Garmin GPSMAP 172 User Manual

GPSMAP 172/172C

chartplotting receivers

owner’s manual

Garmin International, Inc.

1200 East 151

Street, Olathe, Kansas 66062, U.S.A. Tel. 913/397.8200 or 800/800.1020 Fax 913/397.8282

Garmin (Europe) Ltd.

Unit 5, The Quadrangle, Abbey Park Industrial

Estate, Romsey, SO51 9DL, U.K.

Tel. 44/0870.8501241 Fax 44/0870.8501251

Garmin Corporation No. 68, Jangshu 2nd Road, Shijr, Taipei County, Taiwan Tel. 886/2.2642.9199 Fax 886/2.2642.9099

All rights reserved. Except as expressly provided herein, no part of this manual may be reproduced, copied, transmitted, disseminated, downloaded or stored in any storage medium, for any purpose without the express prior written consent of Garmin. Garmin hereby grants permission to download a single copy of this manual onto a hard drive or other electronic storage medium to be viewed and to print one copy of this manual or of any revision hereto, provided that such electronic or printed copy of this manual must contain the complete text of this copyright notice and provided further that any unauthorized commercial distribution of this manual or any revision hereto is strictly prohibited.

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. Visit the Garmin Web site (www.garmin.com) for current updates and supplemental information concerning the use and operation of this and other Garmin products.

, GPSMAP®, AutoLocate®, TracBack®, BlueChart®, and MapSource®are registered trademarks of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries and may not be used without the

Garmin express permission of Garmin.

October 2004 Part Number 190-00321-00 Rev. B Printed in Taiwan

Preface

Congratulations on choosing one of the most advanced marine navigation systems available! The

Garmin GPSMAP 172/172C models utilize the proven performance of Garmin GPS and full-featured map

ping to create an unsurpassed marine navigation chartplotter.

This manual covers instructions for the GPSMAP 172 and GPSMAP 172C (color). Unit operation and speciﬁcations will be the same on both models unless otheriwse speciﬁed. For GSD 20 sonar related operations, refer to “GSD 20 Sounder Module with Garmin Chartplotters” (190-00241-03). To get the most out of your new navigation system, take the time to go through this owner’s manual and learn the operating procedures for your unit. This manual is broken down into two parts for your convenience.

Part One introduces you to the GPSMAP 172/172C and provides a Getting Started tour so that you may become more familiar with the unit. This section provides you with a basic knowledge necessary to use the unit.

Part Two is divided into sections that provide detailed references to the advanced features and opera

tions of the GPSMAP 172/172C. This allows you to concentrate on a speciﬁc topic quickly and look up detailed information about the GPSMAP 172/172C.

Software License Agreement

BY USING THE GPSMAP 172/172C, YOU AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE FOLLOWING SOFTWARE LICENSE AGREEMENT. PLEASE READ THIS AGREEMENT CAREFULLY.

Garmin grants you a limited license to use the software embedded in this device (the “Software”) in binary executable form in the normal operation of the product. Title, ownership rights and intellectual property rights in and to the Software remain in Garmin.

You acknowledge that the Software is the property of Garmin and is protected under the United States of America copyright laws and international copyright treaties. You further acknowledge that the structure, organization and code of the Software are valuable trade secrets of Garmin and that the Software in source code form remains a valuable trade secret of Garmin. You agree not to decompile, disassemble, modify, reverse assemble, reverse engineer or reduce to human readable form the Software or any part thereof or create any derivative works based on the Software. You agree not to export or re-export the Software to any country in violation of the export control laws of the United States of America.

Introduction

Preface/Registration/

Software License Agreement

Customer Service Product Registration

Help us better support you by completing our

on-line registration today!

Have the serial number of your GPSMAP 172/172C

handy and connect to our web site (www.garmin.com).

Look for the Product Registration link on the Home

page. Also, be sure to record your serial number in the

area provided on page iv of this manual. NOTE: If you have previously registered a Garmin product purchase, we invite you to re-register using

our NEW on-line system. Many services provided by

our new product registration system are now being

automated and re-registering your purchase ensures

you the best possible support from Garmin.

Introduction

FCC Compliance

The GPSMAP 172/172C complies with Part 15 of the FCC interference limits for Class B digital devices FOR HOME OR OFFICE USE. These limits are designed to provide more reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation, and are more stringent than “outdoor” requirements.

Operation of this device is subject to the following conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one of the following measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

• Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver.

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

• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

The GPS 172/172C does not contain any user-serviceable parts. Repairs should only be made by an authorized Garmin service center. Unauthorized repairs or modiﬁcations could result in permanent damage to the equipment, and void your warranty and your authority to operate this device under Part 15 regulations.

The GPS system is operated by the United States government, 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 Garmin GPSMAP 172/172C is a precision electronic NAVigation AID (NAVAID), any NAVAID can be misused or misinterpreted and, therefore, become unsafe.

The electronic chart is an aid to navigation and is designed to facilitate the use of authorized government charts, not replace them. Only ofﬁcial government charts and notices to mariners contain all information needed for safe navigation – and, as always, the user is responsible for their prudent use.

Use the GPSMAP 172/172C 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 GPSMAP 172/172C to all available navigation sources, including the information from other NAVAIDs, visual sightings, charts, etc. For safety, always resolve any discrepancies before continuing navigation.

CAUTION: IT IS THE USER’S RESPONSIBILITY TO USE THIS PRODUCT PRUDENTLY. THIS PRODUCT IS INTENDED TO BE USED ONLY AS A NAVIGATIONAL AID AND MUST NOT BE USED FOR ANY PURPOSE REQUIRING PRECISE MEASUREMENT OF DIRECTION, DISTANCE, LOCATION, OR TOPOGRAPHY.

MAP DATA INFORMATION: One of the goals of Garmin is to provide customers with the most complete and accurate cartography that is available to us at a reasonable cost. We use a combination of governmental and private data sources, which we identify (as required) in product literature and copy right messages displayed to the consumer. Virtually all data sources contain inaccurate or incomplete data to some degree. This is particularly true outside the United States, where complete and accurate digital data is either not available or prohibitively expensive.

WARNING: This product, its packaging, and its components contain chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or reproductive harm. This Notice is being provided in accordance with California’s Proposition 65. If you have any questions or would like additional information, please refer to our web site at http://www.garmin.com/prop65.

Introduction

Warnings and

Precautions



iii

Introduction

Warranty and

Serial Number

Use this area to record the serial number (8-digit number located on the back of the unit) in case it is lost, stolen, or needs service. Be sure to keep your original sales receipt in a safe place or attach a photocopy inside the manual.

Serial Number:



The Garmin GPSMAP 172/172C has no user-serviceable parts. and is fastened shut with screws. Any attempt to open the case to change or modify the unit in any way voids your warranty and may result in permanent damage to the equipment.

from the date of purchase. Within this period, Garmin will at its sole option repair or replace any compo nents that fail in normal use. Such repairs or replacement will be made at no charge to the customer for parts or labor, provided that the customer shall be responsible for any transportation cost. This warranty does not cover failures due to abuse, misuse, accident or unauthorized alteration or repairs.

OTHER WARRANTIES EXPRESS OR IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY LIABILITY ARISING UNDER ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, STATU TORY OR OTHERWISE. THIS WARRANTY GIVES YOU SPECIFIC LEGAL Rights, WHICH MAY VARY FROM STATE TO STATE.

CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, WHETHER RESULTING FROM THE USE, MISUSE, OR INABILITY TO USE THIS PRODUCT OR FROM DEFECTS IN THE PRODUCT. Some states do not allow the exclusion of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitations may not apply to you.

purchase price at its sole discretion. SUCH REMEDY SHALL BE YOUR SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE REMEDY FOR ANY BREACH OF WARRANTY.

Online auction conﬁrmations are not accepted for warranty veriﬁcation. To obtain warranty service, an original or copy of the sales receipt from the original retailer is required. Garmin will not replace missing components from any package purchased through an online auction.

port for shipping instructions and an RMA tracking number. The unit should be securely packed with the tracking number clearly written on the outside of the package. The unit should then be sent, freight charges prepaid, to any Garmin warranty service station. A copy of the original sales receipt is required as the proof of purchase for warranty repairs.

This Garmin product is warranted to be free from defects in materials or workmanship for one year

THE WARRANTIES AND REMEDIES CONTAINED HEREIN ARE EXCLUSIVE AND IN LIEU OF ALL

IN NO EVENT SHALL GARMIN BE LIABLE FOR ANY INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR

Garmin retains the exclusive right to repair or replace the unit or software or offer a full refund of the

Products sold through online auctions are not eligible for rebates or other special offers from Garmin.

To obtain warranty service, contact your local Garmin authorized dealer or call Garmin Product Sup

Garmin International, Inc. 1200 E 151st Street, Olathe, Kansas 66062 U.S.A. Tel. 913/397.8200 Fax. 913/397.8282

Garmin (Europe) Ltd. Unit 5, The Quadrangle, Abbey Park Industrial Estate, Romsey, SO51 9DL U.K. Tel. 44/0870.8501241 Fax 44/0870.8501251

Designed for detailed electronic charting capability, the Garmin GPSMAP 172/172C is a powerful

navigation device that can give you the information you need:

Precision Performance

• (172) 10 level grayscale FSTN display with backlighting

• (172C) 256-color CSTN display with backlighting

• 12-channel parallel receiver tracks and uses up to 12 satellites for fast, accurate positioning

• WAAS Capable — receive signals from the additional set of WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) satellites to give you better accuracy

• Differential-Ready — just add an optional Garmin beacon receiver for better than 5-meter accuracy

• Fully gasketed, high-impact plastic alloy case, waterproof to IEC 60529-IPX-7

Advanced Navigating and Plotting

• 3000 alphanumeric waypoints with selectable icons and comments

• Built-in Worldwide basemap to 20 miles includes detailed ocean, river and lake coastlines, cities, interstates, US state highways and local thoroughfares

• 50 reversible routes with up to 50 waypoints each

• Uploadable maps using Garmin’s MapSource PC products and BlueChart Data Cards

• Coordinates: Lat/Lon, UTM/UPS, Loran TD, over 20 grids, including Maidenhead

• TracBack route feature which allows you to quickly retrace your track log to a starting position

• Built-in simulator mode

• Built-in tide information from over 3,000 tide stations around the USA coastline, Alaska, Hawaii, western Canada and several Caribbean Islands

Introduction

Capabilities

Superior Fishﬁnding Ability (when com bined with the GSD 20 Sounder Module)

• Whiteline feature provides a clear image of bottom hardness and structure

• See-Thru technology which helps separate ﬁsh returns from thermoclines and structure

• Depth Control Gain (DCG) feature automatically adjusts ﬁshﬁnder sensitivity according to depth

• Multiple Zoom levels with a moving view window, plus bottom lock

• Underwater waypoint marking

• Map/Sonar split screen combines navigation and ﬁshﬁnding ability

• Fish and Depth alarms

Introduction

Packing List

Before installing and getting started with your unit, please check to see that your package includes

the following items. If any parts are missing, please contact your Garmin dealer immediately.

Standard Package:

• GPSMAP 172/172C Unit

• GA 29 Remote External Antenna and 30’ cable*

• Internal Antenna**

• Single-Knob Tilt & Swivel Bracket

• Power/Data Cable

• Owner’s Manual

• Quick Reference Card

• Protective Cover

* Not included with part numbers 010-00327-01 with internal antenna. ** Not included with part numbers 010-00327-00 with remote antenna.

Optional Accessories:

• US A/C, PC Adapter

• EURO A/C, PC Adapter

• UK A/C, PC Adapter

• Cigarette Lighter Adapter

• BlueChart Marine Data Cards, MapSource CDs, USB Data Card Programmer, and Data Cards

• GSD 20 Remote Sounder Module

• GBR 23 Beacon Receiver for differential corrections

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i

Preface/Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i

Software License Agreement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i

FCC Compliance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ii

Warnings and Precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii

Warranty andSerial Number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv

Capabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .v

Packing List. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi

Table of Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .vii

“How To” Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii

Section One: Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17

Keypad Usage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Selecting Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Entering Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Initializing the Receiver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Power On/Screen Backlighting . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Simulator Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Main Pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Map Page. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Waypoints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Marking Waypoints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Using the NAV Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Simulated Tour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Reviewing/Creating Map Waypoints . . . . .13

Compass Navigation Page . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Highway Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Active Route Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Main Menu Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Deleting Waypointst . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Powering Off Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Section Two: Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-77

Map Page. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Cursor and Zooming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Compass Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Highway Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Highway Page Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Waypoints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Creating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Reviewing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

Editing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

Lists. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

Going to a Destination. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

TracBack Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40

MOB: Man OverBoard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

Routes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

Creating. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

Following . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

List Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

Review Page. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Editing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

Active Route Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

Introduction

Find Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51

Find Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

Main Menu Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53

GPS Tab. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54

Tide Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

Trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

Celes Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

Track Tab. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61

DSC Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

Card Tabs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68

Temp Tab. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Setup Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69

Comm Tab. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Alarm Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76

Appendix A: LORAN TD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78

Appendix B: Time Offsets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80

Appendix C: Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81

Appendix D: Map Datums. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83

Appendix E: Navigation Terms . . . . . . . . . . . .85

Appendix F: Speciﬁcations/Unit Care . . . . . . .87

Appendix G: Installation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94

Appendix H: Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94

vii

Introduction

“How To” Index



The list to the right is provided to help you quickly ﬁnd some of the more important procedures you may use on your new GPSMAP 172/172C.

TO DO THIS: SEE PAGE(S):

Turn the unit on or off

Adjust screen backlighting

Enter data and select options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Learn how to operate the unit’s function keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Mark your present location as a waypoint

Go to a destination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Create and use a route

Pan using the map arrow

Zoom in or out on the Map page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Reconﬁgure the Map page display

Access the Main Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Change units of measure (statute, nautical, metric)

Change the displayed time (zone) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

View tide information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

View celestial information

Set Alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Use the Find function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

View a unit message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

viii

OUT

NAV

MOB

PAGE

QUIT

ENTER

MARK

FIND

(ZOOM) OUT Key The OUT key adjusts the map scale to display a larger area with less detail. (Zooms out)

(ZOOM) IN Key The IN key adjusts the map scale to display a smaller area with more detail. (Zooms in)

PAGE Key The PAGE key selects the main pages in sequence and returns display from a submenu page.

QUIT Key

The QUIT key returns the display to the previous page and, when entering data, it restores the previous value (cancels data entry).

ARROW KEYPAD

The ARROW KEYPAD is used to select (Highlight) menu options and enter data. It also controls cursor movement on the Map Page.

ENTER/MARK Key The ENTER/MARK key selects a highlighted menu option. When entering data, it allows you to initiate entry, and then to accept the selected value(s). It also marks the current location as a waypoint when pressed and held for more than one second.

MENU Key The MENU key displays a menu of available options for the current page. Press twice (or press and hold for more than one second) to display the Main Menu.

NAV/

MOB Key

The NAV key displays the Go To and Follow navigation menu. MOB (Man OverBoard) actives the Man OverBoard navigation feature when pressed and held for more than one second.

FIND Key The FIND key activates the ﬁnd function to search for nearby items and user waypoints.

POWER/ BACKLIGHT Key The POWER/ BACKLIGHT key turns on/off the unit and adjusts the display illumination/contrast. Multiple presses toggle the unit’s backlight between maximum, user-set, and minimum brightness levels.

Getting Started

Keypad Usage

Arrow Keypad

Power Key

Always press and release a key to perform its primary function. Press, hold for more than one second, then release the ENTER/MARK , NAV/MOB, and MENU keys to activate their secondary function.

Getting Started

Selecting Options

Options Menu with highlighted option.

Pop-up list of options for a highlighted ﬁeld.

Use the ARROW KEYPAD to highlight the next option. Press ENTER/MARK to activate.

The GPSMAP 172/172C’s advanced keypad system is designed to allow for fast, convenient selection of navigation options and data entry. The Getting Started Tour introduces you to the keypad and provides a ‘hands-on’ lesson in using the GPSMAP 172/172C. We strongly encourage you to take the Getting Started tour before using your unit for actual navigation. The GPSMAP 172/172C Quick Reference Guide contains helpful tips on using the unit and performing various navigation tasks.

How To Select Options and Enter Data

You can select and activate options and enter data to customize the GPSMAP 172/172C to ﬁt your requirements. You can use the ENTER/MARK key and ARROW KEYPAD to select options, enter names and numbers in data ﬁelds, and activate your selections.

To select and activate an optional feature:

1. With any page displayed, press the MENU key to pop-up the options menu. The options menu displays a list of optional features which are speciﬁc for that particular page. To select any feature on the list of options requires movement of the cursor, which is called “highlighting”, selecting or choosing an item in a list or a ﬁeld (box) on a page.

2. Use the ARROW KEYPAD sideways on menus.

3. Once you have moved to the desired selection, press the feature or the MENU key to pop-up a sub-menu or list of yet more feature options. Repeat this process to select an option from the list or press the QUIT key to return to the previous setting.

The QUIT key moves backwards through these steps back to the main page you started on.

to move the cursor (highlight) up and down a list or up, down, and

ENTER/MARK key to either activate the

To select and activate a function button:

1. When moving about a page with function buttons, like the ‘New Map Waypoint’ page, you observe functions such as ‘Show Map’, ‘Delete’ and ’OK’. To activate the function, highlight the desired button and press the ENTER key.

Naming a waypoint or placing any sort of data that has not been predeﬁned requires the use of

both the ARROW KEYPAD and the ENTER/MARK key.

To enter a name or number in a data ﬁeld:

1. Once you have accessed a page with programmable data ﬁelds (e.g. ‘ Waypoint Edit’) you can use the ARROW KEYPAD to move the cursor (Highlight) to ﬁelds on the page. Use the UP/DOWN arrows to move up or down and the LEFT/RIGHT arrows to move sideways.

2. Pressing the

ENTER key with the ﬁeld highlighted begins the process for entering data in the form

of alphanumeric characters.

3. Use the ARROW KEYPAD UP/DOWN arrows to cycle through numbers 0 to 9, plus/minus symbols, blank space, and the alphabet. Pressing and releasing the keypad moves you character by character through the list. Pressing and holding the keypad moves you rapidly through the list.

4. Use the ARROW KEYPAD LEFT/RIGHT arrows to move to the next character on the line or back wards to edit characters. If there are more than two lines of data, keep pressing to the RIGHT to drop down to the next line.

5. When data entry is completed press

ENTER to accept data, then move to the next programmable ﬁeld. Not all data ﬁelds are programmable, such as the date and time. When moving about a page with these ﬁelds, the cursor skips over them.

Every ﬁeld and button on this page can be programmed or activated.

A waypoint symbol can be selected from a list of symbols.

A comment can be added.

The coordinates can be changed.

The waypoint can be renamed.

A depth can be entered.

A water temperature can be entered.

Option buttons can be activated.

Getting Started

Entering Data

Pressing UP or DOWN on the ARROW KEYPAD changes numbers and letters.

Pressing LEFT or RIGHT on the ARROW KEYPAD moves the cursor along the line or to the next line.

Data Entry Field

Non-programable data ﬁelds

Getting Started

Initializing the Receiver

GPSMAP 172/172C Warning Screen

Initializing the Receiver

The ﬁrst time you power up your new GPSMAP 172/172C, the receiver must be given an opportunity to collect satellite data and establish its present position. To ensure proper initialization, the GPSMAP 172/172C is shipped from the factory in AutoLocate mode, which allows the receiver to “ﬁnd itself” anywhere in the world. To speed up the initialization process, we recommend using the graphic initialization process described on the next page, which usually provides a position ﬁx within a few minutes.

Before you initialize, make sure the GPSMAP 172/172C unit and antenna have been correctly installed on your vessel according to the instructions in Appendix G. The antenna needs to be in a location with a clear and unobstructed view of the sky to receive satellite signals.

To turn the GPSMAP 172/172C on:

1. Press and hold the POWER key until the power tone sounds and the display comes on, then release the POWER key.

An introduction page appears, asking you to read and acknowledge important information regard-

ing the proper use of the unit.

To acknowledge the introduction:

1. After reading the introduction page, press the ENTER key if you agree.

To graphically initialize the GPSMAP 172/172C:

1. Press the MENU key twice for the Main Menu. Press Up or Down on the ARROW KEYPAD until the ‘GPS’ tab is highlighted, then press the

2. Using the ARROW KEYPAD, highlight ‘Initialize Position’ and press receiver from the map. The Initialize Position Page appears, prompting you to select your approximate location with the map cursor.

3. Use the ARROW KEYPAD to move the map cursor and point to your approximate location within 200 miles. If you have difﬁculty identifying your position, press and release the next lower map scale.

4. Once you have determined your approximate location on the map, press the

This does not “calibrate” the unit in any way, but rather helps to speed up the initial



satellite acquisition. If the unit displays “Ready (2D) or (3D )” during this process, it is not necessary to initialize the unit.

MENU key once.

ENTER to initialize the

IN key to see the

ENTER key.

The GPS Information Page appears as the receiver begins acquiring satellites for your region and should acquire a ﬁx within a few minutes. When viewing the ‘GPS’ tab on the Main Menu, a signal strength bar for each satellite in view appears on the bottom of the page, with the appropriate satellite number under each bar. The progress of satellite acquisition is shown in three stages:

• No signal strength bars— the receiver is looking for the satellites indicated.

• Hollow signal strength bars— the receiver has found the indicated satellite(s) and is collecting data.

• Solid signal strength bars— the receiver has collected the necessary data and the satellite(s) are ready for use.

Once the receiver has collected information from at least three satellites, the top of the screen

displays either “Ready (2D or 3D)”, and the GPSMAP 172/172C is ready for use.

Getting Started

Initializing the Receiver

Point to your approximate location and press

A satellite’s strength bars turns green when it’s ready for use.

ENTER/MARK.

Getting Started

Power On/Screen Backlighting

A full-screen GPS Information pop-up page is displayed after you press the ENTER key to acknowledge the Warning Page. The pop-up page goes away after the unit gets a position ﬁx or you press either

Use the ARROW KEYPAD to move the backlighting slider UP for brighter or DOWN for dimmer backlighting. Press LEF or RIGHT to adjust the display contrast.

ENTER or QUIT.

GPSMAP 172/172C Getting Started Tour

The Garmin GPSMAP 172/172C is a powerful electronic navigation system that provides detailed map coverage and convenient control of many advanced features right from the screen display. This tour is designed to take you through the basic pages and functions of the system using the simulator mode. Once you’re familiar with the main pages and functions of the unit, refer to the reference section for instructions on performing speciﬁc tasks and functions. For GSD 20 sonar related operations, refer to “GSD 20 Sounder Module with Garmin Chartplotters” (190-00241-03).

The Getting Started Tour assumes that the receiver has been properly installed and initialized, and you have not changed any of the default unit settings. If you have changed any settings (position formats, units of measure, etc.), the descriptions and pictures in the tour may not match your conﬁgura

tion.

To turn the GPSMAP 172/172C on:

1. Press and hold the POWER key until the power tone sounds, then release the POWER key. The Warning Page appears while the unit conducts a self-test.

2. Once the self-test is complete, press the warning.

ENTER/MARK key, if you agree, to acknowledge the

The GPS Information Page appears as the receiver begins acquiring satellites. From this or any

other page, you may also adjust the screen backlighting.

The GPSMAP 172/172C’s adjustable screen backlighting is controlled with the

POWER key. The backlight can cycle through minimum, user-deﬁned, and maximum backlight levels by repeatedly pressing the

POWER key.

To adjust the backlighting and contrast:

1. Press POWER and the Light/Contrast window appears.

2. Press POWER again and the user-deﬁned level of backlighting activates. You may adjust this level by pressing UP or DOWN on the ARROW KEYPAD. If you press POWER one more time, the back- lighting is at the minimum setting. Press LEFT (brighter) or RIGHT (darker) to adjust the contrast.

3. Press

ENTER or QUIT when done.

Each page of the GPSMAP 172/172C’s system also features an options page, which gives you access to other functions and features that relate to the speciﬁc page you are viewing. To get a feel for how the options pages work, let’s put the GPSMAP 172/172C into simulator mode.

To place the GPSMAP 172/172C in simulator mode:

1. Press the MENU key twice for the Main Menu. Press Up or Down on the ARROW KEYPAD until the ‘GPS’ tab is highlighted, then press the

2. Use the UP or DOWN arrow of the ARROW KEYPAD to highlight the ‘Start Simulator’ option and press ENTER. Choose ‘No’ to the retail demonstration and press the ENTER key.

3. Press the display. ‘Simulating’ appears at the top of the Main pages.

ENTER key to conﬁrm the ‘Running Simulator’ message that appears at the bottom of the

MENU key once.

While in Simulator mode, a ‘Running Simulator’ message appears after 2 minutes of inactivity. Now

you’re ready to continue the rest of the simulated tour. Keep in mind that the GPSMAP 172/172C

does not track satellites in simulator mode, and this mode should never be used for actual navigation. All the waypoint and route planning done in simulator mode is retained in memory for

future use.

Getting Started

Simulator Mode

A “Running Simulator” message appears at 2 minute intervalss.

PAGE

QUIT

Getting Started

Main Pages/

Map Page

The Map Page is one of six main pages used in the GPSMAP 172/172C’s system. The six main pages are the Map Page, Map/Sonar Split Page*, Sonar Page* , Compass Page, Highway Page, and Active Route Page. All pages are linked together in a simple chain, which allows you to scroll through the pages in either direction using the PAGE

and QUIT keys.

(* If equipped with GSD 20. For GSD 20 sonar related operations, refer to “GSD 20 Sounder Module

with Garmin Chartplotters” (190-00241-03))

Map Page

Map/Sonar Split Page

Sonar Page

Compass Page

Highway Page

Active Route Page

The GPSMAP 172/172C’s Map Page combines digital chartplotting with a user-selectable display of navigation data and a built-in worldwide database. It is also the page you use most to create and edit waypoints and routes. Before we take off on our practice route, let’s take a brief look at its various features and displays.

The map display shows your “boat” as a triangle marker on an electronically generated chart. Geographic names, roads, markers and buoys that are provided by the optional BlueChart or MapSource data are also shown. It also displays your track, routes and nearby waypoints. An on-screen cursor lets you pan to other map areas, determine the range and bearing to a position, and perform various waypoint and route functions.

The data window, located at the top of the page, provides a user-selectable display of various naviga

tion data, including speed over ground, distance to the next navigation point, compass ribbon and current position coordinates. The current map scale setting is located at the bottom right of the page.

Using the Map Cursor

Working from the Map Page is a simple process that centers around the use of the cursor. Con-

trolled by the ARROW KEYPAD, the cursor is an important tool that can be used to pan to other map locations, mark and edit waypoints and routes, and review position data of on-screen map items and waypoints.

To get a feel for using the Map Page and using the cursor, try the following exercise:

1. Use the IN/OUT keys to set the map scale to the 50 nm setting. Your boat should be near the center of the map, at the receiver’s last known position. (If your boat isn’t where it should be, make sure that you have initialized the receiver and acquired a position as described on pages 1-2.)

2. Use the ARROW KEYPAD to move the cursor. Notice how another data ﬁeld appears, showing the bearing and distance from your boat to the cursor, along with the latitude/longitude of the cursor.

3. Press the

QUIT key to remove the cursor and re-center your boat on the map display.

As you become more familiar with the cursor, you’ll see that the map display actively scrolls or ‘pans’, letting you explore areas around the world and create waypoints and routes. Wherever you move the cursor, you’ll always be just one QUIT keystroke away from returning the map to your present position.

Now that you’ve seen how the Map Page can be used to monitor your present location, let’s take a minute to learn how to mark and store your present position as a “waypoint”. (Since you’re in simulator mode, the present position displayed is the last position calculated by the receiver, which should be the spot where you’ve initialized the unit.) This also gives you an opportunity to see how the GPSMAP 172/172C’s keypad and ENTER key are used for data entry and changing the waypoint name and symbol.

Getting Started

Map Cursor

Current position

Map Scale

Distance/ Bearing

Cursor Coordinates

Map Cursor

Getting Started

Marking Waypoints

Press ENTER/MARK after entering the name.

You can choose from a list of useful symbols. There are two Diver Down waypoint symbols to select from: the International and U.S. versions.

To mark your present position:

1. Hold down the ENTER/MARK key until the ‘New Waypoint’ window appears then release the key. The window shows a default three-digit waypoint name/number (001), symbol (dot), and position. You can leave the name as the auto-assigned number, but for this exercise, lets change the name to ‘DOCK’.

2. Use the ARROW KEYPAD to highlight the waypoint name ﬁeld (001) and press that just the ﬁrst ‘0’ is now highlighted.

3. Press LEFT on the ARROW KEYPAD to clear the name ﬁeld.

4. Press UP or DOWN on of the ARROW KEYPAD until the letter ‘D’ appears, and then press RIGHT to go to the next space to the right, then UP or DOWN again until ‘O’ appears. Repeat this until you have entered the name ‘DOCK’. If you make a mistake and select an incorrect character, simply press LEFT on the ARROW KEYPAD to backspace the cursor and then UP or DOWN to correct the entry. (If you accidentally press the highlight to where you left off.)

5. After you have entered all the letters, press

6. To access the waypoint symbol page, highlight the waypoint symbol ﬁeld which is to the left of the waypoint’s name and press

7. You see a grid of available waypoint symbols to choose from. Use the ARROW light the ‘ANCHOR’ symbol.

8. Press

9. Highlight ‘OK’ at the bottom of the window and press

ENTER to conﬁrm the ‘ANCHOR’ symbol.

and save the waypoint.

ENTER before you are done, simply press ENTER again and move

ENTER to conﬁrm the name.

ENTER. Note: The default symbol is a dot.

ENTER again to conﬁrm the ‘OK’ prompt

ENTER. You see

KEYPAD to high-

The waypoint is now stored in memory. Note that waypoints may also be created graphically from the map display or by manually entering position coordinates. Each of these techniques is described in thes reference section of this manual.

Going to a Destination

GPS is all about marking positions as waypoints and navigating to them using the receiver’s steering guidance and map displays. We’ve already seen how to use the ENTER/MARK key to store our present position, so it’s time to move on to the fun part—going to a destination.

The NAV/MOB key, located on the keypad above the QUIT key, is the primary tool used to select a destination waypoint, TracBack, or a route to navigate. The NAV key can be used in two primary ways:

• Pressing

NAV once displays a list of options from which you can select ‘Go To Point’, ‘Follow

Route’, ‘Follow Track’, or ‘Stop Navigation’.

• Highlighting an on-screen waypoint or map item as a destination directly from the Map Page and pressing NAV allows you to graphically select points to “Go To”.

For our simulated trip, you’re going to select a pre-programmed tour route using the ﬁrst method. This also shows how the MENU key is used throughout the GPSMAP 172/172C system to provide tab style options and functions. Let’s start by changing the position to where the practice route is located.

To change the GPSMAP 172/172C position in simulator mode:

1. Press the MENU key twice to display the list of Main Menu tab items.

2. Use the UP or DOWN arrow of the ARROW KEYPAD to highlight the ‘Setup’ tab, then LEFT or RIGHT to highlight the ‘System’ submenu tab.

3. Highlight ‘Set Position’ in the simulator setup window and press ENTER.

4. From the Initialize Position page, press the press ENTER.

5. On the Enter Position window, press ENTER then use the ARROW KEYPAD to enter N34°56.800’, W076°24.066’ and press ENTER when done, then press QUIT to return to the Map Page.

MENU key. You see ‘Enter As Text’ highlighted, then

Getting Started

Using the NAV Key

Text entry for simulator position.

For future practice, you may skip steps 3 and 4 and point to a location from the Initialize Position page.

Getting Started

Simulated Tour

You can also Invert a route to follow it in reverse.

The Set Position, Track Control, Track and Speed ﬁelds only show while in simulator mode.

To activate the practice route stored in memory for navigation:

1. Press NAV. The option list page appears. (If you were selecting a single waypoint to navigate to rather than a route, you could highlight the waypoint on the map, press NAV ENTER.)

2. Use the ARROW KEYPAD to highlight the ‘Follow Route’ option. Press

3. The Select Route page appears, with the ‘GPSMAP TOUR’ route highlighted.

4. Press

ENTER then highlight ‘Activate’ and press ENTER again.

and then press

ENTER to conﬁrm.

To zoom in to a closer map scale:

1. Repeatedly press the IN key until the 3 nm scale displays.

You may also hold the IN or OUT keys down to quickly scroll through the map scales. The Map Page should now display ﬁve waypoints chained together in a simple route, with your boat at the ﬁrst route waypoint.

A data ﬁeld at the top of the page now displays the speed, distance to the second route waypoint, and a compass ribbon which shows you which way to go. To get started, let’s enter a speed for our vessel, which we can do from the Main Menu Page.

To enter a boat speed:

1. Press the MENU key twice to display the Main Menu Page.

2. Use the ARROW KEYPAD to highlight the ‘Setup’ tab, then press RIGHT then DOWN until the ﬁeld below the word ‘Speed’ is highlighted on the ‘System’ submenu tab and press

3. Use the ARROW KEYPAD to enter a speed of 40 knots.

4. Press

ENTER to ﬁnish, and PAGE until you return to the Map Page.

ENTER.

Once a speed has been entered, you’ll notice that the map automatically begins to move slowly, keeping your boat centered on the display. The direction of movement, also called ‘track’, is controlled by the simulator.

You’ll now have a clearer picture of the route you are navigating. Keep in mind that whenever you do exceed the usable range of the built-in database or the optional MapSource or BlueChart data in use, the range ﬁeld displays ‘OVERZOOM’ to indicate that you should exercise extreme caution using the map data. Press the IN key to zoom into the 2 nm scale. Now that you’ve zoomed in a little closer to your route, you can pan ahead of your vessel with the cursor to review map items and create on-screen waypoints. Try moving the cursor to highlight the ‘TOUR3’ waypoint— just use the ARROW KEYPAD to move the cursor as close as possible to the waypoint. (To move the cursor in small increments, try a series of short key presses.)

Once the cursor is over the TOUR3 waypoint, you’ll notice that the waypoint symbol and name becomes highlighted. The data ﬁeld at the top of the map displays the waypoint name, the range and bearing from your present position, and the coordinates for the waypoint.

To review the waypoint page for a selected waypoint:

1. With the waypoint highlighted, press the ENTER key.

2. To return to the Map Page, press

ENTER again or press QUIT.

The cursor can also be used to create new waypoints right from the map display.

To create a new waypoint using the cursor:

1. Use the ARROW KEYPAD to move the cursor as close as possible to the following position: N35º 02.914; W 076º 26.152’ (Use the data window to verify the cursor position.)

2. Press and release the doing so marks your present position, not the map position.

3. Use the ARROW KEYPAD to highlight the waypoint symbol ﬁeld to the left of the waypoint name/ number.

4. Press

5. Use the ARROW KEYPAD to select the ‘Shipwreck’ symbol and press

6. Highlight ‘OK’ at the bottom and press

ENTER to access the symbol page.

ENTER key to capture the cursor position. Do not hold the button down, as

ENTER to conﬁrm.

ENTER again to ﬁnish.

Getting Started

Reviewing/Creating

Map Waypoints

The waypoint ‘highlights’ when the cursor is moved over it.

Waypoint numbering starts with 001 and continually counts up, even if the waypoint name has been deleted.

Getting Started

Compass Navigation Page

Data Fields

Current Destination

Compass Page

Compass

Ring

Pointer

Arrow

Now that we’re navigating to an actual destination, let’s move on to the GPSMAP 172/172C navigation pages by pressing the PAGE key three times. (When using the GPSMAP 172/172C in simulator mode, the optional GSD 20 Map/Sonar Page and Sonar Page are displayed (see page 8)

The Compass Page provides graphic steering guidance to a destination waypoint, with an emphasis on the bearing to your destination and current direction of travel. The middle of the page features a rotating ‘compass ring’ that shows your course over ground (track) while you’re moving, and a bearing pointer that indicates the direction of the destination (bearing) relative to the course over ground. The compass ring and pointer arrow work independently to show—at a glance—the direction of your movement and the direction to your destination. For instance, if the arrow points up, you are going directly to the waypoint. If the arrow points any direction other than up, turn toward the arrow until it points up—then continue in that direction. Because the compass rings uses GPS technology, you must be moving in order for the track to display properly.

The current speed, distance to the next waypoint, turn angle and and time to the next waypoint display at the top of the screen. When you are not navigating to a waypoint, the compass shows your direction of travel as you move, but the arrow does not appear.

The Compass Page allows for precision navigation to one degree of steerage. The default page dis

plays one row of medium numbers ﬁelds. You may customize the Compass Page to display the size and number of ﬁelds along with the type data you wish to see. (See pages 25-26) for changing the types of data.)

Let’s move on to the Highway Page by pressing the PAGE key.

Highway Page

The GPSMAP 172/172C’s Highway Page also provides graphic steering guidance to a destination waypoint, placing greater emphasis on the straight-line desired course and the distance and direction you are off course. As you head toward your destination, the middle of the screen provides visual guidance to your waypoint on a moving graphic “highway.” Your present position is at the bottom center of the highway display. The line down the middle of the highway represents your desired course.

As you navigate toward a waypoint, the highway actually moves—indicating the direction you’re off course. To stay on course, simply steer toward the center of the highway or “keep it on the road”. The default data ﬁelds at the top of the page indicate ‘Speed’ and ‘Distance To Next’ point, along with ‘To Course’ which shows the bearing to get you back on course and ‘Time To Next’ point. Use the High

way Page as your primary navigation page (in lieu of the Compass Page) when your main concern is following a deﬁned course.

Whenever the GPSMAP 172/172C is in simulator mode, you can also adjust your speed and course from the Highway Page using the ARROW KEYPAD. As you head toward each waypoint in the tour route, try adjusting your boat speed and course to get a feel for how the Highway Page works.

To adjust the simulated boat speed/heading from the Highway Page:

1. Press the UP arrow of the ARROW KEYPAD to increase the speed in 10 knot/kph/mph increments. Press the DOWN arrow to decrease the speed in the same increments. Press the LEFT and RIGHT arrows of the ARROW KEYPAD to steer the boat.

Notice that as you get off course, the highway moves to give you graphic guidance to get back on course. You can zoom in or out on the Highway display for a smaller or larger view. Five available settings range from 1X to 16X, with a default setting of 8X. The current scale appears in the bottom right of the display.

To zoom in or out on the highway display:

1. Press either the IN or OUT key to increase or decrease the zoom scale.

Getting Started

Highway Page

Data Fields

Current Destination

Desired Course

Highway Page

Steer towards the center of the highway to get back on course.

Present

Position

Zoom

Scale

Current waypoint

Getting Started

Active Route Page/

Main Menu Page

You may choose from several different types of data

Active Route Page

The main pages’ data ﬁelds may also be conﬁgured to display several different information categories (see pages 25-26 for the complete list). On the Highway Page, let’s change the ‘TIME TO NEXT’ ﬁeld to ‘TIME OF DAY’.

To change a data ﬁeld:

1. Press the MENU key to display the Highway Page options.

2. With ‘Change Numbers’ highlighted, press ENTER.

3. Use the ARROW KEYPAD to highlight ‘TIME TO NEXT’, then press ENTER.

4. On the alphabetical list of options, press UP or DOWN on the ARROW KEYPAD to highlight a selection. Press LEFT or RIGHT to jump through the list a page at a time. The scroll bar on the right side of the window indicates the current position on the entire list of options. Select ‘TIME OF DAY’ and press ENTER.

5. Press QUIT when ﬁnished.

Press PAGE to see the last page appearing in the main sequence, which is the Active Route Page. Whenever you have activated a route or Follow Track, this page shows each waypoint name along with useful data for each point. As you navigate the route, the information automatically updates to indicate the next point along the route. For more detailed information on the Active Route Page, see page 50.

As you’ve seen, the primary pages provide map and navigation information. The tour’s last page is the Main Menu page, which allows access to the GPSMAP 172/172C’s waypoint, route and planning func

tions, as well as various operational and navigation setup features, and celestial and tide data.

The Main Menu is available from any page, and is accessed through the MENU key.

To access the main menu page:

1. Press the MENU key twice (or hold down the MENU key for two seconds.).

The Main Menu page lists 16 menu ‘tabs’ that are divided into categories by function. You can view a particular menu by simply highlighting the desired tab, which shows any secondary submenu tabs and options for that tab.

To get a basic feel for how the Main Menu page works, let’s delete the two waypoints you created during the simulated tour. This ensures that you have a clean slate once you start navigating in your home waters.

To select the Points (Waypoint) submenu tab:

1. Use the ARROW KEYPAD to highlight the ‘Points’ menu tab. You see a list of stored waypoints appear to the right of the Main Menu list.

2. Press to the right one time on the ARROW KEYPAD and you see the ‘User’ submenu tab highlighted.

3. Press down on the ARROW KEYPAD until waypoint 001 with the shipwreck symbol is highlighted.

4. You may delete the waypoint by either pressing MENU, then highlighting ‘Delete Waypoint’ or press ENTER and then highlight ‘Delete’ from the Waypoint Edit page.

5. Press

ENTER to delete the waypoint, then ENTER again to conﬁrm. Repeat the above steps to delete

the ‘Dock’ waypoint also.

Congratulations! You’ve now gone through the basic operation of the Garmin GPSMAP 172/172C. Your new digital chartplotter is a powerful tool with many advanced features not covered in the Getting Started tour. For detailed instructions on using these features or performing a speciﬁc task, please refer to

Deleting Waypoints/

Main Menu Tabs

the Quick Reference Guide or the appropriate reference section of this manual. If equipped with GSD 20, refer to the “GSD 20 Sounder Module with Garmin Chartplotters” (190-00241-03) for sonar operations. The unit is still in Simulator mode for practice, but automatically returns to it’s ‘Normal’ operation mode when you shut it off and turn it back on.

To turn the GPSMAP 172/172C off:

1. Press and hold the POWER key for about two seconds, until the screen is blank.

2. When the screen is blank, release the POWER

key.

The next section of the manual describes the pages and functions of the GPSMAP 172/172C in detail. If you are unable to locate a speciﬁc option or function, please refer to the Index.

Getting Started

Powering Off Unit

Submenu

Tabs

Main Menu

Land

Map Item

Water

Geographic Name

Reference

Map Page

Data Fields

Map Page shown using optional MapSource data.

User Waypoint

Boat Icon

Navaids

Map Scale

Map Page

The GPSMAP 172/172C’s Map Page provides a comprehensive display of electronic cartography, plotting and navigational data. When using the unit with the optional BlueChart data or MapSource software, the map display shows your boat on a digital chart, complete with geographic names, map items, navaids and a host of other chart features. It also plots your track and displays any routes and waypoints you create. An on-screen cursor lets you pan and scroll to other map areas, determine the distance and bearing to a position, and perform various route and waypoint functions.

When the cursor is active, an additional data window appears below the data ﬁelds to indicate the position, range and bearing to the cursor or a selected waypoint or map item. The map scale displays at the bottom right of the page.

The (ZOOM) IN and (ZOOM) OUT keys, combined with the ARROW KEYPAD, let you select zoom ranges and move the cursor. Two basic map operating modes, position mode and cursor mode, determine what cartography is shown on the map display. Position mode pans the cartography to keep the present position marker within the display area, while cursor mode pans the cartography to keep the cursor within the display area.

The GPSMAP system always powers up in the position mode, with your vessel centered on the map display.

• When sufﬁcient map coverage is not available to keep the boat centered, the boat icon moves toward the edge of the display.

When the ARROW KEYPAD is pressed, the GPSMAP 172/172C enters cursor mode. In cursor

mode:

• The cursor can be moved over the map display using the ARROW KEYPAD.

• Whenever the cursor reaches the edge of the display, the map scrolls forward under the cursor. Keep in mind that the boat icon moves with the map scrolling and may go off the display screen (you may not be able to see your present position).

• When the cursor is stationary, a ﬁxed coordinate position appears in the position ﬁeld. Note that the distance and bearing changes as the boat’s position changes.

• Whenever you zoom in cursor mode, the cursor is centered on screen.

• To return to position mode, press the QUIT key.

When the cursor reaches the edge of the map, the unit may pause as it loads new map



data.

Using the Cursor

The cursor allows you to pan away from your present position and scroll to other map areas around the world (even outside of your current detail coverage). As you pan past the edge of the current map display, the screen actively scrolls forward to provide continuous map coverage. You see an hourglass symbol by the pointer while the unit is busy drawing new map detail.

To move the cursor:

1. Press the ARROW KEYPAD to move the cursor in an up, down, left or right direction.

As you move the cursor, the distance and bearing from your present position to the cursor is displayed in the data window, along with the cursor’s position coordinates. Keep in mind that when the cursor is stationary, the distance and bearing from your present position changes as your boat moves. The cursor may also be used to ‘snap’ to on-screen waypoints and map items, allowing you to review a selected position directly from the map display.

To select an on-screen waypoint or map item with the cursor:

1. Use the ARROW KEYPAD to move the cursor to the desired waypoint or map item (if there are several waypoints grouped closely together, zoom in closer for a better view).

2. When a waypoint or map item is selected, it becomes highlighted on screen, with the name and position displayed. Press MapSource data, additional information tabs appears. Use the ARROW KEYPAD to highlight the individual tabs to display the information and additional options.

ENTER to show details of the map item. When using BlueChart or

Reference

Map Page: Cursor

Move the cursor over an item on the map to highlight it.

Option buttons

Additional information tabs.

ENTER/MARK

Pressing while highlighting a map item brings up additional details and options.

Reference

Map Page: Cursor

and Zooming

Creating New Map Waypoint

Using Built-In Basemap

Using BlueChart/MapSource Data

Overzoom, no additional data

To eliminate the cursor and re-center your position on-screen:

1. Press the QUIT key.

The cursor may also be used to create new waypoints directly from the map.

To create a waypoint with the cursor:

1. Use the ARROW KEYPAD to move the cursor to the desired map position.

2. Press the a map item, you get a new window with details about the item when ENTER/MARK is pressed. Press ENTER again on the highlighted ‘Create Wpt’ option.

3. Press

Selecting Map Scales

ENTER/MARK key and the ‘New Map Waypoint’ window appears. If the cursor is on

ENTER to conﬁrm the new waypoint using the default three-digit name and symbol.

The map display has 28 available range scales from 20 ft. to 800 mi. (5 m to 1200 km). The map scale is controlled by the IN and OUT keys, with the current scale displayed at the bottom right of the data window.

To select a map scale:

1. Press the OUT key to zoom out and the IN key to zoom in.

The scale value represents the distance from one end of the scale bar to the other.



The GPSMAP 172/172C’s system has a built-in worldwide database to 20 mi, with more detailed coverage available through the use of the optional BlueChart or MapSource data. The GPSMAP 172/172C displays cartography as long as there is chart information available for the range you’ve selected. Map coverage conforms to the following conditions:

• When the selected zoom range is covered by either the internal database, BlueChart, or MapSource data, cartography is displayed.

• When the selected zoom range is covered by both the internal database and BlueChart/ MapSource data, cartography is displayed using the data with the best resolution.

• When the selected zoom range exceeds the resolution of the data in use, overzoom cartography is displayed and an ‘overzoom’ warning appears below the scale ﬁeld.

+ 79 hidden pages