Thank you for choosing Humminbird®, America’s #1 name in fishfinders.
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 Policy - free of charge during the first year after purchase,
and available at a reasonable rate after the one-year period. For complete
details, see the separate warranty card included with your unit. We
encourage you to read this operations manual carefully in order to get full
benefit from all the features and applications of your Humminbird® product.
To contact our Customer Resource Center, call 1-800-633-1468 or visit our
web site at www.humminbird.com.
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.
WARNING! Disassembly and repair of this electronic unit should only be performed by
authorized service personnel. Any modification of the serial number or attempt torepair the
original equipment or accessories by unauthorized individuals will void the warranty.
WARNING! This product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause
cancer and/or reproductive harm.
NOTE: Some features discussed in this manual require a separate purchase, and
some features areonlyavailable on international models. Every effort hasbeenmade
to clearly identify those features. Please read the manual carefully in order to
understand the full capabilities of your model.
ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE STATEMENT: It is the intention ofHumminbird® to be
a responsible corporate citizen, operating in compliance with known and applicable
environmentalregulations, and a good neighbor in the communities where we make or sell
our products.
WEEE DIRECTIVE: EU Directive 2002/96/EC “Waste of ElectricalandElectronic Equipment
Directive (WEEE)” impacts most distributors, sellers, and manufacturers of consumer
electronics in the European Union. The WEEE Directive requires the producer of consumer
electronics to take responsibility for the management of waste from their products to
achieve environmentally responsible disposal during the product life cycle.
WEEE compliance maynot be required in your location for electrical &electronic equipment
(EEE), nor may it be required for EEE designed and intended as fixed or temporary
installation in transportation vehicles such as automobiles, aircraft, and boats. In some
European Union member states, these vehicles are considered outside of the scope of the
Directive, and EEE for those applications can be considered excluded from the WEEE
Directive requirement.
This symbol (WEEE wheelie bin) on product indicates the product must not be
disposed of with other household refuse. It must be disposed of and collected for
recycling and recovery of waste EEE. Humminbird® will mark all EEE products in
accordance with the WEEE Directive. It is our goal to comply in the collection,
treatment, recovery, and environmentally sound disposal of those products; however, these
requirements do vary within European Union member states. For more information about
where you should dispose of your waste equipment for recycling and recovery and/or your
European Union member state requirements, please contact your dealer or distributor from
which your product was purchased.
ROHS STATEMENT: Product designed and intended as a fixed installation or part of a
system in a vessel may be considered beyond the scope of Directive 2002/95/EC of the
European Parliament and of the Council of 27 January 2003 on the restriction of the use of
certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment.
ATTENTION INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS: Products sold in the U.S. are not
intended for use in the international market. Humminbird® international units provide
international features and are designed to meet country and regional regulations.
Languages, maps, time zones, units of measurement, and warranty are examples of
features that are customized for Humminbird® international units purchased through
our authorized international distributors.
To obtain a list of authorized international distributors, please visit our web site at
www.humminbird.comor contact our Customer Resource Center at(334) 687-6613.
Navionics® Gold, HotMaps™, and HotMaps Premium™ are registered trademarks of Navionics®.
500 Series™, Fish ID+™, Humminbird®, RTS™, RTS Window™, Structure ID®, WhiteLine™,
UniMap™, and X-Press™ Menu are trademarked by or registered trademarks of Humminbird®.
Finding the Cause of Noise .................................................................................. 88
500 Series™ Fishfinder Accessories89
Specifications90
Glossary91
Contact Humminbird®99
NOTE: Entries in this Table of Contents which list (International Only) are only
available on products sold outside of the U.S. by our authorized international
distributors. To obtain a list of authorized international distributors, please visit our
web site at www.humminbird.com or contact our Customer Resource Center at
(334) 687-6613.
NOTE: Entries in this Table of Contents which list (with Temp/Speed only) require
the purchase of separate accessories. You can visit our web site at
www.humminbird.com to order these accessories online or contact our
Customer Resource Center at 1-800-633-1468.
NOTE: Some features discussed in this manual require a separate purchase, and
some features are only available on international models. Every effort has been
made to clearly identify those features. Please read the manual carefully in order to
understand the full capabilities of your model.
vi
Power On the Unit
Follow the instructions below to power on your Humminbird® control head.
581i Combo Title Screen
1. Press thePOWER/LIGHT key.
2. When the Title screen is displayed, press the MENU key to access the
Start-Up Options Menu.
3. Use the 4-WAY Cursor Control key to select Normal (if there is a
transducer attached to the control head), or Simulator (if there isn’t a
transducer attached to the control head).
NOTE: See Start-Up Options Menu for more information.
• If a functioning transducer is connected, Normal operation will be
selected automatically at power up, and your Fishfinder can be
used on the water.
• If a transducer is not connected and you wait too long to select a
Start-Up Option, the system will default to whichever menu is
already highlighted.
• In Simulator you can learn how to use your control head and save
settings in advance for later use.
1
Power On the Unit
How Sonar Works
Sonar technology is based on sound waves. The 500 Series™ Fishfinder uses
sonar to locate and define structure, bottom contour and composition, as well
as depth directly below the transducer.
Your 500 Series™ Fishfinder sends a sound wave signal and determines
distance by measuring the time between the transmission of the sound wave
and when the sound wave is reflected off of an object; it then uses the reflected
signal to interpret location, size, and composition of an object.
Sonar is very fast. A sound wave can travel from the surface to a depth of
240 ft (70 m) and back again in less than 1/4 of a second. It is unlikely that your
boat can “outrun“ this sonar signal.
SONAR is an acronym for SOund and
NAvigation Ranging. Sonar uses precision
sound pulses or “pings“ which are emitted
into the water in a teardrop-shaped beam.
The sound pulses “echo“ back from objects
in the water such as the bottom, fish, and
other submerged objects. The returned
echoes are displayed on the LCD screen.
Each time a new echo is received, the old
echoes are moved across the LCD, creating
a scrolling effect.
How Sonar Works
2
When all the echoes are viewed side by side, an
easy to interpret “graph“ of the bottom, fish, and
structure appears.
The sound pulses are transmitted at various
frequencies depending on the application. Very
high frequencies (455 kHz) are used for greatest
definition but the operating depth is limited. High
frequencies (200 kHz) are commonly used on
consumer sonar and provide a good balance
between depth performance and resolution. Low
frequencies (83 kHz) are typically used to achieve
greater depth capability.
The power output is the amount of energy
generated by the sonar transmitter. It is commonly
measured using two methods:
• Root Mean Square (RMS) measures power
output over the entire transmit cycle.
• Peak to Peak measures power output at the
highest points.
The benefits of increased power output are the
ability to detect smaller targets at greater
distances, ability to overcome noise, better high
speed performance and enhanced depth capability.
3
How Sonar Works
DualBeam Sonar
Your 500 Series™ Fishfinder uses a 200/83 kHz
DualBeam sonar system with a wide (60°) area
of coverage. DualBeam sonar is optimized to
show the greatest bottom definition using a
narrow (20°) beam yet can still indicate fish
found in the wide (60°) beam when the
Fish ID+™ feature is turned on. DualBeam is
ideal for a wide range of conditions - from
shallow to very deep water in both fresh and
salt water. Depth capability is affected by such
factors as boat speed, wave action, bottom
hardness, water conditions, and transducer
installation.
How Sonar Works
4
How GPS Works
Your 500 Series™ Fishfinder also supports GPS (Global Positioning System) and
chartplotting. It uses GPS and sonar to determine your position, display it on a
grid, and provide detailed underwater information.
GPS uses a constellation of satellites that
continually send radio signals to the earth. The
GPS receiver on your boat receives signals from
satellites that are visible to it. Based on time
differences between each received signal, the GPS
receiver determines its distance to each satellite.
With distances known, the GPS receiver
mathematically triangulates its own position. With
once per second updates, the GPS receiver then
calculates its velocity and bearing.
GPS was originally intended for military use; however, civilians may also take
advantage of its highly accurate position capabilities, typically within +/- 10
meters, depending on conditions. This means that 95% of the time, the GPS
receiver will read a location within 10 meters of your actual position. Your GPS
Receiver also uses information from WAAS (the Wide Area Augmentation
System), EGNOS (the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service), and
MSAS (the MTSAT Satellite Augmentation System) satellites if they are
available in your area.
The following GPS functionality is currently supported by the 500 Series™
Fishfinder when it is connected to the included GPS receiver:
• View current position
• View current track (breadcrumb trail)
• View precision speed and heading from your GPS receiver
• Save tracks, waypoints, and routes
• Travel a route and navigate from one waypoint to the next.
See Chart View and Introduction to Navigation: Add Maps to Your Fishfinder
for more information.
5
How GPS Works
What’s On the Sonar Display
The 500 Series™ Fishfinder can display a variety of useful information about
Depth - Water depth; can be set to alarm when
the water becomes too shallow.
Speed - If a Temp/Speed accessory or GPS
Receiver is attached, the Fishfinder can display
the speed of the boat and can keep a Triplog of
nautical or statute miles traveled.
Temperature - Water surface temperature.
Timer - Elapsed time with Temp/Speed
Accessory or GPS Receiver.
Distance - Distance traveled with Temp/Speed
Accessory or GPS Receiver.
Average Speed - Average speed reading with
Temp/Speed Accessory or GPS Receiver.
Second Sonar Return - When the sonar signal
bouncesbetweenthebottom and thesurfaceof the
water and back again. Use the appearance of the
second return to determine bottom hardness. Hard
bottomswillshowa strongsecond return,while soft
bottoms will show a very weakone or none atall.
Cursor Dialog Box - Indicates cursor depth on
the display and the depth of the bottom directly
below the cursor. The Latitude and Longitude of
the cursor position, the distance to travel to the
cursor position, and the bearing to the cursor
position are shown with a GPS receiver. A
waypoint can be marked at the cursor position
for later retrieval and use with a GPS receiver.
NOTE: Entries in this view that list (with Temp/Speed or GPS Receiver) are available if either
the information from the GPS receiver will be displayed on the view.
What’s On the Sonar Display
6
the area under your boat, including the following items:
Bait Ball
Hollow Fish Symbol (83kHz, Wide Beam)
Fish - The Fishfinder displays fish as arches
and/or fish icons, and can be set to alarm
when a fish of a certain size is detected.
When a target is detected, a Fish ID+™
symbol appears on the display with the
depth displayed above it. The size of the
symbol indicates the intensity of the sonar
return. The unit will clearly show schools of
Bait Fish as "clouds" of different shapes and
sizes, depending on the number of fish and
boat speed.
Thermoclines - Layers of water with different
temperatures that appear at different depths
and different times of the year. A thermocline
typically appears as a continuous band of gray
levels moving across the display at the same
depth.
Cursor - Available in Freeze Frame and can
be positioned in the Sonar View to provide
depth ofasonar returnand bottomdepth below
the cursor.
ShadedFish Symbol(200kHz, Narrow Beam)
RTS (Real Time Sonar) Window™
Structure - Where fish may be hiding.
device is connected to the 500 Series™ Fishfinder. If both devices are connected, then only
It is important to understand the significance of
the display. The display does not show a literal
3-dimensional representation of what is under
the water. Each vertical band of data received by
the control head and plotted on the display
represents something that was detected by a
sonar return at a particular time. As both the boat
and the targets (fish) may be moving, the returns
are only showing a particular segment of time
when objects were detected, not exactly where
those objects are in relation to other objects
shown on the display.
The returned sonar echoes are displayed on the screen. As a new echo is
received, the historical data scrolls left across the view.
RReeaallTTiimmeeSSoonnaarr((RRTTSS™))WWiinnddooww
A Real Time Sonar (RTS™) Window appears on the right side of the display in
the Sonar View only. The RTS Window™ updates at the fastest rate possible for
depth conditions and shows only the returns from the bottom, structure, and
fish that are within the transducer beam. The RTS Window™ plots the depth
and intensity of a sonar return (see Sonar Menu Tab: RTS Window™).
The Narrow RTS Window™
indicates the sonar intensity
through the use of grayscale.
The grayscale used matches
the Bottom View grayscale
setting (Inverse, StructureID
WhiteLine™, Bottom Black).
The depth of the sonar return
is indicated by the vertical
placement of the return on the
display depth scale.
What’s On the Sonar Display
The Wide RTS Window™
indicates the sonar intensity
through the use of a bar
graph. The length of the
®
,
plotted return indicates
whether the return is weak or
strong. The depth of the sonar
return is indicated by the
vertical placement of the
return on the display depth
scale. The Wide RTS
Window™ does not use
grayscale.
Freeze Frame & Active Cursor - Press any arrow on the 4-WAY Cursor Control key,
and the screen will freeze and a cursor will be displayed. Use the 4-WAY Cursor
Control key to move the cursor over a sonar return, and the depth of the sonar
return will be displayed at the bottom of the screen in the cursor information box.
The RTS Window™ continues to update in Freeze Frame. Pressing EXIT will exit
Freeze Frame, and the display will start to scroll. Freeze Frame is available in the
Sonar and Sonar Zoom Views.
Instant Image Update - You can change a variety of sonar menu settings (such
as Sensitivity or Upper Range), and the adjustments will be shown instantly on
the screen.
9
What’s On the Sonar Display
BBoottttoommPPrreesseennttaattiioonn
As the boat moves, the unit charts the changes in depth on the display to create
a profile of the Bottom Contour. The type of bottom can be determined from
the return charted on the display. A Hard Bottom such as compacted sediment
or flat rock appears as a thinner line across the display. A Soft Bottom such as
mud or sand appears as a thicker line across the display. Rocky Bottoms have
a broken, random appearance.
Bottom Contour Profile with RTS Window™
Hard Bottom
Soft Bottom
Rocky Bottom
The sonar returns from the bottom, structure, and fish can be represented as
Inverse, Structure ID®, WhiteLine™, or Black (Bottom Black). See Sonar
X-Press™ Menu: Bottom View to set the bottom view.
What’s On the Sonar Display
10
Inverse is a method where weak returns are
shown with dark pixels and strong returns with
lighter pixels. This has the benefit of ensuring that
weak signals will be clearly visible on the display.
Structure ID® represents weak returns as light
pixels and strong returns as dark pixels. This has
the benefit of ensuring that strong returns will be
clearly visible on the display.
WhiteLine™ highlights the strongest sonar returns
in white resulting in a distinctive outline. This has
the benefit of clearly defining the bottom on the
display.
Black (Bottom Black) displays all pixels below the
bottom contour as black, regardless of signal
strength. This has the benefit of providing a high
contrast between the bottom and other sonar
returns on the display.
11
What’s On the Sonar Display
Views
S
onar
View
Accessory
Test View
Chart
V
iew
GPS
Diagnostic
View
S
elf Test
View
Chart/Sonar
Combo View
S
o
n
a
r
Z
o
o
m
V
i
e
w
B
ird’s Eye
View
Big Digits
V
iew
The sonar and navigation information from your
Fishfinder are displayed on the screen in a variety
of easy-to-read views. There are many views
available on your Fishfinder. When you press the
VIEW key, the display cycles through the
available views on your screen. When you press
the EXIT key, the display cycles through the
available views in reverse order.
When you first power up the control head, Sonar View will be the default view.
You can display and hide any view to suit your fishing preferences.
NOTE: When you change any menu settings that affect the sonar, the view will update
immediately. You don't have to exit the menu to apply the change to the screen.
Views
Sonar views:
Sonar View
Sonar Zoom View
Big Digits View
Navigation views:
Bird’s Eye View
Chart View
Chart/Sonar Combo View
Self Test View
(see Start-Up Options Menu)
Accessory Test View
(see Start-Up Options Menu)
GPS Diagnostic View
(see Start-Up Options Menu)
Details about each view are available on the following pages.
12
To customize your view rotation:
You can choose which views are hidden or visible in your view rotation.
1. Press the MENU key twice to access the tabbed Main Menu, then
press the RIGHT Cursor key until the Views tab is selected.
2. Press the UP or DOWN Cursor keys to select a View.
3. Press the LEFT or RIGHT Cursor keys to change the status of the view
from Hidden to Visible or vice versa.
To change the Digital Readouts:
Each view displays digital readout information (such as speed or time), which
varies with the view selected, the accessory attached, and whether or not you
are navigating. The digital readouts on the Sonar View can be customized. See
Setup Menu Tab: Select Readouts for more information.
1. Press the MENU key twice to access the tabbed Main Menu, then
press the RIGHT Cursor key until the Setup tab is selected.
2. Press the DOWN key to highlight Select Readouts, and press the RIGHT
Cursor key to access the Select Readouts submenu.
NOTE: If the Select Readouts option does not appear under the Setup tab, change the
User Mode to Advanced.
3. Press the UP or DOWN Cursor keys to select a Readout position, then
press the RIGHT or LEFT Cursor keys to choose what will be displayed in
that position. To hide the data window, select Off. (Course, Navigation,
Off, Position, Speed, Temperature, Time+Date, Triplog, Voltage, Time)
13
Views
Sonar View
Sonar View presents a historical log of sonar returns. The most recent sonar
returns are charted on the right side of the display. As new information is
received, the historical information scrolls left across the display.
• Upper and Lower Depth Range numbers indicate the distance from the
surface of the water to a depth range sufficient to show the bottom.
• Depth is automatically selected to keep the bottom visible on the display,
although you can adjust it manually as well (see Sonar X-Press™ Menu).
• Digital Readouts shown on the display will change based on the Select
Readouts settings or the optional-purchase accessories attached (see
Setup Menu Tab: Select Readouts).
• Freeze Frame - Use the 4-WAY Cursor Control key to freeze the display
and move the cursor over a sonar return. The depth of the sonar return will
be displayed at the bottom of the screen in the cursor information box.
Sonar View
Depth
Speed
Upper Depth
Range
Temperature
Triplog
Sonar History
Window
Cursor
Dialog Box
NOTE: If the Depth number is flashing, it means that the unit is having trouble locating
the bottom. This usually happens if the water is too deep, the transducer is out of the
water, the boat is moving too fast, or for any other reason that the unit can’t accurately
receive continuous data.
Views
14
Cursor
RTS Window™
Lower Depth
Range
Sonar Zoom View
Sonar Zoom View provides a magnified view of the bottom and structure. The
Sonar Zoom View makes it easier to see separate sonar returns that would
usually be displayed close together, such as those caused by fish suspended
close to the bottom or within structure.
• The Zoom Level, or magnification, is displayed in the lower left corner
of the display. Press the + or - ZOOM keys to increase or decrease the
zoom level.
• The Zoomed View is displayed on the left side of the screen. As the
depth changes, the zoomed view updates automatically.
• The Full Range View is displayed on the right side of the screen. The
Full Range View includes the Zoom Preview Box, which shows where
the zoomed view is in relation to the full range view.
• The Upper and Lower Depth Range numbers indicate the high and low
range of the water which is being viewed.
Sonar Zoom View
Depth
Zoomed View
Upper Depth Range,
Full Range View
Upper Depth Range,
Zoom View
Zoom Preview Box
Zoom Level
Digital depth is displayed in the upper left hand corner. The
digital readouts in the Sonar Zoom View cannot be
customized; therefore, information such as water temperature
and voltage are unavailable in the Sonar Zoom View.
15
Full Range View
Lower Depth Range,
Zoom View
Lower Depth Range,
Full Range View
Views
Big Digits View
Big Digits View provides digital data in a large, easy-to-see format.
• Digital Readouts: Depth is always displayed. Readouts for temperature,
speed, and Triplog information are displayed automatically if the
appropriate accessory is connected to the Fishfinder.
NOTE: The digital readouts in the Big Digits View cannot be customized.
• The Triplog shows distance traveled, average speed, and time elapsed
since the Triplog was last reset.
Big Digits View
Timer shows the
Depth
Temperature
Speed
time elapsed since Triplog
was last reset
Distance is the distance
traveled since the Triplog
was last reset
Voltage displays
the battery voltage
Average Speed shows the
speed since the Triplog
was last reset
Views
16
Bird’s Eye View
Bird's Eye View shows a 3D perspective view of the track and the chart’s land
contour from a point above and behind the boat (the eye point). As the boat turns,
the eye point moves to follow the boat.
• To shift the eye point position so that you can look off to the sides, or
even behind the boat: Press the RIGHT or LEFT Cursor keys to turn the
eye point right or left. Press the UP Cursor key to move the eye point
forward, and press the DOWN Cursor key to move the eye point
backward.
• Press the EXIT key to move the eye point back to its original position
behind and above the boat.
Bird’s Eye View
Depth
Land Contour
Boat Icon
Speed of Boat
Water Surface
Temperature
17
Bearing of Boat
with Respect to
True North
Views
Chart View
Chart View shows cartography from the built-in UniMap™ or an optional
MMC/SD map for the area surrounding your current position. The current track
(also known as the position history or breadcrumb trail) showing where the
boat has been, along with saved tracks, waypoints, and the current route (when
navigating), are overlaid on the chart.
• Use the 4-WAY Cursor Control key to shift/pan the chart to another area.
• Press the ZOOM (+/-) keys to zoom in and out.
• Press the INFO key to get information on the chart objects near the cursor.
Chart View without Active Cursor, shown with
Optional-Purchase Navionics® Cartography
Views
Depth
Map Scale
Speed of Boat
Water Surface
Temperature
Cartography
Bearing of Boat
with Respect
to True North
18
Chart View with Active Cursor, shown with
Optional-Purchase Navionics® Cartography
Depth
Cartography
Active Cursor
Map Scale
Distance to the
Cursor and
Bearing
to Cursor
Latitude and
Longitude
Position
of Cursor
Bearing of Boat
with Respect
to True North
Chart/Sonar Combo View
Combo View is displayed as a split screen, with Chart View on the left and
Sonar View on the right side of the screen. To change the width of the Sonar
Window, press the MENU key once and select Sonar Window from the
X-Press™ Menu.
Combo View
Depth
Map Scale
Water
Surface
Temperature
19
Sonar Window
Cartography
Speed of Boat
Bearing of
Boat with
Respect to
True North
Views
VViieewwOOrriieennttaattiioonn
Both Chart and Combo Views allow you to choose the orientation of the view
(see Navigation Menu Tab: Chart Orientation). In both orientations, the view
pans automatically, so that the boat is always centered on the display.
• North-Up: True North is shown at the top of the display. Objects located
to the north of the boat are drawn above the boat.
• Course-Up: The direction of motion of the boat is shown at the top of the
display. Objects ahead of the boat are drawn above the boat.
When the boat is stationary, it is drawn as a circle. When the boat is in motion,
it takes on a boat shape, pointed in the direction of motion (always Up in the
Course-Up orientation).
VViieewwiinnggCCaarrttooggrraapphhyy
In the Chart or Combo Views there are several cartography-related functions
that you can access using various keys.
Panning: Use the 4-WAY Cursor
Control key to move the chart around
on the display in the direction of the
key being pressed. When you do this,
a bull's eye cursor is drawn at the
center of the screen and is linked to
the boat by a gray line, even if the
boat is off the screen. At the same
time, the temperature and speed
boxes in the lower left corner are
replaced with the distance and
bearing from the boat to the cursor
Chart View with Cursor Present, shown with
Optional-Purchase Navionics® Cartography
position and the latitude/longitude
coordinates of the cursor.
Views
20
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