Lowrance electronic LCX-104C User Manual 2
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
i
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
v
A CAREFUL NAVIGATOR NEVER RELIES ON ONLY ONE METHOD
TO OBTAIN POSITION INFORMATION.
WARNING!
When showing navigation data to a position (waypoint), a GPS unit will show
the shortest, most direct path to the waypoint. It provides navigation data to the
waypoint regardless of obstructions. Therefore, the prudent navigator will not
only take advantage of all available navigation tools when traveling to a waypoint, but will also visually check to make sure a clear, safe path to the waypoint
is always available.
When a GPS unit is used in a vehicle, the vehicle operator is solely responsible for operating the vehicle in a safe manner. Vehicle operators
must maintain full surveillance of all pertinent driving, boating or flying conditions at all times. An accident or collision resulting in damage to property, personal injury or death could occur if the operator of
a GPS-equipped vehicle fails to pay full attention to travel conditions
and vehicle operation while the vehicle is in motion.
CAUTION
WARNING!
vi
Section 1:
Read Me First!
How this manual can get you out on the road, fast!
Welcome to the exciting world of digital sonar and GPS! We know
you're anxious to begin navigating and finding fish, but we have a favor
to ask. Before you grab the unit and begin installing it, please give us a
moment or two to explain how our manual can help you get the best
performance from your 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!)
1
After you've gained some experience with your sonar, you'll want to
check out Section 4, which discusses more advanced Sonar Options and
Other Features.
When you come to a sonar menu command on 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
2
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.
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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."
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Notes
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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