Northstar EXPLORER 550I, EXPLORER 550 Installation Guide
Explorer 550/550i
Chartplotter
Installation and Operation Manual
www.northstarnav.com
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Please read carefully before installation and use.
This is the safety alert symbol. It is used to alert you to
DANGER
!
WARNING
!
CAUTION
CAUTION
potential personal injury hazards, Obey all safety messages
that follow this symbol to avoidpossible 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
practices.
BRUNSWICK NEW TECHNOLOGIES INC. AND
ITS SUBSIDIARIES AND AFFILIATES DISCLAIM
ALL LIABILITY 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
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 diff erent 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.
information relating to the product (Documentation)
may be translated to, or has been translated
from, another language (Translation). In the event
of any conflict 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 550/550i as at
the time of printing. Brunswick New Technologies Inc.
and its subsidiaries and af filiates reserve the right to
make changes to specifications without notice.
Copyright © 2006 Brunswick New Technologies Inc.
Northstar™ is a registered trademark of Brunswick New
Technol og ies I nc
Important
It is your sole responsibility to install and use Northstar’s instrument and GPS antenna in a manner that will
not cause accidents, personal injury or property damage. Always observe safe boating practices.
The choice, location, angle and installation of the instrument & GPS antenna are critical to performance
of the system as intended. Follow instructions in this manual carefully. If in doubt, consult your Northstar
dealer.
Ensure that any holes cut are in a safe position and will not weaken the boat’s structure. If in doubt, consult
a qualifi ed boat builder.
Global Position System: The global Position System (GPS) is operated by the U.S. Government which is
solely responsible for its operation, accuracy and maintenance. The GPS is subject to changes which could
aff ect the accuracy and performance of all GPS equipment anywhere in the world, including the Explorer.
To reduce the risk of misusing or misinterpreting the Explorer, you must read and understand all aspects of
this Installation & Operation Manual. We also recommend that you practice all operations using the builtin simulator before using the Explorer .
Electronic Chart: The electronic chart used by Explorer is an aid to navigation designed to supplement,
not replace offi cial government charts. Only offi cial government charts supplemented by notices to
mariners contain the information required for safe and prudent navigation, Always supplement the
electronic information provided by Explorer with other plotting sources such as observations, depth
soundings, radar and hand compass bearings. Should the information not agree, the discrepancy must be
resolved before proceeding any further.
Fuel Computer: 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 fi lling the tank, running
the engine with the Fuel Computer not switched on, or on other operator actions that may render the
device inaccurate. Always carry adequate fuel onboard for the intended trip, plus a reserve to allow for
unforeseen circumstances.
Failure to adhere to these warnings may lead to death, serious injury or property damage.
Northstar disclaims all liability for installation or use of this product that causes or contributes
to death, injury or property damage or that violates any law.
As Northstar is continuously improving this product we retain the right to make changes to the product at
any time which may not be refl ected in this version of the manual. Please contact your nearest Northstar
offi ce if you require any further assistance.
Industry Canada
Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause
interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference, including interference that
may cause undesired operation of the device.
The Explorer is set up with default units. To change the units, see section 14-8
Northstar EXPLORER 550/550i Installation and Operation Manual
3
Contents
1 Introdu ction .......................................................................................................................................... 7
1-1 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1-2 Cleaning and maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1-3 Plug-in cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1-4 Removing and replacing the display unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2 Basic Op eration ...................................................................................................................................... 9
2-1 Using the keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2-2 Using the menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2-3 Turning on and off / auto power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2-4 Backlight and night mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2-5 Man overboard (MOB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2-6 Alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2-7 Simulate mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
2-8 The main displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
3 Navigati on: Chart ................................................................................................................................. 16
3-1 Overview of navigating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
3-2 Chart display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
3-3 Distance and bearing calculator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
3-4 Projected course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
3-5 Tracks and tracking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
4 Navigati on: Highway display ................................................................................................................22
5 Navigati on: Waypoints ......................................................................................................................... 22
5-1 Waypoints display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
5-2 Managing waypoints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
6 Navigati on: Routes .............................................................................................................................. 25
6-1 Routes display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
6-2 Managing routes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
7 Satelli tes ............................................................................................................................................. 28
7-1 Satellite display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
8 Gauges di splay ..................................................................................................................................... 29
9 Data dis play ......................................................................................................................................... 30
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Northstar EXPLORER 550/550i Installation and Operation Manual
10 Fuel funct ions and display .................................................................................................................. 31
10-1 What the fuel computer does . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
10-2 Fuel display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
10-3 When you add or remove fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
10-4 Low fuel alarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
10-5 Boat speed sensors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
10-6 Fuel consumption curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
10-7 Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
11 Tides displ ay ...................................................................................................................................... 38
12 User card dis play ................................................................................................................................ 39
13 About displ ay ..................................................................................................................................... 40
14 Setting u p the EXPLORER 550/550i ...................................................................................................... 41
14-1 Setup > System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
14-2 Setup > Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
14-3 Setup > GPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
14-4 Setup > Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
14-5 Setup > Track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
14-6 Setup > Logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
14-7 Setup > Alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
14-8 Setup > Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
14-9 Setup > Comms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
14-10 Setup > Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
14-11 Setup > Simulate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
15 Installat ion ........................................................................................................................................ 52
15-1 Installation: What comes with the EXPLORER 550/550i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
15-2 Installation: Options and Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
15-3 Installation: The display unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
15-4 Installation: Power/Data cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
15-5 Installation: GPS antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
15-6 Installation: Northstar petrol/gasoline sensors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
15-7 Installation: SmartCraft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
15-8 Installation: Other NavBus instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
15-9 Installation: Other NMEA instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
15-10 Installation: Setup and test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Northstar EXPLORER 550/550i Installation and Operation Manual
5
Append ix A - Specifica tions ..................................................................................................................... 60
Append ix B - Tro ubleshooting ................................................................................................................. 62
Append ix C - Glossary an d navigation data .............................................................................................. 65
Quick reference
Feature Type See Requires
General How to use the keys and displays 2
Troubleshooting Appendix B
Simulate mode 2-7
Glossary of special names Appendix C
Specifi cations Appendix A
MOB Man overboard key 2-5
Navigation Overview of how to navigate 3-1 GPS fi x
Finding the boat’s position on the chart 3-2
Navigate to any point or to a waypoint 3-1
Navigate along a route 3-1
Projected course: An estimate of progress 3-4
Tracks: records of where the boat has been 3-5
GPS receiver status 7
Saving and loading data with a user card 12 User card
Chart data Chart features (built in world chart) 3-2
Chart details 3-2-4 & 5 C-MAP™ chart
Tides at a port 11 C-MAP™ chart
Alarms Built in alarms 2-6
SmartCraft engine alarms 1-1 SmartCraft
Boat data Data at top of main displays 2-8-2
Compass at top of main displays 2-8-3
Dedicated data display 9
Fuel Fuel computer, petrol/gasoline engine 10 Fuel sensors
Fuel computer, SmartCraft engines 10 SmartCraft
What to do when you add or remove fuel 10-3
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Northstar EXPLORER 550/550i Installation and Operation Manual
1 Introduction
1-1 Ov ervi ew
The Northstar EXPLORER is a compact, rugged,
highly integrated marine chartplotter. It is easy to
use and has an easy to read color display. Complex
functions can be performed with a few key
presses, taking the hard work out of boating.
This manual covers:
EXPLORER 550
Color display, external GPS antenna.
EXPLORER 550i
Color display, internal GPS antenna.
The available functions, displays and setup
menus depend on the optional sensors and
instruments that are installed:
The Fuel functions require optional
petrol/gasoline or SmartCraft fuel sensors to
be installed and set up.
1-2 Cleaning and main tenance
The EXPLORER 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.
If a plug-in card gets dir ty or wet, clean it with a
damp cloth or mild detergent.
1-3 Plug-in cards
The EXPLORER can use two kinds of plug-in card:
C-MAP™ chart cards have chart details
required for navigating in a particular region.
When a chart card is plugged in, the extra
details automatically appear on the EXPLORER
chart display.
The EXPLORER can use NT, NT+ and NT-MAX
cards.
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 EXPLORER can send data to other
instrument s, such as an autopilot, and receive
data from other instruments.
For information on installing options, see section
15-2 .
This manual describes how to install and operate
the EXPLORER. Special terms are explained in
Appendix C. 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.
To optimize per forman ce, avoid w alking o n or
jamming cables and connectors.
Push the dust cover over the display when the
EXPLORER is turned off.
C-MAP™ user cards are used to store
navigation data. Each user card expands the
EXPLORER memory and allows the data to be
transferred to another EXPLORER easily (see
section 14).
Note: The older 5 volt user cards are not
supported.
Northstar EXPLORER 550/550i Installation and Operation Manual
7
Changing the p lug-in card
CAUTION
Handle plug-in cards carefully. Keep them in their protective cases when not plugged into the
EXPLORER.
Keep the holder in place in the EXPLORER at all times to prevent moisture from entering the card
compartment.
Gold contacts under here
31 2
Card
Holder
4
Turn the EXPLORER off (see sec tion 2-2).
Pull the card holder out of the EXPLORER and pull
any card out of holder.
Put the card in its case.
1-4 Removing and re placing the display u nit
If the display unit is bracket mounted then the
display unit can easily be removed and replaced
for security or protection.
Removing the display unit:
1 Turn the display unit of f (see section 2-3) 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 from the
display unit, turning each locking collar
anticlockwise. Push the attached dust covers
over the connectors.
4 Store the display unit in a dry clean place,
such as the optional Northstar carry bag.
Replacing the display 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 clock wise until it is finger tight.
8
Northstar EXPLORER 550/550i Installation and Operation Manual
Push new card into holder. Ensure the gold
contacts are on the outer edge and underneath
(see above).
Keep the card’s case.
Push card holder fully into EXLORER
Knob
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
2 Basic Operation
Overview of the keys
1)1)
2)2)
3)3)
1) Go back to an earlier menu or display. Any changes made are
ignored. In chart mode, centres chart at boat’s position.
2) Show a menu of the main displays. To go to a display, select it from
the menu (see section 2-8).
4)4)
5)5)
6)6)
7)7)
3) Cursor keys, to move the cursor or the selection highlight.
4) Show a menu of the options for the current display.
Press
5) Start an action or accept a change.
6) Zoom in or out to display diff erent areas and detail on the chart.
7) Create an instant waypoint at the boat position (see sec tion 5-2-1).
again to display the Setup menu (see section 14).
8)8)
8) Man overboard (MOB, see sec tion 2-5).
9)9)
9) Turn EXPLORER on and off (see section 2-3); adjust the backlighting
(see section 2-4).
2-1 Usi ng the keys
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 14-1).
Northstar EXPLORER 550/550i Installation and Operation Manual
9
2-2 Using the menus
Operate the EXPLORER by selecting items from
menus. Items can be submenus, commands or
data.
Selecting a submenu
A
after a menu item indicates a submenu, for
example Chart . Press or to move the
highlight to the submenu, then press
Starting a command
Press
or to move the highlight to the
command, for example Goto cursor, then press
.
Changing data
First press
data to change, then:
a) To change a tick box
means Off or No.
Press
b) To select an option
1 Press
2 Press
or to move the highlight to the
means On or Yes
or to change the tick box.
to display the menu of options.
or to move the highlight to the
option you want, then press
.
.
2-3 Turning on and off / auto p ower
Turning on manually
If the EXPLORER is not wired for auto power, press
to turn the unit on. If necessary, adjust the
display to be easy to read (see section 2-4).
Note: If the EXPLORER is not wired for auto power
then the EXPLORER does not record engine hours
and might not record fuel consumption (see
section 15-4).
Turning off manually
If the EXPLORER is not wired for auto power or if
the ignition switch is off, hold down
display turns off.
until the
c) To change a name or number:
1 Press
2 Press
change. Press or to change the letter or
digit.
Repeat this to change other letters or
numbers.
3 Press
d) To change a slider value
Press
the value.
Auto power
If the EXPLORER is wired for auto power (see
section 15-4), then:
The EXPLORER automatically turns on when
you turn the boat’s ignition switch on.
You can not turn the E XPLORER off while the
ignition switch is on.
If
is , the EXPLORER automatically turns off
when you turn the boat’s ignition switch off.
If
is , the EXPLORER stays on when you turn
the boat’s ignition switch off. You can now
turn the EXPLORER off manually.
to display the name or number:
or to select a letter or digit to
to accept the new value. Or press
to ignore the changes.
to decrease the value or to increase
Auto power off (see section 14-1)
Auto power off (see section 14-1)
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Northstar EXPLORER 550/550i Installation and Operation Manual
2-4 Backlight a nd night mode
To go to the Backlight display, press briefly.
When you have finished, press
Backlight
The display and keys are backlit. To change the
backlight level, select
to dim or to brighten.
Tip: Press t wice to give the brightest
screen, with maximum backlight and Night mode
off.
Backlight, then press
.
Night mode
Night mode sets the palet te for all displays.
Normal palet te, for daytime
A palette optimised for night time.
To change mode, select Night mode, then press
. To change only the char t palette, see section
14-2 .
2-5 Man overboard (MOB)
The MOB feature saves the boat’s position and
then navigates back to this point.
!
WARNING
MOB will not work if the EXPLORER does not
have a GPS fix.
1 Press .
The EXPLORER stores the boat’s position as a
waypoint called MOB.
2 The EXPLORER changes to the char t display,
with the MOB waypoint at the centre of the
chart.
The chart zooms in for accurate navigation.
If the chart can not show the required small
scale, the EXPLORER changes to plotter mode
(a white display with crosshatching and no
chart details, see section 14-2).
3 The EXPLORER sets the MOB waypoint to be
the destination to navigate to.
If the NMEA output (autopilot) is off (see
section 14-9) use the EXPLORER to manually
navigate to the destination MOB waypoint
(see sections 3-1-1 and 3-1-2).
Tip: The MOB waypoint remains on the char t after the MOB has been cancelled. To delete the MOB
waypoint, see section 5-2-5.
If the NMEA output (autopilot) is on,
the EXPLORER ask s if the autopilot is active.
Select:
No: Use the EXPLORER to manually navigate to
the destination MOB waypoint (see sec tions
3-1-1 and 3-1-2).
Yes: The EXPLORER asks if the boat is to go to
the MOB waypoint.
Select:
Yes: to immediately start navigating to the
MOB waypoint.
!
WARNING
This might result in a sudden and dangerous
turn.
No: disengage the autopilot; then use
the EXPLORER to manually navigate to the
destination MOB waypoint (see sections 3-1-1
and 3-1-2).
To cancel MOB or set another MOB
1 Press
2 Select an option from the menu.
again to display a menu.
2-6 A larm s
When the EXPLORER detect s an alarm condition,
it displays a warning message on the display, the
internal beeper sounds and any external beepers
or lights operate.
Northstar EXPLORER 550/550i Installation and Operation Manual
Press
sound again if the alarm condition occurs again.
The EXPLORER has user settable alarms plus an
alarm for loss of GPS fix (see section 14-7).
to clear the alarm. The alarm will
11
2-7 Simulate mode
In Simulate mode, the EXPLORER ignores data
from the GPS antenna and other transducers
and sensors and the EXPLORER generates this
data itself. Otherwise, the EXPLORER functions
normally.
There are two simulate modes:
Normal: Allows a user to become familiar
with the EXPLORER off the water.
2-8 The main displays
To go to a display, press
to select the type of display to show, press
to select the display from the list, then press
.
Chart menu and displays
, press or
Demo: Simulates a boat moving along a
route and automatically displays different
EXPLORER functions.
To start and stop Simulate mode, and for more
information, see section 14-11. In simulate mode,
Sim ulate or Demo flashes at the bottom of
the display.
!
WARNING
Never have Simulate mode on when the
EXPLORER is navigating on the water.
The available displays depend on the optional
sensors and instruments that are installed (see
or
section 1-1).
SmartCraft menu and displays
The SmartCraf t displays require a SmartCraft
system to be installed. For information on
using SmartCraft, see the SmartC raft Gateway
Installati on and Operation Manu al.
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Northstar EXPLORER 550/550i Installation and Operation Manual
Other menu and displays
Note: Press to go from an Other display
back to your last chart display.
Northstar EXPLORER 550/550i Installation and Operation Manual
13
2-8-1 Dual displays
The EXPLORER can show two displays at once,
for example Chart + Gauges. One of the displays,
called the active display, has a yellow border and
is controlled by the user. To change the active
display, press
the active display). For example:
twice (Highway cannot be
If Chart is the active display: press
display the options for Chart; press
twice to make Gauges the active display.
If Gauges is the active display: press
wto display the options for Gauges; press
twice to make Char t the active display.
to
Chart display is
active
Yellow border
Press
Press
Yellow border
Gauges display
is not active
2-8-2 Data header
The chart and highway displays can show data at
the top of the display.
The data header for each display can be different.
To change the data header for a display:
1 Go to the display, press
Data header.
2 To turn the data header off or on:
i Select
ii Select or .
3 To choose the size of the numbers:
Data.
and selec t
Chart display is
not active
Gauges display is
active
i Select
ii Select
4 To change the data displayed:
i Select
ii Change a data field:
a Press the cursor keys to highlight the
b Press
c Select a data item that is available on your
iii Repeat the above step to set the other
Size.
Small, Mediu m or Large.
Data setup.
field.
items.
system or select None to leave the field
empty.
data fields. Press
to display a menu of data
.
14
Northstar EXPLORER 550/550i Installation and Operation Manual
Tip: If less than the maximum number of lines of data are used, the data will take up less of the
display area.
5 Press
to return to the display.
2-8-3 Compass
The chart and highway displays can show a
compass at the top of the display.
The compass always shows the boat’s course over
ground (COG), a red symbol in the middle. When
the boat is navigating to a point, the compass
also shows bearing to the destination (BRG), a
black symbol.
In this example, BRG is 300° and COG is 320°.
To turn the compass off or on:
1 Press
2 Set Compass to or .
and selec t Data header.
Northstar EXPLORER 550/550i Installation and Operation Manual
15
3 Navigation: Chart
The chart display shows the chart, the boat’s position course and navigation data.
3-1 Overview of navigating
The EXPLORER has two ways of navigating, going straight to a point or following a route.
3-1-1 Navigating to a poi nt
When the EXPLORER is navigating to a point, the
chart and highway displays show navigation data:
A The boat position .
B The destination point marked with a circle.
C The boat ’s plot ted course to the destination.
D Two CDI lines, parallel to the boat’s plotted
course, which indicate the maximum
expected deviation from the plot ted course.
For more information, see appendix C.
If the EXPLORER is connected to an autopilot, the
EXPLORER will send data to the autopilot to steer
the boat to the destination. Start the autopilot
before starting to navigate to the point.
If the EXPLORER has no autopilot, steer the boat
manually:
a use the boat position and destination on
the chart or highway displays
3-1-2 Going to a wayp oint or to a point on the cha rt
A waypoint is a position that you can set on the
EXPLORER chart, for example a fishing spot or a
point on a route (see section 5).
Going to a waypoint from the chart display
1 Go to the chart display.
2 Move the cursor to the waypoint: either use
the cursor keys or use Find (see section 3-2-5).
3 Press
and selec t Goto.
D
C
A
b or use navigation data displayed on the
data header (see section 2-8-2)
c or use COG and BRG on the compass (see
section 2-8-3).
Note:
1 If the XTE alarm is enabled, an alarm will
sound if the boat deviates too much from its
intended course (see section 14-7).
2 If the arrival radius alarm is enabled, then an
alarm will sound to show that the boat has
reached the destination (see section 14-7).
Going to a waypoint from the waypoints
display
1 Go to the waypoints display.
2 Press
go to.
3 Press
or to highlight the waypoint to
and selec t Goto.
D
B
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Northstar EXPLORER 550/550i Installation and Operation Manual
Going to a point on the chart
1 Switch to a chart display.
2 Move the cursor to the destination point:
either use the cursor keys or use Find (see
section 3-2-5).
3 Press
Make sure the course does not pass over land
or dangerous waters.
Tip: Before starting, create waypoints at points of interest. Create a waypoint at the start of the trip for
you to navigate back to (see section 5-2-1).
and selec t Goto cursor.
!
WARNING
Navigating
The EXPLORER navigates to the point as
described in section 3-1-1.
Cancelling navigating
Go to a Chart display, press
and selec t
Cancel goto.
3-1-3 Following a ro ute
Preparing
A route is a list of waypoints that the boat can
follow (see section 6).
To create waypoints before creating the
route, see section 5-2-1.
To create a route, see section 6-2-1.
Starting a route from the chart display:
1 Go to the chart display.
2. Press and selec t Start Route.
3. Press or to highlight the route to
follow. Press .
4. The EXPLORER asks for the direction to
traverse the route.
Select
5. The EXPLORER displays the chart with the
route marked and starts navigating from
the start of the route.
Starting a route from the routes display:
1 Go to the routes display.
2 Press
3 The EXPLORER asks for the direction to
Select
Forward (the order the route was
created) or
follow. Press
traverse the route.
Reverse.
or to highlight the route to
and selec t Start.
Forward (the order the route was
created) or
Reverse.
4 The EXPLORER displays a chart with the route
marked and starts navigating from the start
of the route.
Navigating
The EXPLORER navigates to each waypoint on the
route in turn as described in section 3-1-1.
The EXPLORER stops navigating to the waypoint
at the end of the current leg and starts the next
leg of the route:
a when the boat comes within 0.025 nm of the
waypoint
b or when the boat passes the waypoint
c or if you skip the waypoint.
Skipping a waypoint
To skip a waypoint, go to a chart display, press
and selec t Skip. The EXPLORER starts
navigating straight towards the next waypoint
on the route.
!
WARNING
Skipping a waypoint with the autopilot on
might result in a sudden course change.
Cancelling a route
When the boat has reached the final waypoint,
or to stop the boat following the route at any
time, cancel the route. Go to a chart display, press
and selec t Cancel route.
Northstar EXPLORER 550/550i Installation and Operation Manual
17
3-2 Chart display
To go to the Chart display, press , select Chart, then select Chart.
A typical chart display shows:
A
B
C
D
K
E
F
G
A Data header. To turn the data off or on or to change what data is displayed, see section 2-8-2
B Compass (see section 2-8-3)
C Chart scale (see section 3-2-3)
D Boat position (see section 3-2-1)
E Boat track (see section 3-5)
F Boat course and CDI lines (see Appendix C, CDI). The boat is going to the waypoint called FISH06
G Distance and bearing of cursor from boat
HLand
ISea
J The cursor (see section 3-2-1)
K A typical waypoint (see section 5)
Note: To change the types of information displayed on the chart, see section 17-2.
J
I
H
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Northstar EXPLORER 550/550i Installation and Operation Manual
3-2-1 Chart m odes
The Chart has two modes:
Centre on boat mode
To switch to centre on boat mode in the chart
display, press
the chart. As the boat moves through the water,
the chart automatically scrolls to keep the boat
in the centre of the chart. The cursor (see below)
is turned of f.
Cursor mode
The keys
To switch to cursor mode in the chart display,
hold down a cursor key. The cursor
and moves away from the boat:
Press the key which points in the direction
that the cursor will move, for example press
to move the cursor down.
. The boat is at the centre of
and are called cursor keys.
appears
Press midway bet ween two of the cursor keys
to make the cursor move diagonally.
Hold a cursor key down to make the cursor
move continuously across the display.
In Cursor mode:
The distance (
the cursor from the boat are displayed at the
bottom, left corner of the display.
The chart does not scroll as the boat moves.
If the cursor reaches the edge of the display,
the chart will scroll.
For example, hold down
cursor to the right side of the display and the
chart will scroll to the lef t.
DST) and bearing ( BRG) of
to move the
3-2-2 Latitude a nd longitude
Latitude and longitude can be displayed in
the data header. The display is degrees and
minutes to three decimal places, about 2 m (6
ft) resolution. Normally the position is the boat’s
position, and the latitude and longitude has a
boat symbol to show this:
36° 29.637’ N or S Latitude
175° 09.165’ E or W Longitude
3-2-3 Char t scale
Press to zoom in and display a smaller area of
the chart in more detail. Press
and display a bigger area in less detail.
to zoom out
3-2-4 Chart symbols and info rmation
The chart will show symbols, such as waypoints
and chart symbols (for example buoys, beacons,
wrecks and marinas). When the cursor is placed
over a symbol for at least two seconds, a data
window appears at the bottom left of the display
with information about the symbol.
Northstar EXPLORER 550/550i Installation and Operation Manual
If the cursor has been moved in the last ten
seconds, then the position is the cursor’s position,
and the latitude and longitude has a cursor
symbol to show this:
36° 29.841’ N or S Latitude
175° 09.012’ E or W Longitude
!
WARNING
When reading the boat position, make sure
the position is not the cursor position.
The chart scale is displayed at the top left of the
chart:
To see stored information about a point on the
chart (for example, a chart symbol):
1 Move the cursor to that point on the chart.
2 Press
3 A menu of objects is displayed:
i Select an object to display.
ii Press
other objects.
iii Finally, press
and select Chart info.
to return to the menu. Select
to return to the char t.
19
3-2-5 Findi ng a chart symbol
To find and display a char t symbol:
1 Press
2 Select the type of symbol: Waypoints, Routes,
Ports by name, Ports & services, or T ide
stations.
3 For Ports & services: select the type of service
to find.
For Ports by name: press
enter a name or let ters contained in the port
name, then press .
4 A list of items is displayed. If there are more
items than will fit on the display, press
and select Find.
, , or to
or
to page up and down.
3-3 Distance and bear ing calculator
The distance and bearing calculator can plot
a course of one or several legs and show the
bearing and length of each leg, as well as the
total distance along the course. The completed
course can be converted into a route.
To use the distance and bearing calculator:
1 Press
displayed. Press and select
Distance.
2 Move the cursor to the start of the first leg. It
does not matter if this point is a waypoint or
not. Press
3 To add a leg to the course, move the cursor
to the end of the leg. It does not matter if this
point is a waypoint or not. The display shows
the bearing and length of the leg, as well
as the total distance along the course. Press
until the chart display is
.
.
For Ports by name: to search for a different
port name, press
then press .
5 Select the item and press
display changes to show the item in the
middle of the display.
To see stored information about the item,
press
(see section 3-2-4).
. change the name,
. The chart
3-2-6 Perspective view
Perspective view shows the chart from an
angle instead of from straight above. To turn
perspective view on or off, press and set
Perspective to
4 To remove the last leg from the course, press
5 Repeat the above two steps to enter the
whole course.
6 To save the new course as a route, press
new points on the course as new waypoints,
with default names. If necessary, edit the
route later (see section 6 -2-2) and edit any
new waypoints later (see section 5-2-3).
7 Finally, press
display.
or .
and selec t Remove.
and selec t Save. This also saves any
to return to the char t
20
Northstar EXPLORER 550/550i Installation and Operation Manual
3-4 Projecte d course
If Projected course is turned on, then the
EXPLORER will display the projec ted position
based on the course over ground (COG), speed
and a specified time. To turn Projected course on
and off and to set the time, see section 14-2.
A Projected position
B Boat’s projec ted course
C Boat position
3-5 Tracks and trackin g
Tracking records the boat’s position to memory at
regular intervals, which can be:
Time intervals.
Or distance intervals.
The track of where the boat has been can be
displayed on the chart. The EXPLORER can display
one track while recording another.
To work with track s, see section 14-5.
The EXPLORER can store five tracks:
Track 1 can hold up to 200 0 points and is
intended to record the normal progress of
the boat.
Tracks 2, 3, 4 and 5 can hold up to 500 points
each and are intended to record sections to
be retraced accurately, for example entering a
river mouth.
Tip: Record the tracks in good conditions.
When recording is on and the track becomes full
then recording continues and the oldest points
in the track are deleted. The maximum length of
a track depends on the selected track interval: a
small interval will give a shorter, more detailed
A
B
C
track and a long interval will give a longer, less
detailed track, as shown in these examples:
The track lengths are in the current distance units,
for example nm.
Time intervals
Interval Track 1 Track 2, 3, 4
or 5
1 sec 33 minutes 8 minutes
10 sec 5.5 hours 1.4 hours
1 min 33 hours 8 hours
Distance intervals
Interval Track 1 Track 2, 3, 4
or 5
0.01 20 5
1 2,000 500
10 20,000 5,000
Northstar EXPLORER 550/550i Installation and Operation Manual
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