Explorer 550/550i
Chartplotter
Installation and Operation Manual
www.northstarnav.com
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Please read carefully before installation and use.
DANGER |
This is the safety alert symbol. It is used to alert you to |
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potential personal injury hazards, Obey all safety messages |
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that follow this symbol to avoidpossible injury or death. |
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WARNING |
WARNING indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, |
if not avoided, could result in death or serious injury |
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CAUTION |
CAUTION indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, |
if not avoided, could result in minor or moderate injury. |
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CAUTION |
CAUTION used without the safety alert symbol indicates a |
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potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, may |
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result in property damage. |
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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
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 affiliates reserve the right to make changes to specifications without notice.
Copyright © 2006 Brunswick New Technologies Inc. Northstar™ is a registered trademark of Brunswick New Technologies Inc
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 o 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 di 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.
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 a 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 o cial government charts. Only o 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 o 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 |
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Contents
1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... |
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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 Operation...................................................................................................................................... |
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 Navigation: Chart................................................................................................................................. |
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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 Navigation: Highway display................................................................................................................ |
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5 Navigation: Waypoints......................................................................................................................... |
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5-1 Waypoints display. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
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5-2 Managing waypoints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
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6 Navigation: Routes .............................................................................................................................. |
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6-1 Routes display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
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6-2 Managing routes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
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7 Satellites ............................................................................................................................................. |
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7-1 Satellite display. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
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8 Gauges display..................................................................................................................................... |
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9 Data display......................................................................................................................................... |
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Northstar EXPLORER 550/550i Installation and Operation Manual |
10 Fuel functions and display.................................................................................................................. |
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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 display ...................................................................................................................................... |
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12 User card display ................................................................................................................................ |
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13 About display ..................................................................................................................................... |
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14 Setting up the EXPLORER 550/550i ...................................................................................................... |
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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 Installation........................................................................................................................................ |
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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 |
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Appendix A - Specifications..................................................................................................................... |
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Appendix B - Troubleshooting................................................................................................................. |
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Appendix C - Glossary and navigation data.............................................................................................. |
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Quick reference
Feature |
Type |
See |
Requires |
General |
How to use the keys and displays |
2 |
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Troubleshooting |
Appendix B |
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Simulate mode |
2-7 |
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Glossary of special names |
Appendix C |
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Specifications |
Appendix A |
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MOB |
Man overboard key |
2-5 |
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Navigation |
Overview of how to navigate |
3-1 |
GPS fix |
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Finding the boat’s position on the chart |
3-2 |
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Navigate to any point or to a waypoint |
3-1 |
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Navigate along a route |
3-1 |
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Projected course: An estimate of progress |
3-4 |
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Tracks: records of where the boat has been |
3-5 |
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GPS receiver status |
7 |
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Saving and loading data with a user card |
12 |
User card |
Chart data |
Chart features (built in world chart) |
3-2 |
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Chart details |
3-2-4 & 5 C-MAP™ chart |
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Tides at a port |
11 |
C-MAP™ chart |
Alarms |
Built in alarms |
2-6 |
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SmartCraft engine alarms |
1-1 |
SmartCraft |
Boat data |
Data at top of main displays |
2-8-2 |
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Compass at top of main displays |
2-8-3 |
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Dedicated data display |
9 |
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Fuel |
Fuel computer, petrol/gasoline engine |
10 |
Fuel sensors |
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Fuel computer, SmartCraft engines |
10 |
SmartCraft |
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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 Overview
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.
SmartCraft engine functions require a SmartCraft system to be installed. For information on using SmartCraft, see the
SmartCraft Gateway Installation and Operation Manual.
The EXPLORER can send data to other instruments, 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 Northstar products, go to our website, www.northstarnav.com.
1-2 Cleaning and maintenance
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 dirty or wet, clean it with a damp cloth or mild detergent.
To optimize performance, avoid walking on or jamming cables and connectors.
Push the dust cover over the display when the EXPLORER is turned off.
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.
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 |
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Changing the plug-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
1 |
2 |
Turn the EXPLORER off (see section 2-2).
Pull the card holder out of the EXPLORER and pull any card out of holder.
Put the card in its case.
3 |
4 |
Card
Holder
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
1-4 Removing and replacing the display unit
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:
1Turn the display unit off (see section 2-3) and put the dust cover on.
2Loosen the knob on the mounting bracket and lift the unit off the bracket.
3Unplug the connectors from from the display unit, turning each locking collar anticlockwise. Push the attached dust covers over the connectors.
4Store the display unit in a dry clean place, such as the optional Northstar carry bag.
Replacing the display unit
1Remove 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.
Knob |
Mounting |
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bracket |
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Nothing will be damaged if a cable is plugged into the wrong socket by mistake.
2Hold 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.
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Northstar EXPLORER 550/550i Installation and Operation Manual |
2 Basic Operation
Overview of the keys
1)Go back to an earlier menu or display. Any changes made are
1)ignored. In chart mode, centres chart at boat’s position.
2)
2) Show a menu of the main displays. To go to a display, select it from
3)the menu (see section 2-8).
4)3) Cursor keys, to move the cursor or the selection highlight.
5)4) Show a menu of the options for the current display.
Press 
again to display the Setup menu (see section 14).
6)
5) Start an action or accept a change.
6) Zoom in or out to display di erent areas and detail on the chart.
7)
7) Create an instant waypoint at the boat position (see section 5-2-1).
8)
8) Man overboard (MOB, see section 2-5).
9)
9)Turn EXPLORER on and o (see section 2-3); adjust the backlighting (see section 2-4).
2-1 Using 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 
or 
to move the highlight to the data to change, then:
a)To change a tick box
means On or Yes
means Off or No.
Press 
or 
to change the tick box. b) To select an option
1Press 
to display the menu of options.
2Press 
or 
to move the highlight to the option you want, then press 
.
c) To change a name or number:
1Press 
to display the name or number:
2Press 
or 
to select a letter or digit to change. Press 
or 
to change the letter or digit.
Repeat this to change other letters or numbers.
3 Press |
to accept the new value. Or press |
|
to ignore the changes. |
d) To change a slider value
Press 
to decrease the value or 
to increase the value.
2-3 Turning on and off / auto power
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 
until the display turns off.
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 EXPLORER off while the ignition switch is on.
If Auto power off (see section 14-1) is 
, the EXPLORER automatically turns off when you turn the boat’s ignition switch off.
If Auto power off (see section 14-1) is 
, the EXPLORER stays on when you turn the boat’s ignition switch off. You can now turn the EXPLORER off manually.
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Northstar EXPLORER 550/550i Installation and Operation Manual |
2-4 Backlight and 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 Backlight, then press 
to dim or 
to brighten.
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 daytime
A palette optimised for night time.
To change mode, select Night mode, then press 
. To change only the chart 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.
1Press 
.
The EXPLORER stores the boat’s position as a waypoint called MOB.
2The EXPLORER changes to the chart 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).
3The 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).
If the NMEA output (autopilot) is on, the EXPLORER asks if the autopilot is active. Select:
No: Use the EXPLORER to manually navigate to the destination MOB waypoint (see sections 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 
again to display a menu.
2Select an option from the menu.
Tip: The MOB waypoint remains on the chart after the MOB has been cancelled. To delete the MOB waypoint, see section 5-2-5.
2-6 Alarms
When the EXPLORER detects an alarm condition, it displays a warning message on the display, the internal beeper sounds and any external beepers or lights operate.
Press 
to clear the alarm. The alarm will 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).
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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
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, Simulate or Demo flashes at the bottom of the display.
! WARNING
Never have Simulate mode on when the EXPLORER is navigating on the water.
To go to a display, press 
, press 
or 
to select the type of display to show, press 
or 
to select the display from the list, then press 
.
The available displays depend on the optional sensors and instruments that are installed (see section 1-1).
Chart menu and displays
SmartCraft menu and displays
The SmartCraft displays require a SmartCraft system to be installed. For information on using SmartCraft, see the SmartCraft Gateway Installation and Operation Manual.
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Other menu and displays
Note: Press 
to go from an Other display back to your last chart display.
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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 
twice (Highway cannot be the active display). For example:
Chart display is active
If Chart is the active display: press 
to 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 Chart the active display.
Chart display is not active
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Yellow border |
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Press |
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Press |
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Yellow border |
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Gauges display |
Gauges display is |
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is not active |
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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:
1Go to the display, press 
and select
Data header.
2To turn the data header off or on:
i Select Data. ii Select 
or 
.
3To choose the size of the numbers:
iSelect Size.
ii Select Small, Medium or Large.
4To change the data displayed: i Select Data setup. ii Change a data field:
aPress the cursor keys to highlight the field.
bPress 
to display a menu of data items.
cSelect a data item that is available on your system or select None to leave the field empty.
iiiRepeat the above step to set the other data fields. Press 
.
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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.
5Press 
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:
1Press 
and select Data header.
2Set Compass to 
or 
.
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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 point |
B |
When the EXPLORER is navigating to a point, the |
D |
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chart and highway displays show navigation data: |
C |
A The boat position . |
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BThe destination point marked with a circle.
C The boat’s plotted course to the destination. |
A |
D |
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D Two CDI lines, parallel to the boat’s plotted |
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course, which indicate the maximum |
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expected deviation from the plotted course. |
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For more information, see appendix C. |
b |
or use navigation data displayed on the |
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If the EXPLORER is connected to an autopilot, the |
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data header (see section 2-8-2) |
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c |
or use COG and BRG on the compass (see |
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EXPLORER will send data to the autopilot to steer |
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the boat to the destination. Start the autopilot |
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section 2-8-3). |
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before starting to navigate to the point. |
Note: |
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If the EXPLORER has no autopilot, steer the boat |
1 |
If the XTE alarm is enabled, an alarm will |
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manually: |
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sound if the boat deviates too much from its |
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a use the boat position and destination on |
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intended course (see section 14-7). |
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the chart or highway displays |
2 |
If the arrival radius alarm is enabled, then an |
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alarm will sound to show that the boat has |
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reached the destination (see section 14-7). |
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3-1-2 Going to a waypoint or to a point on the chart
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
1Go to the chart display.
2Move the cursor to the waypoint: either use the cursor keys or use Find (see section 3-2-5).
3Press 
and select Goto.
Going to a waypoint from the waypoints display
1Go to the waypoints display.
2Press 
or 
to highlight the waypoint to go to.
3Press 
and select Goto.
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Going to a point on the chart
1Switch to a chart display.
2Move the cursor to the destination point: either use the cursor keys or use Find (see section 3-2-5).
3 Press 
and select Goto cursor.
Navigating
The EXPLORER navigates to the point as described in section 3-1-1.
Cancelling navigating
Go to a Chart display, press 
and select
Cancel goto.
! WARNING
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).
3-1-3 Following a route
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:
1Go to the chart display.
2.Press 
and select Start Route.
3.Press 
or 
to highlight the route to follow. Press 
.
4.The EXPLORER asks for the direction to traverse the route.
Select Forward (the order the route was created) or Reverse.
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:
1Go to the routes display.
2Press 
or 
to highlight the route to follow. Press 
and select Start.
3The EXPLORER asks for the direction to traverse the route.
Select Forward (the order the route was created) or Reverse.
4The 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:
awhen the boat comes within 0.025 nm of the waypoint
b or when the boat passes the waypoint
cor if you skip the waypoint.
Skipping a waypoint
To skip a waypoint, go to a chart display, press 
and select 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 select Cancel route.
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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
E
F
G
K
J
I
H
A |
Data header. To turn the data off or on or to change what data is displayed, see section 2-8-2 |
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B |
Compass (see section 2-8-3) |
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C |
Chart scale (see section 3-2-3) |
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D |
Boat position (see section 3-2-1) |
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E |
Boat track (see section 3-5) |
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F |
Boat course and CDI lines (see Appendix C, CDI). The boat is going to the waypoint called FISH06 |
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G |
Distance and bearing of cursor from boat |
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H |
Land |
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I |
Sea |
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J |
The cursor (see section 3-2-1) |
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K |
A typical waypoint (see section 5) |
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Note: To change the types of information displayed on the chart, see section 17-2.
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3-2-1 Chart modes
The Chart has two modes:
Centre on boat mode
To switch to centre on boat mode in the chart display, press 
. The boat 
is at the centre of 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 off.
Cursor mode
The keys 
and 
are called cursor keys. To switch to cursor mode in the chart display, hold down a cursor key. The cursor 
appears 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.
Press midway between 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 (
DST) and bearing (
BRG) of 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 
to move the cursor to the right side of the display and the chart will scroll to the left.
3-2-2 Latitude and 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 |
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.
3-2-3 Chart scale
Press 
to zoom in and display a smaller area of the chart in more detail. Press 
to zoom out and display a bigger area in less detail.
The chart scale is displayed at the top left of the chart:
3-2-4 Chart symbols and information
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.
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 
and select Chart info.
3 A menu of objects is displayed:
iSelect an object to display.
iiPress 
to return to the menu. Select other objects.
iiiFinally, press 
to return to the chart.
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3-2-5 Finding a chart symbol
To find and display a chart symbol:
1Press 
and select Find.
2Select the type of symbol: Waypoints, Routes, Ports by name, Ports & services, or Tide stations.
3For Ports & services: select the type of service to find.
For Ports by name: press 
, 
, 
or 
to
enter a name or letters contained in the port name, then press 
.
4A list of items is displayed. If there are more items than will fit on the display, press 
or 
to page up and down.
For Ports by name: to search for a different port name, press 
. change the name, then press 
.
5Select the item and press 
. The chart 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).
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 
or 
.
3-3 Distance and bearing 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:
1Press 
until the chart display is displayed. Press 
and select
Distance.
2Move the cursor to the start of the first leg. It
does not matter if this point is a waypoint or not. Press 
.
3To 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 
.
4To remove the last leg from the course, press 
and select Remove.
5Repeat the above two steps to enter the whole course.
6To save the new course as a route, press 
and select Save. This also saves any 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).
7Finally, press 
to return to the chart display.
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Northstar EXPLORER 550/550i Installation and Operation Manual |
3-4 Projected course
If Projected course is turned on, then the EXPLORER will display the projected 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.
AProjected position
B Boat’s projected course
CBoat position
A
B
C
3-5 Tracks and tracking
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 tracks, see section 14-5.
The EXPLORER can store five tracks:
Track 1 can hold up to 2000 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
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 |
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or 5 |
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1 sec |
33 minutes |
8 minutes |
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10 sec |
5.5 hours |
1.4 hours |
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1 min |
33 hours |
8 hours |
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Distance intervals |
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Interval |
Track 1 |
Track 2, 3, 4 |
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or 5 |
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0.01 |
20 |
5 |
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1 |
2,000 |
500 |
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10 |
20,000 |
5,000 |
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