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GPSCOM 170
User Manual
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Garmin GPSCOM 170 User Manual

GPSCOM
170
Owner’s
Manual &
Reference
Software Version 2.02 or above © 1997 GARMIN Corporation
GARMIN (Europe) LTD Unit 5, The Quadrangle, Abbey Park Industrial Estate, Romsey, U.K. SO51 9AQ Tel: 011-44-1794-519944 Fax: 011-44-1794-519222
All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or manual, including photocopying and recording, for any purpose without the expressed written permission of GARMIN.
Information in this document is subject to change without notice. GARMIN reserves the right to change or improve its products and to make changes in the content without obligation to notify any person or organization of such changes or improvements.
GARMIN, AutoLocate, AutoStore, AutoZoom, GPSCOM, PhaseTrac12, and TracBack are all trademarks of GARMIN Corporation and may not be used with­out its expressed permission.
April 1997 Part #190-00093-00 Rev. D Printed in USA.
i
IMPORTANT!
The Telecommunications Act of 1996, effective February 8, 1996, provides the FCC discretion to eliminate radio station license requirements for aircraft and ships. At the present time, you do not need an individual license to operate the GPSCOM 170 aboard your private vessel in many circumstances. To find out the specific details on whether you are exempt from licens­ing, please see FCC Fact Sheet PR 5000 or contact the FCC at 1-800-322-1117.
Note that no license is required for a portable radio used only as a backup on a vessel which already has a station license per FCC 506 Instructions dated 1993.
If a marine license is required or desired, contact the FCC at 1-800-322-1117 to request form 506, Application for Ship Radio Station License.
The FCC also has a fax-on-demand service to provide forms by fax at 1-202-418-0177. The GPSCOM 170 owner accepts all responsibility for obtaining the proper licensing before
using the transmitter.
WARNING! This transmitter will operate on channels/frequen­cies that have restricted use in the United States. The channel assignments include frequencies assigned for exclusive use of the U.S. Coast Guard, use in Canada, and use in International waters. Operation in these frequencies without proper autho­rization is strictly forbidden. For frequencies/channels that are currently available for use in the U.S. without an individual license, please contact the FCC Call Center at 1-888-CALL-FCC.
ii
INTRODUCTION
Packing List
GPSCOM 170
OWNER’S MANUAL
Before getting started, check to see that your GARMIN GPSCOM 170 package includes the following items. If you are missing any parts, please contact your dealer immediately.
• GPSCOM 170 Unit
• Flex Whip Com Antenna
• Quick Reference Card
• Owner’s Manual
• Trickle Charger/AC Adapter
• Belt Clip
• Carrying Case
• Wrist Strap
iii
INTRODUCTION
Cautions
CAUTION
The GPS system is operated by the government of the United States, which is solely responsible for its accuracy and maintenance. The system is subject to changes which could affect the accuracy and performance of all GPS equipment. Although the GPSCOM 170 is a precision electronic NAVigation AID (NAVAID), any NAVAID can be misused or misinterpreted and therefore, become unsafe.
Use the GPSCOM 170 at your own risk. To reduce the risk of unsafe opera­tion, carefully review and understand all aspects of this Owner’s Manual and thoroughly practice operation using the simulator mode prior to actual use. When in actual use, carefully compare indications from the GPSCOM 170 to all available navigation sources including the information from other NAVAIDs, visual sightings, charts, etc. For safety, always resolve any discrepancies before continuing navigation.
NOTE: This device meets requirements for Part 15 of the FCC limits for Class B digital devices for home or office use. It has been tested for compliance with all necessary FCC standards. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruc­tions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to other equipment, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try and correct the interference by relocating the equipment or connecting the equipment to a different circuit than the affected equipment. Consult an autho­rized dealer or other qualified service technician for additional help if these remedies do not correct the problem. Operation is subject to the following con­ditions: (1) This device cannot cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. The GPSCOM 170 does not contain any user-serviceable parts. Repairs should only be made by an authorized service center. Unauthorized repairs or modifications could void your warranty and your authority to operate this device under Part 15 regulations.
iv
INTRODUCTION
Table Of Contents
SECTION ONE Introduction
Unit Description/Keys and Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-3
Keys and Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-5
SECTION TWO Getting Started
Acquiring Satellites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Navigation Pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-13
VHF Transceiver Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14-17
SECTION THREE Reference
Satellite Status and Position Pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18-21
Creating, Using, and Editing Waypoints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22-28
Using the VHF Transceiver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29-38
GOTO, MOB, and TracBack Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39-41
Route Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42-47
Navigation Guidance Pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48-55
Menu Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
System Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57-63
Appendix A—Initializing the Receiver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64-66
Appendix B—Accessories and Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67-69
Appendix C—VHF Channel List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70-71
Appendix D—Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72-73
Appendix E—Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74-75
Appendix F—Map Datums . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76-77
Appendix G—Time Offset Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78
Appendix H—Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79-81
1
introduction
Unit
Description
Flex Com
Antenna
BNC Antenna
Connector
Squelch Control
lel channel GPS receiver with a 5 watt marine VHF communications transceiver in a convenient handheld package. A keypad located on the front of the unit provides control of the navigation and communica­tion functions. The 16/9 key allows for one button selection of channel 16 or 9. Knobs for controlling squelch, power and volume are located on top of the unit. The micro­phone is located in the lower left speaker area.
Volume Control
Top View
The GPSCOM 170 combines a 12 paral-
Channel
Selection Arrow
Keys
Speaker
Microphone
2
Internal GPS
Antenna
Map Scale
Zoom Keys
Arrow Keypad
LCD Display
Front View
Backlight
H/L
H/L
Button
PTT Switch
introduction
Unit
Description
Power/Data/Ext
Spk/Ext Mic
Cable
Connector
Transmit Power
Button
Charger/AC Adapter
Connector
Removable
Battery Pack
Side Views
External GPS Antenna Connector
The backlight button, transmitting power/override button, charger/AC adapter connec­tor, and push-to-talk (PTT) switch are located on the left side of the unit. The connector for the external GPS antenna and power/data/ext speaker/ext mic cable are located on the right side. A removable Ni-Cad battery pack powers the unit and attaches to the back. See Appendix B for instructions on installing and removing the battery pack.
3
introduction
Keys and
Controls
K
Use the two-speed ARROW KEYPAD to enter data. Press on a particular arrow key once to scroll through data options slowly. Press and hold down an arrow key for faster scrolling.
U D
L
U
ZOOM
D
E
K
G
P
B
Use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to select alphanumerical characters and menu choices, and to move the field highlight from field to field.
Use the LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to move the selected character field, and to move the highlight from field to field. The left arrow key is also used to clear
R
a selected field.
The MAP SCALE ZOOM keys select the desired map range from 0.2 to 320 nm.
The ENTER key confirms data entry and on-screen responses. This key also activates highlighted fields to allow data entry.
The MARK key captures a position and displays the mark position page.
The GOTO key displays the GOTO waypoint page, allowing you to select the destination waypoint.
The PAGE key scrolls through the main data pages in sequence and returns the display from a submenu page to a main page. It also displays the message screen when a message alert appears.
The MOB key performs the man overboard function. This marks the current position, and always displays your current range and bearing from this posi­tion.
Q
4
The QUIT key returns you to a previous page, or clears data entry and restores a data field’s previous value.
introduction
H/L
Keys and
Controls
U
CHAN
D
C
N
T
W
S
M
The CHANNEL SELECTION arrow keys are used to select channels. The channel number can be increased or decreased one with each press, or if held will continue to increase or decrease the number as long as the key is held.
The GPSCOM key lets you choose between the main GPS and main communication pages.
The 16/9 key selects channel 16 or 9 for immediate use.
The DUAL/TRI key activates dual and tri watch monitoring.
The WX/CH key places the unit in weather channel receive mode.
The SCAN key puts the unit into the “all scan” or the “memory scan” mode.
The MEM key accesses the memory setup page which enables you to program channels into memory.
The ON/OFF/VOLUME control turns the unit on and off and adjusts the volume level.
The SQUELCH control eliminates receiver background noise and allows only received transmissions to be heard.
The PUSH-TO-TALK (PTT) switch activates the GPSCOM 170 transmitter on the active frequency.
The BACKLIGHT button illuminates the arrow keypad and LCD Screen through four levels of backlighting (three levels of brightness and off).
The TRANSMIT POWER BUTTON selects one or five watts of transmit power.
5
Getting
Started
Getting Started
Acquiring
Satellites
Important!
Make sure you charge the Ni-Cad battery pack for 14 hours before using your GPSCOM 170 to ensure optimum capacity and per­formance. Note: When charging the battery pack, turn the unit off to ensure a full charge. Complete instructions on charging the pack are in Appendix B.
The signal strength bars on the satellite status page give you an indication of what satellites are visible to the receiver, whether or not they’re being used to calcu­late a position fix, and the signal quality.
6
The GPSCOM 170 is a powerful navigation and com­munication tool that offers mariners a host of advanced features that help make boating safer and more efficient. The getting started tour is designed to quickly guide you through basic features and functions of the unit. Once you’ve completed the tour and become familiar with the main pages and features of the unit, refer to the reference section for complete instructions on performing specific tasks and functions.
The getting started tour assumes you have initialized the unit according to the instructions given in Appendix A, and have not changed any of the default settings. If you have changed any settings, the descriptions and pic­tures used may not match your configuration.
Powering Up
To turn the GPSCOM 170 on:
1. Turn the VOL control clockwise.
The welcome page will be displayed while the unit conducts a self test. Once testing is complete, the wel­come page will be replaced by the satellite status page and the GPSCOM 170 will begin acquiring satellite data.
Satellite Status Page
The satellite status page provides a visual reference of satellite acquisition and receiver status, with a signal strength bar graph and a satellite sky view in the center of the page. The accuracy of your position is shown in the upper right hand side of the page.
The satellite sky view and signal strength bars give you an indication of what satellites are visible to the receiver and whether they are being tracked. Satellites, labeled with numbers and letters, are placed on the page indicating their position in the sky.
The signal strength bars show how strong the signal is from each satellite being tracked: The taller the bar, the stronger the signal. For more information on the satellite status page, see page 18.
You’ll know you have a fix when a 2D or 3D status appears in the status field or the receiver automatically transitions to the position page. If you encounter difficul­ty acquiring satellite signals, see Appendix A.
Position Page
Getting Started
Speed Over Ground
Graphic
Compass
Tape
Altitude
Current Track
Time of Day
Position
Coordinates
VHF Status Field
The position page shows where you are, what direc­tion you’re heading and how fast you’re going. The graphic compass at the top of the page indicates the direction you’re moving. The four user-selectable data fields below the compass tape show your current course and speed over ground, along with a resettable trip odometer and altitude display. Your current latitude and longitude, along with a 12/24-hour clock, appear at the bottom of the page.
The VHF status field appears at the bottom of every page. It displays (from left to right) the current channel, band of operation, operating mode, and output power level. The VHF status field elements are discussed in detail in the reference section.
Position Page
The position page also fea­tures a resettable trip odometer to keep track of your distance traveled.
The graphic compass display is designed to show your cur­rent track and does not serve as a true magnetic compass
!
#
while you’re standing still.
In addition to displaying your position coordinates, the position page shows your track and speed over the ground.
7
Getting
Started
Marking a
Position
To save a waypoint with the three digit name, simply press ENTER on ‘SAVE’.
Marking a Position
Now that you’ve acquired a position, let’s mark it as a
waypoint for future reference.
1.
Press
the Kkey
tion.
To mark a position, you must have obtained a 2D or 3D fix, or have the receiver in simulator mode. If you try to
!
mark a position without a position fix, you will be alerted
#
with a ‘No Position’ message.
to capture and hold your posi-
The mark position page will appear, showing the cap­tured position and a default 3-digit waypoint name, 001. Let’s change the name to something more meaningful, like ‘HOME’.
1.
Use the arrow keypad to move the field highlight from the ‘SAVE?’ field to the ‘Waypoint’ field.
2.
Press Eand the left arrow key to clear the default waypoint name.
3.
Press and hold the up arrow keyto scroll through the alphabet until the letter ‘H’ appears.
4. Press the right arrow key once to move the character highlight to the next character space.
The arrow keypad is used for all data entry. Use the UP and DOWN keys to select letters, numbers, or menu options; use the LEFT and RIGHT keys to move the cursor forward or back­ward along the line.
8
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until the word ‘HOME’ is displayed.
6. Press
7. Press the down arrow key once to return the field high­light to the ‘SAVE’ field.
8. Press tion as a waypoint named ‘HOME’.
to complete entry of the name.
E
to confirm that you want to save the posi-
E
The mark position page will now be replaced by the position page (the page displayed prior to pressing MARK. The ‘HOME’ waypoint is now stored in the GPSCOM 170’s memory, and will remain there until you manually remove it or clear the receiver’s memory. For more on waypoint management, see pages 22-28.
Using the Position and Map Pages
Now that you’ve marked a position, it’s time to take a brisk walk using the position and moving map pages to watch your every move. You will need to walk for at least the time stated in the below steps.to get a much better indication of how the GPSCOM 170’s steering guidance and mapping features work.
1. Walk in a straight line for 3-4 minutes at a fast pace and watch the position page. You can time your distance with the on-screen clock.
The direction you are moving (your track) and your speed are displayed on the upper part of the screen, just below the graphic compass display. The latitude, longi­tude and approximate altitude of your position–along with a resettable trip odometer–are continuously dis­played in the middle of the page, with the time of day dis­played below.
Now let’s change the display to the moving map page and watch the track log of our walk:
1. Press the Pkey to change from the position page to the map page.
Getting Started
Position and
Map Pages
Map Page
The map page displays your present position as a dia­mond icon and provides a real time graphic ‘bread­crumb’ display of your track right on screen.
The moving map’s default setting is track up orienta­tion. ‘Track up’ means that your current direction of travel is always up (or towards the top of) the screen. It can also be set for north up, or desired track up orientation by using the map setup page.
9
Getting
Started
Moving Map
Page
When you want to change the map scale, simply use the up and down arrow zoom keys to select the desired scale.
Moving Map Pages
The GPSCOM 170’s next page, the moving map page, shows your movement as a track log, with your present position shown as a diamond icon in the center of the map. You’ll notice the black square below the diamond, which represents the position you just created (‘HOME’), and the line between the two, which shows your track.
Nearby waypoints are represented as squares, with the waypoint name listed above the square. When you want to change the map scale, simply use the up and down arrow zoom keys to select the desired scale.
1. Now turn 90º to your right and continue walking at a fast pace for another 2-3 minutes. Notice how the dis­play changes, always keeping the direction you are moving at the top of the map.
Going To a Waypoint
Once you’ve stored a waypoint in memory, you can use the GPSCOM 170 to guide you to it by performing a simple GOTO. A GOTO is really nothing more than the receiver drawing a straight-line course from your present position to the destination you’ve selected. To see how it works, let’s try navigating back to our starting position, the HOME waypoint.
To select a GOTO destination:
The GOTO waypoint page allows you to select your destination from a list of all available waypoints in the GPSCOM 170’s memory.
10
1. Press G.
2. The the waypoints in memory in alphabetical order.
3. Use the arrow keypad to highlight the ‘HOME’ waypoint.
4. Press the displayed waypoint.
waypoint page will appear, displaying all
G
to confirm that you want to navigate to
E
Using the Highway Page
Getting Started
Bearing to
Waypoint
Track Over
Ground
Graphic
Highway
Estimated
Time Enroute
Pointer to selected
waypoint
Distance to
Waypoint
Speed Over
Ground
Course
Deviation
Scale
Velocity
Made Good
The GPSCOM 170’s highway page provides graphic steering guidance to a destination, with an emphasis on a straight–line course to the desired waypoint and the dis­tance and direction you are off course. The bearing and distance to a waypoint, along with your current track and speed, are displayed at the top of the screen, with your estimated time enroute (ETE) and velocity made good (VMG), or the rate you are closing in on your destination, shown at the bottom.
As you head toward your destination, the middle sec­tion of the screen provides visual guidance to your way­point on a moving graphic ‘highway’. The moving arrow just below the course deviation scale always points to your selected waypoint relative to the direction you are moving.
Your present position is represented by the diamond in the center of the course deviation scale. The line down the middle of the highway represents your desired track. As you navigate toward a waypoint, the highway will actually move, indicating the direction you’re off course, relative to the position square on the CDI scale. To stay on course simply steer toward the center of the highway.
Using The
Highway Page
Your present position is rep­resented by the square in the center of the course deviation scale.
As you approach a way­point, a horizontal ‘finish line’ will move toward the bottom of the highway.
11
Getting
Started
Compass &
Message Page
Message Page
Once you are one minute from the destination, an arrival message will appear on the message page.
If you do get off course by more than 1/5th of the selected CDI range, the exact distance you are off course will be displayed where the CDI scale normally appears. As you approach a waypoint, a horizontal ‘finish line’ will move toward the bottom of the highway. When the finish line reaches the CDI scale, you’ve arrived at your desti­nation. Whenever the unit has something it needs to tell you, a message indicator will flash on screen. When you are less than one minute from reaching your HOME way­point, the message box will begin flashing.
1. To view a message, press Pwhen the message indicator appears.
Compass Page
The GPSCOM 170 will also provide steering guidance with a graphic compass.
12
2. Press
to return to the previous page.
P
There’s also a compass page to helps provide better steering guidance where straight–line navigation is not possible.
To select the compass page:
1. While viewing the highway page, press Etwice.
The compass page will now become the displayed navigation page. This page provides a directional pointer to your destination by using a rotating compass display to show direction of travel. It provides better steering guid­ance at slower speeds for travel with many directional changes.
To switch back to the highway page:
1. Press Etwice.
GPS Page Sequence
Now that you’ve arrived ‘HOME’, let’s take a minute to see how the GPSCOM 170’s main GPS pages work together. The unit features five main pages, which are linked together in a chain. You can quickly scroll through the pages in either direction using the
P
and
Q
keys.
1. Press Pto scroll through the five main pages in sequence.
Getting Started
GPS Page
Sequence
2. Press direction.
Satellite Page
to scroll through pages in the opposite
Q
Position Page
Map Page
Highway Page
Menu Page
You’ve already seen the first four pages in action by acquiring satellites, marking a position and navigating to a destination. The last page available from the main GPS page sequence is the menu page, which provides access to the GPSCOM 170’s waypoint management, route, track log and setup features. The 11 submenus are divid­ed into categories by function.
To select a submenu from the menu page:
1. Press Por
2. Use the arrow keypad to highlight the submenu you want to view.
3. Press
E
until the menu page appears.
Q
to access the submenu.
You’ve now gone through the basic operation of the navigation portion of your new GPSCOM 170. Now let’s move on to using the VHF radio.
Menu Page
Use the arrow keypad to select a submenu from the menu page. Press ENTER to access the selected sub­menu.
13
Getting
Started
Using the VHF
Transceiver
Using the VHF Transceiver
The first step in using the VHF transceiver is to make sure the volume and squelch controls are set correctly for proper reception.
Important!
We strongly recommend obtaining a marine radio user’s guide such as “Maritime Radio User’s Handbook” published by the RTCM (Radio Technical Commission For Maritime Services), Washington, D.C., to ensure proper radio oper­ation and protocol. Improper usage can result in fines levied on mariners by the FCC.
Squelch Control
1. Turn the VOL control clockwise to turn the unit on.
2. Rotate the SQL control fully counterclockwise. This state is known as “squelch off”. Increase the volume to achieve a comfortable listening level.
3. Slowly turn the SQL control clockwise and stop slightly past the point where the noise disappears. This condi­tion is known as the “squelch threshold”.
Volume Control
If the knob is turned past this point, weak signals may not be received. No noise and no signals are received until a signal with sufficient strength is received that exceeds the squelch threshold. When the GPSCOM 170 is in receive mode, ‘RX’ is displayed in the VHF status bar.
VHF Communication Pages
To move back and forth between the GPS and VHF pages, press
. There are three com VHF pages in a
C
continuous loop: channel definition, com setup, and memory bank. Press
to exit the GPS pages and
C
enter the com pages. Try scrolling through the com pages by pressing direction or return to a previous page by pressing
You can also scroll in the opposite
P
Q
. The function of each of the com pages is discussed in detail in the reference section.
The current channel will always be displayed at the bottom left of every page.
14
Channel Page
P
Com Setup Page
Q
Mem Bank Page
Selecting a Channel
The GPSCOM 170 operates on all U.S., Canadian,
and International Marine VHF radio channels.
To select a channel from any page:
1. Use the UP and DOWN channel selection arrow keys to select the desired channel. The channel number will increase or decrease with each press–or if held, will continue to change the number as long as the key is held. The selected channel will always be displayed at the left hand side of VHF status bar.
Transmitting
To transmit:
1. Press the push-to-talk (PTT) button. ‘TX’ appears in the VHF status bar when the PTT button is pressed. Speak slowly and clearly into the microphone. Hold the unit about 1/2 to 1 inch from your mouth.
2. Release the PTT button when you are finished speaking.
Tips on Transmitting
Transmitting without an antenna connected to the
• GPSCOM 170 may damage the unit. See Appendix
B for instructions on installing and removing the antenna. The GPSCOM 170 will not transmit using external power without the battery pack. Make sure the battery pack is installed.
•
If the PTT button is held in for more than 35 sec­onds, the transmitter will automatically shut off. The message ‘Stuck PTT’ will also be displayed on the message page.
•
The GPSCOM 170 gives you the option of trans­mitting using 1 watt or 5 watts of power. Transmitting at 1 watt power is a nice option so that short-range conversations won’t interfere with a large number of boaters. Transmitting at 1 watt also prolongs battery life.
To switch between high and low power:
1. Press the transmitting power button to switch between low and high power.
Getting Started
Transmitting
Important!
Certain channels are set aside to be used by authorized sta­tions for specific purposes, depending on the type of ves­sel (commercial or non-com­mercial). Full familiarization with channel usage is essen­tial when selecting a channel.
An ‘H’ will be displayed in the right–hand side of the VHF status field for 5 watt operation, and an ‘L’ for 1 watt .
15
Getting
Started
Selecting
Channel 16/9
Channel 16 is used for emergency purposes and for initially contacting (hailing) another vessel.
Selecting Channel 16 and 9
The GPSCOM 170’s channel 16/9 button provides
quick access to channel 16 or 9.
To select channel 16:
1. Press N.
To select channel 9:
1. Press Nagain.
Tips on Using Channel 16 and 9
• Channel 16 is used for emergency purposes and for initially contacting (hailing) another vessel.
• The use of channel 16 for hailing must be limited to initial contact only. Calling should not exceed 30 seconds, but may be repeated 3 times at two­minute intervals.
• In areas of heavy radio traffic, congestion on chan­nel 16 resulting from its use as a hailing channel can be reduced significantly in U.S. waters by using channel 9 as the hailing channel for non-emergency communications.
• Before making contact with another vessel, refer to the RTCM marine radio user’s guide to select an appropriate channel for communications after ini­tial contact.
A ‘W’ is displayed next to every selected weather channel.
16
Selecting a Weather Channel
The GPSCOM 170 receives 10 weather channels, including all 7 National Weather Service channels in and around the U.S., and most Environment Canada Weather Radio broadcast stations.
To select a weather channel:
1. PressW. ‘W’ will be displayed next to the selected channel in the VHF status bar.
2. Use the UP and DOWN channel selection arrow keys
to select the desired weather channel.
3. Press
to return to regular channels.
W
Dual Watch
Dual Watch scans between channel 16 and the last channel that was selected. It’s handy when you need to monitor channel 16, but also want to listen to another channel for traffic.
To start dual-watch:
1. Press T. The unit will scan between channel 16 and the last selected channel, stopping on the channel that has radio traffic. Once the radio traffic has stopped, the unit will resume scanning. To cancel dual watch press
twice or the PTT button once.
T
Congratulations! You’ve just completed the getting started tour! You now know enough about the GPSCOM 170 to go out and have some fun with it.
We strongly recommend that you read on and explore the reference section, which contains a closer look at all of the exciting features of the GPSCOM 170.
To turn the GPSCOM 170 off:
1. Turn the VOL control counterclockwise.
Thank you for choosing the GARMIN GPSCOM 170. We hope it will make your boating safer and more enjoyable.
Getting Started
Dual Watch
Dual watch scans between channel 16 and the last selected channel.
17
Reference
Satellite Status Page
Satellite Status
Page
Satellites in view but not currently in use (Q & 9) will be displayed in reverse video, with a corresponding ‘hollow’ signal strength bar.
Once a satellite in view is usable for positioning, the satellite number will change from reverse video and the signal strength bar will become solid.
Operating
Mode
Battery Voltage
Signal Strength
Indicator Bars
Estimated
Position Error
Satellite Sky
View
Satellite
Numbers/Letters
The satellite status page displays the status of various receiver functions. The status information will help you understand what the GPSCOM 170 is doing at any given time, and tell you whether or not the receiver has calcu­lated a position fix.
Sky View and Signal Strength Bars
The satellites are identified by letters and numbers. The sky view and signal strength bars give you an indica­tion of what satellites are visible to the receiver, whether or not they are being used to calculate a position fix, and the signal quality. The sky view in the center of the page shows a bird’s-eye view of the position of each satellite relative to the receiver’s last known position. The outer circle represents the horizon (north up); the inner circle 45º above the horizon; and the center point a position directly overhead.
When the receiver is looking for a particular satellite, the corresponding signal strength bar will be blank and the sky view indicator will remain highlighted in reverse video. Once the receiver has found the satellite, a hollow signal strength bar will appear, indicating that the satel­lite has been found and the receiver is collecting data from it. The satellite number or letter in the sky view will also change from reverse video to normal presentation. As soon as the GPSCOM 170 has collected the necessary data to use the satellite for positioning, the hollow bar will become solid.
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Receiver Status
Receiver status is indicated at the top left of the screen, with the current horizontal accuracy (estimated position error, in feet or meters) at the top right. The sta­tus will show one of the following conditions:
Searching— the GPSCOM 170 is looking for any
available satellites in view.
AutoLocate— the GPSCOM 170 is initializing and
collecting new almanac data. This process can take 3
to 5 minutes.
Acquiring— the receiver is collecting data from
available satellites, but has not collected enough data
to calculate a 2D fix.
2D Navigation— at least three satellites with good
geometry have been locked onto and a 2-dimension-
al position fix (latitude and longitude) is being calcu-
lated. ‘2D Diff’ will appear when you are receiving
DGPS corrections in 2D mode.
3D Navigation— at least four satellites with good
geometry have been locked onto, and your position is
now being calculated in latitude, longitude and alti-
tude. ‘3D Diff’ will appear when you are receiving
DGPS corrections in 3D mode.
Poor GPS Coverage— the receiver is no longer
tracking enough satellites for a 2D or 3D fix.
Not Usable— the receiver is unusable, possibly due
to incorrect initialization or abnormal satellite condi-
tions. Turn the unit off and back on to reset.
Simulator— the receiver is in simulator mode.
Reference
Receiver Status
A ‘Poor Coverage’ status will appear if the receiver has lost the satellites required to compute a fix. Make sure the internal antenna is not covered and has a clear view of the sky.
EZinit Prompt
The satellite status page also provides access to the EZinit prompt whenever a position fix has not been cal­culated (the unit must be in searching, AutoLocate, acquiring, simulator or poor coverage mode). This allows you to manually reinitialize the unit (see Appendix A for instructions), and is useful if you have travelled over 500 miles with the receiver off and you know it must be ini­tialized to your new position. The GPSCOM 170 will automatically offer the EZinit prompt after 10 minutes of unsuccessful satellite acquisition.
If you travel more than 500 miles with the receiver off, you may have to reinitialize it to your new location. To access the EZinit prompt, press ENTER from the sta­tus page before the receiver has acquired any satellites.
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Reference
Screen
Backlighting
IMPORTANT!
Using the screen backlight­ing can greatly affect bat­tery life. If you’re using your GPSCOM 170 pri­marily in daylight hours, you should keep the back­light timeout at the default 15 second
setting.
Battery Voltage Indicator
The satellite status page displays current battery voltage for the Ni-Cad battery pack. When using the Ni-Cad pack, any voltage above 7.2 indicates a fully charged condition. You should charge the battery pack when the voltage is between 5.8 and 7.2. At 5.8 volts, you will get a low battery voltage message. At 5.5 volts, the Com and GPS functions shutoff. It is normal to see a drop in voltage when transmitting.
The trickle charger/AC adapter supplied with the GPSCOM 170 converts line voltage to the DC voltage necessary to operate the unit. The AC adapter also slow­ly recharges the Ni-Cad battery pack at a rate of 14 hours for a full recharge. Make sure you charge the Ni-Cad battery pack for 14 hours before using your GPSCOM 170 to ensure optimum capacity and perfor­mance. When charging the battery pack, be sure to turn the unit off to ensure a full charge.
Screen Backlighting and Contrast
If you want to see the display at night, you have to turn on the ‘backlight’ (which is a very small light bulb behind the screen). The bulb lights the screen display for a user-defined interval (the default is 15 seconds) after every keystroke. There are three levels of light intensity. When backlighting is on, a bulb icon will appear in the upper right–hand corner of the display. To adjust the length of time the backlighting will stay on, refer to system setup in the reference section.
Screen contrast is adjustable from the satellite status page.
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To turn the screen backlighting on:
1. Press the backlight button. Cycle through the three lev­els of backlight by pressing the backlight button.
To turn the screen backlighting off:
1. Press the backlight button. Whenever the backlighting is off, the bulb icon disappears from the screen.
To set the screen contrast:
1. Use left and right arrow keys to adjust the bar scale for the desired contrast and press
E
.
Position Page
The GPSCOM 170’s position page shows you where you are, what direction you’re heading and how fast you are going (up to 99.9 mph), and is most useful when you are travelling without an active destination waypoint. A graphic compass tape at the top of the page displays your cardinal heading (while you’re moving), with your cur­rent track and speed over the ground indicated below.
The rest of the page shows your present position in three dimensions (latitude, longitude and altitude). The units of measure for speed, distance, position and altitude are all user-selectable through the navigation setup menu (see page 59). The 12/24 hour clock and time offset options are available from the system setup menu (see page 57).
Trip Odometer
The position page also features a resettable trip odometer to measure the total distance travelled while navigating.
To reset the trip odometer:
1. Highlight the ‘TRIP’ field.
Reference
Position Page
The speed displayed on the position page may fluctuate at slow speeds (or when you’re standing still).
2. Press
3. Press
E E
followed by
to finish.
the left arrow key
.
Altitude Display
When the GPSCOM 170 is acquiring satellites or navigating in the 2D mode, the last known altitude will be used to compute your position. If the altitude shown is off by several hundred feet, you can manually enter your altitude for greater accuracy. Note that GPS altitudes can fluctuate due to errors.
To enter your altitude:
1. Highlight the ‘ALT’ field. Press Eto begin entry of your altitude.
2. Use the arrow keypad to enter a value in each charac­ter field and to move to the next character position.
3. Press
to confirm the altitude.
E
To reset the trip odometer, highlight the trip field and press ENTER. Use the LEFT arrow key to clear the distance field and press ENTER to confirm.
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Reference
Marking &
Saving
Waypoints
The GPSCOM 170 will save new waypoints with a default three–digit name.
Marking and Saving Waypoints
Knowing your present position is only part of any navigation equation. You also need to keep track of where you’ve been and where you are going. Waypoints serve as electronic markers that let you keep track of starting points, destinations, navaids and any other important position.
The GPSCOM 170 allows you to mark, store and use up to 250 waypoints. A waypoint position can be entered by taking an instant electronic fix or by manually enter­ing a coordinate or range and bearing in reference to an existing waypoint. If you try to mark a waypoint without having a position fix, you’ll be notified with a ‘No GPS Position’ message.
To mark your present position:
1. Press Kto capture your position.
The mark position page will appear, showing the cap­tured position and a default 3-digit waypoint name.
To change the default position name:
1. Press the up arrow key twice to move the field high­light from the ‘SAVE?’ field to the name field.
You may add a new way­point to the end of any stor­age route by entering the desired route number in the route field before saving the waypoint.
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2. Press left arrow key will clear any existing data.
3. Use the arrow keypad to enter a value in the appropri­ate character field, and to move to each character position.
4. Press highlight will move to the ‘route number’ field.
If you’d like to add this waypoint to a route:
1. Press E.
2. Use the arrow keypad to enter a route number.
3. Press
4. Press
If you do not want to add this waypoint to a route:
1. Highlight the ‘SAVE?’ field and press E.
to begin entry of the name. Pressing the
E
to confirm the waypoint name. The field
E
to confirm the route number.
E
again to save the waypoint.
E
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