Lowrance LMS339C, LMS334C User Manual

www.lowrance.com

Pub. 988-0152-111

LMS-334c iGPS &

LMS-339cDF iGPS

Fish-finding Sonar & Mapping GPS

Installation and Operation

Instructions

Copyright © 2006 Lowrance Electronics, Inc.

All rights reserved.

No part of this manual may be copied, reproduced, republished, transmitted or
distributed for any purpose, without prior written consent of Lowrance
Electronics. Any unauthorized commercial distribution of this manual is

strictly prohibited.



Lowrance
MapCreate, FreedomMaps, IMS and NauticPaths are
trademarks of LEI. Fishing Hot Spots
Fishing Hot Spots Inc. Navionics

is a registered trademark of Lowrance Electronics, Inc.



is a registered trademark of



is a registered trademark of

Navionics, Inc.

eXitSource Database, copyright  2001-2005 Zenrin Co.
Ltd. Exit Authority and eXitSource are trademarks of
Zenrin Co. Ltd.

Lowrance Electronics may find it necessary to change or end our
policies, regulations and special offers at any time. We reserve the right
to do so without notice. All features and specifications subject to change
without notice. All screens in this manual are simulated. On the cover:
LMS-339cDF iGPS shown.

For free owner's manuals and other information,

visit our web site:

www.lowrance.com

Lowrance Electronics Inc.

12000 E. Skelly Dr.

Tulsa, OK USA 74128-2486

Printed in USA.

Table of Contents

Section 1: Read Me First!......................................................... 1

Capabilities and Specifications: .................................................... 3

How to use this manual: typographical conventions ................ 10

Arrow Keys.............................................................................. 12

Keyboard ................................................................................. 12

Menu Commands .................................................................... 12

Instructions = Menu Sequences ............................................. 12

Section 2: Installation & Accessories.................................. 13

Preparations................................................................................ 13

Transducer Installation.............................................................. 13

Recommended Tools and Supplies ......................................... 14

Single-frequency transom installations ............................. 14

Dual-frequency transom installations ............................... 14

Single-frequency trolling motor installations.................... 14

Shoot-through hull installations ........................................ 14

Selecting a Transducer Location............................................ 14

How low should you go?.......................................................... 16

Shoot-Thru-Hull vs. Transom Mounting ............................... 16

Transom Transducer Assembly and Mounting ..................... 17

Trolling Motor Bracket Installation (single-frequency only) 22

Transducer Orientation and Fish Arches .............................. 23

Shoot-Thru-Hull Preparation................................................. 24

Testing Determines Best Location......................................... 24

Shoot-Thru-Hull Installation ................................................. 26

Speed/Temperature Sensors ................................................. 28

Optional Speed Sensor Installation ....................................... 28

Power Connections...................................................................... 29

Powering a NMEA 2000

GPS Internal Antenna................................................................ 32

NMEA 2000 Cable Connections ................................................. 32

Connecting to a NMEA 2000 Network................................... 33

NMEA 0183 Wiring ................................................................ 33

Mounting the Unit: Bracket or Portable.................................... 35

MMC or SD Card Memory Card Installation ............................ 38

Other Accessories........................................................................ 39

Face Cover................................................................................... 40

Section 3: Basic Sonar Operation ........................................ 41

Keyboard ..................................................................................... 41

Power/lights on and off ............................................................... 42

Main Menu .................................................................................. 42

Pages ........................................................................................... 43

Satellite Status Page .............................................................. 44

®

Buss .................................................. 30

i

Navigation Page...................................................................... 45

Map Page................................................................................. 45

SonarPage ............................................................................... 46

Basic Sonar Quick Reference ...............................................49

Sonar Operations ........................................................................ 50

Fish Symbols vs. Full Sonar Chart ........................................ 52

Other Free Training Aids ....................................................... 53

Section 4: Sonar Options & Features.................................. 55

ASP (Advanced Signal Processing) ......................................... 55

Alarms ......................................................................................... 56

Depth Alarms .......................................................................... 56

Zone Alarm .............................................................................. 57

Fish Alarm............................................................................... 58

NMEA 2000 Alarm ..................................................................... 58

Calibrate Speed........................................................................... 59

Chart Speed................................................................................. 59

ColorLine.................................................................................. 60

Depth Cursor............................................................................... 61

Depth Range - Automatic ........................................................... 62

Depth Range - Manual................................................................ 63

Depth Range - Upper and Lower Limits ................................... 63

FasTrack .................................................................................. 65

Fish I.D. ................................................................................... 65

FishTrack ................................................................................. 66

Frequency (LMS-339cDF only) .................................................. 68

HyperScroll .............................................................................. 69

Log Sonar Chart Data ................................................................ 69

NMEA 2000................................................................................. 70

Noise Rejection............................................................................ 70

Overlay Data ............................................................................... 70

Ping Speed & HyperScroll....................................................... 74

Reset Options .............................................................................. 76

Reset Water Distance ................................................................. 76

Set Keel Offset ............................................................................76

Sensitivity & Auto Sensitivity.................................................... 78

Sonar Chart Mode....................................................................... 79

Sonar Page & Sonar Chart Display Options ............................. 79

Full Sonar Chart ..................................................................... 80

Split Zoom Sonar Chart.......................................................... 81

Split Frequency Sonar Chart (LMS-339cDF only) ................ 81

Digital Data/Chart .................................................................. 82

Customize Page Displays........................................................ 82

Flasher..................................................................................... 83

ii

Map With Sonar Split Screen................................................. 84

Sonar Simulator.......................................................................... 84

Stop Chart ................................................................................... 86

Surface Clarity............................................................................ 87

Transparency ..............................................................................88

Upper and Lower Limits ............................................................ 89

Zoom & Zoom Bar ....................................................................... 89

Zoom Pan..................................................................................... 89

Section 5: Sonar Troubleshooting .......................................91

Section 6:Basic GPS Operations .......................................... 95

Keyboard ..................................................................................... 95

Power/lights on and off ............................................................... 96

Main Menu .................................................................................. 96

Pages ........................................................................................... 97

Sonar Page .............................................................................. 98

Satellite Status Page .............................................................. 98

Navigation Page.................................................................... 100

Map Page............................................................................... 103

Background map vs. MapCreate map content .................... 104

Basic GPS Quick Reference ................................................ 108

Find Your Current Position...................................................... 109

Moving Around the Map: Zoom & Cursor Arrow Keys ........... 109

Selecting Map Item With the Cursor....................................... 110

Searching................................................................................... 110

Set a Waypoint.......................................................................... 112

Navigate To a Waypoint ........................................................... 114

Set Man Overboard (MOB) Waypoint...................................... 115

Navigate Back to MOB Waypoint ............................................ 115

Navigate to Cursor Position on Map........................................ 116

Navigate to a Point of Interest................................................. 117

Creating and Saving a Trail..................................................... 117

Displaying a Saved Trail .......................................................... 119

Navigating Trails...................................................................... 120

Visual Trailing ...................................................................... 120

Navigate a Trail .................................................................... 120

Navigate a Back Trail........................................................... 122

Transfer Custom Maps and GPS Data Files ....................... 123

Cancel Navigation..................................................................... 125

Section 7: Advanced GPS Operations ............................... 127

Find Distance from Current Position ...................................... 127

Find Distance From Point to Point .......................................... 127

Icons........................................................................................... 127

Create Icon on Map............................................................... 128

iii

Create Icon at Current Position ........................................... 128

Delete an Icon ....................................................................... 128

Navigate to an Icon............................................................... 129

Routes........................................................................................ 129

Create and Save a Route ......................................................130

Delete a Route ....................................................................... 132

Edit a Route Name................................................................ 132

Edit Route Waypoints........................................................... 133

Navigate a Route................................................................... 133

Navigate a Route in Reverse ................................................ 134

Trails ......................................................................................... 135

Delete a Trail ........................................................................ 135

Edit a Trail Name ................................................................. 135

Edit a Trail Color .................................................................. 136

Edit a Trail Pattern .............................................................. 136

Utilities...................................................................................... 137

Alarm Clock........................................................................... 137

Sun/Moon Rise & Set Calculator.......................................... 137

Trip Calculator...................................................................... 137

Trip Down Timer................................................................... 137

Trip Up Timer ....................................................................... 137

Waypoints.................................................................................. 137

Delete a Waypoint................................................................. 137

Edit a Waypoint .................................................................... 138

Selecting a Waypoint ............................................................ 138

Set a Waypoint by Average Position .................................... 139

Set a Waypoint by Projecting a Position.............................. 139

Section 8: System & GPS Options ...................................... 141

Alarms ....................................................................................... 141

NMEA 2000 Alarm ................................................................... 142

Auto Satellite Search................................................................ 143

Check MMC Files and Storage Space...................................... 144

Communications Port Configuration ....................................... 144

Configure NMEA ...................................................................... 145

Coordinate System Selection.................................................... 145

Map Fix ..................................................................................... 147

Customize Page Displays ......................................................... 148

GPS Simulator .......................................................................... 149

Hide GPS Features ................................................................... 151

Initialize GPS............................................................................ 151

Map Auto Zoom......................................................................... 151

Map Data................................................................................... 151

Show Map Data..................................................................... 152

iv

Pop-up Map Information ...................................................... 152

Map Boundaries .................................................................... 152

Fill Water With White .......................................................... 152

Map Overlays (Range Rings; Lat/Long Grid) ...................... 152

Map Datum Selection ............................................................... 153

Map Detail Category Selection................................................. 154

Map Orientation ....................................................................... 154

NauticPath USA Marine Charts........................................... 156

Nautical Chart Notes............................................................ 156

Port Information ...................................................................157

Tidal Current Information ................................................... 158

Tide Information ................................................................... 160

Navionics



Charts..................................................................... 161

NMEA 2000............................................................................... 162

Overlay Data ............................................................................. 162

Pop-up Help............................................................................... 166

Reset Options ............................................................................ 166

Screen Contrast and Brightness .............................................. 167

Set Language ............................................................................ 167

Set Local Time .......................................................................... 168

Show WAAS Alarm................................................................... 168

Software Version Information.................................................. 169

Sounds and Alarm Sound Styles.............................................. 169

Track Smoothing....................................................................... 170

Trail Options ............................................................................. 170

General Trail Options ....................................................... 170

Specific Trail Options........................................................ 171

Delete Trail ........................................................................... 171

New Trail............................................................................... 171

Trail Visible/Invisible and Other Trail Options .................. 172

Transparency ............................................................................ 172

Units of Measure....................................................................... 173

Section 9: Searching .............................................................175

Find Streets............................................................................... 175

Find Any Item Selected by Map Cursor .................................. 176

Find Interstate Highway Exits ................................................ 177

Find Map Places or Points of Interest ..................................... 178

Find Streets or Intersections.................................................... 180

Find Waypoints......................................................................... 183

Section 10: Supplemental Material ...................................185

v

A CAREFUL NAVIGATOR NEVER RELIES ON ONLY ONE METHOD
TO OBTAIN POSITION INFORMATION.

WARNING!

When showing navigation data to a position (waypoint), a GPS unit will show
the shortest, most direct path to the waypoint. It provides navigation data to the
waypoint regardless of obstructions. Therefore, the prudent navigator will not
only take advantage of all available navigation tools when traveling to a way­point, but will also visually check to make sure a clear, safe path to the waypoint
is always available.

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 fly­ing 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.

CAUTION

WARNING!

vi

Section 1: Read Me First!

How this manual can get you out on the road, fast!

Welcome to the exciting world of digital sonar and GPS! We know
you're anxious to begin navigating and finding fish, but we have a favor
to ask. Before you grab the unit and begin installing it, please give us a
moment or two to explain how our manual can help you get the best
performance from your compact, wide-screen, combination fish finder
and mapping GPS receiver.

First, we want to thank you for buying a Lowrance sonar/GPS unit.
Whether you're a first time user or a professional fisherman, you'll dis­cover that your unit is easy to use, yet capable of handling demanding
navigation and sonar tasks. When you team your unit with our custom
mapping software MapCreate 6, you have an incredible combination.
You won't find another combination GPS and sonar unit with this much
power and this many features for this price!

Our goal for this book is to get you on the water fast, with a minimum
of fuss. Like you, we'd rather spend more time boating or fishing and
less time reading the manual!

So, we designed our book so that you don't have to read the whole thing
from front to back for the information you want. At the start (or end) of
each segment, we'll tell you what content is coming up next. If it's a
concept you're already familiar with, we'll show you how and where to
skip ahead for the next important topic. We've also made it easy to look
up any tips you may need from time to time.

The manual is organized into 10 sections. This first section is an intro­duction to the LMS-334 iGPS and LMS-339cDF iGPS sonar and GPS. It
tells you the basics you need to know before you can make the unit look
around and tell you where you are, or look below the surface to find
some fish.

Section 2 will help you install your unit and the transducer. We'll show
you how to get the MultiMedia Card (MMC) correctly installed inside
the unit. We'll also tell you about some of the available accessories.

Section 3 covers Basic Sonar Operation. It will show you how easy it is
to run your sonar, right out of the box. This section features a one-page
Sonar Quick Reference. (If you've already jumped ahead and fig-

ured out how to install the unit yourself, and you just can't wait
any longer, turn to the Quick Reference on page 49 and head
for the water!)

1

After you've gained some experience with your sonar, you'll want to
check out Section 4, which discusses more advanced Sonar Options and
Other Features.

When you come to a sonar menu command on your unit’s screen, you can
look it up in the manual by skimming over the table of contents, just flip­ping through Section 3 or scanning through the sonar options in Section 4.

If you're having difficulty with your sonar, you can find an answer to
the most common problems in Section 5, Sonar Troubleshooting.

The manual switches from sonar to navigation in Section 6, which in­troduces you to Basic GPS Operations. This section features a one-

page GPS Quick Reference on page 108.

Section 6 contains short, easy-to-scan GPS lessons that follow one an­other in chronological order. They're all you'll need to know to find your
way on the water quickly.

After you've learned the basics (or if you already have some GPS expe­rience), you may want to try out some of the unit’s many advanced
navigation features. That brings us to Section 7, Advanced GPS Opera-
tions. This section contains the rest of your unit’s GPS command func­tions, organized in alphabetical order.

When you come to a GPS menu command on the screen, look it up in
the manual by skimming the table of contents, flipping through Section
6 or scanning through the command portion of Section 7.

Your unit is ready to use right out of the box, but you can fine tune and
customize it's operation with dozens of options. Since sonar is the unit's
key feature, we put the main sonar options in Section 4. Some options,
such as screen brightness settings, affect both sonar and GPS opera­tions. We describe how to use those common options along with GPS
options in Section 8, System Setup and GPS Setup Options. Section 8 is
organized in alphabetical order.

In Section 9, we go into more detail on one of the unit’s most remarkable
GPS capabilities — Searching. We'll introduce a search example in the Ba­sic GPS Operation section, but there are so many map items you can
search for, we had to give this function it's own section in the manual! For
example, did you know your unit can look up business phone numbers,
functioning as a virtual Yellow Pages? We’ll show you how in Section 9.

Finally, in Section 10, we offer Supplemental Material, including a list
of the GPS datums used, warranties and customer service information.

Now, if you're into the fine details, glance over the next segment on
specifications to see just how much sonar and GPS power your unit con-

2

tains. It's important to us (and our power users), but, if you don't care
how many watts of power the unit has, or how many waypoints the your
unit can store, skip ahead to important information on how the sonar
works, on page 5. (Background on GPS begins on page 6.)

Capabilities and Specifications: LMS-334c iGPS and LMS-

339cDF iGPS

General

Display:............................ 5.0" (12.7 cm) diagonal; 256-color Solar-

MAX™ TFT display; programmable to
viewing preference.

Resolution:...................... 480 pixel x 480 pixel resolution; 230,400 total

pixels.

Backlighting:.................. Backlit fluorescent/ cold cathode screen and

keypad with multiple lighting levels for night
use.

Input power:................... 10 to 15 volts DC.

Current drain: ............... Sonar only: 500 ma lights off; 600 ma lights

on. With GPS and lights on: 700 ma.

Case size:......................... 5.4" H x 6.9" W x 3.4" D (13.8 x 17.6 x 8.6

cm); sealed and waterproof; suitable for
saltwater use.

MMC slots: ...................... One with waterproof door (SD card compati-

ble).

Recording:........................ GPS uses MMC & SD cards for recording trip

details and displaying charts or custom maps.
Sonar uses them to record and save sonar
chart logs.

Back-up memory: .......... Built-in memory stores sonar records and

GPS data for decades. User settings are
stored when unit is turned off.

Languages:...................... 10; menu languages selectable by user.

Sonar

Frequency:...................... LMS-339cDF: 50/200 kHz.

LMS-334c: 200 kHz.

Transducers: .................... A dual-frequency Skimmer



transducer with

built-in temperature sensor is packed with the

3

LMS-339cDF. A single-frequency Skimmer
transducer with built-in temperature sensor is
packed with the LMS-334c. Transducers offer
up to 60° of fish detection coverage and oper­ate at speeds up to 70 mph (61 kts).

Transmitter: ................... LMS-339cDF: 4,000 watts peak-to-peak/500

watts RMS. LMS-334c: 2,400 watts peak-to­peak/300 watts RMS.

Sonar sounding

Depth capability:........... LMS-339cDF: 2,500 feet/762 meters.

LMS-334c: 900 feet/274 meters.

(Actual capability depends on transducer
configuration and installation, bottom com­position and water conditions. All sonar
units typically read deeper in fresh water
than in salt water.)

Depth display:................ Continuous display.

Graph recording:........... Up to 2 GB on one MMC (or SD) card

Audible alarms: ............. Deep/shallow/fish/zone.

Automatic ranging:....... Yes, with instant screen updates.

Auto bottom track:........ Yes

Zoom bottom track: ...... Yes.

Split-screen zoom:......... Yes.

Surface water temp: ..... Yes, built into transducer.

Speed/distance log: ....... Yes, with optional speed sensor (sensor in-

cluded with LMS-339cDF.)

GPS

Receiver/antenna:............Internal; 12 parallel channel NMEA 2000-

ready GPS/WAAS antenna.

Background map:.......... Built-in custom, detailed Lowrance map.

Contains: enhanced detail of continental U.S.
and Hawaii. Includes more than 60,000 nav
aids and 10,000 wrecks/obstructions in
coastal and Great Lakes waters. Metro ar­eas, selected major streets/highways and in­terstate exit services details included.

4

Custom mapping: .......... MapCreate



6 software optional; optional

plug and play LEI FreedomMaps offer the
same high-detail without the computer work
of MapCreate. Other plug and play mapping
options include FreedomMaps, Fishing Hot



Spots
LakeMaster

Elite, LEI NauticPath charts,



ProMaps and Navionics



charts.

Mapping memory:............Up to 2 GB on one MMC (or SD) card.

Position updates: .......... Every second.

Position points: ............. 1,000 waypoints; 1,000 event marker icons.

Audible alarms: ............. Arrival/off-course/anchor.

Graphic symbols for
waypoints or event

marker icons: ................. 42.

Routes:............................. 100; up to 100 waypoints per route.

Plot Trails: ...................... 10 savable; up to 9,999 points per trail.

Zoom range:.................... 40 ranges; 0.02 to 4,000 miles.

NOTE:

The above memory capacities refer only the unit’s on-board memory.
The amount of GPS or sonar data you can record and save for recall
later is only limited by the number of MMC cards you have.

NOTICE!

The storage temperature range for your unit is from -4 degrees to +167
degrees Fahrenheit (-20 degrees to +75 degrees Celsius). Extended stor-

age in temperatures higher or lower than specified will damage the liq­uid crystal display in your unit. This type of damage is not covered by
the warranty. For more information, contact the factory's Customer

Service Department; phone numbers are listed on the last page.

How Lowrance Sonar Works

Sonar has been around since the 1940s, so if you already know how it
works, skip down to read about the relatively new technology of GPS.
But, if you've never owned a sonar fish finder, this segment will tell you
the under water basics.

Sonar is an abbreviation for SOund NA
nology developed during World War II for tracking enemy submarines.

vigation and Ranging, a tech-

5

(Lowrance developed the world's first transistorized sportfishing sonar
in 1957.) A sonar consists of a transmitter, transducer, receiver and
display. In simple terms, here's how it finds the bottom, or the fish:

The transmitter emits an electrical impulse, which the transducer con­verts into a sound wave and sends into the water. (The sound frequency
can't be heard by humans or fish.) The sound wave strikes an object
(fish, structure, bottom) and bounces back to the transducer, which
converts the sound back into an electrical signal.

The receiver amplifies this return signal, or echo, and sends it to the
display, where an image of the object appears on the scrolling sonar
chart. The sonar's microprocessor calculates the time lapse between the
transmitted signal and echo return to determine the distance to the
object. The whole process repeats itself several times each second.

Your unit can record a log of the sonar signals that scroll across the
screen and save them to the MMC memory card. (These recordings are
also called sonar charts or sonar graphs.) You can replay this sonar log
in the unit using the Sonar Simulator function, or play it back on a per­sonal computer using our free Sonar Viewer. The viewer is available for
download from the Lowrance web site, www.lowrance.com.

You can save several different sonar log files, erase 'em and record new
ones, over and over again. The size of your sonar recordings is only
limited by the free space available on your MMC.

How Lowrance GPS Works

You'll navigate faster and easier if you understand how your unit scans
the sky to tell you where you are on the earth — and, where you're go­ing. (But if you already have a working understanding of GPS receivers
and the GPS navigation system, skip ahead to Section 2, Installation &
Accessories on page 13. If you're new to GPS, read on, and you can later
impress your friends with your new-found knowledge.)

First, think of your unit as a small but powerful computer. (But don't
worry — we made the unit easy to use, so you don't need to be a com­puter expert to find your way!) It includes a keypad and a screen with
menus so you can tell it what to do. The screen also lets the unit show
your location on a moving map, as well as point the way to your desti­nation.

This gimbal-mounted unit uses an internal antenna and receiver,
which makes the whole system work something like your car radio. But
instead of your favorite dance tunes, this receiver tunes in to a couple of
dozen GPS satellites circling the earth. Your unit listens to signals from

6

as many satellites as it can "see" above the horizon, eliminates the
weakest signals, then computes its location in relation to those satel­lites. Once the unit figures its latitude and longitude, it plots that posi­tion on the moving map shown on the screen. The whole process takes
place several times a second!

The performance doesn't stop there. Stored in the permanent memory
of each unit is a basic background map of the entire world. We lock it in
here at the factory — you can't change or erase this map.

The background map is suitable for many navigation chores, but for
maximum accuracy and much more detail, you need our optional map­making software, MapCreate 6. Some unit features — such as
searching for businesses and addresses — won't work without a custom
MapCreate map. There is so much detail in our background map (and
even more in MapCreate) that we'll describe their contents and differ­ences in Section 6, Basic GPS Operations, on page 95.

Another portion of the unit’s onboard memory is devoted to recording
GPS navigation information, which includes waypoints, event marker
icons, trails and routes. This lets you look back the way you came.
Think of this data storage like the hard drive memory in a computer or
a tape in a cassette tape recorder. You can save several different GPS
data files, erase 'em and record new ones, over and over again. These
GPS Data Files (file format *.usr) can be shared between, not only the
LMS-334c iGPS and LMS-339cDF iGPS, but other Lowrance GPS units
and even personal computers.

Your unit has one more thing in common with a personal computer.
Just as computers have a floppy disk drive for storing and exchanging
files, the unit has a slot for an MMC (MultiMedia Card) or SD card (Se­cure Digital card) flash memory card. These solid-state memory devices
are about the size of a postage stamp, but can hold data ranging from 8
MB to 2 GB. (Compare that to a floppy disk's 1.44 MB capacity!) Your
unit uses all that MMC space for two key GPS purposes. (The MMC is
also used to record sonar logs.)

First, you can backup your onboard GPS Data Files by copying them to
the MMC. Since the MMC is MMCs, if you don't have a computer.) Our
MapCreate mapping software can save, edit or create its own GPS Data
Files, which can be copied to the MMC and then loaded from the MMC
into unit’s memory. (NOTE: No matter where they come from, GPS Data
Files must be loaded from the MMC into memory before your unit can
use them.)

The other key GPS use for MMCs is storage of special high-detail, cus­tom maps, which you can produce on your computer with our MapCre-

7

ate software. These MapCreate custom maps contain much greater de­tail than the basic background map. These Custom Map Files (file
format *.lcm) not only may be shared between the LMS-334c iGPS and
339cDF iGPS, but also with other Lowrance GPS and sonar/GPS units
as well as personal computers. (For example, the exact same MMC,
custom map files and GPS data files can be used interchangeably be­tween your gimbal-mounted unit and the hand-held iFINDER



GPS

receiver.)

Your unit automatically reads Custom removable (like a floppy disk or a
cassette tape), you can store these GPS Data Files on a personal com­puter equipped with an MMC card reader. (Or store them on a pocketful
of Map Files directly from the MMC or SD card. To use a custom map,
all you need to do is slide an MMC containing a map into the unit.

Introduction to GPS and WAAS

Well, now you know the basics of how your unit does its work. You
might be ready to jump ahead to Section 2, Installation & Accessories,
on page 13, so you can mount your unit and plug in the power. Or you
might want to see how our text formatting makes the manual tutorials
easy to skim. If that's the case, move on to "How to Use This Manual"
on page 11. But, if you want to understand the current state of satellite
navigation, look over this segment describing how GPS and its new
companion WAAS work together to get you where you're going.

The Global Positioning System (GPS) was launched July 17, 1995 by
the United States Department of Defense. It was designed as a 24­hour-a-day, 365-days-a-year, all weather global navigation system for
the armed forces of the U.S. and its allies. Civilian use was also avail­able at first, but it was less accurate because the military scrambled
the signal somewhat, using a process called Selective Availability (SA.)

GPS proved so useful for civilian navigation that the federal govern­ment discontinued SA on May 2, 2000, after the military developed
other methods to deny GPS service to enemy forces. Reliable accuracy
for civilian users jumped from 100 meters (330 feet) under SA to the
present level of 10 to 20 meters (about 30 to 60 feet.)

Twenty-four satellites orbit 10,900 nautical miles above the Earth,
passing overhead twice daily. A series of ground stations (with precisely
surveyed locations) controls the satellites and monitors their exact loca­tions in the sky. Each satellite broadcasts a low-power signal that iden­tifies the satellite and its position above the earth.

8

Three of these satellites are spares, unused until needed. The rest vir­tually guarantee that at least four satellites are in view nearly any­where on Earth at all times. The system requires signal reception from
three satellites in order to determine a position. This is called a 2D fix.
It takes four satellites to determine both position and elevation (your
height above sea level — also called altitude.) This is called a 3D fix.

A minimum of three satellites are required to determine a 2D fix.

Remember, the unit must have a clear view of the satellites in order to
receive their signals. Unlike radio or television signals, GPS works at
very high frequencies. These signals can be easily blocked by trees,
buildings, an automobile roof, even your body.

Like most GPS receivers, the unit doesn’t have a compass or any other
navigation aid built inside. It relies solely on the signals from the sat­ellites to calculate a position. Speed, direction of travel, and distance
are all calculated from position information. Therefore, in order it to
determine direction of travel, you must be moving and the faster, the
better. This is not to say that it won’t work at walking or trolling
speeds — it will. There will be more "wandering" of the data shown on
the display.

GPS alone is accurate for route navigation, but the U.S. Federal Avia­tion Administration has special aircraft navigation needs that go be­yond basic GPS. So, the FAA has developed a program to boost GPS
performance with its Wide Area Augmentation System, or WAAS. The
FAA commissioned the system on July 11, 2003.

WAAS is designed to increase GPS accuracy to within 7.6 meters verti­cally and horizontally, but it consistently delivers accuracies within 1-2
meters horizontal and 2-3 meters vertical, according to the FAA. It does

9

this by broadcasting correction signals on GPS frequencies. Your unit
automatically receives both GPS and WAAS signals.

However, there are some fringe areas of the U.S., including parts of
Alaska, that do not yet receive robust WAAS coverage. Continued
WAAS development is planned to extend WAAS coverage in the years
to come.

WAAS boosts the accuracy of land GPS navigation, but the system is
designed for aircraft. The satellites are in a fixed orbit around the
Equator, so they appear very low in the sky to someone on the ground
in North America. Aircraft and vessels on open water can get consis­tently good WAAS reception, but terrain, foliage or even large man­made structures can sometimes block the WAAS signal from ground
receivers.

You'll find that using your GPS receiver is both easy and amazingly
accurate. It’s easily the most accurate method of electronic navigation
available to the general public today. Remember, however, that this
receiver is only a tool. Always have another method of navigation avail­able, such as a map or chart and a compass.

Also remember that this unit will always show navigation information
in the shortest line from your present position to a waypoint, regardless
of terrain! It only calculates position, it can’t know what’s between you
and your destination, for example. It’s up to you to safely navigate
around obstacles, no matter how you’re using this product.

Free Training Aids Available

Now that you know something about the technology that makes this
unit possible, you are ready to start learning how to use that technol­ogy. This manual will guide you through the process of setting up and
running your unit, but that is only one of many resources available.

If you or a friend has Internet access, visit our web site. Find us at

WWW.LOWRANCE.COM. The site is packed with additional information

on using our products.

For instance, you can learn more about interpreting what you see on
your sonar screen with our free Sonar Tutorial. The tutorial includes
animated illustrations and more pictures of actual sonar returns, all
described in detail. There's even a printer friendly version of the tuto­rial available on our web. It makes a great supplement to this manual.

10

Sonar Viewer

You can also download a free copy of our Sonar Viewer software. This
PC-based software application plays back any sonar chart log recorded
with a Lowrance sonar product. Features include:

• Adjustable range, zoom, sensitivity, ColorLine, noise rejection,

surface clarity, etc.

• Color interpretation of sonar signals can be user defined.

• Operates like a Windows Multimedia Player with forward, re-

verse, pause, fast forward, fast reverse, and scroll buttons.

• Adjustments update the entire record displayed.

• Can print in full color.

• Window can dynamically be sized on your monitor.

• Mouse cursor shows GPS position, depth and sounding number

anywhere on the visible record.

Emulator

For the ultimate training aid, be sure to download the free emulator
software for your unit. This program can help you learn both basic and
advanced operations without burning boat fuel!

This PC application simulates the actual sonar/GPS unit on your com­puter. You can run it from your computer keyboard or use your mouse
to press the virtual keys. Easy download and installation instructions
are available on our web site.

The emulator works exactly like your real sonar/GPS unit. When using
the Sonar and GPS Simulators you can play back sonar logs, run GPS
routes and trails, even create real waypoints you can use in the field.
You can take snapshots of the Sonar Chart and print them or e-mail
them to friends.

And that is just some of the material available on our web site. To find
out what we have available, log on and look around. For now, we'll get
back to how to use this particular unit.

How to use this manual: typographical conventions

Many instructions are listed as numbered steps. The keypad and arrow
"keystrokes" appear as boldface type. So, if you're in a real hurry (or
just need a reminder), you can skim the instructions and pick out what
menu command to use by finding the boldface command text. The fol­lowing paragraphs explain how to interpret the text formatting for
those commands and other instructions:

11

Arrow Keys

The arrow keys control the movement of dotted cross-hair lines on your
mapping screen called the cursor. The arrow keys also control a hori­zontal line depth cursor on the sonar screen. The arrow keys help you
move around the menus so you can execute different commands. They
are represented by symbols like these, which denote the down arrow

key, the up arrow, the left arrow and the right arrow: ↓ ↑, ← →.

Keyboard

The other keys perform a variety of functions. When the text refers to a
key to press, the key is shown in bold, sans serif type. For example, the
"Enter/Icons" key is shown as

ENT and the "Menu" key is shown as MENU.

Menu Commands

A menu command or a menu option will appear in small capital letters,
in a bold sans serif type like this:

ROUTE PLANNING. These indicate that

you are to select this command or option from a menu or take an action
of some kind with the menu item. Text that you may need to enter or file
names you need to select are show in italic type, such as trail name.

Instructions = Menu Sequences

Most functions you perform with your unit are described as a sequence
of key strokes and selecting menu commands. We've written them in a
condensed manner for quick and easy reading.

For example, instructions for navigating a trail would look like this:

1. From the Map Page, press

2. Press ↓ to Trail 1|

ENT|→|↓ to NAVIGATE|ENT.

MENU|MENU|↓ to MY TRAILS|ENT.

3. You are asked to wait while it converts the trail into a route.

4. The wait message disappears and the unit begins showing
navigation information along the trail..

Translated into complete English, step 1 above would mean: "Start on
the Map Page. Press the Menu key twice. Next, repeatedly press (or
press and hold) the down arrow key to scroll down the menu and select
(highlight) the My Trails menu command. Finally, press the Enter
key."

Step 2 would mean: "Press the down arrow key repeatedly to scroll to
the trail named Trail 1, and press Enter. Next, press the right arrow
key and then the down arrow key to highlight the Navigate command,
then press Enter."

12

Section 2: Installation

Preparations

You can install the unit in some other order if you prefer, but we rec­ommend this installation sequence:

Caution:

You should read over this entire installation section before drill­ing any holes in your vessel!

1. Determine the approximate location for the unit, so you can plan how
and where to route the cables for the transducer, any sensor and power.
This will help you make sure you have enough cable length for the de­sired configuration.

NOTE:

The GPS antenna is inside the unit, so you must mount the unit in
a location with an unobstructed view of the sky.

2. Determine the approximate location for the transducer, any sensor
and their cable routes.

3. Determine the location of your battery or other power connection,
along with the power cable route.

4. Install the transducer and route the transducer cable to the sonar
unit. Install the speed or temp sensor, if applicable, and route the cable
to the unit.

5. Route the power cable from the unit's location to an appropriate
power source and connect it there.

6. Connect the transducer/power cable (and any sensor cables) to the
unit and mount the unit on the bracket.

Transducer Installation



These instructions will help you install your Skimmer
transom, on a trolling motor or inside a hull. These instructions cover
both single- and dual-frequency Skimmer transducers. Please read all
instructions before proceeding with any installation.

The smaller single-frequency Skimmers typically use a one-piece,
stainless steel mounting bracket. The larger dual-frequency Skimmers
typically use a two-piece, plastic mounting bracket. The optional troll­ing motor mount uses a one-piece plastic bracket with an adjustable
strap.

These are all "kick-up" mounting brackets. They help prevent damage if
the transducer strikes an object while the boat is moving. If the trans-

13

transducer on a

ducer does "kick-up," the bracket can easily be pushed back into place
without tools.

Read these instructions carefully before attempting the installation.
Determine which of the installation methods is right for your boat. Use
extreme care if mounting the transducer inside the hull, because once
the epoxy is applied and it is set into position, the transducer cannot be
removed. Remember, transducer location is the most critical part

of a sonar installation.

Recommended Tools and Supplies

If you prefer the option of routing the cable through the transom, you
will need a 1" (25.4 mm) drill bit. A transom mount requires use of a
high quality, marine grade above- or below-waterline sealant/adhesive
compound.

NOTE:

The following installation types also call for these recommended
tools and required supplies (supplies are not included):

Single-frequency transom installations

Tools include: two adjustable wrenches, drill, #29 (0.136") drill bit, flat­head screwdriver. Supplies: high quality, marine grade above- or below­waterline sealant/adhesive compound.

Dual-frequency transom installations

Tools: two adjustable wrenches, drill, #20 (0.161") drill bit, flat-head
screwdriver. Supplies: four, 1" long, #12 stainless steel slotted wood
screws, high quality, marine grade above- or below-waterline seal-
ant/adhesive compound.

Single-frequency trolling motor installations

Tools: two adjustable wrenches, flat-head screwdriver. Supplies: plastic
cable ties.

Shoot-through hull installations

Tools: these will vary depending on your hull's composition. Consult
your boat dealer or manufacturer. Other tools are a wooden craft stick
or similar tool for stirring and applying epoxy, and a paper plate or
piece of cardboard to mix the epoxy on. Supplies: rubbing alcohol, 100
grit sandpaper, specially formulated epoxy adhesive available from LEI
(see ordering information on the inside back cover). A sandwich hull
also requires polyester resin.

Selecting a Transducer Location

1. The location must be in the water at all times, at all operating speeds.

2. The transducer must be placed in a location that has a smooth flow of
water at all times. If the transducer is not placed in a smooth flow of

14

water, interference caused by bubbles and turbulence will show on the

prevent the transducer from

location

Deadrise less than 10

sonar's display in the form of random lines or dots whenever the boat is
moving.

NOTE:

Some aluminum boats with strakes or ribs on the outside of the
hull create large amounts of turbulence at high speed. These boats
typically have large outboard motors capable of propelling the boat
at speeds faster than 35 mph. Typically, a good transom location on
aluminum boats is between the ribs closest to the engine.

3. The transducer should be installed with its face pointing straight
down, if possible. For shoot-thru applications: Many popular fishing
boat hulls have a flat keel pad that offers a good mounting surface. On
vee hulls, try to place the transducer where the deadrise is 10° or less.

°

Pad

Vee pad hull (left); Vee hull (right). A pod style transducer is shown

here, but the principle is the same for Skimmers inside a hull.

Strakes

4. If the transducer is mounted on the transom, make sure it doesn't
interfere with the trailer or hauling of the boat. Also, don't mount it
closer than approximately one foot from the engine's lower unit. This
will prevent cavitation (bubble) interference with propeller operation.

5. If possible, route the transducer cable away from other wiring on the
boat. Electrical noise from engine wiring, bilge pumps and aerators can
be displayed on the sonar's screen. Use caution when routing the trans­ducer cable around these wires.

CAUTION: Clamp the trans­ducer cable to transom near
the transducer. This will help

entering the boat if it is
knocked off at high speed.

Poor location

Good

Good location

Poor angle

Good and poor transducer locations.

Good location

15

Transom

Transom

Transducer

centerline

Hull bottom

Align transducer centerline with hull bottom. A dual frequency

transducer (left) and a single frequency transducer (right).

Hull bottom

How low should you go?

For most situations, you should install your Skimmer transducer so
that its centerline is level with the bottom of the boat hull. This will
usually give you the best combination of smooth water flow and protec­tion from bangs and bumps.

However, there are times when you may need to adjust the transducer
slightly higher or lower. (The slots in the mounting brackets allow you
to loosen the screws and slide the transducer up or down.) If you fre­quently lose bottom signal lock while running at high speed, the trans­ducer may be coming out of the water as you cross waves or wakes.
Move the transducer a little lower to help prevent this.

If you cruise or fish around lots of structure and cover, your transducer
may be frequently kicking up from object strikes. If you want, you may
move the transducer a little higher for more protection.

There are two extremes you should avoid. Never let the edge of the
mounting bracket extend below the bottom of the hull. Never let the
bottom – the face – of the transducer rise above the bottom of the hull.

Shoot-Thru-Hull vs. Transom Mounting

In a shoot-thru-hull installation, the transducer is bonded to the inside
of the hull with epoxy. The sonar "ping" signal passes through the hull
and into the water. This differs from a bolt-thru-hull installation (often
called "thru-hull"). In that case, a hole is cut in the hull and a specially
designed transducer is mounted through the hull with a threaded shaft
and nut. This puts the transducer in contact with the water.

Typically, shoot-thru-hull installations give excellent high speed opera­tion and good to excellent depth capability. There is no possibility of
transducer damage from floating objects, as there is with a transom­mounted transducer. A transducer mounted inside the hull can't be

16

knocked off when docking or loading on a trailer.

The shoot-thru-hull installation does have its drawbacks. First, some
loss of sensitivity does occur, even on the best hulls. This varies from
hull to hull, even from different installations on the same hull. This is
caused by differences in hull lay-up and construction.

Second, the transducer angle cannot be adjusted for the best fish arches
on your sonar display. (This is not an issue for flasher-style sonars.)
Lack of angle adjustment can be particularly troublesome on hulls that
sit with the bow high when at rest or at slow trolling speeds.

Third, a transducer CAN NOT shoot through wood and metal hulls.
Those hulls require either a transom mount or a thru-hull installation.

Fourth, if your Skimmer transducer has a built in temp sensor, it will
only show the temperature of the bilge, not the water surface temp.

Follow the testing procedures listed in the shoot-thru-hull installation
section of this instruction booklet to determine if you can satisfactorily
shoot through the hull.

Transom Transducer Assembly and Mounting

The best way to install these transducers is to loosely assemble all of
the parts first, place the transducer's bracket against the transom and
see if you can move the transducer so that it's parallel with the ground.

The following instructions sometimes vary depending on the mounting
bracket that came with your transducer. Single frequency Skimmers
come with a one-piece stainless steel bracket, while dual frequency
Skimmers come with a two-piece plastic mounting bracket. Use the set
of instructions that fits your model.

1. Assembling the bracket.

A. One-piece bracket: Press the two small plastic ratchets into the

sides of the metal bracket as shown in the following illustration. Notice
there are letters molded into each ratchet. Place each ratchet into the
bracket with the letter "A" aligned with the dot stamped into the metal
bracket. This position sets the transducer's coarse angle adjustment for a
14° transom. Most outboard and stern-drive transoms have a 14° angle.

17

Dot

Align plastic ratchets in bracket.

B. Two-piece bracket: Locate the four plastic ratchets in the trans­ducer's hardware package. Press two ratchets into the sides of the
plastic bracket and two on either side of the transducer as shown in
the following illustrations. Notice there are letters molded into each
ratchet.

Place the ratchets into the bracket with the letter "A" aligned with the
alignment mark molded into the bracket. Place the ratchets onto the
transducer with the letter "A" aligned with the 12 o'clock position on
the transducer stem. These positions set the transducer's coarse angle
adjustment for a 14° transom. Most outboard and stern-drive tran­soms have a 14° angle.

Alignment letters

Alignment

positions

Transducer

bracket

Transducer bracket

Transducer

Insert and align ratchets.

Transducer

Ratchet

Add ratchets to bracket and transducer.

Ratchet

18

2. Aligning the transducer on the transom.

Flat washer

A. One-piece bracket: Slide the transducer between the two ratch­ets. Temporarily slide the bolt though the transducer assembly and
hold it against the transom. Looking at the transducer from the side,
check to see if it will adjust so that its face is parallel to the ground.
If it does, then the "A" position is correct for your hull.

If the transducer's face isn't parallel with the ground, remove the
transducer and ratchets from the bracket. Place the ratchets into the
holes in the bracket with the letter "B" aligned with the dot stamped
in the bracket.

Reassemble the transducer and bracket and place them against the
transom. Again, check to see if you can move the transducer so it's
parallel with the ground. If you can, then go to step 3A. If it doesn't,
repeat step 2A, but use a different alignment letter until you can
place the transducer on the transom correctly.

Ratchets

B. Two-piece bracket: Assemble the transducer and bracket as
shown in the following figure. Temporarily slide the bolt though the
transducer assembly but don't tighten the nut at this time. Hold the
assembled transducer and bracket against the transom. Looking at the
transducer from the side, check to see if it will adjust so that its face is
parallel to the ground. If it does, then the "A" positions are correct for
your hull.

Insert bolt and check transducer position on transom.

Bolt

Flat washer

Assemble transducer and bracket.

Lock washer

Nut

19

If the transducer's face isn't parallel with the ground, remove and
disassemble the transducer and ratchets. Place the ratchets into the
bracket holes with the letter "B" aligned with the bracket alignment
mark. Place them on the transducer aligned with the 12 o'clock posi­tion on the transducer stem.

Reassemble the transducer and bracket and place them against the
transom. Again, check to see if you can move the transducer so it's
parallel with the ground. If you can, then go to step 3B. If it doesn't,
repeat step 2B, but use a different alignment letter until you can
place the transducer on the transom correctly.

3. Assembling the transducer.
A. One-piece bracket: Once you determine the correct position for

the ratchets, assemble the transducer as shown in the following fig­ure. Don't tighten the lock nut at this time.

Metal

Nut

washer

Rubber
washers

Assemble transducer and bracket.

Metal washer

Bolt

B. Two-piece bracket: Once you determine the correct position for
the ratchets, assemble the transducer as shown in the figure in step
2B. Don't tighten the lock nut at this time.

4. Drilling mounting holes.

Hold the transducer and bracket assembly against the transom. The
transducer should be roughly parallel to the ground. The trans­ducer's centerline should be in line with the bottom of the hull. Don't
let the bracket extend below the hull!

Mark the center of each slot for the mounting screw pilot holes. You
will drill one hole in the center of each slot.

Drill the holes. For the one-piece bracket, use the #29 bit (for the #10
screws). For the two-piece bracket, use the #20 bit (for the #12
screws).

20

Transom

Flat-bottom hull

Transom

Position transducer mount on transom and mark mounting holes.

Side view shown (left) and seen from above (right).

5. Attaching transducer to transom.
A. One-piece bracket: Remove the transducer from the bracket and

re-assemble it with the cable passing through the bracket over the
bolt as shown in the following figures.

For single-frequency Skimmer, route cable over bolt and through

bracket. Side view shown (left) and seen from above (right).

Both bracket types: Attach the transducer to the transom. Slide the
transducer up or down until it's aligned properly with the bottom of
the hull as shown in the preceding and following figures. Tighten the
bracket's mounting screws, sealing them with the sealant compound.

Adjust the transducer so that it's parallel to the ground and tighten
the nut until it touches the outer washer, then add 1/4 turn. Don't
over tighten the lock nut! If you do, the transducer won't "kick-up" if
it strikes an object in the water.

Bottom

of

hull

Deep-"vee" hull

Align transducer centerline with hull bottom and attach transducer to

transom. Rear view of dual-frequency Skimmer shown.

21

6. Route the transducer cable through or over the transom to the so-

Flat washer

nar unit. Make sure to leave some slack in the cable at the transducer. If
possible, route the transducer cable away from other wiring on the boat.
Electrical noise from the engine's wiring, bilge pumps, VHF radio wires
and cables, and aerators can be picked up by the sonar. Use caution
when routing the transducer cable around these wires.

WARNING:

Clamp the transducer cable to the transom close to the
transducer. This can prevent the transducer from enter­ing the boat if it is knocked off at high speed.

If you need to drill a hole in the transom to pass the connector through,
the required hole size will be 5/8".

Caution:

If you drill a hole in the transom for the cable, make sure it is lo­cated above the waterline. After installation, be sure to seal the
hole with the same marine grade above- or below-waterline seal­ant used for the mounting screws.

7. Make a test run to determine the results. If the bottom is lost at

high speed, or if noise appears on the display, try sliding the transducer
bracket down. This puts the transducer deeper into the water, hope­fully below the turbulence causing the noise. Don't allow the transducer
bracket to go below the bottom of the hull!

Trolling Motor Bracket Installation
(single-frequency only)

1. Attach the optional TMB-S bracket to the transducer as shown in the
following figure, using the hardware supplied with the transducer.
(Note: The internal tooth washer is supplied with the TMB-S.)

Bolt

Attach motor mounting bracket to transducer.

Internal tooth washer

Nut

2. Slide the adjustable strap supplied with the TMB-S through the slot
in the transducer bracket and wrap it around the trolling motor. Po­sition the transducer to aim straight down when the motor is in the
water. Tighten the strap securely.

22

TMB-S bracket