Northstar EXPLORER 457, EXPLORER 467 Installation Guide

Explorer 457/467

Fishﬁ nder

Installation and Operation Manual

www.northstarnav.com

Please read carefully before installation and use.

DANGER

WARNING

CAUTION

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

This is the safety alert symbol. It is used to alert you to potential personal injury hazards, Obey all safety messages that follow this symbol to avoid possible injury or death.

WARNING indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, could result in death or serious injury

CAUTION indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, could result in minor or moderate injury.

CAUTION used without the safety alert symbol indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, may result in property damage.

DISCLAIMER: It is the owner’s sole responsibility to install and use the instrument and transducers in a manner that will not cause accidents, personal injury or property damage. The user of this product is solely responsible for observing safe boating prac tices.

BRUNSWICK NEW TECHNOLOGIES INC. AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES AND AFFILIATES DISCLAIM ALL LIABILIT Y FOR ANY USE OF THIS PRODUCT IN A WAY THAT MAY CAUSE ACCIDENTS, DAMAGE OR THAT MAY VIOLATE THE LAW.

Governing Language: This statement, any instruction manuals, user guides and other information relating to the product (Documentation) may be translated to, or

has been translated from, another language (Translation). In the event of any conf lict between any Translation of the Documentation, the English language version of the Documentation will be the official version of the Documentation.

This manual represents the Explorer 457/467 as at the time of printing. Brunswick New Technologies Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates reserve the right to make changes to specifications without notice.

FCC Statement

Note: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a normal installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

Connect the equipment into an output on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is

connected.

Consult the dealer or an experienced technician for help.

A shielded cable must be used when connecting a peripheral to the serial ports.

Important

The choice, location, angle and installation of the instrument & transducers are critical to performance of the system as intended. Follow instructions in this manual carefully. If in doubt, consult your Nor thstar dealer.

Ensure that any holes cut are in a safe position and will not weaken the boat’s structure. If in doubt, consult a qualified boat builder.

Do not install plastic through hull transducers in solid wooden hulls. Leaking through the hull may result.

Do not install bronze transducers in metal hulls. This will cause electrolytic corrosion that may result in damage to the hull or transducer.

Sonar Performance: The accurac y of the sonar depth display can be affected by many factors, including the type and location of the transducer and water conditions. Ensure that the transducer is located and used correc tly.

Fuel Compute r: Do not rely on the fuel computer as the sole source of information regarding available fuel onboard. Fuel economy can change drastically depending on boat loading and sea conditions. Fuel Computer information should be supplemented by visual or other checks of the fuel load. This is necessary due to possible operator errors such as forgetting to reset the fuel used when filling the tank, running the engine with the Fuel Computer not switched on, or on other operator ac tions that may render the device inaccurate. Always carry adequate fuel onboard for the intended trip, plus a reser ve to allow for unforeseen circumstances.

Failure to adhere to these warnings may lead to death, serious injury or property damage. Northstar di sclaims all liabilit y for installation or use of this produc t that causes o r contributes to death, injury or property damage or t hat violates any law.

The 457/467 is set up with default units. To change the units, see section 8.6.

Contents

1 Introdu ction ......................................................................................................................................... 6

1-1 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

1-2 Cleaning and maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

1-3 Removing and replacing the display unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

2 Basic Op eration ...................................................................................................................................... 8

2-1 Using the keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

2-2 Turning on and off / auto power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

2-3 Backlight and night mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

2-4 Alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

2-5 Simulate mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

2-6 The main windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

3 Sonar f ishfinding : Introductio n ........................................................................................................... 16

3-1 Using the 457/467 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

3-2 Interpreting the display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

3-3 Single and Dual frequency fishfinding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

3-4 Fish detection and display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

3-5 Range . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

3-6 Gain and threshold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

4 Sonar f ishfinding : Displays .................................................................................................................. 25

4-1 Sonar history display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

4-2 Sonar Zoom and Full Screen Zoom displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

4-3 Sonar Bottom display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

4-4 Sonar 50/200 display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

4-5 Sonar A-Scope display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

5 Gauges wi ndow ................................................................................................................................... 29

6 Data wind ow ....................................................................................................................................... 29

7 Fuel func tions and disp lay .................................................................................................................... 30

7-1 What the fuel computer does . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

7-2 Fuel window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

7-3 When you add or remove fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

Northstar FISH 457/467 Installation and Operation Manual4

7-4 Low fuel alarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

7-5 Boat speed sensors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

7-6 Fuel consumption curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

7-7 Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

8 Setti ng up the 457/467 .........................................................................................................................36

8-1 Setup > System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

8-2 Setup > Sonar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

8-3 Setup > Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40

8-4 Setup > Logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

8-5 Setup > Alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

8-6 Setup > Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

8-7 Setup > Comms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

8-8 Setup > Calibrate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

8-9 Setup > Favorites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

8-10 Setup > Simulate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

9 Instal lation .........................................................................................................................................46

9-1 Installation: What comes with the 457/467 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

9-2 Installation: Options and Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

9-3 Installation: The display unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

9-4 Installation: Power/data cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

9-5 Installation: Sonar transducer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

9-6 Installation: Northstar petrol/gasoline sensors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

9-7 Installation: SmartCraft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

9-8 Installation: Other NavBus instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

9-9 Installation: Other NMEA instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

9-10 Installation: Setup and test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Append ix A - Specifica tions ..................................................................................................................... 54

Append ix B - Troubleshootin g ................................................................................................................. 56

B-1 General problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

B-2 Fuel consumption problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57

B-3 Sonar fishfinding problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

Append ix C - Glossary an d navigation data .............................................................................................. 59

Northstar FISH 457/467 Installation and Operation Manual 5

1 Introduction

Quick reference to the built-in and optional features:

Feature Type See Requires

General How to use the keys and displays 2

Troubleshooting Appendix B

Simulate mode 2-5

Glossary of special names Appendix C

Speciﬁ cations Appendix A

Alarms Built in alarms 2-4

SmartCraft engine alarms 1-1 SmartCraft

Boat data Data at top of main windows 2-6-3

Dedicated data window 6

Fuel Fuel computer, petrol/gasoline engine 7 Fuel sensors

Fuel computer, SmartCraft engines 7 SmartCraft

What to do when you add or remove fuel 7-3

Sounder Overview of the depth sounder 3 Sounder

Depth, bottom features, water features 3 Sounder

Fishﬁ nder 3 Sounder

1-1 Ov ervi ew

The Northstar 457 and 467 are compact, rugged, highly integrated marine fishfinders. They are easy to use and have an easy to read color display. Complex functions can be per formed with a few key presses, taking the hard work out of boating.

The available functions, displays and setup menus depend on the optional sensors and instruments that are installed:

Fuel functions require one or more

petrol/gasoline or diesel fuel sensors to be installed.

SmartCraft engine functions require a

SmartCraft system to be installed. For information on using SmartCraft, see the

SmartCraf t Gateway Installation and Operation Manual.

The 457/467 can send data to other

instruments, and receive data from other instruments.

For information on installing options, see section 9-2.

This manual describes how to install and operate the 457/467. For maximum benefit, please read this manual carefully before installing and using the unit. For more information on this instrument and other Nor thstar products, go to our website, www.northstarnav.com.

Northstar FISH 457/467 Installation and Operation Manual6

1-2 Cleaning and main tenance

The 457/467 screen is covered by a proprietary anti-reflection coating. To avoid damage, clean the screen only with a damp cloth and mild detergent when dirty or covered in sea salt. Avoid abrasive cleaners, petrol or other solvents.

Cover or remove a transom-mounted transducer when repainting the hull. If painting over a through hull transducer with antifouling paint, use only one coat of paint. Remove the previous coat of antifouling paint by sanding it lightly.

1-3 Removing and replac ing the display unit

If the display unit is bracket mounted then the display unit can easily be removed and replaced for security or protec tion.

Removing the dis play unit:

1 Turn the display unit of f (see section 2-2) and

put the dust cover on.

2 Loosen the knob on the mounting bracket

and lift the unit off the bracket.

3 Unplug the connectors from the display unit;

turning each locking collar anticlock wise until you can pull the plug out.

4 Push the attached dust covers over the

exposed ends of the connectors.

5 Store the display unit in a dry clean place,

such as the optional Northstar carr y bag.

Replacing the d isplay unit

1 Remove the dust covers from the connectors.

Plug the connectors into the back of the display unit:

Match the connector’s color to the socket color.

Insert each connector and turn the locking collar clockwise until it is finger tight.

To optimize per forman ce, avoid w alking o n or jamming cables and connectors. Keep the transducer free of weed, paint and debris. Do not use a high pressure water blast on a speed sensor paddlewheel as it may damage the bearings.

Push the dust cover over the display when the 457/467 is turned off.

Nothing will be damaged if a cable is

plugged into the wrong socket by mistake.

2 Hold the display unit in place on the

mounting bracket. Adjust the tilt of the display for best viewing, then hand tighten the knob on the mounting bracket. Remove the dust cover.

Mounting bracket

Knob

Northstar FISH 457/467 Installation and Operation Manual 7

2 Basic Operation

Overview of the keys

2-1 Using the keys

ESCAPE - Go back to an earlier menu or display.

DISPLAY - Show a menu of the main displays. To go to a display,

select it from the menu (see sec tion 2-6).

CURSOR KEYS - to move the cursor or the selection highlight.

MENU - Show a menu of the options for the current window.

Press

the chart.

section 3-1).

(see section 3-3).

POWER - Turn 457/467 on and off (see section 2-2); adjust the

backlighting (see section 2-3).

again to display the Setup menu (see section 8).

ENTER - Start an action or accept a change.

ZOOM - Zoom in or out to display different areas and detail on

AUTO - Select ﬁ shing/cruising or manual operating mode (see

50/200 - Changes the frequency bet ween 50 kHz and 200kHz

In this manual:

Press means to push the key for less than a

second.

Hold means to hold the key down.

The internal beeper beeps when a key is pressed (to disable or enable the beep, see section 8-1).

Using the menu s

Operate the 457/467 by selec ting items from menus. Items can be submenus, commands or data.

Northstar FISH 457/467 Installation and Operation Manual8

Selecting a submenu

after a menu item indicates a submenu, for example System highlight to the submenu, then press .

Starting a command

Press or to move the highlight to the command, for example Language, then press

Changing data

First press or to move the highlight to the data to change, then:

. Press or to move the

a To change a tick box

means On or Yes

means Off or No.

Press

b To select an option

1 Press

2 Press or to move the highlight to the

option you want, then press .

c To change a name or number:

1 Press

or to change the tick box.

to display the menu of options.

to display the name or number:

2-2 Turning on and o ff / auto power

Turning on manual ly

If the 457/467 is not wired for auto power, press

to turn the unit on. If necessary, adjust the

display to be easy to read (see section 2-3).

Note: If the 457/467 is not wired for auto power then the 457/467 does not record engine hours and might not record fuel consumption (see section 9-4).

Turning off ma nually

If the 457/467 is not wired for auto power or if the ignition switch is off, hold down until the display turns off.

2 Press or to select a letter or digit to

change. Press digit.

Repeat this to change other letters or

numbers.

3 Press

d To change a slider value

to decrease the value or to increase

Press the value.

or to change the letter or

to accept the new value. Or press

to ignore the changes.

Auto power

If the 457/467 is wired for auto power (see section 9-4), then:

• The 457/467 automatically turns on when you

turn the boat’s ignition switch on.

• You can not turn the 457/467 off while the

ignition switch is on.

• If Auto power off (see section 8-1) is

457/467 automatically turns of f when you turn the boat’s ignition switch off.

• If Auto power off (see section 8-1) is

457/467 stays on when you turn the boat’s ignition switch off. You can now turn the 457/467 off manually.

, the

Northstar FISH 457/467 Installation and Operation Manual 9

2-3 Backlight and nigh t mode

To go to the Backlight window, press brief ly.

Backlight

The display and keys are backlit. To change the backlight level, highlight Backlight, then press to dim or to brighten.

When you have finished, press

Tip: Press twice to give the brightest screen, with maximum backlight and Night mode off.

Night mode

Night mode sets the palette for all displays.

Normal palette, for day time

A palette optimised for night time.

To change mode, highlight Night mode, then press

or .

2-4 A larm s

When the 457/467 detects an alarm condition, it displays a warning message on the display, the internal beeper sounds and any ex ternal beepers or lights operate.

Press

The 457/467 has user settable alarms (see section 8-5).

to clear the alarm. The alarm will sound again if the alarm condition occurs again.

2-5 Simulate mode

In Simulate mode, the 457/467 ignores data from the sonar transducer and other transducers and sensors and the 457/467 generates this data itself. Otherwise, the 457/467 functions normally. Simulate mode allows a user to become familiar with the 457/467 off the water.

WARNING

Never have Simulate mode on when the

457/467 is on the water.

To start and stop Simulate mode, see section 8-10. In simulate mode, Simul ate flashes at the bottom of the display.

Northstar FISH 457/467 Installation and Operation Manual10

2-6 The main wind ows

The display menu allows quick access to the main windows and favorites. Full-screen Sonar is at the top of the menu followed by favorites. Other windows are available from the sub menu.

Note:

The windows available depend on the optional sensors and instruments that are installed (see section 1-1).

More…

Northstar FISH 457/467 Installation and Operation Manual 11

Note: The windows below the menu divider

can only be shown full screen without a data header. (see section 2- 6-3).

Northstar FISH 457/467 Installation and Operation Manual12

2-6-1 Multi window displ ays

The 457/467 can show two windows at once.

Adding a window to the display

Press a window to add. The 457/467 automatically rearranges the display to show the new window.

The active window

If there is more than one window displayed, the active window is indicated by a red border. Press

, select Add window and selec t

twice to change the active window.

Changing window size

1 Press and select Split ratio.

2 Press

3 Press

Exchanging two windows on the display

1 Press twice to change the active

2 Press

The 457/467 exchanges the two windows.

Replacing a window on the display

1 Press

2 Press

Note:

When some windows are small then not all the data is shown.

Pressing the active window.

or to change the height of the windows. Note: Some windows are fixed in size.

window.

, select Replace and select the

second window.

twice to change the active

window.

, select Replace and select a new

window that is not currently visible.

will display the options menu for

Sonar is active

Red border

Gauges is active

Red border

Northstar FISH 457/467 Installation and Operation Manual 13

2-6-2 Favorite displays

The 457/467 has a list of commonly used displays, called favorite displays. T here can be up to six favorite displays.

Sonar, Gauges, Fuel, Data, and Tanks windows can be combined in a display. Each of these displays can have a data header (see sec tion 2-6 -3).

Selecting a favorite display

Press

Adding a favorite display to the list

1 Set up the display with the window or

2 Press

3 Select where in the list to add the new

and selec t a favorite from the menu.

windows you want in the new favorite (see section 2-6).

and select Save this display. The

457/467 displays the favorites list.

favorite. If you select an existing favorite display then the new favorite will replace the existing favorite in the list.

Deleting a favorite display from the list

1 Press

2 Highlight the display to delete, press

and select Delete.

Changing the order of the favorites list

1 Press

2 Highlight the display to move, press

and select Move up or Move down.

twice then select Favorites.

Northstar FISH 457/467 Installation and Operation Manual14

2-6-3 Data heade r

The displays can show data at the top, called the data header.

When you select a window from the display

menu (see section 2- 6) the 457/467 displays an appropriate data header for the window.

Each favorite display (see section 2- 6-2)

has its own data header. When you select a favorite display, the 457/467 recalls the data header for this favorite.

Setting the data header for a display

1 Press

2 To turn the data header on or off :

i Select Data.

ii Selec t

3 To select the size of the data:

i Select Size.

ii Select the size to display.

4 To change the data displayed:

i Select Data setup.

ii Change a data field:

a Press the cursor keys to highlight the

b Press

c Select a data item that is available

iii Repeat the above step to set the other

data fields.

and selec t Data header.

or .

field.

to display a menu of

data items.

on your system or select None to leave the field empty.

Tip: If all fields in a line are None then the line will not be displayed and the data header will take less space on the display.

5 Press

Tip: The data header will change when you select another display. To set a data header that you can recall later, set the header as part of a favorites display (see below).

Favorites displays and data headers

To set a data header for a favorites display, follow the steps to add a favorite (see section 2-6-2

- Adding a favorite display to the list). In step 1, set the data header for the favorite as described above.

Note: Only the Sonar, Gauges, Fuel, Data, and Tanks windows can have a data header.

Northstar FISH 457/467 Installation and Operation Manual 15

3 Sonar fishfinding: Introduction

Sonar functions require the optional sonar transducer to be installed and set up.

This section explains how to interpret the sonar displays, when and why to use the dif ferent frequencies and how fish are detected and displayed.

3-1 Using the 457/467

The 457/467 uses a sonar transducer at tached to the hull. The transducer generates an ultrasonic pulse (sound that is above the hearing range of the human ear), which travels down towards the bottom at a speed of about 4800 ft/sec (1463 m/sec), spreading out into a cone shape.

When the pulse meets an object, such as a fish or the bottom, it is partly reflected back up towards the boat as an echo. The depth of the object or bottom is calculated by the 457/467 by measuring the time taken bet ween sending a pulse and receiving the echo. When an echo has been returned, the next pulse is sent.

The 457/467 converts each echo into an electronic signal, displayed as a vertical line of pixels. The most recent echo appears on the extreme right of the display, with the older echoes being scrolled towards the lef t, eventually disappearing off the display.

The scroll sp eed depends upon the water depth and scroll speed setting. See sections 8-2 and section 3-2, for more information.

The appearance of echoes displayed are affec ted by:

• the 457/467 settings (see sections 8-2, 3-5 and

3-6)

• echoes (different fish t ypes, different bottom

types, wrecks and seaweed; see section 3-2)

• noise (water clarity and bubbles; see section

3-2).

It also describes Gain and Range and shows examples of some of the different sonar displays.

Cruising, Fishi ng and Manual Mode s

The 457/467 has three sonar operating modes:

• Cruising mode: Use this when on the move.

The 457/467 automatically adjusts its settings to compensate for water clarit y and to display the bottom.

• Fishing mode: Use this when fishing. The

457/467 automatically adjusts its settings to compensate for water clarit y and to best display fish, the bottom and other details.

• Manual mode: Use this to fine-tune the

457/467 settings by hand. Best results are often achieved in manual mode, but practice and experience are required to obtain the optimum settings for dif ferent conditions.

For more information about modes, see sections 3-5 and 3-6.

WARNING

Use the automatic Cruising or Fishing modes when learning to use the 457/467 or when travelling at speed.

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3-2 Interpreting the dis play

The sonar displays do not show a fixed distance travelled by the boat; rather, they display a history, showing what has passed below the boat during a certain period of time.

The histor y of the sonar signal displayed depends the depth of the water and the scroll speed setting.

In shallow water, the echoes have a short distance to travel between the bot tom and the boat. In deep water, the history moves across the display more slowly because the echoes take longer to travel between the bot tom and the boat. For example, when the scroll speed is set to Fast , at depths over 1000 f t (300 m) it takes about 6 minutes for the data to move across the display, whereas at 20 ft (6 m) it takes only about 10 seconds.

The scroll speed can be set by the user to display either a longer history with less fish information or a shorter history with more fish details (see section 8-2).

If the boat is anchored, the echoes all come from the same area of bottom. This produces a flat bottom trace on the display.

The screen shot shows a typical sonar display with the Fish symbols turned Off.

Strength of echoes

The colors indicate dif ferences in the strength of the echo. The strength varies with several factors, such as the:

• Size of the fish, school of fish or other objec t.

• Depth of the fish or object.

• Location of the fish or object. ( The area

covered by the ultrasonic pulse is a rough cone shape and the echoes are strongest in the middle.)

• Clarit y of water. Particles or air in the water

reduce the strength of the echo.

• Composition or densit y of the object or

bottom.

CAUTION

Note: Planing hulls at speed produce air bubbles and turbulent water that bombard the transducer. The resulting ultrasonic noise may be picked up by the transducer and obscure the real echoes.

A Single fish

B Large school of fish

C Small school of fish

D Bottom

A Kelp / Weed

B Soft bot toms such as mud, weed and sand

show as narrow bands

C Hard bottoms such as rock or coral show as

wide bands

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Bottom typ es

Mud, weed and sandy bottoms tend to weaken and scatter the sonar pulse, resulting in a weak echo. Hard, rocky or coral bottoms ref lect the pulse, resulting in a strong echo.

Frequency a nd cone width

The sonar pulse generated by the 457/467 transducer travels down through the water, spreading outwards in a cone shape. The cone width is dependent upon the frequency of the pulse; at 50 kHz it is approximately 45°, and at 200 kHz it is approximately 11°.

The differences in the cone width af fect what is displayed. See section 3-3.

Water Cone width Cone width Depth at 50 kHz at 200 kHz

25 20 5 50 40 10 100 80 20 150 130 30 200 170 40

300 250 60

400 330 80

600 500 120

800 660 150

1000 830 190

45° cone

11° cone

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