User manual LOWRANCE AIRMAP 600C

Handheld Mapping GPS Receiver AirMap 600c Operation Instructions Copyright © 2006 Lowrance Electronics, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be copied, reproduced, republished, transmitted or distributed for any purpose, without prior written consent of Lowrance Electronics. Any unauthorized commercial distribution of this manual is strictly prohibited. AirMap, Lowrance Avionics and Lowrance are all registered trademarks of Lowrance Electronics, Inc. Jeppesen is a registered trademark of Jeppesen Sanderson, Inc. Navionics is a registered trademark of Navionics, Inc. DURACELL is a registered trademark of Duracell, Inc. RAYOVAC is a registered trademark of Rayovac Corporation. eXitSource Database, copyright 2001-2006 Zenrin Co. Ltd. Exit Authority and eXitSource are trademarks of Zenrin Co. Ltd. Lowrance Electronics may find it necessary to change or end our policies, regulations and special offers at any time. We reserve the right to do so without notice. All features and specifications subject to change without notice. All screens in this manual are simulated. For free owner's manuals and the most current information on this product, its operation and accessories, visit our web site: www.lowrance.com Lowrance Electronics Inc. 12000 E. Skelly Dr. Tulsa, OK USA 74128-2486 Printed in USA. Section 1: Read Me First! ......................................................... 1 Capabilities and Specifications .................................................... 3 How AirMap Works....................................................................... 5 Introduction to GPS and WAAS................................................... 7 How to use this manual: typographical conventions .................. 9 Section 2: Installation & Accessories.................................. 11 Power............................................................................................ 11 Batteries....................................................................................... 11 Cigarette Lighter Power Adapter........................................... 13 NMEA Cable Connections .......................................................... 13 MMC or SD Memory Card Installation ..................................... 14 FreedomMaps........................................................................... 15 External Active Antenna ............................................................ 16 Bracket Mounting System .......................................................... 17 Section 3: Aviation Operation .............................................. 19 Keypad ......................................................................................... 19 Power/lights on and off ............................................................... 20 Main Menu................................................................................... 20 Pages ............................................................................................ 21 Satellite Status Page............................................................... 23 Navigation Page ...................................................................... 24 Navigation Display Options ................................................... 25 Aviation Map display option............................................... 25 Navigation AirSpace display option................................... 25 HSI Map display option (Compass Rose With HSI).......... 26 Navigating with OBS Hold ..................................................... 29 Map Page ................................................................................. 31 Map Page Menu....................................................................... 32 Map Display Options............................................................... 32 Full Map page display option ............................................. 32 Map Panel page display option........................................... 35 Compass Overlay page display option ............................... 36 Position page display option ............................................... 37 Two Maps page display option ........................................... 38 Aviation GPS Quick Reference ............................................ 40 Find Your Current Position........................................................ 41 Moving Around the Map: Zoom & Cursor Arrow Keys............. 41 Selecting Any Map Item With the Cursor ................................. 42 Searching ..................................................................................... 43 Find Nearest Airport (shortcut) ................................................. 45 Navigating to Nearest Airport with the AirMap ...................... 45 Setting a Waypoint...................................................................... 46 i Table of Contents Navigate Back to a Waypoint..................................................... 46 Navigate to Cursor Position on Map.......................................... 47 Navigate to a Point of Interest ................................................... 48 Go "Direct To" (Using the Direct To Button)......................... 48 Airspace Status ........................................................................... 49 Airport Information..................................................................... 49 Runways................................................................................... 50 Runway Approach Guidance feature ..................................... 51 Services .................................................................................... 52 Terrain Awareness Display ........................................................ 53 Color Code................................................................................ 53 Transfer Custom Maps and GPS Data Files ............................. 54 Switch to Land Mode .................................................................. 55 Switch Back to Aviation Mode from Land Mode................... 56 Aviation Calculators ................................................................... 56 E6B Altitude/Airspeed Calculator ......................................... 56 E6B Wind Speed/Direction Calculator .................................. 57 Vertical Navigation Calculator .............................................. 58 Section 4: Land Operation..................................................... 59 Keypad ......................................................................................... 59 Power/lights on and off ............................................................... 60 Main Menu................................................................................... 60 Pages ............................................................................................ 60 Satellite Status Page............................................................... 61 Status Menu ............................................................................ 61 Navigation Page ...................................................................... 61 Navigation Menu..................................................................... 62 Map Page ................................................................................. 62 Map Menu ................................................................................ 63 Moving Around the Map: Zoom & Cursor Arrow Keys............. 63 Find Distance From Current Position To Another Location.... 63 Find Distance From Point to Point ........................................ 64 Find Your Current Position........................................................ 64 Icons ............................................................................................. 65 Delete an Icon .......................................................................... 66 Load GPS Data Files from an MMC .......................................... 66 Navigate....................................................................................... 67 Navigate Back to Man Overboard Waypoint......................... 67 Cancel Navigation ................................................................... 67 Navigate a Route ..................................................................... 67 Navigate to Cursor Position on Map...................................... 67 Navigate to an Icon ................................................................. 68 Navigate to Point of Interest (POI) ........................................ 68 ii Navigate to a Waypoint .......................................................... 68 Navigate a Trail ...................................................................... 68 Backtrack a Trail..................................................................... 70 Routes .......................................................................................... 70 Create and Save a Route ........................................................ 70 Delete a Route ......................................................................... 73 Save GPS Data Files to an MMC ............................................... 73 Searching ..................................................................................... 74 Switch to Aviation Mode ......................................................... 76 Switch Back to Land Mode from Aviation Mode................... 76 Trails ............................................................................................ 76 Create and Save a Trail .......................................................... 76 Delete a Trail ........................................................................... 77 Edit a Trail Name ................................................................... 77 Transferring GPS Data Files...................................................... 77 Transferring and Loading Custom Maps .................................. 77 Utilities ........................................................................................ 77 Alarm Clock ............................................................................. 78 Sun/Moon Rise & Set Calculator............................................ 78 Trip Calculator ........................................................................ 78 Trip Down Timer ..................................................................... 78 Trip Up Timer.......................................................................... 78 Waypoints .................................................................................... 78 Create a Waypoint................................................................... 78 Create Waypoint on Map .................................................... 78 Create Waypoint at Current Position ................................ 78 Create a Man Overboard Waypoint ....................................... 79 Create a Waypoint by Average Position ............................ 79 Create a Waypoint by Projecting a Position ...................... 79 Selecting a Waypoint .............................................................. 80 Delete a Waypoint ................................................................... 80 Edit a Waypoint....................................................................... 80 Waypoint Name ................................................................... 80 Waypoint Symbol................................................................. 80 Waypoint Position ............................................................... 80 Waypoint Altitude ............................................................... 80 Section 5: System & GPS Setup Options ............................ 81 Alarms.......................................................................................... 81 Aviation Alarms .......................................................................... 82 Auto Satellite Search .................................................................. 83 Battery Indicator......................................................................... 84 Check MMC Files and Storage Space........................................ 84 Com Port Configuration.............................................................. 84 iii Coordinate System Selection...................................................... 85 Map Fix .................................................................................... 87 Customize Page Displays............................................................ 88 GPS Simulator............................................................................. 89 Map Auto Zoom ........................................................................... 90 Map Data ..................................................................................... 90 Show Map Data ....................................................................... 91 Pop-up Map Information......................................................... 91 Fill Water with White ............................................................. 91 Map Overlays (Range Rings; Lat/Long Grid) ........................ 91 Draw Map Boundaries ............................................................ 92 Map Datum Selection.................................................................. 92 Map Detail Category Selection................................................... 92 Map Orientation.......................................................................... 93 Navionics Charts ....................................................................... 94 Port Information...................................................................... 95 Tidal Current Information...................................................... 96 Tide Information ..................................................................... 98 Pop-up Help ................................................................................. 99 Reset Options............................................................................. 100 Screen Contrast and Brightness .............................................. 100 Set Language ............................................................................. 102 Set Local Time ........................................................................... 103 Software Version Information .................................................. 104 Sounds and Alarm Sound Styles .............................................. 104 Track Smoothing ....................................................................... 105 Trail Options.............................................................................. 106 Update Active Trail Option .................................................. 106 Update Trail Criteria (Auto, Time, Distance) ..................... 106 Trail Update Rate (Time, Distance)..................................... 107 New Trail ............................................................................... 107 Units of Measure ....................................................................... 108 Section 6: Searching.............................................................. 111 Aviation Mode Searches ........................................................... 111 Find An Airspace (Using Cursor) ......................................... 111 Find Airports (Aviation Mode only) .................................. 112 Find VORs (Aviation Mode only) ...................................... 113 Find NDBs (Aviation Mode only) ...................................... 115 Find Intersections (Aviation Mode only) .......................... 117 Land Mode Searches ................................................................. 118 Find Addresses ...................................................................... 118 Find Any Item Selected by Map Cursor .............................. 120 iv Find Interstate Highway Exits ............................................ 121 Find Map Places .................................................................... 122 Find Streets or (Street) Intersections .................................. 125 Find Waypoints ..................................................................... 127 Section 7: Supplemental Material ..................................... 129 Index ......................................................................................... 135 WARNING! A CAREFUL NAVIGATOR NEVER RELIES ON ONLY ONE METHOD TO OBTAIN POSITION INFORMATION. CAUTION When showing navigation data to a position (waypoint), a GPS unit will show the shortest, most direct path to the waypoint. It provides navigation data to the waypoint regardless of obstructions. Therefore, the prudent navigator will not only take advantage of all available navigation tools when traveling to a waypoint, but will also visually check to make sure a clear, safe path to the waypoint is always available. WARNING! When a GPS unit is used in a vehicle, the vehicle operator is solely responsible for operating the vehicle in a safe manner. Vehicle operators must maintain full surveillance of all pertinent driving, boating or flying conditions at all times. An accident or collision resulting in damage to property, personal injury or death could occur if the operator of a GPSequipped vehicle fails to pay full attention to travel conditions and vehicle operation while the vehicle is in motion. v Notes vi Section 1: Read Me First! How this manual can get you flying, fast! Welcome to the exciting world of GPS! We know you're anxious to take off and begin navigating, but we have a favor to ask. Before you grab the batteries and head for the plane, please give us a moment or two to show you how to skip around our manual for the information you need. (Tips start on page 2.) We want to help you get the best performance from this versatile little GPS unit -- in the air, on the ground and on the sea! Before we go any further, we want to thank you for buying an AirMap 600. Whether you're a first time GPS user or a professional navigator, you'll find that the AirMap 600 includes a complete set of powerful aeronautical mapping and navigation features, yet is easy to use. How easy? Well, if you've already figured out how to load the card and batteries yourself, and you just can't wait any longer, turn to the Quick Reference on page 40 and head outside with your AirMap! You can be practicing touch-and-goes at a nearby airport in only 12 steps. Not in that big of a hurry? Good, because we really recommend you practice a bit before taking your AirMap aloft. The AirMap 600 is a true pocket-sized GPS+WAAS receiver, but its slim silhouette is crammed with lots of extra features and value. You don't need to learn them all right away, but a little practice on the ground will help you become familiar with AirMap's capabilities -- and make you a safer pilot. Flying, of course, is why you bought an AirMap, but it's like having three different GPS receivers in one. Here are the other two reasons why. Need business or pleasure travel directions or phone numbers after landing? You don't need another GPS -- when you leave the cockpit, just slip your AirMap in to pocket or purse and take advantage of the fully-functional Land Navigation Mode. With your own custom-built MapCreate 6 map, your AirMap can use a massive searchable Point of Interest database of businesses and attractions to lead you to your final destination. (Land Mode Operation is described in Section 4; Searching is covered in Section 6.) And AirMap performance doesn't stop at the water's edge. If your destination is a boating or fishing adventure, your AirMap will help you safely navigate the Great Lakes and coastal U.S. waters with our 70,000 item database of marine navigation aids, wrecks and obstructions. (This also requires a MapCreate map; functions are discussed in Section 4. The MapCreate manual has an Easy Mode Quick Reference of its own; it'll help you make a map in just 6 steps.) 1 Whether your AirMap 600 is the only GPS in the cockpit or backing up an in-panel display, you're using the most versatile and most affordable hand-held GPS receiver in the aviation market today. Our goal for this book is to get you in the air (or out on the road) fast, with a minimum of fuss. Like you, we'd rather spend more time flying, and less time reading the manual! So, we designed our book so that you don't have to read the whole thing from front to back for the information you want. At the start (or end) of each segment, we'll tell you what content is coming up next. If it's a concept you're already familiar with, we'll show you how and where to skip ahead for the next important topic. You may be the button-pushing type who just likes to play with the GPS first, before peeking inside the manual. That's fine, because AirMap menus have a pop-up Help feature that will answer many of your questions. If this is your learning style, turn to the installation instructions in Section 2, then step outdoors with your unit. When you come to a menu command you want to learn more about, jut turn to the Table of Contents or the Index and look it up. The manual is organized into six sections. If you're new to GPS, prefer a tutorial approach to learning or just want to explore more of the awesome features in your AirMap, we suggest you skim some of these sections more closely. This first section is an introduction to AirMap, GPS and WAAS. It tells you the basics you need to know before you can make AirMap look around and tell you where you are. Section 2, Installation, will help you get the batteries and MultiMedia Card (MMC) correctly installed in your AirMap. (The card contains the Jeppesen Americas and Lowrance Obstructions aeronautical databases.) We'll also show you how to install the mounting bracket on a yoke and the remote active antenna in an aircraft window or on top of the instrument panel. Section 3 is really the heart of our book, Aviation Mode Operation. It will introduce you to the basic airborne GPS functions. This section includes the one-page Aviation Mode Quick Reference we mentioned earlier. The rest of Section 3 contains short, easy-to-scan lessons that follow one another in chronological order. They're all you'll need to know to get in the air quickly. Aviation Mode instructions are only 40 pages long, and these lessons will meet the navigation needs of many pilots. But, after you've learned 2 the basics (or if you already have some GPS experience), you may want to try out some of AirMap's many advanced features. That brings us to Section Four, Land Mode Operation, which also includes its own onepage quick reference. After we introduce the Land Mode menus and submenus, the rest of the section contains AirMap's more advanced command functions. Your AirMap is ready to use right out of the box, but you can fine tune and customize its operation with dozens of options. We describe how to use them in Section 5, System Setup and GPS Setup Options. This section covers both Aviation Mode and Land Mode options. Finally, in Section 6, we go into more detail on one of AirMap's most remarkable capabilities -- Searching. We'll introduce a couple of search examples in both the Aviation and Land mode sections, but there are so many map and aeronautical items you can search for, we had to give this function its own section in the manual! For example, we mentioned telephone numbers earlier. Your AirMap can function as a virtual Yellow Pages, and we'll show you how in Section 6. Now, if you're into the fine details, glance over the next segment on specifications to see just how much GPS power you hold in your hand. It's important to us (and our power users), but, if you don't care how many waypoints AirMap can store or how long the batteries last, skip ahead to important information on how AirMap works, on page 5. Capabilities and Specifications Display: ............................2.83" (7.2 cm) diagonal. TFT, Quarter VGA (256 colors). Resolution: ......................320V pixel x 240H pixel resolution; 76,800 total pixels. Backlighting: ..................White LED screen backlighting for night and low-light viewing. Input power:......................3 volts DC (two 1.5v AA batteries); operates up to 12 hours on batteries when using onesecond position updates (longer update rates and optional power saving settings further extend battery life, but will reduce GPS accuracy). Cigarette lighter power adapter included. Case size: .........................5.6" H x 2.5" W x 1.2" D (142 x 65 x 30 mm); water resistant to IPX-7 standards. 3 Weight: .............................8.7 ounces (246.6 grams) with batteries. Receiver: ..........................Internal, 16 parallel channel GPS+WAAS; advanced active remote external antenna included. Recording: .......................Removable MMC or SD memory cards for recording GPS trip details, displaying custom maps, upgrading operating system software and transferring trip data to personal computer without a slow serial connection. USB card reader included with unit. MMC slots: .......................One, inside battery compartment. Accepts non-proprietary MMC or SD memory cards. Aeronautical map: .........Jeppesen Americas database with airports, VORs, NDBs, intersections and airspaces (including Class D). Lowrance Obstructions database displays ground obstructions in AGL or MSL heights. Background map: ..........Built-in custom, detailed Lowrance map. Contains: low-detail maps of the whole world (containing cities, major lakes, major rivers, political boundaries); and medium-detail maps of the United States (containing all incorporated cities; Interstate, U.S. and state highways; Interstate highway exits and exit services information; large- and mediumsized lakes and streams.) Custom mapping:...........Accepts custom, higher-detail MapCreate 6 mapping on memory cards, with searchable Points-of Interest database of hotels, restaurants, shopping, services and more. NauticPath USA, Fishing Hot Spots Elite, LakeMaster ProMaps, Navionics charts are optional. Mapping memory: .........Up to 2 GB on one MMC (MultiMedia Card) or SD (Secure Digital Card.) Position updates:...........Every one second. Position points: ..............1,000 waypoints; 1,000 event marker icons. Graphic symbols for waypoints or event marker icons:..................63. Routes: .............................100; up to 100 waypoints per route. 4 Plot Trails:.......................100 savable; up to 9,999 points in a single trail. Nearest Airport:.............Quickly locates an airfield closest to your current position. (Aviation Mode only.) Man Overboard: .............MOB feature precisely marks man overboard location with special icon, then automatically displays navigation data to that position. (Land Mode only.) Com Port:.........................One serial communications port, NMEA 0183 version 2.0 compatible. Allows exchange of position data with another device, such as an autopilot or personal computer. Optional combination serial/power cable available. Zoom range: ....................39 ranges; 0.02 to 4,000 miles. NOTE: The above memory capacities refer only to AirMap's on-board memory. The amount of GPS data you can record and save for recall later is only limited by the number of MMC cards you carry with you. How AirMap Works You'll navigate faster and easier if you understand how AirMap scans the sky to tell you where you are on the earth -- and, where you're going. (But if you already have a working understanding of GPS receivers and the GPS navigation system, skip on ahead to Section 2, Installation & Accessories on page 11. If you're new to GPS, read on, and you can later impress your friends with your new-found knowledge.) First, think of your AirMap as a small but powerful computer. (But don't worry -- we made AirMap so easy to use, you don't need to be a computer expert to find your way!) The unit includes a keypad and a screen with menus so you can tell AirMap what to do. The screen also lets AirMap show your location on a moving map, as well as point the way to your destination. This pocket-sized computer also contains an antenna and specialized scanning receiver, something like your car radio. But instead of your favorite dance tunes or VOR signals, this receiver tunes in to a couple of dozen GPS satellites circling the earth. (WAAS satellites, too, but more about them later.) AirMap listens to signals from as many satellites as it can "see" above the horizon, eliminates the weakest signals, then computes its location in relation to those satellites. Once the AirMap figures its latitude and 5 longitude, it plots that position on the map shown on the screen. While the screen is updated once a second the internal calculations are done several times a second. The performance doesn't stop there. Stored in the permanent memory of each AirMap is a basic background map of the entire world. (For just what's in the map, see the preceding segment on specifications.) We lock it in here at the factory -- you can't change or erase this map. The background map, along with the Jeppesen and Lowrance aeronautical databases, are all you need for aerial navigation. (Your unit reads these databases automatically from the MMC card included in the package.) The background map is also suitable for many land and marine navigation chores, but for maximum surface accuracy and much more detail, you need a custom map from MapCreate 6. Some AirMap features -- such as searching for businesses and addresses -- won't work without a custom MapCreate Map. There is so much detail in our background map (and even more in MapCreate) that we'll compare their contents and differences in Section 3, Aviation Mode Operation. Another portion of AirMap's onboard memory is devoted to recording GPS navigation information, which includes waypoints, event marker icons, trails and routes. This lets you plan a route for a flight or look back the way you came. Think of this data storage like the hard drive memory in a computer. You can save several different GPS data files, erase 'em and record new ones, over and over and over again. Like any computer file, these GPS Data Files (file format *.usr) can be shared between AirMaps, other Lowrance GPS or sonar/GPS units, even personal computers. AirMap has one more thing in common with a personal computer. Just as computers have a floppy disk drive for storing and exchanging files, AirMap has a slot for an MMC (MultiMedia Card) or SD card (Secure Digital Card) flash memory card. These solid-state memory devices are about the size of a postage stamp, but can hold data ranging from 8 MB to 1 GB in size. (Compare that to a floppy disk's 1.44 MB capacity!) AirMap uses all that MMC space for two key purposes. First, you can backup your onboard GPS Data Files by copying them to the MMC. Since the MMC is removable (like a floppy disk or a video tape), you can store these GPS Data Files on a personal computer equipped with an MMC card reader. (Or store them on a pocketful of MMCs, if you don't have a computer handy.) Our MapCreate mapping software can save, edit or create its own GPS Data Files, which can be copied to the MMC and then loaded from the MMC into AirMap's memory. (NOTE: No matter where they come from, GPS Data Files 6 must be loaded from the MMC into memory before AirMap can use them.) As we mentioned earlier, the other key use for MMCs is storage of the aeronautical databases and high-detail maps from MapCreate. These Custom Map Files (file format *.lcm) can also be shared between AirMaps, other Lowrance GPS or sonar/GPS units and personal computers. You make your own Custom Map Files with our MapCreate software, but you don't have to. We also sell ready-to-use FreedomMaps. These custom maps are pre-loaded on MMCs. (No computer work required!). Introduction to GPS and WAAS Well, now you know the basics of how AirMap does its work. You might be ready to jump ahead to Section 2, Installation & Accessories, on page 11, so you can install the batteries. Or you might want to see how our text formatting makes the manual tutorials easy to skim. If that's the case, move on to "How to Use This Manual" on page 9. But, if you want to understand the current state of satellite navigation, look over this segment describing how GPS and its new companion WAAS work together to get you where you're going. First of all, why are pilots so excited about GPS navigation? GPS is more accurate than other navaids, such as VOR and NDB. GPS is free of environmental limitations that affect other navigation systems and it's available worldwide. GPS receivers like your AirMap are highly affordable, easy to use and not confined to your cockpit! GPS frees a pilot to accurately navigate to or from virtually any map place on earth -- navigation is no longer limited to the aeronautical navaid network. With a mapping GPS, a pilot always knows exactly where he is. A GPS receiver makes it easier for a pilot to apply wind correction angles and fly true headings, as well as determine true ground speed. The Global Positioning System (GPS) was launched July 17, 1995 by the United States Department of Defense. It was designed as a 24hour-a-day, 365-days-a-year, all weather global navigation system for the armed forces of the U.S. and its allies. Civilian use was also available at first, but it was less accurate because the military scrambled the signal somewhat, using a process called Selective Availability (SA). GPS proved so useful for civilian navigation that the federal government discontinued SA on May 2, 2000, after the military developed other methods to deny GPS service to enemy forces. Reliable accuracy for civilian users jumped from 100 meters (330 feet) under SA to the present level of 10 to 20 meters (about 30 to 60 feet). Twenty-four satellites orbit 10,900 nautical miles above the Earth, 7 passing overhead twice daily. A series of ground stations (with precisely surveyed locations) controls the satellites and monitors their exact locations in the sky. Each satellite broadcasts a low-power signal that identifies the satellite and its position above the earth. Three of these satellites are spares, unused until needed. The rest virtually guarantee that at least four satellites are in view nearly anywhere on Earth at all times. A minimum of three satellites are required to determine a 2D fix. The system requires signal reception from three satellites in order to determine a position. This is called a 2D fix. It takes four satellites to determine both position and elevation (your height above sea level -- also called altitude). This is called a 3D fix. Remember, the unit must have a clear view of the satellites in order to receive their signals. Unlike radio or television signals, GPS works at very high frequencies. These signals can be easily blocked by trees, buildings, an automobile roof, a wing, even your body. Like most GPS receivers, AirMap doesn't have a compass or any other navigation aid built inside. It relies solely on the signals from the satellites to calculate a position. Speed, direction of travel, and distance are all calculated from position information. Therefore, in order for AirMap to determine direction of travel, you must be moving and the faster, the better. This is not to say that it won't work at walking or boat trolling speeds -- it will. There will simply be more "wandering" of the data shown on the display. GPS is plenty accurate for route navigation, but the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has special needs for aircraft traffic control that go beyond basic GPS. The FAA has a plan under way to boost GPS performance even further with its Wide Area Augmentation System, or 8 WAAS. This GPS add-on will include a time control element that will help airliners fly closer together while avoiding collisions. In addition to carefully spacing airplanes along travel corridors, WAAS will eventually make instrument landings and takeoffs more accurate as it replaces existing aviation navigation systems. WAAS signals make your GPS navigation even more accurate. Your AirMap automatically receives both GPS and WAAS signals. However, WAAS has some limits you should know about. First, the U.S. government has not completed construction of the WAAS system, so it is not yet fully operational. The ground stations are in place, but only a few of the needed WAAS satellites have been launched. WAAS can boost the accuracy of land and marine GPS navigation, but the system is designed for aircraft. The satellites are in a fixed orbit above the Equator, so they appear very low in the sky to someone on the ground in North America. Aircraft and vessels on open water can get consistently good WAAS reception, but terrain, foliage or even large man-made structures frequently block the WAAS signal from ground receivers. You'll find that using your GPS+WAAS receiver is both easy and amazingly accurate. It's easily the most accurate method of electronic navigation available to the general public today. Remember, however, that this receiver is only a tool. As this manual goes to press, the FAA has not yet certified any hand-held GPS+WAAS receivers for use as the sole navigation aid for VFR pilots. Always have another method of navigation available, such as a sectional chart and your aircraft's magnetic and gyro compasses, or a conventional nav/com radio. Also remember that this unit will always show navigation information in the shortest line from your present position to an airport, VOR or other waypoint, regardless of obstacles and terrain! It only calculates position, it can't know what's between you and your destination, for example. It's up to you to safely navigate around obstacles and rising terrain, no matter how you're using this product. How to use this manual: typographical conventions Many instructions are listed as numbered steps. The keypad and arrow "keystrokes" appear as boldface type. So, if you're in a real hurry (or just need a reminder), you can skim the instructions and pick out what menu command to use by finding the boldface command text. The paragraphs below explain how to interpret the text formatting for those commands and other instructions: Arrow Keys The arrow keys control the movement of dotted cross-hair lines on your 9 mapping screen called the cursor. The arrow keys also help you move around the AirMap menus so you can execute different commands. They are represented by symbols like these, which denote the down arrow key, the up arrow, the left arrow and the right arrow: . Keyboard The other keys perform a variety of functions. When the text refers to a key to press, the key is shown in bold, sans serif type. For example, the "Enter/Save" key is shown as ENT and the "Menu" key is shown as MENU. Menu Commands A menu command or a menu option will appear in small capital letters, in a bold sans serif type like this: SYSTEM SETUP. These indicate that you are to select this command or option from a menu or take an action of some kind with the menu item. Text that you may need to enter or file names you need to select are show in italic type, such as trail name. Instructions = Menu Sequences Most functions you perform with AirMap are described as a sequence of keystrokes and selecting menu commands. We've written them in a condensed manner for quick and easy reading. For example, instructions for deleting all icons from memory would look like this: 1. Press MENU| to DELETE MY ICONS|ENT|ENT. 2. Press to YES|ENT. 3. Press EXIT. Translated into complete English, step 1 means: "Press the Menu key. Next, press the down arrow key to scroll down the menu and select (highlight) the Delete My Icons menu command. Finally, press the Enter key twice." Step 2 means: "Press the left arrow key to select Yes, then press Enter." Step 3 means: "Press the Exit key to clear the menu and return to the Map Page." Important Keyboard Shortcut Tip: There are often three ways to move around an AirMap menu. For simplicity, we've written our instructions using the Enter key (ENT) to complete a move from one menu to the next. However, many commands have shortcuts that will help your fingers fly across the keys. Almost every page menu command lets you press or instead of ENT. This is always true for commands with an ellipses (MAP DATA...) or an arrow (GPS SETUP ). Our menus also "wrap around;" that is, they form a circular loop. This means when you open a menu and need to reach the bottom command, you can get there by pressing one time instead of holding or repeatedly pressing . A cockpit can be a busy place; practice with these shortcuts and you can run AirMap commands faster, with less finger movement from key to key. 10 Section 2: Installation & Accessories Power The AirMap operates from AA batteries or on 3 volts DC using an optional external power cable with a cigarette lighter adapter. If the power cable is used, the AirMap automatically switches to it if the external power is greater than the battery voltage. If the external power fails, the unit automatically switches to the batteries. NOTE: Some pilots like to keep fresh batteries in their units, even when using the external power. If the power fails, the unit will automatically switch to the batteries, thus keeping the unit on without interruption. Warning! With earlier Lowrance Aviation units, some pilots liked to remove the cigarette lighter plug from the adapter cable and splice the exposed wires directly to their dash consoles. However, the AirMap 600 cigarette lighter adapter contains in the plug a voltage regulator to convert 12 volts down to about 3. Without this regulator, connecting your unit to a 12-volt power source will destroy the unit ­ and this damage will not be covered by your warranty. Flash memory and an internal lithium battery will keep your stored data safe and accessible for the life of the product. Batteries The unit requires two, 1.5 volt AA batteries. We recommend that you use alkaline batteries for the best trade-off between battery life and cost. We recommend DURACELL brand, but other brands will work. If you're looking for an extended-life battery, the Duracell ULTRA battery has performed well in our tests. You can also use rechargeable AA alkaline batteries, such as those made by RAYOVAC, or rechargeable AA nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries. We do not recommend nickel cadmium (NiCd) rechargeable batteries because you will get poor battery life. Rechargeable alkaline batteries will not last as long as standard alkaline batteries. NiMH batteries are rechargeable and should also give you suitable battery life. 11 Do not mix different battery types. Mixing battery types may cause leakage. (For example, don't use both alkaline and NiMH batteries at the same time, and don't use standard alkalines with rechargeable alkalines.) Battery Installation Turn the unit over so that the back is facing you. With your thumb or nail, pull back on the small clip to release the battery cover latch as shown in the following images. Once the latch is released, pull the battery cover up out of the grooves in the bottom of the case. Remove AirMap battery cover. Install the batteries according to the embossed signs in the battery compartment, which shows the correct polarity. Point the positive pole of the upper battery to the left; point the positive pole of the bottom battery to the right. NOTE: Inside the battery compartment is a rotating MMC card lock. The grip on this lock must be turned parallel with the direction of the batteries for them to fit properly. Replace the battery compartment cover. First align the latch tabs at the bottom of the cover with the slots at the case's base. Press the cover into place, and then firmly push up on the clip at the top of the cover until it latches in place. There is usually an audible click when the latch engages. Replace battery compartment cover. Align tabs with slots in the base, left. Press latch firmly until it clicks, as shown right 12 Cigarette Lighter Power Adapter To use external DC power: Plug the power cable's cigarette lighter adapter into a cigarette lighter receptacle. Next, pull aside the rubber cover on the bottom of the unit and insert the other connector as shown in the following image. A small clip on the connector should hold the connector in place. Attach external power cable to iFINDER. The iFINDER can use two other optional external cables to supply a NMEA/serial data connection or a combination of power and data. These cables are discussed in the following segment on NMEA connections. NMEA Cable Connections NMEA is a standard communications format for marine electronic equipment. For example, an autopilot can connect to the NMEA interface on this unit and receive positioning information. The unit can exchange information with any device that transmits or receives NMEA 0183 data. To exchange NMEA data, Lowrance offers an optional data only cable and a power/data combo cable. The NMEA/serial communications cable has a standard female DB-9 connector on one end to attach your unit to a computer's serial communications port. The other cable combines a cigarette lighter power adapter with a DB-9 plug for a NMEA/serial com port connection to a laptop computer or other device. This is our favorite cable for connecting the AirMap to a laptop computer. By transmitting NMEA data to the computer, you can get live position data for GPS-compatible mapping software. You can also run one of our free Lowrance GPS emulators on your laptop, and operate it with real-time position information. 13 To use it, plug the power adapter into a cigarette lighter socket, plug the DB-9 connector into a serial port on the computer and attach the cable to the AirMap. Then see "Com Port Configuration" in Sec. 5. MMC or SD Memory Card Installation Your AirMap uses a MultiMedia Card to store information, such as custom maps, waypoints and other GPS data. The unit can also use Secure Digital Cards (SD cards) to store information. NOTE: Throughout this manual, we will use the term MMC, but just remember that your unit can use an MMC or SD card to store data. Both of these solid-state flash memory devices are about the size of a postage stamp. An SD card is slightly thicker than an MMC. As this manual went to press, MMCs were available in storage capacities of 8 MB, 16 MB, 32 MB, 64 MB and 128 MB. SD cards were available in capacities of 8 MB, 16 MB, 32 MB, 64 MB, 128 MB, 256 MB and up. We have successfully tested SD cards up to 1 GB. Additional MMC cards are available from LEI Extras; see ordering information inside the back cover of this manual. MMCs and SD cards are also available at many consumer electronics stores. The MMC slot is located in the battery compartment, beneath the batteries on the right side of the unit. The contact pins are springy, to make it easier to insert and remove the MMC card. To remove an MMC 1. Remove battery compartment cover. 2. Remove batteries, if present. 3. Hold unit facedown in right hand. Use your thumb or index finger and press down on the center of the MMC label. Remove an MMC Card. 14 4. Drag the MMC from the slot into the battery compartment. 5. Turn the AirMap face up and give it a shake to dump the MMC into your hand or onto a work surface. To add an MMC or SDC 1. Remove battery compartment cover. 2. Remove batteries, if present. 3. Hold unit facedown in right hand. Drop the MMC card into the slot, label-up, with the notched edge toward the right. 4. Press down on the center of the label and slide the card to the right. Add an MMC Card. 5. Turn the plastic rotating card lock until it holds the card firmly in place, with the grip parallel to the direction of the batteries. 6. Replace the batteries and battery cover. FreedomMaps FreedomMaps are pre-made custom maps that cover multiple states, provinces, countries or other geographic regions on a single memory card. They give you all the features found in our MapCreateTM mapping software, but without the necessity of using a computer. FreedomMaps are available for the United States, Canada and Europe. Like custom maps built in MapCreate, the custom map on a FreedomMap card contains all of these features: rivers/lakes/tributaries; more than 60,000 critical navigation aids; more than 10,000 wrecks/obstructions in coastal and Great Lakes waters; interstate/federal/state highways; interstate exit services; searchable Points-of-Interest (POI) database including: airports, hotels, restaurants, entertainment, emergency services; rural roads and city streets; cities and towns; railways; key landmarks; searchable street intersections and street addresses; national parks and forests with boundaries; wildlife preserves; and more! 15 FreedomMaps come to you preloaded on a single 128 or 256 MB memory card. Simply insert the memory card into your Lowrance GPS unit, and you're ready to go. FreedomMaps are available through LEI-Extras. To order a card (or for a list of the areas available) see the ordering information in the back of this manual. External Active Antenna A GPS antenna requires a clear view of the sky for optimum operation. Inside the cockpit, your AirMap can sometimes maintain satellite lock while sitting on the seat beside you, but we don't recommend this for optimum performance. Since the "view" is restricted to what can be seen through the window, this operating mode will reduce position accuracy and will increase the chance of losing satellite lock. Inside a plane, the unit operates best with an external antenna mounted on the windshield or dash. Attach AirMap antenna to windshield bracket with two screws. You may achieve good results by simply placing the external antenna on the top of the dash, at the base of the windshield. Many pilots like to attach the antenna to the top of their instrument panel glare shields. Depending on the surface, a strip of adhesive Velcro or a piece of the rubber non-skid shelf liner material available in recreational vehicle supply stores will help hold the antenna in place. We recommend attaching the antenna to your windshield or other window. For this reason, the remote active antenna packaged with your AirMap includes a suction-cup mount. Be sure to mount the antenna in a location where it will not obstruct your view. 16 Press suction cup plate firmly against a window with unobstructed view. Wherever you mount the antenna, make sure it is in a location with an unobstructed view of the sky. If you're sticking it to a window, moisten the suction cups on the mounting plate and press firmly against the window. Route the cable so that it won't interfere with flying. Then, simply plug the connector into the unit's antenna socket, located on the back, in the upper left corner of the case. The AirMap 600 will automatically switch to use the RAA-3 remote antenna when plugged in. Bracket Mounting System A mounting bracket is shipped with your AirMap. The mounting arm and cradle can swivel on a ball for easy viewing in any type of vehicle. Attach the mounting bracket to the stem of the yoke. Then, tighten the knob at the bracket's base to keep the bracket from sliding around on the yoke stem. Next, angle the arm so that the unit will be held in front of the yoke. When you are satisfied with the bracket position, tighten all the knobs to keep the bracket from shifting. Find a good position for the mounting bracket. Then, slide the AirMap into the bracket. (AirMap 500 model shown.) 17 Notes 18 Section 3: Aviation Operation This section addresses AirMap's main aviation GPS functions. The principles are the same in both operating modes, so this discussion also serves as a good introduction to Land Mode work. Before you turn on AirMap and find where you are, it's a good idea to learn about the different keys, the five Page screens and how they all work together. BUT, if you just can't wait to get outside, grab the batteries and turn to the one-page Quick Reference on page 40. Keypad 7 2 3 4 6 5 1 8 9 AirMap 600 keypad. 1. PWR/LIGHT (Power & Light) ­ The PWR key turns the unit on and off and activates the backlight. 2. PAGES ­ Pressing this key switches the unit between the three different page screens in Aviation Mode (Status, Navigation, and Map). Each page represents one of the unit's major modes of operation, and several pages have multiple display options. 3. MENU ­ Press this key to show the menus, which allow you to select or adjust a feature from a list. 4. ARROW KEYS ­ These keys are used to navigate through the menus, make menu selections, move the chart cursor and enter data. 5. ENT/SAVE (Enter & Save) ­ This key allows you to save data, to accept values or to execute menu commands. Also use it to quickly create waypoints or icons. 19 6. EXIT ­ The Exit key lets you return to the previous screen, clear data or erase a menu. 7. FIND (Direct To) ­ The Find key launches the AirMap search menus. It also allows you to go Direct To items shown in search lists. 8. ZOUT ­ (Zoom Out) ­ This key lets you zoom the screen out to see a larger geographic are on the map. Less detail is seen as you zoom out. 9. ZIN ­ (Zoom In) ­ This key lets you zoom the screen in to see greater detail in a smaller geographic area on the map. Power/lights on and off To turn on the unit, press PWR. To turn on the backlight, press PWR again. Pressing PWR once again will turn off the backlight. (Press EXIT to clear any message or alarm displays.) Turn off the unit by pressing and holding the PWR key for 3 seconds. Aviation Mode has a single Main Menu, which contains some function commands and some setup option commands. The tutorials in this section will deal only with primary functions, the basic commands that make AirMap do something. These lessons are designed for use with the unit's options set at their factory defaults. But, if you want to learn more about the various option settings, see Sec. 5, System Setup and GPS Setup Options. To access the Main Menu from any Page: press MENU|MENU. To clear the menu screen and return to the page display, press EXIT. Main Menu Main Menu, Aviation Mode. The Main Menu commands and their functions are: Screen command: changes the contrast or brightness of the display screen. Sounds command: enables or disables the sounds for key strokes and alarms and sets the alarm style. Transparency command: adjusts the level of transparency of onscreen menus, allowing you to see the map behind them. 20 Alarms command: turns arrival, off course and anchor GPS alarms on or off and changes alarm thresholds. Aviation Alarms command: turns distance, time, near and inside airspace alarms on or off and changes alarm thresholds. Route Planning command: used to plan, view or navigate a route. My Trails command: shows, hides, creates and deletes plot trails. Also used to navigate or backtrack a trail. Cancel Navigation command: turns off the various navigation commands. Used to stop navigating after you have reached your destination navaid, waypoint, Point of Interest or map cursor location; or after you reach the end of a route or trail. Disable AirMap command: turns off Aviation Mode operation and switches to Land Mode. See Sec. 4 for details on Land Mode Operation. GPS Setup command: sets various GPS receiver options and runs the GPS Simulator. System Setup command: sets general configuration options. Aviation Calculators command: controls several aeronautical calculators. These include: E6B flight computer functions (altitude and air speed calculator, wind speed and direction calculator.) and a vertical navigation calculator. alarm clock, up timer and down timer. Sun/Moon Calculations command: finds the rising and setting times of the sun and moon for any location on any day from the year 2000 to 2064. This also shows the moon phase. Trip Calculator command: shows trip status and statistics, such as trip time, distance and average speed. Timers command: controls settings and alarms for an up timer, a down timer and an alarm clock. Browse MMC Files command: this allows you to view the installed MMC card and the files it contains. Pages Aviation Mode has three main Page displays that represent the three major operating modes. They are the Satellite Status Page, the Navigation Page and the Map Page. They are accessed by pressing the PAGES key, which calls up the Pages Menu. You then press the left arrow key or the right arrow key to scroll among the three pages. The Navigation Page has three display options: Aviation Map, HSI Map and Navigation AirSpace. The Map Page has five display options: Map Panel, Full Map, Compass Overlay, Position and Two Maps. You 21 access these display options by pressing the PAGES key, then the down arrow or up arrow keys. To clear the Pages Menu, press EXIT. The following series of nine images shows the Pages Menu and display options on their corresponding screens. This series of figures shows the Pages Menu for all three main screens and their various display options. 22 Each of the three main Pages also has a submenu screen associated with it. You access a Page Submenu by pressing the MENU key one time while the page is displayed. (Pressing the MENU key twice takes you to the Main Menu.) Several pages share similar display features. For example, the Navigation Page's HSI Map and the Map Page's Map Panel option both have a VSI or Vertical Speed Indicator. To reduce redundancy in our text, we will describe some of these duplicate features when discussing the page on which they are most prominent. Satellite Status Page This Page, shown in the following image, provides detailed information on the status of AirMap's satellite lock-on and position acquisition. To get to the Satellite Status Page: press PAGES repeatedly until the page you want appears. No matter what page you are on, a flashing current position indicator/question mark symbol and flashing GPS data displays indicate that satellite lock has been lost and there is no position confirmed. This page shows you the quality and accuracy of the current satellite lock-on and position calculation. WARNING: Do not begin navigating with this unit until the numbers have stopped flashing! Satellite Page shows satellite-lock on with a 3D position acquired (latitude, longitude and altitude) and WAAS corrections. The bottom of the screen shows a battery power indicator with "E" for empty and "F" for full. This screen shows a graphical view of the satellites that are in view. Each satellite is shown on the circular chart relative to your position. The point in the center of the chart is directly overhead. The small inner ring represents 45° above the horizon and the large ring represents the horizon. North is at the top of the screen. You can use this to see 23 which satellites are obstructed by obstacles in your immediate area if you hold the unit facing north. The GPS receiver is tracking satellites that are in blue type. The receiver hasn't locked onto a satellite if the number is in dark blue, therefore it isn't being used to solve the position. Beneath the circular graph are the bar graphs, one for each satellite in view. Since the unit has twelve channels, it can dedicate one channel per visible satellite. The taller the bar on the graph, the better the unit is receiving the signals from the satellite. The EPE, "Estimated Position Error" (horizontal position error) shown in the lower right corner of the screen is the expected error from a benchmark location. In other words, if the EPE shows 50 feet, then the position shown by the unit is estimated to be within 50 feet of the actual location. This also gives you an indicator of the fix quality the unit currently has. The smaller the position error number, the better (and more accurate) the fix is. If the position error flashes dashes, then the unit hasn't locked onto the satellites, and the number shown isn't valid. The Satellite Status Page has its own menu, which is used for setting various options. (Options and setup are discussed in Sec. 5.) To access the Satellite Status Page Menu, from the Status Page, press MENU. Navigation Page To get to the Navigation Page: press PAGES then either or to select the page. (Clear the Pages Menu by pressing EXIT.) The Navigation Page has its own menu, which is used for setting various options. (Options and setup are discussed in Sec. 5.) To access the Navigation Page Menu, from the Navigation Page, press MENU. The data boxes on the Aviation Map and HSI Map can be fully customized. You can select from 28 types of navigation information. For customization instructions see the Customize Page Displays topic in Sec. 5, System and GPS Setup Options. The HSI Map combines the main compass display in one window with a map display in another window, plus four data boxes. An amazing amount of information is crammed into this one display. We'll discuss how to move between the two windows at the end of this segment. 24 Navigation Page, HSI Map display option. Navigation Display Options Aviation Map display option The Aviation Map provides a simplified version of the Map Panel as described later (under Map Display Options). The Aviation Map, unlike the general map, shows only Aviation navaids, against a black background. For more information on the AirMap's moving maps work, read about the various Map Page displays later in this section. Navigation AirSpace display option The Navigation Airspace Page has two windows. The top window (Map Window) shows the relief map overlaid with Jeppesen data and terrain awareness color shading. The bottom window (Profile Window) shows your altitude relative to a 2D cross-section of the terrain under and ahead of you. This window also shows shading for different airspace categories. Map Window - In the Map Window, the cross-hatched line extending from the nose of the aircraft symbol represents your projected track. The area under this projected track is shown in the Profile Window below. You can use the cursor to view the terrain in other areas on the map. As you move the cursor, the projected track line will swing around, leading the cursor. The 2D display changes according to the selected terrain. 25 Profile Window - In this window, your current position (or cursor position if cursor is up) is always at the left edge of the screen. The terrain ahead of you stretches to the right. The line extending from the aircraft nose is your altitude and vertical speed indicator. In level flight, the altitude line is parallel to the ground. In a climb, the altitude line will swing up. It will swing down when descending. Controlled airspaces are shown in different colors and in the appropriate 2D shapes. Note that vertical speed and altitude information in this display are not as accurate as the position information. The terrain appears in cross-section at the bottom of the window. The terrain is color coded to indicate the relative elevation below you. Obstacles are represented by a line extending into the air, with a circular callout at the top of the line. The callout shows proximity to your track: an X indicates the obstacle is on your track or within 500 feet of it; an L indicates the obstacle is more than 500 feet to the left of your track, an R indicates the obstacle is more than 500 feet to the right of your track. HSI Map display option (Compass Rose With HSI and OBS Hold) The HSI Map combines several instruments and situational awareness tools that offer the look of a "glass cockpit" panel display. The instruments surrounding the central compass rose are discussed when we describe the Map Page's Map Panel option on page 35. Now, we want to talk about the heart of this display ­ the compass rose ­ and its Horizontal Situation Indicator. The compass rose shows your direction of travel and the direction to a recalled waypoint or other destination, such as an airport or VOR. It can also show your intended course and whether you are currently on course or off course. The navigation screen looks like the one in the following image when you're not navigating to a waypoint or other destination. No graphic course information is displayed. Your position is shown by an airplane symbol in the center of the screen. The arrow pointing down at the top of the compass rose indicates the current track (direction of travel) over the ground. 26 Track or compass heading indicator, showing direction of travel Navigation information displays in Data Boxes Compass rose Vertical Speed Indicator Present position of aircraft GPS altimeter Moving map display Navigation Page, traveling north. Page looks like this when AirMap is not navigating to a waypoint, following a route, or backtracking a trail. When navigating to a waypoint or following a route, the HSI screen looks like the one shown in the next image. Navigation information such as bearing, track and course can be shown in data boxes. Tip: You can fully customize the upper z, easy to read visual indicator of the relationship between your current direction (track) and desired direction (course). Pilots familiar with "fly to the needle" VOR instruments or large in-panel GPS screens will quickly feel comfortable with this HSI feature. 27 Track or compass heading indicator, showing direction of travel White bearing arrow (pointing to destination) Course arrow Course Deviation Indicator needle (CDI) Cross track error range Navigation Page, flying TO KTUL on a course of 355º. The pilot needs to turn left to "center the needle" and get on course. The plane is currently 2.6 nautical miles to the right of the course. The cross track error range is set at 4.00 nautical miles. The course line is an imaginary line drawn from your position when you started navigating to the destination waypoint. It's shown on the HSI screen as a segmented course arrow. The cross track error is the distance you are off-course to the side of the desired course line. The current cross track error can be shown in a data box (Off Course) and graphically by the CDI needle, which is the middle segment of the course arrow. Dots on either side of the course arrow show the current cross track error scale, which is a graphic depiction of the cross track error range. The default for the cross track error range is 4.0 nautical miles, which is shown in a floating text box under the scale. If you veer four nautical miles to the left or right of the course, the off course alarm will appear. If you are off course to the right, the range box floats to the right of the course line. If you are off to the left, the range box appears to the left of the course arrow. While you are on this page, you can use the ZIN or ZOUT keys to increase or decrease the cross track error range. 28 TO arrow Fig. 1 Course arrow Fig. 2 CDI needle Fig. 3 Following a course by "chasing the needle." Fig. 1, plane has veered off course to the right by nearly 3 nautical miles, away from the needle. Fig. 2, pilot turns on heading of 348º, steering left toward CDI needle to intersect intended course. Fig. 3, pilot has intercepted his route and is virtually on course. The most important graphic element, however, is the CDI needle. The CDI and the cross track error scale instantly show you the distance to the course line, as well as the direction to steer to get back on course. In the example above, fig. 1 shows the pilot off course to the right, so the CDI needle appears to the left of the plane symbol. Fig. 3 shows the pilot back on course, so the CDI needle appears to line up with the course arrow. If you steer toward the CDI needle line, you'll always be heading in the correct direction to get back on course. NOTE: The examples above all show navigation to a waypoint, the most common method of GPS navigation. To show navigation from a waypoint, see the instructions on the OBS Hold feature later in this section. Navigating with OBS Hold AirMap contains an OBS Hold feature to help you navigate along a pilotselected radial to or from a location. You must first turn on navigation to a location before you can access OBS Hold. While running a route or navigating to a waypoint, you launch OBS Hold from the Navigation Page; just press the right or left arrow to initiate it. 29 NOTE: You must be navigating to some destination to begin using OBS Hold. Usually this will be a VOR, or some other Aviation Waypoint in the Jeppesen database. See the entry Searching later in this section if you need help finding and setting up navigation to a waypoint. In the example below, Air Traffic Control contacts a pilot flying north across Oklahoma and warns him of a dangerous storm ahead. To avoid it, they instruct him to fly outbound on a radial of 320° from the nearby VOR "FZT." To use OBS Hold: 1. From the Navigation Page, while navigating to something, press or . 2. A window will pop up asking you if you want to activate OBS Hold. Press |ENT. Use or to change the OBS Hold radial until it reaches the angle you need. Press to decrease the angle, press to increase it. Left, pilot navigating to VOR. Center, Navigation Panel page with OBS Hold menu. Right, HSI display with OBS Hold activated. The Course (if displayed) shows the OBS direction instead of original Course. The navigation data will now begin showing directions along the OBS radial instead of toward your original destination. The white arrow near the airplane icon indicates you are navigating FROM a waypoint. Remember that you can change the radial of OBS Hold using the right and left arrow keys. Press to decrease the angle, press to increase it. 30 Use the Clear OBS Hold command to resume navigation. The HSI display will point to your original destination again. You can turn off OBS Hold at any time using the Navigation Page menu. 1. Press MENU| to CLEAR OBS HOLD|ENT. 2. A window will pop up asking you if you want to cancel OBS Hold. Press |ENT. Press EXIT to clear the menu. The navigation data will once again direct you to your destination, or the next waypoint in the route you're navigating. Beginning navigation to a new destination will automatically clear OBS Hold, as well. Map Page The map screens show your course and track from a "bird's-eye" view (except the Position screen, described later). These are moving map displays, that is, the map automatically scrolls beneath you as you fly. The Map Page offers five display options, which we will describe in a moment. By default, this unit almost always shows aviation maps in Track Up orientation. (This can be changed using options described in the topic Map Orientation, in Sec. 5.) If you're navigating to a waypoint, the map also shows your starting location, present position, course line and destination. NOTE: When our text says "navigating to a waypoint," we really mean navigation to any selected item, whether it is a waypoint you made, a map feature or an item (like a VOR) from the Jeppesen database. To get to the Map Page: Map Page's Full Map option is the default screen when AirMap is turned on. To switch from another page to the Map Page, press PAGES then use or to select a page, then press or to select a page display option. (Clear the Pages Menu by pressing EXIT.) 31 Map Page Menu. Map Page Menu To get to Map Page Menu: press MENU while displaying a map page. The map menu has many options. It allows you to get information on the airspace you're in with the Airspace Status command. You can also find distances, change the orientation of your map, view map data, and other helpful map functions. Read more about these functions in Sec. 5, System Setup and GPS Setup Options. Tip: We've incorporated some type of map display in several different pages. Most of the screen characteristics described in this segment apply to virtually every map display in the unit. Map Display Options Full Map page display option The aircraft symbol centered in the lower third of the screen is your present position. It points in the direction you're traveling. The default setting is off, but you can display a solid line extending from the plane's tail to mark your plot trail, or path you've taken. (Remember, a flashing question mark on your plane symbol or flashing text displays means AirMap has not yet calculated a position.) The map zoom range is the distance across the screen. This number shows in the lower left corner of the screen. In the first example below left, the range is 4,000 nautical miles from the left edge of the map to the right edge of the map. In the right image, the range is 30 nm. 32 Far left, Map Page opening screen, Full Map display option. Center, zoomed to 100 nautical miles and right, zoomed to 30 nautical miles. (Note that the four data boxes or text boxes appearing in the bottom of these images are on by default. They can be individually turned off or you can customize the display to show a different type of information in each box.) The Zoom In and Zoom Out keys zoom the map to enlarge or reduce its coverage area and the amount of mapping detail shown. There are 40 available map zoom ranges, from 0.02 nautical miles to 4,000 nautical miles. AirMap's high resolution screen makes it possible to display aeronautical chart features that look like the "real thing." If you're familiar with sectional charts, you will instantly recognize items such as obstacles, VORs, special airspaces, paved and unpaved airports and more. As you zoom in closer, you'll see Class B airports appear at a fairly wide zoom. Zoom in closer and Class C and D airports appear, as well as restricted airspaces. At closer zooms still you can even see Class C airspace borders around airports. If you're using only the factory-loaded background map, the maximum zoom range for showing additional land map detail is 6 nautical miles. You can continue to zoom in closer, but the map will simply be enlarged without revealing more map content (except for a few major city streets.) Load your own high-detail custom map made with MapCreate, and you can zoom in to 0.02 nautical miles with massive amounts of accurate map detail. 33 Map Pages with high-detail map of an urban area loaded on the MMC, with the Earth Map Detail option set to Medium, the default. At left, arterial streets appear at the 5 nautical mile zoom range. Center, at 1.5 nautical miles, minor streets appear, along with square dots representing Points of Interest. Right, at the 0.4 nautical mile zoom, you can see major and minor streets as well as Point of Interest icons for a hotel and a grocery store. Background map vs. MapCreate map content The background map includes: low-detail maps of the whole world (containing cities, major lakes, major rivers, political boundaries); and medium-detail maps of the United States. The medium-detail U.S. maps contain: all incorporated cities; county boundaries; some major city streets; Interstate, U.S. and state highways; Interstate highway exits and exit services information; large- and medium-sized lakes and streams; and more than 60,000 navigation aids and 10,000 wrecks and obstructions in U.S. coastal and Great Lakes waters. MapCreate custom maps include massive amounts of information not found in the background map. MapCreate contains: the searchable Points of Interest database, all the minor roads and streets, all the landmark features (such as summits, schools, radio towers, etc.); more rivers, streams, smaller lakes and ponds and their names. What's more important is the large scale map detail that allows your GPS unit to show a higher level of position accuracy. For example, the background map would show you the general outline and approximate shape of a coastline or water body, but the higher detail in MapCreate shows the shoreline completely and accurately (finer detail). Many smaller islands would not be included in the background map, but are, of course, in MapCreate. 34 Interstate Minor Street Major Street Cursor line POI Markers Restaurant POI POI Pop-up Data boxes display navigation information Zoom Range Position, distance and bearing data When the map is zoomed out far enough, most POIs appear as square dots. As you zoom in closer, the symbols become readable icons. In the 0.4 nautical mile zoom example at right, the cursor has selected the Denny's restaurant POI, which triggers a pop-up box with the POI name. This pop-up box works on POIs at any zoom range. Tip: In some urban areas, businesses are so close to one another that their POI icons crowd each other on the screen. In the preceding figure, you can see a packed string of POIs all along the west half of 11th. You can reduce screen clutter and make streets and other map features easier to see by simply turning off the display of POIs you're not watching for. (To see how, check the text on Map Detail Category Selection, in Sec. 5. It shows how to use the Map Categories Drawn menu to turn individual POI displays off and on.) Even though their display is turned off, you can still search for POIs and their icons will pop-up when your unit finds them for you. Map Panel page display option The Map Panel page has several features that offer the look of a "glass cockpit" panel display. In addition to the central map and the customizable data boxes across the top, it has an altitude window to the right and a ground speed window to the left. A VSI or Vertical Speed Indicator is also located at the far right of the screen. A bar above zero shows rate of climb and a bar below zero shows the rate of descent. 35 Data Boxes Tick marks for 1000 fpm climb Tick marks for 100 feet per minute Ground Speed VSI display Altitude Compass overlay with CDI Tick marks for 1000 fpm descent Map Page: Map Panel display option. The compass overlay at the bottom of the screen includes a bearing arrow that points toward your destination, along with a CDI or Course Deviation Indicator. The CDI shows when you are off course. Steering toward the CDI needle will bring you back on course. The CDI only appears when navigating. Compass Overlay page display option The Compass Overlay page is a map with a portion of a compass rose displayed on top. A bearing arrow points toward your destination. Your current track or heading is shown in a window at the top of the page. A CDI graphic appears beneath the current position indicator. Track Bearing arrow Compass rose overlay Current position CDI Map Page: Compass Overlay display option. The CDI shows the pilot is slightly off course to the left 36 Additional information can be displayed using compass overlay data that appears at the top of the page. This information can be customized with the Compass Overlay Data command, which is discussed in Sec. 5, System Setup and GPS Setup Options. You can select from 28 different types of information to display. Position page display option The Position display provides detailed textual information on your present position and the status of your trip. For example, it can display information such as your current latitude, longitude, travel time to destination and more. Position display, left, Position display Customize Menu, right. The Position display can be fully customized. The lower window can display ten of 22 types of navigation information. For customization instructions see the Customize Page Displays topic in Sec. 5, System and GPS Setup Options. Some of the popular information displays include: Altitude is height above sea level, not ground level. Speed (ground speed) is the velocity you are making over the ground. Closing Speed is also known as velocity made good. It's the speed that you're making toward a destination. Distance shows how far it is to the next waypoint you're navigating toward. Total Distance tells how far to a final destination when navigating a route or trail. If your route has multiple legs, this option will total them for you. Travel Time (ETE) is the time it will take to reach your destination at your present closing speed. Arrival Time (ETA) is the local time that it will be when you arrive at the destination, based upon your present closing speed and track. Total Travel time tells how long it will take to reach a final destination when navigating a route or trail. Track is the heading, or the current direction you are actually traveling. 37 Bearing is the direction of a line-of-sight from your present position to a destination. No matter what direction you are steering, the Bearing shows the compass direction straight to the destination from your location at the moment. Off Course tells you how far you are to the left or right of the intended direction or line of travel toward a destination. Most of the unit's displays show Off Course as "Cross Track" or "XTK." Two Maps page display option This option provides a split map, showing your current position in the top map, and an auto zoomed view of the destination airport in the bottom map. Both maps are always in "Track Up" mode. You can manually select any zoom range in the top map or switch it to Auto Zoom. To change settings, you need to specify which map the Menu, Zoom In and Zoom Out keys correspond to. To do this, switch the active map by pressing PAGES|PAGES. The window with the blue title bar at the top is the active map window. To switch back, just press PAGES|PAGES again. Map Page: Two Maps display option. By default, the bottom position map will always show your location relative to the destination airport. Tip: Don't like the window sizes or orientation we selected? Well, pick your own! You can re-size the two map windows and even switch to vertical windows. Here's how to use the Resize Window command: 1. From the Two Maps page, press MENU| to RESIZE WINDOW|ENT. 2. The window adjustment arrow appears. Use the arrow keys to adjust the window size. To switch to horizontal, press the or keys. To switch back to vertical, press the or keys. When you are finished, press EXIT to clear the adjustment arrow. 38 Resize Window command lets you use the arrow keys to adjust split window displays We've done everything we could with AirMap to make it a powerful navigation tool, but also to keep it simple to use. Sometimes describing all of the options AirMap contains can make it sound hard to use, but it's really not! The following page contains a 12-step quick reference for the most basic aviation GPS operations. If for some reason you don't want to carry the manual with you as you practice with the AirMap, you might consider photocopying this quick reference page and tucking it into your pocket or flight bag. 39 Start outdoors, with a clear view of open sky. Imagine you're flying to a nearby airport to practice landings. (If you're practicing on foot or by car, substitute a restaurant for an airport. Pick one a few blocks away. While learning, navigation in too small an area constantly triggers alarms. 1. Insert the MMC and batteries. Mount AirMap on the yoke. Connect to electric power and the active antenna. (See install details on page 11.) 2. Turn on the AirMap: press and release PWR key. Press EXIT to clear each of the warning and copyright message screens. 3. Opening screen­ displays map of North America at the 3,000 nautical mile zoom range. Rotate through three main Page screens by pressing PAGES key, then or key. Switch pages to display Satellite Status Page, then press EXIT to clear the Pages Menu. 4. Wait while unit locates satellites and calculates current position. Process is visible on Satellite Page. This takes an average of 1 minute or less with sky unobstructed by terrain or structures. When the unit acquires position, a tone sounds and a position acquired message appears. 5. With position acquired, press PAGES| to MAP|EXIT to display Map Page, showing a bird's eye view of the earth. Move around the map by: Zoom in closer to see greater detail: press ZIN (zoom in key.) Zoom out to see more area, less detail: press ZOUT (zoom out key.) Scroll map north, south, east or west using arrow keys . To stop scrolling and return to current position on map, press EXIT key. 6. At the airport, set a waypoint (Wpt 001) at your current position so you can navigate back here: press ENT|ENT. Waypoint symbol and "001" appears. 7. Zoom/scroll map to find a nearby airport to go to. Use arrow keys to center cursor cross-hair over the airport symbol or wherever you want to enter the pattern. 8. Navigate to airport: press MENU| to GO TO CURSOR|ENT|EXIT, and take off. Follow red course line on Map Page or Course Arrow on Navigation Page. (Remember to "steer to the needle.") 9. At airport, Arrival Alarm goes off; to clear it, press EXIT. Enter pattern and land. Cancel navigation: press MENU|MENU| to CANCEL NAVIGATION|ENT| Aviation GPS Quick Reference to YES|ENT. 10. Return to Wpt 1 by Navigate To Waypoint: press FIND| to MY WAYPOINTS|ENT|ENT. Use or to select Wpt 001, press ENT|ENT; follow navigation displays. 11. Back home, Arrival Alarm goes off; press EXIT. Cancel navigation: press MENU|MENU| to CANCEL NAVIGATION|ENT| to YES|ENT. 12. To turn off AirMap, press and hold PWR key for three seconds. 40 Find Your Current Position Finding your current position is as simple as turning AirMap on. Under clear sky conditions, the unit automatically searches for satellites and calculates its position in approximately one minute or less. NOTE: "Clear sky" means open sky, unobstructed by terrain, dense foliage or structures. Clouds do not restrict GPS signal reception. If for some reason satellite acquisition takes longer, you may be inside a structure or vehicle or in terrain that is blocking signal reception. To correct this, be sure you are positioned so that the unit (if using the built-in antenna) or the external antenna has as clear a view of the sky as possible, then turn the unit off and back on again. Moving Around the Map: Zoom & Cursor Arrow Keys The map is presented from a bird's eye view perspective. The current zoom range shows in the lower left corner of the screen. 1. Press the ZIN key (zoom in) to move in closer and see greater detail in a smaller geographic area. 2. Press the ZOUT key (zoom out) to move farther away and see less map detail, but a larger geographic area. When you are flying, walking or riding in another vehicle, the map will automatically move as you move. This keeps your current location roughly centered on the screen. You can manually pan or scroll the map northward, southward, eastward or westward by using the arrow keys, which launches the crosshair map cursor. This allows you to look at map places other than your current position. To clear the cursor, press EXIT, which jumps the map back to the current position or the last known position. 41 Cursor line Selected airport Cursor line Distance measured by cursor The selected airport to the northwest is 3.64 nautical miles away. Tip: Use the cursor to determine the distance from your current position (or last known position, when working indoors) to any map object or location. Simply use the arrow keys to position the cursor over the object or place. The distance, measured in a straight line, appears in the data box at the bottom of the map. Press EXIT to clear the cursor. Selecting Any Map Item With the Cursor 1. Use the zoom keys and the arrow keys to move around the map and find the item you wish to select. 2. Use the arrow keys and center the cursor cross-hair on the desired object. On most items, a pop-up box will give the name of the selected item. You will also notice a black ring surrounds the item as it becomes selected. Once that happens, if you press FIND the Find Menu will pop up with an extra option at the top of the list: SELECTED ITEM. Press ENT to see the Information screen for the selected item. Tip: The AirMap has an extremely handy Cursor Undo feature that lets you instantly return to the previous location you were looking at without scrolling. It works like this: Use the cursor (arrow keys) to scroll the map to some far away location or waypoint. Press EXIT to clear the cursor and jump back to your current position on the map. When you want to take another peek at that distant place, just press EXIT again. You can use this trick to toggle between your current position and your destination without a lot of scrolling. 42