Lowrance HDS-8m, HDS-10m Operation Manual

988-0176-08B

HDS-8m & HDS-10m

GPS Mapping Receiver

Operations Guide

Software updates for your unit.

Occassionally check the Lowrance website for free software upgrades for your unit. Go to www.lowrance.com for the software upgrades. Select the Down- loads option from the grey menu bar near the top of the Lowrance website homepage. The Downloads screen will appear. Select Products Software Updates from the list on the left side of the screen. The Products Software Updates screen will appear. Scroll through the Product list and select your unit to download the software update.

Contents

Table of contents

Introduction ....................................................................................... 3

Getting Started ................................................................................. 5

Turning on the Unit ..................................................................................... 5

Keypad .......................................................................................................5

Backlight ....................................................................................................5

Cursor ........................................................................................................ 5

Language ................................................................................................... 5

Menus ........................................................................................................6

Softkeys ..................................................................................................... 6

Selecting Chart Data ................................................................................ 7

Entering Letters in Text Boxes ................................................................... 7

Restore Defaults ........................................................................................7

Pages ................................................................................................. 9

Pages Screen ............................................................................................ 9

Data Overlay ............................................................................................ 10

Softkeys ................................................................................................... 11

Conguration menu ................................................................................. 15

Chart Page ............................................................................................... 16

Radar Page .............................................................................................. 17

Info Page .................................................................................................. 17

Utilities .....................................................................................................22

Displaying Combo Pages ........................................................................ 24

Chart Operation............................................................................... 27

Chart menu .............................................................................................. 28

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

Routes ...................................................................................................... 35

Trails ......................................................................................................... 39

Measuring Distances on Chart page ....................................................... 42

Contents

Search by Coordinates ............................................................................42

Find Chart item ........................................................................................42

Map Orientation ....................................................................................... 43

Look Ahead ..............................................................................................43

Chart categories ......................................................................................44

Navionics .................................................................................................46

Radar Operation .............................................................................49

Radar page softkeys ................................................................................49

Radar menu .............................................................................................53

Radar Cursor active softkeys ................................................................... 55

Cursor position window............................................................................ 56

Radar Overlay .......................................................................................... 57

Settings Menu ................................................................................. 59

Screen Capture ........................................................................................ 63

Chart Settings Menu ................................................................................ 66

Radar Settings Menu ............................................................................... 69

Fuel .......................................................................................................... 76

Alarms ......................................................................................................80

Trails ......................................................................................................... 82

Units .........................................................................................................83

Network .................................................................................................... 84

Vessels ..................................................................................................... 91

Simulator .................................................................................................. 93

Specications .................................................................................. 97

Unit Care ..........................................................................................98

Troubleshooting .............................................................................. 99

Index ............................................................................................... 107

Introduction

Thank you for purchasing from Lowrance, the industry leader in marine technology. This manual is packaged with a Quick Start Guide, Installation Guide, License and Warranty booklet and NMEA 2000 Networks Installation Instructions. If any of these documents are missing, you may acquire them via a free download at www. lowrance.com or by contacting customer service.

Lowrance Customer Service

12000 E Skelly Dr

Tulsa, OK 74128

(800) 324-1356

Canada (800) 661-3983 or (905) 629-1614

About this manual

This manual documents how to adjust features and options in your display unit. The information in each section follows the same sequence as your display unit’s menus. If you would like information on how to get the most out of your unit, visit our web site, www.lowrance.com; click on the Support tab and select Tips and Tutorials.

Manual Conventions

When you are instructed to press a button in this manual, the button will be shown in all caps and bold text like — MENU, EXIT, ENTER, etc. If you are instructed to select an item from a menu, the item to be selected will be listed in bold like — Brightness, Key beeps, etc. For example: Press MENU, select Language and press ENTER.

WARNING: When a GPS unit is used in a vehicle, the

vehicle operator is solely responsible for operating the vehicle in a safe manner. Vehicle operators must maintain full surveillance of all pertinent driving, boating or ying conditions at all times. An accident or collision resulting in damage to property, personal injury or death

could occur if the operator of a GPS-equipped vehicle fails to pay full attention to travel conditions and vehicle

operation while the vehicle is in motion.

Introduction

Lowrance HDS-8m and HDS-10m

ZOUT: Zoom out to see more of the map with less detail ZIN: Zoom in to see less of the map with more detail MOB: Pressing ZOUT and ZIN at the same time will set a man overboard waypoint

KEYPAD: move the

cursor, scroll through

menus, adjust features,

view sonar/GPS history

FLYWHEEL: scroll

through menus & adjust features

EXIT: cancels entries, closes

menus & windows; toggles between

cursor position and chart location on Chart page

MENU: opens context &

settings menus

ENTER: nalize menu selections; shortcut key

for functions like saving a waypoint at cursor position

PAGES: opens Pages

menu; selects active panel for combo

display

LIGHT/POWER:

controls backlight

level & turns the unit on/off

WPT/FIND: saves a waypoint

at current position; accesses

searching tools

SOFTKEYS: controls commonly used features and

functions

MMC/SD Card slot: insert MMC/SD and high-detail

mapping cards here

Getting Started

Turning on the Unit

Press the POWER/LIGHT key to turn on the unit. If the unit is not connected to a transducer, the unit will start up in simulator mode. To turn off the unit, press the POWER/LIGHT key for three seconds.

Getting Started

Keypad

This unit’s keypad can be used in two ways. Pressing the arrow symbols on the keypad will move the cursor in the corresponding direction on the screen and allow you to scroll through menus.

Sliding your nger around the Flywheel surrounding the keypad

allows you to scroll through menus and adjust certain features.

Keypad

Flywheel

Backlight

Tap the LIGHT/POWER key to make adjustments to the backlight level and open the Backlight Menu. To turn on Night Mode from the menu, highlight Night Mode and press ENTER. Night mode optimizes the display for low light conditions.

Cursor

Use the unit’s keypad to move the cursor around the display, select onscreen objects, highlight data items and view sonar history. Press EXIT to remove the cursor from the screen.

Language

Selects language used for menus, text boxes and messages.

To select a language:

Press 1. MENU twice.

Select 2. System and press ENTER

Highlight 3. Language and press ENTER.

4. Use the keypad to select a language and press ENTER.

Getting Started

Menus

This unit has a Settings menu, a Pages screen and several context menus. The Settings menu provides access to the settings menus for the three main operation modes: Chart and Radar. The Settings menu is accessed by pressing MENU twice.

The Pages screen allows you to select a page to be shown on the display. Utilities are also accessed from the Pages screen. Press the PAGES key to select a page.

Each page has its own context menu which allows you to access functions for that page. Context menus are accessible only when its corresponding page is displayed. To access a context menu, select the desired page and press the MENU key.

Settings

Pages screen

Chart menu

Radar menu

Closing Menus

Press the EXIT key to close a menu. Repeatedly pressing EXIT will close all menus, taking you back to the main screen.

Softkeys

Provide easy access to some of the most commonly used commands and features.

To make adjustments, press the button below the onscreen softkey. Make the desired changes and press the button a second time to close the menu/feature.

Softkeys

Selecting Chart Data

This unit supports three types of map data: Navico, Navionics and Navico 3D (US only). To use Navionics or Navico 3D data, you must select it from the Chart Data menu.

To select Chart data:

Press 1. MENU twice.

Highlight 2. Chart and press ENTER.

Select 3. Chart Data and press ENTER.

Select the desired map data option and press 4. ENTER.

Entering Letters in Text Boxes

This unit has some features and functions that may require you to enter data in a text box.

To enter data in a text box:

Highlight the text box and press 1. ENTER. A keyboard will appear on the screen.

Getting Started

Keypad button controls uppercase & lowercase

Use the keypad to highlight the rst 2. character and press ENTER. Repeat

this step until all characters have been

entered.

Highlight 3. OK and press ENTER.

Keyboard window

Restore Defaults

The Restore Defaults command switches the unit back to the settings it had when you purchased it (default settings),

To Restore Defaults:

Press 1. MENU twice.

Select 2. System and press ENTER.

Highlight3. Restore Defaults and press ENTER. A conrmation message will appear.

Select 4. Yes and press ENTER.

Getting Started

Blank page

Pages

Combo

display options allows you to display a split screen

Pages

Page icons

rotate around

the circular

Pages

Page Icons

Pages Screen

Consists of four page icons that scroll horizontally around the Pages menu. To view the pages screen, press the PAGES key.

Selecting Pages

Pressing the keypad left or right will move the page icons around the menu. To select a page, move the desired page icon to the center of the screen.

When selected, the page name will be highlighted in blue at the top of a list of combo display options. Its icon, will be framed by a blue border below the list. To display the page, press ENTER.

Pages

Data Overlay

Data overlay is information you can display on top of the page screen, allowing you to customize each page with desired data.

Data Overlay menu

Every page option has its own Data Overlay menu. The menu allows you to edit, add or remove overlay data from the display. To access Data Overlay menu, select a page option and press MENU.

NOTE: Adjusting Panel Sizes is covered later in this section in

the Displaying Combo Pages segment.

Edit Overlay menu

Accesses data overlay options for all the unit’s page screens.

To access Edit Data Overlay menu:

1. Select Edit Data overlay from the Data Overlay

menu and press ENTER.

Press 2. MENU. The Edit Overlay menu will appear with Add Gauge selected.

Edit Overlay menu

Pages

Softkeys

Data overlay can be displayed using the Edit Overlay menu or Data Overlay softkeys. Removing Gauges or making adjustment to Bezel, Caption and Invert Text settings must be done through the Edit Overlay menu.

Data Overlay softkeys are located at the bottom of the screen.

Add Gauge

Places a data overlay gauge in the upper lefthand corner of the screen. To add a gauge to the display, press the Add Gauges softkey. Repeat the previous step to add multiple gauges to the display.

To remove gauge:

Select 1. Remove Gauge from the Edit Overlay menu and press ENTER. A conrmation message

will appear.

Select 2. Delete and press ENTER.

Add Gauges softkey

Pages

Edit Mode

When a gauge is added to the display it will be shown in edit mode. Analog and bar gauges are shaded in blue when they are in Edit Mode. Digital Gauges will be shown with a blue border.

Analog gauge in edit

mode

Move or Placing a Gauge

The Move gauge command allows you to move data overlay to any position on the screen. When you use the Place gauge command, the gauge will be locked in its current position.

To move or place a gauge:

Press the 1. ENTER key when the gauge is in Edit

mode. Four directional arrows will appear when the gauge can be moved.

Use the keypad to move the gauge to a desired 2.

location on the screen.

Press 3. ENTER to place the gauge.

Select Data

Used to select data that will be shown on the data overlay display. When selecting

data you rst will open a main data category and then choose data to be displayed

from the a data subcategory.

Digital gauge in edit mode

Pages

Select data menu

Time subcategory

To select data overlay:

1. Press the Select data softkey. The Select Data menu will appear.

Use the keypad to select the desired category and press 2. ENTER. A

list of subcategories will appear.

Select the desired subcategory and press 3. ENTER.

Type

Switches data overlay display between analog, digital and bar gauge formats, provided the format is appropriate for the selected data type.

To change Type press the Type softkey to toggle between digital and analog gauge formats.

Time in digital format

Time in analog format

Size

Selects the size of the data overlay display. Data overlay can be displayed in four sizes.

With the gauge in edit mode (shaded in blue) press the ZOOM OUT key to increase overlay size; press the ZOOM IN key to decrease overlay size.

Pages

Small digital gauge

Large analog gauge

Limits

Controls the number scale used on data overlay gauges and selects warning thresholds. Changing the limits on an analog or bar gauge removes unnecessary numbers from the gauge, making them easier to read. Warnings help you stay within selected warning thresholds.

Limits are congured by inputting analog or bar gauge limits

in the Limits text boxes — minimum and maximum. Warnings thresholds are entered in the Low and High text boxes.

To congure limits:

Press the 1. Limits softkey. The Conguration Limits menu will appear.

Select the Limits or Warnings text box and press 2. ENTER.

Use the keypad to enter the desired threshold.3.

Select 4. OK and press ENTER.

Finish Edit

Conguration

Limits menu

Finalizes data overlay changes. After making changes to data overlay settings, you

must nalize the changes before they can be saved.

To save changes:

Press the1. Finish Edit softkey. A conrmation message will appear.

Select 2. Save and press ENTER.

Conguration menu

Allows you to Add/Remove sources and adjust Bezel, Caption and

Invert Text Settings. Other conguration menu options are covered

previously in the section.

To access the Conguration menu, highlight Conguration on the Edit Overlay menu and press ENTER.

Conguration Settings

Bezel

Caption Allows you to add/remove data label from gauge

Invert Text Changes appearance of data overlay text

Add Source

Displays the same type of data from different sources on the same analog gauge.

If, for example, you have multiple engines, you could select port engine RPM as your data type and then display starboard engine RPM using the Add source command.

Adds a bezel to the data overlay gauge, making it easier to see against certain backgrounds

Pages

Both data sources could be displayed simultaneously on an analog gauge with two needles; one dedicated to each source.

To use Add Source:

Select 1. Add Source from the Edit Overlay menu and press ENTER. The Add source menu will appear.

Highlight a category a press 2. ENTER. A list of subcategories will appear.

Select the desired subcategory and press 3. ENTER.

To remove add source data:

Highlight1. Remove source from the Edit Overlay menu and press ENTER. A list of sources will appear.

Select the source you want to remove and press 2. ENTER.

Add Source menu

Analog gauge

showing RPM from

two engines.

Pages

Chart Page

Consists of a Map that moves in real time as you move. By default, the map is shown from a birds-eye view with North at the top of the screen.

This page has three map orientation options (North Up, Track Up & Course Up) and two ways to view the map: 2D and Shaded Relief (only available on select models).

The cursor is used to scroll the map, select objects and nd the distance between

objects. The Chart page is covered in more detail in the Chart Operation section.

On the Chart Page you can:

Save Waypoints•

Find points of interest (POI)•

Navigate routes; navigate to cursor and waypoints•

To access the Chart page, use the keypad to highlight Chart on the Pages menu and press ENTER to access the Chart Page.

Pages

Radar Page

Displays the PPI (Position Plan Indicator) screen, Range Rings and the cursor.

The PPI can be shifted to show more of a desired portion of the screen (Look Ahead, Center & Offset) and the color palette can be changed to show returns in white, yellow, black or green. The radar page is covered in more detail in the Radar Operation section.

On the Radar Page you can:

Overlay compass data, range rings and EBL/VRMs on display•

Choose screen orientation from Head Up, Course Up & North Up•

Make radar targets more visible via Target Expansion•

Use the keypad to highlight Radar on the page screen and press ENTER to access the Radar Page.

NOTE: You will only be able to see the Radar page if your unit

is connected to a radar.

Info Page

Consists of multiple gauges — Analog, Digital and Bar — that can be customized to display selected data. Customizing the info page allows you to monitor several types of desired data at the same time.

On the Info Page you can:

Select data to be displayed in analog gauge or digital formats•

Change the page layout using one of three templates•

Select the range (scale) of analog gauges •

To access the Info Page, use the keypad to select Info on the pages screen and press ENTER.

Pages

Data menu

Controls Info page data, page layout and data display format selection. To access the Data menu, press MENU while on the Info page.

Dash 1, Dash 2 and Dash 3

Data menu

Info Page dashboard templates that vary in page layout and in the number of gauges supported. The templates save you time by allowing you to use the Info page without having to manually set up a gauge layout.

Gauge Layout Templates

General Engine

Layout

Digital Layout

Bar Layout

You can change the gauge layout of Dash 1 (General Engine Layout), Dash 2 (Digital Layout) and Dash 3 (Bar Layout) templates using the change layout command. To select a dashboard template, highlight the desired template on the Data menu and press ENTER.

NOTE: You can toggle through the dashboard templates on the

screen by pressing the keypad left/right.

Edit

Used to select information displayed on the Info page. To switch the screen to Edit Mode, select Edit from the Data menu and press ENTER. The active gauge will be shaded in blue (analog) or surrounded by a blue border (digital and bar).

To edit gauge display:

Use the keypad to select the gauge you want to 1. edit and press ENTER. The Select Data menu will appear.

Use the keypad to select a data category and press 2.

ENTER. A list of subcategories will appear.

Select the desired subcategory and press 3.

ENTER.

Press 4. MENU. The Edit Data menu will appear.

Highlight 5. Finish Edit and press ENTER. The

Finish Edit Data menu will appear.

Highlight the 6. Save button and press ENTER.

NOTE: Press ENTER or EXIT to switch gauges into Edit Mode

Pages

GPS category

Ground Speed

subcategory

to Normal Mode.

Editing data on an analog

gauge

Editing data on a digital gauge

Edit Data menu

Changes Info Page gauge data, allowing you to display desired data on analog , digital and bar gauges. It also controls gauge limits.

To access the Edit Data menu, switch the screen to Edit mode and press MENU.

NOTE: Select Data, Add Source and Congure Limits are

described in more detail in the previous Data Overlay segment.

Pages

To select data:

Highlight 1. Select Data from the Edit Data menu and press ENTER. The Select Data menu will appear.

2. Use the keypad to select the desired category and press ENTER. A list of subcategories will appear.

Select the desired subcategory and press 3. ENTER.

To add source:

Select1. Add Source from the Edit Data menu and press ENTER.

Use the keypad to select the desired category 2. and press ENTER. A list of subcategories will appear.

Select the desired subcategory and press 3. ENTER.

To remove a source:

Highlight 1. Remove Source from the Edit Data menu and press ENTER. The Remove data-source window will appear.

Select the source you want to remove and press 2. ENTER.

To Congure Limits:

Highlight 1. Congure Limits on the Edit Data menu and press ENTER. The Congure Limits menu will appear.

Select the desired text box and press 2. ENTER.

Use the keypad to enter the desired limit or 3.

warning threshold.

Select 4. OK and press ENTER.

NOTE: The Limits portion of the Congure Limits menu will

only be shown when conguring analog gauge limits.

Pages

To Finish Editing:

Select 1. Finish Edit from the Edit Data menu and press ENTER. A conrmation message will appear.

Select 2. Save and press ENTER.

Change Layout

Controls the gauge layout of dashboard templates and customized dashboards. That allows you to select a desired gauge layout template for all dashboards.

To change layout:

Highlight the desired dashboard and 1.

press ENTER.

Select 2. Change Layout from the Data

menu and press ENTER.

Use the keypad to choose a gauge 3.

layout template and press ENTER.

Add Dashboard

Allows you to customize and save multiple dashboard templates. Desired data can be added to the gauges on each dashboard, allowing you to create custom dashboards

for a variety of shing conditions. You can even use the same gauge layout template

for each dashboard.

When you have created all desired dashboards, press the keypad left/right to toggle through your dashboards.

To add a dashboard:

Select 1. Add Dashboard from the Data menu and press ENTER. The Change Layout menu will appear.

Select the desired gauge layout and press 2. ENTER. Refer to the

previous Edit segment to customize the dashboard.

Pages

To remove dashboards:

Select the number of the dashboard you want to 1.

delete from the numerical dashboard list.

Highlight 2. Remove Dashboard and press ENTER.

A conrmation message will appear.

Select 3. Delete and press ENTER.

Settings

Opens the Settings menu. Settings information is covered in detail in the Settings menu section.

Numerical

dashboard list

Utilities

Allows you to set alarms, view sonar logs and access other system settings.

To access Utilities:

Use the keypad to center the utilities icon on 1.

the screen.

Scroll down the list of utilities until the desired 2.

option is highlighted.

Press 3. ENTER.

Utilities Icon

Utilities

Waypoints, Routes/Trails

Find

Alarms Access alarm history, status and change settings

Vessels View status and messages from vessels in the area

Sun/Moon Displays time when sun and moon will rise/set

Trip Calculator Keeps running tally/total of engine hours

Files Access, copy and delete data les and sonar logs

Access Waypoint, Route and Trails screen; covered in

the Chart Operation Section

Search for POIs, Vessels, Coordinates, Trails, Waypoints

and Routes; covered in Chart Operation Section

Pages

Copying a screenshot

To copy data les/sonar logs:

1. Highlight Files from the Utilities menu and press ENTER.

Select the desired File category and press the keypad to the right. A 2.

list of subcategories will appear.

Select a subcategory and press the keypad to the right. Highlight 3. the desired data le/sonar log.

Press 4. MENU. Highlight Copy and press ENTER. The Copy File screen will appear.

Select a place to copy the le, like an MMC card. Press 5. ENTER.

To delete data les/sonar logs:

Highlight 1. Files from the Utilities menu and press ENTER.

Select the desired File category and press 2. ENTER. A list of

subcategories will appear.

Select a subcategory and press 3. ENTER. Highlight the desired data le/sonar log. Copy and Delete buttons will appear at the bottom of the screen.

Copy File screen

Select the 4. Delete button and press ENTER. A conrmation message will appear.

Select 5. Yes and press ENTER.

Pages

Info selected as combo

display option

GPS/Info combo page

Displaying Combo Pages

You can display multiple pages at the same time by scrolling the desired page’s icon to the center of the screen and then choosing a secondary page from the list of combo page display options.

To display a combo page:

Use the keypad to select the rst page for the combo display. This is 1. the primary page, which will be displayed in the left panel.

Select another page from the primary page’s combo display list. 2. This is the secondary page. It will be displayed in the right panel.

Press 3. ENTER. The selected combo page will be displayed.

Selecting an Active Page

When combo pages are displayed only one panel can be active at a time. The panel outlined with an orange border is the active page. You will only be able to access the context menu of the active panel. Pressing the MENU key will open the active panel’s context menu.

To switch the active setting to the other panel, hold down the PAGES key for 1 second.

Chart panel is active as

shown by the orange border

Pages

Displaying Multiple Panels

Multiple panels can be displayed by setting up a combo display using a page that supports the Split feature. By displaying multiple panels, you can view more information on the screen at one time.

Step 1: Select sonar split screen

Step 2: Choose page from

combo display options list

To display multiple panels:

Select a Split view for the sonar page. (Accessing the Split feature 1. is covered in detail in the Using your Sonar section.)

Press the 2. PAGES key and use the keypad to center the Sonar icon on the screen.

Use the keypad to select Info 3.

Page from the combo page

display list. Press ENTER. The

combo page will be displayed

with the Sonar split view on the

Flasher, normal sonar and the

info page shown on a multi-panel

left; the Info page on the right.

Adjust Panel Sizes

Controls the size of panels when combo pages or multi-panels displays are in use. Adjusting the size of the panels, allows you to emphasize the panel you want to see more clearly.

Panels can only be adjusted left/right, so the panels on the side with the split view can not be adjusted vertically.

display.

Adjust panel sizes selected

on the Data Overlay menu

Pages

Moving panel cursor left/right will change the size

of each panel

Adjusting panels on combo page Adjusting panels on multi-panel

display

To adjust panel sizes:

With the combo page or multi-panel display on the screen, press 1. the PAGES key.

Press 2. MENU. Highlight Adjust Panel Sizes from the Data Overlay

menu and press ENTER.

Press the keypad left/right to adjust the panels to a desired size and 3.

press ENTER.

Chart Operation

Displaying the Chart page

Access the Chart page from the Pages menu.

Chart

To access the Chart page, press the Pages key to bring up the Pages menu. Use the Arrow keypad to select Chart

and press Enter.

Chart page (2D Chart mode)

Point of Interest (POI)

Cursor coordinates

Current position icon

Waypoint

Chart orientation indicator

Cursor

Map scale

Chart

The previous image shows some of the different items you will see when viewing the Chart page:

• Point of Interest (POI): A position on the Chart page represented by a symbol or character.

Cursor: • Used to view specic areas on the Chart page, select POIs, create waypoints and measure distances. When the cursor is on-

screen, pressing the Exit key will toggle between the cursor's location on the Chart page and your actual position. As long as the cursor is

on the Chart page your actual position may not be visible.

• Chart orientation indicator: Indicates the current direction the Chart

page is facing.

• Cursor coordinates: Displays the coordinates of the cursor on the Chart page.

Waypoint: • An electronic address based on the latitude and longitude

of a selected Chart location.

• Map Scale: Represents the relationship between the distance on the Chart page and the real distance on the earth's surface.

Current position icon:• Represents your current position.

Find Current Position

Power on the unit and display the Chart page. The current position icon represents your current position on screen. The icon always points to your heading. If the current position icon displays a question mark then the unit

has not achieved a satellite lock and is not tracking your current position.

When sufcient satellites are received to determine a position, the icon's movement

will correspond with your movement.

Chart menu

Use the Chart menu to adjust settings and enter commands. From this menu you have access to routes, waypoints, info, chart options and screen settings. To open the Chart menu, go to the Chart page and press the MENU key. The following features are listed in the order they appear on the Chart menu, top to bottom:

New Waypoint:• Creates a new waypoint.

New Route: • Creates a new route.

Go to Cursor: • Navigates to the cursor position

on the Chart page.

Chart menu

+ 82 hidden pages