Humminbird HDR 600 User Manual

Thank you for choosing Humminbird, America’s #1 name in depthsounders. Humminbird has built
its reputation by designing and manufacturing top-quality, thoroughly reliable marine equipment.
Your Humminbird is designed for trouble-free use in even the harshest marine environment.

In the unlikely event that your Humminbird does require repairs, we offer an exclusive Service
Guarantee – free of charge during the first year after purchase, and available at a reasonable rate
after the one –year period. Complete details are included at the end of this manual.

We encourage you to read this operations manual carefully in order to get full benefit from all the
features and uses of your Humminbird product. Also, to register your purchase and help us learn
more about you, please fill out the warranty registration card at the back of this manual.

WARNING! This device should not be used as a navigational aid to prevent collision, grounding,
boat damage, or personal injury. When the boat is moving, water depth may change too quickly
to allow time for you to react. Always operate the boat at very slow speeds if you suspect shallow
water or submerged objects.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section 1: GENERAL INFORMATION
How Sonar Works
Transducer Exchange

Section 2: INSTALLATION
Parts Supplied
Transducer Installation

Transom Mounting
Inside The Hull Mounting
Installing the HDR 600
Testing the Installation

Section 3: USING THE HDR 600
What You See On Screen
Control Functions

Section 5: MAINTENANCE AND WARRANTY
Maintenance
Troubleshooting
Warranty
Service Policy
Specifications

GENERAL INFORMATION
HOW SONAR WORKS

HOW SONAR WORKS
Sonar uses sound waves to determine the presence of underwater objects. The time measured

between the transmission of the sound wave, and the reception of any reflection can be used to
determine distance. Analysis of the reflected signal can be used to determine location, size,
composition, etc.

Humminbird products consist of two primary
components: the sonar unit and the transducer. The sonar unit contains the transmitter and
receiver, as well as the user controls and display. The transducer is smounted beneath the water
surface and converts electrical energy from the transmitter into mechanical pulses or sound
waves. The transducer also receives the reflected sound waves and converts them back into
electrical signals for the display on the sonar unit.

The transmit and receive cycle is very fast. A sound wave can travel from the surface to a depth
of 240 feet and back again in less than ¼ of a second; so it is unlikely that your boat can “outrun”
this sonar signal.

GENERAL INFORMATION
TRANSDUCER EXCHANGE

As the HDR 600 transducer receives sonar signals, it converts them to a digital depth that is
displayed on your HDR 600. The depth reading is continuously updated as you travel across the
water.

Easy-to-use controls on the HDR 600 allow you to set the SHALLOW ALARM or DEEP ALARM
for an audible alert when the boat is in extreme shallow or deep water.

The liquid cry stal display (LCD) offers sharp viewing, even in bright direct sunlight, and is
continuously lit for nighttime operation.

NOTE: Actual depth capability depends on such factors as bottom hardness, water conditions,
and transducer installation, Units will typically read to deeper depths in fresh water than in salt
water.

TRANSDUCER EXCHANGE
Your HDR 600 comes with everything necessary for installation and operation on most boats. The

transducer included, XHS -6-16, is designed to be mounted on the transom of the boat (directly
exposed to the water). On fiberglass hull boats, this same transducer can be bonded to the inside
of the hull. When mounted inside the hull, the sonar signal actually passes through the hull of the
boat. One of these two mounting tec hniques will produce acceptable results on most boats. There
are however several situations which may demand a different type of transducer. Inboard boats,
wood or metal hulls, and sailboats create unique transducer mounting needs.

The standard transducer can also be adapted to mount on most trolling motors using the AD­STM7. This accessory includes a bracket and hose clamp which allows mounting the transducer
to the body of most trolling motors.

Thru-hull mount transducers are also available as direct replacements for the standard
transducer. You may exchange your new and unused transducer for another type by returning it
to the address of the inside of the rear cover of this manual. Some transducers may have
additional costs. Refer to the Accessory catalog or call Customer Support for information on
accessory transducers.

INSTALLATION
PARTS SUPPLIED

Before installing your HDR 600, please ensure thet the following parts are included in the box:

• HDR 600 Depth sounder

• Transducer with 20 feet of cable

• Transducer mounting hardware kit

• “U” Bracket and wing nut

• 2 Cable ties

• Publications kit

If any of these items is missing, call our toll-free Customer Support Hotline.
IN addition to the parts supplied with your Humminbird, you will need the following for installation
and operation:

• A powered hand drill and various drill bits including a 2 1/8” hole saw, if your boat does not

have an existing gauge hole

• Phillips and flat -head screw drivers

• A ruler or measuring tape

• Pen or pencil

• 12 volt power source (your boat’s battery)

• A 1-ampfuse

• A fuse holder (if you are wiring directly to the boat’s battery)

• Silicone sealant (for sealing drilled holes)

• 2-part, slow-cure epoxy (for inside the hull transducer installations)

INSTALLATION
TRANSDUCER INSTA LLATION

Proper mounting of the transducer is essential for consistent operation of your HDR 600. Due to
the wide variety of boat hulls being produced, only general instructions are given for transducer
installation. Each boat hull represents a unique set of requirements which should be evaluated
prior to installation.

Your HDR 600 includes an XHS -6-16 transducer. This transducer can either be mounted on the
transom of the boat, or bonded to the inside of a fiberglass-hull boat.

The transom mount installation places the transducer on the outside of the boat hull. This
technique provides the least signal loss, and provides a means for adjustment after installation.
The mounting hardware included is designed to protect both the boat and the water or when
trailering. Refer to “transom mounting” for detailed installation instructions.

It is possible on many fiberglass-hulled boats to mount the transducer on the inside of the boat
hull. Since fiberglass has similar sonar characteristics as water, the sonar signal can pass
through the boat hull with minimal loss. The hull of the boat must be single layer construction (not
double-hulled). Also, any air trapped in the lamination of the fiberglass would prevent the sonar
signal from passing through.

Inside the hull installations require no holes to be drilled into the boat and through
experimentation, high-speed operation comparable to transom-mounting can be achieved.

TRANSOM MOUNTING

Determining the Proper Location
Follow the steps below if you are mounting the transducer on the transom.
As a boat moves through the water, turbulence is generated by the weight of he boat, and the

thrust of the propeller(s). This turbulent water is normally confined in areas immediately aft of ribs,
strakes, and in the immediat e area of the propeller(s). It is very important to locate the transducer
in an area which is relatively free of turbulent water. If the prop(s) are forward of the transom, it
may be impossible to find an area clear from turbulence, and a different mounting technique
should be considered. On outboard or inboard/outboard boats it is best to stay at least 15” to the
side of the propeller(s).

If possible, viewing the transom of the boat while the boat is moving will provide the best means
of locating clean water. If maximum high-speed operation is a high priority, this is the
recommended method. If this is not possible, select a location on the transom where the hull
forward of this location is smooth, flat. And free of protrusions or ribs.

Another consideration is the angle of deadrise. The transducer, when mounted, should point
straight down. The design of the transducer will allow a deadrise of 15 degrees and remain
pointed straight down. If the deadrise is greater than about 15 degrees it will be necessary to
angle the transducer slightly. While this does not significantly degrade performance, you must
keep in mind that the readout may be somewhat to one side of the boat.

On boats with stepped hulls, it may be possible to mount the transducer on the transom behind a
step, as this area of the transom will not be in contact with the water at high speed.

Drilling the Mounting Holes
Once you have identified the location, remove the mounting template from the front of this

manual. This template provides a means of ensuring that the deadrise of the transom falls within
the allowable limits, and it locates the three mounting holes which must be drilled.

Hold the template on the transom of the boat in the location you have selected. Align the template
vertically, ensuring the lower edge of the transom on either side of the template falls within the