor calculates the time lapse between the
transmitted signal and echo return to determine the distance to the
object. The whole process repeats itself several times each second.
Your LMS-480 can record a log of the sonar signals that scroll across
the screen and save them to the MMC memory card. (These recordings
are also called sonar charts or sonar graphs.) You can replay this sonar
log in the unit using the Sonar Simulator function, or play it back on a
personal computer using our free Sonar Viewer. The viewer is available
for download from the Lowrance web site, www.lowrance.com.
You can save several different sonar log files, erase 'em and record new
ones, over and over again. The size of your sonar recordings is only
limited by the free space available on your MMC.

How LMS-480 GPS Works
You'll navigate faster and easier if you understand how the LMS-480
scans the sky to tell you where you are on the earth — and, where
you're going. (But if you already have a working understanding of GPS
receivers and the GPS navigation system, skip on ahead to Section 2,
Installation & Accessories on page 13. If you're new to GPS, read on, and
you can later impress your friends with your new-found knowledge.)
First, think of your LMS-480 as a small but powerful computer. (But
don't worry — we made the LMS-480 series easy to use, so you don't
need to be a computer expert to find your way!) The unit includes a
keypad and a screen with menus so you can tell LMS-480 what to do.
The screen also lets LMS-480 show your location on a moving map, as
well as point the way to your destination.
This gimbal-mounted unit uses an external antenna/receiver module,
which makes the whole system work something like your car radio. But
instead of your favorite dance tunes, this receiver tunes in to a couple of
dozen GPS satellites circling the earth. (It will also listen in to the
WAAS satellites in orbit, but more about that in the upcoming segment
introducing you to GPS and WAAS.)
Your LMS-480 listens to signals from as many satellites as it can "see"
above the horizon, eliminates the weakest signals, then computes its
6

location in relation to those satellites. Once LMS-480 figures its latitude and longitude, it plots that position on the moving map shown on
the screen. The whole process takes place several times a second!
The performance doesn't stop there. Stored in the permanent memory
of each LMS-480 is a basic background map of the entire world. We lock
it in here at the factory — you can't change or erase this map.
The background map is suitable for many navigation chores, but for
maximum accuracy and much more detail, you need our optional mapmaking software, MapCreate 6. Some unit features — such as
searching for businesses and addresses — won't work without a custom
MapCreate map. There is so much detail in our background map (and
even more in MapCreate) that we'll describe their contents and differences in Section 6, Basic GPS Operations, on page 108.
Another portion of LMS-480's onboard memory is devoted to recording
GPS navigation information, which includes waypoints, event marker
icons, trails and routes. This lets you look back the way you came.
Think of this data storage like the hard drive memory in a computer or
a tape in a cassette tape recorder. You can save several different GPS
data files, erase 'em and record new ones, over and over again. Like any
computer file, these GPS Data Files (file format *.usr) can be shared
between LMS-480s, other Lowrance GPS or sonar/GPS units, even personal computers.
LMS-480 has one more thing in common with a personal computer.
Just as computers have a floppy disk drive for storing and exchanging
files, the LMS-480 has a slot for an MMC (MultiMedia Card) or SDC
(Secure Digital card) flash memory card. These solid-state memory devices are about the size of a postage stamp, but can hold data ranging
from 8 MB to more than 256 MB in size. (Compare that to a floppy
disk's 1.44 MB capacity!) LMS-480 uses all that MMC space for two key
GPS purposes. (The MMC is also used to record sonar logs.)
First, you can backup your onboard GPS Data Files by copying them to
the MMC. Since the MMC is removable (like a floppy disk or a cassette
tape), you can store these GPS Data Files on a personal computer
equipped with an MMC card reader. (Or store them on a pocketful of
MMCs, if you don't have a computer.) Our MapCreate mapping software
can save, edit or create its own GPS Data Files, which can be copied to
the MMC and then loaded from the MMC into LMS-480's memory.
(NOTE: No matter where they come from, GPS Data Files must be
loaded from the MMC into memory before LMS-480 can use them.)
7

The other key GPS use for MMCs is storage of special high-detail, custom maps, which you can produce on your computer with our MapCreate software. These MapCreate custom maps contain much greater detail than the basic background map. These Custom Map Files (file
format *.lcm) can also be shared between LMS-480s, other Lowrance
GPS or sonar/GPS units and personal computers. (For example, the
exact same MMC, custom map files and GPS data files can be used interchangeably between your gimbal-mounted LMS-480 and the handheld iFINDER GPS receiver.)
LMS-480 automatically reads Custom Map Files directly from the
MMC or SDC. To use a custom map, all you need to do is slide an MMC
containing a map into the unit.

Introduction to GPS and WAAS
Well, now you know the basics of how LMS-480 does its work. You
might be ready to jump ahead to Section 2, Installation & Accessories,
on page 13, so you can mount your unit and plug in the power. Or you
might want to see how our text formatting makes the manual tutorials
easy to skim. If that's the case, move on to "How to Use This Manual"
on page 10. But, if you want to understand the current state of satellite
navigation, look over this segment describing how GPS and its new
companion WAAS work together to get you where you're going.
The Global Positioning System (GPS) was launched July 17, 1995 by
the United States Department of Defense. It was designed as a 24hour-a-day, 365-days-a-year, all weather global navigation system for
the armed forces of the U.S. and its allies. Civilian use was also available at first, but it was less accurate because the military scrambled
the signal somewhat, using a process called Selective Availability (SA.)
GPS proved so useful for civilian navigation that the federal government discontinued SA on May 2, 2000, after the military developed
other methods to deny GPS service to enemy forces. Reliable accuracy
for civilian users jumped from 100 meters (330 feet) under SA to the
present level of 10 to 20 meters (about 30 to 60 feet.)
Twenty-four satellites orbit 10,900 nautical miles above the Earth,
passing overhead twice daily. A series of ground stations (with precisely
surveyed locations) controls the satellites and monitors their exact locations in the sky. Each satellite broadcasts a low-power signal that identifies the satellite and its position above the earth. Three of these satellites
are spares, unused until needed. The rest virtually guarantee that at
least four satellites are in view nearly anywhere on Earth at all times.
8

A minimum of three satellites are required to determine a 2D fix.

The system requires signal reception from three satellites in order to
determine a position. This is called a 2D fix. It takes four satellites to
determine both position and elevation (your height above sea level —
also called altitude.) This is called a 3D fix.
Remember, the unit must have a clear view of the satellites in order to
receive their signals. Unlike radio or television signals, GPS works at
very high frequencies. These signals can be easily blocked by trees,
buildings, an automobile roof, even your body.
Like most GPS receivers, LMS-480 doesn’t have a compass or any other
navigation aid built inside. It relies solely on the signals from the satellites to calculate a position. Speed, direction of travel, and distance
are all calculated from position information. Therefore, in order for
LMS-480 to determine direction of travel, you must be moving and the
faster, the better. This is not to say that it won’t work at walking or
trolling speeds — it will. There will simply be more "wandering" of the
data shown on the display.
GPS alone is plenty accurate for route navigation, but the U.S. Federal
Aviation Administration has special aircraft navigation needs that go
beyond basic GPS. So, the FAA has developed a program to boost GPS
performance with its Wide Area Augmentation System, or WAAS. The
FAA commissioned the system on July 11, 2003.
WAAS is designed to increase GPS accuracy to within 7.6 meters vertically
and horizontally, but it consistently delivers accuracies within 1-2 meters
horizontal and 2-3 meters vertical, according to the FAA. It does this by
9

broadcasting correction signals on GPS frequencies. Your unit automatically receives both GPS and WAAS signals.
However, there are some fringe areas of the U.S., including parts of
Alaska, that do not yet receive robust WAAS coverage. Continued WAAS
development is planned to extend WAAS coverage in the years to come.
WAAS boosts the accuracy of land GPS navigation, but the system is
designed for aircraft. The satellites are in a fixed orbit around the
Equator, so they appear very low in the sky to someone on the ground
in North America. Aircraft and vessels on open water can get consistently good WAAS reception, but terrain, foliage or even large man-made
structures can sometimes block the WAAS signal from ground receivers.
You'll find that using your GPS receiver is both easy and amazingly
accurate. It’s easily the most accurate method of electronic navigation
available to the general public today. Remember, however, that this
receiver is only a tool. Always have another method of navigation available, such as a map or chart and a compass.
Also remember that this unit will always show navigation information
in the shortest line from your present position to a waypoint, regardless
of terrain! It only calculates position, it can’t know what’s between you
and your destination, for example. It’s up to you to safely navigate
around obstacles, no matter how you’re using this product.

How to use this manual: typographical conventions
Many instructions are listed as numbered steps. The keypad and arrow
"keystrokes" appear as boldface type. So, if you're in a real hurry (or
just need a reminder), you can skim the instructions and pick out what
menu command to use by finding the boldface command text. The following paragraphs explain how to interpret the text formatting for
those commands and other instructions:
Arrow Keys
The arrow keys control the movement of dotted cross-hair lines on your
mapping screen called the cursor. The arrow keys also control a horizontal line depth cursor on the sonar screen. The arrow keys help you
move around the menus so you can execute different commands. They
are represented by symbols like these, which denote the down arrow
key, the up arrow, the left arrow and the right arrow: ↓ ↑ ← →.

Keyboard
The other keys perform a variety of functions. When the text refers to a
key to press, the key is shown in bold, sans serif type. For example, the
"Enter/Icons" key is shown as ENT and the "Menu" key is shown as MENU.
Menu Commands
A menu command or a menu option will appear in small capital letters, in
a bold sans serif type like this: ROUTE PLANNING. These indicate that you are
to select this command or option from a menu or take an action of some
kind with the menu item. Text that you may need to enter or file names
you need to select are show in italic type, such as trail name.
Instructions = Menu Sequences
Most functions you perform with LMS-480 are described as a sequence
of key strokes and selecting menu commands. We've written them in a
condensed manner for quick and easy reading.
For example, instructions for navigating a trail would look like this:
1. From the Map Page, press MENU|MENU|↓ to MY TRAILS|ENT.
2. Press ↓ to Trail 1|ENT|→|↓ to NAVIGATE|ENT.
3. You are asked to wait while it converts the trail into a route.
4. The wait message disappears and the unit begins showing
navigation information along the trail. Now, begin moving and
follow your LMS-480.
Translated into complete English, step 1 above would mean: "Start on
the Map Page. Press the Menu key twice. Next, repeatedly press (or
press and hold) the down arrow key to scroll down the menu and select
(highlight) the My Trails menu command. Finally, press the Enter key."
Step 2 would mean: "Press the down arrow key repeatedly to scroll to
the trail named Trail 1, and press Enter. Next, press the right arrow
key and then the down arrow key to highlight the Navigate command,
then press Enter."

Notes

Section 2:
Installation & Accessories
Preparations
You can install the sonar and GPS systems in some other order if you
prefer, but we recommend this installation sequence:
Caution:
You should read over this entire installation section before drilling any holes in your vehicle or vessel!
1. Determine the approximate location for the sonar/GPS unit, so you
can plan how and where to route the cables for the antenna, transducer
and power. This will help you make sure you have enough cable length
for the desired configuration.
2. Determine the approximate location for the transducer and its cable
route.
3. Determine the approximate location for the GPS antenna module
and its cable route.
4. Determine the location of your battery or other power connection,
along with the power cable route.
5. Install the transducer and route the transducer cable to the sonar/GPS unit.
6. Install the GPS antenna and route the antenna cable to the sonar/GPS unit.
7. Install the power cable and route it to the sonar/GPS unit.
8. Mount the sonar/GPS unit to the bracket.

Transducer Installation
These instructions will help you install your Skimmer transducer on a
transom, on a trolling motor or inside a hull. These instructions cover
both single- and dual-frequency Skimmer transducers. Please read all
instructions before proceeding with any installation.
The smaller single-frequency Skimmers typically use a one-piece,
stainless steel mounting bracket. The larger dual-frequency Skimmers
typically use a two-piece, plastic mounting bracket. The trolling motor
mount uses a one-piece plastic bracket with an adjustable strap.
These are all "kick-up" mounting brackets. They help prevent damage if
the transducer strikes an object while the boat is moving. If the transducer does "kick-up," the bracket can easily be pushed back into place
without tools.
13

Read these instructions carefully before attempting the installation.
Determine which of the mounting positions is right for your boat. Remember, the transducer installation is the most critical part of a
sonar installation.
NOTE:
The following installation types also call for these recommended
tools and required supplies that you must provide (supplies listed
here are not included):
Single-frequency transom installations

Tools include: two adjustable wrenches, drill, #29 (0.136") drill bit, flathead screwdriver. Supplies: high quality, marine grade above- or belowwaterline sealant/adhesive compound.
Dual-frequency transom installations

Tools: two adjustable wrenches, drill, #20 (0.161") drill bit, flat-head
screwdriver. Supplies: four, 1" long, #12 stainless steel slotted wood screws,
high quality, marine grade above- or below-waterline sealant/adhesive
compound.
Single-frequency trolling motor installations

Tools: two adjustable wrenches, flat-head screwdriver. Supplies: plastic
cable ties.
Shoot-through hull installations

Tools: these will vary depending on your hull's composition. Consult your
boat dealer or manufacturer. Other tools are a wooden craft stick or
similar tool for stirring and applying epoxy, and a paper plate or piece
of cardboard to mix the epoxy on. Supplies: rubbing alcohol, 100 grit
sandpaper, specially formulated epoxy adhesive available from LEI (see
ordering information on the inside back cover). A sandwich hull also
requires polyester resin.
Selecting a Transducer Location
1. The location must be in the water at all times, at all operating speeds.
2. The transducer must be placed in a location that has a smooth flow of
water at all times. If the transducer is not placed in a smooth flow of
water, interference caused by bubbles and turbulence will show on
the sonar's display in the form of random lines or dots whenever the
boat is moving.
NOTE:
Some aluminum boats with strakes or ribs on the outside of the
hull create large amounts of turbulence at high speed. These boats
typically have large outboard motors capable of propelling the boat
14

at speeds faster than 35 mph. Typically, a good transom location on
aluminum boats is between the ribs closest to the engine.
3. The transducer should be installed with its face pointing straight
down, if possible. For shoot-thru applications: Many popular fishing
boat hulls have a flat keel pad that offers a good mounting surface. On
vee hulls, try to place the transducer where the deadrise is 10° or less.
Deadrise less than 10°

Strakes
Pad
Left, vee pad hull; right, vee hull. A pod style transducer is shown
here, but the principle is the same for Skimmers inside a hull.

4. If the transducer is mounted on the transom, make sure it doesn't
interfere with the trailer or hauling of the boat. Also, don't mount it
closer than approximately one foot from the engine's lower unit. This
will prevent cavitation (bubble) interference with propeller operation.
5. If possible, route the transducer cable away from other wiring on the
boat. Electrical noise from engine wiring, bilge pumps and aerators
can be displayed on the sonar's screen. Use caution when routing the
transducer cable around these wires.
CAUTION: Clamp the transducer cable to transom near
the transducer. This will help
prevent the transducer from
entering the boat if it is
knocked off at high speed.
Good location

Poor location
Good
location

Good location
Poor angle
Good and poor transducer locations.

How low should you go?
For most situations, you should install your Skimmer transducer so
that its centerline is level with the bottom of the boat hull. This will
15

usually give you the best combination of smooth water flow and protection from bangs and bumps.
Transom
Transducer
centerline

Hull bottom
Align transducer centerline with hull bottom.

However, there are times when you may need to adjust the transducer
slightly higher or lower. (The slots in the mounting brackets allow you
to loosen the screws and slide the transducer up or down.) If you frequently lose bottom signal lock while running at high speed, the transducer may be coming out of the water as you cross waves or wakes.
Move the transducer a little lower to help prevent this.
If you cruise or fish around lots of structure and cover, your transducer
may be frequently kicking up from object strikes. If you wish, you may
move the transducer a little higher for more protection.
There are two extremes you should avoid. Never let the edge of the
mounting bracket extend below the bottom of the hull. Never let the
bottom – the face – of the transducer rise above the bottom of the hull.
Shoot-thru-hull vs. Transom Mounting
In a shoot-thru-hull installation, the transducer is bonded to the inside
of the hull with epoxy. The sonar "ping" signal actually passes through
the hull and into the water. This differs from a bolt-thru-hull installation (often called simply "thru-hull"). In that case, a hole is cut in the
hull and a specially designed transducer is mounted through the hull
with a threaded shaft and nut. This puts the transducer in direct contact
with the water.
Typically, shoot-thru-hull installations give excellent high speed operation and good to excellent depth capability. There is no possibility of
transducer damage from floating objects, as there is with a transommounted transducer. A transducer mounted inside the hull can't be
knocked off when docking or loading on a trailer.
However, the shoot-thru-hull installation does have its drawbacks.
First, some loss of sensitivity does occur, even on the best hulls. This
varies from hull to hull, even from different installations on the same
hull. This is caused by differences in hull lay-up and construction.
16

Second, the transducer angle cannot be adjusted for the best fish arches
on your sonar display. (This is not an issue for flasher-style sonars.)
Lack of angle adjustment can be particularly troublesome on hulls that
sit with the bow high when at rest or at slow trolling speeds.
Third, a transducer CAN NOT shoot through wood and metal hulls.
Those hulls require either a transom mount or a thru-hull installation.
Fourth, if your Skimmer transducer has a built in temp sensor, it will
only show the temperature of the bilge, not the water surface temp.
Follow the testing procedures listed in the shoot-thru-hull installation
section at the end of this lesson to determine if you can satisfactorily
shoot through the hull.
TRANSOM TRANSDUCER ASSEMBLY AND MOUNTING
The best way to install these transducers is to loosely assemble all of the
parts first, place the transducer's bracket against the transom and see if
you can move the transducer so that it's parallel with the ground.
The following instructions sometimes vary depending on the mounting
bracket that came with your transducer. Single-frequency Skimmers
come with a one-piece stainless steel bracket, while dual-frequency
Skimmers come with a two-piece plastic mounting bracket. Use the set of
instructions that fits your model.
1. Assembling the bracket.
A. One-piece bracket: Press the two small plastic ratchets into the
sides of the metal bracket as shown in the following illustration. Notice
there are letters molded into each ratchet. Place each ratchet into the
bracket with the letter "A" aligned with the dot stamped into the metal
bracket. This position sets the transducer's coarse angle adjustment for a
14° transom. Most outboard and stern-drive transoms have a 14° angle.

Dot

Align plastic ratchets in bracket.

B. Two-piece bracket: Locate the four plastic ratchets in the transducer's hardware package. Press two ratchets into the sides of the plastic bracket and two on either side of the transducer as shown in the following illustrations. Notice there are letters molded into each ratchet.
17

Place the ratchets into the bracket with the letter "A" aligned with the
alignment mark molded into the bracket. Place the ratchets onto the
transducer with the letter "A" aligned with the 12 o'clock position on
the transducer stem. These positions set the transducer's coarse angle
adjustment for a 14° transom. Most outboard and stern-drive transoms have a 14° angle.

Alignment letters
Alignment
positions

Transducer
Transducer bracket
Insert and align ratchets.
Transducer
Transducer
bracket

Ratchet

Add ratchets to bracket and transducer.

2. Aligning the transducer on the transom.
A. One-piece bracket: Slide the transducer between the two ratchets. Temporarily slide the bolt though the transducer assembly and
hold it against the transom. Looking at the transducer from the side,
check to see if it will adjust so that its face is parallel to the ground.
If it does, then the "A" position is correct for your hull.
18

If the transducer's face isn't parallel with the ground, remove the
transducer and ratchets from the bracket. Place the ratchets into the
holes in the bracket with the letter "B" aligned with the dot stamped
in the bracket.
Reassemble the transducer and bracket and place them against the
transom. Again, check to see if you can move the transducer so it's
parallel with the ground. If you can, then go to step 3A. If it doesn't,
repeat step 2A, but use a different alignment letter until you can
place the transducer on the transom correctly.

Ratchets

Insert bolt and check transducer position on transom.

B. Two-piece bracket: Assemble the transducer and bracket as shown
in the following figure. Temporarily slide the bolt though the transducer
assembly but don't tighten the nut at this time. Hold the assembled
transducer and bracket against the transom. Looking at the transducer
from the side, check to see if it will adjust so that its face is parallel to
the ground. If it does, then the "A" positions are correct for your hull.
If the transducer's face isn't parallel with the ground, remove and
disassemble the transducer and ratchets. Place the ratchets into the
bracket holes with the letter "B" aligned with the bracket alignment
mark. Place them on the transducer aligned with the 12 o'clock position on the transducer stem.
Reassemble the transducer and bracket and place them against the
transom. Again, check to see if you can move the transducer so it's
parallel with the ground. If you can, then go to step 3B. If it doesn't,
repeat step 2B, but use a different alignment letter until you can
place the transducer on the transom correctly.

Lock washer

Bolt

Nut
Flat washer

Flat washer

Assemble transducer and bracket.

3. Assembling the transducer.
A. One-piece bracket: Once you determine the correct position for
the ratchets, assemble the transducer as shown in the following figure. Don't tighten the lock nut at this time.
Metal
washer

Nut

Rubber
washers

Metal washer
Bolt

Assemble transducer and bracket.

B. Two-piece bracket: Once you determine the correct position for
the ratchets, assemble the transducer as shown in the figure in step
2B. Don't tighten the lock nut at this time.
4. Drilling mounting holes.
Hold the transducer and bracket assembly against the transom. The
transducer should be roughly parallel to the ground. The transducer's centerline should be in line with the bottom of the hull. Don't
let the bracket extend below the hull!
Mark the center of each slot for the mounting screw pilot holes. You
will drill one hole in the center of each slot.
Drill the holes. For the one-piece bracket, use the #29 bit (for the #10
screws). For the two-piece bracket, use the #20 bit (for the #12 screws).
20

Transom
Transom

Position transducer mount on transom and mark mounting holes.
Side view shown at left and seen from above at right.

5. Attaching transducer to transom.
A. One-piece bracket: Remove the transducer from the bracket and
re-assemble it with the cable passing through the bracket over the
bolt as shown in the following figures.

For single-frequency Skimmer, route cable over bolt and through
bracket. Side view shown at left and seen from above at right.

Both bracket types: Attach the transducer to the transom. Slide the
transducer up or down until it's aligned properly with the bottom of
the hull as shown in the preceding and following figures. Tighten the
bracket's mounting screws, sealing them with the sealant.
Adjust the transducer so that it's parallel to the ground and tighten
the nut until it touches the outer washer, then add 1/4 turn. Don't
over tighten the lock nut! If you do, the transducer won't "kick-up" if
it strikes an object in the water.

Bottom
of
hull

Flat-bottom hull
Deep-"vee" hull
Align transducer centerline with hull bottom and attach transducer to
transom. Rear view of dual-frequency Skimmer shown.

6. Route the transducer cable through or over the transom to the sonar
unit. Make sure to leave some slack in the cable at the transducer. If
possible, route the transducer cable away from other wiring on the
boat. Electrical noise from the engine's wiring, bilge pumps, VHF radio
wires and cables, and aerators can be picked up by the sonar. Use caution when routing the transducer cable around these wires.
WARNING:
Clamp the transducer cable to the transom close to the
transducer. This can prevent the transducer from entering the boat if it is knocked off at high speed.
If you need to drill a hole in the transom to pass the connector through,
the required hole size be 1".
Caution:
If you drill a hole in the transom for the cable, make sure it is located above the waterline. After installation, be sure to seal the
hole with the same marine grade above- or below-waterline sealant used for the mounting screws.
7. Make a test run to determine the results. If the bottom is lost at
high speed, or if noise appears on the display, try sliding the transducer bracket down. This puts the transducer deeper into the water,
hopefully below the turbulence causing the noise. Don't allow the
transducer bracket to go below the bottom of the hull!

TROLLING MOTOR BRACKET INSTALLATION
(single-frequency only)
1. Attach the optional TMB-S bracket to the transducer as shown in the
following figure, using the hardware supplied with the transducer.
(Note: The internal tooth washer is supplied with the TMB-S.)
Internal tooth washer
Bolt

TMB-S bracket

Nut

Flat washer
Attach motor mounting bracket to transducer.

2. Slide the adjustable strap supplied with the TMB-S through the slot
in the transducer bracket and wrap it around the trolling motor. Position the transducer to aim straight down when the motor is in the
water. Tighten the strap securely.
3. Route the transducer cable alongside the trolling motor shaft. Use
plastic ties (not included) to attach the transducer cable to the trolling motor shaft. Make sure there is enough slack in the cable for the
motor to turn freely. Route the cable to the sonar unit and the transducer is ready for use.

Transducer mounted on trolling motor, side view.

TRANSDUCER ORIENTATION AND FISH ARCHES
If you do not get good fish arches on your display, it could be because
the transducer is not parallel with the ground when the boat is at rest
in the water or at slow trolling speeds.
23

Partial fish arches

Transducer aimed
too far back

Transducer aimed
too far forward

Full fish arch
Proper transducer angle
Transducer angles and their effects on fish arches.

If the arch slopes up – but not back down – then the front of the transducer is too high and needs to be lowered. If only the back half of the
arch is printed, then the nose of the transducer is angled too far down
and needs to be raised.
NOTE:
Periodically wash the transducer's face with soap and water to remove any oil film. Oil and dirt on the face will reduce the sensitivity
or may even prevent operation.
SHOOT-THRU-HULL PREPARATION
Hulls With Floatation Materials
The transducer installation inside a fiberglass hull must be in an area
that does not have air bubbles in the resin or separated fiberglass layers. The sonar signal must pass through solid fiberglass. A successful
transducer installation can be made on hulls with flotation materials
(such as plywood, balsa wood or foam) between layers of fiberglass if
the material is removed from the chosen area. See the following figure.
24

WARNING:
Do not remove any material from your inner hull unless
you know the hull's composition. Careless grinding or
cutting on your hull can result in damage that could sink
your boat. Contact your boat dealer or manufacturer to
confirm your hull specifications.
Fill with polyester resin
Inner hull

Flotation material

Epoxy to hull first

Outer hull

Epoxy the transducer to a solid portion of the hull.

For example, some (but not all) manufacturers use a layer of fiberglass,
then a core of balsa wood, finishing with an outer layer of fiberglass.
Removing the inner layer of fiberglass and the balsa wood core exposes
the outer layer of fiberglass. The transducer can then be epoxied directly to the outer layer of fiberglass. After the epoxy cures for 24
hours, fill the remaining space with polyester resin. When the job is
finished, the hull is watertight and structurally sound. Remember, the
sonar signal must pass through solid fiberglass. Any air bubbles in the
fiberglass or the epoxy will reduce or eliminate the sonar signals.
Testing Determines Best Location
Ideally, the shoot-thru transducer should be installed as close to the
transom as possible, close to the centerline. This will give you the best
performance during high speed maneuvers.
Transducer location
(high speed)

Transducer location
(trolling speed)

Shoot-thru-hull transducer locations for
high speed or trolling speed operation.

To choose the proper location for shoot-thru-hull mounting, follow these
testing procedures: (You may need a helper to complete these steps.)
1. Anchor the boat in about 30 feet of water. Add a little water to the
sump of the boat. Plug the transducer into the sonar unit, turn it on,
then hold the transducer over the side of the boat in the water. Adjust
the sensitivity and range controls until a second bottom echo is seen on
the display. (You'll need to turn off Auto Sensitivity, Auto Depth Range
and ASP. Try a range setting that is two to three times the water
depth. The harder (more rocky) the bottom, the easier it will be to get a
second bottom signal.) Don't touch the controls once they've been set.
True bottom

Second bottom

Manual range setting

Example of a second bottom signal. Unit is in 30 feet of water, with
range set at 80 feet and sensitivity set at 87 percent.

2. Next, take the transducer out of the water and place it in the water in
the sump of the boat, face down. (The transducer face is shown in the
figure on the following page.) Notice how the signal strength decreases. The second bottom signal will probably disappear and the bottom signal intensity will likely decrease.
3. Now move the transducer around to find the best location with the
strongest possible bottom signal. If you find a spot with an acceptable
bottom signal, mark the location and move on to step 4.
If you can't get an acceptable bottom signal, try turning up the sensitivity by three or five keystrokes and then move the transducer around
once more. If you find a spot that works, mark it and move on to step 4.
If you have to turn up sensitivity by more than five keystrokes to get a
good signal, the transducer should be mounted on the outside of the
hull. This is especially true if you have to turn sensitivity all the way
up to get a decent bottom signal.
26

4. Most people can get good results by following steps 1 through 3, so this
step is optional. If you want to make an extra effort to be absolutely sure
that your selected location will work under all conditions, make a test
run with the boat on plane and observe the bottom signal. You'll need to
figure some way to prop the transducer into position while you make
your test run. (A brick or two might be sufficient to hold it in place.)
5. When you're satisfied with a location, mark it and proceed with
the installation.
Shoot-thru-hull Installation
If you are installing the transducer on a hull with floatation material
sandwiched within the hull, refer to the text "Hulls With Flotation Materials" beginning on page 24.
1. Make sure the area is clean, dry and free of oil or grease, then sand
both the inside surface of the hull and the face of the transducer with
100 grit sandpaper. The sanded hull area should be about 1-1/2 times
the diameter of the transducer. The surface of the hull must be flat
so the entire transducer face is in contact with the hull prior to
bonding. After sanding, clean the hull and transducer with rubbing
alcohol to remove any sanding debris.
Spread epoxy here

Sand this surface

Epoxy transducer to hull.

WARNING:
Use only the epoxy available from LEI. It has been formulated to work with these installation procedures.
Other epoxy types may be too thin or may not cure to the
right consistency for optimum transducer performance.
27

2. The epoxy consists of the epoxy itself and a hardener. Remove the
two compounds from the package and place them on the paper plate.
Thoroughly stir the two compounds together until the mixture has a
uniform color and consistency. Do not mix too fast or bubbles will
form in the epoxy. After mixing, you have 20 minutes to complete the
installation before the epoxy becomes unworkable.
Spread a thin layer of epoxy (about 1/16" or 1.5 mm thick) on the face
of the transducer as shown in the previous figure. Make sure there
are no air pockets in the epoxy layer! Then, apply the remaining epoxy to the sanded area on the hull.
3. Press the transducer into the epoxy, twisting and turning it to force
any air bubbles out from under the transducer face. Stop pressing
when you bottom out on the hull. When you're finished, the face of
the transducer should be parallel with the hull, with a minimum
amount of epoxy between the hull and transducer.
4. Apply a weight, such as a brick, to hold the transducer in place while
the epoxy cures. Be careful not to bump the transducer while the epoxy is wet. Leave the weight in place for a minimum of three hours.
Allow the epoxy to cure for 24 hours before moving the boat.
5. After the epoxy has cured, route the cable to the sonar unit and it's
ready to use.

Speed/Temperature Sensors
Optional Speed Sensor Installation
All the units in this series can display speed and distance traveled, but
only the LMS-480DF comes packed with a speed sensor. If you wish to
purchase an optional additional sensor for your unit, refer to the accessory ordering information inside the back cover of this manual. The
following instructions describe how to install the speed sensor.
Recommended tools for this job include: drill, 7/8" drill bit, 1/8" drill bit
for pilot holes, screwdriver. Required supplies for this job include: four
#8 stainless steel wood screws (3/4" long), high quality, marine grade
above- or below-waterline sealant.
First find a location on the boat's transom where the water flow is
smoothest. Don't mount the sensor behind strakes or ribs. These will
disturb the water flow to the speed sensor. Make sure the sensor will
remain in the water when the boat is on plane. Also make sure the location doesn't interfere with the boat's trailer. Typically, the sensor is
mounted about one foot to the side of the transom's centerline.
28

Once you've determined the proper location for the unit, place the sensor on the transom. The bottom of the bracket should be flush with the
hull's bottom. Using the sensor as a template, mark the hull for the
screws' pilot holes. Drill four 1/8" holes, one in each end of the slots.
Mount the sensor to the hull using #8 stainless steel wood screws (not
included). Use a high quality, marine grade above- or below-waterline
sealant to seal the screws. Make sure the sensor is flush with the bottom of the hull and tighten the screws.

Good location
Stern view showing good location for mounting sensor on transom.
Transom

Bottom of hull

Speed sensor mounting configuration:
side view (left) and rear view (right.)

If the base of the transom has a radius, fill the gap between the transom and the sensor with the sealant. This will help ensure a smooth
water flow.
Route the sensor's cable through or over the transom to the sonar unit.
If you need to drill a hole in the transom to pass the connector through,
the required hole size is 7/8".
CAUTION:
If you drill a hole in the transom for the cable, make sure it is located above the waterline. After installation, be sure to seal the
hole with the same marine grade above- or below-waterline sealant used for the screws.
The sensor is now ready for use. Connect the sensor to the sonar socket
on the back of your unit and connect the transducer to the speed sen29

sor's socket. If you have any questions concerning the installation of the
sensor, please contact your local boat dealer.

GPS Antenna/Receiver Module
The LMS-480 series package includes the LGC-2000 GPS module. This
device contains the unit's external antenna and receiver for GPS and
WAAS signals. The antenna/receiver module comes with a 25-foot Yadapter extension cable. This module can be mounted on a flat surface
or pole, or an optional magnet is available for temporary mounting on
any ferrous surface.

LGC-2000 Module, bottom view (left) and top view (right).

You need to select an antenna installation location that has a clear, unobstructed view of the sky. After the module is installed, connect it to
the end of the Y-adapter extension cable as shown in the following diagram. To connect it to the LMS-480, insert the cable's splitter plug into
the Network socket on the back of the unit and your system is ready to
use. See the module's instruction sheet, publication part number 9880147-791, for complete installation directions.
60-ohm
terminator
To unit
LGC-2000
25' Y-adapter
extension cable
LGC-2000 Cable Connection.

NOTE:
The second plug on the extension cable’s Y-adapter will have a 60ohm terminator attached to it. Do not remove this terminator.
You must leave the terminator connected to this socket at all times
for your antenna/receiver to function correctly.
30

In an automobile, you may achieve good results by simply placing the
external antenna on the top of the dash, at the base of the windshield. A
piece of the rubber non-skid shelf liner material available in recreational
vehicle supply stores will help hold the antenna in place. This may not
work well if you have a cab-over design pickup truck camper or motor
home. If dashboard reception is poor, simply relocate the antenna module elsewhere on the vehicle for a clearer view of the sky.

Power Connections
Your unit comes with a power/data cable that splits into three ends,
each with several exposed wires (shown in the following figure). The
end with 4 wires (blue, yellow, orange and shield) is a Data cable that
connects to a NMEA 0183 interface. The end with three wires (red,
black and shield) is a power cable that connects to a NMEA-2000 buss.
The thicker three-wire cable (red, black and white) is the Power Supply
for your unit (and optional external speaker connection for some units).
Power Supply wires:
red, black and white
To unit
NMEA-2000 Power wires:
red, black and shield
Data Cable wires: blue,
yellow, orange and shield
The Power/Data cable for this unit.

Depending on your configuration, you may not use all of these wires.
(For example, many units cannot operate an optional external speaker,
so the white wire on the Power Supply cable isn't functional.) The following segments include instructions for installing all the wires that
you will use with this unit.
Powering a NMEA-2000 Buss
(NMEA-2000 Power cable)
A NMEA-2000 buss must be connected to a power source to operate. If
you have a pre-existing NMEA-2000 installation, it may already be
connected to another power source. If your NMEA-2000 buss is already
powered, you can ignore the NMEA-2000 Power cable. Never attach
two power sources to a single NMEA-2000 buss.
If you do need to power your NMEA-2000 buss, attach the NMEA-2000
Power cable to your boat's battery just as indicated in the following
segment for connecting your unit's Power Supply cable. The NMEA31

2000 Power cable's red wire should be attached (with provided 3-amp
fuse) to the boat battery's positive terminal, and the NMEA-2000 Power
cable's black and shield wires should both be attached to the battery's
negative terminal.
NOTE:
If the NMEA-2000 buss draws power directly from the boat's battery,
the LGC-2000 will remain on (drawing power) all the time. The LGC2000's current draw is very small and shouldn't decrease the boat's
storage battery life, but if this small draw is a concern, you can install a switch between the NMEA-2000 buss and the battery.
Powering Your Unit
(Power Supply cable – red and black wires)
The unit works from a 12-volt battery system. For the best results, attach the power cable directly to the battery. You can attach the power
cable to an accessory or power buss, however you may have problems
with electrical interference. Therefore, it's safer to go ahead and attach
the power cable directly to the battery.
CAUTION:
When using the unit in a saltwater environment, we strongly recommend that you shut off the power supply to the power cable when
the unit is not in use. When the unit is turned off but still connected
to a power supply, electrolysis can occur in the power cable plug.
This may result in corrosion of the plug body along with the electrical contacts in the cable and the unit's power socket.
In saltwater environments we recommend you connect the power
cable to the auxiliary power switch included in most boat designs.
If that results in electrical interference, or if such a switch is not
available, we recommend connecting direct to the battery and installing an inline switch. This will let you shut off power to the
power cable when the unit is not in use. When you are not using
the unit, you should always shut off power to the power cable, especially when the power cable is disconnected from the unit.
If possible, keep the power cable away from other boat wiring, especially
the engine's wires. This will provide the best isolation from electrical
noise. If the cable is not long enough, splice #18 gauge wire onto it. The
power cable has two wires, red and black. Red is the positive lead, black
is negative or ground. (There is also a white wire to power an optional
external speaker for some units.) Make sure to attach the in-line fuse
holder to the red lead as close to the power source as possible.
32

For example, if you have to extend the power cable to the battery or
power buss, attach one end of the fuse holder directly to the battery or
power buss. This will protect both the unit and the power cable in the
event of a short. It uses a 3-amp fuse.
To unit
To power a
NMEA-2000
buss, also
connect
NMEA-2000
Power cable
to the boat's
battery.

Data Cable

External speaker wire
(not used by this unit)
Red wire with
3 amp fuse

Black wire

Optional power off
switch for saltwater installations

12 volt
battery

NMEA-2000 Power Cable

Power connections for the LMS-480 series sonar/GPS unit.

NOTE:
If you're powering a NMEA-2000 buss, you will attach both the
NMEA-2000 Power cable and the unit's Power Supply cable to the
boat's battery. To attach the NMEA-2000 Power cable, connect the
red wire to battery's + and black and shield wires to battery's –.
WARNING:
This product must be independently fused with the enclosed 3-amp fuse (or equivalent), even if you connect to
a fused accessory or power buss.
If a malfunction happens inside the unit, extensive damage can occur if the enclosed fuse is not used. As with all
electrical devices, this unit could be damaged to a point
that it is unrepairable and could even cause harm to the
user when not properly fused.
CAUTION:
Do not use this product without a 3-amp fuse wired into the power
cable! Failure to use a 3-amp fuse will void your warranty.
This unit has reverse polarity protection. No damage will occur if the
power wires are reversed. However, the unit will not work until the
wires are attached correctly.
33

An optional 8-foot, CA-4 external power cable with a cigarette lighter
adapter is available from Lowrance.

NMEA 0183/DGPS Cable Connections
NMEA is a standard communications format for marine electronic
equipment. For example, an autopilot can connect to the NMEA interface on the LMS-480 and receive positioning information. The LMS-480
can exchange information with any device that transmits or receives
NMEA 0183 data.
DGPS is an acronym for the Differential Global Positioning System.
DGPS supplements and boosts the accuracy of basic GPS. DGPS was
developed by the U.S. Coast Guard, which is responsible for the system's operation in the United States. Since it's creation, DGPS has become the international maritime standard for marine navigation.
The most popular DGPS system relies on a grid of ground-based transmitters that send correction signals to DGPS receivers. These in turn,
connect to the GPS receiver (such as the LMS-480). Lowrance offers an
optional DGPS receiver for your unit.
See the following diagram for general wiring connections. Read your
other product’s owner’s manual for more wiring information.
NMEA/DGPS Wiring
(Data cable)
To exchange NMEA 0183 or DGPS data, the LMS-480 has one NMEA
0183 version 2.0 communication port. Com port one (Com-1) can be
used to receive NMEA format GPS data or DGPS data. The com port
can also transmit NMEA format GPS data to another device.
The four wires for the com port are combined with the Power Supply
cable and NMEA-2000 Power cable to form the power/data cable
(shown earlier). Com-1 uses the yellow wire to transmit, the orange
wire to receive and the shield wire for signal ground. Your unit does not
use the blue wire.

Com-1
To LMS-480

Yellow (Transmit)

NMEA Receive

Orange (Receive)

Transmit

Shield (Ground)

Ground

Com-1 wiring to receive DGPS position information
from a DGPS receiver.

To DGPS
Receiver

Com-1
To LMS-480

Orange (Receive)

NMEA Transmit

Shield (Ground)

Ground

To Other
GPS Receiver

Com-1 wiring to receive NMEA position information
from some other GPS receiver.
Yellow (Transmit)
Com-1
To LMS-480

NMEA Receive
Ground

Shield (Ground)

To Other
Device

Com-1 wiring to transmit NMEA position information
to another NMEA-compatible device.

LMS-480,
rear view

Sonar socket

Network socket

Power/Data socket

SP-X optional
speed sensor
Data cable
(four wires)

NMEA-2000
Power cable

LGC-2000 25'
extension cable
60-ohm
terminator
Transducer

Power Supply
cable
GPS
antenna
module
LMS-480 cable connections.

Mounting the Unit: Bracket, In-Dash or Portable
You can install the LMS-480 on the top of a dash with the supplied
gimbal bracket. It can also be installed in the dash or mounted on a
portable power supply.
If you use the supplied bracket, you may be interested in the optional
R-A-M bracket mounting system. This converts the unit's gimbal
bracket to a swivel mount, which can be used on the dash or overhead
mounting positions.

Optional R-A-M mounting system.

Bracket Installation
Mount the unit in any convenient location, provided there is clearance
behind the unit when it's tilted for the best viewing angle. You should also
make sure there is enough room behind the unit to attach the power,
transducer and GPS antenna/receiver module cables. (A drawing on the
next page shows the dimensions of a gimbal-mounted unit.)
Holes in the bracket's base allow wood screw or through-bolt mounting.
You may need to place a piece of plywood on the back side of thin fiberglass panels to reinforce the panel and secure the mounting hardware.

Front
Install the gimbal bracket. Orient the bracket so the arms slope toward
the front of your unit.

Drill a 1-inch (25.4 mm) hole in the dash for the power, transducer and
antenna cables. The best location for this hole is immediately under the
gimbal bracket location. This way, the bracket can be installed so that
it covers the hole, holds the cables in position and results in a neat installation. Some customers, however, prefer to mount the bracket to the
side of the cable hole — it's a matter of personal preference.
72.9
[2.87]
23.4
[0.92]

173.9
[6.85]

137.9
[5.43]

157.9
[6.22]

56.9
[2.24]

Millimeter
[Inch]

Front view (left) and side view (right) showing dimensions of LMS-480
sonar/GPS unit when mounted on gimbal bracket.

After drilling the hole, pass the transducer connector up through the
hole from under the dash, followed by antenna connector. Pass the
power cable's bare-wire end down though the hole from the top.
If you wish, you can fill in the hole around the cables with a good marine caulking compound. (Some marine dealers stock cable hole covers
to conceal the opening.) No matter what type of installation you prefer,
be sure to leave enough slack in the cables to allow tilting or swiveling
the unit. If you choose to fill in the hole, be sure to position the cables
against the rear edge of the hole as you apply the fill material.
Before positioning the bracket, be sure to hold the cables against the
rear edge of the hole. Then, slide the bracket over the hole and butt the
rear of the bracket base firmly against the cables, thus pinning them in
place against the side of the hole. Finally, fasten the bracket to the
dash. Attach the unit to the gimbal bracket using the supplied gimbal
knobs and washers.
In-Dash Installation
You can mount the unit in the dash with an optional FM-5 In-Dash
Adapter Kit. The kit includes mounting hardware, a template for cutting the hole and an instruction sheet, part 988-0147-43.
146.5
[5.76]
Top

R 7.9
[0.31]

In-Dash
Template

113.5
[4.46]

Millimeters
[Inches]

ALWAYS VERIFY DIMENSIONS

In-dash mounting template for LMS-480 sonar/GPS unit, showing
dimensions. NOTE: The figure above is not printed to scale. A scaled
template (FM-5 In-Dash Adapter Kit instructions) is available for free
download from our web site, www.lowrance.com.

Portable Installation
Like many Lowrance products, the LMS-480 is capable of portable operation by using the optional PPP-11 portable power pack. The power
pack, the magnet-equipped antenna module and an optional portable
transducer expand the uses for your sonar/GPS unit. The PPP-11
makes it easy to transfer your unit from a boat to a car, recreational
vehicle, airplane or other vehicle without drilling and mounting a second bracket. You can use your unit in your own car or boat, then take it
along when riding in a friend's vehicle that's not equipped with sonar or
GPS. (Or use it as a second sonar, one for each fisherman!)
The PPP-11 Portable Power Pack can be used with eight "D" cell alkaline batteries or an optional sealed, rechargeable battery. For set-up
directions, refer to the pack's instruction sheet, part 988-0147-46.

"D" cell battery

Install batteries in power pack battery adapter.

MMC or SD Card Memory Card Installation
Your LMS-480 uses a MultiMedia Card to store information, such as
sonar logs, custom maps, waypoints, trails and other GPS data. The
unit can also use Secure Digital Cards (SD card) to store data.
NOTE:
Throughout this manual, we will use the term MMC, but just remember that your unit can use an MMC or SD card to store data.
39

Both of these solid-state flash memory devices are about the size of a
postage stamp. An SD card is slightly thicker than an MMC. As this
manual went to press, MMCs were available in storage capacities of 8
MB, 16 MB, 32 MB, 64 MB and 128 MB. SD cards were available in
capacities of 8 MB, 16 MB, 32 MB, 64 MB, 128 MB, 256 MB and higher.
Additional MMC cards are available from LEI Extras; see ordering information inside the back cover of this manual. MMCs and SD cards
are also available at many camera and consumer electronics stores.
The MMC slot is located in a compartment on the front of the case. The
compartment door is located at the lower right corner. The following
figure shows a close-up with the door opened.
MMC groove for card removal
Thumb
screw

Insert card face up,
this way

Memory card compartment with a 16 MB MMC card installed.

To remove an MMC
1. Open the card compartment door by unscrewing the thumb screw.
The screw should only be finger tight. If it was over-tightened, use a
thumbnail, a coin or a screwdriver to open the door.
2. Just press a finger against the label of the MMC and drag it from the
slot.
3. Close the compartment door and fasten the thumb screw finger tight.
To add an MMC or SD Card
1. Open the card compartment door.
2. Grasp the bottom of the MMC and push the top of the card into the
slot. Once the card is started, use your fingernails to slide it the rest of
the way to the left, until it is firmly seated in the slot.
3. Close the compartment door and fasten the thumb screw finger tight.

Other Accessories
Other LMS-480 accessories include MMC cards, MMC card readers and
MapCreate™ 6 custom mapping software for your computer. MMC card
readers are available in USB and parallel port versions.
Two switch boxes are available for this unit. The SB-7X transducer
switch box switches two transducers to one sonar unit. The SB-8X transducer switch box switches two sonar units to one transducer.
If these accessories are not available from your dealer, see the accessory ordering information on the inside back cover of this manual. Visit
our web site for a complete listing of all the available accessories for
your unit.

MapCreate™ 6 CD-ROM, left; MMC card reader for USB ports, right.

Now that you have your unit installed, move on to Section 3, Basic Sonar Operations. There, we'll present a series of step-by-step tutorials to
teach you the basics of LMS-480 sonar operation.
Switch Boxes
Two switch boxes are available for this unit. The SB-7X transducer
switch box switches two transducers to one sonar unit. The SB-8X transducer switch box switches two sonar units to one transducer.
If these accessories are not available from your dealer, see the accessory ordering information on the inside back cover of this manual. Visit
our web site for a complete listing of all the available accessories for
your unit.
41

NOTE:
When you first turn the unit on, the Map Page appears. If you'd
rather start learning about GPS operation first, turn over to Section 6, Basic GPS Operations. (Remember, you don't need to read
this manual from cover-to-cover to get going. We designed it so you
can skip around to the section you want to read.)

Face Cover
Your LMS-480 comes with a white protective cover that snaps on and
off the front of the unit. This cover is intended for use when your unit
and the vehicle it's mounted in are idle.
WARNING:
When the unit is mounted in an unprotected area, such
as an open boat cockpit, the protective face cover must
be removed when the vehicle is moving at high speed.
This includes towing a boat on a trailer at highway
speeds. Otherwise, wind blast can pop off the cover.

Section 3: Basic Sonar Operation
This section addresses the unit's most basic sonar operations. The instructions presented in Sec. 3 follow a chronological order. Sec. 4, Sonar
Options & Other Features, will discuss other more advanced functions
and utilities. Material in Sec. 4 is arranged in alphabetical order.
Before you turn on the sonar unit, it's a good idea to learn about the
different keys, the Main Menu, the four Page screens and how they all
work together. BUT, if you just can't wait to get on the water, turn to
the one-page Quick Reference on page 51.

Keyboard

MMC slot access door

LMS-480 series sonar/GPS unit, front view, showing map with sonar
split screen, keyboard and access door for the MMC slot.

1. PWR/LIGHT (Power & Light) – The PWR key turns the unit on and
off and activates the backlight.
2. PAGES – Pressing this and the ← → arrow keys switches the unit
between the four different page screens. (Satellite Status Page, Navigation Page, Map Page and Sonar Page.) Each page represents one of the
unit's major operation modes.
43

3. MENU – Press this key to show the menus and submenus, which
allow you to select a command or adjust a feature. This also accesses
search functions for streets, intersections, addresses and highway exits.
4. ARROW KEYS – These keys are used to navigate through the
menus, make menu selections, move the map and sonar chart cursors
and enter data.
5. ENT/ICONS (Enter & Icons) – This key allows you to save data, accept values or execute menu commands. It is also used to create event
marker icons.
6. EXIT – The Exit key lets you return to the previous screen, clear
data or erase a menu.
7. WPT – (Waypoint) The Waypoint key is used to save and recall waypoints, search for waypoints and access the waypoint list. It also
launches the Point-of-Interest (POI) search menus and is involved in
some navigation functions.
8. ZOUT – (Zoom Out) – This key lets you zoom the screen out. On the
Sonar Page, this key returns you to a full sonar chart display, showing
the entire water column from surface to bottom. On the Map Page, this
lets you see a larger geographic area on the map. Less detail is seen as
you zoom out.
9. ZIN – (Zoom In) – This key lets you zoom the screen in. On the Sonar
Page, this key enlarges fish signals and bottom detail. On the Map
Page, zooming in lets you see greater detail in a smaller geographic
area on the map.

Power/lights on and off
To turn on the unit, press PWR. As the unit powers up, the Map Page is
displayed first. To switch to the Sonar Page, press PAGES|→|EXIT.
To turn on the backlight, press PWR again. The unit has three backlight
levels to select from. Repeatedly pressing PWR will cycle through the
backlight settings and turn off the backlight.
Turn off the unit by pressing and holding the PWR key for 3 seconds.

Main Menu
The unit has a Main Menu, which contains some function commands
and some setup option commands. The instructions in this section will
deal only with sonar functions, the basic commands that make the unit
show sonar signals on your screen. This sonar unit will work fine right
out of the box with the factory default settings. But, if you want to
44

learn about the various sonar options, see Sec. 4, Sonar Options &
Other Features. (For general system setup and GPS options, see Sec. 8,
System Setup and GPS Setup Options.)
You can access the Main Menu from any of the four Page screens by
pressing MENU|MENU. To clear the menu screen and return to the page
display, press EXIT. (Remember, our text style for "MENU|MENU" means
"press the Menu key twice." See a full explanation of our instruction
text formatting on pages 10 and 11, "How to use this manual…".

Main Menu.

The Main Menu commands and their functions are:
Screen command: changes the contrast or brightness of the display
screen.
Sounds command: enables or disables the sounds for key strokes and
alarms and sets the alarm style.
Alarms command: turns sonar and GPS alarms on or off and changes
alarm thresholds.
Route Planning command: used to plan, view or navigate a route.
My Trails command: shows, creates and deletes plot trails. Also used
to navigate or backtrack a trail.
Cancel Navigation command: turns off the various navigation commands. Used to stop navigating after you have reached your destination waypoint, Point of Interest or map cursor location; or after you
reach the end of a route or trail.
Sonar Setup command: sets various sonar options.
GPS Setup command: sets various GPS receiver options.
System Setup command: sets general configuration options.
45

Sun/Moon Calculations command: finds the rising and setting time
of the sun and the moon.
Trip Calculator command: shows trip status and statistics.
Timers command: controls the up timer, down timer and alarm clock
settings.
Browse MMC Files command: this allows you to view the installed
MMC card and the files it contains.

Pages
The unit has four Page displays that represent the four major operating
modes. They are the Satellite Status Page, the Navigation Page, the Map
Page and Sonar Page. They are accessed by pressing the PAGES key,
then using → or ← to select a Page. (Clear the Pages Menu by pressing
EXIT.)

Pages Menu, showing some Sonar display options.

Satellite Status Page
The Satellite Status Page provides detailed information on the status of
the unit's satellite lock-on and position acquisition. To get to the Satellite Status Page: Press the PAGES key, then use → or ← to select STATUS.
(Clear the Pages Menu by pressing EXIT.)
This page represents a GPS function, so it is discussed in much greater
detail in Sec. 6.
No matter what Page you are on, a flashing current position indicator/question mark symbol and flashing GPS data displays indicate that
satellite lock has been lost and there is no position confirmed.
WARNING:
Do not begin navigating with this unit until the numbers
have stopped flashing!
46

Satellite Status Page showing satellite lock-on with a 3D position
acquired (latitude, longitude and altitude), including WAAS reception.

Navigation Page
This screen has a compass rose that not only shows your direction of
travel, but also the direction to a recalled waypoint. To get to the Navigation Page: Press PAGES| → or ← to NAVIGATION|EXIT.
This page represents a GPS function, so it is discussed in much greater
detail in Sec. 6.

Navigation Page, recording a trail, traveling southwest.

Map Page
The Map Page screens show your course and track from a "bird's-eye"
view, on a moving map. By default, this unit shows the map with north
always at the top of the screen. The arrow in the center of the screen is
your present position. It points in the direction you're traveling.
47

Map Page, showing position on Bull Shoals Lake, Arkansas. At left is
the full map option. At right, map with sonar option.

Map Page is also the default screen that appears when you turn on the
unit. To get to the Map Page from another page: Press PAGES| → or ←
to MAP|EXIT.
You can display a split screen showing both the Map and Sonar pages
at the same time. This feature is discussed in Sec. 4, Sonar Options &
Other Features.
The Map Page represents a GPS function, so it is discussed in much
greater detail in Sec. 6.
Sonar Page
The Sonar Page displays the sonar chart. This is a "cross-section" view
of the water column beneath the boat. The chart moves across the
screen, displaying sonar signal echoes that represent fish, structure
and the bottom.
To get to the Sonar Page: Press the PAGES key, then use → or ← to select SONAR. (Clear the Pages Menu by pressing EXIT.) The Pages Menu
also offers five chart display options under the Sonar Page category. To
access them, press PAGES|← or→ to SONAR|↓ to Option Name|EXIT.
The Sonar Page also has its own menu, which is used for some advanced
functions and for setting various options. (Sonar Options and other features are discussed in Sec. 4.) To Access the Sonar Page menu, from the
Sonar Page press MENU.

At left, Pages Menu, showing sonar chart display option commands.
At right, Sonar Page in full sonar chart display mode.

Sonar chart display options (from left) split zoom and split frequency.

Sonar chart display options (from left) digital data and flasher.

Sonar Page Menu. Most of these functions are discussed in Sec. 4.
Digital data
overlay
(depth &
temperature)

Surface signal

Surface clutter

Depth scale
In FasTrack, fish
arches show as
horizontal bars.

Fish arches

Zoom bar
Structure

FasTrack
bar graph
Bottom signal
Sonar Page, showing full sonar chart mode.

You can customize how the Sonar Page displays its pictures and other
data in many ways. Your unit also includes several special sonar features
and options that can help you better interpret the underwater scene.
We'll discuss all of those features and options in Sec. 4, but to show you
how easy this unit is to operate, the following page contains a simplified, 10-step quick reference that will cover most fish finding situations.
The quick reference describes how your unit will operate with all the
sonar features in their automatic modes, which are set at the factory.
50

Basic Sonar Quick Reference
1. Mount the transducer, antenna and unit. Connect the unit to electric
power and the transducer. (If GPS operation is desired, connect GPS
antenna, too.) Make sure the MMC is in. (See complete installation details beginning on page 13.)
2. Launch your boat.
3. To turn on the unit, press and release PWR key.
4. Opening screen displays Map Page. Rotate through the four main
Page screens (Map Page, Satellite Status Page, Navigation Page, Sonar
Page) by pressing PAGES|← or → to select Page Name|EXIT. Switch
Pages to display Sonar Page.
5. If GPS data is desired, wait while unit locates satellites and calculates
current position. When the unit acquires position, a tone sounds and a position acquired message appears.
6. With position acquired (if desired), head for your fishing grounds.
Your unit will automatically display digital depth and surface water
temperature in the top left corner of the screen.
The auto settings will track the bottom, displaying it in the lower portion of the screen. The full sonar chart will scroll from right to left,
showing you what's under the boat as you cruise across the water. You
can change the display by:
Zoom in to enlarge the chart for more detail: press ZIN.
Zoom out to return to full chart mode: press ZOUT.
7. Watch the display for the appearance of fish symbols (or arches, if
Fish I.D. is turned off). When you see fish symbols or arches, you've
found fish! Stop the boat and get your lure or bait into the water at the
depth indicated on the sonar chart.
8. Gauge the fish depth by visually comparing the fish symbols or
arches with the depth scale on the right side of the screen, or get a
more accurate measure with the Depth Cursor. Press MENU|↓ to DEPTH
CURSOR|ENT. Press ↓ or ↑ to align the cursor line with the fish arch. The
exact depth appears in a box at the right end of the cursor line. To clear
the cursor, press EXIT.
9. If you are drifting at a very low speed or anchored, you are not moving fast enough for a fish to return the tell-tale fish arch signal. As you
drift over a fish, or as a fish swims through the transducer's signal
cone, the fish echo will appear as a straight line suspended between the
surface and the bottom when Fish I.D. is turned off.
10. To turn off the unit, press and hold PWR key for three seconds.
51

Sonar Operations
As you can see from the quick reference on the previous page, basic operation
is pretty easy, right out of the box. If you are a sonar novice, try operating the
unit with the factory defaults until you get a feel for how it's working.
As you're learning the basics, there is one setting you might want to tinker
with from time to time — Sensitivity.
Sensitivity controls the unit's ability to pick up echoes. If you want to see
more detail, try increasing the sensitivity, a little at a time. There are situations when too much clutter appears on the screen. Decreasing the sensitivity
can reduce the clutter and show the strongest fish echoes, if fish are present.
As you change the sensitivity setting, you can see the difference on the chart
as it scrolls.
Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Fig. 4

These figures show results of different sensitivity levels on the same location. Fig. 1: Sensitivity at 88 percent, determined by Auto Sensitivity.
Typical of full auto mode. Fig. 2: Sensitivity set at 75 percent. Fig. 3: Sensitivity set at 50 percent. Fig. 4: Sensitivity set at 100 percent.

You can change the sensitivity level whether you are in Auto Sensitivity
mode or Manual Sensitivity mode. The adjustment method works the
same in both modes, but it gives you slightly different results.
Adjusting sensitivity in Auto Sensitivity Mode is similar to manually adjusting a car's speed with the accelerator pedal while cruise control is on.
You can tell the car to run faster, but when you let off the gas the cruise
control automatically keeps you from running slower than the minimum
speed setting. In the unit, auto mode will let you increase sensitivity to 100
percent, but the unit will limit your minimum setting. This prevents you
from turning sensitivity down too low to allow automatic bottom tracking.
When you change the setting with auto turned on, the unit will continue to
track the bottom and make minor adjustments to the sensitivity level, with
a bias toward the setting you selected.
Adjusting sensitivity in Manual Sensitivity Mode is similar to driving a
car without cruise control — you have complete manual control of the
car's speed. In the unit, manual mode allows you to set sensitivity at
100 percent (maximum) or zero percent (minimum.) Depending on water conditions, the bottom signal may completely disappear from the
screen when you reduce sensitivity to about 50 percent or less!
Try adjusting sensitivity in both auto and manual modes to see how
they work.
To adjust sensitivity:
1. Press MENU|ENT.
2. The Sensitivity Control Bar appears. Press ↓ to decrease sensitivity;
press ↑ to increase sensitivity. When it's set at the desired level, press
EXIT. (When you reach the maximum or minimum limit, a tone sounds.)

At left, Sonar Menu with Sensitivity command selected. At right, the
Sensitivity Control Bar.

NOTE:
If you want to change the sensitivity in Manual Mode, first turn off
Auto Sensitivity: from the Sonar Page, press MENU|↓ to AUTO
SENSITIVITY|ENT|↑ to SENSITIVITY|ENT. Press ↓ or ↑ to pick a different
sensitivity setting. When it's set at the desired level, press EXIT.

Important Tip:
While you are experimenting and learning, it's possible to scramble
the settings so that the sonar picture disappears from your screen.
If that happens, remember that it's easy to switch back to full
automatic operation by simply restoring the factory auto settings.
Here's how:
To Restore Factory Settings
1. Press MENU|MENU|↓ to SYSTEM SETUP|ENT|↓ to RESET OPTIONS|ENT.

2. The unit asks if you want to reset all the options. Press ← to
YES|ENT. All options are reset, and the unit reverts back to the Map

Page at the 4000 mile zoom range. (Any recorded sonar logs or GPS
data will be unchanged.)
Fish Symbols vs. Full Sonar Chart
You may have noticed in the quick reference that we used fish arches in
full sonar chart mode for our example, and not the popular Fish I.D.
fish symbol feature. Here's why.
Fish I.D. is an easier way for a sonar novice to recognize a fishy signal
return when he sees it. However, locating fish by symbol only has some
limitations.
Your sonar unit's microprocessor is remarkably powerful, but it can be
fooled. Some of the echoes calculated to be fish could be tree limbs or turtles! To see what's under your boat in maximum detail, we recommend
you turn off Fish I.D. and begin learning to interpret fish arches.
Fish I.D. is most handy when you're in another part of the boat or performing some task that prevents you from watching the sonar screen.
Then, you can turn on Fish I.D. and the audible fish alarm. When that
lunker swims under your boat, you'll hear it!
Fish I.D. can also be useful when you want to screen out some of the
sonar detail gathered by your unit. For example, in one case fisherman
in San Francisco Bay saw clouds of clutter in the water but no fish
arches. When a down rigger was pulled up, it brought up several small
jellyfish. The fisherman switched their sonar to Fish I.D., which
screened out the schools of jellyfish and clearly showed the game fish
there as fish symbols.
54

Other Free Training Aids
The sonar options section discusses Fish I.D., fish alarms and other
features in greater detail. If you or a friend has Internet access, you can
also learn more about interpreting what you see on your sonar screen.
Visit our web site, WWW.LOWRANCE.COM. Be sure to check out the free
Sonar Tutorial, which includes animated illustrations and more pictures of actual sonar returns, all described in detail. There's even a
"printer friendly" version of the tutorial available on our web site…it
makes a great supplement to this operation manual!
You can also download a free copy of our Sonar Viewer software. This
PC-based software application plays back any sonar chart log recorded
with a Lowrance sonar product. Features include:
•

Adjustable range, zoom, sensitivity, color line, noise rejection,
surface clarity, etc. of the recorded file.

•

Color interpretation of sonar signals can be user defined.

•

Operates like a Windows Multimedia Player with forward, reverse, pause, fast forward, fast reverse, and scroll buttons.

•

Adjustments update the entire record displayed.

•

Can print in full color.

•

Window can dynamically be sized on your monitor.

•

Mouse cursor shows GPS position, depth and sounding number
anywhere on the visible record.

For the ultimate training aid, be sure to download the free emulator
software for your unit. Aside from being just plain fun, this program
can help you learn both basic and advanced operations without burning
boat fuel! Lowrance is one of the first sonar manufacturers to provide
this type of training tool for customers.
This PC application simulates the actual sonar/GPS unit on your computer. You can run it from your computer keyboard or use your mouse
to press the virtual keys. Easy download and installation instructions
are available on our web site.

Free training emulator is available for your unit on our web site.

The emulator works exactly like your real sonar/GPS unit. Using the
Sonar Simulator and GPS Simulator features, it allows you to play
back sonar logs, run GPS routes and trails, even create real waypoints
you can use in the field! You can even take snapshots of the Sonar
Chart and print them or e-mail them to friends.

Section 4: Sonar Options & Other Features
Material in this section is arranged in alphabetical order.
ASP (Advanced Signal Processing)
The ASP feature is a noise rejection system built into the sonar unit
that constantly evaluates the effects of boat speed, water conditions
and interference. This automatic feature gives you the best display possible under most conditions.
The ASP feature is an effective tool in combating noise. In sonar terms,
noise is any undesired signal. It is caused by electrical and mechanical
sources such as bilge pumps, engine ignition systems and wiring, air
bubbles passing over the face of the transducer, even vibration from the
engine. In all cases, noise can produce unwanted marks on the display.
The ASP feature has four settings — Off, Low, Medium and High. If
you have high noise levels, try using the "High" ASP setting. However,
if you are having trouble with noise, we suggest that you take steps to
find the interference source and fix it, rather than continually using the
unit with the high ASP setting.
There are times when you may want to turn the ASP feature off. This
allows you to view all incoming echoes before they are processed by the
ASP feature.

At left, Sonar Menu with Sonar Features selected. In the Sonar
Features menu, Noise Rejection is selected with ASP in the default low
setting (center, dual-frequency menu; at right, single-frequency menu).

To change the ASP level:
1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU|↓ to SONAR FEATURES|ENT.
2. Press ↓ to NOISE REJECTION|ENT.
57

3. Press ↓ or ↑ to select a setting, then press ENT.
4. To return to the previous page, press EXIT|EXIT.

Alarms
This unit has three different types of sonar alarms. The first is the Fish
Alarm. It sounds when the Fish I.D. feature determines that an echo
is a fish.
Another alarm is the Zone Alarm, which consists of a bar on the side of
the screen. Any echo on the chart that appears inside this bar triggers
this alarm.
The last alarm is the Depth Alarm, which has both a Shallow and a
Deep setting. Only the bottom signal will trigger this alarm. This is
useful as an anchor watch, a shallow water alert or for navigation.
Depth Alarms
The depth alarms sound a tone when the bottom signal goes shallower
than the shallow alarm's setting or deeper than the deep alarm's setting. For example, if you set the shallow alarm to 10 feet, the alarm will
sound a tone if the bottom signal is less than 10 feet. It will continue to
sound until the bottom goes deeper than 10 feet.
The deep alarm works just the opposite. It sounds a warning tone if the
bottom depth goes deeper than the alarm's setting. Both depth alarms
work only off the digital bottom depth signals. No other targets will trip
these alarms. These alarms can be used at the same time or individually.

At left, Main Menu and Sonar Alarms command.
At right, the Sonar Alarms menu.

2. Press ↓ to ZONE ALARM ENABLED|→ to ADJUST ZONE|ENT.

At left, Sonar Alarms menu, with Adjust Zone command selected.
At right, Adjust Zone Alarm selection box, with Upper selected.

3. To set the upper boundary for the Zone Alarm, use ← or→ to select
UPPER, then press ↑ or ↓ to move the top of the bar to the desired depth.
4. To set the lower boundary for the Zone Alarm, use ← or→ to select
LOWER, then press ↑ or ↓ to move the bottom of the bar to the desired depth.
5. Press EXIT|← to ZONE ALARM ENABLED|ENT|EXIT|EXIT|EXIT. Now, any
echo — fish, bottom, structure — within the zone alarm's depth range
will trigger the zone alarm.
6. To turn off the alarm, press MENU|MENU|↓ to ALARMS|ENT|↓ to
SONAR ALARMS|ENT|↓ to ZONE ALARM ENABLED|ENT|EXIT|EXIT|EXIT.
To switch to a different depth setting, open the Sonar Alarms menu and
repeat the instructions in steps 3 and 4 above.
Fish Alarm
Use the fish alarm for a distinctive audible alarm when fish or other
suspended objects are detected by the Fish I.D. feature (Fish I.D.
must be turned on for the Fish Alarm to work). A different tone sounds
for each fish symbol size shown on the display.

Sonar Alarms menu with Fish Alarm selected. The check box to the left
is blank, indicating the alarm is turned off.
To turn the fish alarm on:

Calibrate Speed
The speed sensor can be calibrated to compensate for inaccuracies. Before you change the setting, first calculate the percentage that the
speed is off. You will enter this percentage in a moment.
For example, if you figure the sensor is reading 10 percent faster than
actual speed, you will enter – 10 in the calibration window. If the sensor is reading 5 percent slower than true speed, you will enter + 5 in
the window.
A good way to gauge your speed sensor's performance is to compare its
reading with the ground speed measured by your unit's GPS functions.
When you make a run to compare GPS ground speed to speed sensor
speed, perform your test in relatively calm water free of current, if possible. (Unless, of course, you are taking the current speed into consideration when making your calculation.) After you have a correction figure, here's how to enter it:
1. Press MENU|MENU|↓ to SONAR SETUP|ENT|↓ to CALIBRATE WATER
SPEED|ENT.
2. Enter the number you calculated earlier: press ↑ or ↓ to change the
first character (+ or –), then press → to move the cursor to the next
number and repeat until the percentage is correct, then press EXIT.
61

Chart Speed
The rate that echoes scroll across the screen is called the chart speed.
The default is maximum; we recommend that you leave the speed set
there for virtually all fishing conditions.
However, you might consider experimenting with chart speed when you
are stationary or drifting very slowly. You may sometimes achieve better images as you slow down the chart speed to match how fast you are
moving across the bottom.
If you are at anchor, ice fishing or fishing from a dock, experiment with
a chart speed around 50 percent. If you are drifting slowly, try a chart
speed around 75 percent. When you are stationary and a fish swims
through the sonar signal cone, the image appears on the screen as a
long line instead of a fish arch. Reducing the chart speed may result in
a shorter line that more closely resembles a regular fish return.

At left, Sonar Page menu with Chart Speed command selected.
At right, Chart Speed Control Bar.

If you do experiment with chart speed, remember to reset it to maximum when you resume trolling or moving across the water at higher
speed. To change chart speed:
1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU|↓ to CHART SPEED|ENT.
2. The Chart Speed Control Bar appears. Press ↓ to decrease chart
speed; press ↑ to increase chart speed.
3. When it's set at the desired level, press EXIT.

Depth Cursor
The depth cursor consists of a horizontal line with a digital depth box
on the right side. The numbers inside the box show the depth of the
cursor.
62

Cursor line

Depth box

At left, Sonar Page menu with Depth Cursor command selected. At
right, sonar chart with the depth cursor active. The line indicates the
large fish is 34.64 feet deep.

The cursor can be moved to any location on the screen, letting you pinpoint the depth of a target.
1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU|↓ to DEPTH CURSOR|ENT.
2. The depth cursor appears. Press ↓ to lower the cursor line; press ↑ to
raise the cursor line.
3. To clear the depth cursor, press EXIT.

Depth Range - Automatic
When turned on for the first time, the bottom signal is automatically
placed in the lower half of the screen. This is called Auto Ranging and
is part of the automatic function. However, depending upon the bottom
depth and the current range, you can change the range to a different
depth. To do this:
1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU|↓ to DEPTH RANGE|ENT.

At left, Sonar Page menu with Depth Range command selected. At
right, the Depth Range Control Scale.

2. The Depth Range Control Scale appears. Press ↑ or ↓ to select a different depth range. A black bar highlights the selected range. Range
numbers in gray cannot be selected.
3. When the new range is selected, press EXIT to clear the menu.

Depth Range - Manual
You have complete control over the range when the unit is in the manual mode. There are 16 depth ranges, from 5 feet to 4,000 feet.
To switch to Manual Depth Range:

1. First, turn off automatic depth range. From the Sonar Page, press
MENU|↓ to AUTO DEPTH RANGE|ENT.
2. Press ↑ to DEPTH RANGE|ENT and the Depth Range Control Scale appears.
3. Press ↓ or ↑ to select a different depth range. A horizontal black bar
highlights the selected range.
4. When the new range is selected, press EXIT to clear the menu.
To turn Auto Depth Range on again:
From the Sonar Page, press MENU|↓ to AUTO DEPTH RANGE|ENT|EXIT.

NOTE:
The sonar's depth capability depends on the transducer installation, water and bottom conditions, and other factors.

Depth Range - Upper and Lower Limits
Virtually any segment of the water column can be displayed by using
the upper and lower limit feature. This lets you pick the shallow and
deep depth range limits that are shown on the screen, provided there is
at least 10 feet between the upper and lower limit you select. For example, a range from 12 feet to 34 feet could be used.
Changing the upper and lower limits gives you far greater control over
the depth range. This feature lets you "zoom in" the display in almost
unlimited combinations. Nearly any segment of the water column, from
the surface to the bottom can be shown. This enlarges the sonar targets
to best suit your fishing needs and water conditions.

At left, Sonar Page Menu with Upper and Lower Limits command selected. At right, Sonar Chart Limits menu, with Upper Limit selected.

To change the upper and lower limits:
1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU|↓ to UPPER AND LOWER LIMITS|ENT.
The Sonar Chart Limits menu appears, with Upper Limit selected.
2. To set the upper limit, press ENT. Press ↑ or ↓ to change the first
number, then press → to move the cursor to the next number and repeat until the depth is correct, then press EXIT.
3. To set the lower limit, press ↓ to LOWER LIMIT|ENT. Press ↑ or ↓ to
change the first number, then press → to move the cursor to the next
number and repeat until the depth is correct, then press
EXIT|EXIT|EXIT.

Fish arches
Area "zoomed"

Normal display, in auto depth range mode, left. At right, display
"zoomed" with Upper and Lower Limits focusing on the portion of the
water column from 20 feet to 40 feet deep. In the "zoomed" image, note
the target definition at lower left, showing a fish holding just above the
structure. At top right, two game fish are attacking a school of bait fish.

To turn off upper and lower limits:
From the Sonar Page, press MENU|↓ to AUTO DEPTH RANGE|ENT|EXIT.

FasTrack
This feature automatically converts all echoes to short horizontal lines
on the display's far right side. The graph on the rest of the screen continues to operate normally. FasTrack gives you a rapid update of conditions directly under the boat. This makes it useful for ice fishing, or
when you're fishing at anchor. When the boat is not moving, fish signals are long, drawn out lines on a normal chart display. FasTrack converts the graph to a vertical bar graph that, with practice, makes a useful addition to fishing at a stationary location.
Surface clutter
Fish arches
Structure
In FasTrack, fish
arches show as
horizontal bars.

Grayline
Bottom signal
Sonar Page showing FasTrack.

FasTrack
bar graph

Fish I.D. (Fish Symbols & Depths)
The Fish I.D. feature identifies targets that meet certain conditions as
fish. The microcomputer analyzes all echoes and eliminates surface
clutter, thermoclines, and other signals that are undesirable. In most
instances, remaining targets are fish. The Fish I.D. feature displays
fish symbols on the screen in place of the actual fish echoes.
There are several fish symbol sizes. These are used to designate the
relative size between targets. In other words, Fish I.D. displays a small
fish symbol when it thinks a target is a small fish, a medium fish symbol on a larger target and so on.
The sonar's microcomputer is sophisticated, but it can be fooled. It can't
distinguish between fish and other suspended objects such as trotlines,
turtles, submerged floats, air bubbles, etc. Individual tree limbs extending outwards from a group of limbs is the hardest object for the
Fish I.D. feature to distinguish from fish.
You may see fish symbols on the screen when actually, there are no
fish. The reverse is also true. The illustrations on the next page show
how Fish I.D. can actually miss fish that are present.
Does that mean Fish I.D. is broken? No — the feature is simply interpreting sonar returns in a specific way to help take some of the work
out of reading the screen. Remember: Fish I.D. is one of the many tools
we provide so you can analyze your sonar returns for maximum fish
finding information. This and other features can help you successfully
"see" beneath the boat under varied water and fishing conditions. So,
practice with the unit in both the Fish I.D. mode and without to become
more familiar with the feature. The default for Fish I.D. is off.

Sonar Features menu with Fish I.D. Symbols selected (at left, dualfrequency menu; at right, single-frequency menu). When the check box
to the left is checked, the feature is on.

Fig. 1 A

Fig. 1 B

Many fish
arches visible

Fewer fish
symbols visible

Fig. 2 A

Fig. 2 B

Fish arches
above structure

No fish shown

FasTrack graph
confirms fish
above structure
At left, figures 1A and 2A show Sonar Page in normal chart mode. At
right, figures 1B and 2B show the same underwater scene with Fish I.D.
turned on. Note how arches are replaced with symbols.

FishTrack
The FishTrack feature shows the depth of a fish symbol when it appears on the display. This lets you accurately gauge the depth of targets. This feature is available only when the Fish I.D. feature is on. The
default setting for FishTrack is off.
To turn on FishTrack:
(Note: These instructions will turn on FishTrack and Fish I.D. at the
same time.)
68

Sonar Features menu with Fish I.D. Depths selected (at left, dualfrequency menu; center, single-frequency menu). When the check box to
the left is checked, the feature is on. At right, Sonar Page showing Fish
I.D. symbols and FishTrack depths turned on.

FishReveal
When displaying actual sonar returns, the FishReveal feature uses 10
levels of gray tones to show fish targets hidden by surface clutter,
thermoclines, weed beds and other cover.
The normal mode of operation (with FishReveal turned off) shows the
weakest echoes as black and the strongest echoes in light gray. Since
all weak echoes are black, fish arches show boldly against the white
background. The drawback is that all weak echoes – such as thermoclines – are also emphasized. This can make it hard to distinguish fish
signals inside thermoclines or other cover.
In FishReveal mode, the weakest echoes are white and the strongest
echoes are black. Echoes in between vary in gray in proportion to their
signal strength. The Grayline control determines the range for black to
white. Also note that when using FishReveal, we recommend that you
turn off Auto Sensitivity and turn up Sensitivity to near maximum.

Sonar Color Mode command with FishReveal selected
(at left, dual-frequency menu; at right, single-frequency menu).

Fish
arch

Fish
arches
Sonar chart in regular grayscale mode, left, and in FishReveal mode,
right. Notice how shallow fish formerly hidden in the surface clutter
become visible in FishReveal mode.

NOTE:
Water conditions vary greatly, and that affects sonar performance.
Under certain conditions, FishReveal will show you more fish than
normal grayscale mode, but the reverse will be true in other circumstances. We suggest you become familiar with both modes so
you can best match your sonar's performance to the current water
conditions.
70

Frequency (Change Transducer Frequency)
(LMS-480DF only)
The LMS-480DF transducer operates with both 200 kHz and 50 kHz.
The 200 kHz frequency has a 12° cone angle and the 50 kHz frequency
has a 35° cone angle.
The default frequency is 200 kHz, which is best for use in shallow water
(about 300 feet or less). This frequency is the best choice for about 80
percent of the fresh and salt water sport fishing applications. When you
get into very deep salt water, 300 to 500 feet or deeper, the 50 kHz frequency is the best choice.
The 200 kHz transducer will give you better detail and definition, but
less depth penetration. The 50 kHz transducer will give you greater
depth penetration, but a little less detail and less definition. (Remember,
all sonar units typically read deeper in fresh water than in salt water.)
There is a common exception to these rules of thumb. Some fishermen
on freshwater lakes (or the ocean) using downriggers like to see them
on the sonar. In many of those cases, you'll see a 50 kHz transducer
frequency in use because the wider cone angle lets them watch the bait.

Sonar Features menu with a frequency of 200 kHz selected.

Grayline
Grayline lets you distinguish between strong and weak echoes. It
"paints" gray on targets that are stronger than a preset value. This allows you to tell the difference between a hard and soft bottom. For example, a soft, muddy or weedy bottom returns a weaker signal which is
shown with a narrow or no gray line. A hard bottom returns a strong
signal which causes a wide gray line.
If you have two signals of equal size, one with gray and the other without, then the target with gray is the stronger signal. This helps distinguish weeds from trees on the bottom, or fish from structure.
Grayline is adjustable. Experiment with your unit to find the Grayline
setting that's best for you.

At left, Sonar Page menu with Grayline command selected.
At right, the Grayline control bar.

To adjust the Grayline level:
1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU|↓ to GRAYLINE|ENT.
2. The Grayline Control Bar appears. Press ↓ to decrease Grayline;
press ↑ to increase Grayline.
3. When it's set at the desired level, press EXIT.
72

Fig. 1A

Fig. 1B

Hard
structure

Fish near
structure

Grayline
Fig. 2A

Fig. 2B

Hard
bottom

Muddy
bottom

Grayline
Fig. 3A

Fig. 3B

Muddy
bottom

Hard
bottom

Grayline

This series of figures shows how different Grayline settings can reveal
more information. The "A" figures to the left show locations with Grayline set at the factory level of 64 percent. At right, the "B" figures show
the same locations with Grayline increased to 84 percent. In Figure 1B,
no fish are near the left structure, but the right structure shows fish
holding next to the structure. Notice in figures 2B and 3B how Grayline
displays a hard, rocky bottom (the drop-offs) with a wider gray line. The
muddier bottom below those drop-offs appears as a narrower gray line.

HyperScroll
See the entry on Ping Speed, which controls the HyperScroll feature.

Log Sonar Chart Data
If you have an MMC installed in the unit, the sonar data shown on the
screen can be saved to the MMC. This can be played back at any time
(to play a recorded sonar chart log, see the entry in this section for Sonar Simulator). If you have a personal computer and Internet access,
visit our web site, www.lowrance.com, and download the free Sonar
Viewer and the emulator for your unit. These programs will allow you
to replay sonar logs on your personal computer.

At left, the Sonar Page menu with the Log Sonar Chart Data command
selected. At right, Sonar Chart Logging menu, with the Start Logging
command selected. The menu says the MMC has 5.42 MB of free space,
which will record the scrolling chart for 28 minutes and 44 seconds.

To record or log chart data:
1. Press MENU|↓ to LOG SONAR CHART DATA|ENT.
2. To record data using the default settings, press ENT. The menu clears
and the Sonar Page title bar shows the name of the file you are recording. Warning messages will appear as recording time begins to run out.
NOTE:
You can change any of the settings by using the cursor arrows to
highlight different commands. Select FILE NAME if you want to
change the name. Select CHART QUALITY if you want to lower the file
quality and record for a longer period of time. After you've changed
the settings, select START LOGGING and press ENT.
74

Noise Rejection
See the entry on Advanced Signal Processing in this section.

Overlay Data
To change the digital data shown "floating" on top of the Sonar Page or
the Map Page:
First, press PAGES, use → or ← to select a Page Name, then press EXIT.
To select data for display:

1. From the Map or Sonar page, press MENU|↓ to OVERLAY DATA|ENT.
2. Press ↓ or ↑ to select Data Type|ENT.

Overlay Data command on the Sonar Menu, at left. Overlay Data
Shown selection menu, right. In this example, we scrolled down the
data list to highlight "Ground Speed."

When selected, the data type shifts to the top of the data list and a
check mark appears beside the data type. (If you wish, you may now
use ↓ or ↑ to select other Data Types for display.)

Data list showing "Ground Speed" selected to display on Sonar Page.

3. To return to the previous page, press EXIT|EXIT.
To turn off displayed data:

1. From the Map or Sonar page, press MENU|↓ to OVERLAY DATA|ENT.
2. Press ↓ or ↑ to select Data Type|ENT. The selected data type disappears
from the top of the list and reverts to its previous, unchecked position. (If
you wish, you may now use ↓ or ↑ to select other Data Types to turn off.)
3. To return to the previous page, press EXIT|EXIT.
To change displayed data font size:

1. From the Map or Sonar page, press MENU|↓ to OVERLAY DATA|ENT.
2. Press ↓ or ↑ to select Data Type|press → or ← to Data Size|EXIT.
The selected data type will be displayed in the new size. (To change the
font size for another Data Type, press ENT and repeat these steps, beginning with step two above.)
3. To return to the previous page, press EXIT.

Tip:
If you wish, you can change the displayed data font size when you
select a data type:
1. From the Map or Sonar page, press MENU|↓ to OVERLAY
DATA|ENT.
2. Press ↓ or ↑ to select Data Type|press → or ← to select Data
Size|ENT.
The data will be shown in the new font size. To return to the previous page, press EXIT|EXIT.
76

Steering
arrow

At left, Map Page showing boat cruising Puget Sound, Washington,
with Overlay Data turned on. This example shows Depth, Ground
Speed and the Steering Arrow. Note that the Steering Arrow always
points directly to the destination you are navigating toward. In this
case, the boater is headed on a northwesterly course of 275º. Since the
helmsman is on course, the Steering Arrow is pointing straight ahead.
If the helmsman veered off course, the arrow would show which direction to steer to get back on course toward the destination. At right,
Sonar Page with Overlay Data turned on. This example shows Depth,
Ground Speed and the Track the boat is following.

NOTE:
Some data types can be displayed in only one font size. If that is the
case, the Data Size box will not be displayed for that data type.

Ping Speed & HyperScroll
Ping Speed controls the rate at which the transmitter and transducer
broadcast sonar sound waves — pings — into the water. The unit has a
default ping speed of 50 percent. At normal boating speeds, this automatically provides enough return echoes to refresh the screen and scroll
the chart at maximum chart speed.
However, when you are running at high speeds, or just want the fastest
possible screen update, you may want to use the HyperScroll feature.
When you change the Ping Speed to any setting greater than 50 percent, the unit automatically enters HyperScroll mode.
These faster ping rates allow you to maintain a high-detail picture on
the screen, and the screen refresh rate and chart scroll speed can keep
pace with the boat as it moves quickly over the bottom terrain.
When using HyperScroll, you may also need to manually decrease the
sensitivity for optimum performance. Depending on water depth and
other conditions, HyperScroll may cause a second bottom echo to return
77

to the transducer during the next ping cycle, or sounding. This can result
in a large amount of clutter appearing on the screen. If this occurs, just
decrease the sensitivity to a level that eliminates the clutter. When you
turn HyperScroll off, you can return to your original sensitivity level.

At left, Sonar Menu with Ping Speed command selected.
Ping Speed Control Bar, right, at default setting.

To change Ping Speed:
1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU|↓ to PING SPEED|ENT.
2. The Ping Speed Control Bar appears. Press ↑ to increase ping speed;
press ↓ to decrease speed. When it's set at the desired level, press EXIT.
To adjust Sensitivity:
1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU|ENT.
2. The Sensitivity Control Bar appears. Press ↓ to decrease sensitivity;
press ↑ to increase sensitivity. When it's set at the desired level, press
EXIT. (When you reach the maximum or minimum limit, a tone sounds.)
To turn off HyperScroll:
1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU|↓ to PING SPEED|ENT.
2. The Ping Speed Control Bar appears. Press↓ to decrease ping speed
to 50 percent. When it's set at the desired level, press EXIT.
When you boost ping speed and switch into HyperScroll, the width of
the FasTrack bar graph display doubles in width at the right side of the
screen. This allows you to better see the virtually instantaneous sonar
returns, just as you would on a flasher sonar unit. For more information on FasTrack, see its entry in this section.
78

Reset Options
This command is used to reset all features, options and settings to their
original factory defaults. This is useful when you have changed several
settings and want to return the unit to basic automatic operation.
1. Press MENU|MENU|↓ to SYSTEM SETUP|ENT|↓ to RESET OPTIONS|ENT.
2. Press ← to YES|ENT.
3. All the menus are cleared and the unit reverts to the Map Page at
the 4000 mile zoom range, just as if you had turned it on for the first
time. All options have been returned to the factory settings.

At left, System Setup menu with Reset Options command selected. At
right, the Reset Options dialog box, with "Yes" selected.

NOTE:
Reset Options does not erase any waypoints, routes, plot trails, or
sonar logs.

Reset Water Distance
The sonar chart's Digital Data display option includes a box that shows
distance traveled, called Water Distance. This information is calculated
from an optional water speed sensor, not the GPS. The Water Distance
window can be reset to zero using the Reset Water Distance command.
Press MENU|MENU|↓ to SONAR SETUP|ENT|↓ to RESET WATER DISThe menus are cleared and the water distance is reset to 0.00.

TANCE|ENT.

Set Keel Offset
This unit measures water depth from the face of the transducer. Since
the transducer is installed below the water surface, the distance dis79

played by the digital depth, chart depth scale, chart cursor or fish symbols is not the exact water depth. If the transducer is 1 foot below the
surface, and the screen shows the water depth as 30 feet, then the actual depth is 31 feet.
On sailboats or other large vessels with deep drafts, the distance between the transducer installation and the keel or lower engine unit can
be several feet. In those cases, an inexact depth reading could result in
grounding or striking underwater structure. The Keel Offset feature
eliminates the need for the navigator to mentally calculate how much
water is under his keel.
Keel Offset lets you calibrate the digital depth, chart depth scale, chart
cursor depth and fish symbol depth displayed on the screen. To calibrate
the depth indicators, first measure the distance from the face of the
transducer to the lowest part of the boat. In this example, we will use 3.5
feet. This will entered as a negative 3.5 feet, which makes the depth indicators perform as if the transducer's lower in the water than it really is.
1. Press MENU|MENU|↓ to SET KEEL OFFSET|ENT.
2. The Keel Offset dialog box appears. Press ↓ to change the plus (+)
sign to a minus (–) sign.
3. Press → to the first number, then press ↑ to change the number to 3
4. Press → to the second number, then press ↑ to change the number to
5, then press EXIT. The depth indicators now accurately show the depth
of water beneath the keel.
NOTE:
If knowing the exact depth of water beneath the keel is less important,
you can calibrate the depth indicators so that they show the actual water depth from surface to bottom. To do this, first measure the distance
from the face of the transducer up to the surface (the water line on the
boat). In this example, we will use 1.5 feet. This will be entered as a
positive 1.5 feet, which makes the depth indicators perform as if the
transducer's higher in the water than it really is.
1. Press MENU|MENU|↓ to SET KEEL OFFSET|ENT.
2. The Keel Offset dialog box appears with a plus (+) sign at the
front of the box.
3. Press → to the first number, then press ↑ to change the number
to 1.
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4. Press → to the second number, them press ↑ to change the number to 5, then press EXIT. The depth indicators now accurately show
the water depth from surface to bottom.

Sensitivity & Auto Sensitivity
The sensitivity controls the ability of the unit to pick up echoes. Sensitivity can be adjusted, because water conditions vary greatly. A low
sensitivity level (from zero to 50 percent) excludes much of the bottom
information, fish signals, and other target information.
High sensitivity levels let you see this detail, but it can also clutter the
screen with many undesired signals. Typically, the best sensitivity level
shows a good solid bottom signal with Grayline and some surface clutter.
Automatic Sensitivity
The default sensitivity mode is automatic. The unit bases the sensitivity level on water depth and conditions. When the unit is in the automatic mode, sensitivity is automatically adjusted to keep a solid bottom
signal displayed, plus a little more power. This gives it the capability to
show fish and other detail.
However, situations occur when it becomes necessary to increase or decrease the sensitivity. This typically happens when you wish to see
more detail, so an increase in sensitivity is indicated. Or, wave action
and boat wakes can create enough tiny air bubbles to clutter much of
the water column. In that case, a decrease in sensitivity is indicated to
reduce some of the clutter.
The control bar used to adjust sensitivity up or down is the same
whether the unit is in the automatic or manual mode. In automatic you
can adjust sensitivity up to 100 percent but the unit will limit your
minimum setting. In auto, the unit will continue to make small adjustments, allowing for the setting you selected.
In manual mode, you have complete control over sensitivity, with the
ability to set it anywhere from zero to 100 percent. Once you select a
level in manual, the unit will continue to use that exact sensitivity setting until you change it or revert to auto mode.
To adjust sensitivity in auto mode:
1. Press MENU|ENT.
2. The Sensitivity Control Bar appears. Press ↓ to decrease sensitivity;
press ↑ to increase sensitivity. When it's set at the desired level, press
EXIT. (When you reach the maximum or minimum limit, a tone sounds.)
81

At left, Sonar Menu with Sensitivity command selected. At right, the
Sensitivity Control Bar.

To adjust sensitivity in manual mode:
1. First, turn off Auto Sensitivity: from the Sonar Page, press MENU|↓
to AUTO SENSITIVITY|ENT.
2. Press ↑ to SENSITIVITY|ENT and the Sensitivity Control Bar appears.
Press ↓ or ↑ to pick a different sensitivity setting. When it's set at the
desired level, press EXIT.
To turn Auto Sensitivity back on:
From the Sonar Page, press MENU|↓ to AUTO SENSITIVITY|ENT|EXIT.
NOTE:
To return to the original factory setting for Auto Sensitivity, see the
entry in this section on Reset Options. If sensitivity is in manual
mode, the Reset Options command will switch back to Auto and reset the factory setting at the same time.

Tip:
For quicker sensitivity adjustments, try leaving the Sensitivity
Control Bar on the screen as the chart scrolls. You can see the
changes on the screen as you press the up or down arrows. This is
handy when there's a lot of clutter in the water, and you are
matching the sensitivity to rapidly changing water conditions.

Sonar Color Mode
The default color scheme for the sonar chart is grayscale, but we offer
other variations to suit your viewing preferences. You can select the
chart to be displayed in reverse grayscale, bottom black or FishReveal
mode. (For more information on FishReveal, see the entry on that topic
elsewhere in this section.)
82

Sonar Page & Sonar Chart Display Options
The Pages Menu offers four chart display options for dual-frequency
models and three options for single-frequency models. To access them,
press PAGES|← or→ to SONAR|↓ to Option Name|EXIT.

Pages Menu, showing sonar chart display options.

Full Sonar Chart
This is the default mode used when the unit is turned on for the first
time or when it's reset to the factory defaults.
The bottom signal scrolls across the screen from right to left. Depth
scales on the right side of the screen aid in determining the depth of
targets. The line at the top of the screen represents the surface. The
bottom depth and surface temperature (if equipped with a temperature
sensor or a transducer with a temp sensor built in) show at the top left
corner of the screen.
The FasTrack™ display shows just to the right of the scale. This
changes all echoes into short horizontal bars, replicating a flasher sonar. The zoom bar on the far right shows the area that's zoomed when
the zoom is in use. (See the Zoom section for more information.)

Full Sonar Chart. The Overlay Data (depth and water temperature)
are both set to the small text size.

Split Zoom Sonar Chart
A split chart shows the underwater world from the surface to the bottom on the right side of the screen. The left side shows an enlarged version of the right side. The zoom range shows at the bottom left corner of
the screen.

Split Zoom Sonar Chart. Image at left shows the left window zoomed to
2X. The right image shows the left window zoomed to 4X.

Split Frequency Sonar Chart
(LMS-480DF only)
This page shows sonar data from the 50 kHz transducer element on the
left side of the screen and data from the 200 kHz transducer on the
right side. All other functions and features are the same as the Full
Chart page.

Split Frequency Sonar Chart page, with
50 kHz view at left and 200 kHz view at right.

You can adjust the sensitivity in each window.
To adjust sensitivity in auto mode:
1. Press MENU|ENT.
2. The unit asks which you wish to adjust. Press ← or→ to select the
one you want | ENT.
3. The Sensitivity Control Bar appears. Press ↓ to decrease sensitivity;
press ↑ to increase sensitivity. When it's set at the desired level, press
EXIT. (When you reach the maximum or minimum limit, a tone sounds.)

The Split Frequency Sonar Chart page allows you to adjust
sensitivity separately for each window.

Digital Data/Chart
This mode shows the chart on the right side of the screen. The left side has
seven large digital data boxes or windows containing: Water Depth; Water
Speed (from an optional speed sensor); Water Distance (distance traveled or
85

log, it also requires a speed sensor); Surface Water Temperature; Temperature #2, Temperature #3 and Voltage. (Note: Temperature #2 and #3 require additional optional temperature sensors.)

Digital Data/Chart
Customizing the Digital Data/Chart Screen

The Digital Data/Chart screen can be customized to show digital data
different from the defaults first shown. To customize this screen:
1. From the Sonar Page (in Digital Data mode), press MENU|↓ to
CUSTOMIZE|ENT.

The Customize command will not appear until you begin
scrolling down the Sonar Page menu. At far left, the
pop-up help box conceals part of the menu.

2. The Water Speed box title bar flashes, indicating the box contents
can be changed. Press ENT|↑ or ↓ to select data type|ENT|EXIT.

Options List for customizing Digital Data boxes. At left, the list first
appears with Water Speed selected. At right, Maximum Speed has been
picked to replace Water Speed in the top digital data box.

Tip:
You can customize other digital data boxes before returning to the
Sonar Page. After changing the first box by selecting the Data Type
and pressing Enter, use the ↓ key to select another box to change.
When the selected box title bar flashes, press ENT|↑ or ↓ to select
data type|ENT. Repeat these steps until you're finished customizing,
then press EXIT to return to the Sonar Page.
FlashGraf
The FlashGraf sonar page option represents a flasher style sonar combined with a scrolling chart. A circular dial shows all returning echoes
at a high screen refresh rate. It uses the Grayline feature to show
weaker targets as lighter colors. The bottom depth is also shown as a
black bar across the outer circle. You can adjust the size of the chart
and the flasher windows by using the Resize Window command, which
is described in Sec. 6.
Surface clutter

Fish signal,
approximately
16 feet

Bottom signal
FlashGraf page.

Map With Sonar Split Screen
There is a page mode that splits the screen in half, with the map on the
left and the sonar on the right. This screen option can be found on the
Pages Menu under the Map Page category.

Map With Sonar split screen option. At far right, the full Map Page is
shown. The Pages Menu with the Map option list is shown in the
center. At right, the Map With Sonar split screen is shown.

When this screen is activated, you need to specify which side the Menu,
Zoom In and Zoom Out keys correspond to. To do this, press
PAGES|PAGES. The window with the black title bar at the top of the screen
is the active window. To switch back, just press PAGES|PAGES again.

Sonar Simulator
This unit has a built-in simulator that lets you run it as if you were on
the water. All sonar features and functions are useable. When in
simulator mode, you will see the chart file name in the Sonar Page title
bar and a play symbol will flash on and off at the right end of the title
bar. To use the simulator:
1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU|MENU|↓ to SONAR SETUP|ENT|↓ to
SONAR SIMULATOR|ENT.

At left, Main Menu with Sonar Setup command selected. Center, submenu with Sonar Simulator command selected. At right, Sonar Simulator menu, with simulator turned off (check box is unchecked).

NOTE:
With Simulate Position checked, the simulator will also automatically
run the GPS simulator (if GPS data was recorded with the sonar log).
2. To use the default sonar chart log stored in the unit, press ENT|EXIT.
The recorded chart begins scrolling across the screen, just as if you
were on the water.
3. Turn off Sonar Simulator by pressing MENU|MENU|↓ to SONAR
SETUP|ENT|↓ to SONAR SIMULATOR|ENT|ENT|EXIT.
Title bar with chart file name
"Play"
symbol
flashing

Sonar Page, playing a recorded sonar chart in Sonar Simulator mode.

Tip:
The Sonar Simulator can use sonar charts that you or a friend have
recorded (logged) on an MMC card. (To see how, read the entry in
this section on Log Sonar Chart Data.) To play back your own sonar
chart, make sure the MMC containing the chart is installed, then:
1. Press MENU|MENU|↓ to SONAR SETUP|ENT|↓ to SONAR SIMULATOR|ENT.
2. Press ↓ to CHART USED|ENT.
3. Press ↓ or ↑ to select chart name|ENT|↑ to SONAR SIMULATOR
ON|ENT|EXIT.
While you're in the Sonar Simulator menu, don't forget to check
Simulate Position if you want to run the sonar and GPS simulators
simultaneously. As you review sonar logs, you can create waypoints
to mark sites you want to return to.
While the simulator is running, you can switch from one chart log
to another by opening the Sonar Simulator menu and using the instructions in step 2 to select a different chart.
89

Menu sequence for playing a sonar chart log from the MMC File List.

NOTE:
For some great practice, try running the Sonar Simulator and the
GPS Simulator at the same time. This will really give you a feel for
how the unit will work in the field.
NOTE:
If you turn on your unit before attaching a transducer, it may enter a
demo mode. The words "demo mode" flash on the bottom of the
screen and a sonar chart plays much like the simulator. Unlike the
simulator, the demo mode is for demonstration only, and will automatically stop as soon as you turn on the unit with a transducer attached. The simulator will continue to function normally.

Stop Chart
If you are running multiple units on a boat or using this unit in a car,
there are times when you may want to turn off the sonar. This command turns off the sonar and stops the chart from scrolling. Sonar restarts automatically each time you turn on your unit.
Press MENU|↓ to STOP CHART|ENT|EXIT.
To turn on sonar and start the chart scrolling again, repeat the above step.

Sonar Menu with Stop Chart command selected. The box is unchecked,
indicating that the chart is scrolling across the screen.

Surface Clarity
The markings extending downward from the zero line on the chart are
called "surface clutter." These markings are caused by wave action,
boat wakes, temperature inversion and more.
The surface clarity control reduces or eliminates surface clutter signals
from the display. It does this by changing the sensitivity of the receiver,
decreasing it near the surface and gradually increasing it as the depth
increases.
There are three levels of surface clarity available: low, medium, or high.
It can also be turned off. The default level is off.
To adjust the Surface Clarity level:
1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU|↓ to SONAR FEATURES|ENT.

Sonar Features menu with Surface Clarity selected (at left, dualfrequency menu; at right, single-frequency menu).

2. Press ↓ to SURFACE CLARITY|ENT.
3. Press ↓ or ↑ to select clarity level|EXIT|EXIT|EXIT.

Surface clutter

In the illustration at left, Surface Clarity is turned off.
The right view shows Surface Clarity set at High.

Upper and Lower Limits
See the entry in this section for Depth Range - Upper and Lower Limits

Zoom & Zoom Bar
"Zooming" the display is a common, fast and easy method used to enlarge small detail, fish signals and the bottom with its associated structure. This unit lets you zoom the display quickly and easily by pressing
the Zoom In key, ZIN.
Pressing ZIN once doubles the size (2X) of all echoes on the screen.
Pressing it again quadruples the size of the echoes (4X). The zoom bar
on the far right side of the screen shows which echoes will be displayed
on the screen when the ZIN key is pressed.
For example, pressing the ZIN key once will enable a 2X zoom which
will show all echoes that are between the top and bottom of the 2X
zoom bar. Pressing the key again will give a 4X zoom and only the echoes between the top and bottom of the 4X bar will show on the screen.
Press the Zoom Out key, ZOUT, to return the display to the normal mode.

At left, Sonar Page, normal view. Center, same view zoomed to 2X.
Right, same view zoomed to 4X

Zoom Pan
Your unit has the handy ability to quickly zoom in on any portion of the
water column with just the touch of an arrow key. The Zoom Pan feature
lets you rapidly move the zoomed area up and down to different depths.
By "pointing" your zoom at different portions of the chart as it scrolls,
you can get a good, close-up look at structure or cover below you.
To use Zoom Pan, switch to a manual depth Range setting (see page 64)
and turn on 2X or 4X Zoom. Then, simply press ↑ or ↓ to pan up and
down the water column.

Notes

Section 5:
Sonar Troubleshooting
If your unit is not working, or if you need technical help, please use the
following troubleshooting section before contacting the factory customer
service department. It may save you the trouble of returning your unit
for repair. For contact information, refer to the last page, just inside the
back cover of this manual.
Unit won't turn on:
1. Check the power cable's connection at the unit. Also check the wiring.
2. Make sure the power cable is wired properly. The red wire connects
to the positive battery terminal, black to negative or ground.
3. Check the fuse.
4. Measure the battery voltage at the unit's power connector. It should
be at least 10 volts. If it isn't, the wiring to the unit is defective, the
battery terminals or wiring on the terminals are corroded, or the battery needs charging.
Unit freezes, locks up, or operates erratically:
1. Electrical noise from the boat's motor, trolling motor, or an accessory
may be interfering with the sonar unit. Rerouting the power and transducer cables away from other electrical wiring on the boat may help.
Route the sonar unit's power cable directly to the battery instead of
through a fuse block or ignition switch
2. Inspect the transducer cable for breaks, cuts, or pinched wires.
3. Check the transducer and power connector. Make sure it's securely
plugged in to the unit.
Weak bottom echo, digital readings erratic, or no fish signals:
1. Make sure the transducer is pointing straight down. Clean the face of
the transducer. Oil, dirt and fuel can cause a film to form on the transducer, reducing its effectiveness. If the transducer is mounted inside the
hull, be sure it is shooting through only one layer of fiberglass and that it
is securely bonded to the hull. When attaching a transducer to the inside
of a hull, ONLY use the epoxy available from LEI (order information is
inside the back cover). Do NOT use RTV silicone rubber adhesive or any
other type of epoxy. The LEI epoxy is specially formulated so that it will
cure properly for shoot-through applications.
2. Electrical noise from the boat's motor can interfere with the sonar.
This causes the sonar to automatically increase its discrimination or
noise rejection feature. This can cause the unit to eliminate weaker
signals such as fish or even structure from the display.
95

3. The water may be deeper than the sonar's ability to find the bottom.
If the sonar can't find the bottom signal while it's in the automatic
mode, the digital sonar display will flash continuously. It may change
the range to limits far greater than the water you are in. If this happens, place the unit in the manual mode, then change the range to a
realistic one, (for example, 0-100 feet) and increase the sensitivity. As
you move into shallower water, a bottom signal should appear.
4. Check the battery voltage. If the voltage drops, the unit's transmitter
power also drops, reducing its ability to find the bottom or targets.
Bottom echo disappears at high speeds or erratic digital reading or weak bottom echo while boat is moving:
1. The transducer may be in turbulent water. It must be mounted in a
smooth flow of water in order for the sonar to work at all boat speeds. Air
bubbles in the water disrupt the sonar signals, interfering with its ability
to find the bottom or other targets. The technical term for this is cavitation.
2. Electrical noise from the boat's motor can interfere with the sonar.
This causes the sonar to automatically increase its discrimination or
noise rejection feature. This can cause the unit to eliminate weaker
signals such as fish or even structure from the display. Try using resistor spark plugs or routing the sonar unit's power and transducer cables
away from other electrical wiring on the boat.
No fish arches when the Fish I.D. feature is off:
1. Make sure the transducer is pointing straight down. This is the most
common problem if a partial arch is displayed.
2. The sensitivity may not be high enough. In order for the unit to display a fish arch, it has to be able to receive the fish's echo from the time
it enters the cone until it leaves. If the sensitivity is not high enough,
the unit shows the fish only when it is in the center of the cone.
3. Use the Zoom feature. It is much easier to display fish arches when
zoomed in on a small range of water than a large one. For example, you
will have much better luck seeing fish arches with a 30 to 60 foot range
than a 0 to 60 foot range. This enlarges the targets, allowing the display to show much more detail.
4. The boat must be moving at a slow trolling speed to see fish arches.
If the boat is motionless, fish stay in the cone, showing on the screen as
straight horizontal lines.
NOISE
A major cause of sonar problems is electrical noise. This usually appears on the sonar's display as random patterns of dots or lines. In severe cases, it can completely cover the screen with black dots, or cause
the unit to operate erratically, or not at all.
96

To eliminate or minimize the effects of electrical noise, first try to determine the cause. With the boat at rest in the water, the first thing
you should do is turn all electrical equipment on the boat off. Make sure
the engine is also off. Turn your sonar on, then turn off Noise Reject
[also known as the ASP feature (Advanced Signal Processing)]. Sensitivity should be set at 90-95 percent. There should be a steady bottom
signal on the display. Now turn on each piece of electrical equipment on
the boat and view the effect on the sonar's display. For example, turn
on the bilge pump and view the sonar display for noise. If no noise is
present, turn the pump off, then turn on the VHF radio and transmit.
Keep doing this until all electrical equipment has been turned on, their
effect on the sonar display noted, then turned off.
If you find noise interference from an electrical instrument, trolling motor, pump, or radio, try to isolate the problem. You can usually reroute
the sonar unit's power cable and transducer cable away from the wiring
that is causing the interference. VHF radio antenna cables radiate
noise when transmitting, so be sure to keep the sonar's wires away
from it. You may need to route the sonar unit's power cable directly to
the battery to isolate it from other wiring on the boat.
If no noise displays on the sonar unit from electrical equipment, then
make sure everything except the sonar unit is turned off, then start the
engine. Increase the RPM with the gearshift in neutral. If noise appears on the display, the problem could be one of three things; spark
plugs, alternator, or tachometer wiring. Try using resistor spark plugs,
alternator filters, or routing the sonar unit's power cable away from
engine wiring. Again, routing the power cable directly to the battery
helps eliminate noise problems. Make sure to use the in-line fuse supplied with the unit when wiring the power cable to the battery.
When no noise appears on the sonar unit after all of the above tests,
then the noise source is probably cavitation. Many novices or persons
with limited experience make hasty sonar installations which function
perfectly in shallow water, or when the boat is at rest. In nearly all
cases, the cause of the malfunction will be the location and/or angle of
the transducer. The face of the transducer must be placed in a location
that has a smooth flow of water at all boat speeds. Read your transducer owner's manual or the Installation instructions (Sec. 2) in this
manual for the best mounting position.

Notes

Section 6:
Basic GPS Operations
This section addresses the unit's most basic GPS operations. The tutorials presented in Sec. 6 follow a chronological order. Sec. 7, Advanced
GPS Operations, will discuss other more advanced functions and utilities. Material in Sec. 7 is arranged in alphabetical order.
Before you turn on the unit and find where you are, it's a good idea to
learn about the different keys, the four Page screens and how they all
work together. BUT, if you just can't wait to get outside, turn to the
one-page Quick Reference on page 112.

Keyboard

MMC slot access door

LMS-480 sonar/GPS unit, front view, showing map with sonar split
screen, keyboard and access door for the MMC slot.

1. PWR/LIGHT (Power & Light) – The PWR key turns the unit on and
off and activates the backlight.
2. PAGES – Pressing this and the ← → arrow keys (4) switches the
unit between the four different page screens. (Satellite Status Page,
Navigation Page, Map Page and Sonar Page.) Each page represents one
of the unit's major operation modes.
99

3. MENU – Press this key to show the menus and submenus, which
allow you to select a command or adjust a feature. This also accesses
search functions for streets, intersections, addresses and highway exits.
4. ARROW KEYS – These keys are used to navigate through the
menus, make menu selections, move the map cursor and sonar chart
cursor and enter data.
5. ENT/ICONS (Enter & Icons) – This key allows you to save data, accept values or execute menu commands. It is also used to create event
marker icons.
6. EXIT – The Exit key lets you return to the previous screen, clear
data or erase a menu.
7. WPT – (Waypoint) The Waypoint key is used to save and recall waypoints, search for waypoints and access the waypoint list. It also
launches the Point-of-Interest (POI) search menus and is involved in
some navigation functions.
8. ZOUT – (Zoom Out) – This key lets you zoom the screen out. On the
Sonar Page, this key returns you to a full sonar chart display, showing
the entire water column from surface to bottom. On the Map Page, this
lets you see a larger geographic area on the map. Less detail is seen as
you zoom out.
9. ZIN – (Zoom In) – This key lets you zoom the screen in. On the Sonar
Page, this key enlarges fish signals and bottom detail. On the Map
Page, zooming in lets you see greater detail in a smaller geographic
area on the map.

Power/lights on and off
To turn on the unit, press PWR. As the unit powers up, the Map Page is
displayed first. (To switch to another page, press PAGES|← or → to
Page Name|EXIT.)
To turn on the backlight, press PWR again. The unit has three backlight
levels to select from. Repeatedly pressing PWR will cycle through the
backlight settings and turn off the backlight.
Turn off the unit by pressing and holding the PWR key for 3 seconds.

Main Menu
The unit has a Main Menu, which contains some function commands and
some setup option commands. The tutorial lessons in this section will
deal only with functions, the basic commands that make the unit do
something. The GPS will work fine for these lessons right out of the box
with the factory default settings. But, if you want to learn about the
various options, see Sec. 8, System Setup and GPS Setup Options.
100

You can access the Main Menu from any of the four Page screens by
pressing MENU|MENU. To clear the menu screen and return to the page
display, press EXIT.

Main Menu.

The Main Menu commands and their functions are:
Screen command: changes the contrast or brightness of the display
screen.
Sounds command: enables or disables the sounds for key strokes and
alarms and sets the alarm style.
Alarms command: turns GPS or sonar alarms on or off and changes
alarm thresholds.
Route Planning command: used to plan, view or navigate a route.
My Trails command: shows, hides, creates and deletes plot trails. Also
used to navigate or backtrack a trail.
Cancel Navigation command: turns off the various navigation commands. Used to stop navigating after you have reached your destination waypoint, Point of Interest or map cursor location; or after you
reach the end of a route or trail.
Sonar Setup command: sets various sonar options.
GPS Setup command: sets various GPS receiver options.
System Setup command: sets general configuration options.
Sun/Moon Calculations command: finds the rising and setting time
of the sun and the moon.
Trip Calculator command: shows trip status and statistics.
101

Timers command: controls the up timer, down timer and alarm clock
settings.
Browse MMC Files command: this allows you to view the installed
MMC card and the files it contains.

Pages
The unit has four Page displays that represent the four major operating
modes. They are the Satellite Status Page, the Navigation Page, Map Page
and the Sonar Page. They are accessed by pressing the PAGES key, then
using → or ← to select a Page. (Clear the Pages Menu by pressing EXIT.)

Pages Menu, showing some Map display options.

Sonar Page
The Sonar Page displays the sonar chart, a view of the water column
from the surface to the bottom. The chart scrolls across the screen from
right to left, displaying signal echoes that represent fish, structure and
the bottom. The Sonar Page is discussed in detail in Sec. 3. To get to
the Sonar Page: Press the PAGES key, then use → or ← to select SONAR.
(Clear the Pages Menu by pressing EXIT.)
Satellite Status Page
The Satellite Status Page, shown, provides detailed information on the
status of the unit's satellite lock-on and position acquisition. To get to
the Satellite Status Page: Press the PAGES key, then use → or ← to
select STATUS. (Clear the Pages Menu by pressing EXIT.)
No matter what Page you are on, a flashing current position indicator/question mark symbol and flashing GPS data displays indicate that
satellite lock has been lost and there is no position confirmed. The Sat102

ellite Status Page shows you the quality and accuracy of the current
satellite lock-on and position calculation.
WARNING:
Do not begin navigating with this unit until the numbers
have stopped flashing!

Satellite Status Page. Left view indicates unit has not locked on to any
satellites and does not have a fix on its position. Center view shows satellites being scanned. Right view shows satellite lock-on with a 3D position acquired (latitude, longitude and altitude), and WAAS reception.

This screen shows a graphical view of the satellites that are in view. Each
satellite is shown on the circular chart relative to your position. The point in
the center of the chart is directly overhead. The small inner ring represents
45° above the horizon and the large ring represents the horizon. North is at
the top of the screen. You can use this to see which satellites are obstructed
by obstacles in your immediate area if the unit is facing north.
The GPS receiver is tracking satellites that are in bold type. The receiver hasn't locked onto a satellite if the number is grayed out, therefore it isn't being used to solve the position.
Beneath the circular graph are the bar graphs, one for each satellite in
view. Since the unit has twelve channels, it can dedicate one channel
per visible satellite. The taller the bar on the graph, the better the unit
is receiving the signals from the satellite.
NOTE:
One of the data display options for the Satellite Status page is "Position Error" (horizontal position error), which can appear in one of
the page's data boxes. If you turn on Position Error, it will show you
the expected error from a benchmark location. In other words, if the
Position Error box shows 50 feet, then the position shown by the
unit is estimated to be within 50 feet of the actual location.
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This also gives you an indicator of the fix quality the unit currently
has. The smaller the position error number, the better (and more accurate) the fix is. If the position error flashes dashes, then the unit
hasn't locked onto the satellites, and the number shown isn't valid.
(For details, see the Customize Page Displays entry in Sec. 8.)
The Satellite Status Page has its own menu, which is used for setting
various options. (Options and setup are discussed in Sec. 8). To access
the Satellite Status Page Menu, from the Status Page, press MENU.
Navigation Page
This screen has a compass rose that not only shows your direction of
travel, but also the direction to a recalled waypoint. To get to the Navigation Page: Press PAGES|→ or ← to NAVIGATION|EXIT.
The navigation screen looks like the one below when you're not navigating to a waypoint or following a route or trail. Your position is
shown by an arrow in the center of the screen. Your trail history, or
path you've just taken, is depicted by the line extending from the arrow.
The arrow pointing down at the top of the compass rose indicates the current track (direction of travel) you are taking.
Track or compass heading indicator, showing direction of travel
Navigation
information
displays in
customizable
data boxes

Compass
rose

Present
position
arrow
Trail line

Navigation Page, recording a trail, traveling southwest. Page looks
like this when the unit is not navigating to a waypoint, following a
route, or backtracking a trail.

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When navigating to a waypoint, the Navigation screen looks like the
following figure. Your ground speed, track, distance and bearing to
waypoint, and course are all shown digitally on this screen.
NOTE:
Remember, when the Speed, Track and Position information displays are flashing, satellite lock has not been achieved and no position fix has been determined. A question mark will also flash on the
present position arrow in the center of the compass rose.
Speed (ground speed) is the velocity you are making over the ground. (If
you wish, you can customize the Speed data box to display Closing
Speed instead. Closing Speed is also known as velocity made good. It's
the speed that you're making toward the waypoint. For instructions,
see the Customize Page Displays entry in Sec. 8.)
Track is the heading, or the current direction you are actually traveling. Bearing is the direction of a line-of-sight from your present position
to the destination. No matter what direction you are steering, the
Bearing window shows the compass direction straight to the destination from your location at the moment. Distance shows how far it is to
the waypoint you're navigating toward.
The Off Course window shows the current cross track error. This shows
the distance you are off-course to the side of the desired course line. The
course line is an imaginary line drawn from your position when you
started navigating to the destination waypoint. The course line is shown on
the Navigation Page screen (and the Map Page screen) as a dotted line.
Left cross track error line

Course line Heading arrow

Current track or
heading, shown
in degrees

Bearing
arrow
Waypoint
symbol

Compass bearing
to destination
Cross track
error range
(off course
indicator)

Trail line
Navigation
information
displays
in data
boxes

Destination
name

Navigation Page, going to a waypoint while creating a new trail.

105

The cross track error range is shown on the compass rose as a wide,
white, corridor enclosing the course line. The outer edges of this white
corridor represent lines that show the current cross track error range.
The default for the cross track error range is 0.20 miles.
For example, if the present position symbol touches the right cross
track error line, then you are 0.20 miles to the right of the desired
course. You need to steer left to return to the desired course. You can
use the ZIN or ZOUT keys to change the cross track error range.
A circular symbol depicting your destination (waypoint) appears on the
screen as you approach the waypoint, as shown on the screen in the
preceding figure.
Travel Time is the time that it will take to reach your destination at
your present closing speed. (You can also customize the time data box
to show Arrival Time instead. Arrival Time is the local time it will be
when you arrive at the destination, based upon your present closing
speed and track.)
In the preceding example figure, the driver is headed west (a 265º
track) toward a waypoint 265º (bearing) away. The cross track error
range (white corridor) is 0.20 miles either side of the course. The driver
is headed toward trail waypoint 4, which is 0.3 miles away. The vehicle
is right on course. Traveling at a speed of 8 mph, the driver will arrive
at the waypoint in 2 minutes, 17 seconds.
The Navigation Page has its own menu, which is used for some advanced functions and for setting various options. (Options and setup
are discussed in Sec. 8). To access the Navigation Page Menu, from the
Navigation Page, press MENU.
Map Page
The Map Page screens show your course and track from a "bird's-eye"
view. By default, this unit shows the map with north always at the top
of the screen. (This can be changed. See the topic Map Orientation, in
Sec. 8.) If you're navigating to a waypoint, the map also shows your
starting location, present position, course line and destination. You
don't have to navigate to a waypoint, however, to use the map.
Map Page is the default screen that appears when you turn on the unit.
To get to the Map Page from another page: Press PAGES|→ or ← to
MAP|EXIT. When the Map Page is displayed, a screen similar to the following figures appears.
106

The arrow in the center of the screen is your present position. It points
in the direction you're traveling. The solid line extending from the back
of the arrow is your plot trail, or path you've taken.
The map zoom range is the distance across the screen. This number
shows in the lower right corner of the screen. In the first of the following example figures, the range is 4,000 miles from the left edge of the
map to the right edge of the map.
The Zoom In and Zoom Out keys zoom the map to enlarge or reduce its
coverage area and the amount of mapping detail shown. There are 39
available map zoom ranges, from 0.02 miles to 4,000 miles.

Far left, Map Page opening screen. Center, zoomed to 100 miles and
right, zoomed to 10 miles. Over Zoomed means you have reached the
detail limits in an area covered only by the basic background map.
Zooming in any closer will reveal no more map details because a highdetail custom map has not been loaded on the MMC for this area.

If you're using only the factory-loaded background map, the maximum
zoom range for showing additional map detail is 20 miles. You can continue to zoom in closer, but the map will simply be enlarged without
revealing more map content (except for a few major city streets.) Load
your own high-detail custom map made with MapCreate (or a pre-made
FreedomMap from LEI), and you can zoom in to 0.02 miles with massive amounts of accurate map detail.

107

Map Pages with high-detail MapCreate map of an urban area loaded on
the MMC. At left, arterial streets appear at the 4 mile zoom range, with a
few Point of Interest icons visible. Center, numerous dots representing
Points of Interest are visible at the 2 mile range, along with minor
streets. Right, at the 0.4 mile zoom, you can see an interstate highway
with an exit, major and minor streets as well as Point of Interest icons.

Background map vs. MapCreate map content
The background map includes: low-detail maps of the whole world (containing cities, major lakes, major rivers, political boundaries); and medium-detail maps of the United States.
The medium-detail U.S. maps contain: all incorporated cities; shaded
metropolitan areas; county boundaries; shaded public lands (such as
national forests and parks); some major city streets; Interstate, U.S.
and state highways; Interstate highway exits and exit services information; large- and medium-sized lakes and streams; and more than 60,000
navigation aids and 10,000 wrecks and obstructions in U.S. coastal and
Great Lakes waters
MapCreate custom maps include massive amounts of information not
found in the background map. MapCreate maps contain the searchable
Points of Interest database, all the minor roads and streets, all the
landmark features (such as summits, schools, radio towers, etc.); more
rivers, streams, smaller lakes and ponds and their names.
What's more important is the large scale map detail that allows your
GPS unit to show a higher level of position accuracy. For example, the
background map would show you the general outline and approximate
shape of a coastline or water body, but the higher detail in MapCreate
shows the shoreline completely and accurately (finer detail). Many
smaller islands would not be included in the background map, but are,
of course, in MapCreate.

108

NOTE:
Available through LEI Extras (look inside back cover for accessory
ordering information), FreedomMaps are pre-made maps that contain all of the same information available in a custom MapCreate
map, without any of the work of preparation.
Interstate

Major Street

Cursor line

Minor
Streets
POI
Pop-up

POI
Marker

Restaurant
POI

School POI
Position,
distance and
bearing data

Zoom Range

When the map is zoomed out far enough, most POIs appear as square
dots. As you zoom in closer, the symbols become readable icons. In the
0.2 mile zoom example at right, the cursor has selected the Cupps Café
POI, which triggers a pop-up box with the POI name. This pop-up box
works on POIs at any zoom range.

Tip:
In some urban areas, businesses are so close to one another that
their POI icons crowd each other on the screen. You can reduce
screen clutter and make streets and other map features easier to
see by simply turning off the display of POIs you're not watching
for. (To see how, check the text on Map Detail Category Selection,
page 158. It shows how to use the Map Categories Drawn menu to
turn individual POI displays off and on.) Even though their display
is turned off, you can still search for POIs and their icons will popup when your unit finds them for you.
The Map Page has its own menu, which is used for several functions
and for setting various options. To access the Map Page Menu, from the
Map Page, press MENU.
The Pages Menu also offers several map display options under the Map
Page category. To access them, press PAGES|← or → to MAP|↓ to Option|EXIT.
109

At left, Digital Data map page; at right, Two Position Formats page.

In pages that have two major windows (such as two maps) you can toggle back and forth between the two windows by pressing
PAGES|PAGES. This allows you to change which map your cursor
moves on, and which map the menu operates on. A black title bar denotes the active window.

Pages Menu with Two Map option selected, left.
Map Page with two map windows, at right. The left map is active.

Resize Window is another extremely handy feature for pages that have
two major windows. You can change the horizontal size of the windows
to suit your viewing preference. Here's how:
1. From any two-window display, press MENU|↓ to RESIZE WINDOW|ENT.
2. Two flashing arrows appear along the centerline dividing the two
windows. Press ← or → to adjust the window widths. Press EXIT to
clear the menu.
110

3. To change the window size again or revert back to the original display, just follow the steps above. (Most dual-window displays use half
the screen for each window by default.) You can also use the Reset Options command to revert to the factory default.
The following page contains a 12-step quick reference for the most basic
GPS operations. If you don't want to carry the manual with you as you
practice with the unit, you might consider photocopying this quick reference page and tucking it into your pocket.

111

Basic GPS Quick Reference
Start outdoors, with a clear view of the open sky. As you practice, try
navigating to a location at least a few blocks away. While you're learning,
navigation in too small an area will constantly trigger arrival alarms.
1. Connect the unit to electric power and the antenna module. Make sure
the MMC is in. (See complete installation details beginning on page 13.)
2. To turn on the unit, press and release PWR key.
3. Opening screen displays map of North America at the 4,000 mile
zoom range. Rotate through the four main Page screens (Map Page,
Satellite Status Page, Navigation Page and Sonar Page) by pressing
PAGES|← or → to select Page Name|EXIT. Switch Pages to display Satellite Status Page.
4. Wait while unit locates satellites and calculates current position. Process
is visible on Satellite Page. This takes an average of 1 minute or less under
clear sky conditions (unobstructed by terrain or structures.) When the unit
acquires position, a tone sounds and a position acquired message appears.
5. With position acquired, press PAGES key to display Map Page, which
shows a bird's eye view of the earth. You can move around the map by:
Zoom in closer to see greater detail: press ZIN (zoom in key.)
Zoom out to see more area, less detail: press ZOUT (zoom out key.)
Scroll map north, south, east or west using arrow keys ↑ ↓ → ← .
To stop scrolling and return to current position on map, press EXIT key.
6. Set a waypoint (Wpt 001) at your current position so you can navigate
back here: press WPT|WPT. Waypoint symbol and "001" appears.
7. Zoom/scroll map to find a nearby object or location to go to. Use arrow keys to center cursor cross-hair over the map object or location.
8. Navigate to the selected destination: press MENU|ENT|EXIT. Follow dotted course line on Map Page or compass bearing arrow on Navigation Page.
9. At destination, Arrival Alarm goes off; to clear it, press EXIT. Cancel
navigation: press MENU|MENU|↓ to CANCEL NAVIGATION|ENT|← to YES|ENT.
10. Return to Wpt 1 by Navigate To Waypoint or Backtrack Trail. To
Waypoint: press WPT|→ to SAVED|ENT|ENT|ENT. Use ↑ or ↓ to select
Wpt 001, press ENT|ENT; follow navigation displays. Trail: press
MENU|MENU|↓ to MY TRAILS|ENT. Press ↓ to Trail 1|ENT|→|↓ to
NAVIGATE|ENT|↓ to NAVIGATE|ENT|→ to REVERSE|ENT|← to NAVIGATE|ENT.
(If arrival alarm sounds, press EXIT.) Follow navigation displays.
11. Back home, Arrival Alarm goes off; press EXIT. Cancel navigation:
press MENU|MENU|↓ to CANCEL NAVIGATION|ENT|← to YES|ENT.
12. To turn off the unit, press and hold PWR key for three seconds.
112

Find Your Current Position
Finding your current position is as simple as turning the unit on. Under clear sky conditions, the unit automatically searches for satellites
and calculates its position in approximately one minute or less.
NOTE:
"Clear sky" means open sky, unobstructed by terrain, dense foliage
or structures. Clouds do not restrict GPS signal reception.
If for some reason satellite acquisition takes longer, you may be inside
a structure or vehicle or in terrain that is blocking signal reception. To
correct this, be sure you are positioned so that the unit's antenna module has as clear a view of the sky as possible, then turn the unit off and
back on again.

Moving Around the Map: Zoom & Cursor Arrow Keys
The map is presented from a bird's eye view perspective. The current
zoom range shows in the lower left corner of the screen.
1. Press the ZIN key (zoom in) to move in closer and see greater detail in
a smaller geographic area.
2. Press the ZOUT key (zoom out) to move farther away and see less map
detail, but a larger geographic area.
When you are traveling, the map will automatically move as you move.
This keeps your current location roughly centered on the screen.
You can manually pan or scroll the map northward, southward, eastward or westward by using the arrow keys, which launch the cross-hair
map cursor. This allows you to look at map places other than your current position. To clear the cursor, press EXIT, which jumps the map
back to the current position or the last known position.

Tip:
Use the cursor to determine the distance from your current position
(or last known position, when working indoors) to any map object or
location. Simply use the arrow keys to position the cursor over the
object or place. The distance, measured in a straight line, appears
in the popup data box. Press EXIT to clear the cursor.

113

Cursor line
Cursor line
Selected
airport

POI pop-up
data box
Distance
measured
by cursor

The selected airport to the northwest is 4.2 miles away.

Selecting Any Map Item With the Cursor
1. Use the zoom keys and the arrow keys to move around the map and
find the item you wish to select.
2. Use the arrow keys and center the cursor cross-hair on the desired object. On most items, a pop-up box will give the name of the selected item.

Tip:
This unit has an extremely handy Cursor Undo feature that lets
you instantly return to the previous location you were looking at
without scrolling. It works like this: Use the cursor (arrow keys) to
scroll the map to some far away location or waypoint. Press EXIT to
clear the cursor and jump back to your current position on the map.
When you want to take another peek at that distant place, just
press EXIT again. You can use this trick to toggle between your current position and your destination without a lot of scrolling.

Searching
Now that you've seen how the unit can find where you are, let's search
for something somewhere else. Searching is one of the most powerful
features in the Lowrance GPS product line.
In this example, we'll look for the nearest fast-food restaurant. For more
information on different types of searches, refer to Sec. 9, Searching.
NOTE:
This example requires the Point of Interest (POI) database included
with a high detail MapCreate 6 custom map.
After the unit has acquired a position:
1. Press WPT|↓ to POI-RESTAURANTS.
114

2. You could search the entire restaurant category, but in this example
we will narrow our search. Press → to SUBCATEGORY column|↓ to FAST
FOOD CHAINS|ENT|↓ to NEAREST|ENT.
3. The unit says it is calculating, then a list of restaurants appears,
with the closest at the top of the list, and the farthest at the bottom of
the list. The nearest is highlighted.

Find Waypoint Menu, left; Category Selection menu, center; and list of
the nearest restaurants, right.

4. If you wish, you could scroll ↑ or ↓ here to select another restaurant,
but for now we will just accept the nearest one. Press ENT.
5. The POI information screen appears. (This is how you can use this
unit as a business phone directory!) If you wanted to navigate there,
you could press Enter, since the Go To Waypoint command is highlighted. But we just want to see it on the map, so press ↓ to FIND ON
MAP|ENT.

POI information screen on fast food restaurant nearest this position.
Screen shows name, street address, phone number, latitude/longitude,
distance to restaurant and its compass bearing. Figure at left shows

115

Go To Waypoint command; right figure shows Find On Map command.

6. The unit's map appears, with the cross-hair cursor highlighting the
restaurant' s POI symbol. A pop-up data box shows the POI's name,
distance and bearing. A data box at the bottom of the screen continues
to display the location's latitude and longitude.

Map screen showing Finding Waypoint,
the result of a restaurant search.

7. To clear the search and return to the last page displayed, press
EXIT|EXIT|EXIT|EXIT. (Before you completely exited out of the Search
menus, you could have gone looking for another place.)
NOTE:
Search works from mapping and POI data loaded in the unit. If you
do not have a high-detailed custom map (containing POI data) for
the area you are searching loaded on the MMC, you may not find
anything.

Set a Waypoint
A waypoint is simply an electronic "address," based on the latitude and
longitude of a position on the earth. A waypoint represents a location,
spot, or destination that can be stored in memory, then be recalled and
used later on for navigation purposes.
You can create a waypoint at the cursor position on the map, or at your
current position while you are navigating. You can create a waypoint at
any location by manually entering the position's latitude and longitude.
You can copy waypoints from your unit to your personal computer with
MapCreate software. When you want to repeat a trip, these archived
waypoints can be reloaded into your GPS unit.
116

To create and save a Waypoint:
These first two techniques use the Quick Save method, the fastest and
easiest way to create a waypoint.
Create Waypoint at Current Position
While you are traveling, press WPT|WPT. The waypoint is saved and

automatically given a name with a sequential number, such as "waypoint 003." The waypoint symbol and number appear on the map.
Step 1.

Step 2.

Step 3.

Step 4.

Sequence for setting a waypoint. Step 1: while traveling, quickly press
WPT twice to call up Find Waypoint screen (seen in Step 2) and set a
point. Step 3: a message says the waypoint has been saved. Step 4: vehicle continues on its way; number waypoint symbol is visible on map.

NOTE:
The Quick Save method uses the default waypoint symbol until you
edit an existing waypoint and change its symbol. (Edit Waypoint
Symbol is described in Sec. 7.) After you have changed a waypoint
symbol, the unit will remember the one you chose and use it the
117

next time you "quick save" a waypoint. To revert back to the default
symbol, edit a waypoint and choose the original symbol, or use the
Reset Options command (described in Sec. 8).
Create Waypoint on Map

1. Use the arrow keys to move the cursor to the place where you want
to make a waypoint.
2. Press WPT|WPT. The waypoint is saved and automatically given a
name with a sequential number, such as "waypoint 001." The waypoint
symbol and number appear on the map.
Create Waypoint by Entering a Position
1. Press WPT|→ to SUBCATEGORY column|↓ to NEW|ENT.

2. Press ↓ to ENTERED POSITION|ENT|→ to CREATE|ENT.
3. Press → to LATITUDE|ENT. Enter the latitude by pressing ↑ or ↓ to
change the first character, then press → to the next character and repeat until the latitude is correct. Press ENT.
4. Press ↓ to LONGITUDE|ENT. Enter the longitude by pressing ↑ or ↓ to
change the first character, then press → to the next character and repeat
until the longitude is correct. Press ENT, then EXIT|EXIT to return to the
previous page display. The waypoint is saved and automatically given a
name with a sequential number, such as "waypoint 001." The waypoint
symbol and number appear on the map and in the waypoint list.

Navigate To a Waypoint
You can select any waypoint visible on the Map Page with the cursor,
then use the Navigate to Cursor command (we'll describe how later in
this section.) However, you can avoid scrolling the map to pick your
waypoint if you use the Find Waypoint commands:
1. Press WPT|→ to SAVED|ENT. To look up the nearest waypoint, press
↓ to NEAREST|ENT; or, to look by name (and scroll through the entire
waypoint list), press ENT. For this example, look by name.
2. If your waypoint list is a long one, you can spell out the waypoint name
in the FIND BY NAME box to search for it. (Press ↑ or ↓ to change the first
character, then press → to move the cursor to the next character and repeat until the name is correct, then press ENT to jump to the list below.)
3. If the list is short, you can jump directly to the FIND IN LIST box by
pressing ENT. Use ↑ or ↓ to select the waypoint name, press ENT and the
waypoint information screen appears with the GO TO command selected.
4. To begin navigating to the waypoint, press ENT.
118

Waypoint

Course line
(dotted)
Trail line
(solid)

Off course
range, set at
0.20 mile

Destination
name

Navigation Page, navigating toward waypoint 004 and leaving a trail.

Set Man Overboard (MOB) Waypoint
One of boating's most terrifying events is having a friend or family
member fall overboard. This situation can be deadly on any body of water — fresh or salt. It's particularly dangerous at night or if you're out
of sight of land. Of course, the first thing to do is remain calm and then
use all standard safety procedures to rescue the person.
This unit has a man overboard feature that shows navigation data to
the location where the feature was activated. To activate it, press the
ZOUT and ZIN keys at the same time. Your position at the time these
keys are pressed is used as the man overboard position.
Caution:
Saving a new "Man Overboard" waypoint will overwrite and
erase the previous "Man Overboard" waypoint.

Navigate Back to MOB Waypoint
Find your way back to the accident position with the Navigation Page
or Map Page. When MOB is activated, the Navigation Page automatically shows the compass rose with its bearing arrow pointing toward
the man overboard position, and the destination name says "Going To
Man Overboard." The Map Page displays a Man Overboard waypoint,
represented by a human figure, and the steering arrow points where to
steer to reach that position.

119

Navigating to Man Overboard: Man Overboard Activated message, left,
Navigation Page, center, Map Page, right. The victim is to the starboard
of the vessel; the GPS shows which direction to steer to for the rescue.

The man overboard position is also stored in the waypoint list for future
reference. It can be edited the same as any other waypoint. This prevents the inadvertent loss of the current Man Overboard position.
To cancel navigation to MOB, press MENU|MENU|↓ to CANCEL NAVIGAto YES|ENT. The unit stops showing navigation information.

TION|ENT|←

Navigate to Cursor Position on Map
The GO TO CURSOR command: navigates to the current cursor position on
the map. It's a quick and handy way to navigate to anything you can
see on the map display.
1. Use the cursor (controlled by the arrow keys) with the zoom in and
zoom out keys to maneuver around the map until you find a location
you want to go to.
2. Center the cursor over the location to select it. See the example in
the following figure. (Many map items such as waypoints, Points of Interest, towns, etc. can be "selected," and appear "highlighted" with a
pop-up box. Other features, such as a river or a street intersection will
not appear "highlighted," but the cursor will take you to those locations
just the same.)

120

Navigate to cursor. In this example, the cursor has selected the town of
Oologah, Oklahoma.

3. Press MENU|ENT and the unit will begin navigating to the cursor location.
The Map Page will display a dotted line from your current position to the
cursor position. The Navigation Page displays a compass rose showing
navigation information to your destination. See the following examples.

The 15-mile zoom figure at left clearly shows the dotted course line
connecting your current position to your destination. The 40-mile
zoom, center, shows both current position and destination on screen.
The Navigation Page, right, will also show navigation information.

Navigate to a Point of Interest
For POIs that are in view on the map, you can easily use the Navigate
to Cursor command above; just use the cursor to select the POI.
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The other method involves searching for POIs with the Find Waypoint
command, launched with the WPT key. (See the searching example earlier in this section, or turn to Sec. 9, Searching, for detailed instructions
on POI searches.)
After you have looked up an item with the Find Waypoint command,
use ↑ or ↓ to make sure the GO TO WAYPOINT command is highlighted at
the top of the screen, then press ENT. The unit begins showing navigation information to the item.
To cancel navigation, press MENU|MENU|↓ to CANCEL NAVIGATION|ENT|←
to YES|ENT. The unit stops showing navigation information.

Creating and Saving a Trail
A trail, or plot trail, is a string of position points plotted by the unit as
you travel. It's a travel history, a record of the path you have taken.
Trails are useful for repeating a journey along the same track. They are
particularly handy when you are trying to retrace your trip and go back
the way you came. On the screen, trails are represented by a solid line
extending from the back of the current position arrow.
The unit is set at the factory to automatically create and record a trail
while the unit is turned on. The unit will continue recording the trail
until the length reaches the maximum trail point setting (default is
2,000, but the unit can record trails 9,999 points long). When the point
limit is reached, the unit begins recording the trail over itself.
By default, the trail flashes once a second, making it easier to see against
the background map. With the default auto setting, this unit creates a
trail by placing a dot (trail point) on the screen every time you change directions. (The methods used for creating a trail and the trail update rate
can both be adjusted or even turned off. See Sec. 8 for Trail Options.)
To preserve a trail from point A to point B, you must "turn off" the trail
by making it inactive before heading to point C or even back to point A.
When the current trail is set inactive, the unit automatically creates
and begins recording a new trail.
To Save a Trail
1. Press MENU|MENU|↓ to MY TRAILS|ENT.

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Active
symbol

Visible
symbol

Sequence for saving a trail and beginning a new one. At left, My Trails
command. Center, the Trails Menu. The arrow to the right of Trail 14
indicates the trail is "active," and the check to the left indicates the
trail is visible on the map display. The right figure shows the Edit
Trail menu, with the Active command selected.

2. Press ↓ to the Active Trail Name|ENT.
3. Press ↓ to ACTIVE|ENT. This unchecks the Active option.
4. To return to the previous page, press EXIT|EXIT|EXIT|EXIT. As you
leave the Edit Trail menu, you will notice that a new trail starts with a
new sequential number. In the example figure below, the new trail is
number 15, showing zero points. Note that Trail 14 is inactive, but it is
still visible on the map.

New trail, named "Trail 15," is created when Trail 14 is made inactive.
Any new travel will be recorded in this trail, which is active and visible. Trails do not need to be visible in order to be active.

You can save and recall up to 10 different plot trails, which can also be
copied to your MMC for archiving or for transfer to your MapCreate
software.
123

Tip:
Another quick way to stop recording one trail and begin a new one
is to use the New Trail command: Press MENU|MENU|↓ to MY
TRAILS|ENT|ENT.
Caution:
You also have the option of completely turning off trail recording, under the trail Options command. However, if the Update
Active Trail option is left turned off, it will cancel the automatic
trail creation feature.

Navigating Trails
There are three methods for following a trail: visual trailing, navigating
a trail (forward) and backtracking a trail (backward). Try each method
to see which you prefer.
Visual trailing is the simplest method. It uses only the Map Page and
requires no menu commands at all. The technique works the same if
you are running a trail forward (from start to end) or backward (from
end to start.) However, visual trailing provides no navigation information during the trip, such as the time to your destination.
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The other two methods provide a full range of navigation data and work
with both the Map Page and Navigation Page. The only difference between them is "navigating a trail" follows a trail forward (from start to
end) while "backtracking" follows a trail in reverse (from end to start.)
When hiking at walking speed with a hand-held GPS, we often just use
visual back trailing because it is a bit better at following each little
turn on a foot path. At faster speeds, such as the highway or on the water, the Navigate Trail and Backtrack Trail commands are handy.
Visual Trailing
1. On the Map Page, zoom (ZIN or ZOUT) so your flashing trail is visible.
2. Begin moving and watch the Map Page. Simply walk or steer so that
your current position arrow traces along the trail you have just made.

Tip:
Generally, when using this method, the smaller the zoom range, the
more accurately you will be able to steer along the trail.
Navigate a Trail (forward)
The following figures illustrate the menu sequence for navigating a
trail.
1. Press MENU|MENU|↓ to MY TRAILS|ENT.
2. Press ↓|↓ to enter the Saved Trail list, then use ↑ or ↓ to select the
desired Trail Name|ENT.
3. Press → to DELETE TRAIL|↓ to NAVIGATE|ENT.
4. Press ↓ to NAVIGATE|ENT. The unit begins showing navigation information along the trail.
NOTE:
If you are already located at or near the beginning of your trail, the
arrival alarm will go off as soon as you hit Enter. Just press EXIT to
clear the alarm and proceed.
5. Now, begin moving and follow your unit.
6. When you reach your destination, be sure to cancel your navigation:
press MENU|MENU|↓ to CANCEL NAVIGATION|ENT. The unit asks if you're
sure; press ←|ENT.
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Figure 1.

Figure 2.

Figure 4.

Figure 3.

Navigate a trail menu sequence: Fig. 1, My Trails command. Fig. 2,
Trails Menu. Fig. 3, Edit Trail Menu. Fig. 4, Edit Route Menu with
Navigate command highlighted for Trail 6. A trail is always converted
to a "route" when you navigate the trail.

On the Map Page, the trail you are navigating is represented by a dotted line that alternates with a flashing solid line. The Navigation Page
will also show the navigated trail as a dotted line. The bearing arrow on
the compass rose points to the next waypoint on the trail.
As you travel, the arrival alarm will go off when you near a trail waypoint, and the bearing arrow on the compass rose will swing around
and point to the next trail waypoint. Press EXIT to clear the alarm.
North
Present
position
arrow

Trail point

Trail
dotted line

Navigate trail, map views: at left driver is northbound heading
straight toward trail point 6. At right, northbound driver has reached
point 6 and has turned west to follow trail.

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Track or compass heading indicator
Trail
waypoint
symbol
Course
line made
from trail

Cross track
error range
(off course
indicator)

Bearing
arrow

Arrival
alarm

Navigate trail, navigation page (compass rose) views: at left, driver is
northbound heading straight toward trail point 6; bearing arrow
shows the trail point is due north (straight ahead.) At right, driver has
reached trail point 6 and must turn west to follow the trail. Arrival
alarm goes off and bearing arrow swings around to say turn left (west),
toward the next waypoint, trail point 7. The unit now shows navigation information to point 7, which is 2.02 miles away.

Navigate a Back Trail (backtrack, or reverse)
1. Press MENU|MENU|↓ to MY TRAILS|ENT.
2. Press ↓|↓ to enter the Saved Trail list, then use ↑ or ↓ to select the
desired Trail Name|ENT.
3. Press → to DELETE TRAIL|↓ to NAVIGATE|ENT.
4. Press ↓ to NAVIGATE|→ to REVERSE|ENT|← to NAVIGATE|ENT. The unit
begins showing navigation information along the trail, in reverse.
NOTE:
If you are already located at or near the end of your trail, the arrival alarm will go off as soon as you hit Enter. Just press EXIT to
clear the alarm and proceed.
5. Now, begin moving and follow your unit.
6. When you reach your destination, be sure to cancel your navigation:
press MENU|MENU|↓ to CANCEL NAVIGATION|ENT. The unit asks if you're
sure; press ←|ENT.

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Transfer Custom Maps and GPS Data Files
Custom Maps:
Custom maps work only from the MMC card or SD card. When a card
containing a Custom Map File is loaded into the unit, the unit automatically loads the map into memory when the unit is turned on.
Instructions for copying Custom Map Files to an MMC are contained in
the instruction manual for your MMC card reader and MapCreate 6
software. For instructions on inserting an MMC into the unit, see Sec.
2, Installation/Accessories.
NOTE:
To load a Navionics chart, see Sec. 8 for the entry Navionics Charts.
GPS Data files:
GPS Data Files contain waypoints, routes, trails and event marker
icons. Instructions for copying GPS Data Files between your computer
and an MMC are contained in the instruction manual for your MMC
card reader and MapCreate 6 software.
GPS data automatically recorded in the unit's internal memory must be
saved to the MMC (as a GPS Data File) in order to store it on your personal computer. GPS Data Files stored on an MMC must be copied from
the card to the unit's internal memory before the unit can read them.
Here's how:
1. Insert the MMC into your unit. Press MENU|MENU|↓ to SYSTEM
SETUP|ENT|↓ to TRANSFER MY DATA|ENT and the screen below appears.

The Transfer My Data submenu asks if you want to save data to the
MMC or load data from the MMC into the unit's memory.

128

2. The Transfer My Data menu includes a message which tells you if an
MMC is present or not. If no MMC is present, you must first insert a
card into the unit in order to activate the Load or Save commands.
To transfer data from the unit to the MMC: press ENT (for SAVE.)
To transfer data from the MMC to the unit: press → to LOAD|ENT.
3. Saving to MMC: To accept the default name "Data" for the GPS
Data File, press ↓ to SAVE DATA|ENT. If you wish to rename the file (as
shown in the following figures), press ENT to activate the selection box.
Press ↑ or ↓ to change the first character, then press → to the next
character and repeat until the name is correct. Then, press ENT|↓ to
SAVE DATA|ENT.
The unit will display first a progress then a completion message when
the data transfer is finished. To return to the Page view, repeatedly
press EXIT.

From left to right, these figures show the menu sequence for naming
and saving a GPS Data File from the unit's memory to an MMC.

4. Loading to unit memory: There may be more than one GPS Data
File (*.USR) on the card. To select a file, press ENT to activate the selection box, use ↓ or ↑ to highlight the file, then press ENT to accept the
selection. Next, press ↓ to LOAD DATA|ENT. The unit will display a completion message when the data transfer is finished. To return to the
Page view, press EXIT|EXIT|EXIT|EXIT.

129

Figure 1.

Figure 2.

Figure 3.

Figure 4.

These figures show the menu sequence for loading a GPS Data File
from an MMC into the unit's memory.

130

Section 7:
Advanced GPS Operations
Find Distance From Current
Position To Another Location
1. While on the Map Page press: MENU|↓ to FIND DISTANCE|ENT.
2. Center your cursor over the position you want to find the distance to.
A rubber band line appears, connecting your current position to the
cursor's location. The distance along that line will appear in a pop-up
box. The box also shows the bearing to the point you're measuring to.
3. Press EXIT to return to regular operation.

At left, the distance from Dallas to Little Rock is 292.2 miles. At right,
the distance from the boat's current position to the boat ramp is 0.52
miles.

Find Distance From Point to Point
You can also measure distance between two other points on the map.
1. While on the Map Page press: MENU|↓ to FIND DISTANCE|ENT.
2. Center your cursor over the first position. (A rubber band line appears, connecting your current position to the cursor's location.) Press
ENT to set the first point, and the rubber band line disappears.
3. Move the cursor to the second position. The rubber band line reappears, connecting the first point you set to the cursor. The distance
along that line will appear in the pop-up box.
4. Press EXIT to clear the command and return to the page screen.
(Press EXIT once more to clear the cursor.)
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Icons
Icons are graphic symbols used to mark some location, personal point of
interest or event. They can be placed on the map screen, saved and recalled later for navigation purposes. These are sometimes referred to as
event marker icons. This unit has 42 different symbols you can pick
from when creating an icon.
Icons are similar to waypoints, but they do not store as much information (like names) as waypoints do. You can't use a menu to navigate to
icons as you can with waypoints. (But, you can use the map cursor and
navigate to any icon on the map.)
You can create an icon at the cursor position on the map, or at your
current position while you are navigating.
Create Icon on Map
1. Use the arrow keys to move the cursor to the place where you want
to make an icon.
2. Press ENT and the screen shows a "Select Icon Symbol" menu.
3. Press ← or ↑ or → or ↓ to select your icon symbol, then press ENT.
The icon appears on the map.

Cursor selects icon location, left; Select Icon Symbol menu, center;
Boat Ramp icon on map, right. (Cursor has been moved for clarity.)

Create Icon at Current Position
1. While you are traveling, press ENT and the screen shows a "Select
Icon Symbol" menu.
2. Press ← or ↑ or → or ↓ to select your icon symbol, then press ENT.
The icon appears on the map.
Delete an Icon
You can delete all the icons at one time, you can delete all icons represented by a particular symbol, or you can use the cursor to delete a selected icon from the map.
132

1. Press MENU|↓ to DELETE MY ICONS|ENT.
2. Press ↓ to DELETE ALL ICONS, DELETE BY SYMBOL, or DELETE FROM MAP and
press ENT.

Delete icons menu.

The Delete All Icons command will ask if you are sure. Press ← to
YES|ENT. All icons will be deleted from the map.
The Delete by Symbol command will launch the Select Symbol menu.
Press ← or ↑ or → or ↓ to select the icon symbol to delete, then press
ENT. A message appears saying all icons with the selected symbol have
been deleted.
The Delete From Map command will prompt you to move the cursor
over an icon to select it. After selecting the icon, press ENT and it disappears from the map.
Navigate to an Icon
Use the Navigate to Cursor command, and use the cursor to select the
desired icon on the map.
1. Use arrow keys to center cursor cross-hair over the icon.
2. To navigate to the selected icon location: press MENU|ENT|EXIT.
Follow course line on the Map Page or the compass bearing arrow on the
Navigation Page.

Routes
A route is a series of waypoints, linked together in an ordered sequence,
that's used to mark a course of travel. You can visualize a route as a
133

string of beads: The beads represent waypoints and the string represents the course of travel connecting waypoint to waypoint.
The course from one waypoint to the next is a leg; routes are composed
of one or more legs. The legs of all GPS routes are based on straight
lines between waypoints.
A route provides the automatic capability to navigate through several
waypoints without having to reprogram the unit after arriving at each
waypoint. Once programmed into the GPS unit, a route provides the
option of navigating forward through the route waypoints or in reverse
order (you can even begin navigating in the middle of a route!)
Create and Save a Route
You have the option of creating and editing a route in the unit, or you
can make a route on your computer with our MapCreate 6 software.
PC-created Routes

MapCreate is the easiest method for preparing a route, simply because
your PC's larger screen, keyboard and mouse are easier to manipulate
than the unit.
To load a MapCreate route into the unit, follow instructions in MapCreate's manual for creating a route and saving it as part of a GPS Data File
(file format *.usr). Copy the GPS Data File to an MMC and insert the
MMC in the unit. (See Sec. 2 for instructions on installing MMCs. To
load the GPS Data File into the unit's memory, see the entry on Transfer
Custom Maps & GPS Data Files in Sec. 6, Basic GPS Operations.)
Routes Created in the Unit

You can create a route by selecting existing waypoints from the waypoint list or you can set a series of route waypoints on the map with
cursor arrows and the Enter key. In this example, we'll create a route
from the map.
1. From the NAVIGATION PAGE, press MENU|ENT or from the MAP PAGE,
press MENU|MENU|↓ to ROUTE PLANNING|ENT|ENT.

134

Route Planning command on Main Menu, left,
will open the Route List screen, right.

2. Press ↓ to (END OF ROUTE)|ENT|↓ to ADD FROM MAP|ENT. The Map Page
appears with the cursor showing.

Edit Route menu, left. Edit Route Waypoints menu, right,
with Add From Map command selected.

3. Use the Zoom keys and arrow keys to move the map and cursor until
the cursor is centered on the spot where you want your route to begin.
(If you are starting at your current position or the current cursor position, you are already at the starting spot.)
4. Set the first route waypoint: press ENT. In this example, we moved to
the intersection of 11th Street and 145th E. Ave. to start our route to a
public hunting area next to a river. (Creating this example route is illustrated in the following figures.)

135

Route creation sequence, from left: Fig. 1. Set route waypoint (1) at
11th St. & 145th Ave. Fig. 2. Zoom in; move cursor north to set point (2)
at 145th & Admiral. Fig. 3. With point (2) set, move cursor east to mark
interstate on-ramp with waypoint (3). In figures 2 and 3, notice the
rubber band line extending from the previously set waypoint to the
cursor. This line will become the course for the route.
4.

Route creation sequence, continued: Fig. 4. Point (3) set at on-ramp
turn. Fig. 5. Waypoint (4) set at highway exit to frontage road leading
to river. Waypoint (5) ends the route at a tree stand in the hunting
area. Fig. 6. Press EXIT to save the route and you return to this screen.

5. Move the cursor to the next point in the route, a spot where you need
to turn or change direction, and press ENT to set the next waypoint.
6. Repeat step five until the route reaches your destination.
7. To save your route, press EXIT. The unit reverts to the Edit Route
screen, with the route automatically named "Route 1" and stored in the
unit's internal memory. (In our example, Route 1 already existed, so the
unit automatically made "Route 2.")
136

137

Edit Route Waypoints menu.

3. Use ↓ and ↑ to select a command from the Edit Route Waypoints
menu and press ENT. Add From Map lets you insert a waypoint in the
route by clicking on a map location with the cursor. Add Waypoint calls
up the Waypoint List so you can insert a waypoint from the list. Remove Waypoint will delete the waypoint from the route. View Waypoint
will show you where the selected waypoint is on the map.
NOTE:
When adding waypoints to a route, the inserted waypoints will appear in the route in front of the waypoint you have selected. To insert waypoints at the end of the route, make sure to select "(End of
route)" before adding them.
Navigate a Route
1. From the NAVIGATION PAGE, press MENU|ENT or from the MAP PAGE,
press MENU|MENU|↓ to ROUTE PLANNING|ENT.

Route Planning command on Main Menu, left; Routes menu, center; Edit
Route menu, right. Navigate command is selected in the Action box.

2. Press ↓ to select route name|ENT|↓ to NAVIGATE|ENT.
138

Figure 2.

Figure 3.

Figure 4.

Navigating along a route: Fig. 1 shows the Navigation Page at the start
of a route, heading straight for the first waypoint (Wpt 1). In Fig. 2, the
traveler has arrived at Wpt 1; the arrival alarm has been triggered and
the bearing arrow on the compass rose has turned to point toward Wpt
2, off to the east. In Fig. 3 the traveler has turned east on his new
course and is heading straight for Wpt 2, which is 2.37 miles away. Fig.
4 shows route navigation on the Map Page. In this figure, the traveler
has reached Wpt 2 and is half-way along the leg between Wpts 2 and 3.

139

Tip:
You can quickly call up the Edit Trail menu by selecting a trail on
the map with the cursor. Simply move the cursor over a trail and a
pop-up box appears. Press WPT and the Edit Trail menu opens.

At left, trail selected with map cursor. The pop-up box shows distance
and bearing from current position to the selected point on the trail. At
right, the Edit Trail menu.

At left, Edit Trail Menu with Pattern option selected. At right, edited
trail with dotted line pattern.

To edit waypoint name:
1. Press WPT|ENT|ENT|ENT|↓ to waypoint name|ENT|↓ to EDIT
WAYPOINT|ENT|ENT.
2. Press ↑ or ↓ to change the first character, then press → to the next
character and repeat until the name is correct. Press ENT then
EXIT|EXIT|EXIT|EXIT to return to the previous page display.
Waypoint Symbol

To edit waypoint position:
1. Press WPT|ENT|ENT|ENT|↓ to waypoint name|ENT|↓ to EDIT
WAYPOINT|ENT.
2. Latitude: press → to LATITUDE|ENT. Press ↑ or ↓ to change the first
character, then press → to the next character and repeat until the latitude is correct. Press EXIT.
142

3. Longitude: press ↓ to LONGITUDE|ENT. Press ↑ or ↓ to change the first
character, then press → to the next character and repeat until the longitude is correct. Press EXIT.
4. When latitude and longitude are correct, return to the previous page:
press EXIT|EXIT|EXIT|EXIT.
Selecting a Waypoint
To select a waypoint on the map (for navigating to, for editing, etc.,) use
the arrow keys and center the cursor over the waypoint. A highlighted
halo will appear around the waypoint.
Set a Waypoint by Average Position
This feature sets a waypoint at the current position after taking several
position readings and averaging them. This boosts waypoint position
accuracy by helping to eliminate errors caused by atmospheric conditions and other factors.
1. Press WPT|→ to SUBCATEGORY column|↓ to NEW|ENT.
2. Press ↓ or ↑ to AVERAGE POSITION|ENT|press → to CREATE|ENT.
3. Wait while the unit takes points to average for the position. (The greater
the number of points, the greater the accuracy.) When the desired number
of points accumulates, press ENT to create and save the waypoint.
4. The Edit Waypoint menu appears. You can simply save the waypoint
by pressing EXIT|EXIT or you can edit the waypoint.
Set a Waypoint by Projecting a Position
This feature sets a waypoint at a point located a specific distance and
bearing from a reference position. The reference position can be selected from your waypoint list, a map feature or from the Points of Interest list.
1. Press WPT|→ to SUBCATEGORY column|↓ to NEW|ENT.
2. Press ↓ to PROJECTED POSITION|ENT|→ to CREATE|ENT.
3. Press → to CHOOSE REFERENCE|ENT. Use ↑ and ↓ to select a waypoint,
map feature or Point of Interest. When the point has been selected,
press ENT and the point's position appears as the reference position.
4. Press ↓ to DISTANCE|ENT. Press ↑ or ↓ to change the first character,
then press → to the next character and repeat until the distance is correct. Press ENT.
143

5. Press ↓ to BEARING|ENT. Press ↑ or ↓ to change the first character,
then press → to the next character and repeat until the bearing is correct. Press ENT.
6. Press ↑ to PROJECTION|ENT. The Edit Waypoint menu appears. You
can simply save the new projected waypoint by pressing EXIT|EXIT or
you can edit the waypoint. (Press EXIT|ENT if you want to immediately
begin navigating to the new waypoint.)

144

Section 8:
System & GPS Setup Options
Alarms
This unit has several GPS alarms. The factory default setting has all of
these but the anchor alarm turned on. You can turn the alarms off and
on and change their distance settings.
You can set an arrival alarm to flash a warning message and sound a
tone when you cross a preset distance from a waypoint. For example, if
you have the arrival alarm set to .1 mile, then the alarm will flash a
message when you come within .1 mile of the recalled waypoint.
The off course alarm warns you when your track drifts too far to the
right or left of the course line to the waypoint. For example, if the
alarm is set to .1 mile, then the alarm flashes a message if you drift .1
of a mile or more to the right or left of the line to the waypoint.
The anchor alarm is triggered when you drift outside of a preset radius.
Again, using the .1 mile as an example, if you're anchored and your
boat moves more than .1 of a mile, the alarm will flash a message and
sound a tone.

Alarms command, left; Alarm menu, right.

To change alarm settings:
1. Press MENU|MENU|↓ to ALARMS|ENT|ENT.
2. Scroll ↓ or ↑ to select the desired category, then press ENT to check or
clear the Enabled box. This turns the alarm on (checked) or off (unchecked.)
145

3. To change distance settings, scroll ↓ or ↑ to select the desired category, then press → |ENT to activate the distance dialog box. Press ↑ or
↓ to change the first character, then press → to the next character and
repeat until the name is correct.
4. When your adjustments are finished, return to the last page displayed by repeatedly pressing EXIT.
IMPORTANT ALARM NOTES:
Anchor Alarm - The anchor alarm may be triggered even when
you're sitting still. This typically happens when using small (less
than .05 mile) anchor alarm ranges.
Arrival Alarm - If you set the arrival alarm's distance to a small
number and you run a route (see the Navigate Routes segment),
this unit may not show navigation data to the next waypoint, once
you arrive at the first one, since you may not be able to come close
enough to the first waypoint to trip the arrival alarm.

Auto Satellite Search
To lock onto the satellites, the GPS receiver needs to know its current
position, UTC time and date. (Elevation [altitude] is also used in the
equation, but it's rarely required to determine a position.) It needs this
data so that it can calculate which satellites should be in view. It then
searches for only those satellites.
When your GPS receiver is turned on for the first time, it doesn't know
what your position or elevation (altitude) is. It does know the current UTC
time and date since these were programmed into it at the factory and an
internal clock keeps the time while the unit is turned off. (If the time
and/or date are incorrect, you can set it using the "Set Local Time" menu.)
The unit begins searching for the satellites using the above data that it
acquired the last time it was turned on. This probably was at the factory. Since it's almost certain that you're not at our factory, it's probably looking for the wrong satellites.
If it doesn't find the satellites it's looking for after approximately one
minute, it switches to Auto Search. The receiver looks for any satellite
in the sky. Due to advanced technology, the auto search time has
shrunk significantly from the early days of GPS.
Once the unit locks onto the satellites, it should take less than a minute to
find your position the next time it's turned on, provided you haven't moved
more than approximately 100 miles from the last location it was used.

146

GPS Auto Search on the Satellite Status Menu.

You can force the unit to immediately kick into auto search mode.
Here's how:
From the Satellite Status page, MENU|↓ to GPS AUTO SEARCH|ENT|← to
YES|ENT.

Check MMC Files and Storage Space
To check MMC Files:
Press MENU|MENU|↓ to BROWSE MMC FILES|ENT.

Main Menu, left, MMC File Browser, right.

Communications Port Configuration
The unit has one NMEA 0183 version 2.0 compatible communication
port, or com port for short. The Com Port Menu, which is accessed from
the System Setup Menu, allows you to configure the communications
port to send or receive data to another electronic device, such as an
autopilot. The com port can be used for either NMEA, DGPS or SiRF
Binary data transfer.
147

Menus for changing Com Port settings.

For connectors and wiring information for another device, see page 34.
For assistance in configuring the unit to communicate with another
device, consult the factory; customer service phone numbers are in the
back of this manual. Also see the entries below for Configure DGPS and
Configure NMEA. To set Com Port Configuration:
1. Press MENU|MENU|↓ to SYSTEM SETUP|ENT.
2. Press ↓ to COMMUNICATIONS PORT|ENT.

Configure DGPS
This unit will recognize Starlink, Magnavox and Lowrance DGPS
receivers.
1. Press MENU|MENU|↓ to SYSTEM SETUP|ENT.
2. Press ↓ to COMMUNICATIONS PORT|ENT.
A. If you have a Magnavox receiver, press ↓ to MAGNAVOX|ENT.
B. If you have a Lowrance or Starlink receiver, press ↓ to STARLINK|ENT.
C. If you have a Magnavox or Starlink, press EXIT|EXIT|EXIT. This is
the only setup necessary. If you have a Lowrance receiver or another
Magnavox- or Starlink- compatible brand, continue with these steps:
3. Press ↓ to CONFIGURE DGPS|ENT.
NOTE:
The names of the NMEA sentences are abbreviated in this menu.
These are the functions of the various selectable prefixes:
•

GLL transmits latitude and longitude of present position, time
of position fix, and status.

•

RMC and RMB transmits navigation information messages.

•

APB transmits autopilot information.

•

GGA transmits time, position, and fix related data.
148

•

GSA and GSV transmits fix mode, DOP values, and satellites in
view information.

•

DBT transmits the depth below the transducer.

•

DPT transmits the depth

•

MTW transmits the water temperature.

•

VLW transmits the distance traveled through water as measured by the paddle wheel.

•

VHW transmits the water speed as measured by the paddle
wheel.

4. Press ENT, then use ↑ ↓ → ← to enter the station frequency, then
press ENT.
5. Press → to BIT RATE|ENT then use ↑ ↓ to select the station bit rate,
then press ENT.
6. A. If you are not using a Starlink DGPS receiver, press
EXIT|EXIT|EXIT|EXIT to return to the previous page.

Configure NMEA
You can configure the unit to use specific NMEA sentences.
1. Press MENU|MENU|↓ to SYSTEM SETUP|ENT.
2. Press ↓ to COMMUNICATIONS PORT|ENT|↓ to CONFIGURE NMEA|ENT.
3. A menu appears showing the prefixes of the available NMEA sentences. A check mark next to a prefix means the prefix is in use. Use ↑
↓ → ← to select a prefix, then press ENT to turn off the prefix. (Press
ENT again to check the box and turn a prefix on.)
4. When the desired prefixes are checked or unchecked, press
EXIT|EXIT|EXIT|EXIT to return to the previous page.

Coordinate System Selection
The Coordinate System Menu lets you select the coordinate system to
use when displaying and entering position coordinates.
149

Menus for changing coordinate system used to display positions.

To get to Coordinate System Selection:
1. Press MENU|MENU|↓ to GPS SETUP|ENT.
2. Press ↓ to COORDINATE SYSTEM|ENT.
This unit can show a position in degrees (36.14952°); degrees, minutes
and thousandths of a minute (36° 28.700'); or degrees, minutes, seconds
and tenths of a second (36° 28' 40.9"). It can also show position in: UTM
(Universal Transverse Mercator) projection; MGRS (Standard); MGRS
(Standard + 10); Map Fix; Loran TD; British, Irish, Finnish, German,
New Zealand, Swedish, Swiss, Taiwan and Greek.
UTM's are marked on USGS topographic charts. This system divides
the Earth into 60 zones, each 6 degrees wide in longitude.
British, Irish, Finnish, German, New Zealand, Swedish, Swiss, Taiwan,
and Greek grid systems are the national coordinate system used only in
their respective countries. In order to use these grid systems, you must
be in the respective country. This unit will pick the matching datum for
you when you select the grid. See the entry on Map Datum Selection for
more information.
The Military Grid Reference System (MGRS) uses two grid lettering
schemes, which are referred to as standard and standard + 10 MGRS
on this unit. Your position and datum in use determines which one to
use. If you use standard, and your position is off significantly, then try
the alternate.
NOTE: When the position format is changed, it affects the way all positions are shown on all screens. This includes waypoints.
To change the coordinate system, press ENT while COORDINATE SYSTEM is
highlighted. Press the ↑ or ↓ arrow keys to highlight the desired format. Press ENT to select it. Press EXIT to erase the menus.
150

To setup Loran TD:
NOTE:
If the Loran TD conversion is chosen, you must enter the local Loran chain identification for the master and slaves. Do this by selecting "Setup Loran TD" at the bottom of the "Coordinate System"
menu and select the ID. Press EXIT to erase this menu.

Configure Loran TD menu.

Map Fix
Map Fix is used with charts or maps. This system asks for a reference
position in latitude/longitude, which you take from a marked location
on the map. It then shows the present position as distance on the map
from that reference point.
For example, if it shows a distance of UP 4.00" and LEFT 0.50", you
then measure up four inches and to the left a half-inch from the reference point on the map to find your location.
To configure a map fix:
To use this format, you need to follow these steps in order. First, take
your map of the area and determine a reference latitude/longitude.
(Note: in order for this system to work, the latitude/longitude lines
must be parallel with the edge of the map. USGS maps are parallel,
others may not be. Also, this works better with smaller scale maps,
such as 1:24000.) The reference position can be anywhere on the map,
but the closer it is to your location, the smaller the numbers will be
that you'll have to deal with.
Once you've decided on a reference position, you can save it as a waypoint.
See the waypoint section for information on saving a waypoint. Save the
reference position as a waypoint. Exit from the waypoint screens.
151

1. Press MENU|MENU|↓ to GPS SETUP|ENT.
2. Press ↓ to COORDINATE SYSTEM|ENT.
3. Press ↓ to SETUP MAP FIX|ENT.
The screen below appears, and MAP SCALE is highlighted. Press ENT and
enter the map's scale. This is generally at the bottom of the paper map.
It's shown as a ratio, for example 1:24000. Press EXIT and the unit returns to the Configure Map Fix screen.

Configure a map fix so the unit can find your position on a printed
chart or topographical map.

Press → to SELECT ORIGIN|ENT|ENT|ENT to bring up the waypoint list.
Select the waypoint that you saved the reference point under and press
ENT. The unit displays a waypoint information screen with the command SET AS ORIGIN selected; press ENT and the unit returns to the Configure Map Fix menu. Finally, press EXIT to erase this menu. Now press
↑ to COORD SYSTEM|ENT, select MAP FIX from the list and press ENT|EXIT.
All position information now shows as a distance from the reference
point you chose.

Customize Page Displays
The Position, Navigation, and Map pages all have customizable options.
These options decide which information is viewable on each page.
Customize Satellite Status Page
While on the Satellite Status Page, press MENU|↓ to CUSTOMIZE|ENT.
Press ↓ or ↑ to select a data box. With the data box highlighted and
flashing, press ENT to open a list of options. Scroll ↑ and ↓ to select a
different data option, then press ENT. After all options are set, press
EXIT to return to the page display.
152

Customize Navigation Page
While on the Navigation Page, press MENU|↓ to CUSTOMIZE|ENT. Press ↓
or ↑ to select a data box. With the data box highlighted and flashing,
press ENT to open a list of options. Scroll ↑ and ↓ to select a different
display option, then press ENT. After all options are set, press EXIT to
return to the page display.
Customize Map Page
While on the Map Page, press PAGES|↓ or ↑ to select Option
Name|ENT.

GPS Simulator
The GPS simulator lets you use the unit as if you were outdoors navigating somewhere. It's a great way to practice using your unit. You can
set the starting location by entering latitude/longitude (Starting Position) or from a stored waypoint, map place or POI location (CHOOSE START
command). You can steer your position and change speed on the map by
using the arrow keys (STEER WITH ARROWS command) or by setting the track
and speed in the dialog boxes provided on the simulator menu screen.
To get to the GPS Simulator:
1. Press MENU|MENU|↓ to GPS SETUP|ENT.
2. Press ↓ to GPS SIMULATOR|ENT. The GPS Simulator Menu appears.

153

GPS Setup Menu, left; GPS Simulator menu, right.

Make the desired settings, then turn the simulator on by highlighting
the GPS SIMULATOR ON box and pressing ENT key. Press EXIT|EXIT|EXIT
to erase this menu. A message and tone appear periodically, warning
you that the simulator is on. To turn the simulator off, repeat the above
steps or turn the unit off.
While in simulator mode, you can press EXIT to clear the steering and
speed boxes from the screen while continuing the simulation. This will
allow you to use the map cursor during a simulation. To turn steering
and speed boxes back on again, return to the GPS Simulator menu, select the STEER WITH ARROWS command, press ENT, then Press
EXIT|EXIT|EXIT to return to the previous page.
Simulating Trail or Route Navigation
In Simulator mode, your unit can automatically follow a trail or route
without manual steering if you use these steps:
1. From the Map Page, go to the simulator menu. Pick a STARTING POat or near the beginning of your trail/route. Enter an approximate
TRACK (shown in compass degrees) that will point you toward the start
of the trail/route.
SITION

2. Set SPEED to zero. Select STEER WITH ARROWS command and press ENT,
which turns on the simulator and returns you to the Map Page.
3. Begin navigating along the trail/route. (If you are close enough to the
first waypoint, the arrival alarm will usually go off as soon as navigation begins. Press EXIT to clear the alarm.) When navigation starts,
press ↑ to increase speed to the desired setting.
4. Press EXIT to turn off the steering and speed boxes. The unit will now
automatically "steer" along the trail or route. When you arrive at your
"destination," cancel navigation as you normally do.
154

Tip:
You can pick any spot on the map to begin your simulation session
by using the Initialize GPS command. This makes your unit think
it's located at the position you select. See its entry following the entry for Hide GPS Features.

Hide GPS Features
If there is no GPS antenna/receiver module attached to this unit, the
GPS menus and features can be hidden from view with this command.
The default setting is off, allowing you to rotate between the Sonar
Page and the GPS pages and features. To hide GPS features:
Press MENU|MENU|↓ to SYSTEM SETUP|ENT|↓ to HIDE GPS FEATURES|ENT.
The GPS menus and pages are now hidden.
To restore GPS Features, press MENU|MENU|↓ to SHOW GPS FEATURES|ENT. The GPS menus and pages are available once again.

Initialize GPS
This command is handy when you are practicing in simulator mode. (See
the entry in this section for GPS Simulator.) In simulator mode, this
command makes the unit operate as if it is sitting someplace other than
its actual location. So, you and your unit could be located in Kansas City,
but easily practice navigating in the ocean off Islamorada, Florida.
1. Press MENU|MENU|↓ to GPS SETUP|ENT|ENT.
2. A message appears, telling you to move the cursor near the desired
location and press ENT. When the message automatically clears, follow
the message instructions.
3. In a moment, your present position marker arrow appears on the
map in the location you selected with the cursor. The unit will consider
that spot as its last known position until changed by either a live satellite lock-on or a new simulator location.

Map Auto Zoom
This receiver has an auto zoom feature that eliminates much of the button pushing that other brands of GPS receivers force you to make. It
works in conjunction with the navigation features.
First, start navigation to a waypoint. (See the waypoint section for
more information on navigating to a waypoint.) Then, with the auto
zoom mode on, the unit zooms out until the entire course shows, from
the present position to the destination waypoint. As you travel toward
the destination, the unit automatically begins zooming in — one zoom
range at a time — always keeping the destination on the screen.
155

To turn this feature on, from the MAP PAGE, press MENU|↓ to AUTO
ZOOM|ENT|EXIT. Repeat these steps to turn it off.

Map Data
This menu lets you turn the map off, if desired (which turns the map
screen into a GPS plotter); turn off or on the pop-up map info boxes;
draw the map boundaries or boxes around the areas of high detail; or
fill land areas with gray. You can also turn on or off Map Overlays,
which display latitude and longitude grid lines or range rings on the
map. This menu lets you select Navionics Maps; for instructions, see
the Navionics Charts entry in this section.
To get to Map Data:
From the Map Page, press MENU|↓ to MAP DATA|ENT.

Map Menu, left, Map Data Menu, right.

Show Map Data
From the Map Page, press MENU|↓ to MAP DATA|ENT. Press ENT to enter
the EARTH MAP DETAIL selection list, and choose how much detail you
want, from Off (so the unit operates like a GPS plotter) to High. After
the option is set, press EXIT repeatedly to return to the page display..
Pop-up Map Information
From the Map Page, press MENU|↓ to MAP DATA|ENT. Press ↓ to POPUP
MAP INFORMATION. With the option highlighted, press ENT to check it (turn
on) and uncheck it (turn off.) After the option is set, press EXIT|EXIT to
return to the page display.
Map Boundaries
From the Map Page, press MENU|↓ to MAP DATA|ENT. Press ↓ to DRAW
MAP BOUNDARIES. With the option highlighted, press ENT to check it (turn
on) and uncheck it (turn off.) After the option is set, press EXIT|EXIT to
return to the page display.

156

Fill Water With White
From the Map Page, press MENU|↓ to MAP DATA|ENT. Press ↓ to FILL
WATER WITH WHITE. With the option highlighted, press ENT to check it
(turn on) and uncheck it (turn off.) After the option is set, press
EXIT|EXIT to return to the page display.
Map Overlays (Range Rings; Lat/Long Grid)
The map screen can be customized with four range rings and/or grids
that divide the plotter into equal segments of latitude and longitude.
Range rings are handy for visually estimating distances on the map. The
ring diameters are based on the current zoom range. For example: at the
100 mile zoom, the screen will show two rings with your current position
in the center. The large ring touching the left and right sides of the
screen is 100 miles in diameter (same as the zoom range). The second
smaller ring is 50 miles in diameter (always 1/2 the zoom range).
The distance from your current position to the smaller ring (the ring's
radius) is 25 miles (always 1/4 the zoom range). With the arrow keys
and map cursor, you can scroll the map to see the third and fourth
rings. In this example, the distance to the third ring is 75 miles and
distance to the fourth ring is 100 miles from your current position.
To set range rings: From the Map Page, press MENU|↓ to MAP
DATA|ENT. Press ↓ to DRAW MAP BOUNDARIES|→ to RANGE RINGS. With the
option highlighted, press ENT to check it (turn on) and uncheck it (turn
off.) After the option is set, press EXIT|EXIT to return to the page display.
To set Lat/Long Grid: From the Map Page, press MENU|↓ to MAP
DATA|ENT. Press ↓ to POPUP MAP INFORMATION|→ to LAT/LON GRID LINES.
With the option highlighted, press ENT to check it (turn on) and uncheck it (turn off.) After the option is set, press EXIT|EXIT to return to
the page display.

Map Datum Selection
Maps and charts are based on a survey of the area that's covered by the
map or chart. These surveys are called "Datums." Maps that are created using different datums will show the same latitude/longitude in
slightly different locations.
All datums are named. The GPS system is based on the WGS-84 datum, which covers the entire world. Other datums may also cover the
entire world, or just a small portion of it. By default, your position
shows using the WGS-84 datum. However, it can show your position
using one of 191 different datums. Different datums can be selected; to
change the datum:
157

GPS Setup Menu, left, Map Datum Menu, right.

Map Detail Category Selection
This menu determines which of the mapping features are shown on the
screen. This includes, waypoints, trails, icons, cities, highways, etc. You
can selectively turn on or off any of these items, customizing the map to
your needs.
To get to Map Categories:
1. From the Map Page, press MENU|↓ to MAP CATEGORIES DRAWN|ENT.
2. Press ↑ or ↓ to select a category or press → then press ↑ or ↓ to select
a subcategory. Press ENT to turn it off (no check) or on (checked.)
3. To return to the last page displayed, press EXIT|EXIT.

Map Menu, left, Map Categories Drawn Menu, right.

Map Orientation
By default, this receiver shows the map with north always at the top of
the screen. This is the way most maps and charts are printed on paper.
158

In Track Up mode, map shows "N" and arrow to indicate north.

Map orientation at left is shown in north up and at right, track up.

This is fine if you're always traveling due north. What you see to your
left corresponds to the left side of the map, to your right is shown on
the right side of the map, and so on. However, if you travel any other
direction, the map doesn't line up with your view of the world.
To correct this problem, a track-up mode rotates the map as you turn.
Thus, what you see on the left side of the screen should always be to
your left, and so on.
Another option is course-up mode, which keeps the map at the same
orientation as the initial bearing to the waypoint. When either the
track-up or course-up mode is on, an "N" shows on the map screen to
help you see which direction is north.
To change map orientation: from the Map Page, press MENU|↓ to MAP
ORIENTATION|ENT. Use ↑ or ↓ to select the desired mode, then press ENT.
Press EXIT|EXIT to return to the page display.

Map Menu, left; Map Orientation menu with
the North Up map orientation option selected, right.

159

NOTE:
In North Up and Course Up, the present position arrow appears in
the center of the map page. In Track Up, the position arrow appears
centered in the lower third of the page.

Navionics Charts

Your unit can display Navionics electronic charts on MMCs. They
work just like a MapCreate custom map on an MMC.

Left, entrance to Chesapeake Bay in a MapCreate 6 custom map, 10
mile zoom. Center, same position on Navionics chart at 11.15 mile zoom
and right, 5.56 mile zoom.

To display a Navionics chart:
1. Install the Navionics MMC in the memory card compartment and
turn on the unit. (For full card install instructions, see Sec. 2.)
WARNING:
You should never format the MMC containing your
Navionics chart. Formatting the MMC will permanently
erase the chart from the card.
2. From the Map Page, press MENU|↓ to MAP DATA|ENT|↓ to NAVIONICS
MAP CHOICE|ENT. Use ↑ or ↓ to select the Map Name, then press
ENT|EXIT|EXIT.

These figures show menu sequence (from left to right) for selecting a
Navionics chart for the South Chesapeake Bay area.

160

3. To turn off a Navionics chart, From the Map Page, press MENU|↓ to
MAP DATA|ENT|↓ to NAVIONICS MAP CHOICE|ENT. Use ↑ or ↓ to select
LOWRANCE, then press ENT|EXIT|EXIT.
Port Information
Navionics charts contain Port Services information, represented by anchor icons on the map display. An example is displayed in the following
figure.
To view Port Services information:
1. Use the arrow keys to move the cursor over a Port Services icon.
When selected, a pop-up name box appears.
2. Press WPT to display the Port Services Information screen.
The Port Services information screen has two windows. The top window
lists the various service categories. The lower window lists the detailed
services available in each basic category.
Port Services
icons

Pop-up
name box

Cursor lines

Navionics chart showing Port Services icon selected by cursor.

3. To scroll through the Service Categories window: press ENT then use
↑ or ↓ to see the types of services available. As you highlight a different
category, the list in the lower window changes. To return to the Map
Page, press EXIT|EXIT.
4. Depending on the location, the Detailed Services window may have a
long list of services under the General Services category. To scroll
through the Detailed Services window: from SERVICE CATEGORIES, press ↓
to DETAILED SERVICES|ENT, then use ↑ or ↓ to read the list of available
services. To return to the Map Page, press EXIT|EXIT. To return to the
top service category window, press ENT|↑.
161

Port Services information screens.

Tidal Current Information
Navionics charts contain Tidal Current information,
represented at large zoom ranges by a box icon with
the letter "C." The icon stands for a Tidal Current
Station location. An example is displayed at right.
When you zoom in to a sufficiently small zoom range, the icon itself becomes an animated arrow showing tidal current velocity and direction for
the selected tidal station at the present time. At larger zoom ranges, you
can select the boxed "C" icon and it becomes an animated arrow with a
pop-up name box. An example is displayed in the following figure.
To view Tidal Current information:
1. Use the arrow keys to move the cursor over a Tidal Current Station
icon. When selected, a pop-up name box appears.
2. Press WPT to display the Tidal Current Information screen.
Tidal Current
Station icon in
animated mode
Pop-up
name box

Cursor lines

Navionics chart showing Tidal Current Station icon selected by cursor. In this example, the tidal current is in flood but it's about to enter
the slack water stage. The current is flowing to the west at 0.1 mph.

162

Current Information screen.

The Tidal Current Information screen displays daily tidal current data
for this station on this date at the present time. The graph at the top of
the screen is an approximate view of the flood and ebb pattern for the
day, from midnight (MN), to noon (NN) to midnight (MN). The velocity
scale at the top left side of the graph changes dynamically based upon
the maximum velocity of the current for that day.
Slack water, the period of little or no current, is represented by the
Slack Water Line (SWL). The flood appears above the SWL and the ebb
appears below the SWL.
You can look up tidal current data for other dates by changing the
month, day and year selection boxes. To select another date:
1. Use → and ← to highlight month, day or year, then press ENT.
2. Use ↑ and ↓ to select the desired month, day or year, then press ENT.
To clear the information screen, press EXIT.
Tide Information
Navionics
charts
contain
Tidal
Information,
represented at large zoom ranges by a box icon with
the letter "T." The icon stands for a Tidal Station
location. An example is displayed at right.
When you zoom in to a sufficiently small zoom range, the icon itself becomes an animated gauge showing a rising or falling tidal height for the
selected station at the present time. At larger zoom ranges, you can select the boxed "T" icon and it becomes an animated gauge with a pop-up
name box. An example is displayed in the following figure.

163

To view tide information:
1. Select a Tide Station icon: use the arrow keys to move the cursor over
an icon. When it is selected, a pop-up name box appears.
2. After selecting the Tide Station icon, press WPT to display the Tide
Information screen.

Cursor line

Pop-up
name box
Tide Station
icon

Navionics chart showing Tide Station icon selected by cursor.
In the example above, the tide is at 2.8 feet and falling,
as shown by the down arrow at the top of the icon.

Tide Information screen.

The Tide Information screen displays daily tidal data for this station on
this date at the present time. The graph at the top of the screen is an
approximate view of the tidal range pattern for the day, from midnight
(MN), to noon (NN) to midnight (MN). The dotted line across the graph
is the Mean Lower Low Water line (MLLW).
164

The height scale on the top right side of the graph changes, based upon
the maximum range of the tide for that day. The MLLW line also adjusts its position as the height scale changes.
You can look up tidal data for other dates by changing the month, day
and year selection boxes. To select another date:
1. Use → and ← to highlight month, day or year, then press ENT.
2. Use ↑ and ↓ to select the desired month, day or year, then press ENT.
To clear the information screen, press EXIT.

Pop-up Help
Help is available for virtually all of the menu labels on this unit. By
highlighting a menu item and leaving it highlighted for a few seconds, a
"pop-up" message appears that describes the function of the menu item.
This feature is on by default.
To set up Popup Help: Press MENU|MENU|↓ to SYSTEM SETUP|ENT|↓
to POPUP HELP. With the option highlighted, press ENT to check it (turn
on) and uncheck it (turn off.) After the option is set, press EXIT|EXIT to
return to the page display.

System Setup menu, left, with Pop-up Help command highlighted. At
right, this example shows the Pop-up Help message for the Go To Cursor command, located on the Map Menu.

Position Pinning
When you are standing still or moving at extremely slow speed, a GPS
receiver can have trouble determining the direction you are traveling.
In the past, this resulted in a "wandering" plot trail that moved around
the map, even if you were standing still.
The Position Pinning feature was developed so that when you stopped,
the unit locked the present position on the GPS plotter until you moved
a short distance or exceeded a very slow speed.
165

The command remains available in the unit's software, but we recommend that you leave it in the default off (unchecked) mode. The "wandering" plot trail issue has now been corrected by the Track Smoothing
feature. Turning on Position Pinning could actually result in an inaccurate plot trail if you are moving around in a relatively small area. If you
want to experiment with Position Pinning, the same instructions are
used to turn the feature on (checked) and off (unchecked.)
1. Press MENU|MENU|↓ to GPS SETUP|ENT|↓ to POSITION PINNING|ENT.
2. Press EXIT|EXIT to return to the previous page.

Reset Options command, left,
and the Reset Options Menu, right.

Require DGPS
You can force the unit to require DGPS for reporting a valid position.
(The default setting, off, uses DGPS automatically when an optional
DGPS beacon receiver is connected. However, this auto mode doesn't
require DGPS reception to yield a position.) Here's how to turn mandatory DGPS on and off.
1. Press MENU|MENU|↓ to GPS SETUP|ENT|↓ to REQUIRE DGPS|ENT.
2. To return to the last page displayed, press EXIT|EXIT.
3. You can return to this command and press ENT again to turn the feature off.
166

GPS Setup command, left; Require DGPS
command on the GPS Setup Menu, right.

Screen Contrast and Brightness
To access the Screen menu, press MENU|MENU|ENT.
Once in the Screen menu:

To adjust the display's contrast:
The CONTRAST slider bar is already selected. Press → or ← to move the
bar. The left end of the scale is minimum contrast; the right end is
maximum contrast.

Screen Command, left, and Screen Menu with Contrast bar selected, right.

To adjust the display's brightness:
Press ↓ to BRIGHTNESS. Press → or ← to move the bar. The left end of the
scale is minimum contrast; the right end is maximum contrast.
To adjust the screen's display mode:
Press ↓ to DISPLAY MODE|ENT|press ↑ or ↓ to select mode|EXIT.
167

Display Mode menu.

Set Language
This unit's menus are available in 10 languages: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Danish, Swedish, Russian, Dutch and Finnish.
To select a different language:
1. Press MENU|MENU|↓ to SYSTEM SETUP|ENT.
2. Press ↓ to SET LANGUAGE…|ENT.
3. Use ↓ or ↑ to select a different language and press ENT. All menus
now appear in the language you selected.

Set Local Time
Using the correct local time setting is handy when estimating local arrival time while navigating. Also, the time and date are saved when a
waypoint is created.
To access the Set Local Time menu, you must first acquire your position. Once that is done: press MENU|MENU|↓ to SYSTEM SETUP|ENT|↓ to
SET LOCAL TIME|ENT.
Once in the Time Settings menu:
To set Local Time: Press ENT. Press ↑ or ↓ to change the first charac-

ter, then press → to move the cursor to the next character. Repeat until
the time is correct, then press ENT.

To set the Month: Press ↓ to MONTH|ENT. Press ↑ or ↓ to select the
month, then press ENT.
To set the Day: Press → to DAY|ENT. Press ↑ or ↓ to select the day,
then press ENT.
To set the Year: Press → to YEAR|ENT. Press ↑ or ↓ to select the year,
then press ENT.
168

The last field in this menu is CONFIG DST. This feature allows your unit
to automatically adjust with the time change caused by Daylight Saving Time (you should only have to set it once). You may select which set
of rules matches DST in your region, or simply accept the default.
Once you have each field set the way you want, press EXIT repeatedly
until you return to the previous page.

Show WAAS Alarm
When the signal is available, your unit will automatically use WAAS to
boost the accuracy of the position fix. When the WAAS signal is lost or
acquired, an alarm message appears. Since the U.S. government is still
developing the WAAS system, it's not unusual for a GPS/WAAS receiver to frequently lose and reacquire its lock on a WAAS satellite.
That can result in the alarm repeatedly going on and off. If you want,
you have the option of turning off the WAAS Acquired/Lost alarm without affecting how the unit uses WAAS. Here's how:
1. Press MENU|MENU|↓ to GPS SETUP|ENT|↓ to SHOW WAAS ALARM.
2. With the option highlighted, press ENT to uncheck it (turn off) and
check it (turn on.) After the option is set, press EXIT|EXIT to return to
the page display.
3. You can return to this command and press ENT again to turn the feature on.

Software Version Information
From time to time, Lowrance updates the operating system software in
some of its products. These software upgrades are usually offered to
customers as free downloads from our web site, www.lowrance.com.
These upgrades make the unit perform better or introduce a new feature or function. You can find out what software version is running in
your unit by using the Software Information command.

System Setup command left; Software Information command, center.
At right, the Software Information screen.

169

Sounds and Alarm Sound Styles
Sounds triggered by key strokes and alarms can be adjusted:
You first press MENU|MENU|↓ to SOUNDS|ENT.

Sounds command, left. At right, the Sounds menu.
Once in the Sounds menu:

To set Key Press Sounds: With the option highlighted, press ENT to
check it (turn on) and uncheck it (turn off.) After the option is set, press
EXIT|EXIT to return to the page display.
To set Alarm Sounds: Press ↓ to ALARM SOUNDS. With the option highlighted, press ENT to check it (turn on) and uncheck it (turn off.) After
the option is set, press EXIT|EXIT to return to the page display.
To set Alarm Volume: Press ↓ to VOLUME. Press → or ← to move the
bar. The left end of the scale is low volume; the right end is high volume.
After the option is set, press EXIT|EXIT to return to the page display.
To set Alarm Style: Press ↓ to ALARM STYLE|ENT. Press ↑ or ↓ to
change the style, then press ENT. After the option is set, press
EXIT|EXIT to return to the page display.

Track Smoothing
This is a factory setting on the GPS Setup menu that should always be
left on. When stopped or traveling at slow speeds (such as walking or
trolling), Track Smoothing prevents wandering of trails, the steering
arrow, compass rose and a map in track-up mode.
170

Track Smoothing option, turned on.

Trail Options
There are several options you can use with trails. Some affect all trails,
other options can be applied to a particular trail. You can change the
way trails are updated, display or hide trails, make them flash on the
screen or not flash, create a new trail, delete a trail, etc.
General Trail Options

To access the Trails Menu:
1. Press MENU|MENU|↓ to MY TRAILS|ENT.

Main Menu, left, Trails Menu, center, Trail Options, right.

Delete All Trails
To remove all of the trails from memory: from the Trails Menu, press →
to DELETE ALL|ENT|← to YES|ENT.
Flash Trails on Screen Option
From the Trails Menu, press → to TRAIL OPTIONS|ENT|↓ to FLASH TRAILS.
With the option highlighted, press ENT to check it (turn on) and uncheck it (turn off.)
171

Update Trail Option
This menu lets you change the way the trail updates occur.
WARNING:
If you uncheck the Update Trail option, automatic trail
creation and recording will be turned off. You must turn
it back on to record trails. The default setting is on.
From the Trails Menu, press → to TRAIL OPTIONS|ENT. With UPDATE ACTIVE
TRAIL highlighted, press ENT to check it (turn on) and uncheck it (turn off).
Update Trail Criteria (Auto, Time, Distance)

The options are automatic, time, or distance. When it's in the default
automatic mode, the unit doesn't update the plot trail while you're
traveling in a straight line. Once you deviate from a straight line, the
unit "drops" a plot point (trail waypoint) onto the trail. This conserves
plot trail points. If a plot trail uses all of the available points allotted to
it, the beginning points are taken away and placed at the end of the trail.
From the Trails Menu, press → to TRAIL OPTIONS|ENT|↓ to UPDATE CRIPress ↑ or ↓ to select criteria type|ENT.

TERIA.

Trail Update Rate (Time, Distance)

You can update a trail by time, with a range from 1 second to 9999 seconds; the default is 3 seconds. You can update by distance, with a range
from 0.01 mile/nm/km to 9.99 mile/nm/km; the default is 0.10 mi.
With one of the Update Criteria selected, use the cursor arrows to
highlight either the UPDATE RATE or UPDATE DISTANCE data entry boxes and
press ENT. Press ↑ or ↓ to change the first character, then press → to
the next character and repeat until the entry is correct. Press EXIT to
return to the Trail Options Menu.

Trail Options menu: Update Time Rate setting, left, and Update Distance setting, right.

172

Specific Trail Options

Delete Trail
To delete a specific trail: From the Trails Menu, press ↓ to Trail
Name|ENT. The Edit Trail menu appears as seen in the following figure. Press → to DELETE TRAIL|ENT|← to YES|ENT.

Edit Trail menu.

New Trail
To manually start a new trail, in the Trails Menu, make sure NEW TRAIL
is highlighted and press ENT.
Trail Visible/Invisible and Other Trail Options
The name, maximum number of points in the trail, activity, and visibility are all changed on the Edit Trail menu screen. The Active setting
determines whether or not the unit is recording new points for a particular trail.
On the Edit Trail menu, press ↓ or ↑ to highlight the section you wish
to change, then press ENT. Make your changes, then press EXIT to erase
this menu. Related trail functions are discussed in further detail under
the Trails topic in Sec. 7, Advanced GPS Operations.

Units of Measure
This menu sets the speed and distance (statute or nautical miles, meters), depth (feet, fathoms, or meters), temperature (degrees Fahrenheit
or Celsius) and heading (true or magnetic) units. To change the units:
Press MENU|MENU|↓ to SYSTEM SETUP|ENT|ENT.

173

System Setup Menu, left, Units of Measure Menu, right.

To set Speed/Distance Unit of Measure: Press ↑ or ↓ to change the
Speed/Distance, then press ENT. After the option is set, press
EXIT|EXIT|EXIT to return to the page display.
To set Heading: Press ↑ or ↓ to change the heading type, then press
ENT. After the option is set, press EXIT|EXIT|EXIT to return to the page

display.

174

Section 9: Searching
NOTE:
The background map loaded in your unit lets you to search for U.S.
Interstate Highway exits and exit services, as well as some land
features, including cities and lakes. For a full set of searchable land
features, including landmarks, streets, addresses and Points of Interest, you must load your own high-detail custom map produced
with our MapCreate 6 software. For a complete description of what
detail is found in the background map and custom MapCreate
maps, see page 108. (Remember, our pre-made FreedomMaps contain all the same detail found in custom-made MapCreate maps.)
This unit's varied search functions all begin with either the Find Waypoint menu or the Map Page menu. Press WPT and the Find Waypoint
menu appears for waypoints and Points of Interest (POI). From the
Map Page, press MENU and the Map Page menu appears for streets,
addresses and highway exits.

Find Waypoint menu, left; Map Page menu, right.

NOTE:
You can search for items after the unit has acquired a position, or
while using the unit in the "indoor" simulator mode. Distance and
bearing to the selected item will be calculated from the unit's current position, or the last known position if operating indoors (without a position determined). You can look up items by name, or
search for the item nearest to you.

Find Addresses
1. From the Map Page, press MENU|↓ to FIND ADDRESS|ENT.
175

2. Press ENT to search in the Address field.
3. To enter an address number, press ↑ or ↓ to change the first
number, then press → to move the cursor to the next number and repeat until the number is correct, then press ENT.

Find Address Menu.

4. To enter a street name, press ↓ to STREET|ENT. There are two options: A. You can spell out the name in the top selection box. Press ↑
or ↓ to change the first letter, then press → to move the cursor to the
next letter and repeat until the name is correct, then press ENT|ENT. B.
Jump down to the lower selection list by pressing ENT, then press ↓ or ↑
to select a street name from the list, then press ENT. The street name
you selected is now in the street field.

Find Address menu, left; Find Street menu, center,
with Find By Name field active; street name entry complete, right.

5. To enter a city name, press ↓ to CITY|ENT. You will be asked if you
want to find addresses only within a particular city. This option is designed so you can limit an address search to a single city if necessary
(see the following note).
176

If you select yes, there are two options: A. You can spell out the city
name in the top selection box. Press ↑ or ↓ to change the first letter, then
press → to move the cursor to the next letter and repeat until the name
is correct, then press ENT|ENT. B. Jump down to the lower selection list
by pressing ENT, then press ↓ or ↑ to select a city name from the list,
then press ENT. The city name you selected is now in the city field.
NOTE:
We recommend that you do not enter a city name unless the list you
are given is too large when searching without it. This unit can actually search quicker without a city and you save time by not entering a city name.

Find City field, left, Search in particular city only option, center; Find
City by name, right.

6. When the necessary search fields are filled in, press ↓ to FIND ADYou unit asks you to wait while it searches for the address.
(If an address is not in the database, a message appears saying the address could not be found.)

DRESS|ENT.

7. The unit will display a list of addresses. If the address you are looking for is highlighted at the top of the list, press ENT. If not, use ↓ and ↑
to select the correct address from the list, then press ENT. The Map
Page will then appear with the location selected by the cursor. (In the
example below, we are looking for 12303 East 11th Street in Tulsa, not
11th Court, so we had to scroll down the list to select the right one.)

177

Address search result list, left. At center, Map Page showing location
of the address on the map, highlighted by cursor. At right, after the
address is located, you can navigate to it ("D" symbol for destination).

8. To navigate to the address, press MENU|ENT|EXIT and the unit will
begin showing navigation information to the address pointed out by the
cursor. If you are only looking up an address (not navigating), just
press EXIT to return to the previous page.

Tip:
If the address also happens to be an item in the Point of Interest
database, you can look up the item's phone number in the Waypoint
Information list. With the address location selected by the cursor on
the map, press WPT. The POI's Waypoint Information window appears, with the Go To Waypoint command highlighted. If you want
to go ahead and navigate to the POI address, just press ENT|EXIT.

Left, Map Page showing location of the address on the map, highlighted by cursor. Center, this address is a business in the POI database, so you can display the POI information window, then navigate to
it. At right, this address is not in the POI database, so the Waypoint
key will not display any information for this address.

Find Any Item Selected by Map Cursor
On the Map Page: with a POI or map feature selected by the cursor
press WPT. To return to the previous page, press EXIT.
178

A POI selected by the cursor, left, POI information screen, right.

NOTE:
Since the Go To Waypoint command is highlighted, you can navigate to the selected POI by pressing ENT|EXIT while in the POI
Waypoint Information screen.

Find Interstate Highway Exits
1. From the Map Page, press MENU|↓ to HIGHWAY EXITS|ENT, which calls
up the Find Exit menu.

Find Highway Exits command, left, and Find Exit menu, right.

2. First, select a highway name by pressing ENT, which calls up the
Find By Name menu. There are two highway search options: A. You
can spell out the highway name in the top selection box. Press ↑ or ↓
to change the first letter, then press → to move the cursor to the next
letter and repeat until the name is correct, then press ENT|ENT. B.
Jump down to the lower selection list by pressing ENT, then press ↓ or ↑
to select a highway from the list, then press ENT.
179

Find By Name menu.

3. Once you have selected a highway name you can then select an exit.
Press ↓ to switch to the Exit List, then press ↓ or ↑ until you highlight
the exit, then press ENT.

Find Exit menu, with an exit selected in the Exit List.

4. In the Exit Information screen you have two choices. A. Press ENT to
navigate or "go to" the exit. B. Press →|ENT to find the exit on the map.

"Go To Exit" option, left, "Find On Map" option, right.

180

Tip:
You can also look up some additional information on the Exit Services located near this exit. Press ↓ to SERVICES|press ↓ or ↑ to select
Service Name|ENT.

Exit Information screen, left; general location
and amenities information, at right.

Find Map Places or Points of Interest (POI)
1. Press WPT, press ↓ or ↑ to select a map place or POI category, then
press ENT. (To narrow your search, press → then press ↓ or ↑ to select a
subcategory before pressing ENT.) You will be given two options; Search
By Name or By Nearest.

Find Waypoint menu with Lodging POI category selected, left, and
with the RV Parks subcategory selected, right.

2. Search by nearest POI. Press ↓|ENT. The "find by nearest" menu
will show a "calculating" screen, then a list of the nearest POI's will
appear. Press ↓ or ↑ to the selected POI and press ENT to call up the
POI's Waypoint Information screen.
181

Find by Nearest option, left, Calculating screen, center, POI list, right.

3. Search by name of POI. Press ENT. There are two options: A. You
can spell out the POI in the top selection box. Press ↑ or ↓ to change
the first letter, then press → to move the cursor to the next letter and
repeat until the name is correct, then press ENT|ENT. B. Jump down to
the lower selection list by pressing ENT, then press ↓ or ↑ to select a
POI from the list, then press ENT to call up the POI's Waypoint Information screen.

Find by Name option, left, Find by Name menu, right.

4. When the POI's Waypoint Information screen is displayed, you can
choose to "Go To" the POI waypoint by pressing ENT or find it on the
map by pressing→|ENT.

182

"Go To" POI option, left, "Find on Map" POI option, right.

Find Streets or Intersections
Find a Street
1. From the Map Page, press MENU|↓ to FIND STREETS|ENT and the Find
Streets Menu appears.

Find Streets command, left, Find Streets menu, right.

2. You must first fill in a street name in the First Street dialog box.
Press ENT to display the Find By Name menu. There are two options:
A. You can spell out the street in the top selection box. Press ↑ or ↓ to
change the first letter, then press → to move the cursor to the next letter and repeat until the name is correct, then press ENT|ENT. B. Or you
can jump down to the lower box and pick a street from the selection
list. Press ENT, then press ↓ or ↑ to select a street from the list and
press ENT.

183

Find Street By Name menu. Spell out name in
the top box, or select from the list in the lower box.

3. The Find Streets menu reappears with the street you're searching for
in the First Street box. (In this example, it's 80th Street.) To search for
that street, press ↓ to FIND FIRST STREET|ENT. A message appears asking
you to wait while the unit finds the street. When the Streets Found list
appears, press ↑ or ↓ to select the street you are searching for and press
ENT.

At left, the Find Streets menu with the Find First
Street command highlighted. At right, Streets Found list.

4. The Map Page appears, with the cursor pointing to the found street.

184

Map Page showing results of a street search.
The cursor points to the located street.

If you want to navigate to the found street at the cursor location, just
press MENU|ENT|EXIT.
Find an Intersection
You must enter one street in the First Street dialog box and enter the
next street in the Second Street dialog box.
1. From the Map Page, press MENU|↓ to FIND STREETS|ENT and the Find
Streets Menu appears.
2. You must fill in a street name in the First Street dialog box. Press ENT
to display the Find By Name menu. There are two options: A. You can
spell out the street in the top selection box. Press ↑ or ↓ to change the
first letter, then press → to move the cursor to the next letter and repeat
until the name is correct, then press ENT|ENT. B. Or you can jump down
to the lower box and pick a street from the selection list. Press ENT,
then press ↓ or ↑ to select a street from the list and press ENT.
3. The Find Streets menu reappears with the street you're searching for
in the First Street box. (In this example, it's 80th Street.)
4. Now fill in the second street. Press ↓ to SECOND STREET|ENT and the
Find By Name menu appears again. Just like before, there are two options: A. You can spell out the second street in the top selection box.
Press ↑ or ↓ to change the first letter, then press → to move the cursor
to the next letter and repeat until the name is correct, then press
ENT|ENT. B. Or you can jump down to the lower box and pick the second street from the selection list. Press ENT, then press ↓ or ↑ to select a street from the list and press ENT.
185

5. The Find Streets menu reappears with the first and second street
dialog boxes filled in. In this example, we selected 71st Avenue as our
second street. You could now use similar techniques to select a city or
Zip code, but your search will probably be faster if you leave those
boxes blank. (You can specify a city and/or Zip code later on to narrow
the search, if the resulting list is too long.)

Find Intersection command highlighted, left, and
"Working" message, center. At right is the Intersections Found list.

6. To search for the intersection of the two streets, press ↓|→ to FIND
INTERSECTION|ENT. A message appears asking you to wait while the unit
finds the intersection. When the Intersections Found list appears, press
↑ or ↓ to select the intersection you are searching for and press ENT. (In
our example, we selected the intersection of SW 80th Street and SW
71st Avenue in Miami, Fla.)
7. The Map Page appears, with the cursor pointing to the found intersection. The intersection in our example is shown in the following figure.

Map Page showing results of an intersection search.
The cursor points to the located intersection.

186

If you want to navigate to the found intersection, just press
MENU|ENT|EXIT.

Find Waypoints
1. Press WPT|ENT.
2. If searching for the waypoint By Name, press ENT. If searching for
the Nearest waypoint, press ↓ to NEAREST|ENT. (To search by name,
jump to step 5.)

Find Waypoint menu, left; Find By Nearest command, center,
Find by Name command, right.

3. If you're looking for nearest, the unit says it is calculating, then a
list of waypoints appears. The closest is highlighted at the top of the
list and the farthest at the bottom of the list.

Calculating message, left, and list of the nearest waypoints, right.

4. To see location information on the closest (highlighted) waypoint,
press ENT and the Waypoint Information screen appears. (If you
wanted to, you could select another waypoint from the list with the ↑ or
↓ keys.)
187

A. To navigate to the waypoint, press ENT. (The Go To Waypoint
command is already highlighted.) The unit will show navigation information to the waypoint.
B. To find the waypoint, press ↓ to FIND ON MAP|ENT. The Map Page
appears with the cursor highlighting the found waypoint.

Waypoint Information screens with the Go To Waypoint command selected, left, and the Find on Map command selected, right.

To clear these menus and return to the previous page, press EXIT repeatedly.
5. If you're looking by name, there are two options: A. You can spell
out the name in the top selection box. Press ↑ or ↓ to change the first
letter, then press → to move the cursor to the next letter and repeat
until the name is correct, then press ENT|ENT. B. Or you can jump
down to the lower selection list by pressing ENT, then press ↓ or ↑ to
select a waypoint from the list, then press ENT. The waypoint information screen appears.

Find By Name menu, left. Waypoint Information screen, center. At right,
the found waypoint is highlighted by the cursor on the Map Page.

188

A. To navigate to the waypoint, press ENT. (Go To Waypoint command is already highlighted.) The unit will show navigation information to the waypoint.
B. To find the waypoint, press ↓ to FIND ON MAP|ENT. The Map Page
appears with the cursor highlighting the found waypoint.

189

Notes

190

Section 10: Supplemental Material
Datums Used by This Unit
WGS 1984
Default

Zaire, Zambia and
Zimbabwe

Adindan
Mean for Ethiopia,
Sudan

Arc 1950 - Botswana

Adindan
Burkina Faso

Arc 1950 - Lesotho

Arc 1950 - Burundi

Arc 1950 - Malawi
Adindan
Cameroon
Adindan
Ethiopia

Arc 1950 - Swaziland

Adindan
Mali

Arc 1950 - Zimbabwe

Adindan
Senegal

Arc 1960 - Mean for
Kenya, Tanzania

Adindan
Sudan

Ascension Island
1958 - Ascension
Island

Ain el Abd 1970
Bahrain
Ain el Abd 1970
Saudi Arabia
Anna 1 Astro 1965
Cocos Islands
Antigua Island Astro
1943; Antigua (Leeward Islands)
Arc 1950; Mean for
Botswana, Lesotho,
Malawi, Swaziland,

Ayabelle Lighthouse Djibouti
Bellevue (IGN) Efate & Erromango
Islands
Bermuda 1957 Bermuda

Arc 1950 - Zaire
Arc 1950 - Zambia

Afgooye
Somalia

Australian Geodetic
1984 - Australia &
Tasmania

Astro Beacon E 1945
- Iwo Jima
Astro DOS 71/4 - St.
Helena Island
Astro Tern Island
(FRIG) 1961 - Tern
Island
Astronomical Station
1952 - Marcus Island

Bissau - GuineaBissau
Bogota Observatory Colombia
Bukit Rimpah - Indonesia (Bangka & Belitung Islands)
Camp Area Astro Antarctica (McMurdo
Camp Area)
Campo Inchauspe Argentina
Canton Astro 1966 Phoenix Islands
Cape - South Africa
Cape Canaveral Bahamas, Florida
Carthage - Tunisia

Australian Geodetic
1966 - Australia &
Tasmania

Switzerland
Chatham Island Astro
1971; New Zealand
(Chatham Island)

191

Chua Astro
Paraguay
Corrego Alegre
Brazil
Dabola
Guinea
Djakarta (Batavia)
Indonesia (Sumatra)
DOS 1968
New Georgia Islands
(Gizo Island)
Easter Island 1967
Easter Island
European 1950
Mean for Austria,
Belgium, Denmark,
Finland, France,
West Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Italy,
Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway,
Portugal, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland
European 1950
Mean for Austria,
Denmark, France,
West Germany,
Netherlands, Switzerland
European 1950
Mean for Iraq, Israel,
Jordan, Lebanon,
Kuwait, Saudi Arabia,
Syria

European 1950
England, Channel
Islands, Ireland,
Scotland, Shetland
Islands

L.C. 5 Astro 1961
Cayman Brac Island

European 1950
Finland, Norway

Liberia 1964
Liberia

European 1950
Greece

Luzon
Philippines (Excluding Mindanao)

European 1950
Iran
European 1950
Italy (Sardinia)
European 1950
(Sicily)
European 1950
Malta

Leigon
Ghana

Luzon
Philippines (Mindanao)
Mahe 1971
Mahe Island
Massawa
Ethiopia (Eritrea)

Ireland 1965
Ireland

Merchich
Morocco

ISTS 061 Astro 1968
South Georgia Islands

Midway Astro 1961
Midway Islands

ISTS 073 Astro 1969
Diego Garcia
Johnston Island 1961
Johnston Island
Kandawala
Sri Lanka
Kerguelen Island
1949
Kerguelen Island

Minna
Cameroon
Minna
Nigeria
Montserrat Island
Astro 1958; Montserrat (Leeward Islands)
M’Poraloko
Gabon, Nahrwan,
Oman (Masirah Island)

European 1950
Cyprus

Kertau 1948
West Malaysia &
Singapore

Nahrwan
Saudi Arabia

European 1950
Egypt

Kusaie Astro 1951
Caroline Islands

Nahrwan
United Arab Emirates

192

Naparima BWI
Trinidad & Tobago
North American 1927
Mean for Antigua,
Barbados, Barbuda,
Caicos Islands,
Cuba, Dominican
Republic, Grand
Cayman, Jamaica,
Turks Islands
North American 1927
Mean for Belize,
Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala,
Honduras, Nicaragua
North American 1927
Mean for Canada
North American 1927
Mean for CONUS
(Continental United
States)
North American 1927
Mean for CONUS
(East of Mississippi
River) including Louisiana, Missouri, Minnesota
North American 1927
Mean for CONUS
(West of Mississippi
River)
North American 1927
Alaska
North American 1927
Bahamas (Except
San Salvador Island)
North American 1927
Bahamas (San Salvador Island)

North American 1927
Canada (Alberta,
British Columbia)

Old Hawaiian
Mean for Hawaii,
Kauai, Maui, Oahu

North American 1927
Canada (Manitoba,
Ontario)

Old Hawaiian
Hawaii

North American 1927
Canada (New
Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova
Scotia, Quebec)
North American 1927
Canada (Northwest
Territories, Saskatchewan)
North American 1927
Canada (Yukon)
North American 1927
Canal Zone
North American 1927
Cuba
North American 1927
Greenland (Hayes
Peninsula)
North American 1927
Mexico
North American 1983
Alaska, Canada,
CONUS
North American 1983
Central America,
Mexico

Old Hawaiian
Kauai
Old Hawaiian
Maui
Old Hawaiian
Oahu
Oman
Oman
Ordinance Survey
Great Britain 1936 Mean for England,
Isle of Man, Scotland,
Shetland Islands,
Wales
Ordinance Survey
Great Britain 1936 England
Ordinance Survey
Great Britain 1936 England, Isle of Man,
Wales
Ordinance Survey
Great Britain 1936 Scotland, Shetland
Islands
Ordinance Survey
Great Britain 1936 Wales

Observaorio Metereo
1939; Azores (Corvo
& Flores Islands)

Pico de las Nieves
Canary Islands

Old Egyptian 1907
Egypt

Pitcairn Astro 1967
Pitcairn Island

193

South American 1969
Chile

Tokyo
Mean for Japan, Korea, Okinawa

South American 1969
Colombia

Tokyo
Japan

South American 1969
Ecuador

Tokyo
Korea

South American 1969
Ecuador (Baltra, Galapagos)

Tokyo

South American 1969
Guyana

Tristan Astro 1968
Tristan da Cunha

South American 1969
Paraguay
South American 1969
Peru

Viti Levu 1916
Fiji (Viti Levu Island)

South American 1969
Trinidad & Tobago

Eniwetok 1960

Point 58
Sweden
Santo (DOS)
1965 Espirito Santo
Island
Sao Braz
Azores (Sao Miguel,
Santa Maria Islands)
Sapper Hill 1943
East Falkland Island
Schwarzeck
Nambia
Selvagem Grande
Salvage Islands
SGS 85
Soviet Geodetic
System 1985

Okinawa

Wake

Marshall Islands
South American 1969
Mean for Argentina,
Bolivia, Brazil, Chile,
Colombia, Ecuador,
Guyana, Paraguay,
Peru, Trinidad & Tobago, and Venezuela
South American 1969
Argentina
South American 1969
Bolivia

South American 1969
Venezuela
South Asia
Singapore
Tananarive Observatory 1925; Madagascar
Timbalai 1948
Brunei, East Malaysia (Sabah, Sarawak)

South American 1969
Brazil

194

Wake Island Astro
1952
Wake Atoll
WGS 1972
Global Definition
Yacare
Uruguay
Zanderij
Suriname

FCC Compliance
This device complies with Part 15 of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the manufacturer could void the user's authority to operate the equipment.
Note:
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the
limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the
FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation.
This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency
energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not
occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause
harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can
be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is
encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of
the following measures:
•

Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

•

Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

•

Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different
from that to which the receiver is connected.

•

Consult the factory customer service department for help.

195

Notes

196

Index
A

Accessories, 1, 5, 6, 8, 30, 36, 41, 109,
128, 175
Sec. 2, Installation & Accessories, 13
Alarm Clock, 141
Alarms, 45, 58, 59, 60, 61, 101, 112,
125, 126, 127, 139, 145, 146, 154
Depth Alarms, 58
Fish Alarm, 58, 60, 61
Zone Alarm, 58, 59, 60
Anchor Alarm, 145, 146
Antenna, 1, 4, 6, 13, 30, 31, 36, 37, 38,
39, 51, 97, 112, 113, 155, 195
Arrival Alarm, 112, 125, 126, 127, 139,
145, 146, 154
ASP (Advanced Signal Processing),
26, 57

Data Boxes (Customize Display), 85, 87,
103
Depth Cursor, 51, 62, 63
Depth Range, 5, 26, 54, 55, 60, 63, 64,
65, 66, 69, 79, 84, 93, 96, 106, 107,
108, 109, 112, 113, 125, 155, 156,
157, 162, 163, 164, 165, 172
Automatic, 63
Manual, 64
Upper and Lower Limits, 65, 66, 92
Display Options, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87

F
FasTrack, 66
Fish Depths, 68
Fish I.D., 51, 54, 58, 60, 67
Fish Symbols, 51, 54, 58, 60, 67, 68
Interpreting, 54
FishReveal, 69
FishTrack, 68
Frequency, 3, 71
Change Frequency, 71

B
Backlights / Lighting, 3, 43, 99
Batteries, 13, 31, 32, 33, 39, 95, 96, 97
Brightness, 2, 45, 101, 167

Calibrate Speed, 61
Cancel Navigation, 45, 101, 112, 120,
121, 122, 125, 127, 130, 139
Chart Speed, 62
Communications Ports, 31, 34, 35, 147,
148, 149
Compass, 9, 10, 47, 104, 105, 106, 112,
115, 119, 121, 126, 127, 133, 139,
154, 170
Contrast, 3, 45, 101, 167
Coordinate System, 149, 150
Cursor, 51, 113, 114, 118, 120, 121, 132,
133, 165
Custom Maps, 1, 3, 8, 39, 41, 107, 108,
114, 116, 128, 134, 160, 175
Customize Display, 85, 87, 103
Customize Map Data Shown, 156, 157,
160, 161

GPS Data File, 7, 8, 128, 129, 130, 134,
147
Grayline, 72

H
HyperScroll, 74, 77

I
Icons, 5, 7, 11, 44, 100, 108, 109, 128,
132, 133, 158, 161, 162, 163, 164,
166
Creating, 132
Deleting, 132
Navigate, 133
Information Displays (Customize
Display), 85, 87, 103
Installation, 6, 8, 13, 27, 28, 36, 37, 38,

197

39, 97, 128, 160
Sec. 2, Installation & Accessories, 13
Introduction
GPS and WAAS, 8
Sec. 1, Introduction, 1
Specifications, 3
Typographical Conventions, 10

Nearest, 114, 115, 118, 175, 181, 182,
187
NMEA, 31, 34, 35, 147, 148, 149
Noise Rejection, 57, 75

O
Off Course Alarm, 145
Overlay Data, 75, 76, 77, 84

Keel Offset, 79, 80
Keypad Description, 10, 43, 99

Page Displays, 2, 46, 48, 49, 51, 75, 83,
88, 102, 109, 110, 112, 153
Digital Data, 79, 85, 86, 87, 110
Map, 11, 42, 43, 44, 46, 47, 48, 51, 54,
75, 77, 79, 88, 99, 100, 102, 105,
106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 112, 118,
119, 120, 121, 124, 125, 126, 131,
133, 134, 135, 137, 138, 139, 153,
154, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161,
175, 177, 178, 179, 183, 184, 185,
186, 188, 189
Navigation, 43, 46, 47, 51, 99, 102,
104, 105, 106, 112, 119, 120, 121,
125, 126, 133, 134, 137, 138, 139,
153
Satellite Status, 43, 46, 47, 51, 99, 102,
103, 104, 112, 152
Ping Speed, 74, 77, 78
HyperScroll, 74, 77
POI (Point of Interest), 44, 45, 100, 101,
108, 109, 114, 115, 116, 120, 121,
122, 143, 153, 175, 178, 179, 181,
182, 183
POIs
Search, 181
Pop-up Help, 165
Pop-up Map Info (Map Data option),
156
Power, 1, 3, 8, 13, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 37,
38, 39, 43, 44, 51, 81, 95, 96, 97, 99,
100, 112
Product Specifications, 3

L
Languages, 3, 168
Lat/Lon Grid (Map Data option), 157

M
Main Menu, 43, 44, 45, 58, 88, 100, 101,
135, 138, 147, 171
Man Overboard, 119, 120
Map Boundaries (Map Data option),
156, 157
Map Data, 156, 157, 160, 161
Map Datum, 150, 157, 158
Selection, 150, 157
Map Detail, 109, 156, 158
Map Fix (Coordinate System), 150, 151,
152
Map Menu, 156, 158, 159, 165
Map Orientation, 106, 158, 159
Map Overlays (Map Data option), 156,
157
Memory Cards (MMC), 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
8, 39, 40, 41, 43, 46, 51, 55, 74, 89,
90, 99, 102, 107, 108, 112, 116, 123,
128, 129, 130, 134, 147, 160

N
Navigating, 11, 112, 118, 119, 120, 121,
125, 126, 127, 133, 137, 138, 139,
146
A Route, 138, 139
A Trail, 125
Cancel, 45, 101, 112, 120, 121, 122,
125, 127, 130, 139
To Cursor Position, 120
To Icon, 133

R
Range, 5, 26, 54, 55, 60, 63, 64, 65, 66,
69, 79, 84, 93, 96, 106, 107, 108, 109,
112, 113, 125, 155, 156, 157, 162,
163, 164, 165, 172

198

Automatic, 63
Manual, 64
Upper and Lower Limits, 65, 92
Range Rings (Map Data option), 157
Reset Options, 54, 79, 82, 111, 118, 166
Reset Water Distance, 79
Route, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 21, 22, 23, 28,
29, 45, 56, 79, 95, 97, 101, 104, 126,
128, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138,
139, 146, 154, 166
Create and Save, 134
Delete, 137
Navigate, 138, 139

Text Boxes (Customize Display), 85, 87,
103
Track Smoothing, 166, 170, 171
Trail, 5, 7, 11, 39, 45, 47, 56, 79, 101,
104, 105, 106, 107, 112, 119, 122,
123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 140,
141, 154, 158, 165, 166, 170, 171,
172, 173
Delete, 140
Delete All, 171
Edit Name, 140
Flash on Screen, 171
Navigate, 125
New Trail, 124, 173
Update Criteria, 172
Update Rate, 172
Transducer, 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 13, 14, 15, 16,
17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26,
27, 28, 29, 36, 37, 38, 39, 41, 51, 57,
64, 71, 77, 78, 79, 80, 83, 84, 90, 95,
96, 97, 149
Mounting, 17
Trip Calculator, 46, 101, 141
Trip Down Timer, 141
Trip Up Timer, 141

S
Satellite Search, 146
Searching, 2, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117,
118, 119, 122, 131, 175, 176, 177,
178, 179, 180, 181, 182, 183, 184,
185, 186, 187, 188, 189
Addresses, 175
By Cursor, 178
Highway Exits, 179
POIs, 181
Streets, 183, 184, 185, 186
Waypoints, 187
Sensitivity, 26, 52, 53, 54, 69, 70, 78,
81, 82, 85, 97
Set Local Time, 146, 168
Simulator, 6, 56, 74, 88, 89, 90, 153,
154, 155, 175
Software Version Information, 169
Sonar Chart Color Mode, 70
FishReveal, 69
Sonar Chart Display Options, 83, 84, 85,
86, 87
Sonar Menu, 53, 57, 75, 78, 82, 91
Sonar Operation
Quick Reference, 51
Sounds, 170
Speed Sensors, 4, 28, 29, 30, 61, 79, 85
Status Menu, 147
Stop Chart, 90, 91
Sun/Moon Rise & Set Calculator, 141
Surface Clarity, 91, 92

U
Units of Measure, 173, 174
Upper and Lower Limits, 65, 66, 92
Utilities, 43, 46, 99, 101, 141

W
WAAS, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 30, 47, 103, 169
Waypoints, 3, 5, 7, 10, 39, 44, 45, 47,
56, 79, 89, 100, 101, 104, 105, 106,
112, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119,
120, 122, 126, 127, 128, 132, 133,
134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 142,
143, 144, 145, 146, 150, 151, 152,
153, 154, 155, 158, 159, 166, 168,
172, 175, 178, 179, 181, 182, 187,
188, 189
Delete, 142
Edit, 142
Search, 187
Select, 143

T
Temperature Sensors, 17, 28, 83

199

136, 156
Auto Zoom, 155
Zoom Bar, 92
Zoom Pan, 93

Z
Zooming, 4, 5, 44, 51, 83, 88, 92, 93, 96,
100, 106, 107, 112, 113, 125, 135,

200

Notes

201

Notes

202

LOWRANCE DATABASES LICENSE AGREEMENT
THIS IS A LEGAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE END-USER WHO FIRST
PURCHASES THIS PRODUCT AS A CONSUMER ITEM FOR PERSONAL,
FAMILY, OR HOUSEHOLD USE ("YOU") AND LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS,
INC., THE MANUFACTURER OF THIS PRODUCT ("WE", "OUR", OR "US").
USING THE PRODUCT ACCOMPANIED BY THIS LICENSE AGREEMENT
CONSTITUTES ACCEPTANCE OF THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS. IF
YOU DO NOT ACCEPT ALL TERMS AND CONDITIONS, PROMPTLY RETURN THE PRODUCT WITHIN 30 DAYS OF PURCHASE. PLEASE RETURN USING THE ENCLOSED UPS SHIPPING LABEL AND INCLUDE:
PROOF OF PURCHASE, NAME, ADDRESS, AND PHONE NUMBER. YOUR
PURCHASE PRICE AND ANY APPLICABLE TAXES WILL BE REFUNDED.
PLEASE ALLOW 4-6 WEEKS TO PROCESS YOUR REFUND.

1. This License Agreement applies to the one or more databases that
your product may contain. We refer to these singly as a "Database"
and together as the "Databases." Your product may thus include the
"WBS Database" which contains worldwide background surface
mapping data, the "SmartMap Database" which contains inland
mapping data, or other Databases.
2. The Databases that your product may contain are licensed, not sold.
We grant to you the nonexclusive, nonassignable right to use these
Databases for supplemental navigation reference purposes, but only
as long as you comply with the terms and conditions of this License
Agreement. We reserve the right to terminate this license if you
violate any aspect of this License Agreement. You are responsible for
using official government charts and prudent navigation for safe
travel.
3. The Databases housed in your product are protected by the copyright notices appearing on the product or its screen(s). You may
NOT modify, adapt, translate, reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, rent, lease, or resell any Database, and you may NOT create
derivative works based upon any Database or its contents. Any unauthorized reproduction, use, or transfer of a Database may be a
crime and may subject you to damages and attorney fees.
4. This License Agreement will terminate immediately without prior
notice from us if you fail to comply with or violate any of the provisions of this Agreement. Upon termination, you will promptly return
all products containing one or more Databases to us.
5. Prices and programs are subject to change without notice.
6. This License Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of
Oklahoma and comprises the complete and exclusive understanding
between you and us concerning the above subject matter.
203

DATABASES LIMITED WARRANTY
"We", "our", or "us" refers to Lowrance Electronics, Inc., the manufacturer of
this product. "You" or "your" refers to the first person who purchases the product as a consumer item for personal, family, or household use. The Databases
Limited Warranty applies to the one or more databases that your product may
contain. We refer to each of these as a "Database" or together as the "Databases." Your product may thus include the "WBS Database" which contains
worldwide background surface mapping data, the "SmartMap Database" which
contains inland mapping data, or other Databases.
We warrant to you that we have accurately compiled, processed, and reproduced the portions of the source material on which the Databases are based.
However, we are under no obligation to provide updates to the Databases, and
the data contained in the Databases may be incomplete when compared to the
source material. WE MAKE NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY OF
ANY KIND ABOUT THE ACCURACY OF THE SOURCE MATERIAL ITSELF,
INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
If there is a defect in any Database, your exclusive remedy shall be, at our option, either a refund of the price you paid for the product containing the defective Database or a replacement of such product. WE WILL NOT UNDER ANY
CIRCUMSTANCES BE LIABLE TO ANYONE FOR ANY SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR OTHER INDIRECT DAMAGE OF ANY KIND.
Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitations or exclusions may not apply to you.
This warranty does NOT apply in the following circumstances: (1) when the
product has been serviced or repaired by anyone other than us; (2) when the
product has been connected, installed, combined, altered, adjusted, or handled
in a manner other than according to the instructions furnished with the product; (3) when any serial number has been effaced, altered, or removed; or (4)
when any defect, problem, loss, or damage has resulted from any accident, misuse, negligence, or carelessness, or from any failure to provide reasonable and
necessary maintenance in accordance with the instructions of the owner’s manual for the product.
We reserve the right to make changes or improvements in our products from
time to time without incurring the obligation to install such improvements or
changes on equipment or items previously manufactured.
This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other rights
which may vary from state to state.
Your remedies under this warranty will be available so long as you can show in
a reasonable manner that the defect occurred within one (1) year from the date
of your original purchase, and we must receive your warranty claim no later
than 30 days after such 1-year period expires. Your claim must be substantiated by a dated sales receipt or sales slip.

204

LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS
FULL ONE-YEAR WARRANTY
"We," "our," or "us" refers to LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS, INC., the manufacturer of
this product. "You" or "your" refers to the first person who purchases this product as a
consumer item for personal, family or household use.
We warrant this product against defects or malfunctions in materials and workmanship,
and against failure to conform to this product's written specifications, all for one (1) year
from the date of original purchase by you. WE MAKE NO OTHER EXPRESS WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION OF ANY KIND WHATSOEVER CONCERNING THIS
PRODUCT. Your remedies under this warranty will be available so long as you can show
in a reasonable manner that any defect or malfunction in materials or workmanship, or
any non-conformity with the product's written specifications, occurred within one year
from the date of your original purchase, which must be substantiated by a dated sales
receipt or sales slip. Any such defect, malfunction, or non-conformity which occurs within
one year from your original purchase date will either be repaired without charge or be
replaced with a new product identical or reasonably equivalent to this product, at our
option, within a reasonable time after our receipt of the product. If such defect, malfunction, or non-conformity remains after a reasonable number of attempts to repair by us,
you may elect to obtain without charge a replacement of the product or a refund for the
product. THIS REPAIR, OR REPLACEMENT OR REFUND (AS JUST DESCRIBED) IS
THE EXCLUSIVE REMEDY AVAILABLE TO YOU AGAINST US FOR ANY DEFECT,
MALFUNCTION, OR NON-CONFORMITY CONCERNING THE PRODUCT OR FOR
ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE RESULTING FROM ANY OTHER CAUSE WHATSOEVER.
WE WILL NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES BE LIABLE TO ANYONE FOR ANY
SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR OTHER INDIRECT DAMAGE OF
ANY KIND.
Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitations or exclusions may not apply to you.
This warranty does NOT apply in the following circumstances: (1) when the product has
been serviced or repaired by anyone other than us; (2) when the product has been connected, installed, combined, altered, adjusted, or handled in a manner other than according to the instructions furnished with the product; (3) when any serial number has
been effaced, altered, or removed; or (4) when any defect, problem, loss, or damage has
resulted from any accident, misuse, negligence, or carelessness, or from any failure to
provide reasonable and necessary maintenance in accordance with the instructions of the
owner's manual for the product.
We reserve the right to make changes or improvements in our products from time to time
without incurring the obligation to install such improvements or changes on equipment
or items previously manufactured.
This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other rights which
may vary from state to state.
REMINDER: You must retain the sales slip or sales receipt proving the date of your
original purchase in case warranty service is ever required.

LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS
12000 E. SKELLY DRIVE, TULSA, OK 74128
(800) 324-1356

205

How to Obtain Service…
…in the USA:
We back your investment in quality products with quick, expert service
and genuine Lowrance parts. If you're in the United States and you
have technical, return or repair questions, please contact the Factory
Customer Service Department. Before any product can be returned, you
must call customer service to determine if a return is necessary. Many
times, customer service can resolve your problem over the phone without sending your product to the factory. To call us, use the following
toll-free number:

800-324-1356
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Standard Time, M-F

Lowrance Electronics may find it necessary to change or end our shipping policies, regulations, and special offers at any time. We reserve the
right to do so without notice.

…in Canada:
If you're in Canada and you have technical, return or repair questions,
please contact the Factory Customer Service Department. Before any
product can be returned, you must call customer service to determine if
a return is necessary. Many times, customer service can resolve your
problem over the phone without sending your product to the factory. To
call us, use the following toll-free number:

800-661-3983
905-629-1614 (not toll-free)
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, M-F

…outside Canada and the USA:
If you have technical, return or repair questions, contact the dealer in
the country where you purchased your unit. To locate a dealer near
you, visit our web site, www.lowrance.com and look for the Dealer Locator.

206

Accessory Ordering Information
for all countries
To order Lowrance GPS accessories such as computer cables or MMC
cards, please contact:
1) Your local marine dealer or consumer electronics store. Most quality
dealers that handle marine electronic equipment or other consumer
electronics should be able to assist you with these items.
To locate a Lowrance dealer near you, visit our web site,
www.lowrance.com and look for the Dealer Locator. Or, you can consult
your telephone directory for listings.
2) U.S. customers: LEI Extras Inc., PO Box 129, Catoosa, OK 74015-0129
Call 1-800-324-0045 or visit our web site www.lei-extras.com.
3) Canadian customers can write:
Lowrance/Eagle Canada, 919 Matheson Blvd. E. Mississauga, Ontario
L4W2R7 or fax 905-629-3118.

Shipping Information
If it becomes necessary to send a product for repair or replacement, you
must first receive a return authorization number from Customer
Service. Products shipped without a return authorization will not be
accepted. When shipping, we recommend you do the following:
1. Please do not ship the knobs or mounting bracket with your unit.
2. If you are sending a check for repair, please place your check in an
envelope and tape it to the unit.
3. For proper testing, include a brief note with the product describing
the problem. Be sure to include your name, return shipping address
and a daytime telephone number. An e-mail address is optional but
useful.
4. Pack the unit in a suitable size box with packing material to prevent
any damage during shipping.
5. Write the Return Authorization (RA) number on the outside of the
box underneath your return address.
6. For your security, you may want to insure the package through your
shipping courier. Lowrance does not assume responsibility for goods
lost or damaged in transit.

Visit our web site:

Lowrance Pub. 988-0151-181
Printed in USA 122903

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