How it Works
Lowrance electronic
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LCX-104C
User Manual 2
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Lowrance electronic LCX-104C User Manual 2

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www.lowrance.com
Pub. 988-0151-031
LCX-104C
Fish-finding Sonar & Mapping GPS
Operation Instructions
Copyright © 2002 Lowrance Electronics, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Lowrance
is a registered trademark of Lowrance Electronics, Inc.
MapCreate is a trademark of Lowrance Electronics, Inc.
Marine-Tex is a trademark of Illinois Tool Works Inc.
Navionics
is a registered trademark of Navionics, Inc.
Points of Interest Data in this unit are by infoUSA, copyright 2001-2002, All Rights Reserved. infoUSA is a trademark of infoUSA, Inc.
eXitSource Database, copyright 2001-2002 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: LCX-104C 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

Sec. 1: Read Me First! ..............................................................1
Capabilities and Specifications: LCX-104C ..................................3
How your Sonar Works................................................................. 5
How your GPS Works ................................................................... 6
Introduction to GPS and WAAS................................................... 8
How to Use this Manual: Typographical Conventions.............. 10
Sec. 2: Installation & Accessories ........................................ 13
Preparations................................................................................ 13
Transducer Installation.............................................................. 13
Recommended Tools and Supplies ......................................... 14
Selecting a Transducer Location............................................ 14
How Low Should You Go?....................................................... 15
Shoot-Thru-Hull vs. Transom Mounting ............................... 16
Transom Transducer Assembly and Mounting .....................16
Trolling Motor Bracket Installation....................................... 22
Transducer Orientation and Fish Arches .............................. 23
Shoot-Thru-Hull Preparation and Installation ..................... 23
Speed/Temperature Sensors....................................................... 26
Sensor Chart ............................................................................... 27
Optional Speed Sensor Installation ....................................... 28
GPS Antenna/Receiver Module .................................................. 29
Power Connections...................................................................... 30
NMEA/DGPS Cable Connections............................................... 31
NMEA/DGPS Wiring .............................................................. 31
Mounting the Unit: Bracket or in-Dash..................................... 33
MMC or SDC Memory Card Installation................................... 35
Other Accessories........................................................................ 36
Screen Cleaning Kit ................................................................ 36
MMC and Mapcreate .............................................................. 37
Switch Boxes ...........................................................................37
External Speaker .................................................................... 37
Face Cover ............................................................................... 38
Sec. 3: Basic Sonar Operation.............................................. 39
Keyboard .....................................................................................39
Power/Lights (Turn Unit On and Off) ....................................... 40
Main Menu .................................................................................. 40
Pages ........................................................................................... 42
Satellite Status Page .............................................................. 42
Navigation Page...................................................................... 43
Map Page................................................................................. 43
Sonar Page .............................................................................. 44
LCX-104C Sonar Quick Reference .......................................47
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Sonar Operations ........................................................................ 48
Fish Symbols vs. Full Sonar Chart ........................................ 50
Other Free Training Aids ....................................................... 50
Sec. 4: Sonar Options & Other Features ...........................53
ASP (Advanced Signal Processing) ......................................... 53
Alarms ......................................................................................... 54
Depth Alarms .......................................................................... 54
Zone Alarm .............................................................................. 55
Fish Alarm............................................................................... 56
Calibrate Speed........................................................................... 56
Chart Speed................................................................................. 57
Colorline................................................................................... 58
Depth Cursor............................................................................... 60
Depth Range - Automatic ........................................................... 60
Depth Range - Manual................................................................ 61
Depth Range - Upper and Lower Limits ................................... 61
FasTrack.................................................................................. 63
Fish I.D. (Fish Symbols & Depths) ......................................... 63
FishTrack................................................................................. 65
Frequency (Change Transducer Frequency) .............................65
HyperScroll.............................................................................. 66
Log Sonar Chart Data ................................................................ 66
Noise Rejection............................................................................ 67
Overlay Data ............................................................................... 67
Ping Speed & HyperScroll....................................................... 69
to Change Ping Speed: ............................................................ 70
to Adjust Sensitivity: .............................................................. 70
to Turn Off HyperScroll:......................................................... 70
Reset Options .............................................................................. 71
Reset Water Distance ................................................................. 71
Set Keel Offset ............................................................................72
Sensitivity & Auto Sensitivity.................................................... 73
Sonar Color Mode........................................................................ 74
Sonar Page & Sonar Chart Display Options ............................. 75
Full Sonar Chart ..................................................................... 75
Split Zoom Sonar Chart.......................................................... 76
Split Frequency Sonar Chart ................................................. 76
Digital Data/Chart .................................................................. 78
FlashGraf............................................................................. 79
Map with Sonar Split Screen ................................................. 80
Sonar Simulator.......................................................................... 80
Stop Chart ................................................................................... 83
Surface Clarity............................................................................ 83
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Upper and Lower Limits ............................................................ 84
Zoom & Zoom Bar ....................................................................... 84
Zoom Pan..................................................................................... 85
Sec. 5: Sonar Troubleshooting.............................................. 87
Sec. 6: Basic GPS Operations................................................ 91
Keyboard .....................................................................................91
Power/Lights (Turn Unit On and Off) ....................................... 92
Main Menu .................................................................................. 92
Pages ........................................................................................... 94
Sonar Page .............................................................................. 94
Satellite Status Page .............................................................. 94
Navigation Page...................................................................... 96
Map Page................................................................................. 98
GPS Quick Reference ........................................................... 103
Find your Current Position ...................................................... 104
Moving around the Map: Zoom & Cursor Arrow Keys............ 104
Selecting any Map Item with the Cursor ................................ 105
Searching................................................................................... 105
Set a Waypoint.......................................................................... 107
Create Waypoint at Current Position .................................. 107
Create Waypoint on Map...................................................... 108
Create Waypoint by Entering a Position ............................. 109
Navigate to a Waypoint ............................................................ 109
Set Man Overboard (MOB) Waypoint...................................... 110
Navigate Back to MOB Waypoint ............................................ 110
Navigate to Cursor Position on Map........................................ 111
Navigate to a Point of Interest................................................. 113
Creating and Saving a Trail..................................................... 113
Displaying a Saved Trail .......................................................... 115
Navigating Trails...................................................................... 115
Visual Trailing ...................................................................... 116
Navigate a Trail (Forward)................................................... 116
Navigate a Back Trail (Backtrack, or Reverse) ................... 118
Transfer Custom Maps and GPS Data Files ........................... 119
Cancel Navigation..................................................................... 121
Sec. 7: Advanced GPS Operations .....................................123
Find Distance from Current Position to Another Location .... 123
Find Distance from Point to Point ........................................... 123
Icons........................................................................................... 123
Create Icon on Map............................................................... 124
Create Icon at Current Position ........................................... 124
Delete an Icon ....................................................................... 124
Navigate to an Icon............................................................... 125
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Routes........................................................................................ 125
Create and Save a Route ......................................................126
Delete a Route ....................................................................... 128
Edit a Route .......................................................................... 128
Navigate a Route................................................................... 129
Navigate a Route in Reverse ................................................ 130
Trails ......................................................................................... 131
Delete a Trail ........................................................................ 131
Edit a Trail Name ................................................................. 131
Edit a Trail Color .................................................................. 131
Edit a Trail Pattern .............................................................. 131
Utilities...................................................................................... 132
Alarm Clock........................................................................... 132
Sun/Moon Rise & Set Calculator.......................................... 132
Trip Calculator...................................................................... 132
Trip Down Timer................................................................... 132
Trip Up Timer ....................................................................... 132
Waypoints.................................................................................. 132
Delete a Waypoint................................................................. 132
Edit a Waypoint (Name, Symbol, and Position) .................. 133
Selecting a Waypoint ............................................................ 133
Set a Waypoint by Average Position .................................... 133
Set a Waypoint by Projecting a Position.............................. 134
Sec. 8: System & GPS Setup Options.................................135
Alarms ....................................................................................... 135
Auto Satellite Search................................................................ 136
Check MMC Files and Storage Space...................................... 137
Communications Port Configuration ....................................... 137
Configure DGPS........................................................................ 138
Configure NMEA ...................................................................... 139
Coordinate System Selection.................................................... 139
To Setup Loran Td: ............................................................... 140
Map Fix ..................................................................................... 140
Customize Page Displays ......................................................... 142
DGPS Status ............................................................................. 142
GPS Simulator .......................................................................... 142
Hide GPS Features ................................................................... 144
Initialize GPS............................................................................ 144
Map Auto Zoom......................................................................... 144
Map Data................................................................................... 145
Show Map Data..................................................................... 145
Pop-Up Map Info................................................................... 145
Map Boundaries .................................................................... 146
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Fill Water with White........................................................... 146
Map Overlays (Range Rings; Lat/Long Grid) ...................... 146
Map Datum Selection ............................................................... 146
Map Detail Category Selection................................................. 147
Map Orientation ....................................................................... 148
Overlay Data ............................................................................. 149
Navionics
Charts..................................................................... 151
To Display a Navionics Chart: ............................................. 151
Port Information ...................................................................152
To View Port Services Information: ..................................... 152
Tidal Current Information ................................................... 153
To View Tidal Current Information: .................................... 153
Tide Information ................................................................... 155
To View Tide Information:.................................................... 155
Pop-Up Help.............................................................................. 156
Position Pinning........................................................................ 157
Reset Options ............................................................................ 157
Require DGPS ........................................................................... 158
Screen Contrast and Brightness .............................................. 158
Set Language ............................................................................ 159
Set Local Time .......................................................................... 160
Show WAAS Alarm................................................................... 160
Software Version Information.................................................. 161
Sounds and Alarm Sound Styles.............................................. 161
Track Smoothing....................................................................... 162
Trail Options ............................................................................. 162
Delete All Trails .................................................................... 163
Update Trail Option.............................................................. 163
Delete Trail ........................................................................... 164
New Trail............................................................................... 164
Trail Visible/Invisible and Other Trail Options .................. 164
Units of Measure....................................................................... 165
Sec. 9: Searching...................................................................167
Find Addresses.......................................................................... 167
Find any Item Selected by Map Cursor ................................... 170
Find Interstate Highway Exits ................................................ 170
Find Map Places or Points of Interest (POI) ........................... 173
Find Streets or Intersections.................................................... 174
Find Waypoints......................................................................... 177
Sec. 10: Supplemental Material.......................................... 181
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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!
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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 commercial-quality 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. With a full VGA color display, recording capability and remarkable resolution, you won't find another GPS/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. Here's how:
The manual is organized into 10 sections. This first section is an intro­duction to the LCX-104C 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, the transducer and the GPS antenna module. 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 47 and head for the water with your unit!)
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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 the 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 103.
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 the unit's GPS command func­tions, organized in alphabetical order.
When you come to a GPS menu command on the screen, you can look it up in the manual by skimming over the table of contents, just flipping through Section 6 or scanning through the command portion of Section 7.
This unit is ready to use right out of the box, but you can fine tune and customize its 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 its 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 con­tains. It's important to us (and our power users), but, if you don't care
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how many watts of power the unit has, or how many waypoints it can store, skip ahead to important information on how sonar works, on page
5. (Background on GPS begins on page 6.)
Capabilities and Specifications: LCX-104C
General
Display:............................ High-brightness liquid crystal TFT; pro-
grammable to viewing preference; 10.4" (26.4 cm) diagonal. Multiple full-screen and split­screen data display combinations.
Resolution:...................... 640 pixel x 480 pixel resolution; 307,200 total
pixels; 256-color, full VGA.
Backlighting:.................. Fluorescent cold cathode backlit screen with
multiple lighting levels; backlit keypad.
Input power:................... 10 to 15 volts DC.
Current drain: ............... Sonar only: 700 ma lights off; 1.2 amps lights
on. With GPS and lights on: 1.3 amps.
Case size:......................... (with bracket) 9.1" H x 12.2" W x 4" D (23.1 x
31 x 10.2 cm); sealed and waterproof; suit­able for saltwater use.
MMC slots: ...................... Two in waterproof compartments (SD card
compatible).
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.
External speaker:.......... speaker wires allow connection to external
speaker for remotely monitoring sonar and GPS alarms.
Sonar
Frequency:...................... 50/200 kHz dual-frequency.
Transducer:...................... Skimmer
ture sensor available. Dual-frequency trans­ducer with 35°/12° cone angles; operates at speeds up to 70 mph (61 kts). Optional thru­hull, shoot-thru-hull and trolling motor trans­ducers are available.
Transmitter: ................... 50 kHz: 8,000 watts peak-to-peak/1 kW
RMS. 200 kHz: 4,000 watts peak-to­peak/500 watts RMS.
transducer with built-in tempera-
3
Sonar sounding
depth capability: ........... 3,000 feet (915 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 512 MB on two MMC (or SD) cards
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. Optional addi-
tional temp sensors for live well, bait well, etc. are available.
Speed/distance log: ....... Yes; speed sensor is included with unit.
GPS
Receiver/antenna: ......... External; LGC-12w 12 parallel channel
GPS/WAAS; DGPS beacon receiver optional. The unit interfaces NMEA 0183.
Recording:........................ MMC & SD memory cards for recording GPS
trip details and displaying charts or custom maps.
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.
Custom mapping: .......... MapCreate version 6 software optional;
featuring unit-searchable database of more than 700,000 points of interest. Navionics
charts (XL charts or HotMaps) on MMC cards optional.
Mapping memory: ......... Up to 512 MB on two MMC (or SD) cards.
4
Position updates: .......... Every second.
Position points: ............. 1,000 waypoints; 1,000 event marker icons.
Man Overboard:............. MOB feature precisely marks man overboard
location with special icon, then automatically displays navigation data to that position.
Audible alarms: ............. Arrival/off-course/destination passed/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:.................... 37 ranges; 0.05 to 4,000 miles.
NOTE:
The above memory capacities refer only to 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 and operation temperature range for your unit is from -4 degrees to +167 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 degrees to +75 degrees Cel­sius). Extended storage or operation 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 Your 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 underwater basics.
Sonar is an abbreviation for SOund NA ogy developed during World War II for tracking enemy submarines. (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
vigation and Ranging, a technol-
5
(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 sonar 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 Your GPS Works

You'll navigate faster and easier if you understand how this 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 on 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 series easy to use, so you don't need to be a com­puter expert to find your way!) The unit 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 external antenna/receiver module, 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. (It will also listen in to the WAAS satellites in orbit, but more about that in the upcoming segment introducing you to GPS and WAAS.)
Your unit listens to signals from as many satellites as it can "see" above the horizon, eliminates the weakest signals, then computes its location in relation to those satellites. Once it figures its latitude and longitude, the unit plots that position on the moving map shown on the screen. The whole process takes place several times a second!
6
The performance doesn't stop there. Stored in the permanent memory of every 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 91.
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. Like any computer file, these GPS Data Files (file format *.usr) can be shared between other Lowrance GPS or sonar/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, this unit has a slot for an MMC (MultiMedia Card) or SDC (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 256 MB in size. (Compare that to a floppy disk's 1.44 MB capac­ity!) The unit uses all that MMC space for two key GPS purposes. (The MMC is also used to record sonar logs…see page 6.)
First, you can backup your onboard GPS Data Files by copying them to the MMC. Since the MMC is 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 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 the unit's memory. (NOTE: No matter where they come from, GPS Data Files must be loaded from the MMC into memory before the 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 MapCre­ate software. These MapCreate custom maps contain much greater de­tail than the basic background map. These Custom Map Files (file format *.lcm) can also be shared between other Lowrance GPS or so­nar/GPS units and personal computers. (For example, the exact same
7
MMC, custom map files and GPS data files can be used interchangea­bly between your gimbal-mounted LCX-104C and the hand-held iFINDER GPS receiver.)
The unit automatically reads Custom Map Files directly from the MMC or SDC. 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 the 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
10. 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. 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.
8
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, this 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 for the unit 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 simply be more "wandering" of the data shown on the display.
GPS is plenty accurate for route navigation, but the U.S. Federal Avia­tion Administration has special needs for aircraft traffic control that go beyond basic GPS. The FAA has a plan under way to boost GPS per­formance even further with its Wide Area Augmentation System, or WAAS. This GPS add-on will include a time control element that will help airliners fly closer together while avoiding collisions. In addition to carefully spacing airplanes along travel corridors, WAAS will eventu­ally make instrument landings and takeoffs more accurate as it re­places existing aviation navigation systems.
Non-aviators can use WAAS signals to make their GPS navigation even more accurate. Your unit receives both GPS and WAAS signals. How­ever, WAAS has some limits you should know about.
9
First, the U.S. government has not completed construction of the WAAS system, so it is not yet fully operational. The ground stations are in place, but only a few of the needed WAAS satellites have been launched.
WAAS can boost 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 man-made structures frequently 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.
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:
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
.
MENU
and the "Menu" key is shown as
ENT
10
Menu Commands
A menu command or a menu option will appear in small capital letters, in a bold sans serif type like this:
R
OUTE 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 this 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
MENU|MENU
N
AVIGATE
|↓ to
|
ENT
MY T
.
RAILS
|
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. Now, begin moving and follow your unit's directions.
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."
11
Notes
12
Section 2:
Installation & Accessories
Preparations
You can install the sonar and GPS systems 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 vehicle or vessel!
1. Determine the approximate location for the sonar/GPS unit, so you can plan how and where to route the cables for the antenna, transducer and power. This will help you make sure you have enough cable length for the desired configuration.
2. Determine the approximate location for the transducer and its cable route.
3. Determine the approximate location for the GPS antenna module and its cable route.
4. Determine the location of your battery or other power connection, along with the power cable route.
5. Install the transducer and route the transducer cable to the so­nar/GPS unit.
6. Install the GPS antenna and route the antenna cable to the so­nar/GPS unit.
7. Install the power cable and route it to the sonar/GPS unit.
8. Mount the sonar/GPS unit.

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 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 trans­ducer does "kick-up," the bracket can easily be pushed back into place without tools.
13
transducer on a
Read these instructions carefully before attempting the installation. Determine which of the mounting positions is right for your boat. Use extreme care if mounting the transducer inside the hull, because once it is epoxied into position, the transducer usually cannot be removed.
Remember, the transducer installation 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" drill bit. A transom mount requires use of a high quality, marine grade above- or below-waterline caulking compound. 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: none.
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.
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. Supplies: 100 grit sandpaper, good quality epoxy adhesive.

Selecting a Transducer Location

1. The transducer must be placed in a location that has a smooth flow of
water at all times. If the transducer is to be mounted inside the hull, then the chosen location must be in the water at all times. If the transducer is not placed in a smooth flow of water, interference caused by bubbles and turbulence will show on the 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 location on alumi­num boats is between the ribs closest to the engine.
14
2. The transducer should be installed with its face pointing straight
down, if possible.
3. If the transducer is mounted on the transom, make sure it doesn't inter-
fere 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.
4. 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 prevent the transducer from entering the boat if it is knocked off at high speed.
Good location
Poor location
Good location
Poor angle
Good and poor transducer locations.
Good location
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.
Transducer centerline
Align transducer centerline with hull bottom.
Transom
Hull bottom
15
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 wish, 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

Typically, shoot-thru-hull installations give excellent high speed opera­tion and good to excellent depth capability. There is no possibility of damage from floating objects. It can't be knocked off when docking or loading on the trailer.
However, 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. This can be a problem on some hulls that sit with the bow high when at rest or at slow trolling speeds. Follow the procedure listed in the shoot-thru-hull installation section at the end of this lesson 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
16
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.
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
positions
Transducer
Transducer bracket
Insert and align ratchets.
17
Alignment letters
Transducer
bracket
Transducer
Ratchet
Add ratchets to bracket and transducer.
Ratchet
2. Aligning the transducer on the transom.
A. One-piece bracket: Slide the transducer between the two ratch-
ets. 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
Insert bolt and check transducer position on transom.
18
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.
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.
Bolt
Flat washer
Assemble transducer and bracket.
Lock washer
Nut
Flat washer
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
Rubber washers
Assemble transducer and bracket.
washer
Metal washer
Bolt
19
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).
Transom
Transom
Position transducer mount on transom and mark mounting holes.
Side view shown at left and seen from above at 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 at left and seen from above at right.
20
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 caulking 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
Flat-bottom hull Deep-"vee" hull
Align transducer centerline with hull bottom and attach transducer to
transom. Rear view of dual-frequency Skimmer shown.
6. Route the transducer cable through or over the transom to the sonar
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 be 1".
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.
21
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.)
TMB-S bracket
Bolt
Internal tooth washer
Nut
Flat washer
Attach motor mounting bracket to transducer.
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.
3. Route the transducer cable alongside the trolling motor shaft. Use
plastic ties (not included) to attach the transducer cable to the troll­ing motor shaft. Make sure there is enough slack in the cable for the motor to turn freely. Route the cable to the sonar unit and the trans­ducer is ready for use.
Transducer mounted on trolling motor, side view.
22

TRANSDUCER ORIENTATION AND FISH ARCHES

If you do not get good fish arches on your display, it could be because the transducer is not parallel with the ground when the boat is at rest in the water or at slow trolling speeds.
Partial fish arches
Transducer aimed
too far back
Transducer aimed
too far forward
Full fish arch
Proper transducer angle
Transducer angles and their effects on fish arches.
If the arch slopes up – but not back down – then the front of the trans­ducer is too high and needs to be lowered. If only the back half of the arch is printed, then the nose of the transducer is angled too far down and needs to be raised.
NOTE:
Periodically wash the transducer's face with soap and water to re­move any oil film. Oil and dirt on the face will reduce the sensitivity or may even prevent operation.
SHOOT-THRU-HULL PREPARATION
The transducer installation inside a fiberglass hull must be in an area that does not have air bubbles in the resin or separated fiberglass lay­ers. The sonar signal must pass through solid fiberglass. A successful
23
transducer installation can be made on hulls with flotation materials (such as plywood, balsa wood or foam) between layers of fiberglass if the material is removed from the chosen area.
Fill with epoxy
Flotation material
Inner hull
Epoxy to hull first
Epoxy the transducer to a solid portion of the hull.
Outer hull
For example, some (but not all) manufacturers use a layer of fiberglass, then a core of balsa wood, finishing with an outer layer of fiberglass. Removing the inner layer of fiberglass and the balsa wood core exposes the outer layer of fiberglass. The transducer can then be epoxied di­rectly to the outer layer of fiberglass. After the epoxy cures, the hull is watertight and structurally sound. Remember, the sonar signal must pass through solid fiberglass. Any air bubbles in the fiberglass or the epoxy will reduce or eliminate the sonar signals.
WARNING:
Do not remove any material from your inner hull unless you know the hull's composition. Careless grinding or cutting on your hull can result in damage that could sink your boat. Contact your boat dealer or manufacturer to confirm your hull specifications.
To choose the proper location for thru-hull mounting, anchor the boat in 60 feet of water. Add a little water to the sump of the boat. Plug the transducer into the sonar unit, turn it on, then hold the transducer over the side of the boat. Adjust the sensitivity and range controls until a sec­ond bottom echo is seen on the display. (You will need to turn off both automatic and ASP.) Don't touch the controls once they've been set.
Next, take the transducer out of the water and place it in the water in the sump of the boat. Observe the sonar signal to see if there is a no­ticeable decrease in sensitivity. The second bottom signal may disap­pear and the bottom signal may decrease in intensity.
Move the transducer around to find the best location. If the sensitivity control must be increased greatly to compensate, then the transducer should be mounted on the outside of the hull. If not, then mark the lo-
24
cation that shot through the hull the best and follow the instructions on the following pages for a shoot-thru-hull mounting.
Transducer location
(high speed)
Shoot-thru-hull transducer locations for
high speed or trolling speed operation.
Transducer location
(trolling speed)
Shoot-thru-hull Installation
1. Make sure the area is clean, dry and free of oil or grease, then sand
both the inside surface of the hull and the face of the transducer with 100 grit sandpaper. The surface of the hull must be flat so the entire transducer face is in contact with the hull prior to bonding.
Spread epoxy here
Sand this surface
Epoxy transducer to hull.
2. Follow the instructions on the epoxy package and mix it thoroughly.
Do not mix it too fast, because it will cause bubbles to form in the ep­oxy. Apply a small amount on the face of the transducer as shown above, then spread a small amount onto the sanded area on the hull.
25
Place the transducer into the epoxy, twisting and turning it to force any air bubbles out from under the transducer face. The face of the transducer should be parallel with the hull, with a minimum amount of epoxy between the hull and transducer. After the epoxy dries, route the cable to the sonar unit.

Speed/Temperature Sensors

This unit accepts up to three temperature sensors which can monitor surface water, live well, air and virtually any other temperature. If you want to use more than one temperature sensor or a speed sensor, you must purchase the optional MY-4X adapter cable. You also need to be careful when purchasing the temperature sensors, because each tem­perature sensor has its own fixed electronic "address." The sensors are labeled "Water," "T-2" (or Temp-2) and "T-3" (or Temp-3).
The first "Water" temperature sensor is built into the transducer. This is the sensor that measures surface water temperature. If you want two (or more) temperature readings from other locations, you'll need to use the proper sensors. For example, you can't use two additional T-3 sen­sors. The sensors that fit this unit are:
• TS-1X This sensor will over-ride the temperature sensor
built into the transducer and over-ride the tem­perature sensor in a ST-TGY combination sen­sor. (This sensor is not recommended.)
• TS-2X One sensor for "T-2" temperature display.
• TS-3X One sensor for "T-3" temperature display.
• SP-X One speed sensor for "Speed" display.
• ST-TGY This combination sensor will provide speed and
temperature readings, but the temperature reading will be displayed as the "Water" tem­perature because it will over-ride the tempera­ture sensor in the transducer. (This sensor is not recommended.)
See the wiring diagram on the following page for temperature and speed sensor combinations.
26
MY-4X Cable
Three-temperature sensor installation

Sensor Chart

Sonar unit rear view
Two-temperature sensor installation
Temperature sensor built into transducer
TS-2X temperature sensor
TS-3X temperature sensor
Three-temperature sensor installation with speed
SP-X speed sensor
27

Optional Speed Sensor Installation

This unit can display speed and distance traveled; the feature requires a speed sensor which may or may not come packaged with your unit. (If you wish to purchase an optional additional sensor for your unit, refer to the accessory ordering information inside the back cover of this manual.) The following instructions describe how to install the speed sensor.
Recommended tools for this job include: drill, 7/8" drill bit, 1/8" drill bit for pilot holes, screwdriver. Required supplies for this job include: four #8 stainless steel wood screws (3/4" long), high quality, marine grade above- or below-waterline caulking compound.
First find a location on the boat's transom where the water flow is smoothest. Don't mount the sensor behind strakes or ribs. These will disturb the water flow to the speed sensor. Make sure the sensor will remain in the water when the boat is on plane. Also make sure the lo­cation doesn't interfere with the boat's trailer. Typically, the sensor is mounted about one foot to the side of the transom's centerline.
Once you've determined the proper location for the unit, place the sen­sor on the transom. The bottom of the bracket should be flush with the hull's bottom. Using the sensor as a template, mark the hull for the screws' pilot holes. Drill four 1/8" holes, one in each end of the slots.
Mount the sensor to the hull using #8 stainless steel wood screws (not included). Use a high quality, marine grade above- or below-waterline caulking compound to seal the screws. Make sure the sensor is flush with the bottom of the hull and tighten the screws.
Good location
Stern view showing good location for mounting sensor on transom.
28
Transom
Bottom of hull
Speed sensor mounting configuration:
side view (left) and rear view (right.)
Bottom of hull
If the base of the transom has a radius, fill the gap between the tran­som and the sensor with the caulking compound. This will help ensure a smooth water flow.
Route the sensor's cable through or over the transom to the sonar unit. If you need to drill a hole in the transom to pass the connector through, the required hole size is 7/8".
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 screws.
The sensor is now ready for use. Connect the sensor to the in-line con­nector on the MY-4X adapter cable. If you have any questions concern­ing the installation of the sensor, please contact your local boat dealer.

GPS Antenna/Receiver Module

This unit's package includes the LGC-12w GPS module. This device contains the unit's external antenna and receiver for GPS and WAAS signals. The antenna/receiver module comes with a 25-foot extension cable. This module can be mounted on a flat surface or pole, or a mag­net is included for temporary mounting on any ferrous surface. (The LGC-12s GPS module sold with earlier Lowrance equipment will work with your unit, but it will not receive WAAS signals.)
LGC-12 Module, bottom view (left) and top view (right).
29
You need to select an antenna installation location that has a clear, un­obstructed view of the sky. After the module is installed, route the cable to the unit, plug it in the center socket on the back and your system is ready to use. See the module's instruction sheet, publication part num­ber 988-0147-39, for complete installation directions.
In an automobile, you may achieve good results by simply placing the external antenna on the top of the dash, at the base of the windshield. A piece of the rubber non-skid shelf liner material available in recrea­tional vehicle supply stores will help hold the antenna in place. This may not work well if you have a cab-over design pickup truck camper or motor home. If dashboard reception is poor, simply relocate the an­tenna module elsewhere on the vehicle for a clearer view of the sky.

Power Connections

The unit works from a 12-volt battery system. For the best results, at­tach the power cable directly to the battery. You can attach the power cable to an accessory or power buss, however you may have problems with electrical interference. Therefore, it's safer to go ahead and attach the power cable directly to the battery.
If possible, keep the power cable away from other boat or vehicle wir­ing, especially the engine's wires. This will provide the best isolation from electrical noise. If the cable is not long enough, splice #18 gauge wire onto it. The power cable has two wires, red and black. Red is the positive lead, black is negative or ground. Make sure to attach the in­line fuse holder to the red lead as close to the power source as possible.
For example, if you have to extend the power cable to the battery or power buss, attach one end of the fuse holder directly to the battery or power buss. This will protect both the unit and the power cable in the event of a short. It uses a 6-amp fuse.
To unit
Power connections for this sonar/GPS unit.
External speaker wires are not shown.
Black wire
Data wires
12 volt
battery
Red wire
with
6 amp
fuse
30
CAUTION:
Do not use this product without a 6-amp fuse wired into the power cable! Failure to use a 6-amp fuse will void your warranty.
This unit has reverse polarity protection. No damage will occur if the power wires are reversed. However, the unit will not work until the wires are attached correctly.
An optional 8-foot, CA-4 external power cable with a cigarette lighter adapter is available from Lowrance.

NMEA/DGPS Cable Connections

NMEA is a standard communications format for marine electronic equipment. For example, an autopilot can connect to the NMEA inter­face on this unit and receive positioning information. The unit can ex­change information with any device that transmits or receives NMEA 0183 data.
DGPS is an acronym for the Differential Global Positioning System. DGPS supplements and boosts the accuracy of basic GPS. DGPS was developed by the U.S. Coast Guard, which is responsible for the sys­tem's operation in the United States. Since its creation, DGPS has be­come the international maritime standard for marine navigation.
The most popular DGPS system relies on a grid of ground-based trans­mitters that send correction signals to DGPS receivers. These in turn, connect to the GPS receiver (such as the LCX-104C). Lowrance offers an optional DGPS receiver for your unit.
See the following diagrams for general wiring connections. Read your other product’s owner’s manual for more wiring information.

NMEA/DGPS Wiring

To exchange NMEA or DGPS data, the unit has two NMEA 0183 version
2.0 communication ports. Com port one (Com-1) can be used to receive NMEA format GPS data or DGPS data. Com-1 can also transmit NMEA format GPS data to another device. Com-2 is for NMEA output only.
The three wires for the com port are combined with the two power wires and the speaker wires to form the power/data cable (see the drawing on page 33). Com-1 uses the yellow wire to transmit, the or­ange wire to receive and the shield wire for signal ground. Com-2 uses the blue wire for transmit.
31
Communication Port Wiring Diagrams
Yellow (Transmit)
Com-1
To unit
Com-1 wiring to receive DGPS position information
Com-1
To unit
Com-1 wiring to receive NMEA position information
Com-1
To unit
Com-1 wiring to transmit NMEA position information
Com-2
To unit
Orange (Receive)
Shield (Ground)
from a DGPS receiver.
Orange (Receive)
Shield (Ground)
from some other GPS receiver.
Yellow (Transmit)
Shield (Ground)
to another NMEA-compatible device.
Blue (Transmit)
Shield (Ground)
Receive
Transmit
Ground
NMEA Transmit
Ground
NMEA Receive
Ground
NMEA Receive
Ground
To DGPS Receiver
To Other
GPS Receiver
To Other
Device
To Other
Device
Com-2 wiring to transmit NMEA position information
to another NMEA-compatible device.
32
Sonar unit, rear view
GPS socket
Power/Data socket
Com port
data wires
(three)
Note: External speaker wires in power/data cable not shown.
Power wires
(two)
GPS
antenna
module
Cable connections.
Sonar socket
Transducer

Mounting the Unit: Bracket or In-Dash

You can install the unit on the top of a dash with the supplied gimbal bracket. It can also be installed in the dash. For an in-dash mount, con­sult the factory customer service department. Service contact informa­tion is inside the back cover of this manual.
Bracket Installation
Mount the unit in any convenient location, provided there is clearance behind the unit when it's tilted for the best viewing angle. You should also make sure there is enough room behind the unit to attach the power, transducer and GPS antenna/receiver module cables. (A draw­ing on the next page shows the dimensions of a gimbal-mounted unit.)
Holes in the bracket's base allow wood screw or through-bolt mounting. You may need to place a piece of plywood on the back side of thin fiber­glass panels to reinforce the panel and secure the mounting hardware.
33
12.2
[310.3]
3.6
[91.8]
9.1
[231.3]
Inch
[Millimeter]
Front view (left) and side view (right) showing dimensions of the so-
nar/GPS unit when mounted on gimbal bracket.
Cable hole
Screw mounting hole
Front
2.3
[58]
Install the gimbal bracket. Orient the bracket so the arms slope toward
the front of your unit.
34
Once a location is determined, use the bracket as a template and mark the mounting holes and the hole for the cables. Drill a 1-inch (25.4 mm) hole in the dash for the power, transducer and antenna cables. Screw the bracket to the mounting surface.
To pass all connectors through the 1" hole, first pass the transducer connector up through the hole from under the dash, followed by any accessory cables. Next, pass the power cable's bare-wire end down though the hole from the top.
If you wish, you can fill in the hole around the cables with a good ma­rine caulking compound. Be sure to leave enough slack in the cables to allow tilting the unit.
Attach the unit to the gimbal bracket using the supplied gimbal knobs and washers, attach the cables and the unit is ready to use.

MMC or SDC Memory Card Installation

Your unit uses MultiMedia Cards to store information, such as sonar logs, custom maps, waypoints, trails and other GPS data. The unit can also use Secure Digital Cards (SD card or SDC) to store data. The unit can use up to two cards at the same time; an MMC and an SDC can be used together at the same time.
NOTE:
Throughout this manual, we will use the term MMC, but just re­member that your unit can use an MMC or SDC to store data.
Both of these solid-state flash memory devices are about the size of a postage stamp. An SD card is slightly thicker than an MMC. As this manual went to press, MMCs were available in storage capacities of 8 MB, 16 MB, 32 MB and 64 MB. SD cards were available in capacities of 8 MB, 16 MB, 32 MB, 64 MB, 128 MB and 256 MB.
Additional MMC cards are available from LEI Extras; see ordering in­formation inside the back cover of this manual. MMCs and SD cards are also available at many camera and consumer electronics stores.
The two MMC slots are located in compartments on the front of the case. The water-proof compartment doors are located at the lower right corner. The following figure shows a close-up of one compartment with the door opened.
35
MMC groove for card removal
Thumb
screw
Memory card compartment with a 16 MB MMC card installed.
Insert card face up,
this way
To remove an MMC
1. Open the card compartment door by unscrewing the thumb screw. The screw should only be finger tight. If it was over-tightened, use a thumbnail, a coin or a screwdriver to open the door.
2. Use a thumbnail or fingernail to grab the groove in the bottom of the MMC. See the figure above for the groove location.
3. Drag the MMC from the slot.
To add an MMC or SDC
1. Open the card compartment door.
2. Grasp the bottom of the MMC and push the top of the card into the slot. Once the card is started, use your fingernails to slide it the rest of the way to the left, until it is firmly seated in the slot.
3. Close the compartment door and fasten the thumb screw finger tight.

Other Accessories

Screen Cleaning Kit

Your unit's display screen is equipped with a special anti-glare filter that improves readability in a wide range of lighting conditions. A bot­tle of filter cleaning fluid is included with your unit. Additional bottles of cleaner may be purchased from your dealer or LEI Extras, the acces­sory source for Lowrance equipment. Accessory ordering information is on the inside back cover of this manual.
WARNING:
Improperly cleaning your unit's screen can result in damage to the anti-glare filter. This type of damage is not covered by the warranty. To protect the screen and
36
its anti-glare properties, always use the special cleaner available from your dealer or LEI Extras.
To remove fingerprints, water spots, dust or other grime from the screen, hold the bottle about 6 inches (15 cm) from the screen and spray. Wipe immediately with a clean, dry, lint-free cloth.

MMC and MapCreate

Other available accessories include MMC cards, MMC card readers and MapCreate™ 6 custom mapping software for your computer. MMC card readers are available in USB and parallel port versions. This unit ships with the MapCreate accessory pack, which includes the software, one USB card reader and one 16 MB MMC. See the MapCreate manual and the card reader instruction sheet for installation information.
MapCreate™ 6 CD-ROM, left; MMC card reader for USB ports, right.

Switch Boxes

Two switch boxes are available for this unit. The SB-7X transducer switch box switches two transducers to one sonar unit. The SB-8X trans­ducer switch box switches two sonar units to one transducer.
If these accessories are not available from your dealer, see the acces­sory ordering information on the inside back cover of this manual. Visit our web site for a complete listing of all the available accessories for your unit.

External Speaker

Your unit can play sounds to an external speaker. This feature can be convenient any time you are away from the unit – especially in a larger boat – but still want to hear its alarms. You might install a small speaker at the stern of your boat so you won't miss a dangerous Shal­low Alarm while fishing, or put one in your galley so you can hear the GPS Arrival Alarm.
37
You can purchase an external speaker at your nearest audio electronics store. The unit is designed to work with most speakers, but make sure to buy one that meets these minimum requirements:
• Minimum 8-ohm resistance
• Minimum 5-watt power
In your vessel or vehicle, mount the speaker wherever you want to hear your unit's sounds. (Follow the speaker's installation instructions).
Next, connect the speaker to your unit. The external audio wires are the labeled red and black wires in the power/data cable. The speaker's input cable should have two exposed wires: a positive and a negative (ground). Connect the speaker's positive wire to the unit's red speaker wire, and the speaker's negative (ground) wire to the unit's black speaker wire.
The unit should automatically begin to play any active sounds through the attached speaker.

Face Cover

Your unit comes with a white protective cover that snaps on and off the front of the unit. When the unit is in storage, the cover protects the screen from damage that can result from long-term exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This cover is intended for use when your unit and the vehicle it's mounted in are idle.
WARNING:
When the unit is mounted in an unprotected area, such as an open boat cockpit, the protective face cover must be removed when the vehicle is moving at high speed. This includes towing a boat on a trailer at highway speeds. Otherwise, wind blast can pop off the cover.
Now that you have your unit installed, move on to Sec. 3, Basic Sonar Operations. There, we'll present a series of step-by-step tutorials to
teach you the basics of your sonar operation.
NOTE:
When you first turn the unit on, the Map Page appears. If you'd rather start learning about GPS operation first, turn over to Sec. 6, Basic GPS Operations. (Remember, you don't need to read this manual from cover-to-cover to get going. We designed it so you can skip around to the section you want to read.)
38
Section 3:
Basic Sonar Operation
This section addresses the unit's most basic sonar operations. The in­structions presented in Sec. 3 follow a chronological order. Sec. 4, Sonar Options & Other Features, will discuss other more advanced functions and utilities. Material in Sec. 4 is arranged in alphabetical order.
Before you turn on the unit, it's a good idea to learn about the different keys, the Main Menu, the four Page screens and how they all work to­gether. BUT, if you just can't wait to get on the water, turn to the one­page Quick Reference on page 47.

Keyboard

4
8
2
5
MMC doors
LCX-104C sonar/GPS unit, front view, showing sonar screen,
keyboard and access doors for the MMC compartment.
1. PWR/LIGHT (Power & Light) – The PWR key turns the unit on and off and activates the backlight.
2. PAGES – Pressing this and the ← → arrow keys switches the unit between the four different page screens. (Satellite Status Page, Naviga­tion Page, Map Page and Sonar Page.) Each page represents one of the unit's major operation modes.
39
9
7
63
1
3. MENU – Press this key to show the menus and submenus, which allow you to select a command or adjust a feature. This also accesses search functions for streets, intersections, addresses and highway exits.
4. ARROW KEYS – These keys are used to navigate through the menus, make menu selections, move the map and sonar chart cursors and enter data.
5. ENT/ICONS (Enter & Icons) – This key allows you to save data, ac­cept values or execute menu commands. It is also used to create event marker icons.
6. EXIT – The Exit key lets you return to the previous screen, clear data or erase a menu.
7. WPT – (Waypoint) The Waypoint key is used to save and recall way­points, search for waypoints and access the waypoint list. It also launches the Point-of-Interest (POI) search menus and is involved in some navigation functions.
8. ZOUT – (Zoom Out) – This key lets you zoom the screen out. On the Sonar Page, this key returns you to a full sonar chart display, showing the entire water column from surface to bottom. On the Map Page, this lets you see a larger geographic area on the map. Less detail is seen as you zoom out.
9. ZIN – (Zoom In) – This key lets you zoom the screen in. On the Sonar Page, this key enlarges fish signals and bottom detail. On the Map Page, zooming in lets you see greater detail in a smaller geographic area on the map.

Power/lights on and off

To turn on the unit, press displayed first. To switch to the Sonar Page, press
To turn on the backlight, press levels to select from. Repeatedly pressing backlight settings and turn off the backlight.
Turn off the unit by pressing and holding the
. As the unit powers up, the Map Page is
PWR
PAGES
again. The unit has three backlight
PWR
will cycle through the
PWR
key for 3 seconds.
PWR
|→|
EXIT
.

Main Menu

The unit has a Main Menu, which contains some function commands and some setup option commands. The instructions in this section will deal only with sonar functions, the basic commands that make the unit show sonar signals on your screen. This unit will work fine right out of the box with the factory default settings. But, if you want to learn
40
about the various sonar options, see Sec. 4, Sonar Options & Other Fea­tures. (For general system setup and GPS options, see Sec. 8, System Setup and GPS Setup Options.)
You can access the Main Menu from any of the four Page screens by pressing
MENU|MENU
display, press
EXIT
. To clear the menu screen and return to the page
. (Remember, our text style for "
MENU|MENU
" means
"press the Menu key twice." See a full explanation of our instruction text formatting on page 10, Instructions = Menu Sequences.)
Main Menu.
The Main Menu commands and their functions are:
Screen command: changes the contrast or brightness of the display screen.
Sounds command: enables or disables the sounds for key strokes and alarms and sets the alarm style.
Alarms command: turns GPS alarms on or off and changes alarm thresholds.
Route Planning command: used to plan, view or navigate a route.
My Trails command: shows, creates and deletes plot trails. Also used
to navigate or backtrack a trail.
Cancel Navigation command: turns off the various navigation com­mands. Used to stop navigating after you have reached your destina­tion waypoint, Point of Interest or map cursor location; or after you reach the end of a route or trail.
Sonar Setup command: sets various sonar options.
GPS Setup command: sets various GPS receiver options.
41
System Setup command: sets general configuration options.
Sun/Moon Calculations command: finds the rising and setting time
of the sun and the moon.
Trip Calculator command: shows trip status and statistics.
Timers command: controls the up timer, down timer and alarm clock
settings.
Browse MMC Files command: this allows you to view the installed MMC card and the files it contains.

Pages

The unit has four Page displays that represent the four major operating modes. They are the Satellite Status Page, the Navigation Page, the Map Page and Sonar Page. They are accessed by pressing the
PAGES
using → or ← to select a Page. (Clear the Pages Menu by pressing
FlashGraf
key, then
.)
EXIT
Pages Menu, showing some Sonar display options.

Satellite Status Page

The Satellite Status Page provides detailed information on the status of the unit's satellite lock-on and position acquisition. To get to the Satel­lite Status Page: Press the
PAGES
(Clear the Pages Menu by pressing
key, then use → or ← to select
.)
EXIT
S
TATUS
This page represents a GPS function, so it is discussed in much greater detail in Sec. 6.
No matter what Page you are on, a flashing current position indica­tor/question mark symbol and flashing GPS data displays indicate that satellite lock has been lost and there is no position confirmed.
42
.
WARNING:
Do not begin navigating with this unit until the numbers have stopped flashing!
Satellite Status Page showing satellite lock-on with a 3D position
acquired (latitude, longitude and altitude), including WAAS reception.

Navigation Page

This screen has a compass rose that not only shows your direction of travel, but also the direction to a recalled waypoint. To get to the Navi­gation Page: Press
PAGES
| → or ← to
N
AVIGATION
|
EXIT
.
This page represents a GPS function, so it is discussed in much greater detail in Sec. 6.
Navigation Page, recording a trail, traveling east.

Map Page

The Map Page screens show your course and track from a "bird's-eye" view, on a moving map. By default, this unit shows the map with north
43
always at the top of the screen. The arrow in the center of the screen is your present position. It points in the direction you're traveling.
Map Page, showing position on Bull Shoals Lake, Arkansas. At left is
the full map option. At right, map with sonar option.
Map Page is also the default screen that appears when you turn on the unit. To get to the Map Page from another page: Press to
|
EXIT
.
M
AP
PAGES
| → or ←
You can display a split screen showing both the Map and Sonar pages at the same time. This feature is discussed in Sec. 4, Sonar Options & Other Features.
The Map Page represents a GPS function, so it is discussed in much greater detail in Sec. 6.

Sonar Page

The Sonar Page displays the sonar chart. This is a "cross-section" view of the water column beneath the boat. The chart moves across the screen, displaying sonar signal echoes that represent fish, structure and the bottom.
To get to the Sonar Page: Press the lect
. (Clear the Pages Menu by pressing
S
ONAR
PAGES
key, then use → or ← to se-
.) The Pages Menu
EXIT
also offers five chart display options under the Sonar Page category. To access them, press
PAGES
|← or→ to
|↓ to Option Name|
S
ONAR
EXIT
.
The Sonar Page also has its own menu, which is used for some advanced functions and for setting various options. (Sonar Options and other fea­tures are discussed in Sec. 4.) To Access the Sonar Page menu, from the Sonar Page press
MENU
.
44
FlashGraf
At left, Pages Menu, showing sonar chart display option commands.
At right, Sonar Page in full sonar chart display mode.
Sonar chart display options (from left) split zoom and split frequency.
Sonar chart display options (from left) digital data and FlashGraf .
Tip:
You can adjust the horizontal window size on pages with two major windows, such as FlashGraf. Read about the Resize Windows com­mand on page 102.
45
Sonar Page Menu. Most of these functions are discussed in Sec. 4.
Digital data overlay (depth & temperature)
Fish arches
Structure
Surface signal
Bottom signal
Sonar Page, showing full sonar chart mode.
Surface clutter
Frequency
Depth scale
Zoom bar
In FasTrack, fish arches show as horizontal bars.
FasTrack
bar graph
You can customize how the Sonar Page displays its pictures and other data in many ways. Your unit also includes several special sonar features and options that can help you better interpret the underwater scene.
We'll discuss all of those features and options in Sec. 4, but to show you how easy the unit is to operate, the following page contains a simplified, 10-step quick reference that will cover most fish finding situations. The quick reference describes how your unit will operate with all the sonar features in their automatic modes, which are set at the factory.
46

LCX-104C Sonar Quick Reference

1. Mount the transducer, antenna and unit. Connect the unit to electric power and the transducer. (If GPS operation is desired, connect GPS antenna, too.) Make sure the MMC is in. (See complete installation de­tails beginning on page 13.)
2. Launch your boat.
3. To turn on the unit, press and release
PWR
key.
4. Opening screen displays Map Page. Rotate through the four main Page screens (Map Page, Satellite Status Page, Navigation Page, Sonar Page) by pressing
PAGES
|← or → to select Page Name|
EXIT
. Switch
Pages to display Sonar Page.
5. If GPS data is desired, wait while unit locates satellites and calculates current position. When the unit acquires position, a tone sounds and a posi­tion acquired message appears.
6. With position acquired (if desired), head for your fishing grounds. Your unit will automatically display digital depth and surface water temperature in the top left corner of the screen.
The auto settings will track the bottom, displaying it in the lower por­tion of the screen. The full sonar chart will scroll from right to left, showing you what's under the boat as you cruise across the water. You can change the display by:
Zoom in to enlarge the chart for more detail: press Zoom out to return to full chart mode: press
ZOUT
.
ZIN
.
7. Watch the display for the appearance of fish arches. When you see arches, you've found fish! Stop the boat and get your lure or bait into the water at the depth indicated on the sonar chart.
8. Gauge the fish depth by visually comparing the fish arches with the depth scale on the right side of the screen, or get a more accurate measure with the Depth Cursor. Press
MENU
|↓ to
D
EPTH CURSOR
|
ENT
Press ↓ to align the cursor line with the fish arch. The exact depth ap­pears in a box at the right end of the cursor line. To clear the cursor, press
EXIT
.
.
9. If you are drifting at a very low speed or anchored, you are not mov­ing fast enough for a fish to return the tell-tale fish arch signal. As you drift over a fish, or as a fish swims through the transducer's signal cone, the fish echo will appear as a straight line suspended between the surface and the bottom.
10. To turn off the unit, press and hold
key for three seconds.
PWR
47

Sonar Operations

As you can see from the quick reference on the previous page, basic operation is pretty easy, right out of the box. If you are a sonar novice, try operating the unit with the factory defaults until you get a feel for how it's working.
As you're learning the basics, there is one setting you might want to tinker with from time to time — Sensitivity.
Sensitivity controls the unit's ability to pick up echoes. If you want to see more detail, try increasing the sensitivity, a little at a time. There are situa­tions when too much clutter appears on the screen. Decreasing the sensitivity can reduce the clutter and show the strongest fish echoes, if fish are present. As you change the sensitivity setting, you can see the difference on the chart as it scrolls.
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
These figures show results of different sensitivity levels on the same
location. Fig. 1: Sensitivity at 88 percent, determined by Auto Sensitiv-
ity. Typical of full auto mode. Fig. 2: Sensitivity set at 75 percent. Fig.
3: Sensitivity set at 50 percent. Fig. 4: Sensitivity set at 100 percent.
You can change the sensitivity level whether you are in Auto Sensitiv­ity mode or Manual Sensitivity mode. The adjustment method works the same in both modes, but it gives you slightly different results.
48
Adjusting sensitivity in Auto Sensitivity Mode is similar to manually ad­justing a car's speed with the accelerator pedal while cruise control is on. You can tell the car to run faster, but when you let off the gas the cruise control automatically keeps you from running slower than the minimum speed setting. In this unit, auto mode will let you increase sensitivity to 100 percent, but the unit will limit your minimum setting. This prevents you from turning sensitivity down too low to allow automatic bottom tracking. When you change the setting with auto turned on, the unit will continue to track the bottom and make minor adjustments to the sensi­tivity level, with a bias toward the setting you selected.
Adjusting sensitivity in Manual Sensitivity Mode is similar to driving a car without cruise control — you have complete manual control of the car's speed. In this unit, manual mode allows you to set sensitivity at 100 percent (maximum) or zero percent (minimum.) Depending on wa­ter conditions, the bottom signal may completely disappear from the screen when you reduce sensitivity to about 50 percent or less!
Try adjusting sensitivity in both auto and manual modes to see how they work.
To adjust sensitivity:
1. Press
MENU|ENT
.
2. The Sensitivity Control Bar appears. Press ↓ to decrease sensitivity; press ↑ to increase sensitivity. When it's set at the desired level, press
. (When you reach the maximum or minimum limit, a tone sounds.)
EXIT
At left, Sonar Menu with Sensitivity command selected. At right, the
Sensitivity Control Bar.
NOTE:
If you want to change the sensitivity in Manual Mode, first turn off Auto Sensitivity: from the Sonar Page, press
S
ENSITIVITY
ENT
|↑ to
S
ENSITIVITY
|
. Press ↓ or ↑ to pick a different
ENT
|
sensitivity setting. When it's set at the desired level, press
MENU
|↓ to
EXIT
49
A
UTO
.
Important Tip:
While you are experimenting and learning, it's possible to scramble the settings so that the sonar picture disappears from your screen. If that happens, remember that it's easy to switch back to full automatic operation by simply restoring the factory auto settings. Here's how:
To Restore Factory Settings
1. Press
TIONS
MENU|MENU
|
.
ENT
2. The unit asks if you want to reset all the options. Press ← to
|
Y
ES
. All options are reset, and the unit reverts back to the Map
ENT
Page at the 4000 mile zoom range. (Any recorded sonar logs or GPS data will be unchanged.)
Fish Symbols vs. Full Sonar Chart
You may have noticed in the quick reference that we used fish arches in full sonar chart mode for our example, and not the popular Fish I.D. fish symbol feature. Here's why.
Fish I.D. is an easier way for a sonar novice to recognize a fishy signal return when he sees it. However, locating fish by symbol only has some limitations.
Your sonar unit's microprocessor is remarkably powerful, but it can be fooled. Some of the echoes calculated to be fish could be tree limbs or turtles! To see what's under your boat in maximum detail, we recom-
mend you turn off Fish I.D. and begin learning to interpret fish arches.
Fish I.D. is most handy when you're in another part of the boat or per­forming some task that prevents you from watching the sonar screen. Then, you can turn on Fish I.D. and the audible fish alarm. When that lunker swims under your boat, you'll hear it!
Fish I.D. can also be useful when you want to screen out some of the sonar detail gathered by your unit. For example, in one case fisherman in San Francisco Bay saw clouds of clutter in the water but no fish arches. When a down rigger was pulled up, it brought up several small jellyfish. The fisherman switched their Lowrance sonar to Fish I.D., which screened out the schools of jellyfish and clearly showed the game fish there as fish symbols.
|↓ to
S
YSTEM SETUP
|
ENT
|↓ to
R
ESET OP-

Other Free Training Aids

The sonar options section discusses Fish I.D., fish alarms and other features in greater detail. If you or a friend has Internet access, you can also learn more about interpreting what you see on your sonar screen. Visit our web site,
WWW.LOWRANCE.COM
. Be sure to check out the free
50
Sonar Tutorial, which 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 site…it makes a great supplement to this operation manual!
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, color line, noise rejection,
surface clarity, etc. of the recorded file.
• 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.
For the ultimate training aid, be sure to download the free emulator software for your unit. Aside from being just plain fun, this program can help you learn both basic and advanced operations without burning boat fuel! Lowrance is the first sonar manufacturer to provide this type of training tool for customers.
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.
51
Free training emulator is available for your unit on our web site.
The emulator works exactly like your real sonar/GPS unit. Using the Sonar Simulator and GPS Simulator features, it allows you to play back sonar logs, run GPS routes and trails, even create real waypoints you can use in the field! You can even take snapshots of the Sonar Chart and print them or e-mail them to friends.
52
Section 4:
Sonar Options & Other Features
Material in this section is arranged in alphabetical order.
ASP (Advanced Signal Processing)
The ASP feature is a noise rejection system built into the sonar unit that constantly evaluates the effects of boat speed, water conditions and interference. This automatic feature gives you the best display pos­sible under most conditions.
The ASP feature is an effective tool in combating noise. In sonar terms, noise is any undesired signal. It is caused by electrical and mechanical sources such as bilge pumps, engine ignition systems and wiring, air bubbles passing over the face of the transducer, even vibration from the engine. In all cases, noise can produce unwanted marks on the display.
The ASP feature has four settings — Off, Low, Medium and High. If you have high noise levels, try using the "High" ASP setting. However, if you are having trouble with noise, we suggest that you take steps to find the interference source and fix it, rather than continually using the unit with the high ASP setting.
There are times when you may want to turn the ASP feature off. This allows you to view all incoming echoes before they are processed by the ASP feature.
At left, Sonar Menu with Sonar Features selected. In the Sonar Features
menu, Noise Rejection is selected with ASP in the default low setting.
To change the ASP level:
1. From the Sonar Page, press
2. Press → ↓
or ↓ to
N
OISE REJECTION
3. Press ↓ or ↑ to select a setting, then press
4. To return to the previous page, press
MENU
|
|↓ to
ENT
S
ONAR FEATURES
.
ENT
EXIT|EXIT
|
.
ENT
.
.
53

Alarms

This unit has three different types of sonar alarms. The first is the Fish Alarm. It sounds when the Fish I.D. feature determines that an echo is a fish.
Another alarm is the Zone Alarm, which consists of a bar on the side of the screen. Any echo on the chart that appears inside this bar triggers this alarm.
The last alarm is the Depth Alarm, which has both a Shallow and a Deep setting. Only the bottom signal will trigger this alarm. This is useful as an anchor watch, a shallow water alert or for navigation.
Depth Alarms The depth alarms sound a tone when the bottom signal goes shallower than the shallow alarm's setting or deeper than the deep alarm's set­ting. For example, if you set the shallow alarm to 10 feet, the alarm will sound a tone if the bottom signal is less than 10 feet. It will continue to sound until the bottom goes deeper than 10 feet.
The deep alarm works just the opposite. It sounds a warning tone if the bottom depth goes deeper than the alarm's setting. Both depth alarms work only off the digital bottom depth signals. No other targets will trip these alarms. These alarms can be used at the same time or individually.
At left, Main Menu and Sonar Alarms command.
At right, the Sonar Alarms menu.
To adjust and turn on the shallow alarm:
1. Press
MENU|MENU
2. Press → to
S
|↓ to
A
LARMS
HALLOW ALARM DEPTH
|
|
ENT
ENT
|↓ to
.
S
ONAR ALARMS
|
ENT
.
3. Press ↑ or ↓ to change the first number, then press → to move the cursor to the next number and repeat until the depth is correct, then press
ENT
.
54
4. Press ← to
S
HALLOW ALARM ENABLED
|
ENT|EXIT|EXIT|EXIT
.
5. To turn off the alarm, press
S
ONAR ALARMS
|
ENT|ENT|EXIT|EXIT|EXIT
MENU|MENU
.
|↓ to
A
LARMS
|
ENT
|↓ to
To switch to a different depth setting, open the Sonar Alarms menu and repeat the instructions in step 3 above.
To adjust and turn on the deep alarm:
1. Press
MENU|MENU
2. Press ↓ to
D
EEP ALARM ENABLED
|↓ to
A
LARMS
|
ENT
|→ to
|↓ to
S
ONAR ALARMS
D
EEP ALARM DEPTH
|
|
ENT
ENT
.
.
3. Press ↑ or ↓ to change the first number, then press → to move the cursor to the next number and repeat until the depth is correct, then press
4. Press ← to
5. To turn off the alarm, press
S
ONAR ALARMS
ENT
.
D
EEP ALARM ENABLED
|
|↓ to
ENT
|
ENT|EXIT|EXIT|EXIT
MENU|MENU
D
EEP ALARM ENABLED
.
|↓ to
|
ENT|EXIT|EXIT|EXIT
A
LARMS
|
ENT
|↓ to
.
To switch to a different depth setting, open the Sonar Alarms menu and repeat the instructions in step 3 above.

Zone Alarm

The zone alarm is triggered when any echo passes inside the zone alarm bar, shown on the right side of the screen.
To adjust and turn on the zone alarm:
1. Press
MENU|MENU
|↓ to
A
LARMS
|
ENT
|↓ to
S
ONAR ALARMS
|
ENT
.
2. Press ↓ to
Z
ONE ALARM ENABLED
|→ to
A
DJUST ZONE
|
ENT
.
At left, Sonar Alarms menu, with Adjust Zone command selected.
At right, Adjust Zone Alarm selection box, with Upper Limit selected.
3. To set the upper boundary for the Zone Alarm, use ← or→ to select
, then press ↑ or ↓ to move the top of the bar to the desired depth.
U
PPER
55
4. To set the lower boundary for the Zone Alarm, use ← or→ to select
, then press ↑ or ↓ to move the bottom of the bar to the desired
L
OWER
depth.
5. Press
EXIT
|← to
Z
ONE ALARM ENABLED
|
ENT|EXIT|EXIT|EXIT
. Now, any echo — fish, bottom, structure — within the zone alarm's depth range will trigger the zone alarm.
6. To turn off the alarm, press
|
S
ONAR ALARMS
ENT
|↓ to
Z
ONE ALARM ENABLED
MENU|MENU
|↓ to
|
ENT|EXIT|EXIT|EXIT
A
LARMS
|
ENT
|↓ to
.
To switch to a different depth setting, open the Sonar Alarms menu and repeat the instructions in steps 3 and 4 above.

Fish Alarm

Use the fish alarm for a distinctive audible alarm when fish or other suspended objects are detected by the Fish I.D. feature (Fish I.D. must be turned on for the Fish Alarm to work). A different tone sounds for each fish symbol size shown on the display.
Sonar Alarms menu with Fish Alarm selected. The check box to
the left is blank, indicating the alarm is turned off.
To turn the fish alarm on:
1. Press
2. Press ↓ to
MENU|MENU
F
ISH ALARM
3. To turn off the alarm, press
S
ONAR ALARMS
|
ENT
|↓ to
A
LARMS
|
ENT|EXIT|EXIT|EXIT
|↓ to
F
ISH ALARM
|
|↓ to
ENT
S
ONAR ALARMS
.
MENU|MENU
|
ENT|EXIT|EXIT|EXIT
|↓ to
A
LARMS
.
|
ENT
|
.
ENT
|↓ to

Calibrate Speed

The speed sensor can be calibrated to compensate for inaccuracies. Be­fore you change the setting, first calculate the percentage that the speed is off. You will enter this percentage in a moment.
56
For example, if you figure the sensor is reading 10 percent faster than actual speed, you will enter – 10 in the calibration window. If the sen­sor is reading 5 percent slower than true speed, you will enter + 5 in the window.
A good way to gauge your speed sensor's performance is to compare its reading with the ground speed measured by your unit's GPS functions. When you make a run to compare GPS ground speed to speed sensor speed, perform your test in relatively calm water free of current, if pos­sible. (Unless, of course, you are taking the current speed into consid­eration when making your calculation.) After you have a correction fig­ure, here's how to enter it:
1. Press
|
S
PEED
ENT
MENU|MENU
.
|↓ to
S
ONAR SETUP
|
ENT
|↓ to
C
ALIBRATE WATER
2. Enter the number you calculated earlier: press ↑ or ↓ to change the first character (+ or –), then press → to move the cursor to the next number and repeat until the percentage is correct, then press
EXIT
.

Chart Speed

The rate that echoes scroll across the screen is called the chart speed. The default is maximum; we recommend that you leave the speed set there for virtually all fishing conditions.
However, you might consider experimenting with chart speed when you are stationary or drifting very slowly. You may sometimes achieve bet­ter images as you slow down the chart speed to match how fast you are moving across the bottom.
If you are at anchor, ice fishing or fishing from a dock, experiment with a chart speed around 50 percent. If you are drifting slowly, try a chart speed around 75 percent. When you are stationary and a fish swims through the sonar signal cone, the image appears on the screen as a long line instead of a fish arch. Reducing the chart speed may result in a shorter line that more closely resembles a regular fish return.
At left, Sonar Page menu with Chart Speed command selected.
At right, Chart Speed Control Bar.
57
If you do experiment with chart speed, remember to reset it to maxi­mum when you resume trolling or moving across the water at higher speed. To change chart speed:
1. From the Sonar Page, press
MENU
|↓ to
C
HART SPEED
|
ENT
.
2. The Chart Speed Control Bar appears. Press ↓ to decrease chart speed; press ↑ to increase chart speed.
3. When it's set at the desired level, press
EXIT
.
ColorLine
ColorLine lets you distinguish between strong and weak echoes. It "paints" a brighter color on targets that are stronger than a preset value. This allows you to tell the difference between a hard and soft bottom. For example, a soft, muddy or weedy bottom returns a weaker signal which is shown with a narrow, colored line (dark blue tinged with red or a little yellow.) Since fish are among the weakest echoes, they show up mostly as blue arches. A hard bottom or other relatively hard target returns a strong signal which causes a wider brightly col­ored line (reddish yellow to bright yellow.)
If you have two signals of equal size, one with red to yellow color and the other without, then the target with brighter color (yellow) is the stronger signal. This helps distinguish weeds from trees on the bottom, or fish from structure.
ColorLine is adjustable. Experiment with your unit to find the Color­Line setting that's best for you.
At left, Sonar Page menu with ColorLine command selected.
At right, the ColorLine control bar.
To adjust the ColorLine level:
1. From the Sonar Page, press
MENU
|↓ to
C
OLORLINE
|
ENT
.
2. The ColorLine Control Bar appears. Press ↓ to decrease ColorLine; press ↑ to increase Colorline.
3. When it's set at the desired level, press
EXIT
.
58
Fig. 1A
Fig. 1B
Fig. 2A
Fig. 3A
Colorline
Hard
structure
Fig. 2B
Hard
bottom
Fig. 3B
Fish near structure
Colorline
Muddy
bottom
Muddy
bottom
Hard
bottom
ColorLine
This series of figures shows how different ColorLine settings can reveal
more information. The "A" figures to the left show locations with Color­Line set at the factory level of 70 percent. At right, the "B" figures show
the same locations with ColorLine increased to 84 percent. In Figure 1B,
no fish are near the left structure, but the right structure shows fish
holding next to the structure. Notice in figures 2B and 3B how Color-
Line displays a hard, rocky bottom (the drop-offs) with a wider yellow
line. (The yellow is gray in this black and white illustration.) The mud-
dier bottom below those drop-offs appears as a narrower yellow line.
59

Depth Cursor

The depth cursor consists of a horizontal line with a digital depth box on the right side. The numbers inside the box show the depth of the cursor.
Cursor line
At left, Sonar Page menu with Depth Cursor command selected. At
right, sonar chart with the depth cursor active. The line indicates the
large fish is 21.95 feet deep.
The cursor can be moved to any location on the screen, letting you pin­point the depth of a target.
Depth box
1. From the Sonar Page, press
MENU
|↓ to
D
EPTH CURSOR
|
ENT
.
2. The depth cursor appears. Press ↓ to lower the cursor line; press ↑ to raise the cursor line.
3. To clear the depth cursor, press
EXIT
.

Depth Range - Automatic

When turned on for the first time, the bottom signal is automatically placed in the lower half of the screen. This is called Auto Ranging and is part of the automatic function. However, depending upon the bottom depth and the current range, you can change the range to a different depth. To do this:
1. From the Sonar Page, press
MENU
|↓ to
60
D
EPTH RANGE
|
ENT
.
At left, Sonar Page menu with Depth Range command selected. At
right, the Depth Range Control Scale.
2. The Depth Range Control Scale appears. Press ↑ or ↓ to select a dif­ferent depth range. A black bar highlights the selected range. Range numbers in gray cannot be selected.
3. When the new range is selected, press
to clear the menu.
EXIT

Depth Range - Manual

You have complete control over the range when the unit is in the man­ual mode. There are 16 depth ranges, from 5 feet to 4,000 feet.
To switch to Manual Depth Range:
1. First, turn off automatic depth range. From the Sonar Page, press
|↓ to
MENU
2. Press ↑ to
A
UTO DEPTH RANGE
D
EPTH RANGE
|
.
ENT
|
and the Depth Range Control Scale appears.
ENT
3. Press ↓ or ↑ to select a different depth range. A horizontal black bar highlights the selected range.
4. When the new range is selected, press
To turn Auto Depth Range on again:
From the Sonar Page, press
MENU
|↓ to
to clear the menu.
EXIT
A
UTO DEPTH RANGE
|
ENT|EXIT
.
NOTE:
The sonar's depth capability depends on the transducer installa­tion, water and bottom conditions, and other factors.

Depth Range - Upper and Lower Limits

Virtually any segment of the water column can be displayed by using the upper and lower limit feature. This lets you pick the shallow and deep depth range limits that are shown on the screen, provided there is at least 10 feet between the upper and lower limit you select. For ex­ample, a range from 12 feet to 34 feet could be used.
61
Changing the upper and lower limits gives you far greater control over the depth range. This feature lets you "zoom in" the display in almost unlimited combinations. Nearly any segment of the water column, from the surface to the bottom can be shown. This enlarges the sonar targets to best suit your fishing needs and water conditions.
At left, Sonar Page Menu with Upper and Lower Limits command se-
lected. At right, Sonar Chart Limits menu, with Upper Limit selected.
To change the upper and lower limits:
1. From the Sonar Page, press
MENU
|↓ to
U
PPER AND LOWER LIMITS
|
ENT
The Sonar Chart Limits menu appears, with Upper Limit selected.
2. To set the upper limit, press
. Press ↑ or ↓ to change the first
ENT
number, then press → to move the cursor to the next number and re­peat until the depth is correct, then press
3. To set the lower limit, press ↓ to
L
OWER LIMIT
EXIT
.
|
. Press ↑ or ↓ to
ENT
change the first number, then press → to move the cursor to the next number and repeat until the depth is correct, then press
EXIT|EXIT|EXIT
.
.
Fish arches
Area "zoomed"
Normal display, in auto depth range mode, left. At right, display "zoomed"
with Upper and Lower Limits focusing on the portion of the water column
from 25 feet to 45 feet deep. In the "zoomed" image, note the target defini-
tion at the right, showing two fish holding just off the structure.
62
To turn off upper and lower limits:
From the Sonar Page, press
MENU
|↓ to
A
UTO DEPTH RANGE
|
ENT|EXIT
.
FasTrack
This feature automatically converts all echoes to short horizontal lines on the display's far right side. The graph on the rest of the screen con­tinues to operate normally. FasTrack gives you a rapid update of condi­tions directly under the boat. This makes it useful for ice fishing, or when you're fishing at anchor. When the boat is not moving, fish sig­nals are long, drawn out lines on a normal chart display. FasTrack con­verts the graph to a vertical bar graph that, with practice, makes a use­ful addition to fishing at a stationary location.
Surface clutter
Structure
Fish arches
In FasTrack, fish arches show as horizontal bars.
Colorline
Bottom signal
FasTrack
bar graph
Sonar Page showing FasTrack.
Fish I.D. (Fish Symbols & Depths)
The Fish I.D. feature identifies targets that meet certain conditions as fish. The microcomputer analyzes all echoes and eliminates surface clutter, thermoclines, and other signals that are undesirable. In most instances, remaining targets are fish. The Fish I.D. feature displays fish symbols on the screen in place of the actual fish echoes.
There are several fish symbol sizes. These are used to designate the relative size between targets. In other words, Fish I.D. displays a small fish symbol when it thinks a target is a small fish, a medium fish sym­bol on a larger target and so on.
The sonar's microcomputer is sophisticated, but it can be fooled. It can't distinguish between fish and other suspended objects such as trotlines, turtles, submerged floats, air bubbles, etc. Individual tree limbs ex­tending outwards from a group of limbs is the hardest object for the Fish I.D. feature to distinguish from fish.
You may see fish symbols on the screen when actually, there are no fish. The reverse is also true. The illustrations on the next page show how Fish I.D. can actually miss fish that are present.
63
Does that mean Fish I.D. is broken? No — the feature is simply inter­preting sonar returns in a specific way to help take some of the work out of reading the screen. Remember: Fish I.D. is one of the many tools we provide so you can analyze your sonar returns for maximum fish finding information. This and other features can help you successfully "see" beneath the boat under varied water and fishing conditions. So, practice with the unit in both the Fish I.D. mode and without to become more familiar with the feature. The default for Fish I.D. is off.
Sonar Features menu with Fish I.D. Symbols selected.
Fig. 1 A
Fig. 1 B
Fish symbols appear
Many fish
arches visible
Fig. 2 A
Fish arches
above structure
Fewer fish
symbols visible
Fig. 2 B
No fish shown
At left, figures 1A and 2A show Sonar Page in normal chart mode. At
right, figures 1B and 2B show the same underwater scene with Fish I.D.
turned on. Note how arches are replaced with symbols.
64
To turn the Fish I.D. feature on:
p
1. From the Sonar Page, press
2. Press → ↓ or
→ to
F
ID S
ISH
YMBOLS
|↓ to
MENU
|
ENT|EXIT|EXIT
S
ONAR FEATURES
|
.
ENT
.
To turn off Fish I.D., repeat the instructions in step 1.
FishTrack
The FishTrack feature shows the depth of a fish symbol when it ap­pears on the display. This lets you accurately gauge the depth of tar­gets. This feature is available only when the Fish I.D. feature is on. The default setting for FishTrack is off.
To turn on FishTrack:
(Note: These instructions will turn on FishTrack and Fish I.D. at the same time.)
1. From the Sonar Page, press
2. Press → ↓ to
F
ISH
ID D
|
ENT|EXIT|EXIT
EPTHS
To turn off FishTrack, repeat the instructions in step 1. Turning off FishTrack in this manner will not turn off Fish I.D. symbols.
MENU
|↓ to
S
ONAR FEATURES
.
Symbols with
FishTrack de
|
ENT.
ths
At left, Sonar Features menu with Fish I.D. Depths selected. When the
check box to the left is checked, the feature is on. At right, Sonar Page
showing Fish I.D. symbols and FishTrack depths turned on.
Frequency (Change Transducer Frequency) (Dual-Frequency Transducers only)
A dual-frequency transducer operates with both 200 kHz and 50 kHz. The 200 kHz frequency has a 12° cone angle and the 50 kHz frequency has a 35° cone angle.
The default frequency is 200 kHz, which is best for use in shallow water (about 300 feet or less). This frequency is the best choice for about 80 percent of the fresh and salt water sport fishing applications. When you get into very deep salt water, 300 to 500 feet or deeper, the 50 kHz fre­quency is the best choice.
65
The 200 kHz transducer will give you better detail and definition, but less depth penetration. The 50 kHz transducer will give you greater depth penetration, but a little less detail and less definition. (Remember, all sonar units typically read deeper in fresh water than in salt water.)
There is a common exception to these rules of thumb. Some fishermen on freshwater lakes (or the ocean) using downriggers like to see them on the sonar. In many of those cases, you'll see a 50 kHz transducer frequency in use because the wider cone angle lets them watch the bait.
Sonar Features menu with a frequency of 200 kHz selected.
To change the frequency setting to 50 kHz:
1. From the Sonar Page, press
2. Press ↓ to
3. Press
EXIT|EXIT
|
50 KH
.
ENT
Z
to clear the menu.
MENU
|↓ to
S
ONAR FEATURES
|
ENT
.
To change the frequency setting to 200 kHz:
1. From the Sonar Page, press
2. Press
EXIT|EXIT
to clear the menu.
MENU
|↓ to
S
ONAR FEATURES
|
ENT|ENT
.
HyperScroll
See the entry on Ping Speed, which controls the HyperScroll feature.

Log Sonar Chart Data

If you have an MMC installed in the unit, the sonar data shown on the screen can be saved to the MMC. This can be played back at any time. (To play a recorded sonar chart log, see the entry in this section for So-
66
nar Simulator.) If you have a personal computer and Internet access, visit our web site, www.lowrance.com, and download the free Sonar Viewer and the emulator for your unit. These programs will allow you to replay sonar logs on your personal computer.
At left, the Sonar Page menu with the Log Sonar Chart Data command
selected. At right, Sonar Chart Logging menu, with the Start Logging
command selected. The menu says the MMC has 11.7 MB of free space,
which will record the scrolling chart for 20 minutes and 44 seconds.
To record or log chart data:
1. Press
2. To record data using the default settings, press
MENU
|↓ to
L
OG SONAR CHART DATA
|
ENT
.
. The menu clears
ENT
and the Sonar Page title bar shows the name of the file you are record­ing. Warning messages will appear as recording time begins to run out.
NOTE:
You can change any of the settings by using the cursor arrows to highlight different commands. Select change the name. Select
C
HART QUALITY
if you want to lower the file
F
ILE NAME
if you want to
quality and record for a longer period of time. After you've changed the settings, select
S
TART LOGGING
.

Noise Rejection

See the entry on Advanced Signal Processing in this section.

Overlay Data

To change the digital data shown on top of the Sonar Page or the Map Page: First, press
To select data for display:
PAGES
1. From the Map or Sonar page, press
2. Press ↓ or ↑ to select Data Type|
, use → or ← to select a Page Name, then press
ENT
MENU
.
|↓ to
O
VERLAY DATA
|
ENT
67
EXIT
.
.
Overlay Data command on the Sonar Menu, at left. Overlay Data
Shown selection menu, right. In this example, we scrolled down the
data list to highlight "Ground Speed."
When selected, the data type shifts to the top of the data list and a check mark appears beside the data type. (If you wish, you may now use ↓ or ↑ to select other Data Types for display.)
Data list showing "Ground Speed" selected to display on Sonar Page.
3. To return to the previous page, press
To turn off displayed data:
1. From the Map or Sonar page, press
2. Press ↓ or ↑ to select Data Type|
MENU
ENT
EXIT|EXIT
. The selected data type disap-
|↓ to
.
O
VERLAY DATA
|
ENT
.
pears from the top of the list and reverts to its previous, unchecked po­sition. (If you wish, you may now use ↓ or ↑ to select other Data Types to turn off.)
3. To return to the previous page, press
To change displayed data font size:
1. From the Map or Sonar page, press
MENU
EXIT|EXIT
|↓ to
.
O
VERLAY DATA
|
ENT
.
68
.
2. Press ↓ or ↑ to select Data Type|press → or ← to Data Size|
EXIT
The selected data type will be displayed in the new size. (To change the font size for another Data Type, press
and repeat these steps, be-
ENT
ginning with step two above.)
3. To return to the previous page, press
EXIT
.
Tip:
If you wish, you can change the displayed data font size when you select a data type:
1. From the Map or Sonar page, press |
ENT
.
D
ATA
2. Press ↓ or ↑ to select Data Type|press → or ← to select Data
Size|
ENT
.
The data will be shown in the new font size. To return to the previ­ous page, press
EXIT|EXIT
.
MENU
|↓ to
O
VERLAY
Steering arrow
Course line
At left, Map Page showing boat cruising Puget Sound, Washington,
with Overlay Data turned on. This example shows Depth, Ground Speed and the Steering Arrow. Note that the Steering Arrow always points directly to the destination you are navigating toward. In this
case, the boater is headed on a northwesterly course of 280º. Since the helmsman is on course, the Steering Arrow is pointing straight ahead.
If the helmsman veered off course, the arrow would show which direc-
tion to steer to get back on course toward the destination. At right,
Sonar Page with Overlay Data turned on. This example shows Depth,
Ground Speed and the Track the boat is following.
Ping Speed & HyperScroll
Ping Speed controls the rate at which the transmitter and transducer broadcast sonar sound waves — pings — into the water. The unit has a default ping speed of 50 percent. At normal boating speeds, this auto­matically provides enough return echoes to refresh the screen and scroll the chart at maximum chart speed.
69
However, when you are running at high speeds, or just want the fastest possible screen update, you may want to use the HyperScroll feature. When you change the Ping Speed to any setting greater than 50 per­cent, the unit automatically enters HyperScroll mode.
These faster ping rates allow you to maintain a high-detail picture on the screen, and the screen refresh rate and chart scroll speed can keep pace with the boat as it moves quickly over the bottom terrain.
When using HyperScroll, you may also need to manually decrease the sensitivity for optimum performance. Depending on water depth and other conditions, HyperScroll may cause a second bottom echo to return to the transducer during the next ping cycle, or sounding. This can result in a large amount of clutter appearing on the screen. If this occurs, just decrease the sensitivity to a level that eliminates the clutter. When you turn HyperScroll off, you can return to your original sensitivity level.
At left, Sonar Menu with Ping Speed command selected.
Ping Speed Control Bar, right, at default setting.

To change Ping Speed:

1. From the Sonar Page, press
MENU
|↓ to
P
ING SPEED
|
ENT
.
2. The Ping Speed Control Bar appears. Press ↑ to increase ping speed; press ↓ to decrease ping speed. When it's set at the desired level, press
EXIT

To adjust Sensitivity:

1. From the Sonar Page, press
MENU|ENT
.
2. The Sensitivity Control Bar appears. Press ↓ to decrease sensitivity; press ↑ to increase sensitivity. When it's set at the desired level, press
. (When you reach the maximum or minimum limit, a tone sounds.)
EXIT

To turn off HyperScroll:

1. From the Sonar Page, press
MENU
|↓ to
P
ING SPEED
|
ENT
.
2. The Ping Speed Control Bar appears. Press↓ to decrease ping speed to 50 percent. When it's set at the desired level, press
EXIT
.
70
.
When you boost ping speed and switch into HyperScroll, the width of the FasTrack bar graph display doubles in width at the right side of the screen. The allows you to better see the virtually instantaneous sonar returns, just as you would on a flasher sonar unit. For more informa­tion on FasTrack, see it's entry in this section.

Reset Options

This command is used to reset all features, options and settings to their original factory defaults. This is useful when you have changed several settings and want to return the unit to basic automatic operation.
1. Press
MENU|MENU
2. Press ← to
Y
ES
|
ENT
|↓ to
.
S
YSTEM SETUP
|
ENT
|↓ to
R
ESET OPTIONS
|
ENT
.
3. All the menus are cleared and the unit reverts to the Map Page at the 4000 mile zoom range, just as if you had turned it on for the first time. All options have been returned to the factory settings.
At left, System Setup menu with Reset Options command selected. At
right, the Reset Options dialog box, with "Yes" selected.
NOTE:
Reset Options does not erase any waypoints, routes, plot trails, or sonar logs.

Reset Water Distance

The sonar chart's Digital Data display option includes a window that shows distance traveled, called Water Distance ("W Distance"). This information is calculated from an optional water speed sensor, not the GPS. The Water Distance window can be reset to zero using the Reset Water Distance command.
Press
TANCE
MENU|MENU
|
. The menus are cleared and the water distance is reset to 0.00.
ENT
|↓ to
S
ONAR SETUP
|
ENT
|↓ to
R
ESET WATER DIS-
71

Set Keel Offset

This unit measures water depth from the face of the transducer. Since the transducer is installed below the water surface, the distance dis­played by the digital depth, chart depth scale, chart cursor or fish sym­bols is not the exact water depth. If the transducer is 1 foot below the surface, and the screen shows the water depth as 30 feet, then the ac­tual depth is 31 feet.
On sailboats or other large vessels with deep drafts, the distance be­tween the transducer installation and the keel or lower engine unit can be several feet. In those cases, an inexact depth reading could result in grounding or striking underwater structure. The Keel Offset feature eliminates the need for the navigator to mentally calculate how much water is under his keel.
Keel Offset lets you calibrate the digital depth: chart depth scale, chart cursor depth and fish symbol depth displayed on the screen. To calibrate the depth indicators, first measure the distance from the face of the transducer to the lowest part of the boat. In this example, we will use 3.5 feet. This will entered as a negative 3.5 feet, which makes the depth indi- cators perform as if the transducer's lower in the water than it really is.
1. Press
MENU|MENU
|↓ to
S
ET KEEL OFFSET
|
ENT
.
2. The Keel Offset dialog box appears. Press ↓ to change the plus (+) sign to a minus (–) sign.
3. Press → to the first number, then press ↑ to change the number to 3
4. Press → to the second number, then press ↑ to change the number to 5, then press
. The depth indicators now accurately show the depth
EXIT
of water beneath the keel.
NOTE:
If knowing the exact depth of water beneath the keel is less impor­tant, you can calibrate the depth indicators so that they show the ac­tual water depth from surface to bottom. To do this, first measure the distance from the face of the transducer up to the surface (the water line on the boat). In this example, we will use 1.5 feet. This will be en­tered as a positive 1.5 feet, which makes the depth indicators perform as if the transducer's higher in the water than it really is.
1. Press
MENU|MENU
|↓ to
S
ET KEEL OFFSET
|
ENT
.
2. The Keel Offset dialog box appears with a plus (+) sign at the front of the box.
72
3. Press → to the first number, then press ↑ to change the number to 1.
4. Press → to the second number, them press ↑ to change the num-
. The depth indicators now accurately show
ber to 5, then press
EXIT
the water depth from surface to bottom.

Sensitivity & Auto Sensitivity

The sensitivity controls the ability of the unit to pick up echoes. Sensi­tivity can be adjusted, because water conditions vary greatly. A low sensitivity level (from zero to 50 percent) excludes much of the bottom information, fish signals, and other target information.
High sensitivity levels let you see this detail, but it can also clutter the screen with many undesired signals. Typically, the best sensitivity level shows a good solid bottom signal with Grayline and some surface clutter.
Automatic Sensitivity
The default sensitivity mode is automatic. The unit bases the sensitiv­ity level on water depth and conditions. When the unit is in the auto­matic mode, sensitivity is automatically adjusted to keep a solid bottom signal displayed, plus a little more power. This gives it the capability to show fish and other detail.
However, situations occur when it becomes necessary to increase or de­crease the sensitivity. This typically happens when you wish to see more detail, so an increase in sensitivity is indicated. Or, wave action and boat wakes can create enough tiny air bubbles to clutter much of the water column. In that case, a decrease in sensitivity is indicated to reduce some of the clutter.
The control bar used to adjust sensitivity up or down is the same whether the unit is in the automatic or manual mode. In automatic you can adjust sensitivity up to 100 percent but the unit will limit your minimum setting. In auto, the unit will continue to make small ad­justments, allowing for the setting you selected.
In manual mode, you have complete control over sensitivity, with the ability to set it anywhere from zero to 100 percent. Once you select a level in manual, the unit will continue to use that exact sensitivity set­ting until you change it or revert to auto mode.
To adjust sensitivity in auto mode:
1. Press
MENU|ENT
.
2. The Sensitivity Control Bar appears. Press ↓ to decrease sensitivity; press ↑ to increase sensitivity. When it's set at the desired level, press
. (When you reach the maximum or minimum limit, a tone sounds.)
EXIT
73
At left, Sonar Menu with Sensitivity command selected.
At right, the Sensitivity Control Bar.
To adjust sensitivity in manual mode:
1. First, turn off Auto Sensitivity: from the Sonar Page, press |
to
A
UTO SENSITIVITY
2. Press ↑ to
S
ENSITIVITY
ENT
.
|
and the Sensitivity Control Bar appears.
ENT
MENU
|↓
Press ↓ or ↑ to pick a different sensitivity setting. When it's set at the desired level, press
EXIT
.
To turn Auto Sensitivity back on:
From the Sonar Page, press
MENU
|↓ to
A
UTO SENSITIVITY
|
ENT|EXIT
.
NOTE:
To return to the original factory setting for Auto Sensitivity, see the entry in this section on Reset Options. If sensitivity is in manual mode, the Reset Options command will switch back to Auto and re­set the factory setting at the same time.
Tip:
For quicker sensitivity adjustments, try leaving the Sensitivity Control Bar on the screen as the chart scrolls. You can see the changes on the screen as you press the up or down arrows. This is handy when there's a lot of clutter in the water, and you are matching the sensitivity to rapidly changing water conditions.

Sonar Color Mode

The default color scheme for the sonar chart is white background, but we offer other variations to suit your viewing preferences. You can se­lect the chart to be displayed in grayscale, reverse grayscale, blue back­ground, or bottom color tracking.
To change the chart mode color scheme:
1. From the Sonar Page, press
2.. Press → ↓ to
S
ONAR COLOR MODE
MENU
|
|↓ to
ENT
74
S
ONAR FEATURES
.
|
ENT
.
.
3. Press ↓ or ↑ to Mode Name|
4. Press
EXIT|EXIT
to return to the Sonar Page.
ENT

Sonar Page & Sonar Chart Display Options

The Pages Menu offers five chart display options for units with dual­frequency transducers and four options for units with single-frequency transducers. To access them, press Name|
.
EXIT
FlashGraf
Pages Menu, showing sonar chart display options.
PAGES

Full Sonar Chart

This is the default mode used when the unit is turned on for the first time or when it's reset to the factory defaults.
The bottom signal scrolls across the screen from right to left. Depth scales on the right side of the screen aid in determining the depth of targets. The line at the top of the screen represents the surface. The bottom depth and surface temperature (if equipped with a temperature sensor or a transducer with a temp sensor built in) show at the top left corner of the screen.
The FasTrack™ display shows just to the right of the scale. This changes all echoes into short horizontal bars, replicating a flasher so­nar. The zoom bar on the far right shows the area that's zoomed when the zoom is in use. (See the Zoom section for more information.)
|← or→ to
S
ONAR
|↓ to Option
75
Full Sonar Chart. The Overlay Data (depth and water temperature)
are each set to a different text size.

Split Zoom Sonar Chart

A split chart shows the underwater world from the surface to the bot­tom on the right side of the screen. The left side shows an enlarged ver­sion of the right side. The zoom range shows at the bottom left corner of the screen.
Split Zoom Sonar Chart. Image at left shows the left window zoomed
to 2X. The right image shows the left window zoomed to 4X.
The depth overlay data is set to the default large text size; the
water temperature is set to the small text size.
Split Frequency Sonar Chart (Dual-Frequency Transducers only)
This page shows sonar data from the 50 kHz transducer element on the left side of the screen and data from the 200 kHz transducer on the right side. All other functions and features are the same as the Full Chart page.
76
Split Frequency Sonar Chart page, with
50 kHz view at left and 200 kHz view at right.
You can adjust the sensitivity in each window.
To adjust sensitivity in auto mode:
1. Press
MENU|ENT
.
2. The unit asks which you wish to adjust. Press ← or→ to select the
one you want |
ENT
.
3. The Sensitivity Control Bar appears. Press ↓ to decrease sensitivity;
press ↑ to increase sensitivity. When it's set at the desired level, press
. (When you reach the maximum or minimum limit, a tone sounds.)
EXIT
The Split Frequency Sonar Chart page allows you to adjust
sensitivity separately for each window.
77

Digital Data/Chart

This mode shows the chart on the right side of the screen. The left side has seven large digital boxes or windows containing: Water Depth; Water Speed (from an optional speed sensor); Water Distance (distance traveled or logged, it also requires a speed sensor); Surface Water Temperature; Tem­perature #2 and #3 and the unit's Voltage. (Note: Temperature #2 requires an additional optional temperature sensor.) It also shows your current set­tings for the shallow and deep alarms.
Digital Data/Chart
Customizing the Digital Data/Chart Screen
The Digital Data/Chart screen can be customized to show digital data different from the defaults first shown. To customize this screen:
1. From the Sonar Page (in Digital Data mode), press
|
C
USTOMIZE
ENT
.
The Customize command on the Sonar Page menu.
78
MENU
|↓ to
2. The Water Speed window title bar flashes, indicating the window
contents can be changed. Press type|
ENT|EXIT
.
|↑ or ↓ to select data
ENT
Options List for customizing Digital Data windows. At left, the list first
appears with Water Speed selected. At right, Maximum Speed has been
picked to replace Water Speed in the top digital data window.
Tip:
You can customize other digital data windows before returning to the Sonar Page. After changing the first window by selecting the Data Type and pressing Enter, use the ↓ key to select another win­dow to change. When the selected window title bar flashes, press
|↑ or ↓ to select data type|
ENT
finished customizing, then press
. Repeat these steps until you're
ENT
to return to the Sonar Page.
EXIT
FlashGraf
The FlashGraf sonar page option represents a flasher style sonar com­bined with a scrolling chart. A circular dial shows all returning echoes at a high screen refresh rate.
It uses the Colorline feature to show weaker targets as lighter colors. The bottom depth is also shown as a black bar across the outer circle. You can adjust the size of the chart and the flasher windows by using the Resize Window command, which is described on page 102.
79
Surface clutter
Bottom signal
Fish signal,
approximately
FlashGraf page.
27 feet

Map With Sonar Split Screen

There is a page mode that splits the screen in half, with the map on the left and the sonar on the right. This screen option can be found on the Pages Menu under the Map Page category.
Map With Sonar split screen option. At far left, the full Map Page is
shown. The Pages Menu with the Map option list is shown in the
center. At right, the Map With Sonar split screen is shown.
When this screen is activated, you need to specify which side the Menu, Zoom In and Zoom Out keys correspond to. To do this, press
PAGES|PAGES
is the active window. To switch back, just press
. The window with the black title bar at the top of the screen
PAGES|PAGES
again.

Sonar Simulator

This unit has a built-in simulator that lets you run it as if you were on the water. All sonar features and functions are useable. When in simulator mode, you will see the chart file name in the Sonar Page title bar and a play symbol will flash on and off at the right end of the title bar. To use the simulator:
1. From the Sonar Page, press
|
S
ONAR SIMULATOR
ENT
.
MENU|MENU
80
|↓ to
S
ONAR SETUP
|
ENT
|↓ to
At left, Main Menu with Sonar Setup command selected. Center,
sub-menu with Sonar Simulator command selected. At right, Sonar
Simulator menu, with simulator turned on (check box is checked).
NOTE:
With Simulate Position checked, the simulator will also automati­cally run the GPS simulator (if GPS data was recorded with the so­nar log).
2. To use the default sonar chart log stored in the unit, press
ENT|EXIT
The recorded chart begins scrolling across the screen, just as if you were on the water.
3. Turn off Sonar Simulator by pressing
|
S
ETUP
Title bar with chart file name
Sonar Page, playing a recorded sonar chart in Sonar Simulator mode.
ENT
|↓ to
S
ONAR SIMULATOR
|
ENT|ENT|EXIT
MENU|MENU
.
|↓ to
"Play" symbol flashing
S
ONAR
Tip:
The Sonar Simulator can use sonar charts that you or a friend have recorded (logged) on an MMC card. (To see how, read the entry in this section on Log Sonar Chart Data.) To play back your own sonar chart, make sure the MMC containing the chart is installed, then:
.
81
1. Press
MENU|MENU
|↓ to
S
ONAR SETUP
|
ENT
|↓ to
S
ONAR SIMULATOR
|
ENT
.
2. Press ↓ to
C
HART USED
3. Press ↓ or ↑ to select chart name|
|
O
N
ENT|EXIT
.
|
ENT
.
|↑ to
ENT
S
ONAR SIMULATOR
While you're in the Sonar Simulator menu, don't forget to check Simulate Position if you want to run the sonar and GPS simulators simultaneously. As you review sonar logs, you can create waypoints to mark sites you want to return to.
While the simulator is running, you can switch from one chart log to another by opening the Sonar Simulator menu and using the in­structions in step 2 to select a different chart.
Tip:
There's more than one way to play a recorded sonar chart. You can also turn on the simulator from the MMC files list. Here's how:
1. Press
MENU|MENU
2. Press ↓ or ↑ to chart name|
|↓ to
B
ROWSE
ENT
MMC F
|↓ to
P
ILES
LAY
|
ENT|ENT
|
ENT|EXIT
.
.
Menu sequence for playing a sonar chart log from the MMC File List.
NOTE:
For some great practice, try running the Sonar Simulator and the GPS Simulator at the same time. This will really give you a feel for how the unit will work in the field.
NOTE:
If you turn on your unit before attaching a transducer, it may enter a demo mode. The words "demo mode" flash on the bottom of the screen and a sonar chart plays much like the simulator. Unlike the simulator, the demo mode is for demonstration only, and will auto­matically stop as soon as you turn on the unit with a transducer at­tached. The simulator will continue to function normally.
82

Stop Chart

If you are running multiple units on a boat or using this unit in a car, there are times when you may want to turn off the sonar. This com­mand turns off the sonar and stops the chart from scrolling. Sonar re­starts automatically each time you turn on your unit.
Press
MENU
|↓ to
S
TOP CHART
|
ENT|EXIT
.
To turn on sonar and start the chart scrolling again, repeat the above step.
Sonar Menu with Stop Chart command selected. The box is unchecked,
indicating that the chart is scrolling across the screen.

Surface Clarity

The markings extending downward from the zero line on the chart are called "surface clutter." These markings are caused by wave action, boat wakes, temperature inversion and more.
The surface clarity control reduces or eliminates surface clutter signals from the display. It does this by changing the sensitivity of the receiver, decreasing it near the surface and gradually increasing it as the depth increases.
There are three levels of surface clarity available: low, medium, or high. It can also be turned off. The default level is off.
To adjust the Surface Clarity level:
1. From the Sonar Page, press
MENU
|↓ to
S
ONAR FEATURES
|
ENT
.
83
Sonar Features menu with Surface Clarity selected.
2. Press → to
S
URFACE CLARITY
|
ENT.
3. Press ↓ or ↑ to select clarity level|
Surface clutter
EXIT|EXIT|EXIT
.
In the illustration at left, Surface Clarity is turned off.
The right view shows Surface Clarity set at High.

Upper and Lower Limits

See the entry in this section for Depth Range - Upper and Lower Limits

Zoom & Zoom Bar

"Zooming" the display is a common, fast and easy method used to en­large small detail, fish signals and the bottom with its associated struc­ture. This unit lets you zoom the display quickly and easily by pressing the Zoom In key,
Pressing
once doubles the size (2X) of all echoes on the screen.
ZIN
Pressing it again quadruples the size of the echoes (4X). The zoom bar on the far right side of the screen shows which echoes will be displayed on the screen when the
ZIN
.
key is pressed.
ZIN
84
For example, pressing the
key once will enable a 2X zoom which
ZIN
will show all echoes that are between the top and bottom of the 2X zoom bar. Pressing the key again will give a 4X zoom and only the ech­oes between the top and bottom of the 4X bar will show on the screen.
Press the Zoom Out key,
, to return the display to the normal mode.
ZOUT
At left, Sonar Page, normal view. Center, same view zoomed to 2X.
Right, same view zoomed to 4X

Zoom Pan

Your unit has the handy ability to quickly zoom in on any portion of the water column with just the touch of an arrow key. The Zoom Pan feature lets you rapidly move the zoomed area up and down to different depths. By "pointing" your zoom at different portions of the chart as it scrolls, you can get a good, close-up look at structure or cover below you.
To use Zoom Pan, switch to a manual depth Range setting (see page 61) and turn on 2X or 4X Zoom. Then, simply press ↑ or ↓ down the water column.
to pan up and
85
Notes
86
Section 5:
Sonar Troubleshooting
If your unit is not working, or if you need technical help, please use the following troubleshooting section before contacting the factory customer service department. It may save you the trouble of returning your unit for repair. For contact information, refer to the last page, just inside the back cover of this manual.
Unit won't turn on:
1. Check the power cable's connection at the unit. Also check the wiring.
2. Make certain the power cable is wired properly. The red wire
connects to the positive battery terminal, black to negative or ground.
3. Check the fuse.
4. Measure the battery voltage at the unit's power connector. It should
be at least 11 volts. If it isn't, the wiring to the unit is defective, the battery terminals or wiring on the terminals are corroded, or the battery needs charging.
Unit operates only in demo mode:
The transducer or antenna module has not yet been connected or has been disconnected. To leave demo mode, make sure that either the transducer or the antenna is securely connected before turning the unit on.
Unit freezes, locks up, or operates erratically:
1. Electrical noise from the boat's motor, trolling motor, or an accessory
may be interfering with the sonar unit. Rerouting the power and transducer cables away from other electrical wiring on the boat may help. Route the sonar unit's power cable directly to the battery instead of through a fuse block or ignition switch
2. Inspect the transducer cable for breaks, cuts, or pinched wires.
3. Check both the transducer and power connectors. Make certain both
are securely plugged in to the unit.
Weak bottom echo, digital readings erratic, or no fish signals:
1. Make certain the transducer is pointing straight down. Clean the
face of the transducer. Oil, dirt and fuel can cause a film to form on the transducer, reducing its effectiveness. If the transducer is mounted inside the hull, be sure it is shooting through only one layer of fiberglass and that it is securely bonded to the hull. Do NOT use RTV silicone rubber adhesive or Marine-Tex epoxy.
2. Electrical noise from the boat's motor can interfere with the sonar.
87
This causes the sonar to automatically increase its Discrimination or noise rejection feature. This can cause the unit to eliminate weaker signals such as fish or even structure from the display.
3. The water may be deeper than the sonar's ability to find the bottom.
If the sonar can't find the bottom signal while it's in the automatic mode, the digital sonar display will flash continuously. It may change the range to limits far greater than the water you are in. If this happens, place the unit in the manual mode, then change the range to a realistic one, (for example, 0-100 feet) and increase the sensitivity. As you move into shallower water, a bottom signal should appear.
4. Check the battery voltage. If the voltage drops, the unit's transmitter
power also drops, reducing its ability to find the bottom or targets.
Bottom echo disappears at high speeds or erratic digital reading or weak bottom echo while boat is moving
1. The transducer may be in turbulent water. It must be mounted in a
smooth flow of water in order for the sonar to work at all boat speeds. Air bubbles in the water disrupt the sonar signals, interfering with its ability to find the bottom or other targets. The technical term for this is cavitation.
2. Electrical noise from the boat's motor can interfere with the sonar.
This causes the sonar to automatically increase its Discrimination or noise rejection feature. This can cause the unit to eliminate weaker signals such as fish or even structure from the display. Try using resistor spark plugs or routing the sonar unit's power and transducer cables away from other electrical wiring on the boat.
No fish arches when the Fish I.D. feature is off:
1. Make certain the transducer is pointing straight down. This is the
most common problem if a partial arch is displayed.
2. The sensitivity may not be high enough. In order for the unit to
display a fish arch, it has to be able to receive the fish's echo from the time it enters the cone until it leaves. If the sensitivity is not high enough, the unit shows the fish only when it is in the center of the cone.
3. Use the Zoom feature. It is much easier to display fish arches when
zoomed in on a small range of water than a large one. For example, you will have much better luck seeing fish arches with a 30 to 60 foot range than a 0 to 60 foot range. This enlarges the targets, allowing the display to show much more detail.
4. The boat must be moving at a slow trolling speed to see fish arches.
If the boat is motionless, fish stay in the cone, showing on the screen as straight horizontal lines.
88
NOISE
A major cause of sonar problems is electrical noise. This usually appears on the sonar's display as random patterns of dots or lines. In severe cases, it can completely cover the screen with black dots, or cause the unit to operate erratically, or not at all.
To eliminate or minimize the effects of electrical noise, first try to determine the cause. With the boat at rest in the water, the first thing you should do is turn all electrical equipment on the boat off. Make sure the engine is also off. Turn your sonar on, then turn off Noise Reject [also known as the ASP feature (Advanced Signal Processing)]. Sensitivity should be set at 90-95 percent. There should be a steady bottom signal on the display. Now turn on each piece of electrical equipment on the boat and view the effect on the sonar's display. For example, turn on the bilge pump and view the sonar display for noise. If no noise is present, turn the pump off, then turn on the VHF radio and transmit. Keep doing this until all electrical equipment has been turned on, their effect on the sonar display noted, then turned off.
If you find noise interference from an electrical instrument, trolling motor, pump, or radio, try to isolate the problem. You can usually reroute the sonar unit's power cable and transducer cable away from the wiring that is causing the interference. VHF radio antenna cables radiate noise when transmitting, so be certain to keep the sonar's wires away from it. You may need to route the sonar unit's power cable directly to the battery to isolate it from other wiring on the boat.
If no noise displays on the sonar unit from electrical equipment, then make certain everything except the sonar unit is turned off, then start the engine. Increase the RPM with the gearshift in neutral. If noise appears on the display, the problem could be one of three things; spark plugs, alternator, or tachometer wiring. Try using resistor spark plugs, alternator filters, or routing the sonar unit's power cable away from engine wiring. Again, routing the power cable directly to the battery helps eliminate noise problems. Make certain to use the in-line fuse supplied with the unit when wiring the power cable to the battery.
When no noise appears on the sonar unit after all of the above tests, then the noise source is probably cavitation. Many novices or persons with limited experience make hasty sonar installations which function perfectly in shallow water, or when the boat is at rest. In nearly all cases, the cause of the malfunction will be the location and/or angle of the transducer. The face of the transducer must be placed in a location that has a smooth flow of water at all boat speeds. Read your transducer owner's manual for the best mounting position.
89
Notes
90
Section 6:
Basic GPS Operations
This section addresses the unit's most basic GPS operations. The tuto­rials presented in Sec. 6 follow a chronological order. Sec. 7, Advanced GPS Operations, will discuss other more advanced functions and utili­ties. Material in Sec. 7 is arranged in alphabetical order.
Before you turn on the Unit and find where you are, it's a good idea to learn about the different keys, the four Page screens and how they all work together. BUT, if you just can't wait to get outside, turn to the one-page Quick Reference on page 103.

Keyboard

4
8
2
5
MMC doors
LCX-104C sonar/GPS unit, front view, showing sonar screen, keyboard
and access doors for the MMC compartment.
9
7
63
1
1. PWR/LIGHT (Power & Light) – The PWR key turns the unit on and
off and activates the backlight.
2. PAGES – Pressing this and the ← → arrow keys (4) switches the
unit between the four different page screens. (Satellite Status Page, Navigation Page, Map Page and Sonar Page.) Each page represents one of the unit's major operation modes.
91
3. MENU – Press this key to show the menus and submenus, which
allow you to select a command or adjust a feature. This also accesses search functions for streets, intersections, addresses and highway exits.
4. ARROW KEYS – These keys are used to navigate through the
menus, make menu selections, move the map cursor and sonar chart cursor and enter data.
5. ENT/ICONS (Enter & Icons) – This key allows you to save data, ac-
cept values or execute menu commands. It is also used to create event marker icons.
6. EXIT – The Exit key lets you return to the previous screen, clear
data or erase a menu.
7. WPT – (Waypoint) The Waypoint key is used to save and recall way-
points, search for waypoints and access the waypoint list. It also launches the Point-of-Interest (POI) search menus and is involved in some navigation functions.
8. ZOUT – (Zoom Out) – This key lets you zoom the screen out. On the
Sonar Page, this key returns you to a full sonar chart display, showing the entire water column from surface to bottom. On the Map Page, this lets you see a larger geographic area on the map. Less detail is seen as you zoom out.
9. ZIN – (Zoom In) – This key lets you zoom the screen in. On the Sonar
Page, this key enlarges fish signals and bottom detail. On the Map Page, zooming in lets you see greater detail in a smaller geographic area on the map.

Power/lights on and off

To turn on the unit, press displayed first. (To switch to another page, press Page Name|
EXIT
.)
To turn on the backlight, press levels to select from. Repeatedly pressing backlight settings and turn off the backlight.
Turn off the unit by pressing and holding the
. As the unit powers up, the Map Page is
PWR
PAGES
again. The unit has three backlight
PWR
will cycle through the
PWR
key for 3 seconds.
PWR
|← or → to

Main Menu

The Unit has a Main Menu, which contains some function commands and some setup option commands. The tutorial lessons in this section will deal only with functions, the basic commands that make the Unit do something. The unit will work fine for these lessons right out of the
92
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