NorthStar Navigation M121, M84 User Manual
M121/M84
Multi-Function Unit
Installation and Operation Manual
www.northstarnav.com
Contents
1 Introdu ction ............................................................................................................................................................................. 5
1-1 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
1-2 Cleaning and maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2-2 Turning on and off / auto power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
2-3 Backlight and night mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
2-4 Man overboard (MOB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
2-5 Alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
2-6 Simulate mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
2-7 The main windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3 Navigati on: Chart ..................................................................................................................................................................... 19
3-1 Introduction to navigating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
3-2 Chart window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
3-3 Distance and bearing calculator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
3-4 Projected course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
3-5 Tracks and tracking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
4 Video wi ndow .......................................................................................................................................................................... 25
5 Navigation: Highway window .................................................................................................................................................. 26
6 Navigati on: Waypoints ............................................................................................................................................................. 26
6-1 Waypoints window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
6-2 Managing waypoints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
7 Navigati on: Routes .................................................................................................................................................................. 29
7-1 Routes window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
7-2 Managing routes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
8 Satelli tes ................................................................................................................................................................................. 32
8-1 Satellite window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
9 Sonar f ishfinding : Introductio n ............................................................................................................................................... 33
9-1 Using the Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
9-2 Interpreting the display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
9-3 Single and Dual frequency fishfinding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
9-4 Fish detection and display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
9-5 Range . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
9-6 Gain and threshold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
10 Sonar fis hfinding: Wi ndows ................................................................................................................................................... 42
10-1 Sonar history window - no split . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
10-2 Sonar Zoom and Full Screen Zoom displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
10-3 Sonar Bottom window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
10-4 Sonar 50/200 window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
10-5 Sonar A-Scope window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
11 Gauges window ...................................................................................................................................................................... 46
12 Data window ..........................................................................................................................................................................4 6
13 Fuel functi ons and display ...................................................................................................................................................... 47
13-1 What the fuel computer does . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
13-2 Fuel display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
13-3 When you add or remove fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
13-4 Low fuel alarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
13-5 Boat speed sensors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
13-6 Fuel consumption curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
13-7 Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
14 Tides window ......................................................................................................................................................................... 54
15 User card win dow ................................................................................................................................................................... 55
16 AIS ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 57
16-1 Viewing AIS Vessels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
16-2 Dangerous Vessels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
16-3 AIS Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
17 DSC/Buddy t rack windows ...................................................................................................................................................... 60
17-1 The windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
17-2 Using the windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
18 Radar .................................................................................................................................................................................... 62
18-1 Radar window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
18-2 Radar modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
18-3 Enabling the radar functionality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
18-4 Selecting standby mode or transmit mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
18-5 Disabling the radar functionality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
18-6 Adjusting the quality of the radar window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
18-7 Changing the echo expansion setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
18-8 Turning the target trails on or off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
18-9 Using the VRM/EBL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
18-10 Changing the PPI position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
18-11 Using the radar guard zones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
19 Setting up t he M121/M84 ....................................................................................................................................................... 70
19-1 Setup > System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
19-2 Setup > Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
19-3 Setup > Sonar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
19-4 Setup > Radar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
19-5 Setup > GPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
19-6 Setup > Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
19-7 Setup > Track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
19-8 Setup > AIS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
19-9 Setup > Logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
19-10 Setup > Alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
19-11 Setup > Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
19-12 Setup > Comms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
19-13 Setup > Calibrate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
19-14 Setup > Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
19-15 Setup > Favorites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
19-16 Setup > Simulate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88
20 Install ation ........................................................................................................................................................................... 89
20-1 Installation: What else comes with my M121/M84? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
20-2 Installation: Options and Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
20-3 Installation: The display unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
20-4 Installation: Power/data cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
20-5 Installation: GPS antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
20-6 Installation: Sonar transducer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
20-7 Installation: Northstar petrol/gasoline sensors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
20-8 Installation: SmartCraft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
20-9 Installation: Radar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
20-10 Installation: Other NavBus instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
20-11 Installation: Other NMEA instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
20-12 Installation: Setup and test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Append ix A - Specifica tions ....................................................................................................................................................... 100
Append ix B - Troub leshooting ................................................................................................................................................... 103
B-1 General problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
B-2 GPS navigation problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104
B-3 Fuel consumption problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104
B-4 Sonar fishfinding problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105
B-5 Radar problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107
Append ix C Glossary an d navigation data ................................................................................................................................. 108
Append ix D Compliance sta tements ...........................................................................................................................................111
Warning
It is your sole responsibility to install and use the instrument and transducer(s) in a manner
that will not cause accidents, personal injury or property damage. Always observe safe boating
practices.
The choice, location, and installation of transducers and other components of the system are
critical to the performance of the system as intended. If in doubt, consult your Northstar dealer.
To reduce the risk of misusing or misinterpreting this instrument, you must read and understand
all aspects of this Installation and Operation Manual. We also recommend that you practice all
operations using the built-in simulator before using this instrument at sea.
Global Positioning System: The Global Positioning System (GPS) is operated by the US
Government which is solely responsible for its operation, accuracy and maintenance. The GPS
is subject to changes which could affect the accuracy and performance of all GPS equipment
anywhere in the world, including this instrument.
Electronic Chart: The electronic chart used by this instrument is an aid to navigation designed
to supplement, not replace, official government charts. Only official government charts
supplemented by notices to mariners contain the information required for safe and prudent
navigation. Always supplement the electronic information provided by this instrument 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.
AIS: The AIS features on this chart-plotter are designed as a safety aid only and do not guarantee
safety at sea. AIS transmission is mandatory on some, but not all, vessels. You should check
your local laws and regulations for requirements in your area. As a result of different legal
requirements, different vessel sizes and uses, you should not assume that your AIS equipped
chart-plotter will show the location of ALL vessels in your area. Careful prudence, judgement, and
safe navigation practices should always be exercised. AIS should be used to complement radar,
but AIS is not a substitute for radar.
Sonar performance: The accuracy of the sonar depth display can be affected by many
factors, including the type and location of the transducer and water conditions. Never use this
instrument to gauge depth or other conditions for swimming or diving.
Fuel data: Do not rely on this instrument as the sole source of information about fuel available
onboard. You must supplement this instrument’s fuel data with visual or other checks of the
fuel available. This is necessary because possible operator errors, such as forgetting to reset the
fuel used when filling the tank or running the engine with this instrument not switched on, can
render this instrument inaccurate. Fuel economy can change drastically depending on boat
loading and sea conditions. Always carry adequate fuel onboard for the intended trip, plus a
reserve to allow for unforeseen circumstances.
Simulate mode: Never have simulate mode on when you are navigating on the water.
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.
Northstar M121/M84 Installation and Operation Manual4
1 Introduction
Quick reference to the built-in and optional features:
Feature Type See Requires
General How to use the keys and windows 2
Troubleshooting Appendix B
Simulate mode 2-6
Glossary of special names Appendix C
Specifications Appendix A
MOB Man overboard key 2-4
Navigation Overview of how to navigate 3-1 GPS fix
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 8-1
Saving and loading data with a user card 15 User card
Chart data Chart features (built in world chart) 3-2
Chart details 3-2-4 & 5 Chart card
Tides at a port 14 Chart card
AIS 16
Alarms Built in alarms 2-5
Boat data Data at top of main displays 2-7-3
Compass at top of main displays 2-7-4
Dedicated data display 12
Fuel Fuel computer, Instrument petrol/gasoline engine 13 Fuel sensors
Fuel computer, SmartCraft engines 13 SmartCraft
What to do when you add or remove fuel 13-1
Sounder Overview of the depth sounder 9 Sounder
Depth, bottom features, water features 9 Sounder
Fishfinder 9 Sounder
Other boats Track your buddy, polling other boats 17 DSC VHF
Distress calls 17 DSC VHF
(Continued next page)
Northstar M121/M84 Installation and Operation Manual 5
Radar Overview of the radar 18 Radar
The radar window explained 18-1 Radar
Change the radar operation mode 18-2 Radar
Change the radar rotation or motion mode 18-6, 18-7 Radar
Optimize the quality of the radar window 18-9 Radar
Find range and bearing with VRM/EBL 18-10 Radar
Set up the radar guard zones 18-12 Radar
1-1 Overvi ew
The Northstar M121/M84 is a rugged, highly
integrated marine chartplotter and fishfinder.
It is easy to use and has a high resolution color
display. Complex functions can be performed
with only a few key presses, taking the hard
work out of boating.
The available functions depend on the optional
sensors and instruments that are installed:
The Video window requires the M121/M84
to receive video from a compatible source,
such as a camera.
Fuel functions require one or more petrol/
gasoline or diesel fuel sensors to be installed.
SmartCraft engine functions require a
SmartCraft system to be installed. For
information on using SmartCraft, see
the SmartCraft Gateway Installation and
Operation Manual.
• DSC/Buddy track functions require an
appropriate Northstar DSC VHF radio to be
installed.
The M121/M84 can send data to other
instruments, such as an autopilot, and
receive data from other instruments.
• Radar functions require an optional
Northstar radar system to be installed. Three
radar systems are available; 2 kW, 4 kW, or 6
kW.
• AIS functions require an optional AIS receiver
to be installed.
For information on installation options, see
section 20.
This manual describes how to install and
operate the M121/M84. Special terms
are explained in Appendix C. For more
information on this instrument and other
Northstar products, go to our website, www.
northstarnav.com.
1-2 Cleaning and maintenance
The Instrument 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.
Cover or remove a transom-mounted
transducer when repainting the hull. If painting
over a through hull transducer with antifouling
Northstar M121/M84 Installation and Operation Manual6
paint, use only one coat of paint. Remove the
previous coat of antifouling paint by sanding it
lightly.
To optimize performance, avoid walking on
or jamming cables and connectors. Keep the
transducer free of weed, paint and debris. Do
not use a high pressure water blast on a speed
sensor paddlewheel as it may damage the
bearings.
Push the dust cover over the display when the
Instrument is turned off.
1-3 Plug-in cards
The M121/M84 can use two kinds of C-MAP™
SD-Card plug-in cards:
1. Chart cards have chart details required for
navigating in a particular region. When
you insert a chart card, the extra details
automatically appear on the Chart window.
You can plug in up to two chart cards
at once. If the chart shows a region not
covered by a chart card, then it displays a
simplified built-in world chart.
2. User cards store navigation data. A user card
allows navigation data to be transferred
to another compatible instrument (see
section 15).
Removing a plug-in card
CAUTION
Handle plug-in cards carefully. Keep them
in their protective cases when not plugged
into the M121/M84.
Keep the M121/M84 card cover closed at all
times to prevent moisture from entering the
card compartment.
1 2
Turn the M121/M84 off
(see section 2-2).
Open the card cover on the
right of the display.
Inserting a plug-in card
1
Hold the new card with the
gold contacts on the far side.
Push the card down until it
releases and can pop up.
2
Push the card into an empty
socket until it clicks.
3
Lift the card out.
Put the card in its case.
3
Close the card cover.
Turn the M121/M84 on
(see section 2-2).
Northstar M121/M84 Installation and Operation Manual 7
1-4 Removing and replacing the display unit
If the M121/M84 is bracket mounted then it can
easily be removed for security.
Removing the display unit:
1 Turn the M121/M84 off (see section 2-2) and
put the dust cover on.
2 Loosen the knobs on the mounting bracket
and lift the unit off the bracket.
3 Unplug the connectors from the M121/M84;
turn each locking collar anticlockwise until
you can pull the plug out.
4 Store the M121/M84 in a dry clean place.
Replacing the display unit
1 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.
Nothing will be damaged if a cable is
plugged into the wrong socket by mistake.
2 Hold the M121/M84 in place on the
mounting bracket. Tilt it for best viewing,
then hand tighten the knobs on the
mounting bracket. Remove the dust cover.
Knob
Mounting bracket
Northstar M121/M84 Installation and Operation Manual8
2 Basic Operation
Overview of the M121 keys
5
6
4
ESC
q
– Go back to an earlier menu or window. In
chart mode centers chart at boat’s position.
DISPLAY
w
– This is a powerful key that allows you
to setup the display the way you want. Main
displays can be saved as favorite displays for easy
access from the
MENU
e
– Show a menu of the options for the
key.
current active window.
ENTER
r
– Start an action or accept a change.
t / – Changes the range on a window eg. Chart
or Sonar zooms
y , , , – Cursor keys, to move the cursor or
the selection highlight.
u – The key selects which window you
1
are working with. The Active window is indicated
with a red border.
i – The key allows you to quickly
2
3
7
8
9
10
11
switch between your saved favorite displays.
GOTO
AUTO
o
– For a navigation display: Start navigating
to a point, waypoint or along a route (see section
3-1-2). For sonar display: Select a sonar operating
mode (see section 6).
SETUP
a
– The setup key takes you to the setup
menu which allows advanced configuration of
the M121.
s – This key places a waypoint on the Active
Chart Window.
d – Man overboard (MOB, see section 2-4).
f – Turn Instrument on and off (see section 2-2);
adjust the backlighting (see section 2-3).
13
12
Northstar M121/M84 Installation and Operation Manual 9
Overview of the M84 keys
5
6
4
ESC
q
– Go back to an earlier menu or window. In
chart mode centers chart at boat’s position.
DISPLAY
w
– This is a powerful key that allows you
to setup the display the way you want. Main
displays can be saved as favorite displays for easy
access from the
MENU
e
– Show a menu of the options for the
current active window. The setup menu can be
opened by pressing
ENTER
r
– Start an action or accept a change.
key.
MENU
twice.
t / – Changes the range on a window eg. Chart
or Sonar zooms
y , , , – Cursor keys, to move the cursor or
the selection highlight.
1
u – The key selects which window you
are working with. The Active window is indicated
with a red border.
2
i – The key allows you to quickly
switch between your saved favorite displays.
o – This key places a waypoint on the Active
3
Chart Window.
a – Man overboard (MOB, see section 2-4).
7
8
s – Turn Instrument on and off (see section 2-2);
adjust the backlighting (see section 2-3).
9
10
11
Note: Display refers to ALL windows and the data header/Compass
Window refers to a part of the display in which a particular function is shown
e.g. The Chart window on a Chart + Sonar display.
Northstar M121/M84 Installation and Operation Manual10
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 adjust the beep volume, see section
19 -1).
Using the menus
Operate the Instrument 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
highlight to the submenu, then press
. Press or to move the
ENTER
.
Starting a command
Press
or to move the highlight to the
command, for example Goto cursor, then press
ENTER
.
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
ENTER
or to change the tick box.
b) To select an option
1 Press
2 Press
ENTER
to display the list of options.
or to move the highlight to the
option you want, then press
ENTER
.
c) To change a name or number:
1 Press
2 Press
ENTER
to display the name or number:
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
ENTER
to accept the new value. Or press
ESC
to ignore the changes.
d) To change a slider value
Press
to decrease the value or to increase
the value.
Northstar M121/M84 Installation and Operation Manual 11
2-2 Turning on and off / auto power
Turning on manually
If the Instrument is not wired for auto power,
press
to turn the unit on. If necessary, adjust
the display to be easy to read (see section 2-3).
!
WAR N ING
If the Instrument is not wired for auto power
then the Instrument does not record engine
hours and will not record fuel consumption
if not powered (see section 18-4).
Turning off manually
If the Instrument is not wired for auto power or
if the ignition switch is off, hold down
the display turns off.
until
2-3 Backlight and night mode
To go to the Backlight window, press briefly.
Backlight
The display and keys are backlit. To change the
backlight level, select Backlight, then press
dim or
When you have finished, press
screen, with maximum backlight and Night
mode off.
to brighten.
ESC
Tip: Press twice to give the brightest
to
Auto power
If the Instrument is wired for auto power (see
section 20-4), then:
• The Instrument automatically turns on when
you turn the boat’s ignition switch on.
• You can not turn the Instrument off while
the ignition switch is on.
• If Auto power off (see section 19-1) is
Instrument automatically turns off when you
turn the boat’s ignition switch off.
• If Auto power off (see section 19-1) is
Instrument stays on when you turn the boat’s
ignition switch off. You can now turn the
Instrument off manually.
, the
, the
Night mode
Night mode sets the palette for all windows.
Normal palette, for daytime
A palette optimized for night time.
To change mode, highlight Night mode, then
press
palette, see section 19-1.
or
ENTER
. To change only the chart
Northstar M121/M84 Installation and Operation Manual12
2-4 Man overboard (MOB)
The MOB feature saves the boat’s position and
then navigates back to this point.
!
WAR N ING
MOB will not work if the Instrument does
not have a GPS fix.
1 Press
The Instrument stores the boat’s position as
a waypoint called MOB.
2 The Instrument changes to the chart
window, 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 Instrument changes to plotter
mode (a white window with crosshatching
and no chart details, see section 19-2).
3 The Instrument sets the MOB waypoint to
be the destination to navigate to.
If the NMEA output (autopilot) is off
(see section 19-12) use the Instrument 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
Instrument asks if the autopilot is active.
Select:
No: Use the Instrument to manually navigate
to the destination MOB waypoint (see
sections 3-1-1 and 3-1-2).
Yes : The Instrument asks if the boat is to go
to the MOB waypoint.
Select:
Yes : to immediately start navigating to the
MOB waypoint.
!
WAR N ING
This might result in a sudden and dangerous
turn.
No: disengage the autopilot; then use the
Instrument 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.
2 Select 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 6-2-5.
2-5 Ala rms
When the Instrument detects an alarm
condition, it displays a warning message on
the display, the internal beeper sounds and any
external beepers or lights operate.
Northstar M121/M84 Installation and Operation Manual 13
ESC
Press
to clear the alarm. The alarm will
sound again if the alarm condition occurs again.
The Instrument has user settable alarms (see
section 19-10).
2-6 Simulate mode
In Simulate mode, the Instrument ignores data
from the GPS antenna and other transducers
and sensors and the Instrument generates this
data itself. Otherwise, the Instrument functions
normally.
There are two simulate modes:
• Normal: Allows a user to become familiar
with the Instrument off the water.
• Demo: Simulates a boat moving along a
route and automatically displays different
Instrument functions.
2-7 The main windows
To show one of the main windows full-size, press
To start and stop Simulate mode, and for more
information, see section 19-16. In simulate
mode, Simulate or Demo flashes at the bottom
of the window.
!
WAR N ING
Never have Simulate mode on when using
the Instrument to navigate on the water.
DISPLAY
and select the window.
Note
1 The windows available depend on the optional sensors and instruments that are installed (see
section 1-1).
2 Set up commonly used windows as favorites and press
to switch between windows (see
section 2-7-2).
Northstar M121/M84 Installation and Operation Manual14
To show one of the other windows full-screen, press
DISPLAY
, select M o r e... and select the window.
ESC
Press
to return from one of these
windows to the previous window.
Northstar M121/M84 Installation and Operation Manual 15
2-7-1 Multi window displays
The M121/M84 can show up to four windows
at once, for example Chart, Sonar, Gauges and
Video:
Adding a window to the display
DISPLAY
Press
Changing window size
1 Press
2 Press
, select Add window and select a
window to add. The M121/M84 automatically
rearranges the display to show the new
window.
DISPLAY
and select Split ratio.
or to change the width of the
windows. If the M121/M84 is displaying three
or four windows, press
or to change
the height of the windows.
Note: Some windows are fixed in size.
3 Press
ENTER
.
Deleting a window from the display
1 Press
until the window you want to
delete has a red border.
2 Press
DISPLAY
and select Delete window.
Exchanging two windows on the display
1 Press
until the first window has a red
border.
2 Press
DISPLAY
, select Replace and select the
second window.
The M121/M84 exchanges the two windows.
Replacing a window on the display
1 Press
until the window that you want
to replace has a red border.
2 Press
DISPLAY
, select Replace and select a new
window that is not currently visible.
Note
1 When some windows are small then not all
the data is shown.
2 Set up commonly used displays as favorites
and press
to switch between displays
(see section 2-7-2).
The active window
If there is more than one window displayed, the active window is indicated by a red border. To
change the active window to the next window, press
Pressing
MENU
will display the options menu for the active window.
Red border
Press
Press
Chart is active Sonar is active
Northstar M121/M84 Installation and Operation Manual16
.
2-7-2 Favorite displays
The M121/M84 has a list of commonly used
displays, called favorite displays. There can be
up to six favorite displays.
Each display can have one or more windows
plus a data header (see section 2-7-3) and a
compass (see section 2-7-4). Set up favorite
displays for common situations, for example
navigating along a route, travelling in a harbour,
fishing.
Selecting a favorite display
To select another favorite, press one or
more times. For example, with six favorites:
Adding a favorite display to the list
1 Set up the display with the window or
windows you want in the new favorite (see
sections 2-7-1 and 2-7-4).
2 Press
DISPLAY
and select Save this display. The
M121/M84 displays the favorites list.
3 Select where in the list to add the new
favorite. If you select an existing favorite
display then the new favorite will replace the
existing favorite in the list.
Deleting a favorite display from the list
1 Press
2 Highlight the display to delete, press
MENU
twice then select Favorites.
MENU
and select Delete.
Changing the order of the favorites list
1 Press
2 Highlight the display to move, press
MENU
twice then select Favorites.
MENU
and select Move up or Move down.
Northstar M121/M84 Installation and Operation Manual 17
2-7-3 Data header
The displays can show data at the top, called
the data header.
When you select a window from the display
menu (see section 2-7) the M121/M84
displays an appropriate data header for the
window.
Each favorite display (see section 2-7-2) has
its own data header. When you press
to recall a favorite display, the M121/M84
recalls the favorite displays data header.
Setting the data header for a display
1 Press
2 To turn the data header on or off:
3 To select the size of the data:
4 To change the data displayed:
iii Repeat the above step to set the other
DISPLAY
and select Data header.
i Select Data.
ii Select
or .
i Select Size.
ii Select the size to display.
i Select Data setup.
ii Change a data field:
a Press the cursor keys to highlight
the field.
b Press
ENTER
to display a menu
of data items.
c Select a data item that is available
on your system or select None to
leave the field empty.
data fields.
Tip: If all fields in a line are None then the
line will not be displayed and the data header
will take less space on the display.
5 Press
ESC
.
Tip: The data header will change when you
select another display. To set a data header that
you can recall later, set the header as part of a
favorites display (see below).
Favorites displays and data headers
To set a data header for a favorites display,
follow the steps to add a favorite (see section
2-7-2 - Adding a favorite display to the list). In
step 1, set the data header for the favorite as
described above.
2-7-4 Compass
The chart, sonar and highway displays can show
a compass at the top of the window.
The compass always shows the boat’s course
over ground (COG), a black symbol in the
middle. When the boat is navigating to a
point, the compass also shows bearing to the
destination (BRG), a red symbol.
In this example, BRG is 260°M and COG is 321°M.
To turn the compass off or on:
1 Press
2 Set Compass to
MENU
and select Data header.
or .
Northstar M121/M84 Installation and Operation Manual18
3 Navigation: Chart
The chart window shows the chart, the boat’s position course and navigation data.
3-1 Introduction to navigating
The Instrument has two ways of navigating, going straight to a point or following a route.
3-1-1 Navigating to a point
When the Instrument is navigating to a
point, the chart and highway windows show
navigation data:
A The boat position
B The destination point marked with a circle.
C The boat’s plotted course to the destination.
D Two CDI lines, parallel to the boat’s plotted
course, which indicate the maximum
expected deviation from the plotted course.
For more information, see Appendix C.
A
If the Instrument is connected to an autopilot,
the Instrument 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 Instrument has no autopilot, steer the
boat manually:
a use the boat position and destination on the
chart or highway windows
b or use navigation data displayed on the data
header (see section 2-7-3)
c or use COG and BRG on the compass (see
section 2-7-4).
.
B
D
C
D
Note:
1 If the XTE alarm is enabled, an alarm will
sound if the boat deviates too much from its
intended course (see section 19-10).
2 If the arrival radius alarm is enabled, then an
alarm will sound to show that the boat has
reached the destination
(see section 19-10).
3 When the destination is reached an
arrival warning appears with the option
to cancel navigation (goto or route). Yes
the navigation is cancelled, no navigation
continues however XTE and highway are no
longer displayed.
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
Instrument chart, for example a fishing spot or a
point on a route (see section 6).
Going to a waypoint from the chart
window
1 Go to the chart window.
2 Move the cursor to the waypoint: either
use the cursor keys or use Find (see section
3-2-5).
3 Press
Going to a waypoint from the waypoints
window
1 Go to the waypoints window.
2 Press
3 Press
MENU
and select Goto waypoint.
or to highlight the waypoint to go
to.
MENU
and select Goto.
Northstar M121/M84 Installation and Operation Manual 19
Going to a point on the chart
1 Switch to a chart window.
2 Move the cursor to the destination point:
either use the cursor keys or use Find (see
section 3-2-5).
3 Press
MENU
and select Goto cursor.
!
WAR N ING
Make sure the course does not pass over
land or dangerous waters.
Navigating
The Instrument navigates to the point as
described in section 3-1-1.
Cancelling navigating
Go to a Chart window, press
MENU
and select
Cancel goto.
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 6-2-1.
To create a route, see section 6-2-1.
Starting a route from the chart window:
1 Go to the chart window.
2 Press
3 Press
4 The Instrument asks for the direction to
5 The Instrument displays the chart with the
MENU
and select Start Route
or to highlight the route to follow.
ENTER
Press
.
traverse the route.
Select Forward (the order the route was
created) or Reverse.
route marked and starts navigating from the
start of the route.
Starting a route from the routes window:
1 Go to the routes window.
2 Then follow step 3 as in starting a route
from the chart window above.
Navigating
The Instrument navigates to each waypoint on
the route in turn as described in section 3-1-1.
The Instrument stops navigating to the
waypoint at the end of the current leg and
starts the next leg of the route:
1 When the boat comes within 0.025 nm of
the waypoint
2 Or when the boat passes the waypoint
3 Or if you skip the waypoint.
Skipping a waypoint
To skip a waypoint, go to a chart window, press
MENU
and select Skip. The Instrument starts
navigating straight towards the next waypoint
on the route.
!
CAUTION
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 window,
MENU
press
and select Cancel route.
Northstar M121/M84 Installation and Operation Manual20
3-2 Chart window
To go to the Chart window:
• Press
DISPLAY
and select Chart
A typical chart window shows:
A
B
C
K
F
D
I
F
J
E
G
A Data header. To turn the data off or on or to
change what data is displayed (see section
2-7-3)
B Compass (see section 2-7-4)
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).
G Distance and bearing of cursor from boat
H Land
I Sea
J The cursor (see section 3-2-1)
K A typical waypoint (see section 6 )
H
Note:
To change the types of information displayed
on the chart, see section 17-2.
To change to a perspective view of the chart,
see section 3-2-6.
If the region on the chart is covered by a
chart card then the card’s information is
automatically displayed on the chart. If the
region is not covered by a chart card then the
chart displays a simplified built-in world chart
which is suitable for planning and general
interest.
!
WAR N ING
The built-in world chart does not show
enough detail for navigation. When you
use the M121/M84 to navigate, always use a
chart card which covers the region.
Northstar M121/M84 Installation and Operation Manual 21
3-2-1 Chart modes
The Chart has two modes:
Centre on boat mode
To switch to centre on boat mode in the chart
window, press
ESC
. 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 window, 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 window.
In Cursor mode:
The distance (
DST) and bearing ( BRG) of
the cursor from the boat are displayed at the
bottom corner of the window.
The chart does not scroll as the boat moves.
If the cursor reaches the edge of the window,
the chart will scroll.
For example, hold down
to move the
cursor to the right side of the window 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 window 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
!
WAR N ING
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 shows many kinds of symbols, such as
waypoints, ports, marinas, buoys and beacons.
If necessary, press or
scale where the symbol is displayed.
To see stored information about a symbol:
1 Either move the cursor to the symbol on the
chart and wait two seconds or use Find to
move the cursor to a symbol for a port or
service (see section 3-2-5).
2 A window appears at the bottom of the
display with some information about the
symbol.
3 To see more detail about a symbol or a list of
associated items for the symbol, press
i Select an item to display. If there are more
items than will fit on the window, press
or
to scroll up or down.
Select a camera icon to display a photo of
the item. If the photo is too big to fit on
the window, press
the photo.
Select Tide Station to display a tide
chart for the position (see section 14).
ii Select other items or press
to the chart.
or to choose a chart
ENTER
, , or to scroll
ESC
to return
:
Northstar M121/M84 Installation and Operation Manual22
To see stored information about nearby symbols
MENU
press
and select Chart info. Then
follow step 3 above.
3-2-5 Finding a chart symbol
To find and display a chart symbol:
1 Press
2 Select the type of symbol: Waypoints,
3 For Ports & services: select the type of
For Ports by name: press
4 A list of items is displayed. If there are more
For Ports by name: to search for a different
5 Select the item and press
To see stored information about the item,
MENU
and select Find.
Routes, Ports by name, Ports & services, or
Tide stations.
service to find.
, , or to
enter a name or letters contained in the port
name, then press
items than will fit on the window, press
ENTER
.
or
to page up and down.
port name, press
then press
ENTER
ESC
. Change the name,
.
ENTER
. The chart
window changes to show the item in the
middle of the window.
ENTER
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
Perspective to
or .
MENU
and set
3-2-7 Turn the radar overlay on or off
If you have a radar installed, you can overlay
the radar screen on your chart screen. This is
extremely useful because it can help you to:
• interpret the radar image by matching the
radar targets with charted objects
• quickly identify objects that are not on the
chart, such as other boats
The radar overlay is also very useful in
conditions of reduced visibility, at night, or in
busy or hazardous waters.
The range, rotation, mode, and centre position
of the radar are all adjusted automatically to
match your chart.
To turn the radar overlay on or off:
or .
MENU
and set
From the chart window, press
Radar Overlay option to
An extra menu item will them be displayed to
control the radar and overlay.
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:
1 Select the Chart window. Press
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
ENTER
.
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 window
shows the bearing and length of the leg, as
well as the total distance along the course.
MENU
and
Northstar M121/M84 Installation and Operation Manual 23
ENTER
Press
.
4 To remove the last leg from the course, press
MENU
and select Remove.
5 Repeat the above two steps to enter the
whole course.
6 To save the new course as a route, press
MENU
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 6-2-3).
7 Finally, press
ESC
to return to the chart
window.
3-4 Projected course
If Projected course is turned on, then the
Instrument 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 19-2.
A Projected position
B Boat’s projected course
C Boat position
3-5 Tracks and tracking
A
B
C
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 Instrument can
display one track while recording another.
To work with tracks, see section 19-7.
The Instrument 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 a reference tracks and then use
the track to help navigate the same trip later.
For example, record a reference track as you
leave harbour. Then if you return to harbour and
visibility is poor, select the chart and navigate
manually along the reference track back into
the harbour. Record reference 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:
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
The track lengths are in the current distance units, for example
nm.
Northstar M121/M84 Installation and Operation Manual24
4 Video window
The video window shows a picture from a
video device, such as a camera. The video
window requires a video device to be installed.
To select the video window, press
select Video.
Adjusting the video picture color
1 Press
2 Press
MENU
.
or to highlight a control, then
press
or to adjust the control.
3 To return the colors to their default settings,
select Restore defaults.
4 Press
ESC
.
DISPLAY
and
Changing the video picture
Press to zoom in
Press
to zoom out
or to move
Press
the picture sideways
or to move
Press
the picture up and down
ESC
Press
whole picture in the
window
Northstar M121/M84 Installation and Operation Manual 25
to fi t the
5 Navigation: Highway window
A
B
D D
F
The highway window has a bird’s eye view of
the boat’s course to a destination:
To go to the Highway window, press
select More, then select Highway.
G
C
E
DISPLAY
,
6 Navigation: Waypoints
A waypoint is a position that you can set on the
Instrument chart, for example a fishing spot or
a point on a route. The Instrument can have up
to 3000 waypoints. A waypoint can be created,
changed or deleted.
A waypoint has:
A name (up to eight characters).
An icon showing what kind of waypoint it is.
The available icons are:
The highway window shows:
A Optional data header (see section 2-7-3)
B Optional compass (see section 2-7-4)
C Destination waypoint
D Boat’s plotted course to destination
E CDI lines, parallel to the boat’s plotted
course (see Appendix C, Navigation data,
CDI). The CDI lines are like a highway over
the water where the boat will move
F CDI scale
G The boat position is at the bottom, centre of
the window
!
WAR N ING
The highway window does not show land,
dangerous waters or chart symbols.
A position.
A color for the waypoint symbol and name
on the chart.
A type:
Normal: A normal waypoint can be
navigated to or included in a route.
Danger: A danger waypoint is a point
to avoid. If the boat comes within the
danger radius of a danger waypoint the
unit can sound an alarm
(see section 19-10).
A display option:
Controls how the waypoint is displayed on
the chart (see section 19-2):
Northstar M121/M84 Installation and Operation Manual26
6-1 Waypoints window
To go to the waypoints window, press
DISPLAY
,
select More, then select Waypoints.
The waypoints window is a list of the waypoints
that have been entered, each with waypoint
symbol, name, latitude and longitude, distance
and bearing from the boat, type and display
option.
If there are more waypoints than will fit on the
window, press
or to scroll up or down a
page at a time.
6-2 Managing waypoints
!
WAR N ING
Do not create a navigation waypoint on land
or in dangerous water.
6-2-1 Creating a new waypoint
Creating and editing a new waypoint from
the chart window
1 To create a waypoint at the boat position,
Or, to create a waypoint at a different point,
2 Press
3 A new waypoint, with the default name and
4 Change the waypoint data if necessary (see
Creating a new waypoint from the
waypoints window
1 In the waypoints window, press
2 A new waypoint, with a default name and
3 Change the waypoint data if necessary (see
ESC
press
to switch the chart to centre on
boat mode.
move the cursor to that point on the chart.
ENTER
.
data is created.
section 6-2-7).
MENU
and
select Create.
data, is created at the boat position.
section 6-2-7).
Note: Waypoints can also be created when a
route is created (see section 6-2-1).
6-2-2 Moving a waypoint
Moving a waypoint from the chart window
1 In the chart window, move the cursor to the
waypoint to move.
2 Press
MENU
and select Move.
3 Move the cursor to the new position and
ENTER
press
.
Moving a waypoint from the waypoints
window
To move a waypoint from the waypoints
window, edit the waypoint (see section 6-2-3)
and change the latitude and longitude.
6-2-3 Editing a waypoint
Editing a waypoint from the chart window
1 In the chart window, move the cursor to the
waypoint to edit.
2 When the waypoint data is displayed, press
ENTER
.
3 Change the waypoint data
(see section 6-2-7).
Northstar M121/M84 Installation and Operation Manual 27
Editing a waypoint from the waypoints
window
1 In the waypoints window, press
highlight the waypoint to edit. Press
or to
MENU
and select Edit.
2 Change the waypoint data
(see section 6-2-7).
6-2-4 Displaying a waypoint on the chart
This goes to the chart window, and shows the
selected waypoint at the centre of the window.
1 In the waypoints window, press
highlight the waypoint to display. Press
or to
MENU
and select Display.
Or, in the Chart window, press
MENU
, select
Find, then select Waypoints. Select a
waypoint from the list.
2 The Instrument switches to the chart
window, with the selected waypoint at the
centre of the chart.
6-2-5 Deleting a waypoint
A waypoint can not be deleted if the boat is
navigating to it or if the waypoint is used in
more than one route. A waypoint that is used in
one route can be deleted.
!
WAR N ING
When a waypoint is deleted from a route,
check that the changed route does not cross
land or dangerous waters.
Deleting a waypoint from the chart
window
1 In the chart window, move the cursor to the
waypoint to delete.
2 Press
3 Select Yes to confirm.
MENU
and select Delete.
Deleting a waypoint from the waypoints
window
1 In the waypoints window, press
highlight the waypoint to delete. Press
and select Delete.
2 Select Yes to confirm.
6-2-6 Deleting all waypoints
1 In the waypoints window and press
and select Delete all.
2 Select Yes to confirm.
6-2-7 Changing a waypoint’s data
To change the waypoint data when it is
displayed in a window:
1 Select the data to change.
Press
ENTER
.
Use the cursor keys to change the data.
Press
ENTER
.
2 If necessary, repeat the above step to
change other data.
3 Select Save.
6-2-8 Sort Waypoints
To change how the waypoints list is displayed:
1 Press
MENU
and select Sort by.
2 Select how to display the list:
Name: In alphabetical order by name.
Ico n: Grouped by icon type.
Distance: In order of distance from the
boat.
An arrow at the top of a column indicates how
the waypoints are sorted.
6-2-9 Navigating to a waypoint
See section 3-1-2.
or to
MENU
MENU
Northstar M121/M84 Installation and Operation Manual28
7 Navigation: Routes
A route is a list of waypoints that the boat can
navigate along. Routes can be created, changed
and deleted.
The Instrument can have up to 25 routes. Each
route can have up to 50 waypoints.
A route can:
Start and stop at the same waypoint .
Include waypoints more than once.
7-1 Routes window
The routes window is a list of the routes that
have been entered, each with route name, start
waypoint, end waypoint, number of legs and
total distance.
To go to the routes window, press
More, then select Routes.
If there are more routes than will fit on the
window, press
page at a time.
or to scroll up or down a
DISPLAY
, select
The Instrument can navigate along a route in
either direction. Waypoints on the route can be
skipped.
Routes are a powerful feature when the
Instrument is connected to an autopilot,
allowing the vessel to be automatically guided
along the route.
!
WAR N ING
Make sure that routes do not cross land or
dangerous water.
7-2 Managing routes
!
WAR N ING
After creating or changing a route, display
the route on the chart and check that it
does not cross land or dangerous water.
7-2-1 Creating a new route
A. Creating a new route from the chart
window
While creating the route:
Press or to change the range; scroll the
chart by moving the cursor to the edge of
the chart.
Northstar M121/M84 Installation and Operation Manual 29
• A data box at the bottom left of the window
shows the route name and total distance. If
the cursor is near a leg, it shows the length
and bearing of the leg as well.
The legs of a route must start and end at
waypoints. If a leg does not start or end at
an existing waypoint then a new waypoint
will be created automatically (to change the
new waypoint data, see section 6-2-1).
You can not use a Danger waypoint in a
route.
Loading...