Northstar 941X, 941XD User guide

ADDENDUM

Northstar 941/941XD GPS Navigator

Reference Manual

(P/N GM1100, Revision D)

This addendum applies to software versions 2.07, 2.10, 3.12,

3.18, and later

Northstar Technologies, Inc.

30 Sudbury Road

Acton, Massachusetts 01720

(978) 897-6600

P/N GM210 Rev. D 03/21/01

Table of contents

About this addendum

Contacting Northstar

Software version 2.07 upgrades

New NMEA output sentence NMEA 1-Hz output Uninstalled DGPS antenna Updated beacon list Radio frequency interference (RFI)

Software version 2.10 upgrades

Anchor-watch alarm honk Honking for all alarms Selecting an independent NMEA output-port datum Canadian tide stations Changes to DGPS stations New DGPS stations New DGPS status message Change to RMC sentence display New TLL sentence Changes to GGA output sentence

Software version 3.12 upgrades

Sharing waypoints and routes Time display on the tide track screen - - - - - - - - - 17

Software version 3.18 upgrades

WAAS differential capability New WAAS options Using demo mode to simulate WAAS Viewing distance-to-go on the NAVLOG screen Changes to U.S. DPGS stations New U.S. DGPS stations Changes to foreign DGPS stations New foreign DGPS stations

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Miscellaneous documentation updates

Using the N-S-E-W key

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Using the power switch Adding “honk” to table Using the stop key Outputting waypoints displayed as numbers Recommended distances between antennas Mounting a loop antenna Flush mounting the 941 Returning a 941 for service

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About this addendum

Please read this addendum and keep it with your 941 documentation. This addendum contains all the update details necessary to properly operate your 941.

This addendum describes several enhancements made to the 941’s software versions 2.07, 2.10, 3.12, and 3.18. Accordingly, this addendum contains information that supersedes some parts of the existing 941 Reference Manual (part number GM1100, revision D). Because the current software is now version 3.18, all of the features described in “Software version 2.07 upgrades,” “Software version 2.10 upgrades,” and “Software version 3.12 upgrades” also apply to version 3.18.

Contacting Northstar

For service or sales information on this product, contact Northstar by email, fax, phone, or U.S. mail as follows:

Table 1: Contacting Northstar

Email:

Service: service@northstarcmc.com Sales: sales@northstarcmc.com

Fax:

Service: 978/897-1595 Sales: 978/897-7241

Telephone:

Main number: 978/897-6600 or 800/628-4487

U.S. mail:

30 Sudbury Road Acton, MA 01720

Website:

www.northstargps.com (you can send email to Northstar directly from this site)

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Software version 2.07 upgrades

This section describes several software enhancements made in upgrading the 941 software version 2.06 to software version 2.07. Please note that all of version 2.07’s enhancements apply to each later software version, including versions 2.10, 3.12, and 3.18 as described later in this addendum.

New NMEA output sentence

Northstar has added a new sentence to its NMEA 0183 output format. The purpose of this new NMEA sentence, “MSS” (MSK Receiver Signal Status), is to provide status information for the beacon receiver’s signals (the 941 sends a null sentence if the beacon receiver isn’t installed). This status information includes beacon bit rate, frequency, signal-to-noise (SNR) ratio, and signal strength.

For details about turning on this sentence, see page 118 of the 941 Reference Manual. There, you’ll see a sample screen that displays the NMEA 0183 sentences; however, version 2.07 will display the additional MSS sentence in your unit’s actual list. For further information about NMEA sentences, refer to the National Marine Electronic Association (NMEA) 0183 Specification.

NMEA 1-Hz output

Version 2.06 normally used the standard NMEA two-second interval for outputting NMEA sentences (a 0.5-Hz output rate). Version 2.07 lets you use one-second intervals, a rate of 1 Hz, under limited circumstances, for NMEA and diagnostic data output.

NMEA output

Using the 1-Hz output option, however, requires some thought when specifying either NMEA 0183 (NMEA version 2.0) or Raytheon (RAY 0183). Since there isn’t enough time to transmit all available NMEA sentences within one second, you must select for output only those that are needed. If you select more

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sentences than can be output in one second, the following error message is displayed:

SORRY, CAN’T DO THAT. TOO MANY SENTENCES FOR 1 SEC INTERVAL

If this message is displayed, you must select fewer sentences.

Diagnostic output

The RS-232 diagnostic port also may overflow—when it’s configured to either COPY PORT1 the copied ports is in 0183 output mode—unless the diagnostic port’s baud rate is fast enough to handle the number of characters. Because the diagnostic port’s baud rate can now be changed, the 941 will always display this precautionary message before you actually reset the baud rate:

WARNING: ALL SENTENCES MAY NOT TRANSMIT AT DIAG BAUD RATE. PRESS “ENTER” TO CONTINUE

or COPY PORT2, and one of

Uninstalled DGPS antenna

In version 2.06, the 941 would display the error message DGPS NOT INSTALLED if the unit was powered on for a short time

without the beacon antenna connected. The only way to clear the message was to turn power off, then turn power on again.

In version 2.07, if you don’t install the DGPS antenna before powering up the unit, the 941 displays the status message SEARCHING. As soon as you connect the antenna, the unit displays the message OK. You don’t have to turn power off and on again.

Updated beacon list

Software version 2.07 contains an updated list of beacon names and their locations.

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Radio frequency interference (RFI)

A change in the software timing has reduced or eliminated radio frequency interference that affected certain communications receivers.

Software version 2.10 upgrades

This section describes several software enhancements made in upgrading software version 2.07 to software version 2.10. Please note that all of version 2.10’s enhancements apply to each later software version, including versions 3.12 and 3.18 as described later in this addendum.

Anchor-watch alarm honk

In the anchor-watch alarm function, you can set the 941 to honk, in addition to beep, as long as you’ve connected a honker with pin #14 on the interface connector. Once you set the anchorwatch alarm to honk, a continuous honking sequence begins when either your vessel moves outside the specified anchoralarm radius or if the navigation source (e.g., GPS) becomes unavailable.

Note: On the ALARMS & BACKLIGHT screen, the ANCHOR ALARM field must be set to ON.

To set the anchor-watch alarm to honk:

1. Press the STAR key once to display the ALARMS & BACKLIGHT screen.

2. Press the CURSOR PAD to highlight the HONK OUTPUT field, then press the EDIT ALARM menu key.

3. Press the CURSOR PAD to select ANCHOR ALM, then press the ENTER key.

If your vessel moves outside the set anchor-alarm radius, for the next 10 seconds, the exclamation point begins flashing and the alarm automatically starts beeping (you’ll only hear the beeping if you’ve set the ALARM AUDIO field to ON). The honk sequence then starts for a total of 3.5 minutes: 1 second of honking followed by 14 seconds of silence; 2 seconds of honking followed

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by 13 seconds of silence; 3 seconds of honking followed by 12 seconds of silence, and so forth, until the honking is up to 14 seconds followed by 1 second of silence. This 3.5-minute honk cycle repeats forever unless you clear the anchor alarm. This honk does NOT automatically clear with the following conditions:

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your vessel moves back into the anchor-alarm radius

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you change the anchor-alarm radius

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you select a new “drop anchor” position

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you turn off the anchor alarm

Instead, you must clear the anchor alarm in either of the following two ways.

Option #1:

1. Press the STAR key once to display the ALARMS & BACKLIGHT screen, then press the CLEAR ALARM key.

Option #2:

1. Press the STAR key once to display the ALARMS & BACKLIGHT screen.

2. Press the CURSOR PAD to highlight the HONK OUTPUT field, then press the EDIT ALARM key.

3. Press the CURSOR PAD to select either 200 PPNM or ALL ALARMS, instead of ANCHOR ALM, then press the ENTER key.

Honking for all alarms

Instead of only a beep for all alarms, you now can set all alarms to honk. This honking will start simultaneously with the flashing exclamation point on the ALARMS & BACKLIGHT you set all alarms to honk, the system emits an output sound for half a second, followed by silence for half a second. This repeatable honking sequence stops when the alarms either automatically clear or you manually clear them.

Note: If you want all alarms to honk, you must set the ALARM AUDIO field to ON.

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screen. After

To set all alarms to honk:

1. Press the STAR key to display the ALARMS & BACKLIGHT screen.

2. Press the CURSOR PAD to highlight the HONK OUTPUT field, then press the EDIT ALARM menu key.

3. Press the CURSOR PAD to select ALL ALARMS, then press the ENTER key.

Table 2 below illustrates how to set the anchor-watch alarm and all other alarms to the desired audio.

Table 2: Beep and honk settings for all 941 alarms

Sound Type Setting(s) Description

Beep

Honk

All alarms

Anchor watch

All alarms

Anchor watch

Set alarm audio field to

Set anchor alarm field to

Set alarm audio field to

Set honk output field to

ALL ALARMS

Set anchor alarm field to

Set honk output field to

ANCHOR ALM

The standard 941 alarm beep (has not changed).

Exclamation point flashes on the

& BACKLIGHT

simultaneously emits an output sound for half a second, followed by silence for half a second.

For 10 seconds, the exclamation point flashes on the

& BACKLIGHT

and the alarm beeps (if alarm audio is on), then the honk sequence starts (see “Anchor watch alarm honk” described on page 4 of this addendum).

ALARMS

screen;

ALARMS

screen

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Selecting an independent NMEA output-port datum

In all past software versions, the geodetic datum you set for the output ports was the same as the one for positional display. In software version 2.10 and later, you can adjust output position for NMEA 0183 ports 1 and 2 to specific geodetic datums, independently of the datum you choose for positional display.

To select an NMEA output-port datum:

1. At the CHART screen, press the STAR key four times until you display the USER CUSTOMIZATION screen, then press the PORT SETUP OPTIONS key.

2. At the PORT SETUP OPTIONS screen, press either the PORT 1 SETUP menu key or the PORT 2 SETUP menu key. Both the

PORT 1 SETUP

called OUTPUT DATUM.

3. Press the CURSOR PAD down to select the OUTPUT DATUM field, then press the EDIT menu key.

4. Press the CURSOR PAD up or down to select the desired datum.

5. To apply this chosen datum to your lat/lon coordinates in the NMEA 0183 output sentences, press the ENTER key (or press the CLEAR key to leave the option unchanged).

and PORT 2 SETUP screens have a new field

Canadian tide stations

Approximately 350 Canadian tide stations (using NOAA’s US model and data) have been added to the 941’s tide database. In total, 3540 tide stations are now stored in the 941.

Changes to DGPS stations

The DGPS station “Montauk Point” has been moved to “Moriches, NY.” The name of the DGPS station “Port Aux Basques” has been changed to “Cape Ray” (Canada); its frequency and location is

288.0 kHz, 47 38N 59 14W.

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New DGPS stations

The following new DGPS stations have been added: In Russia, these are “Baltijsk,” “Shepelevskiy,” “Set. Navolock,” and “Dgedginsky.” In Finland, “Outokumpu” and “Turku” have been added, and “Mantyluoto” and “Puumala” have been updated. In Estonia, “Ristna” has been added.

New DGPS status message

The DGPS status message TOO FEW SATELLITES is now being displayed on the DGPS STATUS there are too few satellites for a DGPS fix.

screen. This message means

Change to RMC sentence display

Starting at 12:01 AM on January 1, 2000, the RMC sentence (defined as Recommended Minimum specific GPS/transit data sentence C), which displays the year using two digits, will display year as 00. Because all other NMEA 0183 sentences use four digits, they will display year as 2000.

New TLL sentence

Versions 2.10 and later now support the NMEA TLL sentence, sometimes referred to as the “rattle” sentence. This sentence allows the 941 to communicate its position to an interfaced radar device, which tracks a user-defined target. In turn, the interfaced radar device communicates to the 941 the target’s position—in lat/lon coordinates—so that you can see the target symbol, displayed as a waypoint, right on the CHART screen (after you save the position).

The target symbol is displayed with the name -RADAR on the CHART screen as well as on both the alpha and local waypoint lists (to access these lists, press the WAYPTS/ROUTES key, the WAYPT LIST key, and the NEXT LIST key until you reach the desired list). On the alpha and local lists, the -RADAR waypoint is displayed with the hours/minutes/seconds/day/month/year (for example, 12:50:20-30JUN95) in the description field.

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