Eagle Electronics SeaChamp 2000, FishStrike 2000 User Manual

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www.eaglesonar.com

Pub. 988-0143-811

FishStrike 2000 &

SeaChamp 2000 CDF

Fish-finding Sonars & Mapping GPS

Installation and Operation

Instructions

No part of this manual may be copied, reproduced, republished, transmitted or distributed for any purpose, without prior written consent of Eagle Electronics. Any unauthorized commercial

distribution of this manual is strictly prohibited.

Eagle IMS and NauticPaths are trademarks of LEI. Fishing Hot Spots a registered trademark of Fishing Hot Spots Inc. Navionics

is a registered trademark of LEI. MapCreate, FreedomMaps,



is a



registered trademark of Navionics, Inc.

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

Eagle 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: SeaChamp 2000 CDF shown. Other models covered in the manual are similar.

For free owner's manuals and the most current information on

this product, its operation and accessories,

visit our web site:

www.eaglesonar.com

Eagle Electronics

P.O. Box 669

Catoosa, OK USA 74015

Printed in USA.

Table of Contents

Section 1: Read Me First!........................................................ 1

Capabilities and Specifications: FishStrike 2000C & SeaChamp 2000

How Your Sonar Works ................................................................ 5

How Your GPS Works .................................................................. 5

Introduction to GPS and WAAS................................................... 7

How to use this manual................................................................ 9

Section 2: Installation & Accessories..................................11

Preparations................................................................................ 11

Transducer Installation.............................................................. 11

Recommended Tools and supplies.......................................... 12

Single-frequency transom installations ............................. 12

Dual-frequency transom installations ............................... 12

Single-frequency trolling motor installations.................... 12

Shoot-through hull installations ........................................ 12

Selecting a Transducer Location............................................ 12

How low should you go?.......................................................... 14

Shoot-thru-hull vs. Transom Mounting ................................. 15

Transom Transducer Assembly And Mounting..................... 15

Shoot-thru-hull Installation ................................................... 25

Speed/Temperature Sensors....................................................... 27

Optional Speed Sensor Installation ........................................... 28

GPS Antenna/Receiver Module Installation.............................. 30

NMEA 0183 Cable Connections ................................................. 30

Power Connections...................................................................... 31

Mounting the Unit: Bracket or In-Dash .................................... 33

MMC or SD Memory Card Installation ..................................... 36

Other Accessories........................................................................ 37

MMC and MapCreate ............................................................. 37

Section 3: Basic Sonar Operation ....................................... 39

Keyboard ..................................................................................... 39

Power/lights on and off ............................................................... 40

Main Menu .................................................................................. 41

Pages ........................................................................................... 42

Satellite Status Page .............................................................. 42

Navigation Page...................................................................... 43

Map Page................................................................................. 43

Sonar Page .............................................................................. 44

Sonar Quick Reference .......................................................... 47

Sonar Operations ........................................................................ 48

Fish Symbols vs. Full Sonar Chart ........................................ 50

Other Free Training Aids ....................................................... 50

C DF ....................................3

Section 4: Sonar Options & Other Features..................... 53

ASP (Advanced Signal Processing) ..................................... 53

Alarms ......................................................................................... 54

Depth Alarms .......................................................................... 54

Zone Alarm .............................................................................. 55

Fish Alarm............................................................................... 55

Calibrate Speed........................................................................... 56

Chart Speed................................................................................. 56

ColorLine.................................................................................. 57

Depth Cursor............................................................................... 59

Depth Range - Automatic ........................................................... 60

Depth Range - Manual ............................................................... 61

FasTrack .................................................................................. 61

Fish I.D. (Fish Symbols & Depths) ......................................... 62

FishTrack ................................................................................. 63

Frequency (Dual-Frequency Transducers only) ........................ 64

HyperScroll .............................................................................. 65

Log Sonar Chart Data ................................................................ 65

Noise Rejection............................................................................ 66

Overlay Data ............................................................................... 66

Overlay Data Style.................................................................. 69

Ping Speed & HyperScroll....................................................... 70

Reset Options .............................................................................. 72

Reset Water Distance ................................................................. 72

Set Keel Offset ............................................................................72

Sensitivity & Auto Sensitivity.................................................... 74

Sonar Chart Mode....................................................................... 75

Sonar Page & Sonar Chart Display Options ............................. 76

Full Sonar Chart ..................................................................... 76

Split Zoom Sonar Chart.......................................................... 77

Split Frequency Sonar Chart ................................................. 77

Digital Data Display ............................................................... 78

Customize Page Displays ........................................................... 79

Map With Sonar Split Screen................................................. 80

Sonar Simulator.......................................................................... 80

Stop Chart ................................................................................... 82

Surface Clarity............................................................................ 82

Zoom & Zoom Bar ....................................................................... 83

Zoom Pan..................................................................................... 84

Section 5: Sonar Troubleshooting ....................................... 85

Section 6: Basic GPS Operations ......................................... 89

Keyboard ..................................................................................... 89

Power/lights on and off ............................................................... 90

Main Menu .................................................................................. 91

Pages ........................................................................................... 92

Sonar Page .............................................................................. 92

Satellite Status Page .............................................................. 92

Navigation Page...................................................................... 94

Map Page................................................................................. 95

GPS Quick Reference................................................................ 100

Find Your Current Position...................................................... 101

Moving Around the Map: Zoom & Cursor Arrow Keys........... 101

Selecting Any Map Item with the Cursor................................ 102

Searching................................................................................... 102

Set a Waypoint.......................................................................... 104

Navigate To a Waypoint ........................................................... 106

Set Man Overboard (MOB) Waypoint...................................... 107

Navigate Back to MOB Waypoint ............................................ 107

Navigate to Cursor Position on Map........................................ 108

Navigate to a Point of Interest................................................. 109

Creating and Saving a Trail..................................................... 110

Displaying a Saved Trail .......................................................... 111

Navigating Trails...................................................................... 112

Visual Trailing ...................................................................... 112

Navigate a Trail .................................................................... 112

Transfer Custom Maps and GPS Data Files ........................... 114

Custom Maps ........................................................................ 114

GPS Data files:...................................................................... 115

Cancel Navigation..................................................................... 116

Section 7: Advanced GPS Operations............................... 117

Find Distance from Current Position ...................................... 117

Find Distance from Point to Point ........................................... 117

Icons........................................................................................... 117

Create Icon on Map............................................................... 118

Create Icon at Current Position ........................................... 118

Delete an Icon ....................................................................... 118

Navigate to an Icon............................................................... 119

Routes........................................................................................ 119

Create and Save a Route ......................................................120

Delete a Route ....................................................................... 122

Edit a Route .......................................................................... 122

Navigate a Route................................................................... 123

Navigate a Route in Reverse ................................................ 124

Trails ......................................................................................... 124

Delete a Trail ........................................................................ 124

Edit a Trail Name ................................................................. 124

iii

Edit a Trail Color .................................................................. 125

Edit a Trail Pattern .............................................................. 125

Utilities...................................................................................... 126

Alarm Clock........................................................................... 126

Sun/Moon Rise & Set Calculator.......................................... 126

Trip Calculator...................................................................... 126

Trip Down Timer................................................................... 126

Trip Up Timer ....................................................................... 126

Waypoints.................................................................................. 126

Delete a Waypoint................................................................. 126

Edit a Waypoint (Name, Symbol, Position) ......................... 126

Selecting a Waypoint ............................................................ 127

Set a Waypoint by Average Position .................................... 127

Set a Waypoint by Projecting a Position.............................. 128

Section 8 System & GPS Setup Options ........................... 129

Alarms ....................................................................................... 129

Auto Satellite Search................................................................ 130

Check MMC Files and Storage Space...................................... 130

Communications Port Configuration ....................................... 131

Configure NMEA ...................................................................... 131

Coordinate System Selection.................................................... 132

Map Fix ..................................................................................... 133

Customize Page Displays ......................................................... 134

GPS Simulator .......................................................................... 135

Simulating Trail or Route Navigation ................................. 136

Hide GPS Features ................................................................... 137

Initialize GPS............................................................................ 137

Map Auto Zoom......................................................................... 137

Map Data................................................................................... 138

Earth Map Detail .................................................................. 138

Pop-up Map Info.................................................................... 138

Draw Map Boundaries.......................................................... 138

Fill Water with White........................................................... 139

Trackline Extension.............................................................. 139

Presentation Mode ................................................................ 139

Safety Contour ......................................................................139

Map Overlays (Range Rings; Lat/Long Grid) ...................... 139

Map Datum Selection ............................................................... 140

Map Detail Category Selection................................................. 141

Map Orientation ....................................................................... 141

Navionics



Charts..................................................................... 142

Display a Navionics chart:.................................................... 142

Port Information ...................................................................143

Tidal Current Information ................................................... 144

Tide Information ................................................................... 146

Overlay Data ............................................................................. 148

Overlay Data Style ................................................................... 151

Pop-up Help............................................................................... 154

Reset Options ............................................................................ 155

Screen Contrast and Brightness .............................................. 155

Set Language ............................................................................ 156

Set Local Time .......................................................................... 157

Show WAAS Alarm................................................................... 158

Software Version Information.................................................. 158

Sounds and Alarm Sound Styles.............................................. 158

Track Smoothing....................................................................... 159

Trail Options ............................................................................. 160

Delete All Trails .................................................................... 160

Update Trail Option.............................................................. 160

Update Trail Criteria (Auto, Time, Distance) ................. 161

Trail Update Rate (Time, Distance)................................. 161

Specific Trail Options........................................................ 161

Delete Trail ........................................................................... 161

New Trail............................................................................... 162

Units of Measure....................................................................... 162

Sec. 9: Searching...................................................................165

Find Addresses.......................................................................... 165

Find Any Item Selected by Map Cursor .................................. 168

Find Interstate Highway Exits ................................................ 168

Find Map Places or Points of Interest (POI) ...........................171

Find Streets or Intersections.................................................... 173

Find Waypoints......................................................................... 177

Sec. 10: Supplemental Material Datums ..........................179

A CAREFUL NAVIGATOR NEVER RELIES ON ONLY ONE METHOD TO OBTAIN POSITION INFORMATION.

WARNING!

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.

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.

CAUTION

WARNING!

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 combination fish finder and GPS receiver.

First, we want to thank you for buying an Eagle 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. With a full recording capability and remarkable resolution, you won't find another combination sonar and GPS 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 you don't have to read the whole thing from front to back to find 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. The first section is an introduction to the FishStrike GPS units. 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 also show you how to install the MultiMedia Card (MMC) and give you some information on available accessories.

Section 3 covers Basic Sonar Operation. It will show you how easy it is to run your 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 47 and head for the water with your unit!)

2000c and SeaChamp 2000C DF sonar/



sonar/GPS unit.

After you've gained some experience with your sonar, you'll want to check out Section 4, which discusses advanced Sonar Options and Other Features. When you come to a sonar menu command on the unit's screen, you can look it up in the manual by skimming over the table of contents, 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 one-

page GPS Quick Reference on page 100

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 the unit's many advanced navigation features. That brings us to Section 7, Advanced GPS Operations. This section contains the rest of the unit's GPS command functions, organized in alphabetical order. When you come to a GPS menu command on the screen, you can look it up in the manual by skimming over the table of contents, flipping through Section 6, or scanning through the command portion of Section 7.

This unit is ready to use right out of the box, but you can fine tune and customize its 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 the unit'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 its own section in the manual! For example, did you know your unit can look up business phone numbers, like 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, warranties and customer service information. Now, if you're into the fine details, glance over the next segment on specifications to see 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 it can store, skip ahead to important information on how sonar works, on page 5. (Background on GPS begins on page 5.)

Capabilities and Specifications: FishStrike 2000C & SeaChamp 2000

Display:............................ 6.4" VGA color LCD".

Resolution:...................... 640 pixel x 480 pixel resolution.

Backlighting:.................. Fluorescent cold cathode backlit screen with

Input power:................... 10 to 15 volts DC.

Current drain: ............... Sonar only: 500 ma lights off; 600 ma lights

Case size:......................... 7.3" H x 9.6" W x 3.7" D (18.5 x 24.4 x 9.4

MMC slots: ...................... Two in waterproof compartment (SD card

Back-up memory: .......... Built-in memory stores sonar records and

Languages:...................... 10; menu languages selectable by user.

Frequency:...................... Depending on transducer, either 50/200 kHz

Transducers: .................... Skimmer

Transmitter: ................... Dual-frequency: 8,000 watts peak-to-

Sonar sounding

Depth capability:........... Dual-frequency: 3,000 feet (915 meters).

C DF

General

multiple lighting levels; backlit keypad.

on. With GPS and lights on: 700 ma.

cm); sealed and waterproof; suitable for saltwater use.

compatible).

GPS data for decades. User settings are stored when unit is turned off.

Sonar

dual-frequency (SeaChamp 2000C DF only) or 200 kHz single-frequency.



transducer with built-in

temperature sensor available. Use either a dual-frequency transducer with 35°/12° cone angles (SeaChamp 2000C DF only) or a singlefrequency transducer with a 20° cone angle. Both transducers operate at speeds up to 70 mph (61 kts).

peak/1 kW RMS (SeaChamp 2000C DF). Single-frequency: 3,000 watts peak-topeak/375 watts RMS (FishStrike 2000C).

Single-frequency: 1,000 feet (305 meters). Actual capability depends on transducer configuration and installation, bottom composition and water conditions.

Depth display:................ Continuous display.

Graph recording: .......... Up to 1 GB 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.

GPS

Receiver/antenna:......... External; EGC 12 parallel channel

GPS/WAAS.

Recording:........................ MMC & SD memory cards for recording GPS

trip details and displaying charts or custom maps.

Background map:.......... Built-in custom, detailed Eagle 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.

Custom mapping: .......... MapCreate



6 software optional; optional

plug and play LEI FreedomMaps offer the same high-detail without the computer work of MapCreate. Other plug and play mapping options include Fishing Hot Spots Elite NauticPaths charts and Navionics



, LEI



charts.

Mapping memory: ......... Up to 1 GB 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.

Symbols for waypoints

and event marker:......... 42.

Routes:............................. 100; up to 100 waypoints per route.

Plot Trails: ...................... 10 savable; up to 9,999 points per trail.

Zoom range:.................... 37 ranges; 0.05 to 4,000 miles.

NOTE:

The memory capacities refer only to the unit'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 and operation temperature range for your unit is from 4 degrees to +167 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 degrees to +75 degrees Celsius). Extended storage or operation 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 Your 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 underwater basics.

Sonar is an abbreviation for SOund NA technology developed during World War II for tracking enemy submarines. A sonar consists of a transmitter, transducer, receiver and display. Here’s an explanation of how it finds the bottom and the fish.

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 sonar unit 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 Eagle web site, www.eaglesonar.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 are only limited by the free space available on your MMC.

vigation and Ranging, a

How Your GPS Works

You'll navigate faster and easier if you understand how this unit 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 11. If you're new to GPS, read on, and you can later impress your friends with your new-found knowledge.)

First, think of your unit as a small but powerful computer. (But don't worry — we made the 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 it what to do. The screen also lets the unit 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 unit listens to signals from as many satellites as it can "see" above the horizon, eliminates the weakest signals, then computes its location in relation to those satellites. Once it figures its latitude and longitude, the unit 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 every unit 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 its contents and differences in Section 6, Basic GPS Operations, on page 89.

Another portion of the unit'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 other Eagle GPS or sonar/GPS units and even personal computers.

Your unit has one more thing in common with a personal computer. Just as computers have a floppy disk drive for storing and exchanging

files, this unit 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 1 GB in size. (Compare that to a floppy disk's 1.44 MB capacity!) The unit uses all that MMC space for two key GPS purposes. (The MMC is also used to record sonar logs. See page 5

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 the unit's memory. (NOTE: No matter where they come from, GPS Data Files must be loaded from the MMC into memory before the unit can use them.)

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 other Eagle 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 unit and the hand-held iFINDER GPS receiver.)

The unit automatically reads Custom Map Files directly from the MMC or SD card. 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 the unit does its work. You might be ready to jump ahead to Section 2, Installation & Accessories, on page 11, 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

9. 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, 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 at least four satellites are in view nearly anywhere on Earth at all times.

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 and even your body.

Like most GPS receivers, this unit 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 all are calculated from position information. Therefore, in order for the unit 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 is plenty accurate for route navigation, but the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has special needs for aircraft traffic control that go beyond basic GPS. The FAA has a plan under way to boost GPS performance even further with its Wide Area Augmentation System, or WAAS. This GPS add-on will include a time control element that will help airliners fly closer together while avoiding collisions. In addition to carefully spacing airplanes along travel corridors, WAAS will eventually make instrument landings and takeoffs more accurate as it replaces existing aviation navigation systems.

Non-aviators can use WAAS signals to make their GPS navigation even more accurate. Your unit receives both GPS and WAAS signals. WAAS, however, has some limits you should know about.

First, the U.S. government has not completed construction of the WAAS system, so it is not yet fully operational. The ground stations are in place, but only a few of the needed WAAS satellites have been launched.

WAAS can boost 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 frequently 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. But remember this receiver is only a tool. Always have another method of navigation available, such as a map or chart and a compass.

Also remember 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. 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. 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 also help you move around the menus so you can execute different commands. They are represented by symbols like these, which denote

the down arrow, up arrow, left arrow and 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. 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 this unit 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

2. Press ↓ to Trail 1|

ENT|→|↓ to NAVIGATE|ENT.

MENU|MENU|↓ to MY TRAILS|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 unit's directions.

Translated into complete English, step 1 above means: "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 means: "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."

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. Connect the cables to the unit and mount the unit on the bracket.

Transducer Installation



These instructions will help you install your Skimmer 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.

transducer on a

Read these instructions carefully before attempting the installation. Determine which of the mounting positions is right for your boat. Use extreme care if mounting the transducer inside the hull, because once the epoxy is applied and it is set into position, the transducer cannot be removed. Remember, transducer installation is the most critical

part of a sonar installation.

Recommended Tools and supplies

If you prefer the option of routing the cable through the transom, you will need a 5/8" drill bit. (If you intend to install an additional speed or temp sensor and route its cable through the same hole in the transom, you will need a 1" (25.4 mm) drill bit to accommodate all the cables.) A transom mount requires use of a high quality, marine grade above- or below-waterline sealing compound.

NOTE

The following installation types also call for these recommended tools and required supplies (supplies 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 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°

Left, vee pad hull; right, vee hull. A pod style transducer is shown here,

Pad

but the principle is the same for Skimmers inside a hull.

Strakes

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.

Transom

centerline

CAUTION: Clamp the

location

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

Poor angle

Good and poor transducer locations.

Good location

How low should you go?

For most situations, you should install your Skimmer transducer so its centerline is level with the bottom of the boat hull. This will usually give you the best combination of smooth water flow and protection from bangs and bumps.

Transducer

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.

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.

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

positions

Transducer

Transducer bracket

Insert and align ratchets.

Alignment letters

Trans

ducer

bracket

Transducer

Ratchet

Add ratchets to bracket and transducer.

Ratchet

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.

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

Flat washer

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.

Bolt

Flat washer

Assemble transducer and bracket.

Lock washer

Nut

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

Nut

Rubber washers

Assemble transducer and bracket.

washer

Metal washer

Bolt

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).

Transom

Position transducer mount on transom and mark mounting holes.

Side view shown (left) and seen from above (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 (left) and seen from above (right).

Both bracket types: Attach the transducer to the transom. Slide the

Flat-bottom hull

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 caulking compound.

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

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, 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 5/8".

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 mounting screws.

7. Make a test run to determine the results. If the bottom is lost at

Flat washer

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. Be careful not to install the transducer bracket 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.)

TMB-S bracket

Bolt

Internal tooth washer

Nut

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.

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.

Fill with resin

Flotation material

Epoxy to hull first

Epoxy the transducer to a solid portion of the hull.

Fill with resin

Inner hull

Outer 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.

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.

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

True bottom

(high speed)

Shoot-thru-hull transducer locations for

high speed or trolling speed operation.

Transducer location

(trolling speed)

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.

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.

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 22.

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

the bow of the boat.

Sand this surface (unit's face)

Orient the Skimmer with the nose facing

To bow

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.

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

This unit can accept as many as two temperature sensors, which can be used to monitor the temperature of surface water, a live well or some other location. These units can also accept an optional speed sensor for showing speed and distance traveled. However, you can only use one accessory at a time. If you would like to use a speed sensor and a second temperature sensor at the same time, you will need a combination device.

NOTE:

This unit is packed with a transducer containing a built-in temp sensor. The SeaChamp package also includes a speed sensor. If you have a FishStrike 2000c and want a speed sensor or additional temp sensor, see the Accessory Ordering Information in the back of this manual.

If a second temp sensor is used, it must be the model TS-2U. This model has a fixed electronic "address" which designates it as the second of two temp sensors. Dual temperatures are only displayed on the Full Chart page. The Large Digital page will only display the primary temperature sensor. See the following wiring diagram for temperature and speed sensor combinations.

Accessory

Blank

socket

GPS socket

Sonar/GPS unit,

rear view

Sonar/power socket

Optional

temp sensor

Optional speed or combination speed/temp sensor

GPS

antenna

module

Cable connections.

Power/transducer cable

Black wire

Temp sensor built into transducer

Red wire with

3 amp fuse

12 volt

battery

Optional Speed Sensor Installation

All the units in this series can display speed and distance traveled, but only the SeaChamp 2000 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, 5/8" 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 aboveor below-waterline caulking compound.

C DF comes packed with a speed sensor. If you

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.

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 sealing compound 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.

If the base of the transom has a radius, fill the gap between the transom and the sensor with the sealing compound. This will help ensure a smooth water flow.

Transom

Bottom of hull

Speed sensor mounting configuration:

side view (left) and rear view (right.)

Bottom of hull

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 5/8".

Caution:

The sensor is now ready for use. Connect the sensor to the accessory socket on the back of your unit. If you have any questions concerning the installation of the sensor, please contact your local boat dealer.

GPS Antenna/Receiver Module Installation

The FishStrike 2000c and SeaChamp 2000C DF packages include the EGC-12w 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 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.

EGC-12w 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, route the cable to the unit, plug it in the center socket on the back and your system is ready to use. See the module's instruction sheet, publication part number 988-0148-371, for complete installation directions.

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.

NMEA 0183 Cable Connections

NMEA 0183 is a standard communications format for marine electronic equipment. For example, an autopilot can connect to the NMEA interface on the unit and receive positioning information. The unit is capable of exchanging information with any device that transmits or receives NMEA 0183 data. This feature requires an optional accessory cable.

NMEA Wiring

To exchange NMEA data, the unit has one NMEA 0183 version 2.0 communication port. Com port one (Com-1) can be used to receive NMEA format GPS data. The com port can also transmit NMEA format GPS data to another device.

The optional data cable will contain three wires. Com-1 uses the yellow

Yellow (Transmit)

wire to transmit, the orange wire to receive and the shield wire for signal ground.

Orange (Receive) NMEA Transmit

Com-1 to your unit

Com-1 wiring to transmit NMEA position information

Shield (Ground)

Com-1 wiring to receive NMEA position information

from some other GPS receiver.

Shield (Ground)

to another NMEA-compatible device.

Ground

NMEA Receive

Ground

To Other

GPS Receiver

To Other

Device

Read your other product’s owner’s manual for more wiring information.

Power Connections

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,

3-amp fuse

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. Make sure to attach the inline fuse holder to the red lead as close to the power source as possible.

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

Transducer

Power connections for FishStrike 2000c and SeaChamp 2000C DF

sonar/GPS units.

Optional power off switch for saltwater installations

Red wire with

Black wire

12 volt battery

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.

Mounting the Unit: Bracket or In-Dash

You can install the unit on top of a dash with the 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.)

244

[9.58]

185

[7.34]

37.1

[1.37]

[3.61]

Millimeter

[Inch]

Front view (left) and side view (right) showing dimensions of the

sonar/GPS unit when mounted on gimbal bracket.

56.9

[2.24]

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.

Cable hole

Screw mounting hole

Front

Install the gimbal bracket. Place the bracket so the arms slope toward

the front of your unit.

Once a location is determined, use the bracket as a template and mark the mounting holes and the hole for the cables. Drill a 1-inch (25.4 mm)

hole in the dash for the power, transducer and antenna cables. Screw the bracket to the mounting surface.

To pass all connectors through the 1" hole, first pass the transducer connector up through the hole from under the dash, followed by the antenna connector and any accessory cables. Next, 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. No matter what type of installation you prefer, be sure to leave enough slack in the cables to allow tilting or swiveling the unit.

Attach the unit to the gimbal bracket using the supplied gimbal knobs and washers. Attach the cables and the unit is ready to use.

In-Dash Installation

You can mount the unit in the dash with an optional FM-3 In-Dash Adapter Kit. The kit includes mounting hardware and a template for cutting the hole.

In-dash mounting template for this unit, showing dimensions.

NOTE: The figure above is not printed to scale.

MMC or SD Memory Card Installation

Your unit uses MultiMedia Cards to store information, such as sonar logs, custom maps, waypoints, trails and other data. The unit can also use Secure Digital Cards (SD card) to store data. The unit can use up to two cards; a MMC and a SD card can be used at the same time.

NOTE

Throughout this manual, we will use the term MMC, but just remember your unit can use an MMC or SD card to store data.

Both of these solid-state flash memory devices are about the size of a postage stamp. A SD card is slightly thicker than a MMC. MMCs are available in storage capacities of 8 MB, 16 MB, 32 MB, 64 MB, 128 MB and higher. SD cards are available in capacities of 8 MB, 16 MB, 32 MB, 64 MB, 128 MB, 256 MB and 1 GB.

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 drawer is located on the front of the case. To install an MMC, twist the drawer retainer counter-clockwise and pull.

The drawer will come out of the unit. Place the MMC in the drawer face down (see following figures.)

Insert cards face down

Drawer retainer

Memory card drawer on the FishStrike 2000 and SeaChamp 2000.

Slide the drawer back into the unit and twist the retainer clockwise. The MMC is now ready for use.

Other Accessories

MMC and MapCreate

Other available accessories include MMC cards, MMC card readers and MapCreate™ 6 custom mapping software for your computer. MMC card readers are available in USB versions.

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

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.

Now that you have your unit installed, move on to Sec. 3, Basic Sonar Operations. In Sec. 3 we'll present a series of step-by-step tutorials to teach you the basics of your sonar operation.

NOTE:

When you first turn the unit on, the Map Page appears. If you'd rather start learning about GPS operation first, turn to Sec. 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.)

Notes

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 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 47.

Keyboard

MMC drawer

FishStrike 2000 sonar/GPS unit, front view, showing sonar screen,

keyboard and access door for the MMC compartment.

1. PWR/LIGHT (Power & Light) – The PWR key turns the unit on and off and activates the backlight.

9 7

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.

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, enter data and move the map and sonar chart cursors.

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 and close menus.

7. WPT – (Waypoint) The Waypoint key is not only used to save, recall and search for waypoints, but also provides access to the waypoint list. It launches the Point-of-Interest (POI) search menus and is involved in some navigation functions.

8. ZOUT – (Zoom Out) – This key lets you zoom out the sonar display. On the Sonar Page, it returns you to a full sonar chart display, showing the entire water column from surface to bottom. On the Map Page, the

ZOUT key allows you to see a larger geographic area. Less detail is seen

as you zoom out.

9. ZIN – (Zoom In) – This key lets you zoom in on the sonar display. On the Sonar Page, it enlarges fish signals and bottom detail. On the Map Page, zooming in lets you see greater detail in a smaller geographic area.

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

To turn on the backlight, press PWR again. The unit has three backlight levels. Repeatedly pressing

PWR will cycle through the backlight

settings.

Turn off the unit by depressing the

PWR key for 3 seconds.

PAGES|→|EXIT.

Main Menu

The unit has a Main Menu, which contains some function and setup 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 unit will work fine right out of the box with the factory default settings. But, if you want to 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 display, press "press the Menu key twice." See a full explanation of our instruction text formatting on page 9, Instructions = Menu Sequences.)

MENU|MENU. To clear the menu screen and return to the page

EXIT. (Remember, our text style for MENU|MENU means

Main Menu.

The Main Menu commands and their functions are:

Screen: changes the contrast or brightness of the display.

Sounds: enables or disables the sounds for key strokes and alarms and

sets the alarm style.

Alarms: turns GPS alarms on or off and changes alarm thresholds.

Route Planning: used to plan, view or navigate a route.

My Trails: shows, creates and deletes plot trails. Also used to navigate

or backtrack a trail.

Cancel Navigation: ends navigation. Used to stop navigating after you have reached your destination.

Sonar Setup: sets various sonar options.

GPS Setup: sets various GPS receiver options.

System Setup: sets general configuration options.

Sun/Moon Calculations: finds the rising and setting time of the sun

and the moon.

Trip Calculator: shows trip status and statistics.

Timers: controls the up timer, down timer and alarm clock settings.

Browse MMC Files: this allows you to view the installed MMC card

and the files it contains.

Pages

The unit has four Page displays for 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 or ← to select a Page. (Clear the Pages Menu by pressing

PAGES key, then using →

EXIT.)

Pages Menu showing 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

STATUS. (Clear the Pages Menu by pressing EXIT.)

PAGES key, then use → or ← to select

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 indicate that satellite lock has been lost and no position is confirmed.

WARNING:

Do not begin navigating with this unit until the numbers have stopped flashing!

Satellite Status Page.

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 (left); navigation with sonar (right).

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.

Map Page, showing position on Bull Shoals Lake, Arkansas. The full

map option (left). Map with sonar option (right).

Map Page is the default screen that appears when you turn on the unit. To get to the Map Page from another page: Press

MAP|EXIT.

PAGES| → or ← to

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 select

SONAR. (Clear the Pages Menu by pressing EXIT.) The Pages Menu

PAGES key, then use → or ← to

offers four chart display options under the Sonar Page category. To access them, press

PAGES|← or→ to SONAR|↓ to Option Name|EXIT.

The Sonar Page has its own menu, which is used for 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.

Full Sonar Chart display (left); Sonar Page in split zoom mode (right).

Split frequency sonar display (left) with digital data display(right).

Digital data overlay (depth & temperature)

Fish arches

Structure

Surface signal

Bottom signal

Sonar Page showing full sonar chart mode.

Surface clutter

Depth scale

In FasTrack, fish arches show as horizontal bars.

Zoom bar

FasTrack

bar graph

You can customize how the Sonar Page displays its pictures and other data. Your unit 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 the 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.

FishStrike 2000 and SeaChamp 2000C DF

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 11.)

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 to

the 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 Zoom out to return to full chart mode: press

ZIN.

ZOUT.

7. Watch the display for the appearance of fish arches. When you see 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 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 ↓ 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 to receive 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.

10. To turn off the unit, press and hold the

PWR key for three seconds.

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. 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 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 this 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 this 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.)

Sonar Menu with Sensitivity command selected (left). The Sensitivity

Control Bar (right).

NOTE:

If you want to change sensitivity in Manual Mode, first turn off Auto Sensitivity. From the Sonar Page, press

SENSITIVITY|ENT|↑ to SENSITIVITY|ENT. Press ↓ or ↑ to pick a different

sensitivity setting. When it's set at the desired level, press

MENU|↓ to AUTO

EXIT.

Important Tip:

While you are experimenting and learning, it's possible to scramble the settings so the sonar picture disappears from your screen. If that happens, remember it's easy to switch back to full automatic operation by simply restoring the factory 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 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 fish signal return. However, locating a fish via symbol has some limitations.

Your sonar unit's microprocessor is remarkably powerful, but can be fooled. Some of the echoes displayed as 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 downrigger was pulled up, it brought up several small jellyfish. The fisherman switched their Eagle sonar to Fish I.D., which screened out the schools of jellyfish and clearly showed the game fish as fish symbols.

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.eaglesonar.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 operations 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 an Eagle sonar product. Features include:

• Adjustable range, zoom, sensitivity, Colorline, noise rejection,

surface clarity, etc. of the recorded file.

• 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

• Windows 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!

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.

SeaChamp 2000C DF

A free training emulator is available for your unit at

www.eaglesonar.com.

The emulator works exactly like your real sonar/GPS unit. It allows you to play back sonar logs, run GPS routes and trails and even create real waypoints you can use in the field! You can also 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 possible display 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. If, however, you are having trouble with noise, we suggest you take steps to find the interference source and fix it, rather than continually using the unit with a 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.

Sonar Menu with Sonar Features selected (left). The Sonar Features

menu (right), Noise Rejection selected with ASP at default low setting.

To change the ASP level:

1. From the Sonar Page, press

2. Press

3. Press ↓ or ↑ to select a setting, then press ENT.

4. To return to the previous page, press

→ then ↓ to NOISE REJECTION|ENT.

MENU|↓ to SONAR FEATURES|ENT.

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 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 the 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 enters water more shallow 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 you steer your boat into water deeper than 10 feet.

The deep alarm sounds a warning tone if the bottom depth is deeper than the alarm's setting. Both depth alarms work off digital bottom depth signals. No other targets will trip the alarms. These alarms can be used at the same time or individually.

Sonar Alarms command (left); The Sonar Alarms menu (right).

To adjust and turn on the shallow alarm:

2. Press

3. Press

→ to SHALLOW ALARM DEPTH|ENT.

↑ 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

ENT.

4. Press ← to SHALLOW ALARM ENABLED|ENT|EXIT|EXIT|EXIT.

To adjust and turn on the deep alarm:

2. Press

3. Press

↓ to DEEP ALARM ENABLED|→ to DEEP ALARM DEPTH|ENT.

↑ 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

ENT.

4. Press ← to

DEEP ALARM ENABLED|ENT|EXIT|EXIT|EXIT.

Zone Alarm

The zone alarm is triggered when any echo passes inside the alarm bar zone, shown on the right side of the screen.

To adjust and turn on the zone alarm:

2. Press ↓ to

ZONE ALARM ENABLED|→ to ADJUST ZONE|ENT.

Sonar Alarms menu, with Adjust Zone command selected (left); Adjust

Zone Alarm selection box, with Upper Limit selected (right).

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

LOWER, then press ↑ or ↓ to move the bottom of the bar to the desired

← or→ to select

depth.

5. Press

echo — fish, structure or the bottom — within the zone alarm's depth range will trigger the zone alarm.

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 checkbox

is blank, indicating the alarm is turned off.

To turn the fish alarm on:

2. Press

↓ to FISH ALARM|ENT|EXIT|EXIT|EXIT.

Calibrate Speed

The speed sensor can be calibrated to compensate for inaccuracies. Before you change the setting, calculate the percentage the speed is off. 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. When you compare your 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 correct figure, here's how to enter it:

1. Press

SPEED|ENT.

2. Enter the number you calculated earlier: press first character (+ or –), then press number and repeat until the percentage is correct, then press

MENU|MENU|↓ to SONAR SETUP|ENT|↓ to CALIBRATE WATER

↑ or ↓ to change the

→ to move the cursor to the next

EXIT.

Chart Speed

The rate echoes scroll across the screen is called chart speed. The default is maximum. We recommend you leave the setting there for virtually all fishing conditions.

You, however, might consider experimenting with chart speed when you are stationary or drifting very slowly. You sometimes may achieve better images if you slow the chart speed to match how fast you are moving across the water.

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.

Sonar Page menu with Chart Speed command selected (left).

The Chart Speed Control Bar (right).

If you 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 or ↑ to increase chart speed.

3. When it's set at the desired level, press

EXIT.

ColorLine

ColorLine lets you distinguish between strong and weak echoes. It "paints" a brighter color on targets that return a stronger signal. 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, colored line (dark blue tinged with red or a little yellow.) Since fish are among the weakest echoes, they show up mostly as blue arches. A hard bottom or other relatively hard target returns a strong signal displayed as a wide, brightly colored line (reddish yellow to bright yellow.)

If you have two signals of equal size, one with a red to yellow color and the other without, then the target with brighter color (yellow) is the stronger signal. This helps distinguish weeds from trees on the bottom, or fish from structure.

ColorLine is adjustable. Experiment with your unit to find the ColorLine setting that's best for you.

Sonar Page menu with ColorLine command selected (left);.

The ColorLine control bar (right).

To adjust the ColorLine level:

1. From the Sonar Page, press

MENU|↓ to COLORLINE|ENT.

2. The ColorLine Control Bar appears. Press ↓ to decrease ColorLine or ↑ to increase Colorline.

3. When it's set at the desired level, press

EXIT.

Fig. 1A

Fig. 1B

Fig. 2A

Fig. 3A

Colorline

Hard

structure

Fig. 2B

Hard

bottom

Fig. 3B

Fish near structure

Colorline

Muddy

bottom

Muddy

bottom

Hard

bottom

ColorLine

The "A" figures to the left show locations with ColorLine set at the

default level of 70 percent. The "B" figures on the right show the same

locations with ColorLine increased to 84 percent. In Figure 1B, no fish

are near the left structure, but the display shows fish holding next to the

structure on the right.

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.

Cursor line

Depth box

Sonar Page menu with Depth Cursor command selected (left). Sonar

chart with the depth cursor active (right). The line indicates the large

fish is 21.95 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 or ↑ 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. You can change the bottom setting to a different depth, depending upon the bottom depth and the current range. To do this:

1. From the Sonar Page, press

MENU|↓ to DEPTH RANGE|ENT.

Sonar Page menu with Depth Range command selected (left); The

Depth Range Control Scale (right).

2. The Depth Range Control Scale appears. Press

↑ or ↓ to select a

different depth range. A blue bar highlights the selected range. The shaded numbers can not 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 to 4,000 feet.

To switch to Manual Depth Range:

1. 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 blue bar highlights the selected range.

4. When the new range is selected, press

EXIT to clear the menu.

NOTE:

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

FasTrack

This feature automatically converts all echoes to short horizontal lines on the display's far right side. FasTrack gives you a rapid update of conditions directly under the boat. This makes it useful for ice fishing, or 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, is useful when fishing at a stationary location.

Surface clutter

Structure

Colorline

Bottom signal

Fish arches

FasTrack, fish arches show as horizontal bars.

FasTrack

bar graph

Sonar Page showing FasTrack.

Fish I.D. (Fish Symbols & Depths)

The Fish I.D. feature identifies targets as fish when they meet certain conditions. The microcomputer analyzes all echoes and eliminates surface clutter, thermoclines and other undesirable signals. 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 recognizes a target as a small fish, a medium fish symbol for a larger target and so on.

The sonar's microcomputer is sophisticated, but 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 outward from a group of limbs are the hardest objects 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 also is true.

Does that mean Fish I.D. is broken? No. It 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 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 fishing conditions. Practice with Fish I.D. mode on and off to become more familiar with it. The default for Fish I.D. is off.

Sonar Features highlighted (left); Fish I.D. Symbols selected (right).

To turn the Fish I.D. feature on:

1. From the Sonar Page, press

2. Press ↓ to FISH SYMBOLS|ENT|EXIT|EXIT.

MENU|↓ to SONAR FEATURES|ENT.

To turn off Fish I.D., repeat the instructions in step 1.

Fig. 1 A

Fig. 1 B

Fish symbols appear

in surface clutter

Many fish

arches visible

Fig. 2 A

Fish arches

above structure

Fewer fish

symbols visible

Fig. 2 B

No fish shown

Figures 1A and 2A (left) show Sonar Page in normal chart mode. Figures

1B and 2B (right) 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.)

1. From the Sonar Page, press

Press ↓ to FISH DEPTHS|ENT|EXIT|EXIT.

To turn off FishTrack, repeat the instructions in step 1. Turning off FishTrack in this manner will not turn off Fish I.D. symbols.

MENU|↓ to SONAR FEATURES|ENT.

Symbols with

FishTrack depths

Sonar Features menu with Fish I.D. Depths selected (left). When the

check box to the left is unchecked, the feature is off. Sonar Page

showing Fish I.D. symbols and FishTrack depths turned on (right).

Frequency

(Dual-Frequency Transducers only, SeaChamp 2000C DF)

A dual-frequency 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 used 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 the rule. Some fishermen on freshwater lakes (or the ocean) like to see their downriggers 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.

To change the frequency setting to 50 kHz:

1. From the Sonar Page, press

2. Press ↓ to

3. Press

50 KHZ|ENT.

EXIT|EXIT to clear the menu.

MENU|↓ to SONAR FEATURES|ENT.

To change the frequency setting to 200 kHz:

1. From the Sonar Page, press

MENU|↓ to SONAR FEATURES|ENT.

2. Press ↓ to 200 KHZ|ENT.

3. Press

EXIT|EXIT to clear the menu.

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 and 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, download our free Sonar Viewer and your unit’s emulator at our web site, www.eaglesonar.com. That will allow you to replay sonar logs on your personal computer.

The Sonar Page menu with the Log Sonar Chart Data command

selected (left). Sonar Chart Logging menu, with the Start Logging

command selected (right). The MMC has 11.7 MB of free space, which

will record the scrolling chart for 20 minutes and 44 seconds.

To record or log chart data:

1. Press

2. To record data using the default settings, press

MENU|↓ to LOG SONAR CHART DATA|ENT.

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 change the name. Select

CHART QUALITY if you want to lower the file

FILE NAME if you want to

quality so you can record for a longer period of time. After you've changed the settings, select

START LOGGING.

Noise Rejection

See the entry on Advanced Signal Processing in this section.

Overlay Data

On any page display except the Satellite Status and Navigation pages, you can "float" or overlay data on the screen with the Overlay Data command. The various data available from your unit are divided into categories in the Overlay Data menu. These categories include GPS Data, Navigation, Trip Calculator, Time, Sonar Data and Miscellaneous Data.

You can select items from any of these categories for display, in any combination. The category divisions are there only to help you sort through the information.

Overlay Data Shown window (left); Data viewer with the Sonar Data

category expanded (right).

To overlay information on your screen:

1. Press

MENU|↓ to OVERLAY DATA|ENT.

2. If you have overlay data on your display, you’ll see a list of that data on the overlay data shown menu as illustrated above. To add data select

(ENT TO ADD) and press ENT. The data viewer shows information

categories with "+" or "–" symbols next to each category name. A category with a "+" next to it is expandable, meaning its contents are hidden.

Selecting the category name and pressing

ENT will show the category's

contents, so you can choose items within it. An expanded category (one with a "–" next to its name) can be collapsed to hide its contents. Just select the category and press

ENT.

3. Expand categories that might contain data you want to display. Then press ↓ or ↑ to select a data option.

4. With the data option highlighted, press

ENT to check it (turn it on) or

uncheck it (turn it off). As you turn it on, the data will appear on top of the screen. Every Page display has a maximum number of items you can show using the Overlay Data command.

5. After the desired changes are made, press

EXIT|EXIT to return to the

page display.

To remove overlaid data:

1. While on a page display with digital data boxes you want to remove, press

MENU|↓ to OVERLAY DATA|ENT.

2. You'll see a list of the overlay data currently displayed on your screen. Highlight the item you want to remove from your display and press

ENT|ENT to remove the data. To remove another item, select it

and press

ENT|ENT.

3. When you have finished removing all the items you want from the screen, press

EXIT to return to the page display.

Overlay Data Shown with water speed selected (left). Press ENT to

access R

EMOVE option (right). Press ENT again to remove item and

return to the Overlay Data Shown screen.

To move overlaid data:

You may find it useful to rearrange data floating on your display window.

1. Press

MENU|↓ to OVERLAY DATA|ENT.

2. You'll see a list of the overlay data currently displayed. Select the item you want to move and press

3. The data begins to flash on your screen. Use any combination of

←, ↑ and ↓ to move the data to a new location.

4. When satisfied, press

EXIT|EXIT.

ENT|→ to MOVE|ENT.

→,

NOTE:

The Customize command and the Overlay Data command use the same information categories. The difference between the two commands is the Customize command is only used to modify pages with digital data boxes, while Overlay Data changes information floating on the screen. See Customize Page Displays, on page 79 for information on customizing data boxes.

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 change Data Size|

EXIT.

The selected data type will be displayed in the new size. (To change the font size of another data type, repeat these steps, beginning with step two above.) You can also change the size of overlay data by choosing overlay size in the Data Information menu. Just select the overlay data

you want to resize from the Overlay Data Shown menu and press Scroll down to the overlay size window and press

ENT to make the

ENT.

desired changes.

3. To return to the previous page, press

EXIT|EXIT.

The overlay size command (left) and a sonar window (right) with

Depth, Temperature, Track and Ground Speed displayed onscreen as

overlay data.

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.

Overlay Data Style

Do you like a digital readout or do you prefer an analog gauge look? With the Overlay Style feature you can mix and match your data to suit your viewing preferences.

To access overlaid data style menu:

1. Press MENU|↓ to OVERLAY DATA|ENT.

2. This will bring up the Overlay Data Shown menu with a list of current overlay data. Highlight the data you want to change on the Overlay Data Shown menu and press

ENT, which will launch the data

information menu.

3. Use ↓ to select overlay style, choose analog, and press

4. Next, press display instead of digital numbers

→ to enter Analog Setup, which will place a gauge on the

ENT.

The Data Information menu (left) with Overlay style window

activated. Choose analog and the Analog Setup button appears (right).

Gauge Setup Menu.

There are four primary setup options in the analog menu: Themes, Tick Marks, Thresholds and Text. You can make gauges transparent from all setup menus except Text Setup.

To change the setup menu, scroll down, highlight one of the four setup options and press setup menu, then press

ENT repeatedly. For advanced information on Overlay Data Style skip

ENT. Use ↑ ↓ to select the desired category on the

ENT. To return to the main sonar display, press

ahead to page 151.

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. It also allows the screen refresh rate and chart scroll speed to keep pace with the boat as it moves quickly over the water.

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 to the transducer during the next ping cycle. 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.

Sonar Menu with Ping Speed command selected (left).

The 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 or ↓ to decrease ping speed. 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 at the right side of the screen. This allows you to see virtually instantaneous sonar returns, just as you would on a flasher sonar unit. For more information on FasTrack, see its entry in this section.

To turn off HyperScroll:

1. From the Sonar Page, press

MENU|↓ to PING SPEED|ENT.

2. The Ping Speed Control Bar appears. Use ↓ to decrease ping speed to 50 percent and press

EXIT.

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

2. Press

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.

System Setup menu with Reset Options command selected (left). The

NOTE:

Reset Options dialog box (right).

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 window that shows distance traveled, called Water Distance ("W 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

DISTANCE|ENT. The menus are cleared and the water distance is reset to

0.00.

MENU|MENU|↓ to SONAR SETUP|ENT|↓ to RESET WATER

Set Keel Offset

This unit measures water depth from the face of the transducer. Since the transducer is installed below the water surface, the depth displayed by the digital depth, chart depth scale, chart cursor and fish symbols

readings are not exact. 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 and the keel or lower engine unit can be several feet. In those cases, an inexact depth reading could cause your vessel to strike 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, 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 be entered as a negative 3.5 feet, which makes the depth indicators perform as if the transducer is lower in the water than it really is.

1. Press

MENU|MENU|↓ to SONAR SETUP|ENT.

2. Use ↓ to scroll down to KEEL OFFSET, then press ENT. The Keel Offset dialog box appears. Press ↓ to change the plus (+) sign to a minus (–)

sign.

3. Press

4. Press 5, then press

→ to the first number, then press ↑ to change the number to 3.

→ to the second number, then press ↑ to change the number to

EXIT. The depth indicators now accurately show the water

depth beneath the keel.

NOTE:

If knowing the exact depth of water beneath the keel is less important, you can calibrate the depth indicators so they show the actual water depth from surface to bottom. To do this, measure the distance from the face of the transducer 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

2. Use the ↑ ↓ keys to select

MENU|MENU|↓ to SONAR SETUP|ENT.

SET KEEL OFFSET and press ENT. The

Keel Offset dialog box appears with a plus (+) sign at the front of the box.

3. Press

→ to the first number and use ↑ to change the number to 1.

4. Press 5 and press

→ to the second number and use ↑ to change the number to

EXIT. The depth indicator now accurately shows the

water depth from surface to bottom.

Sensitivity & Auto Sensitivity

Sensitivity controls the ability of the unit to pick up echoes. 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 greater detail, but it can also clutter the screen with many undesired signals. Typically, the best sensitivity level shows a solid bottom signal with 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 automatic mode, sensitivity is automatically adjusted to keep a solid bottom signal displayed. This gives it the capability to show fish and other detail.

There are situations when it becomes necessary to increase or decrease sensitivity. This typically happens when you want to see more detail, which requires a boost in sensitivity. But, when wave action and boat wakes clutter the screen with tiny air bubbles, a decrease in sensitivity is necessary.

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. 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 mode, 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.)

Sonar Menu with Sensitivity command selected (left).

The Sensitivity Control Bar (right).

To adjust sensitivity in manual mode:

1. First, turn off Auto Sensitivity; from the Sonar Page, press to

AUTO SENSITIVITY|ENT.

2. Press ↑ to

SENSITIVITY|ENT and the Sensitivity Control Bar appears.

MENU|↓

Press ↓ or ↑ to pick a different sensitivity setting. When it's set at the desired level, press

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.

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 and 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 Chart Mode

The default color scheme for the sonar chart is White Background, but we offer other variations to suit your viewing preferences. The chart can be displayed in Grayscale, Reverse Grayscale, Blue Background Nightview, Iceview or Bottom Color Tracking.

To change the chart mode:

1. From the Sonar Page, press

Press → ↓ to SONAR CHART MODE|ENT.

3. Press ↓ or ↑ to

4. Press

EXIT|EXIT to return to the Sonar Page.

Mode Name|ENT.

MENU|↓ to SONAR FEATURES|ENT.

Sonar Page & Sonar Chart Display Options

The Pages Menu offers four chart options. 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 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 magnified when the zoom is in use. (See the Zoom section on page 83 for more information.)

Full Sonar Chart. The Overlay Data (depth and water temperature)

are set to different text sizes.

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 (left) shows the left window zoomed 2X.

The image on the right shows the left window zoomed 4X.

Split Frequency Sonar Chart (Dual-Frequency Transducers only)

This page option 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 on the left and 200 kHz view on the right.

You can adjust the sensitivity in each window.

To adjust sensitivity in auto mode:

1. Press

MENU|ENT.

2. The unit asks which window (50 kHz or 200 kHz) you want to adjust. Press ← or → to select the one you want, then press

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 Display

This mode displays five digital data boxes on the left side of the screen. In the example below, Depth, Water Speed, Water Distance, Water Temp and Local Time are shown.

Digital Data display.

Customize Page Displays

Pages that have customizable Digital Data boxes, like the example above, may be customized to your preferences.

The data available in your unit is divided into categories in the Data Viewer menu. These categories include GPS Data, Navigation, Trip Calculator, Time, Sonar and Miscellaneous Data. You can select items from any of these categories for display in any data box. The category divisions are only there to help you sort through the information.

To change information displayed in a data box:

On a page with digital data boxes, press data box on the display will flash, indicating it is selected. Press modify the box or hit ↑ or ↓ to select another box, then press see a list of categories with "+" or "–" symbols next to each category. A category with a "+" is expandable, meaning its contents are hidden.

MENU|↓ to CUSTOMIZE|ENT. A

ENT to

ENT. You'll

Data Viewer with the Sonar Data category expanded.

Selecting the category name and pressing ENT will show the category's contents, so you can choose items within it. An expanded category (one

with a "–" next to its name) can be collapsed to hide its contents. Just select the category name and press

ENT.

Expand any categories that might contain data you want to display. Then press ↓ or ↑ to select a different data option. With the new option highlighted, press new data type and press change. When you are finished with the settings, press

ENT to switch the contents of the flashing box to the

EXIT. You can now select another box to

EXIT again and

the box name stops flashing.

NOTE

A Page display can only show a limited number of data boxes.

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.

When this screen is activated, you need to specify which side of the Menu is active. To toggle between the two windows, press

PAGES|PAGES. The

window with the blue title bar at the top of the screen is the active window. To switch back, press

PAGES|PAGES again.

Sonar Simulator

This unit has a built-in simulator that lets you simulate on-the-water conditions. 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

SONAR SIMULATOR| ENT|ENT.

MENU|MENU|↓ to SONAR SETUP|ENT|↓ to

Main Menu with Sonar Setup command selected (left). Sonar

Simulator menu with simulator turned on (right).

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 the Sonar Simulator by pressing

SETUP|ENT|↓ to SONAR SIMULATOR|ENT|EXIT.

Title bar with chart file name

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

MENU|MENU|↓ to SONAR

"Play" symbol flashing

Tip:

The Sonar Simulator can use sonar charts recorded (logged) on a MMC card. (To see how, read the entry in this section on Log Sonar Chart Data.) To play a sonar chart, make sure the MMC containing the chart is installed, then:

1. Press

2. Press ↓ to

3. Press ↓ or ↑ to select chart name|

ON|ENT|EXIT.

CHART USED|ENT.

ENT|↑ to SONAR SIMULATOR

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 revisit.

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.

NOTE

If you turn on the unit before attaching a transducer, it may enter 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. The Stop Chart 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 step above.

Sonar Menu with Stop Chart command selected.

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 and temperature inversion among other things.

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

Sonar Features menu with Surface Clarity selected.

MENU|↓ to SONAR FEATURES|ENT.

2. Press → to SURFACE CLARITY|ENT.

Press ↓ or ↑ to select the clarity level, then press EXIT|EXIT|EXIT.

Surface clutter

In the illustration on the left, Surface Clarity is turned off.

The view on the right shows Surface Clarity set on high.

Zoom & Zoom Bar

"Zooming in" is a common, fast and easy method to enlarge small detail like fish signals and bottom structure. This unit lets you zoom in quickly and easily by pressing the

ZIN key.

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

For example, pressing the

ZIN key is pressed.

ZIN key once will enable a 2X zoom that will

show all echoes 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.

Sonar page zoomed 2X (left). The same view zoomed 4X (right).

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 display up and down the zoomed area, allowing you to focus on areas of interest in the water column below you.

To use Zoom Pan, switch to a Manual Depth Range setting (see page

61) and turn on 2X or 4X Zoom. Then press ↑ or the water column.

↓ to pan up and down

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 certain 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 11 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 operates only in demo mode:

The transducer or antenna module have not yet been connected or have been disconnected. To leave demo mode, make sure that either the transducer or the antenna is securely connected before turning the unit on.

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 both the transducer and power connectors. Make certain both are securely plugged in to the unit.

Weak bottom echo, digital readings erratic, or no fish signals:

1. Make certain 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. Do NOT use RTV silicone rubber adhesive or Marine-Tex epoxy.

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.

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 certain 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.

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 certain 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 certain 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 certain 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 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 100.

Keyboard

MMC drawer

SeaChamp 2000 sonar/GPS unit, showing map with sonar screen,

keyboard and access door for MMC compartment. The map is a Nautic

Path nautical chart.

1. PWR/LIGHT (Power & Light) – The PWR key turns the unit on and off and activates the backlight.

4. ARROW KEYS – These keys are used to navigate through 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 close a menu.

7. WPT – (Waypoint) The Waypoint key is used to save, search and recall waypoints. It not only gives you access to the waypoints list, but 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 out the map display. On the Sonar Page, the

ZOUT key returns you to a full sonar chart

display, showing the entire water column from surface to bottom. On the Map Page, it 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 in on the map. On the Sonar Page, it 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 Page Name|

To turn on the backlight, press levels. Repeatedly pressing

EXIT.)

PWR again. The unit has three backlight

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.

PAGES|← or → to

Main Menu

The unit has a Main Menu, which contains some function and setup option commands. The tutorial lessons in this section will deal only with functions and basic commands. For these lessons, the unit will work fine right out of the box with the default settings. But, if you want to learn about the various 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 display, press

MENU|MENU. To clear the menu screen and return to the page

EXIT.

Main Menu.

The Main Menu commands and their functions are:

Screen: changes the contrast or brightness of the display screen.

Sounds: enables or disables the sounds for key strokes and alarms and

sets the alarm style.

Alarms: turns GPS or sonar alarms on or off and changes alarm thresholds.

Route Planning: used to plan, view or navigate a route.

My Trails: shows, hides, creates and deletes plot trails. Also used to

navigate or backtrack a trail.

Cancel Navigation: turns off the various navigation commands. Used to stop navigating after you have reached your destination.

Sonar Setup: sets various sonar options.

GPS Setup: sets various GPS receiver options.

System Setup: sets general configuration options.

Sun/Moon Calculations: finds the rising and setting time of the sun

and the moon.

Trip Calculator: shows trip status and statistics.

Timers: controls the up timer, down timer and alarm clock settings.

Browse MMC Files: this allows you to view the installed MMC card

and the files it contains.

Pages

The unit has four Page displays for 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 or ← to select a Page. (Clear the menu by pressing EXIT.)

Pages Menu showing some Map display options.

PAGES key, then using →

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 (Clear the Pages Menu by pressing

PAGES key, then use → or ← to select SONAR.

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 select

STATUS. (Clear the Pages Menu by pressing EXIT.)

PAGES key, then use → or ← to

No matter what Page you are on, a flashing current position indicator/question mark symbol and flashing GPS data displays indicate the satellite lock has been lost and there is no position confirmed. The Satellite Status Page shows you the quality and accuracy of the current satellite lock-on and position calculation.

Eagle Electronics SeaChamp 2000, FishStrike 2000 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual